Anti-Social RV'ing

So, we recently went on our first RV Trip post-pandemic. We had waited for months, first, to see how the virus spread was going to progress, and secondly because all of the campgrounds and national & state parks were closed. Thankfully, after a few months, they began to lift restrictions. I am thankful for the opening of the national (and some) state parks to self-contained rv'ers, as this is one of the EASIEST and most natural ways to be outside without spreading germs. Many of us who RV, just naturally self-distance of our own preference. And with all of the stress and anxiety in our lives lately, getting out in nature is one of the BEST ways to combat that, and return to healthy and happy mental wellness.

On our trip last weekend, we had almost zero public interaction. The only "forced" human interaction we had was when checking in to our campground...and this was very limited. The host was behind plexiglass, we were masked, and we stayed 6 feet away from them. If you were to do dispersed camping, this would not even be necessary. We also had to get gas one time, but again, this is an easy fix. Wash hands after gassing up (we have a sink, soap and water on-board). Or you can bleach spray nozzle before and after filling up. Easy!

The lake was very crowded. We avoided this area. Simple, common sense. There were TONS of other fun opportunities to explore. We went 4 wheeling (in our own vehicle), we hiked (far away from others), we explored streams & puddles, overlooks, wildlife viewing, star-gazing, marshmallow roasting, laughing, story-telling and lots and lots of family fun. This is exactly how we would have managed an rv-trip on any crowded camping weekend in the past. We prefer being alone (well, alone, just the 5 of us, ha ha) in nature most of the time. So it's an easy transition. 

I'll just expand upon each of the bulletpoints on how we utilize our RV.

• Use your own Bathroom/Shower-- This is one of my favorite things about rv-ing and what seperates it from tent-camping. I like to shower in my own space. I like to know I'm only dealing with my own dirt (and honestly mostly the filth of my very dirty after a day of exploring kids). I also SO appreciate that we can shower them off and put them to bed, CLEAN, into their own beds...see below. :)

• Sleep in your own Beds-- Yep, clean and jammied up, we are the only bodies that sleep on these beds, on these pillows, in these sheets. And we all sleep so well in our own beds.

• Shop Local-- we are going to be buying groceries no matter what. So it's easy to just shop in our own town, at our own stores, and limit exposure to any places we wouldn't already be going. Now, pre-pandemic times, we loved to shop at local farmer's markets and organic stores in whatever town we were visiting. This is especially helpful on a long trip. However, during these times, to limit exposure (to towns we travel to, as well as to ourselves) it is easy to only shop in our normal stores and have plenty of food to last for the trip. I do add organic fruit cups, applesauce and other non-perishable items for a long trip. 
• Bring/Prep your own food-- We have always done this (food-allergy on board!) and it's really second nature to us. Now that my kids are older, they are so helpful at cooking and prepping, and packing up meals. We know that we can have enough food for our family for weeks (including a full Thanksgiving Dinner) as we often do this. Here are some tips for fitting more food: Fitting it All

• Bring Bleach spray & wipes-- Pre-pandemic, I have always traveled with bleach wipes for quick cleaning and sanitizing. Yet now, these are VERY hard, if not impossible to find in stores near me. So I bought some good-quality spray bottles from my local hardware store, made a sanitizing bleach/water solution, and filled the bottle. I spritz it on regular baby wipes, then wipe surface or hands as needed. WARNING: This is BLEACH. It will stain if sprayed on colors, it MUST NOT BE MIXED WITH AMMONIA!! I made sure to buy a really good spray bottle that can be tightly closed so it won't leak in my rv. I also keep the bottle in the kitchen sink for travel, so in case it tips over or leaks...no issues! Proper way to use bleach to sanitize.                                        

                             

• Wash Hands-- Again, this is normal behavior in our family. My kids have been taught to wash hands with soap every single time prior to eating anything at all. Nothing has changed for us. This is a really good habit to have all the time. Also remember, if you have a germy item (PHONE) that you touch all the time...wipe it with bleach solution too. If you wash your hands then play with your dirty phone, then eat...that's gonna be a problem. And it's something that people do all the time.  
• Glove, Dump, Bleach/Wash-- Again, most RV'ers have always done this. Just a reminder...Glove up, dump your tanks, put your hoses away, carefully remove gloves, wash your hands thoroughly and/or bleach wipe until you can thoroughly wash hands with soap and water. 

• When filling your rv from a shared water spigot, you can bleach wipe the spigot prior to filling your rv. Afterwards, we bleach wiped the spigot again for the next RV'er. I do this same process when fillling up with gas too. Keep things cleaner than when you found them! And then, always wash hands with soap and water right afterwards. Easy peasy!

• Avoid Crowds- It's easy to do with a little prep. Know where you are going. If traveling to a popular destination (a popular lake, state or national park etc.) have other options for what you want to do. Many times, we have just walked a few hundred feet to get some privacy. MOST people want the easiest option. If you are willing to hike a bit, or park where there's not a huge free parking lot, paddle your kayak away from the crowds and beach by yourself, many times, you will find wide open spaces just for you! Think of the easiest option for the laziest of people...and then do something different. You will be greatly rewarded with solitude! 

• Mask up for human interaction- when there are no other options (checking in at a campground, buying firewood etc), mask up. This was required only ONE time during our trip last weekend (when we checked in) and it was no big deal. The rest of the trip, we didn't even thing about C-19, or masks, or the virus, or ANYTHING other than nature and relaxation. It was amazing!!
• Enjoy the Great Outdoors!!! This is the whole point of this post. For months, the majority of our household and neighborhood and community has been on edge. So many questions, so many scary and heartbreaking stories, so many facts...updated by the minute, sometimes conflicting, so many numbers, so many arguments, opinions, experts...AAAGGHHHHH!!! Enough to drive anyone crazy. So, getting away from it all was necessary. Literally unplugging, and looking at the beauty of nature all around us, was breathtakingly freeing and such a much-needed mental break for everyone. Hopefully, you will be able to get out there too...and just relax and enjoy it. Happy Travels!!

California State Park Camping Reservations-Big Changes Coming Soon!

Big news from the California State Park System. They are changing the reservation system to make the parks more accessible for visitors. Hopefully this will make it easier for all of us to finally get some camping reservations this year!

Main changes (beginning August 1st) include:

• Rolling reservation window allows for reserving sites 6 months from present date. No more waiting for the first of each month. And if your trip extends past the 6 month window, they will allow you to reserve the whole time as long as there is availability!
• More campsites available.
• Better photos and views of each campsite.
• More self-service options.
• Make reservations on www.reservecalifornia.com or call 800-444-PARK (7275).

Changes beginning March 2018 include:

• View your reservations online in real-time.
• More payment options and trip-planning information online.

Here's hoping that the changes will allow us all to find that perfect camping spot this year...and actually get to reserve it! Good luck everyone. May the fastest fingers (or internet service) win you a spectacular site!

Read the full press release here.

Where does all that water go? Conserving water while RV-ing

One of our biggest challenges when rv-ing with three kids is water conservation. We teach our kids how to use water conservatively, but we still want them to practice good hygiene. And with 5 people, and one little rv, that means we use our water tank up quickly. Being new to rv-ing, the first thing I had to learn was where the water from each faucet, shower, toilet came from and went.

Fresh Water Fill without hookups- Winterization Valve Siphon

We love our rv's small size. It's easy to drive, maneuver and park almost anywhere. We knew it would be a small space for five of us, but our View is so well designed that we always have plenty of room (for us). Despite teaching our kids how to conserve and use "camping water" when washing their hands, or flushing, it's almost inevitable that we will use our fresh water tank up within 2-3 days of camping. These kids get DIRTY!! And I like my RV kept (relatively) clean! So nightly (quick) showers are a must for us. 

I mean this is the face of a happy, dirty kid that NEEDS a shower.

Travel First Aid Kit(s)

Over the past few years of travel with kids, my first aid kit has evolved a bit (goodbye teething tablets, hello ace bandages!) But it's definitely a necessity. I use a 2-kit system. My Travel kit is always packed with what I feel are our normal necessities for an everyday injury. I prefer this kit to be bag-style with handles, because I throw it in our regular car when I'm driving around town, and at the house while we're home. I considered keeping a separate travel kit in the rv, so it wouldn't be forgotten, but I don't like to keep the liquid medication or sunscreen in the heat of the rv storage. So this was added to my pre-trip prep list and (knock wood) it hasn't been forgotten yet! I can't tell you how many times I've used this for my kids (or others) while out and about. Just make sure to replenish supplies as you use them.

Quickie RV Nightlight- no battery drain!

 Anyone who's camped with kids knows that as soon as you think you know exactly what they like, those darn kids change things up on you! Yep, my kiddo who has previously insisted on total darkness for sleep, suddenly was afraid of the dark. So, in the middle of the night, while dry-camping (no hook-ups) in our RV, I "Macgyvered" a solution. I didn't want to leave an RV light on all night, and drain our RV battery. So, I found one of our little cheapo kid flashlights (about $1.99 at amazon, walmart, or target) and turned it on next to our water bottle. It illuminates the bottle and gives a cozy little glow in the RV. Not too bright for those of us that need to sleep in the dark, but bright enough for those who are a little scared of the dark.

Homemade Bug Repellent Tested and Approved!

Last year I blogged about making homemade bug repellent for the first time. I was interested in finding a more natural way to keep mosquitoes at bay while we were camping. There's nothing more annoying than itching and scratching all night, after a fun day of hiking or an evening of marshmallow roasting. But I hate those deet-filled, overly scented, sticky concoctions that you buy in stores. And we have tried the more natural commercial blends (which were still overly scented for my taste) but they didn't work well enough. So, I used my best friend, Google to find some answers. Wellness Mama was an awesome inspiration and resource. She's got some great things on that blog of hers.

 

Natural Bug Sprays

I've been wanting to try these for a while, and our last very buggy trip to Yosemite pushed me to actually go for it. I used Wellness Mama's site for the recipe and just picked several essential oil combinations to try out.

 

Best Campfire Starters

A great and easy way to get a campfire started is by using these handy (and lightweight!) homemade fire-starters. Just keep your empty cardboard egg cartons and fill with dryer lint. I keep my empty cartons right in the laundry room, and when my lint box gets full, let the kids make the fire-starters. It's a great way to get the kids involved in trip preparation, and those little fingers do a great job too. Simply place one fire-starter under your firewood and light it up. The carton flares up and creates a good, hot heat to help light your bigger pieces of fire wood.

Happy Camping!

Women Drivers

My husband is an excellent driver. He seems to drive our Winnie effortlessly, even through winding switchback roads, sheer cliffs to one side, or through tiny streets by the beach plagued with jay-walkers, bike riders and drivers unfamiliar with the area. It's so much fun to sit in the passenger seat with my camera out the window, wind blowing through my hair spotting dolphins or great camp sites, or cute beach cottages. I have every confidence in my husband's driving, and it's fun to sit carefree and footloose in my perch in the passenger seat.

Two minute tip- Towels

Since we have 5 people in our little r.v., towel drying space can be limited, especially since we beach camp quite frequently. And since you just jump out of the shower and quickly dry off, before throwing clothes back on, I think thinner, lighter towels are the way to go. I found these little beauties and just couldn't resist the rainbow colors. They're so cheery! Added bonus is that each family member has their own color (I let them choose at the beginning of each trip) so no shared cooties. haha.

They have worked great so far! So, for rv'ing, don't get those luxurious thick bath towels, look for thin & cheap. See, this post will save you money!

Car Seats in an RV?

Before buying our View, my husband and I thought about how we could configure three car seats for all of our children in an r.v. We were very happy to read that the View had four seat belts in the dinette, which were actually bolted down to the floor for safety. Because of this feature, we would be able to safely install all of our seats. The Winnebago View also has anchor points behind the seats for car seat tethers. It was very difficult for us to find information on car seat installations and even seat belt locations, without physically inspecting them, so I decided to show you how we chose to install our seats. Keep in mind, each state has its own safety laws, so make sure you check what the laws are for your state (or the state you are driving in). This is what we have chosen to do for our children's safety, we are offering this information for anyone who is interested, but in no way telling you what to do for your kiddos. If you'd like professional help, you can ask your local police or fire station for help with your installs. They should have certified car seat technicians available and willing to help!

When we first got the r.v., we just placed the car seats in the dinette area to get an idea of how they would be set up.

Packing for kids

 

I feel very lucky to have so much storage space in our little Winnie, but it is always a challenge to get everything packed and in order before each trip. This is due in large part to the fact that I have a two-year-old very active baby boy who likes to attempt to give us heart attacks at every moment with his latest adventures. I can't leave him unattended for even a second, or hand soap gets spilled all over the counters, he unscrews the toilet seat and flushes the bolts down, gymnastic feats of epic proportions etc, etc. You get the picture, right? 

So all of my prep work must be done at nap time, or with my little "assistant" who is not really a little helper at all, but an energetic ball of fury, bound on un-doing all of my hard work. That being said, I'm getting more & more efficient at the packing thing.

Bike Riding with three small children

Beautiful view of the overlook on our family bike ride near Mammoth Lakes, California

Because my husband didn't think I was crazy enough, he suggested we get some bikes for our family. Our oldest daughter already had a little bike, and she was getting very good at riding. So good, in fact, that we could barely keep up with her, even if we were running at full speed. Her Dad had resorted to riding her little razor scooter while she zoomed along on her bike. Hilarious to watch, but very sweet. "Big man on a little scooter!"(Tommy Boy, anyone? Big Man in a little coat...okay, nevermind).

Campground Reservation Tips (how not to pummel an agent)

Anyone familiar with camping (especially in California) is probably well-aware of the difficulty acquiring reservations at the popular campgrounds. It can be extremely frustrating to say the least. The first time I tried to reserve a spot in Yosemite, I could not even believe what I was up against. The week before the reservations were going to open for summer camping, the hubs & I had looked through the campgrounds, chosen our favorite one, even picked a site out. We were so excited to get our spot. At 8 a.m. sharp, I had my computer ready, and my mouse-finger clicking. I also had the phone on, dialing the reservation number. I tried online, I tried calling...I felt like pummeling someone when I got off the phone (and computer). The reservations had been completely filled within 6 minutes. INSANE!! Needless to say, I didn't get a site. The customer service representative I spoke with on the phone was completely un-helpful, unhappy, sluggish, and apathetic. He would have been a good candidate for my pummeling, I thought. I felt totally defeated, and didn't know how anyone could possibly get a reservation in this %$@# state. I spoke to many of my friends who had lived in California much longer than we had, and asked for their advice. They brushed me off, saying things like, "Oh yeah, it's a pain. We don't even try." What the heck?! At the same time, I heard lots of people talking about camping trips to Yosemite, so I knew there must be a way. I was determined to find out how to get a site!

The Holy Grail for CA Campsites

After the good fortune (aka pure luck) of finding (aka stumbling upon) the beautiful El Capitan campground, my husband and I mused about the absolute randomness of our campground selection so far. After all, our first camping trip in California had been just north of this little gem, and let's face it, that place was not even close to this one in beauty or enjoyment. We had no idea about the quality of campgrounds here. And that was not for lack of trying. We had purchased the only book we could find about California Campgrounds, we had googled the heck out of the internet, blindly searching for "good campgrounds in California" and everything else we could think of. Of course, we had looked on the state and national park reservation sites, but they were not very descriptive, and didn't have any sort of reviews listed. It was a monumental and daunting task to try to find the really good parks.

Then, we found this: