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Baby seat help needed:
I have a 24' Class C motorhome. I have been trying to get information on the anchorage of a baby seat in my RV. I have spoken with ICBC, RV dealers and other RVers but no help so far.
The anchor has to be behind the rear seat in the kitchenette as there is a counter top with a sink in it behind the rear seat.
Now what can the anchor be attached to? There is a 2" angle iron under the rear seat, but how do I attach to this?
Somebody else out there must travel with children, and be involved with this problem.
Vance W Hull
heavan34@hotmail.com
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Repair manual needed:
We are looking for a repair manual for 1986 Wilderness Yukon trailer.
We are having a problem with a leaking roof or some such thing.
Can anyone send me the link so I might purchase a manual. We would be forever grateful.
Fran Schweitz
11250345@3web.net
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Regarding a product to clean gauges:
Product name is Thetford Level Gauge Cleaner. I paid $30 in Alberta. Follow the directions carefully, it works great.
I hope other RVers find this product as useful as I did .
MR Young
mryoung2@yahoo.com
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Web Stats for www.rvtimes.com:
Sheila your Web Site Statistics for your rvtimes.com giving you the readership of January 28th to February 2nd translates to mean you have 295 people per day visiting, and they are reading 761 files (so about three pages per visit).
Also, you have 130 of those people per day coming from search engine searches, which suggests that these are NEW readers — Outstanding!
So you have 8000 plus readers per month, viewing 23,000 pages per month.
Trevor Inkpen
Webmaster
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Dating articles:
I must comment on how much I enjoy reading your “Chatting with Sheila & Al Tourond” column. The RVT just keeps getting better and better.
When I received Issue 79 and read the letters I felt obliged to comment re: “We enjoy The RV Times very much”, on page 9.
I like the full, on going stories, the only thing that would help, I think, is by dating for reference to the time of year. Some people do that but some don’t and when they talk about there being lots of space at a resort and nice (or not) weather, driving conditions etc. it would help to know the time of year.
Keep up the good work.
Bren Tufts
Coquitlam BC
Thebrenner@usa.net
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Planning help needed:
I am planning a three month cross Canada trip with a 23-1/2 foot 5th wheel this summer and am presently in the planning stage.
Can anyone give me some directions re. the following: best routes, connections to attractions in each province, advice on reservations re. RV campsites, expectations on costs....
My truck is powered by propane and I’ve heard that obtaining it in eastern Canada can be a problem. Advice?
Grant Hall
grantehall@netscape.net
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Cardlock pumps:
I really love your magazine as there are so many interesting articles.
We often read about these cardlock pumps people use on their way south. Anyway we can save money on fuel would help. Could any of your readers let me know where I can find out about them?
D. R. Jones
doug_r_jones@bctel.com
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LPG Conversion:
I recently came across your webpage and was interested to know if there was many RV owners in Canada running their vehicles on LPG.
I own a 1979 Chevy Sportscoach 25 that I have had for nearly three years now and it is fitted with a Chevy 454 V8 running on unleaded gas. We have had some good holidays in it but now that we have a new edition to the family, I was looking to try and bring the running cost down by converting it to a cheaper fuel.
We do have some companies here in the UK that do conversion work but the cost is very high, so I would be interested to know if anyone knows of any outlets over there that supply kits that one can install by oneself.
M. Tilbury
Tiltrans@talk21.com
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Relocating help:
My husband and I are aged 52 and 48 and are retired. We live in New Brunswick and due to my asthma problems, we would like to hear from other people in BC who have relocated to BC from other places in Canada to escape the eastern cold winters etc.
We were in BC in the summer of 1999 and enjoyed the locale very much.
We would like to hear from other people what BC is like, where a reasonable place to live is with reasonable rates on renting a cottage or house, or an RV lot for 3-4 months of the year. We like country areas.
Susan Goddard
Susangoddard@popmail.com
Dear Mrs. Goddard,
A copy of your inquiry regarding “Relocating”, was forwarded to us for a little input from our perspective. I hope we can help.
While you didn’t mention in your email what part of BC you were interested in, I assume it is somewhere along the coast as you want to get away from cold winters. Since you sent your inquiry to The RV Times I guess you either have an RV or have access to one.
We operate an RV Park in the suburb of Victoria. We are only 5 miles from downtown but then again only 5 miles or less from rich farm land and rain forests with trails for camping and hiking. Our website www.fortvicrv.com/fort offers much information by way of description of our facilities and many of the activities in Victoria. Climate information is available at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce site at www.gvcc.org/~chamber/climate.html
If after reviewing this information you decide you might want to try Victoria for a winter you can consider our rates as follow:
Our discounted Winter rate commences every Fall on October 1st and ends the following year on June 1st. When paying a month in advance we discount the Park’s basic daily fee of $29.00 for a total occupancy fee of $335.00 + GST.
These rates are for a maximum of 2 people and 2 pets which includes electricity (15, 30 & 50 amp service), water and sewer hook-up, cable T.V. hook up and free hot showers.
If you are planning to stay all winter you may take the individual electric meter for any site into your own name. Applications are made through our Office to BC Hydro. The winter rate of $335.00 would then be discounted further to $285.00 + GST, which includes all of the above, except electricity. There are also phone conduits at each site and so having telephone service is just a matter of a call to Telus.
For the convenience of our guests, our park also offers a Laundromat and mail service. A maximum of two pets are welcome. You may be interested to know about the Senior’s Clubhouse in our Park. Some examples of the activities available are shuffleboard and darts, a pool table, a lending library, as well as other opportunities for social interaction such as card games and pot luck dinners. We have a phone available for quick local calls and uploading & downloading e-mail.
When making a reservation we will need to know the length and type of RV unit you have (trailer, motorhome, etc.). To secure a reservation a $50.00 deposit is required.
I trust this information will be helpful to you. Additional information for such things as local attractions, weather conditions, ferry & rates is available at our Internet Website www.fortvicrv.com/fort
Mrs. Kathy Knight, Reservation Desk
Fort Victoria RV Park
340 Island Highway 1A, Victoria, B.C. Canada V9B 1H1
Tel. 250-479-8112 Fax 250-479-5806 Email info@fortvicrv.com
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Wind Deflectors:
I have a 1999, 22 ft Terry 5th wheel trailer which I pull with an extended cab, 1994 GMC, 8 cylinder pick-up truck. It is not a heavy truck, but pulls the trailer very well.
Up to now, we have just taken it on short trips around Ontario. This coming summer we plan to travel out to the west coast of BC, down to the Grand Tetons, and back home. I am considering the purchase of a wind deflector to mount on the cab of my truck - the main idea, of course, would be to gain fuel economy.
I hope some of your readers have information that would help me determine what fuel savings I could expect by using a wind deflector; the best type of deflector to purchase; and if the fuel savings would be worth the cost of the deflector?
Bob Ballantyne
bobet@csolve.net
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Assistance needed:
A recent three and a half month trip in the USA in a 21' travel trailer made us realize how much our old motorhome was missed. Talking to dozens of fellow travellers and even more sales people to narrow down the choice of a new motorhome has brought us to a specific make and model with slide.
There are however a few questions regarding choice of motors and chassis. Because of very satisfied owners talked to, our preference became the Chev Vortec engine on the new workhorse chassis. But we have since found the GVW was 2500 lbs less than the Ford chassis on the same model. Other models had smaller holding tanks, fuel tank and tire size as well. Has the Chev chassis been improved enough to be as satisfactory as the Ford?
As Chev and Ford have increased their h.p. in the last three years by “tricking up” or re-chipping their respective engines, is there significant extra-stress being put on the drivetrains by increasing the horsepower, or has this been accommodated for? Also can older Ford V-10 motors be re-chipped or altered to achieve similiar increases in power? If so, how badly does this affect gas mileage?
Ellie and Bob Ellis
eb_ellis@islandnet.com
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O’Connor RV does good!
We have a tendency to complain i.e. write letters etc. when things go wrong and/or when we have been treated badly but when the opposite happens we take it for granted and forget to say ‘thanks’.
With that in mind I would like to say thanks to the good folks at O’Connor RV in Chilliwack; here’s why.
After having been sailors since our retirement in 1986, my wife and I decided it was time to swallow the anchor and become landlubbers. So after four years of living and sailing in Australia we moved back to Powell River to settle down (?)
It wasn’t long before we were on the road again, this time by car, staying in motels, and with friends and relatives. This was good for the short haul but not for the long term.
In the Fall of 1999 when we were returning from one of our trips to the Prairies, we started thinking of other modes of travel. We were passing by Chilliwack at this time and noticed the O’Connor RV sign. When we got to Abbotsford, where we were again staying with relatives, we called O’Connors to get some information about motorhomes. We talked to Mr. Don Charlton, the General Manager. After asking us a few questions he suggested we come out the next day and see Dale one of the sales staff. Which we did.
Dale asked a few more questions. Then took us out to the lot and pointed out four or five units that fit the criterion. He asked us if we wanted him to show them or would we care to look them over and he would come by later to answer any questions we may have. We chose the latter.
After a while Dale came back and we went through the units again, asking Dale “what’s this for and how does that work etc”. With Dale’s help we decided on a 27' Jamboree. He had it serviced and it was ready in a few days.
Because it was a used unit he suggested we use it locally for a few days, to make sure everything worked and nothing needed fixing, before heading for Powell River. We found a few things that needed fixing so we went back to O’Connor’s and talked to Dale and Don again. We had a list of things that required attention and Don authorized a work order on the spot, no questions asked.
In the Spring of 2000 we left on our first motorhome trip. On the way we stopped at O’Connor’s to have the rig serviced and to have some minor items repaired. We paid for the servicing but they picked up the tab for the repairs. We felt we were treated fairly.
We were confident the rig was ready to go so we headed east across Canada to Newfoundland then down through the States to Corpus Christie Texas, up through Alberta and home to B.C.
We didn’t quite make it to Powell River though. We had traveled about 23,000 Kms and enjoyed it so much we thought it would be nice if we could use the rig ‘year round’. When we arrived at Abbotsford we called Don again and asked about having the Jamboree winterized. This was the middle of November and we had just traveled through Alberta and it was starting to get chilly. He said it wasn’t practical to retro-fit the Jamboree but they had some units already equipped for winter travel; would we care to have a look at them?
We agreed so it was back to O’Connor’s for another meeting with Dale.
By now Dale knew what we were looking for so he narrowed the search down to two units. It didn’t take us long to decide; we went for a 35' Triple E. They allowed us a very generous allowance for our Jamboree so it wasn’t to painful trading up to the Triple E
Once again because it was a pre owned unit they suggested we take a trip (to Calgary) to make sure everything worked the way it was supposed to work and there were no hidden problems. This we did and by the time we got back to Chilliwack we had another list for Don to look at. It wasn’t long before arrangements were made to have the work done and we were on the way home.
To sum up, if anyone is looking for an RV or is considering trading or needs servicing to an RV, I highly recommend they see the folks at O’Connor RV in Chilliwack.
Thanks again Don, Dale, Brian, and the people in the service department.
Joe and Arvilla Theriault
moodyblue_99@yahoo.com
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Chelation Therapy in Canada:
Yesterday (Feb 8/01), an inquiry was received from Ireland about my article in the Jan/Feb 2000 issue, The Power of Chelation Therapy. Wonderful to know that someone outside of Canada read the article.
In Canada, the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia have appropriate legislation; and on December 21, 2000 Royal Assent was given to a bill in Ontario to stop the College of Physicians and Surgeons from harassing physicians who practice Alternative Medicine and Therapies. I understand that a similar MLA Private Members bill is due to be voted on at the next sitting of the BC Legislature in late February or early March, 2001?
In the provinces where physicians are free to practice, Alternative Therapies&Mac226; those who have been taking Chelation during the winter season down south will find an increasing number of physicians offering this life-giving therapy in their own province. However there are still provinces where dedicated physicians practice alternative therapies at a risk to their career. If you live in one of these provinces, you will be able to find a group working to make this change. If you are one of the hundreds who have benefited from this therapy during your winter season, find and support this group, so that those not able to travel south can benefit.
Canadians are becoming increasingly aware about the need for, and benefits of, both traditional crisis medicine, and alternative medicine. Many are working to make this a part of the national system, and they both need, and deserve your support. Write to both your provincial Premier and MLA, and also to your provincial media saying that you want the law changed to allow qualified physicians to prescribe the treatment he/she considers to be the most beneficial to their patients.
The ultimate objective being to make a comprehensive health system available to all.
Jim Chambers
Imp@nanaimo.ark.com
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Don’t knock BC Ferries:
We have done six trips to the Mexican Baja, which tells you we like the area. But the last trip was a bit different. We decided to cross at Nogales. Mainland Mexico, and take the #15 south to Los Mochis, then take the ferry from Topalabampa to La Paz.
We took a few side trips, and one that we really liked was through Los Alamos, which was a real Mexican town, having nice campgrounds. It was worth the short drive. The ferry had an (800) number to make reservations. The phone is not answered in English, so we got a Mexican to translate it to us. The ferry was supposed to leave at 11 p.m., and it was about 10 hours to La Paz, so we asked for a reservation for our pick-up and camper and a stateroom. We had to come to the office two days before the sailing, so we stayed at a campground in Los Mochis and went to the office to reserve our stateroom. We were told we would have to be in the campground in the morning before the 11:00 p.m. sailing.
We showed up at 10:00 a.m. and had to weigh our unit. We were told the ferry was leaving at 11:00 a.m., instead of 11:00 p.m. They had changed times, so we cancelled the room as we would not be needing it seeing we would be arriving in La Paz about 11:00 p.m.
We had a small dog with us and were told during the sailing that we could not go down to our truck, so this meant we had to leave food, water and paper on the floor to hold the dog for 12 hours.
We rushed to the ferry and were the first on board. A man directed us to the front. There was a wall running down the middle of the ferry and he told us to move over close to the wall. My wife Anne hollered about the same time a big piece of metal from the wall cut into the roof of our camper. The guy then told us to move past the wall to the front of the ferry where the wall never ran to. Then he disappeared.
We went upstairs looking around, and decided to go out on the back deck and watch the rest of the loading. Eleven a.m. came, then 12 o’clock, then 1:00 p.m., next 2:00 p.m. I guess you wait until they get a load, so at 2:30 p.m. we head out.
There is a large room in the centre of the boat with seats all around, a big screen TV, on which we are treated to an action movie in English with none of the rough language cut out. There were lots of kids sitting around watching TV with Spanish subtitles; there was a newsstand nearby that sold candy, books etc., plus in the window were raunchy books and prophylactics for sale.
We got into La Paz about 11:00 p.m., and then stopped in the campground and had a thorough search of our truck and camper done, but they were good and put everything back. This is common driving the Baja. If you are not carrying guns and drugs you have no need to sweat.
Now here is where we need help from your readers Sheila. On our way out of the Baja we stopped overnight at Ensanada were we met a couple from somewhere in the US. We exchanged a few stories we have taken and they told us about a barge trip on the Mississippi River where they load your RV on the barge and sail with lots of other RVs up the river or down, stopping each day at a new place. These trips are 10 – 15 days long, having power etc on the barge like an RV park, supper included.
It sounds nice, has anyone heard of this trip or knows where we can find more information? Please let us know through this magazine.
As for our damaged camper, when we got home we traded it off on a new Bigfoot. The Mexican insurance paid the RV lot to have the old unit fixed.
Would we go back to the Baja? Well we have been in most of the States and across Canada two times and Mexico six times, and yes we will be back.
Bob & Anne Hughes
Victoria BC
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Love your magazine:
We don’t want to miss any issues, as we will be doing some traveling in the near future.
Every issue seems to be getting a little bit bigger and better. Keep them coming.
Marlene Saumure
Kelowna BC
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Previous Issues' Letters:
RV Times 79 Jan. Feb. 2001
RV Times 78 Nov. Dec. 2000
RV Times 77 Sept. Oct. 2000
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RV Seminar in Kelowna:
Just wanted to go on record to say how much I enjoyed the RV seminar presented last summer at the Kelowna campus of Okanagan College.
There was the opportunity to learn about a wide choice of subjects pertaining to RV’ing in general, and our unit in particular from some excellent instructors, plus a chance to meet a wide variety of RV people and see their units.
The majority of courses were very informative, with quality hand-outs to back up the verbal instruction. It was also nice to have such a wide variety of course options. I think we had the choice of 30-40 courses. The instructors, with the exception of the one course taught by a first timer, were very organized and knew their subjects well.
My wife joined me for the “entertainment” night and we really had an excellent time.
We would recommend the seminar to anyone wanting to learn more about their units and what makes them tick, as well as a variety of other subjects such as insurance, travel in Mexico, staying in contact while travelling, etc.
I think the course in 2001 is June 23-25th, and we are really looking forward to attending again, to take some of the courses we couldn’t fit in last year.
If anyone is interested they can contact Al Cohoe at Okanagan College, Kelowna at (250) 762-5445 Local 4488 or by visiting their website at www.ouc.bc.ca.
Doug Hayden
Vernon BC
dhayden@junction.net
Doug,
Al Cohoe has been after Allen and I to join in at this year’s event and if we can make it, we intend to do just that! Everyone I talk to about this seminar has glowing reports of a great time.
Sheila, RVT editor
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Trip North:
My husband and I are planning a trip up the Alaska Hwy this year. I have a few questions I hope your readers can help with.
1) I am a person with a disability. Are there any special rates for this?
2) With my disability would I be limited to very many sightseeings? I can walk about 10 min., but for the most part use my wheelchair or walk with a cane.
3) What months are the best time to venture on this exciting trip?
There are not too many places to go, but Sheila, when I received your September/October 2000 issue, we were enthused to make this one last trip, hopefully not last.
May you continue the good work with your publication, as we enjoy reading them.
Catherine Potomak
cpotomak@home.com
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Insurance for Canadian visitor:
I am 33 years old and a UK resident. I am planning a trip to Canada this year, planning to buy an RV in Montreal and then cross Canada in it for six to nine months.
I cannot find a insurance company who will insure me as I am not a Canadian resident and am less than 40 years old.
Can anyone help at all?
Richard Wilks
OEM Sales Manager
MicroTouch Systems Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)1235 444425
Fax: +44 (0)1235 861603
GSM: +44 (0)777 1643108
Email:rwilks@microtouch.co.uk
163 Milton Park, Abingdon UK OX14 4SD
Dear Richard,
I have two insurance offices in North Vancouver, British Columbia. I thought I would reply to you, though I do not know if I can actually help you much.
Insurance in Canada varies from province to province as does insurance law. I can fix British Columbians up with insurance for RVs. I can also fix foreigners up providing that the RV they are renting is registered in British Columbia. I guess I have two suggestions for you:
1. Find an insurer in the province of Quebec that will help you, like maybe:
Racine & Chamberland Inc.
Ph: 514-722-3501 (A name and number I just picked out of an insurance directory.)
2. Find an insurer in the U.K. that will cover you. I know that I can get coverage for British Columbians going to rent vehicles in the U.K., so maybe your insurer can provide some coverage for you in Canada. Good luck!
Mark Addison Shorter,
President Addison Insurance Inc.,
3010 Lonsdale Avenue,
North Vancouver BC Canada V7N 3J5
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Park washrooms:
The subject that seems to get little attention from the RV’ers who write to you is the condition of washrooms in many RV parks in BC, and the fact that they are coin-operated.
We’ve been RVing for more than two decades and are still dismayed by the often unsanitary conditions of some washrooms. Even those that are coin-operated. In our trip across Canada (excluding Ontario), we discovered that British Columbia and Nova Scotia were the only provinces that charged for showers.
Asked why they don’t just charge more for renting the space and include free showers, the reply was that guests would continue to waste water, resulting in added heating costs.
The solution we found was at the Fir Crest Resort outside of Lac La Hache. Showers were free, but had push-button timers. Every 20 seconds or so, the water quit and you had to push a button located in front of you to get another half-minute or so of water. This allowed us to soap ourselves down, shampoo our hair, etc. while the water was off.
Anyone who’s had to grope for a coin with a face full of soap knows how annoying coin-operated showers are. In addition, you lose precious time allotted by the coin just trying to get the water the proper temperature.
Clean, free showers and level campsites are all RV’ers want. If this is asking too much, then some of the park owners are in the wrong business.
A & E Rempel
Abbotsford BC
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Correction:
In my Nov/Dec 2000 issue, on page 27, it was stated that maps could be received for free from the Vancouver Regional Office of the BC Forest Service.
Seems this is no longer so.
The maps can be purchased for $3.35 each from Canadian Cartographics in Coquitlam, BC. Call 1-877-524-3337 for availability.
Sheila,
RVT editor
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Cleaners - What Really Works?
Cleaning and protecting an RV exterior is a lot of work no matter what products you use. Understanding the characteristics of your surface can be helpful so as not to damage the material by using the wrong cleaner.
Black streaks are an on-going, ever present problem and for the most part not harmful but unsightly. They are a combination of dust and dew. Wherever there are dry days with airborne dust and nights producing dew then there will be black streaks. At night the dust mixes with the dew to form a slurry which then starts to migrate over the side where it is baked on by the next day’s sun — and by capillary action this path is repeated day after day.
Grey streaks are a combination of black streaks mixed with the oxides from your roof - be it rubber, fiberglass or aluminum. Grey streaks are not only unsightly but detrimental as they will leech the colour out of vinyl stripes, which are permanent.
So what’s the answer? Keep up with the preventative maintenance - wash frequently or at least rinse off the roof and protect with the appropriate product. Don’t use petroleum products on rubber or vinyl, this will help mother nature in the process of destruction. When you wash - do it in the early morning and let mother nature assist. Remember the dew that softens all the contaminates makes it much easier to clean, especially bugs.
Seal your surface with a good protectant to keep the contaminates from getting into the pores. On the roof remember you want a product that is not slippery, made for walking surfaces.
You work hard to keep the sides shinny — you can see what the effects are from the sun. Well, the out-of-sight, out-of-mind mode of thinking can cost you down the road. Check out the protective system at www.tsrw.com. Their products are sold in numerous locations in BC.
Oh yes, TSRW - This Stuff Really Works!
Sue Barmon
Sbarmom@teleport.com
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