TXiceman

If the fridge is on the sunny side (south and west) you need to get it shaded without blocking air flow. As noted, due to age, it may be on its way to the RV graveyard. Look on the outside of the unit for any signs of a yellow powder on the piping, especially at the joints. If you have the slightest hint of ammonia smell it is leaking. You can also add a 12-volt 4" computer fan in the outside compartment blowing up toward the top to aid in cooling the unit. Ken

Yep, they will think about it and flip you the bird as they pass you. Ken

Of course, Lippert is not going to tell you that anything can be repaired. They make lots of $$$ off new parts. There are some parts that I would not attempt to re-chrome or repair, but hydraulic cylinders and rams are for sure worth checking. Ken

I am glad that some of you feel safe to travel and live in Mexico. But when seeing the news, I do not want to become another statistic. On this side of the border, I at least have the option of protecting myself legally. Ken

I agree that people are taking unnecessary risks. Any vaccine is not 100% effective. But I will take the vaccine and boosters even if they are only 75% effective. My wife and I still limit close quarters and always wear our mask when out in public, whether dining out (pretty seldom) or shopping. It is sad to see the cross section of those vaccinated across the USA. Vaccinations and health have taken to a political divide. More of one party is vaccinated than the other party. It is not a great imposition to wear a mask when out in public. Please wear a mask to protect yourself as well as others. Ken

A decent hydraulic repair shop can weld or chrome a shaft and grind it smooth. Ken

We use Gas Buddy to check prices to see where we need to fuel. We check along the route for better prices and stop accordingly. Ken

I will keep my RV, my truck, and my money on this side of the border. I have friends that are Hispanic with relatives on the other side and they are told by the relatives, to not bring anything of value into Mexico Ken

YEs, we need more info, unless someone happens to own the same RV as yours. If you are not plugged into short power and your batteries are up to full charge, the system will probably not work. When you bought the RV, did someone show you how the slides work? Ken

And while we are on the subject of Memorial Day, I get irritated at the folks running around with a party mood wishing everyone a "Happy" Memorial Day. This is a day to remember all the military members that gave all they could for this country. This is a day of remembrance to honor these brave people. Please honor these military members. Memorial Day is not a party day to get drunk. Ken

I have tried two other TPMS systems with poor results. Those two were eventually trashed. I have had the TST for about 6 years now and it is great. The customer support is top notch. I did have to add the repeater as the rear axle from my 3-axle 5er would sometimes drop the signal. With the repeater, no issues. Go ahead and spend the $$$ and get a TST. Ken

Will, some systems will not accept that format. Some I have to put _"#12345". Other times, I have to put the #12345 on a send address line. Sometimes It will accept Apt 12345. You never can find a common format. Ken

We were residents of Harris or Montgomery counties for years before we went full time and changed our address to Livingston, TX. We simply changed our address with DMV, insurance, banks, etc. We sent the USPS a change of address for our new Livingston address. We generally manage to get by Rainbows End once or twice a year. Enjoy your travels. Ken

Four years ago my wife had her 2nd knee replacement, but under Medicare. They kept her overnight but had to kick her out before 24 hours to keep Medicare happy. Her knee replacement 10 years prior on the other knee while under private insurance, they kept her for either 2 or 3 nights. After one night she was not ready to go home, and we were miserable....but Medicare knows beast...ha ha ha. Her surgeon, said Medicare was wrong on this procedure, but he had to follow their guides unless there were extreme problems. Ken

I gave up on Michelin LTX on my truck as I was getting 30 to5 35K on the last two sets. Went to Cooper AT and they are wearing better. I tried Goodyear Kevlar belted Wranglers and had them taken off after two weeks because they never could get them to run smooth after swapping tires and balance after balance. They check tire and rim run out and no problems. Ken

jjwicklund, I am feeling the pain as well. The great shrink dollar. Ken

Presume this is your RV. Was the breaker tripped, was the compressor running? Fan motors and capacitors do go out. Let us know what brand A/C you have, Ken

Oh, they will negotiate the price down. I have had them TRY to bill me for out of network charges at a hospital. I learned a long time back to note on the mass of papers you have to sign when getting into the hospital to add a note under the Financial Responsibility section...."All services to be provided within insurance policy coverage and limits. Initial and date it. Then when they come at you for the excess charges from an out of network doctor or whatever and I refuse to pay, the place will start cutting the price in hopes of getting something out of me. The EOB from the insurance would show the billed amount, the amount allowed as if network and the payment. I would base what I would pay off the allowed amount and the amount I owed under the deductible section. It worked every time and I paid not a dime more than I was required to per the insurance. Our daughter had a severely handicapped son that she used this same technique for, and it worked every time. Ken

Years ago, I was a bundle of nerves, and my stomach was a mess. When I went to the old family GP, he sat down with me for a few minutes, and we talked about what was bothering me. He told me to change what I could and accept the rest. If I did not slow down and make changes, he told me I would be like my father and wind up with ulcers. I changed for a better and slower paced job with a much better boss and slowed down to "smell the roses". It was not a lot longer after that that we started tent camping and getting away from the rat-race and phones. Life really improved. Being retired and not worrying about things is great. As I noted earlier, we have been full-time for 9 years and travel has been a lot less in the past two years due to COVID and some health issues I need to take care of. This summer, travel is at a standstill until I get the cataract surgery out of the way. We are looking forward to travelling more this fall but will keep it to shorter distances due to fuel cost. Hopefully we can find some hosting positions for a bit as we really enjoy the interaction with the good campers. We leave the 2% bad campers to the rangers to worry about. Slow down and enjoy life. Ken

We have seen all types of areas and feel very fortunate that we are not in the poor class. I never considered us to be rich, but we are so much better off than a very large portion of the population. And we are thankful that we can travel and see all the great USA. People for the most part are good, kind, and decent, but as noted, 2% of them are not any type of person I would care to associate with. We steer clear of these people and enjoy our life. Since we are not strapped for funds, we do not mind helping a food pantry or the local Assistance Ministeries where we used to live. Have fun and safe travels. Ken

I doubt that the hospitals are losing any money with the Medicare payments. Look at the big new hospitals being built everywhere. I get similar bills/statement. They charge $13,000, Medicare pays $500 and the supplement picks up $100. It does sound like tax fraud if they are writing off the $12,400 as a loss. Ken

Kirk, you are correct. RVing has provided a new outlook on many things. We have had the fortune to meet some really tremendous folks in the RV world through volunteering. The folks that work in the Fish and Wildlife service are true stewards of the land and animals. Once we get past the medical slow down, we look forward to some more volunteer work. Ken

My family camped under the trees on cots and no tents when I was growing up. We had a great time as kids, my mom, not so much. After we were married, my wife and tent camped on the local lakes with our 17' sailboat in tow. When we bought the first real RV, the Starcraft pop up (no furnace, no A/C, just an icebox and a hand pump at the sink. We thought we were in the lap of luxury for a few years. Then we ran into a real cold snap and fought to keep warm. Soon after this trip we were looking for a hard sided trailer with A/C, heat, shower, microwave and a real fridge and bought the 18' Prowler. This was great, such luxury and then we started the move up and up to the current rig. We no longer camp...we now GLAMP and enjoy retirement. Ken

The average driver has no clue as to what is happening around them. They drive for the moment and do not consider any future actions. I feel that I spend 80% of my time driving for the idiots on the road and 20% of my time driving for myself. Any time I see and idiot blasting ahead to pass me or squeeze in an entrance lane, I am on my brakes and increasing my safety margin. It is almost as if people did not read the same driver's manual that I read. Never mind rules as long as they get where they want to be. I run a dash camera 100% of the time the truck is being driven. Good luck on the road. Ken

I have wondered about the massive storage in the rear basement as well as the front, and then you look at a ridiculously low cargo capacity. Makes me wonder how many of these folks have actually weighed the loaded trailer. Ken