franco-bolli

Bob, Thanks for the note. I'm not eligble for Medicare coverage for at least 2 more years. I'm at a 30% rating so, according to the note I received from the VA, I can have all of my medical needs covered through the VA except dental. I know there were stipulations saying that only a select few locations in the local commuinity were able to provide medical (quick care) to me otherwise I needed to go to the main VA hosp. In the unlikely event I need medical service during the trip out of state, I was hoping to get some feedback from others in my same situation about how to get the services outside of my local VA jurisdiction.

I live within 20 miles of the nearest VA hospital, and have had good experiences with them so far. In late spring, I'll be travelling from SW Idaho to Key West Florida and have wondered, what is the right process to get medical care, should I need it along the way? Accidents happen, and alot of times not within driving distances of a VA Hospital. DO I just call the VA 800 number or is there a community care number or ??? Should I call them before I go in, or while I'm on the way, or afterward? Thanks for your responses!

Just in case there is anyone with a 0 to 100% disablity and lives on the west coast, Oregon will let you stay in their state park campgrounds 10 days a month (no more than 5 days at one campground) with one of their access passes. The only cost is the $8.00 reservation fee for the campground. Below is the link to the web site to apply for the access card. And No you don't need to be an Oregon resident, I'm not. Oregon veterans access pass I got my first card when I had a "0" percent disability over 6 years ago and now just renewed it. You also probably know that you can also get a free lifetime US National Parks pass, but taking a copy of proof of disability from the VA to the local BLM office. Again 0 to 100% disability applies. Thanks for the links to the famcamps!

FWIW have a look at RV.org they are a sort of Consumers reports on RV's. I've purchased their towables reviews previously and it helped me understand what the differences were between the offerings. The RV.org creators have passed away and their RV reports will no longer be updated Best of luck with your choices. FB

If you find a radio for sale (after you get your license) you can check out user experiences with radios on www.eham.com before you but it. You will also find antenna reviews as well, which you'll need if you buy a mobile unit. Be ware when you read them, some of the posts are quite old although may still be realavant. HAM Antenna's dont' wear out from use, but can wear out from abuse, like tree limbs and driving into your garage....

So, how'd it go? Did you get your ticket (license)? I've had a Baeofang 5vr for several years now and it's the least used of my handheld radios, primarily because without the programming software"CHIRP", it's a little challenging to enter in a repeater set up with their menu structure. Once you use it for a while, you may wish to upgrade, simply for the ease of use that the other vendors have put into their handhelds. Good, relable brands are Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood. THere are others, but those three have a LOT to choose from. If you find a used one for sale, look it up for user reviews on www.eham.com sort of like the Consumers guide with only real user use information. IF you want to find out the name behind the call sign, use QRZ.com to find them. Fortunately or unfortunatly depending on how you look at it, the FCC HAM license is a matter of public record and can be found easily on the FCC web site or QRZ.com. Let us know what radio you got and how you like it. BTW, I've been monitoring the 146.520 the national simplex frequency while traveling accross parts of Idaho and Oregon, and VERY rarely hear anyone on it. THere are some folks local to me that use it but in general, it's the rare occasion that I talk with someone driving down the highway that is also traveling. As you probably know, HAM radios aren't used like CB's, to give smokey reports.

With internal sensors, the tire needs to be dismounted, remounted and balanced. Hence the additional cost. If the TPMS sensor is accessed during a tire change (replacement), I would think the cost would be less but not zero, unless they were replaced under warranty. The TPMS sensors aren't free... A fellow camper told me that he has TPMS sensors on the valve stems of his truck tires as well as the internal (read factory installed) ones because the external ones show pressure changes a LOT faster than the factory internal ones do.

Don't miss the author and pro photographer, Scott Kelby's books on Amazon. He has a whole series of books (I've read some or them) for shooting with and Iphone, or digital Camera and the follow up processing you could do with Lightroom and Photoshop. He explains the unique aspects of the subject matter of lighting and composition, then shows you how he sets up the shot, including camera settings as well as lighting angles, and then shows his result, in non professional photographer terms and tells you how to use the equipment you have without needing to buy expensive gear to do so.. My images have improved since reading his books on digital photography. He has tips on how to edit (discard pictures) on the fly, so that you don't have 300 pictures of flowers to go through when you get home. No I don't get a kick back from telling you this about the books. search "Scott Kelby" on Amazon and judge for yourself. BUT None of what I have above, addresses the Photography BOF group. I had hoped to meet some of them at the last Escapade, in Rock Springs.

I think you have a point Kirk, I've not heard of anyone losing a battery or an LP tank while they were at a campground, Thats why I'm wondering if it ever happens. A generator or a bicycle being taken, yes. I've also not heard of anyone actually losing a trailer to theft while at a Campground while they were out sight seeing, but I see a lot of TT hitch locks and 5th wheel collars during the nightly stroll in the campgrounds.. Thanks for the reply. BTW, This is quite off topic. but I came accross this device that generates small amounts of electricity from an open flame. Might be good for dry campers that want to charge their phone while sitting around the campfire... This is a much smaller thermoelectric convertor than what was used on mountain top of radio repeater sites that had LP tanks to fuel them. https://espressomilkcooler.com/thermoelectric-power-generator-systems-for-sale/

I'd love that as well! I recall getting directed onto a frontage road for about 2 miles, and then back on the main highway. I thought the system was directing me around construction work, or an accident, but it seems it was just providing me an opportunity to drive by some of the local businesses... I usually mentally question these kinds of re-routes and choose to stay on the route I'm on, unless it's an interchange of some kind and I have to mind the traffic and not whether this is another expedition into a private neighborhood. Apparently there is no way to tell the GPS that in some states it's OK to take a toll road and other states to ignore them. For instance, in Upstate NY, the major road through the state is the I-90 toll road. If you're off on a side road instead of the Thru-way, you are going through small towns at a much slower pace. In Florida, the fastest way down the East coast is a toll road, but, you can't make an excection to the rules in the GPS to take that toll road if it's part of the over all planned route. Maybe I'll try making a seperate route for those sections with tolls in the GPS program, and make them active when I hit a way point...

Thanks Randy, I'll post this question over on the travel trailers forum. Cheers

With the cost of LiPo batteries $450+ each (most times more) I'd like what ever batteries I purchase, to stay on the trailer until I decide to remove them. I know a lot of folks are fortunate enough to have space inside their rigs to put batteries, but for the sake of this dicsussion, let's say that the only space available is on the tongue. I found a couple of battery locks on-line such as the California Immobilizer battery lock (2 for about $160) and another battery shackle on Amazon for about $150. Those would probably work Short of putting an enclosed metal battery box on the tongue with a single lock on it. What, if anything, have you done to protect your batteries from being stolen? I guess more importantly, have you ever had batteries stolen while you were away from your rig (not including storage)? I could ask the same thing about LP tanks... Thanks for your time in responding.

I hope this question isn't too far off topic. My batteries are still on the tongue of my trailer. With the cost of batteries upward of $500 each, I'd like them to stay on the tongue until I decide to remove them. What, if anything, are folks doing to secure their batteries that are NOT INSIDE the rigs?? I've seen a couple of brackets on Amazon, and I could probably convince a local fabricator to make one like it, but I wanted to get a sense from the folks closer to the need for the theft protection what they are doing. FB

Thanks for the reply, I see lots of prices advertised on the ap. Thanks Star Dreamer and Palmeris for the clarification.

Today, the TSD/ open Roads card arrived and I activated it. I downloaded their phone ap and it shows prices of the fueling stations within the radius I chose (125 miles). All the stations that show up are available for use with the card as fas as I can tell. Does anyone know if the price that shows up in the Open Roads ap, is the same as what is charged when using the card? How often are the pump prices updated in the open road ap? I ask, because when I looked at Gas Buddy for the same station and it was .20 more in Gas Buddy than the Open Road ap. The Gas Buddy report was supposedly 3 hours old.

Great work Tom! I like the idea of not having to get on the roof to add to my Solar panel coverage.I have just the spot on the back of the trailer.... Now to find a solid spot to hinge from! How are you holding them in the down position when traveling??

I just deleted a couple of photos from an old post from when I was trying to sell my truck. * Go to your screen name in the upper right corner * select "My attachements" * click on the link on the right side of the page next to the image that you'd like to delete and it will take you to the location in the forum that the picture is on. It may open another browser window. * Once on the forum page, Select "Edit" for your entry. * From there, I was able to delete my images * the click on the "Edit" blue button at the bottom of the page and that should update the post. * to verify, go back to the "My Attachements" section and see if the image(s) is (are) gone. Hit the Refresh button for your browser if the image still appears. It should be gone after the refresh. Well, lets say, that it worked for me. I hope I got the steps down right... Cheers FB

If you're military you may wish to try this phone ap to find FamCamps and other MWR recreational facilities on iphone its: ALLstays C-RV Military I have version 3.2.0 The other ALLSTAYS Camp & RV, has the corp of engineers places marked as well, but I'm guessing you already knew that. Safe Travels FB

Can do. It will be the end of May or beginning of June before I can let you know. AND I hope I remember this thread when I get back!

Thanks for the reply about the Sunpass, I still need to investigate. I should have more clear about Marathon Fl., There is a coast guard station located there, that has just a few camping spots. Far less cost than the campgrounds nearby. Cheers FB

Thanks for the quick feedback! As far as getting in to the campsite, I have a paid reservation email in my hand, so I hope I can get in! The guy on the phone said there were several spots available in May as the snowbirds head north and leave their nests in Key west. The Camp at Marathon told me that the campground will be blocked (unavailable) due to heavy equipment coming and going during the renovation they have going on, and he didn't think they would be done by the middle of May, no matter what the web site says. Good advice on the route avoiding Miami, I really didn't want to go through Miami unless I was going to be paid to do so. Does the Sunpass cost extra for out of state folks? I'll need to investigate getting one in the coming week. There are a couple of spots that using the freeway would be more convienient but not cheaper.. I see what you're saying about the Everglades, maybe I'll look for a campground near the west side that we can stay at after key west. Thanks again for the info!! Cheers FB

Thanks to all the contributors to this blog, it's great to read about your adventures and experiences. I have reservations on the NAS campground for 5 days the 3rd week in May 22. I appreciate your sharing the tips of where to camp, and what to expect on the drive out to the end of the road. This will be our first time camping in Florida Keys. The original plan was to use the NAS campground as a base to go to Dry Tortuga's National park on one day and then to Everglades national park. BUT after reading these posts, I may need to reconsider the Everglades, especially if it's 4 hours away from where the trailer is parked. BUt it's only |-----------------------------------| that far on the map!! If you have any additional tips for restaurants on the Keys or any experiences on the NAS, I'd like to hear (or read) about them. We'll be coming down from Ft Wilderness at Disney World, and stopping in at the Escapee park in Sebring FL for the night, then heading to the NAS campground. Is it possible to get to the NAS before sunset or dark?? Cheers FB

Star Dreamer mentions : "With the Open Roads TSD discount, Loves is currently at $.28 per gallon. " My Mistake, I read in one of the blogs that LOVES was fixed at .16 / gallon discount. All of the points made about high volume nozzles, space to manuver are valid one's for the rig you're driving. I'm still in a pick-up with a travel trailer, so manuevering is an issue, but not on the scale you deal with. I'm really glad to see the comments in this forum, as I'm learning more about the considerations for fueling up during longer distance driving. My trips are mostly from SW Idaho to the Oregon and Washington coasts, not as much variety as most of the contributors to this forum see. Once upon a time, I created an excel sheet that took into account the various factors that add up to the expense of driving down the road per mile. I did this specifically to find out how far from the main road does it makes cents( pun intended) to go to save a few cents on fuel. It turns out that the sweet spot for the truck I had at that time was 5 miles to save .10 per gallon. Note: I was definite newby and not wiley to the discount cards at that time. Based on the comments in this forum from the more experienced folks, I applied for the Open Roads fuel card a couple days ago in anticipation of the summer trip from SW Idaho to the Florida Keys, and back (I hope). My comments were meant to point out that the discount card isn't the end all to saveing a few bucks when refuling. I'm all about saving a few bucks on fuel that I can use to get a couple of cool one's when I stop for the night. I think I mentioned somewhere, that the more I learn, I realize there is more to learn. Cheers FB

It's suprising how much energy is lost when there are shadows on the panel. Whether caused by overhead branches, leaves settling on the surface of the cells, dirt/ grime or dust from what the wind kicks up at a campsite or from the road. Take a good look at the other items you have in the area of where the panels will mount. Even though my panel is up off of the roof, the A/C unit or the roof vent may cast a shadow on the panel depending on which way the sun is oriented in relation to my parking spot. Considering the panel is mounted in a fixed position, I'm working on an additional set of panels that I can deploy when I'm parked. I have two more panels that are about 150W and plan on joining them down one long side with a hinge and put a latch with a handle on the opposing long edge so that they can be carried like a suitcase. I'll add another plug in point on the side of the rig so that I can get the solar power to the charge controller. I'm working on a method to use the extendable legs from a camera tripod to adjust the angle of the panels to get the most energy. So far, I've collected the hinge and handle parts and machined the alumimun for the tripod leg mounts and have the tripod legs I found at a goodwill store. I have the extra connecting wire and the wall mounted plug. Now I just need good (read warmer) weather and the extra time I ordered from Amazon (but it's still on back order!) to get this done. The comment about the weight and cumbersome handling of the panels when on the roof should not go un noticed. I only had one panel, NOT 80" long and it was a bear to handle on the roof, trying to step around all sorts of trip hazards like vents, skylights and A/C units. Use a buddy and plan what you're going to do with the panel BEFORE you get it on the roof. If someone know how to turn on spell check in this forum, let me know...

RV Trip wizard and Gas Bubbdy show the LOVES in Ontario, Oregon at $4.20 and the flying J/Pilot at $4.25 ( Gas buddy doesn't have any information for the flying J closest to me) The TA just down the road still in Oregon is $4.15 I think the prices reported in Gas buddy and RV Trip WIzard are the consumer price. The sign out in front the station facing traffic (HUGE you can't miss it) will flash the P.U.C. (public utilities commission) price for a lot less, usually .15 to .20 and then the Credit price probably what shows in Gas Buddy, for a lot more than the PUC, then the CASH price somewhere inbetween the Credit and PUC price sometimes. Other stations, less than 5 miles away and easy access from route I-84, usually less than a mile from the exit, like Chevron, Sinclair and Jacksons fuels (local provider high volume) are between $3.61 and $3.89 with Chevron on the high end. So if the discount is .16 / gallon at LOVES, then the price I would pay is $4.04 / gallon. Which is still roughly .40 more than other stations near by. Common sense and some quick math may save more than the discount card in this case. If the discount with the TA is ~.35 then the price is $3.80 / gallon which is OK but still on the high side and may be worth the stop considering the access and convenience of easy off, easy on. If you're not familiar with the Oregon PUC: On-road diesel (P.U.C. diesel). If your vehicle is above 26,000 gross vehicle weight in Oregon, you pay a weight mile for your vehicle's state diesel tax. This cost per mile depends on your registered vehicle weight with Oregon. https://www.andersonyamada.com/news/transportation/how-oregon-calculates-p-u-c-diesel-taxes/