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 Travel Tech
What About HDTV?
By Alan Lidstone
 High Definition TVs are popular for their dramatic improvement in picture quality, and they are increasingly available for use in RVs. Also to be considered is the fact that analog (non-HDTV) broadcasts will cease in the U.S. in 2009. RVers need to understand the changes taking place.
RVers will find excellent information about HDTV on the Internet at www.winegard.com, and www.campingworld.com (search on "Winegard digital receiver"). These two sites provided most of the information for this article.
Broadcast television stations are currently simulcasting both analog and digital (HDTV) over-the-air signals. On February 18, 2009, all analog television signal transmission will cease.
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 Destined to Travel
Surprising Sarasota
A mix of cultural and natural attractions.
By Kimberly Button
 Sarasota, Fla., may be best known as the former winter home of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, but this urban city located on the Gulf of Mexico has much more to offer than just circus clowns and big tops. With award-winning beaches and an emphasis on preserving and protecting the environment, Sarasota also showcases a downtown with a metropolitan flair.
One of the most highly visited attractions in Sarasota is the Ringling Estate. The sprawling 66-acre estate on Sarasota Bay was once the home of John Ringling, who made his fortune with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Today, the Ringling’s former house, the Ca d’Zan Mansion, is joined by the Museum of Art and the Circus Museum to create a complete glimpse back in time to the Ringlings’ extravagant lifestyle during their time in Sarasota.
Ca d’Zan, which means “House of John,” is a 32-room Venetian Gothic mansion…
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Mark… My Words
Do you have questions about RV technical issues, the RV lifestyle
or RVs in general? Ask Mark!
Hi Mark,
We hear that when overniting with 5th wheel that some of the weight should be taken from the king pin. What benefit is there in doing this?
Bert and Margaret
It really isn’t necessary to relieve the weight on the pin when you park for the night with the trailer still hitched to the truck. Some folks just prefer to lower the 5th wheel front landing legs a bit to help stabilize the trailer and reduce the bouncy feel when you walk around inside. Just lower the jacks enough to “take up some slack” and you’ll be surprised how much it helps stabilize the rig. Remember to raise and stow those jacks before you try to drive away!
Hi Mark,
I have a older Winnobago Warrior, when using the suburban furnace, I'll turn it on and set the thermostat so that the furnace will kick in . The interior will warm up and warm up until it too warm inside, so I'll adjust the thermostat to a lower setting ,say 5 degrees cooler or until the furnace shuts off. The interior gets too cold before the furnace will kick on again.
Can a household digital thermostat be used? I wired one in my house, it only had 2 wires from the house, and the unit itself uses a 9v battery for power to turn on the relay the furnace downstairs . This set up should be a more accurate means of controlling the temperture swing I'm going through. Thank you.
Wil
It sounds like the "Heat Anticipator" in your thermostat isn’t working, or is set wrong. The anticipator adds a measured amount of heat inside the thermostat to keep the furnace from running to long each cycle. Remove the thermostat cover and look for the "anticipator" adjustment. It will usually be an adjustable control with a sliding contact over a straight bare wire or a bare wire wound about an insulating material. You can alter the setting to cause the thermostat to be “satisfied” sooner, and that will help prevent the major temperature swings you are experiencing. It may take a bit of experimenting to get it just right.
If you thermostat doesn’t have an anticipator (some don’t) or it’s just broke, you can replace that original thermostat with one designed to operate a simple heater or furnace. All you really need is a simple single-switch or relay thermostat to operate a typical RV furnace.
Read More Questions
Do you have a question for Mark?
Please submit your question via email to woodalls@escapees.com
Please remember, material will be edited. Because of the large volume of material and correspondence submitted, individual replies will not be possible, nor can we acknowledge receipt of your material. Selected questions will be answered in future issues of the Diamond Club newsletter in the Mark, My Words column. The Mark, My Words column also appears in Escapees magazine, a bi-monthly publication of the Escapees RV Club. For more information visit www.escapees.com/magazine
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 My Trip Journal
 Follow along with RVers and travelers just like you by reading their own personal travel websites. We've selected the best websites of people who have traveled in North America. These travelers have agreed to let us feature their website. Take a look.
View this months featured personal website, On the Road with Ann & Ken or browse other locations.
 Camping Blooper
Geyser anyone
We have a satellite dish stand that involves driving a stake into the ground. When we first parked in a North Texas campground, it would not drive in as far as usual but was firm so I left it alone. After a rain storm, the soil had loosened, causing the post to tilt and become out of alignment. I figured that I could now drive it all the way and and proceeded to do so. On the last hit, a geyser erupted from the ground. I had driven the post through the plastic water supply line for our side of the campground. Fortunately, the shutoff was nearby and obvious. The owners and their maintenance man came to the rescue, and, I might add, with a good sense of humor. They said that they have had a lot of water spigots driven over, but never had one pierced with a satellite.
David Heimel, Livingston TX
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 Cooking on the Road
Florentine Pot Roast with Red Wine, Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Tom Valenti
This pot roast is inspired by the Tuscan stracotto, which means “slow cooked.” The sauce is a medley of pleasing fall and winter flavors and is wonderful with creamy polenta. The Tuscan–style stew can be prepared ahead and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Makes six servings
One 2 ½ lb eye round roast, excess fat trimmed and tied
3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup olive oil
½ lb slab bacon, cut into ½-inch strips
2 medium onions, quartered
2 celery stalks, cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces ¼ cup tomato paste
Pinch of sugar
2 cups red wine, more if needed
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
One 28 oz can plum tomatoes, drained and squeezed to extract excess moisture Handful fresh oregano leaves Preheat the oven to 300º F.
Using a sharp thin bladed knife, make ½-inch deep slits all over the roast; insert the garlic slivers into each slit. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy oven–proof pot over medium–high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear the roast on all sides until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.
Remove from the pot and set aside.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat and add the bacon, onions, carrot and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and sugar.
Add the wine and 1 cup water; raise the heat to high and reduce the liquid by ½, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and oregano, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Return the meat to the pot. The liquid should come up to ½ to ¾; add more wine or water if necessary. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot and braise in the oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours, turning the meat over and giving the liquid a stir every ½ hour.
Make sure that the liquid is simmering gently; if it’s bubbling aggressively, reduce the oven temperature to 275º F.
When done, the meat will be firm to the touch and pink at the center. To serve, transfer the beef to a cutting board and slice it against the grain into 6 pieces. Place 1 slice on each of 6 warm dinner plates. Spoon some sauce over each serving and serve the remaining sauce on the side.
Recipe adapted from Soups, Stews and One–Pot Meals.
Tom Valenti and Andrew Friedman (Scribner, 2003)
Tip: This Tuscan–style stew can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a 300º F oven.
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 Gadgets & Gear by Bill Siuru
Sauna for RVs
Saunas are now an integral part of health clubs, upscale hotels, cruise ships and gyms. Now, you can have one in a motorhome. Grand Packaging Inc. is marketing its patented Grand RV Sauna designed specifically for RVs.
 Grand Packaging has found a way to repackage a traditional motorhome closet space into the first ever, compact, deep-heat RV sauna unit.
Invented by the Finns at least 15 centuries ago, saunas were brought to America when Finns migrated to the upper regions of the United States. My Finnish grandparents in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Montana didn’t have a bathtub or shower, just a sauna. It was used by the entire family – at the same time!
About the size of the average motorhome closet, the Grand RV Sauna comes as either a single- or double-person model. Indeed, when not in use, the sauna unit easily converts to a convenient storage space. It is made from clear white wood that is virtually hypoallergenic. Other features include two- or three-panel French glass doors with tempered glass, hardwood exterior, reading lights with dimmer and one or two convertible wood benches.
Unlike my grandparents’ saunas, which employed a metal woodstove with steam produced by splashing water on the heated rocks, the Grand RV Sauna uses a self-venting, infrared dry-heating element as a safe alternative to traditional fire or steam-heated saunas. This quick-heating technology creates an environment of up to 150 degrees in approximately 15 minutes. The auto-venting double French doors ensure minimal heat loss during use. The sauna requires 115 volt/10-15 ampere electric power.
Infrared saunas use a special heater that generates infrared radiation rays similar to those produced by the sun. Unlike the sun’s ultra-violet radiation, infrared is beneficial to overall health. In an infrared sauna, the electric heaters warm the air and also penetrate the skin to encourage perspiration, producing many of the same health benefits of traditional steam saunas.
The Grand RV Sauna is available as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) option from several RV makers. This includes Mobile Suites and Elite fifth-wheel series units from DoubleTree, Grand Junction Series fifth-wheels from Dutchmen/Thor, Tour Master Class A from Gulf Stream and Chariot Eagle park trailers. The Grand RV Sauna retails for $4,000–$5,000, based on the manufacturer and model of choice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Lambert, Edwards & Associates
171 Monroe Ave. NW, Suite 400
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 233–0500
mjackson@lambert-edwards.com
Appeared in February 2007 CamperWays |
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 Buy or Sell an RV
RV Buying Tip:
When evaluating size requirements for your RV, consider privacy of the occupants as a major factor. Time spent in the unit is another important item. For very short periods of time, most of us can tolerate too little space. But as time periods extend, the amount of space required by each person increases — both in the area of comfort and privacy, and also when it comes to storage.
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Featured RV
2005 Fleetwood Pace Arrow
Price: $106,900 $99,900
Description: Queen bed, leather couch, trailer hitch, rear ladder, aux battery, driver's door w/power window… continued |
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