There’s nothing I love more than preparing simple and healthy meals while on the road, besides sharing these great recipes with my fellow Minnesota RV travelers! What a lot of new RVers and campers don’t realize is how easy what may seem to be a complex meal can be to prepare without using any cookware. I’ve already told you how to use a Ziploc bag to make delicious omelets, and now I’ll share one of my favorite dinner recipes prepared in foil!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat – cubed
2 onions, diced
1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 small potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
One of the many things I love about this recipe is that you can do most of the preparation at home or beforehand. You can also substitute any one of the ingredients to create your own version of the foil pack.
Once you have all of your supplies, let’s get to easy cooking!
Directions (Recipe Makes 4 Foil Pack)
In a large bowl, or in a large zip-top bag if you are preparing this at home, combine your chicken cubes, onions, mushrooms, yellow and red bell peppers, garlic if you prefer, and cubed potatoes.
Next, pour the olive oil and lemon juice over your meat and veggies, and mix well.
Evenly divide the mixture between 4 large square sheets of aluminum foil. Cover each with an additional sheet of aluminum foil, and roll up all four edges tightly. For safety’s sake, wrap each packet again securely in another sheet of foil to help keep the juices and flavors in as well as to avoid losing any of your ingredients in the cooking process.
Cook the foil packs on the hot coals of your campfire until the chicken is fully cooked through and the potatoes are tender. The entire cook time should take around 40 minutes, give or take the amount and size of your ingredients.
There you go, Minnesotan RVers! A hearty yet healthy, delicious and simple meal prepared on the go. Share your variations and creations with Pleasureland RV! We always love trying to new things!
During the winter months, Minnesota RVers are always looking for ways to stay warm. Whether you want to conserve energy or your RV heater stops working, it’s nice to have some form of backup in place so you don’t freeze to death during the night. I’ve compiled a short list of my three favorite RV accessories that are great for providing heat via one of your RV’s 12-V sockets. All of these products are available at Pleasureland RV’s Online Parts Store where you can order online and have them shipped directly to you. If you’re out and about during the winter months, I promise you’ll be happy to have at least one of these on board.
12-VOLT 300 WATT CERAMIC HEATER/FAN
This one is a no-brainer. I always recommend having a portable heater on board. This heater provides a great way to save money and keep you warm at the same time. For example, when you’re ready for bed, you can turn off (or at least turn down) your RV’s heater, close your bedroom door and use the heater to keep your bedroom warm.
Currently On Sale at Pleasureland RV's Online Parts Store
Direct-wired, includes all installation hardware
300 Watts of powerful heating comfort
Heat or cooling feature with a flip of a switch
Adjustable fan speed provides precise comfort level
Swivel stand allows airflow to be directed just where you want it
90 Day Limited Warranty
12-VOLT HEATED BLANKET
Nothing beats a heating blanket. Similar to the portable heater, heated blankets are another great alternative for staying warm throughout the night.
Currently On Sale at Pleasureland RV's Online Parts Store
This is a wonderful little product that is actually serves as a heater and a fan. I personally enjoy keeping mine upfront while I’m on the road, but you can use this just about anywhere.
Currently On Sale at Pleasureland RV's Online Parts Store
As I’m sure you’ve already noticed, our RV floors track attract a lot more dirt than our houses do. This is because we are always going in and out and tracking everything under the sun, from gravel to grass, back into our RV. If you’ve recently purchased a new or used RV, you’re probably already looking into your options for a vacuum. When it comes to RVs, there are three main types of vacuums I see people using – a standard vacuum, a hand-held vacuum, and an all-in-one central vacuum system. As with all things, there are advantages and disadvantages to all three.
Standard Vacuum (from $70 – $500)
These are the types of vacuums you’d find in a house. You can buy them practically anywhere and they are typically the most powerful. The downside? They are large, heavy and take up a lot of space.
Hand-held Vacuum (from $25 – $150)
The main advantage here is how little space a hand-held takes up. But remember, a smaller vacuum equals a longer cleaning time. If you’re traveling in a smaller RV, this may be the perfect option for you.
All-in-One (from $300 and up)
Purchase it now at the Pleasureland RV Online Parts Store!
In my opinion, this is the best option for larger RVs. My personal favorite is the all-in-one Dirt Devil® CV950 LE. Since this vacuum is built into a location in your RV, you’ll be saving a lot of space. You can also conveniently purchase this item at Pleasureland RV’s online parts store complete with the new Deluxe Maxumizer Kit and RugRat Handheld Turbine Powerbrush. Check it out in action.
So there are your options, Minnesota RVers. If you need any help at all with your decision, feel free to swing by one of Pleasureland RV’s four locationsor give us a call.
Driving a Minnesota RV through inclement weather can be somewhat difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. We’ve already talked about driving our RVs through high winds and what to look out for, and today we’ll discuss another extreme condition: fog. Some of you are probably wondering why I consider fog to be an “extreme” condition, but when you take into account that your visibility drops significantly, you may change your mind.
Fog is basically a huge cloud that has dipped down to ground level. It happens when the temperature drops to the dew point and invisible water vapor in the air condenses to form suspended water droplets. The main threat posed by fog? Visibility. Fog can reduce our visibility to a quarter mile or less. This is not only dangerous for us in the RV, but those around us in passenger vehicles. Obviously, our RV outsize and outweigh almost every passenger car. The damage we can cause is bad enough when we can see that we’re about to hit something or someone. So imagine how bad it would be to have a collision when you didn’t see it coming at all.
Luckily, we don’t have to be completely in the dark when driving through fog. There are several things we can do to increase our chances of arriving at our destination safely.
Don’t turn on your brights. High beams reflect back off the fog and make your visibility worse. Use your low beams only.
Reduce your speed. I know we all hate getting stuck in traffic, but trust me. Reducing your speed is crucial especially because there are a lot of people out there who continue to drive at high speeds in inclement weather. Make sure you keep an eye on your speedometer because fog can create an illusion of slow motion, and you may not realize that your speeding.
Use your windshield wipers and defrosters. It’s also a good idea to crack your RV’s windows so you can hear potential traffic that you can’t see. If you’re having a really hard time seeing the lanes in front of you, use the right edge of the road or painted road markings as a guide.
Don’t stop on a highway or heavily traveled road. If you have RV trouble, do your best to move as far away from other vehicles as possible. Headlights off. Hazards on. Foot off the brake pedal. It’s a known fact that other drivers will subconsciously follow tail lights in fog, and they may not realize you are stopped.
The number one thing you can do when driving your RV through Minnesota fog? Be patient. Take your time, survey your surrounding and remember all of the tips above. Fog tends to appear in the early morning and late afternoon, so if you can avoid traveling through it, I would. Get a few extra hours of sleep or have an earlier dinner. When it comes to foggy conditions, you won’t want to take any chances of damaging your beautiful Minnesota motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer.
Because our Minnesota motorhomes, fifth wheels and travel trailers sometimes serve as our home-away-from-home, it’s easy to think that the appliances function the same way as they would in our house. For example, cleaning out our refrigerator isn’t something we do routinely in a home (unless you happen to have a lot of spills) and we don’t usually have to worry about mold. This is not the case in an RV.
After an RV outing, many of us know that we need to empty out our RV refrigerators. What most people don’t realize, is how thoroughly this must be done. Why? Because even though we empty all of the food out, moisture and mold may still remain, and the smallest amount of frost or ice left inside will eventually melt and leave the inside susceptible to mold. Eventually a new, warm and moist environment will grow and replace the coldness of your fridge. This creates the perfect atmosphere for mold to grow.
If you’re starting to panic wondering whether or not you cleaned out your fridge well enough before putting it away for the winter season, relax. While ridding your fridge of mold isn’t the most pleasant thing for those with a weak stomach, it isn’t as difficult as it may sound. In fact, you can have it completely cleaning in as little as two washes. Follow these steps and sooner than you know you’ll be mold free!
Scrub the entire fridge with warm, soapy water. This will remove most of the mold itself.
Make a bleach and water solution by mixing a gallon of water and 1/4 cup of bleach. Once you have your mixture, do another scrubbing of the entire fridge. This solution will disinfect and sanitize the fridge and help prevent the mold from reappearing.
See, Minnesota RVers? Not too terrible. I’m willing to bet that you won’t be having a mold issue in your RV refrigerator again any time soon.
As members of the RV community, we know that with owning an RV, travel trailer or fifth wheel comes the responsibility of routine maintenance. It’s been my experience that one of the things new Minnesota RV owners forget about is cleaning the RV awning. Whether you’re putting your RV away for the season or you’ve been traveling through some less than ideal weather, you should add cleaning the awning to your checklist because rain, snow, wind, dust and air pollution are all things that can cause permanent damage and/or stains to the awning.
I’m pretty sure it’s been proven that the life span of an RV awning improves with routine cleaning. If you have a fabric awning, it should be deep cleaned two or three times a year. This can vary depending on your RV travel habits. If you have a vinyl RV awning, then you’ll need to give it a good cleaning three or four times a year. Again, this can vary depending on your RV travels.
When the time comes, you’ll need to select an awning cleaning product. There is a wide array of products especially made for this task. Some products are specially formulated to deal with mildew or mold and others are more generic and can be used on both vinyl and fabric awnings. If you need help finding one or deciding which will work best for you, swing by Pleasureland RV or give us a call. If you can, try to get a cleaner that contains UV inhibitors and blockers.
Now that you’ve selected a product, let’s put this project in motion. You’ll need a ladder for this one. Once you’ve secured yourself (we don’t want any injuries) on the ladder, go ahead and pull out about three feet of your awning. It’s strongly recommend to clean the awning in sections. This way you’ll be sure to get it all and it’ll it make the process much simpler. Once you’ve cleaned the last section, leave the awning out to dry. If you’re really interested in extending the life of your awning, try applying a light coat of repellent to help prevent stains and repel water. The best kinds will contain a UV blocker to help maintain the fabric’s appearance. Again, if you need help finding RV awning cleaning products, swing by one of Pleasureland RV’s four locations, or give us a call. Like I mentioned above, cleaning your awning is something that should become part of your routine RV maintenance. After all, you’ve already invested a lot of time and money in this rolling home on wheels, so why not do everything you can to get the most out of it?
If you’re anything like me, your mind can sometimes start to wonder as you truck along long road trips in your RV. The last time I found myself doing this, I began questioning the numbering of our highway signs. I know that may sound a little strange, but after traveling across the various states, you see a lot of highway signs. So naturally, I decided to do a little research and I thought I’d share my findings with my fellow Minnesota RVers.
Did you know that the U.S. highway numbering system has been around since the fifties? Of course, highway signs have been around since the twenties, but it wasn’t until Eisenhower’s presidency that we saw a standardized system. This was also when standard highway speeds, number of lanes and shoulder widths were introduced.
On the whole, the numbering of the Interstates is actually pretty simple:
If the highway runs north to south, the number will be odd and you’ll see the lowest numbers in the west.
Highways that run east to west are even-numbered with the lowest numbers in the south.
In the image below, you’ll see all of the U.S. Interstates. If you notice, the interstate that runs through Minnesota, I-90, runs east to west and is the second highest number on the map.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one curious about our highway systems because I came across a great article on RVBasics that details what happens to the numbers when highways hit urban areas and when they divide. Here’s what they said:
When an interstate hits a major urban area, beltways around the city carry a three-digit number. These routes are designated with the number of the main route and an even-numbered prefix. To prevent duplication within a state, prefixes go up. For example, if I-80 runs through three cities in a state, routes around those cities would be I-280, I-480 and I-680. This system is not carried across state lines, so several cities in different states can have a beltway called I-280.
When I-95 hits metropolitan Washington, D.C., coming from the south, it becomes the famous Beltway that circles the city, signed I-495. North of the metro area, when the two circumferential highways rejoin, it becomes I-95 again.
Divided routes have been around since 1926, and designate roughly-equivalent splits of routes. For instance, U.S. Route 11 splits into U.S. Route 11E (east) and U.S. Route 11W (west) in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the routes rejoin in Bristol, Virginia. Occasionally only one of the two routes is suffixed; U.S. Route 6N in Pennsylvania does not rejoin U.S. Route 6 at its west end. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has been trying to eliminate these since 1934; its current policy is to deny approval of new ones and to eliminate existing ones.
So Minnesota RV owners, you learn something new everyday, huh? The next time you’re rolling down the highway in your new or used RV, take a look at the highway signs and see Eisenhower’s number system in work.
Have you already started planning your destinations for this year, Minnesota RVowners? I’ll bet many of you started planning before the year even began! If you’re thinking about heading to any of our wonderful National Parks, check this out. The National Park Service is waiving admission fees on 17 days this year to encourage Americans to explore America’s natural beauty, rich history and culture!
Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, encourages everyone to visit a park near them whether or not it’s during one of the free-free days, but why not take advantage of free admission if you can? Check out the list:
April 21-29 (National Park Week)
June 9 (Get Outdoors Day)
September 29 (National Public Lands Day)
November 10-12 (Veterans Day weekend)
To top it off, many park-related hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and tour operators will also be offering specials on fee-free days. There are 397 National Parks to choose from, so you better get to planning, Minnesota RV travelers!
If you’re thinking about joining the vast and wonderful world of RVs by buying a new or used RV in Minnesota, the first thing you’ll have to do is decide is what class is best for you.
The first decision is fairly easy in my opinion. Motorized or towable? Are you wanting to use your RV as a vehicle and a home? Or are you leaning more toward towing an RV with a car or truck?
If you’ve decided that a towable RV is the choice for you, then let’s go ahead and break it down into a few more choices. The most common towable RVs are travel trailers and fifth wheels.
Travel Trailers
2012 Dutchmen Denali
The travel traileris going to be your most common and usually least expensive RV. They are available in a wide variety of lengths and can be towed behind any vehicle with enough power and torque.
Advantage #1 – Almost any tow vehicle will do.
Depending on the size, travel trailers can be pulled by a sedan, pick-up or even a minivan. Most people use their tow vehicle on a regular basis, so having this advantage is a big plus.
Advantage #2 – Better fuel economy.
Because a travel trailer has a lower profile than a 5th wheel, you’re going to average two to three miles per gallon better fuel economy. Don’t forget to factor in the savings you’ll get by having a smaller vehicle for every day use as well.
Advantage #3 – Lower Cost.
On average, a travel trailer will cost about $10,000 less than a 5th wheel of equal size.
[HensleyMfg.com]
Fifth Wheels
2012 Keystone Alpine 3200RL
Fifth wheels are strictly pulled by pickup trucks and get their name from the distinguishing gooseneck hitch. This gives them better stability and a better center of gravity. On the whole, fifth wheels are very spacious and usually have at least one slide-out space. Of the two, fifth wheels are considered to be the more luxurious.
Advantage #1 – Stability.
The fifth wheel has a good reputation for stability. Often times, you’ll hear people complain about the sway when towing a travel trailer. Fifth wheels eliminate this problem and are known for being easy to tow.
Advantage #2 – Luxury.
Though they are more expensive than a travel trailer, the amenities you’ll find in a fifth wheel make it all worth it in my opinion.
Regardless of which towable RV you choose, you’re bound to love it. If this is your first time buying a new or used RV, you can always come down to one of Pleasureland RV’s four locations and look around. While you’re there, ask questions! We’re more than happy to help find the perfect RV to fit all of your needs.
Hard water can make life on the road in your Minnesota RV much more difficult than it needs to be, and if this is something you are currently experiencing, you’re going to want to fix it soon.
So what exactly is hard water?
Water that contains the hardness minerals – calcium and magnesium.
How does water become hard?
As rain water passes over the through the earth, it absorbs hardness minerals. Eventually this water flows into our lakes, rivers, streams and ground water.
What are the signs of hard water?
The most obvious sign that your water is hard is rust stains or scaling in sink, shower or toilet. Hard water is less effective at washing away dirt, so you may notice that your clothes are not getting as clean as they should be. It’s also hard to work up a good lather of shampoo or soap when you have hard water.
Other signs include a foul odor, difficulty working up a good lather of shampoo or soap, and possibly a reddish tint to you hair (this is caused by all of the iron in the water).
Technically speaking, hard water is not harmful to your health, but it will affect your ability to wash and clean efficiently. There are several remedies to this issue including portable water softeners. In my opinion this is the best option because they’re easy to use and provide soft water for one to two weeks while costing practically nothing.
If you’re experiencing hard water, take it from me… you’ll want to make it soft. Not only will it turn your tough RV cleaning jobs into easy work, you’ll also save time and money. Not to mention, you’ll probably feel much fresher after showers. If you need any help picking out a portable water softener or would like to look at other options, give Pleasureland RV a call, or pop in one of our four locations in Ramsey, St.Cloud, Willmar or Brainerd.
Hi, my name is Dan Pearson and I am the Owner of PleasureLand RV Centers based out of St. Cloud, MN. We have three other Minnesota locations to serve all of you RV needs. I look forward to providing you with all your RV information from buying an RV to tips and maintenance. If you would like to contact me, be sure to leave a comment.
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By Dan Pearson
