Things we have learned so far

This winter that is being our first fulltime RV adventure in the North.....

1. No matter how good your insulation is, slides are basically big square holes in your walls and cold air will inevitably rush in around the edges you almost need to blanket them off just to warm up the rest of the rv.

2. Double pane windows were for what? When you are minus 55 degrees out they were a wasted upgrade.

3. Since that is a wasted upgrade, shrink wrapping your windows for better insulation however do this while still warm in the fall or the tape will never hold to the metal once cole OR what we did was get some of that silver foiled bubble insulation from Lowes and cut to fit.

4. Buy electric heaters to help out your poor furnace. but don't use the heater in conjunction with the coffee maker or you will have to flip the breaker back on. Same goes for vacuum and hairdryer or any other combo. The kids relate this to Green Acres Effect...lol.

5. heavy duty plastic does awesome as skirting as long as there is no wind and lots of snow.

6. IF the water at your campsite gets turned off your water hose will freeze!  Just head to Lowes for a new garden hose for now you aren't thawing the old one out til June.  

7. If available choose to use the showerhouse rather than your own water tank for showers.One there isn't much space in those stalls and 2 save propane you need it for your heat. Remember that wet hair can freeze in the 30 second walk back to your RV so since the kids might...yeah right...be vacumming upon your return take your blow dryer with you.

8. the kids don't care how cold it is outside they will kill each other if they spend one more day locked in a confined place with their siblings at least going out they can take their aggressions out and throw snowballs or in our current case mudballs at each other.  sure they will be back in 5 but hopefully in a better mood;0)

9. your RV fridge ain't your stick built fridge...cover up the outside vent when you know temps below zero are coming or the fridge quits working...now if you haven't defrosted that week maybe this is a good thing and do nothing til morning.

10. Don't try to dump the blackwater when you are below freezing...shit ain't coming out as the valve is froze shut so if it is going to get too cold and you are 3/4 just dump or take that 30 second hike up to the showerhouse.

11. Threaten the kids with no breakfast should the water get shut off...there will be no water to do dishes with.  The boy will make it his nightly mission that the water is on before he goes to bed.

12. Get a dehumidifier or you will think your home is caving in as it is leaking and freezing down the sides of the walls, in the closets and at all skylights.  Imagine finding your clothes frozen to the sidewalls of the closet it isn't pretty!

13. those beautiful and trimmed windows/valance are nothing more than a cat treehouse so they can get to the top of the cabinets in order to see the whole picture of the daily goings on.  Plan to recover or replace all together after the winter.

14. NEXT year as you head north of I-75 and you see alot of RVs headed south. We advise you to get off at the next exit and follow them.