Dicor Lap Sealant for the RV Lifestyle

It is suggested that at least once a year you climb up on top of your RV and thoroughly inspect the roof. You'll want to look for dried, cracked, or missing sealant around vents and joints, as well as check for any rips, tears, or other damage. Finally, sweep off any built up dirt and debris.
 
If you are unable to perform this task on your own, aren't sure what to look for, or simply don't have the time, call your Service Writer and make an appointment. We will gladly take care of it for you!

There may come a time during your travels that a tree branch snags your roof or you accidentally hit a low hanging sign. Occasionally it happens, and if does, you'll want to be prepared. You'll need a quick fix until you can get the roof looked at by a professional. Our suggestion? It never hurts to carry Dicor Lap Sealant. Made EPDM compatible for Rubber Roofing System, this HAPS-free lap sealant meets and exceeds the demanding needs of a roofing sealant while providing a cleaner, safer work environment for you. This flexible, waterproof compound is designed for EPDM rubber, TPO, fiberglass, wood, aluminum, steel or masonry, which may be painted over after outer skin has formed. And its available at our parts store! Come in or request on line today!

Happy Rving!

Thomas & Deborah - Home safe zoom zoom!

Monday August 15

Well, our sojourn has come to an end. With driving hard, yet sleeping when needed, we arrived in Fresno late Monday night. It was quick trip home, but nevertheless enjoyable. "Oh look, that's where we ate breakfast 2 1/2 weeks ago!" Zoom. "That's where we changed the trailer tire!" Zoom. "This is where we slept on the way out!" Zoom zoom and before we knew it we were taking the Chestnut exit of Highway 99.

Even though we didn't really settle in, the Holiday Rambler Scepter was a beautiful coach that had a soft quiet ride. The floor plan was different than most, with the fridge right behind the driver and a little hallway along the side of the restroom to get to the rear bedroom. Two full-length windows were there that gave the center of the coach an airy, open feeling. Another option we appreciated was the Aqua Hot. If you're looking into purchasing a new or used motorhome, we'd sure try to get that along with the other amenities we mentioned earlier on the Monaco Executive.

Anyway, aside from having a couple of tires failing on the trailer, the trip was smooth and carefree, all 20 days. (On a side note, Thomas and others have noticed a problem with trailer tires: they age quickly, come apart, or go flat easily. This can be resolved by putting light truck tires on your trailer instead of tires designated "trailer use only". This works for 18-wheelers and it has solved all our tire problems.)

Our dog and cat were sure glad to see us; it's good to be home. It's been a pleasure logging our trip, and we hope you benefited from traveling with us. The folks at Paul Evert's RV are great people; we love working with them. See you out on the road or in the camping spot.

Take care and God bless,

Thomas and Deborah

Thomas & Deborah - Road Trip Wrap-Up

Sunday August 14

We're Thomas and Deborah, and because we're friends of Curt Curtis, the general manager of Paul Evert's RV Country, we are able to combine our vacation with delivering a motorhome to Wisconsin. Click on our names to gain access to our previous blogs.

On Saturday, August 13, our days on the bike finally came to an end. Over the past 12 days we put on about 1700 miles and made it all the way around Lake Michigan along with many enjoyable side trips. The best part, is that we're still in one piece. Riding street bikes is dangerous; there's no getting around it. There's nothing between you and all those potential accidents but a bit of leather. Compound that cold fact with bad weather, road construction, traffic, and we're just thanking God we're safe. Dangerous, yes, but definitely worth the risk at our age. We rolled in to Madison and were happy to see all our friends from Paul Evert's. In yet another rain storm, we moved from the bike into the motorhome.

The coach we selected, out of the few that needed to be taken back to Fresno, is a 2008 Holiday Rambler Scepter. It’s a beautifully crafted coach with many amenities similar to the Monaco Executive we drove east. This time, however, we can’t afford a leisurely pace that allows us to enjoy our time in the coach—school begins for Thomas Wednesday morning. The FMCA show in Madison ended Saturday evening. Hammer down.

It was a good show with many people now enjoying their new or pre-owned RVs, but the sales team, and Deborah and I are ready to return home. The drive is made easier knowing that every mile brings us closer to our family including the grandkids and dog and cat. We love to travel, but we also love our home. We met a couple from California last week who lived in their Holiday Rambler along with their 14 year old calico cat. She didn’t mind living on the road a bit and would periodically beg to be taken outside on her leash to be walked. Upon returning to the coach she’d find a warm spot to settle in for the next several hours. With a nice RV, life on the road can easily become life at home as well.

Adapters for adapting to the RV Lifestyle

For new RVer’s just starting out in the RV lifestyle, one accessory you’ll want to make sure you have on hand is an electrical adapter. Depending on where you camp, you never know what kind of outlet the camp ground will have.

Our Valterra brand adapts a 15A/125V to 30A/125V 15/30 . Commonly called a reverse adapter, this adapter has a female 15amp and male 30amp side. Your owners manual will tell you what kind of amp service you will need. If you have misplaced your manual, you can contact the manufacturer or our Service Department and we’ll be happy to help you.

Please keep in mind that when using this type of electrical hook up you will need to keep usage at a minimum, only using one appliance at a time. Owning an RV or camper for the first time can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Paul Evert’s RV Country is here for you. Feel free to drop by our blog for tips, tricks, travel ideas, and advice, or join us on Facebook and Twitter. Of course we’d love to see you in person at any one of our three convenient locations!

                   Remember, you’re ALWAYS welcome at RV Country!

A Grilled Specialty for the RV Tastebuds

Who’s the grill master of your home on wheels? Chances are it's the Mister (come on ladies, we have to let them be the king of something!), but we’re willing to bet we’ve got something up our sleeve that he hasn’t grilled yet and we’re pretty sure that once you've tried it, it’s going to be added to the favorites list. While the idea of grilling fruit isn’t new, it isn’t all that common either. That's right, we said grilling fruit. For those of you who have already tried this wonderful treat, we don’t have to convince you just how delightful it is, but for those of you who have not yet given it a go, this recipe is a must! Grilled fruit is so delectable, it can take the place of other more sinful desserts. You can have a little extra and still not feel guilty! Have we convinced you yet? Shall we just get on with the recipe already?

Evanne Schmarder, host of RV Cooking Show is the genius to credit for this fabulous recipe, so be sure to stop by her website and thank her, and don’t forget to stop by our website too! Better yet, come on over and see us here at RV Country and by all means, feel free to bring us some of your leftovers!

Ingredients:
Honey-Balsamic Glaze
1/4 c honey*
2 T dark balsamic vinegar
1 T packed brown sugar
1 t real vanilla extract
1/8 c water
Fruit
2 freestone peaches - halved, pit removed
2 ripe, sweet plums - halved, pits removed
10 strawberries - washed and skewered (2 skewers - 5 on each)
4 or 5 figs - ends cut off and halved
Goat cheese (for figs)
Foil or grilling tray for figs - sprayed with canola oil spray to prevent sticking

How to:
Preheat grill on high.
Combine all Honey-Balsamic Glaze ingredients in a small bowl and mix together well.
Using a basting brush, coat all fruit with the glaze.
Reduce grill heat to medium and place fruit, flesh side down, on grill. Baste the top of the fruit with glaze.
Grill for 3-4 minutes (strawberries are delicate - check them in 1-2 minutes) and turn. Baste the fruit once again. Grill for another 3 or so minutes until a paring knife goes through fruit with ease. Remove from grill. Check the strawberries visually and when they look soft and grill-marked they are done - 1 or 2 more minutes after turning - remove from grill and set aside.
Figs
Place fig halves on foil (that has been sprayed with canola oil spray), baste with glaze, and top with a small spoonful of goat cheese. Transfer foil to grill and grill until the figs look caramelized and the goat cheese has browned on the tips a bit - 3-5 minutes. Remove and be prepared to rave!
Serve this luscious grilled fruit warm or at room-temperature over whipped cream, vanilla yogurt, or by itself as a delicious breakfast treat or meal side-dish.

Additional Tips:
Spray your honey measuring cup with canola oil spray and the honey will slip out of the cup and into the bowl.
Choose fruit that is about one day away from being perfectly ripe. Too soft and it'll mush on the grill grate. Too hard and it's just not sweet enough.
Try grilling any type of fruit you enjoy. 
When grilling meat for a Mexican dish I always throw a couple of halved limes flesh side down on the grill for a few minutes. They get sweet, smoky, juicy and delish!

Thomas & Deborah - From Pizza Pies to Butterflies!

Thursday August  11

Rain, rain, rain since we last wrote. Sunday we left our hotel in Kalamazoo, MI, under cloudy skies, and before we got out of town had to park under a drive-up teller and don our rain gear. Driving was tolerable until it began to pour so much we couldn’t see, couldn’t stop, or navigate. We left US 131 to take refuge in the small Michigan town of Three Rivers.  A kind patron of the pizza parlor pulled up the weather on her iPhone and after lunch the rain had abated enough for us to continue to Chicago. Shortly after we pulled up to our hotel in Chicago the sky opened up again. We didn’t let it stop us from going up to the observation deck at the top of the John Hancock building. The best part of the day, however, was dinner at the Oven Grinder. It’s a little hole-in-the-wall across the street from where the St. Valentines Day Massacre took place. It was recommended to us by some fellow motorcyclists from Chicago. Their pizza is more like a pot pie and everything was delicious and expertly prepared. Another biker eating there with his family insisted we sample his pre-meal flatbread. A GREAT dining experience, and again, it began to pour just as we arrived.

The following day, after a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry at the former Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893 we set out for Milwaukee, Wisconsin… in the rain. We stayed just outside at a La Quinta Inn for a frugal $61 for the night. We were more than ready to call it a day.

Tuesday, however, the weather was glorious, and before leaving for Madison, we visited the Miller Brewery and Milwaukee County Zoo where a butterfly exhibit was held. We went into a small aviary, careful not to step on anything, and cavorted with some 500 butterflies. You actually have to be inspected before leaving to check for any hitchhikers.


Wednesday, we loaded the bike into the trailer and drove to Elkhart, Indiana, where we dropped off a 2011 Monaco Knight to have the refrigerator exchanged at the request of its new owner. What a nice place! Very friendly people along a beautiful riverfront setting.

A must-see is the Ruthmere house built in 1910 and exquisitely restored/preserved. We also made the short trip to Middlebury and Goshen. In Middlebury we toured the Jayco RV factory. Forty-five percent of the workers are Amish, and they take great pride in their workmanship. (Yes, Indiana, along with Pennsylvania, has a large Amish community; the stores even have hitching posts!) It’s the largest family-owned RV assembly plant in the U.S. and was founded by Lloyd J. Bontrager on his family farm in 1968. They now employ 1200 very dedicated individuals. 

Jayco RVs are available at Paul Evert’s RV Country, of course!

How We RV - Stephen Lemnah

Future RVer in training - Start 'em young!

RV Make/Model/Year: 1997 Holiday Rambler Imperial 40WDS

Number of years you've been RVing: 1

A little about you: Selling my Harley to pay for my motorhome addiction. Purchased my motohome from Paul Everts in AZ and had service done in Fresno. I can't say enough good things about Hank in service and Bob the GM out in AZ.

Favorite camping spot or travel destination and why: Pismo Beach, absolutely love the ocean!!

Funny Story: I have two step-daughters, one that loves to rv and the other that absolutely hates it and does nothing but sit inside and play on her phone. Haven't figured out why she hates it so much, it is the same thing that she does when she is home. Oh well, who can figure out teenagers???