Winter travel

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OldDragon
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Joined: November 3rd, 2017, 4:03 pm

Re: Winter travel

Post by OldDragon »

Thanks Harvey. Weather forecast says overnight temps where/when I plan to travel forcast low 30s. Only 1 night at a time dry camping until mid texas, where I assume overnight temps will be in 40s along #10. Wearing a hat is an idea I hadn't thought of. Thanhs. Will add 1 to my blanket stash.
chin_k
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Re: Winter travel

Post by chin_k »

:o Note to self: Don't touch anything in Blue's Chinook if the bathroom sink has no water. :lol:
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
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Blue~Go
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Re: Winter travel

Post by Blue~Go »

Now if you knew me, that would be funny. I ALWAYS wash my hands, thoroughly, with soap, after using the bathroom. Not having a bathroom door has no effect :D

Actually, I carry a pump bottle of liquid soap and a spray container (plastic water bottle with a sprinkler lid) in my car just because I hate being sick, and so I wash my hands whenever I get back to the car from shopping, getting gas, etc. I got used to being able to do that once I had my campervan (and now the Chinook, both with "real" kitchens) and suddenly the car felt so ... grubby! I do often grab something to eat for the car/trip, and so I'd have to wash my hands in the store then try "not to touch anything" on the way out. Compared to that it's really nice to just have a mini handwashing station in the car (both the soap and water fit in one of the "pouches" in the door and a roll of paper towels is always tied around the passenger headrest bars).

Ha, so now you'll probably go from not touching anything in my rig to assuming I'm practically OCD about keeping my hands clean :
1999 Concourse
chin_k
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Re: Winter travel

Post by chin_k »

There are always some elements of OCD in our behaviors. Yours is pretty mild.

I just checked the weather broadcast for some of the mid-west and northeast regions. Wow, that's definitely freezing temperature. I don't think I remember weather as chilly as this with the ten years that I lived in New England. Definitely need to winterize some of the plumbing if I ever need to go there with my rig.
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
Norman&Michele
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Joined: October 4th, 2017, 1:05 pm

More on winter travel!

Post by Norman&Michele »

I know the originating post for this was 10 months ago...but I am just seeing it, as I only occasionally visit the forum. I wanted to add our experiences for future readers.

We have had our Chinook for just over a year now, and primarily use it to traverse the country, heading between VT -> AZ in the winter. Last year, we traveled with the camper winterized, and stayed at camp grounds where we could plug in, and use a bath house. Now that I am very familiar and comfortable with how everything works, we plan to be more adventurous and boondock at rest stops and truck stops.

As for preparing for this year's travel, we pulled out the shelving beneath kitchen sink, and the little box that houses the plug in cord which makes the plumbing beneath sink far more accessible, not to mention, increasing air circulation. I insulated the sink wall, using those squishy foam garden kneeling pad things--just cutting it to fit behind. Also did the same thing for the outside hookup compartment, as so much cold air comes in there. Also added the foam wrap around sink pipes. The space between the fresh water tank, and wall, I stuffed 4 of those fabric door draft tube things. This weekend, Norman plans to install ball check valves on the pex plumbing that heads back to the bathroom after sink junction, so we can winterize that end, while still have access to fresh water tank for kitchen use--which we are planning on using this time. We will still plan to winterize the hot water heater and take off line--I seem to remember this can be bi-passed with shut-off valves--as it is too exposed to cold (there are expensive winterized water heaters that we may investigate, and swap in NEXT summer). I also cut some thick bubble wrap to fit over side windows behind pull down blinds, as that is another place of heat loss.

We have discovered an easy, albeit, not glamorous way to use the potty without water, and have tested it this summer on a few close-to-home excursions. By popping a GOOD plastic kitchen garbage bag in the bowl of toilet, and then using coconut coir, which has the consistency of dry coffee grounds you can do your 'stuff', and cover it like a cat. We also use it for trash in general, and then empty it every day. Maybe this is TMI, but I wished we thought of doing this LAST year. We also travel with a cat, and a dog...so, you get the picture. Lots of bi-products.

Another thing we did this year, which I wished we did last year when we purchased our Chinook, was treat the undercarriage. Even though ours is a 2002, when we bought it, I don't think it ever saw a salty road...until us. So, I (Michele, NOT Norman) spent many summer days beneath my camper van listening to podcasts while scrubbing the rust off. Once the worst of it was off, we used an old VT farmer technique and coated it with chainsaw oil. It is sticky, less drippy than regular motor oil.

We will give all of the above a REAL test in a couple of months...and I will report back!
Norman&Michele
'Vinnie' the 2002 Chinook Concourse
chin_k
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Re: Winter travel

Post by chin_k »

Regarding the water heater, yes, there are two ball valves under the sofa that you can use to by-pass the water heater. The Chinook documentation has the diagram that shows you which way each of the valves goes to do that. The main reason it is kept dry for the winter because it will take a lot of RV antifreeze (3 gals?), and it is pain to get the RV antifreeze to flushed out clean with all that surface area inside the heater. When drained, there should be almost no water in the heater, so there is no need to fill it with the RV antifreeze.
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
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