Learning the secrets of life in an RV

I am hardly an experienced RVer, but I’m learning a few things from my limited trips and from talking with folks who do have a lot of time on the highways of Alaska and the Lower 48.

Some features of your RV are a personal choice while others are standard. For instance, my RV has duel tires on the rear axle, as do most units. Checking the air pressure on “duelies” is a real pain if the air stems aren’t in easily reached locations. Mine aren’t. I’m looking into installing a set of air stem extenders which will make life easier when checking tire pressures — especially on the inside tires.

If there is a truly level parking spot in a campground in Alaska, I haven’t heard of where. I’m researching the most durable leveling blocks available because several of the appliances in the RV require a nearly level unit or they won’t function efficiently and correctly. I’m also quite fond on sleeping in a horizontally-level position with my head no higher or lower than my feet.

Some tips I’ve been given include installing a set of leveling jacks on the rear of the unit. These scissors jacks bolt directly to the frame at the back of the unit and allow the RV to be leveled and stabilized once parked. A second suggestion involves using an in-line water filter whenever fresh water is added to the main tank. I can see the real advantages of this, given the unknown status of various wells and city water lines around the state.

Having a second longer and heavier-duty sewer dump line was suggested, along with a spare valve similar to the type used on your RV’s gray and black water lines. If you have seen the movie RV, starring Robin Williams, I need say no more on this topic. A 100-foot, heavy-duty extension cord is also handy, along with the adapter to convert your unit’s power cord to accept a standard 110-volt plug-in. I spoke with a gentleman who told me he had numerous experiences with crowded campgrounds and the only reason he was able to “hook-up” to power was because of his long length cord.

This same gentleman also suggested carrying at least 50 feet of potable water hose. In his experience, maneuvering a recreational vehicle within close proximity of fresh water wasn’t always possible either. The extra hose length meant always being able to refill his water tank.

Another gadget handy to have is a water line pressure regulator. This small brass doohickey attaches to your water hose and to the city water intake line to your water tank. Many city water systems are pressurized, often higher than 100 psi. Most RV water lines are plastic and are not designed for these higher pressure systems. By regulating the water pressure below 100 psi, you can safely refill your water tank without the fear of blowing out your unit’s water lines!

I have looked at cataloged systems designed to channel your unit’s generator fumes to a release point above your RV’s roof. Most generator exhausts run out from under the body of the RV, but if the wind is blowing from the wrong direction, the fumes can literally come back into the unit through an open window.

Having a good 12-volt fan was also highly recommended by my experienced RV friend.

These are the items I either have direct experience with or have been told to consider. I’m sure, as I gain more experience, I’ll come up with more items to make life on the road a little easier. This RVing thing is truly a gadget lovers dream.

Now that you have full tanks and a pantry stocked with your favorite RV meals, what’s next?

If you’re a dipnetter, you might want to make a trip to the Kenai with a big cooler and one of those large nets. Don’t forget your sports fishing license and a dip net permit too. I’ve heard that on at least a few of the days since the Kenai opened on July 10, the reds were plentiful and folks were catching them quite handily!

I read a couple of days ago that Fish and Game has doubled the sport fish bag limit for the Kasilof River reds, so you might want to check that out. Also check with Fish and Game about the expansion of the area open to dipnetting on the Kasilof River. You’ll need to know the exact boundary extensions to avoid an unpleasant contact of the brownshirt kind!

Silvers are starting to show around the valley, so there’s another opportunity to use that RV over a weekend of fishing activity. My wife and I are planning a trip to our local fishing spot to check for silvers. I’d also like to visit Valdez and take advantage of the pink salmon fishing that is in full swing there. I’ve always enjoyed a fresh-from-the-ocean, dime-bright pink salmon for dinner.

Once you’ve got your RV set up as you want, go enjoy some of our valley salmon fishing – I plan to!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by e-mailing sports@frontiersman.com.