Ice Bucket

I did not buy a motorhome to rough it.  I bought it so we could be as comfortable as possible while we were out traveling.  So with that in mind, I like ice in my drinks.  Not just those of the adult persuasion, but I want ice in my water and my soft drinks.

So, how do I keep ice in my freezer.  The freezer has no problems making ice,  I just need a place to store it once I make it.  I need an ice bucket.

So we have been using a Gladware disposable storage container.  Why that as opposed to just a basket or bowl.  I wanted a lid so that none of the ice would spill out as we go down the road.  I also wanted to make sure any odors did not contaminate the ice.  And before I get yelled at, we don't have smells in the freezer,  I am just cautious.

I fill up the container with ice from the house before we leave on a trip.  That gives us 2 days of ice without any additions.  We make more ice every night so the bucket will remain pretty full.

I have used a 64oz Gladware (or in our case a Publix equivalent).  The key being it is freezer safe.  We made the mistake of using one that did not have that on the label and it cracked.

The 64oz deep container fits just right in the freezer,  Slides in and out without any problems.

Now with it being Gladware (or equivalent) I get a couple of other benefits.  First is cost.  It only costs about  $1.00 or less if you use the generic ones (like me).  The second is that it is pretty much indestructible,  we had several of them crack due to the cold (before I started looking for the freezer safe versions) but they hold up.  And lastly, you can dispose of them and afford to get a new one if it get dirty or you are suspect of it.  Food safety is not to played around with.  We bleach the inside of the refrigerator/freezer and the ice trays down between trips but being to easily replace something like this is great.

New Steps for an Aging Beagle

NEW STEPS FOR AN AGING BEAGLE

Lily and I have a special relationship.  I say she is my baby now that the twins are 24 years old.  Don and the twins say we are co-dependent.  They are probably correct. We have had her 5 1/2 years.  I worked from home until I retired last year, so we spend most of our time together (and yes she sleeps with me, even in the 23A).  At 9 1/2 years old she is turning gray and starting to show other signs of being an old lady.  I spoil her just like I did the kids when they were little.

This summer, she got too frisky and tore the ligaments in her hind leg.  Major surgery was required which would include a hospital stay, four weeks of kennel confinement and then four more weeks of no jumping or climbing.  Sessions of aqua therapy would start after week four.  Well, that is the normal plan.  I agreed to the surgery, but the after care wasn’t going to work.  The doctor just stared at me for a moment - Don sat quietly knowing I was dead serious. After explaining her previous experience in a kennel in their office where she howled/barked for the hour while they observed her (and she was under some sedation), he agreed they would keep her only as long as possible.

So, Lily came home 30 minutes after her surgery was completed.  For the next four weeks one of us (mainly me) stayed by her side on a twin size mattress on the floor of the master bedroom.  The only time she left the mattress was to go potty. For the second four weeks she was allowed to walk around the house and sit on the couch with us, but had to be watched carefully as she felt better and would try jumping.

Week eight was over just in time for our trip to Fort Collins, Colorado.  Lily was good to go except she didn’t need to be jumping.  (Her preferred method is jumping on the couch, then onto the driver side bed, then over to the other bed.)  So, for this trip we packed the foam steps that we have for her to use in our bedroom at home. They served their purpose, but man were they bulky.  She’d need a better set for our next trip.

To Amazon I go and find a set of foldable steps that are 28 inches tall.  This is important so the top step is at the top of the bed cabinet.  The step fits between the foot of the driver side bed and the couch, this keeps it from sliding and leaves half of the bottom step clear for Lily to use. It also keeps the stairs out of the walkway.  Although you can only open the refrigerator door part way without moving the stairs, it opens wide enough for us to get most of what we need the majority of the time.  We are currently trying to decide the best place to store the steps while driving. So far we have just laid them on top of the bed or stowed them in them shower.

How does Lily like her new stairs?  Well, she apparently doesn’t like me referring to her as an old lady that needs stairs.  On our recent trip to Disney World, the first day she refused to use them and literally jumped over them.  But after several long walks the second day, she started feeling the old joints and started climbing the stairs into the coach and up onto the bed.  By the end of the trip we knew they were going going to be a permanent fixture.

Here’s what we bought:


PetSafe Solvit PupSTEP Plus Pet Stairs, X-Large, Foldable Steps for Dogs and Cats, Best for Medium to Large Pets

Husky Floor Mats

Since we have purchased the Fuse we have been looking for floor mats.  Our first choice was to purchase a set of WeatherTech floor mats.  Problem was that we were unsure of which ones to order and how well they would fit.  So we waited to see if some one else would take the plunge and then we would follow.

Before we got around to it another option became available.  Husky Weatherbeater floor mats.  They  showed up as an option when Patsy Stair on the Facebook group posted some pictures.  They looked great.   The best part was that they were $50.00 less than the WeatherTech ones we were looking at.

So we ordered them from Amazon.   The exact ones were Husky Liners Front Floor Liners Fits 15-16 Transit-150/250/350.   We ordered and they were delivered to the front door a few days later.  You have got to love Amazon Prime.

They were nice and heavy duty.  I had not seen them before other than in pictures.   They fit perfectly and took maybe 5 minutes to install.  I did it by myself with no problems.

It is a one piece unit.  Covers the floor boards on the drivers side and on the passenger side and the space in-between.  They are designed to sit on top of carpet as opposed to the vinyl that is on our Fuses.  This did not matter since they fitted so well there is no movement.

These are a little bit thinner than the WeatherTech floor mats I have seen in the past.  They are also more vinyl than rubber which is another difference.  I don't think that this makes much difference for our purposes.  The price more than makes up for it.

I did fine one thing funny.   The installation instructions had a note:  "The use of Armor-All is discouraged since it make the surface slippery". 

Camco FasTen Blocks

I have avoided buying leveling blocks up to now.  I still have not needed them.  So far I have been able to move the Fuse back and forth a foot or two everywhere we have stayed and get level.  This is one of the benefits of having a small motorhome.

 I wanted to look up underneath the Fuse at the generator.  To get my rather rotund body underneath I needed to lift the Fuse several inches.  That way I would be able to maneuver around while under the vehicle.  Since I was going to be the one under the Fuse,  I was not going to skimp.  Remember,  safety first.

I purchased the Camco 44515 FasTen leveling blocks.   These are designed for motorhomes with duallies.  Both wheels are supported which is a good thing.  The weight is spread out the way the vehicle is designed.  I could have purchased the standard 2x2 blocks and been fine.  I just want as much margin as possible especially since I knew I would be using these blocks while I was underneath the Fuse.

I purchased the blocks in brown.  At the time they were cheaper than yellow but I have seen that the price changes back and forth.   The color was not important to me.

 They come as a set of 10 blocks. They go together like legos.  Just like most of the blocks on the market.   The first block will raise the vehicle 1.5 inches.  The next layer of blocks will raise the vehicle an additional inch because of the way they stack.

A set of blocks 3 layers deep will take 6 blocks and raise the vehicle 3.5 inches.

They work.  It is rather a simple and elegant solution to the problem.  One of the best parts of the FasTen is how they are stored.  There is a screw in handle that goes through the center of the blocks that keeps them together.  It also acts as a carrying handle.

I am not sure if they will get used much, but they are good to have just in case.  They really help if you are going to get under the Fuse to do maintenance or just look around, especially if your belly is as big as mine.

Velcro Cinch Straps

From some of the articles in this blog you might think I am a neat freak.   If you ever come over to the house you will quickly discover that that is the far, far from the truth.

The thing is,  that in a small motorhome like the Fuse you really have to keep things organized.  The small size of the interior magnifies anything that is out of place or messy.  This can create tension in the vehicle and there is no way to defuse it with distance.

So, I am always on the lookout for things to organize the RV better.  I did a review on the best item in the world to have, a poncho liner a while back ago.     The small problem with the poncho liner like any blanket is that it takes up a lot of room when it is just folded up.  It fluffs up like it is designed to and takes up space.

So how to fix this.  How about rolling it up and securing it with some cinch straps.   I think this is  the perfect solution.

So I purchased some velcro cinch straps.   OK, velcro is sort of like Kleenex.  The exact ones I purchased were from a company called  Tiego, A 12 pack of assorted cinch straps and cable ties.   I need the  assortment since I had some other things on my mind as well.    I really needed the 22/24 inch size for the poncho.

It worked out great.  Much better than using cordage or rubber bands.   They are really easy to use.  Just roll up the blanket and use a couple of straps.   You can make it as tight or loose as you want.

You can also use the straps for other things as well.   These are just a real nice idea to keep things nice and tidy.

Collapsable Bucket

We are always looking for things that can make being in the Fuse more comfortable.  I always want to find things that are light, take up little space and are multi-tasking.   The silicone collapsible bucket that Sonya purchased hits all of those points.

Sonya bought me this one for our anniversary back in April.   As normal, we thought we were on to something special, but others had found our discovery way before us.  At the Get Together we saw several couples with these buckets.  The best use I saw was one being used as ice bucket for cooling beer & wine.

These buckets are available from various outlets.   The brand we purchased was from "Blue Sky Gear".   It is similar to many others out there.   Ours holds 5 liters or about 1.3 gallons.   There are ones out there that are twice the size holding 10 liters.  

All of them fold up flat taking up very little space, about an inch high.   Ours is 12" in diameter at the mouth and weighs just under a pound.    Interestingly, the 10 liter bucket is just an inch in diameter bigger.  The price is a wash.  Either size bucket is available on Amazon for around $10.00.

These silicone buckets are fairly sturdy.  I remember the rubber coated cloth buckets from back in the day.   Though they would hold water, they always collapsed at the most inopportune time and made a mess.   This bucket won't do that.  Once opened up it takes a little finesse to get it folded back down.  I don't think that it would flop down under its own weight.  You pushed with some force.

It is a pretty handy device to keep in the Fuse.   

You can find the 10 liter bucket on Amazon at Southern Homewares Foldable Silicone Collapsible Bucket, 2.65 gallon.

Camco Water Tank Filler

Someone was complaining about it being difficult to fill up the Fuse water tank.  Getting water into the fill hole is a little challenging unless you just shove the hose down into it.  It wants to splash back as it fills.   Pushing a potentially dirty hose down into the fresh water tank is not something I really want to do. 

I have been using a 1' piece of hose that came with my water filter for this.  My issue has been that it it a two person job.  There was no way to turn off the water remotely.    That is where the Camco 40003 Water Tank Filler comes in.  

This ~$5.00 widget solves the common problems I pointed out.  First it has a shutoff so that when you are ready to turn off the water you can do it right there.  With the shutoff you can also slow down the flow of water if it is coming too fast.

There is no need to have your partner over at the spigot to turn it on and off.   No need to run over there if your partner is unable to help.  My experience is half the time the hose tries to back its way out of the receptacle, falling on the ground and getting dirty.

 It is clear so you can make sure it is clean before using it. It is 8 inches long and once inserted it down in the system so the water does not spurt back up.

I won't say that this is an absolute necessary accessory.   You can still just fill the tank with the hose.  But if you are traveling alone or have to take of the utilities by yourself, it makes filling the tank a whole lot easier and is well worth the low price.

New Front Tag

After 9,000 miles the front tag gave up the ghost.   It looks more like some sort of desert camouflage than a license plate.    You can no longer make out "The Beagle Bus".  Live and learn.

This time we are doing a couple of things different.   First we had the tag put on aluminum as opposed to plastic.  (customized through Zazzle.com ) It cost a little more but hopefully the paint will hold better.  Maybe less thermal expansion to keep the paint from flaking.  Really don't know what caused the last one's paint to fail.

The next thing is we put a plastic cover over it.  If nothing else maybe this will take the abuse as opposed to the tag itself.

The last thing we did was put a frame around it letting everyone know who we are.  (Customized through Cafepress.com) Some say you should not do this for privacy reasons.  I have an amateur radio operator license plate so my FCC call sign is the tag number.  It is not like I can hide with that.

UCO Flat Pack Grill

I really like the FitRV and read their blog and watch their videos daily.  Recently they reviewed a Flat Pack Grill from UCO and after watching the video I decided to buy one.

The  UCO Flatpack Grill and Fire Pit seemed like it would be perfect for us.   This grill is designed for backpackers so it is very light weight (3.2 lbs), folds flat and occupies almost no space.  This is just right for our Fuse motorhome.  It would be ideal for other space conscious class B and small class C RVs.

It stores in the box it comes in and is made from stainless steel so it is pretty durable.  When you take it out the box you will find 3 parts.  The main unit, the grill grate and a handle for adjusting the grate.

It is super easy to set up,  you just fold down the legs.  One set goes inside the other set for stability.  It opens up like a large folding cup.  The grate then goes over the top to add additional rigidity for the system.

So I took it out  and did what everyone always does with a new grill - I made steaks.

The first thing I did was to get the charcoal ready.   I really like the Kingsford Easy Light charcoal.  All you do is light the corners of the bag and let it burn down.  No lighter fluid or other flammable liquids necessary.  The amount of charcoal is perfect for a 2 person dinner  providing even heat pretty much every where on the grate.

While the charcoal was burning down I prepared the steaks.  I went for a very simple approach.  A little olive oil, salt and pepper.  That was it.

Once the charcoal had burned down, I made sure the coals were spread out even.  Then I put the grate on.  I waited a few minutes for the grate to get good and hot and then I added the steaks.

This grill was outstanding.    The Easy Light charcoal bag was the perfect amount of charcoal for this grill.   I cooked the steaks for 5-10 minutes on each side and that was all it took.  The Fold Pack grill was just as easy to cook on as on the big grills.

Another good thing that I noticed was that the legs on the grill stayed cool.  You could move the grill around by grabbing the legs with your hands and sliding it around.   I put my hand on the ground under the grill and there was almost no heat.   This made me feel good about the safety of the grill.

And the best part - the steaks came out great.  What more can you ask.

Two Sewer Hoses

It still amazes me how much time I spend thinking about the septic system on the Fuse.   When I bought the motorhome it turned into my new obsession.  I probably need some help.  Creating  a web site devoted just to this topic might be in the cards.

When I went to the Tampa RV show one of the folks in the Facebook group asked me to take a look at the Lippert Waste Master System to see how it would work with the septic system on the Fuse.  I had never heard of them but they had a booth.   Well I took a look and it was probably the nicest sewer hose that I had ever seen.   The hose and nozzle are both first class.  The hose is smooth with a wire coil around the outside.  I talked with the representative and he said many high end motorhomes are using their equipment.  This is a high quality piece of kit.

You are paying for this quality however.  It is twice the price of the other septic hose systems on the market.  It is probably worth it.  It has a permanently attached nozzle with a valve that allows you to start and stop the flow as necessary.  Right there is a huge upgrade from most of the other systems on the market  including the Rhinoflex system I use.

The second problem is that it is large.  No way for it to fit in the sewer hose compartment since the nozzle is permanently connected.  That nozzle is the size of a football and appeared to be built like a tank.

My biggest concern of about the Waste Master is that instead of using the bayonet connector that is common on most RVs,  it uses a CAM lock connector.   I have experience with these connectors on large water pumps and they are definitely much better connectors than the twist on bayonet connector.  Unfortunately you would need to modify the sewer drain by cutting  off the nubs and gluing a CAM connector to the pipe.  Not a small change.

So unless you really want the best and are willing to make a permanent modification to your rig, I am not sure this is really for the small RV owner.

Prest-O-Fit Ultimate Sewer Kit - Amazon

The other hose I have been thinking about since the show is the Prest-O-Fit Sewer hose.  The photos  included in the post are from their website or Amazon.com.  I forgot to take photos when I saw it.

  

The reason that this hose interest me is that it appears that it could actually fit in the septic hose storage compartment in the Fuse.   How does it do this ?   It uses compression fittings instead of the standard bayonet fittings.   This keeps the width down and makes it slim enough to fit in the compartment.

Press-O-Fit Sewer Elbow - Amazon

You would still need to keep the elbow in a separate compartment but it would consume much less space.   There are also other connectors available to connect multiple hoses together or to meet other requirements.

I have one major concern about this system.  How well do the compression fittings actually hold?  Will it leak or come apart?   Per their web site you just push the connections together and pull them apart.  Everything is held by friction.    Does this actually work in practice?   How easy can they come apart and cause a spill?    The main thing I look for in the septic hose system is no spills.

If you have a Press-O-Fit, please add a comment on how well it works and how well it fits in the hose storage compartment.   I am very curious.