Problem Shooters

People who use the shooting area in the Cibola National Forest next to our community are generally responsible people. The shooting area is cleaner than it used to be. Many left their junk in the area such as old television sets and the like.

There are some in our Whispering Cedars community who want the shooting area shut down. The reason is that stray bullets have entered the community. 

The photo above, Nandoh Munoz is shooting his Henry lever-action rifle. In the photo is a telephone pole at right. There is evidence of people using it as a target or mounting their targets on it.

The community is directly in the line-of-fire behind the pole and some stray bullets have hit some homes or narrowly missed people who were outside. Thankfully, this has been a rare occurrence. It boggles the mind how some people have a definite lack of common sense or are just plain stupid. There is a hill beyond the shooting area that allows for safe shooting. 

Above, the hill beyond the targets allows for safe shooting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It would behoove our community members to occasionally patrol the shooting area, whenever there are shooters there, to make sure they aren't shooting at the telephone pole or targets on them. If they are found to be doing so, either give them a warning or call the McKinley County Sheriff.

The problem is mainly caused by outsiders who don't live in the community.

Keep RV Drawers and Cabinets From Opening

Above, a safety catch I installed in my overhead cabinets. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some years back, I was with a girlfriend who had a two-year-old. The dinette to my motorhome has an attachment for child safety seats. But it was directly under some overhead cabinets.

I got some child safety catches for those cabinets so that he wouldn't get beaned by stuff flying out of the cabinets on a rough road. I was going to put those in anyway as some items are made of glass.

That is the topic of an article in Do It Yourself RV. 

They begin it with:

Traveling on back roads or less maintained routes can often cause significant jostling to an RV. It’s not uncommon for drawers to come loose under these conditions, spilling their contents or, in worse cases, causing damage to the drawer slides. While some newer RV models are equipped with locking drawer slides and hinges to prevent such mishaps, these mechanisms aren’t always foolproof. In older RVs, there might be no safeguards at all against drawers and cabinets swinging open. A surprisingly simple and effective solution is to use child safety locks.

These locks are an affordable and efficient way to secure drawers and cabinets, preventing them from opening during transit. Implementing this method is especially useful in RVs that lack built-in locking mechanisms. It’s a practical approach to “child-proofing” the RV – a strategy that’s beneficial regardless of whether there are actual children onboard. 

To read more, go here. 

Eclipse Glasses and Merchandise

Merchandising for the upcoming annular solar eclipse in Gallup, New Mexico has already started.

Good ol' capitalism!

I saw a merchant offering Gallup-centric annular solar eclipse t-shirts at Amazon. I did get a t-shirt in Idaho in 2017 when the Great American Eclipse took place.

Here's a photo:

 

On the other hand, there are some merchants who are selling eclipse safety glasses. Walmart is one. I would presume that Gallup Walgreen's and supermarkets are selling them as well. I would recommend calling around and ask before going on a "wild goose chase" to get some. I already have some.

The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque is offering free eclipse glasses. Go here for more information.

Essential RV Safety Devices

Above, Santa Fe Skies RV Park in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Life on the road is an enjoyable pastime, but things that mar the experience can and do happen.

RV Life has posted an article on RV safety devices that every RV owner should have.

They begin it with:

When you travel in an RV, you can explore every part of the country. But all this adventuring comes with an inherent risk. No matter how careful you are, something could always go wrong. That’s why it’s so important to travel with a collection of safety devices and emergency equipment.

You need to be ready for anything when you travel, including propane leaks, faulty brakes, thieves, or a dead battery. Some of these issues can be solved by preventive measures, while others need to be dealt with once something actually breaks. Fortunately, RVs are made to be fixable so you can deal with most problems easily (as long as you have the right tools).

There are all kinds of gadgets and gizmos on the market, but not all of them are actually necessary. There are a few essentials you should definitely bring along for the ride, though! That’s why we’ve compiled the following list of safety devices that every RV owner should have.

 To read more, go here.

RV Travel: Portable Heaters Safety Tips

Above, the ceramic electric heater I use. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RVs these days include indoor propane heaters to keep one warm during cold weather. The problem with them is that they eat up propane, which is quite expensive.

An alternative to RV propane heaters are portable space heaters. Mine (a ceramic electric heater) has saved me plenty of money over the years.

But one should be aware that space heaters come with their own set of hazards. RV Travel has posted some safety tips when using them.

They begin with:

Winter brings cold temperatures, biting winds, and even snow or sleet. Will your RV furnace keep you toasty? How much will it cost to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your rig? Perhaps a space heater can supplement your furnace heat and save you money on costly propane, too. Before you get started, it’s important to know critical safety tips for using portable heaters.

To read more, go here. 

RV Safety Advice From Truckers

Above, a traffic collision led to an I-40 back-up two years ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that the majority of traffic accidents on Interstate 40 (that I live near) involve big rig semi trucks. I couldn't say who caused each accident, but I do know that most often trucks travel on the highway at excessive speeds beyond what is safe for conditions.

When I am on the highway in my motorhome, trucks blow past me at high speeds and the air suction sometimes is pretty unnerving. The same goes when we get high winds. That's why I drive in my lane favoring the right side.

With the above in mind, RV Travel posted and article and video on RV safety advice from truckers.

It begins with:

In this fun and informative video, Robin Barrett of Creativity RV chats with people in the know about RV and big rig safety: truckers!

Surprise, it turns out that truckers and RVers can peacefully co-exist and help to keep each other safe on the road.

Robin picked the brains of truckers from TruckersReport.com. The professional big rig drivers have a whole lot of knowledge that can benefit RVers, so the video presents some truly beneficial information from people in the know. In it, they give practical and actionable advice and also talk about their biggest concerns surrounding sharing the roads with RVers.

 To read more and see the video, go here.

5 Big Dangers of Camping In An RV Campground

Above, Route 66 RV Resort near Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is nice to get away from home and head out to a favorite RV park or trying out a new one. But there are dangers out that that many don't even consider.

With that in mind, RV Lifestyle posted an article on five big dangers of camping in an RV campground.

They begin it with:

We all know we need to be mindful of dangerous wildlife and should lock our doors and windows. But what about more subtle but very real dangers of camping in an RV campground?

I’m talking about fire-starting, stomach-upsetting, water-logged dangers that too many campers often overlook.

So, I’m going to tell you about 5 major dangers you need to be aware of. Then, you’ll know what to look for and what questions to ask when booking your next campground.

To see what they are, go here. 

Keeping RV Cabinet Doors From Spilling Things

Above, a cabinet safety catch in my motorhome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As the following article from Do It Yourself RV states, there's a lot of shaking going on while one's RV is on the road.

All this shaking, especially on rough roads, can cause cabinet doors to pop open and shifting contents inside the cabinet can fall out and possibly bean someone who is sitting below.

I installed some plastic cabinet safety catches to three of my cabinets and they have worked well. None of the cabinet doors have popped open and spill anything. They were easy to install. I also have some spring-tension cabinet bars in other cabinets.

There are several ways to keep things from moving inside the cabinet and Do It Yourself RV shows what they are. 

They begin with:

There’s a whole lot of shaking going on! In your RV cabinets, that is. Whether your rig is cruising down the highway or bumping down the gravel road to the campground, every little bump on the road leads to earthquake-level seismic activity inside your RV. 

No wonder things sometimes fall out of RV cabinets when we travel. This can create an annoying mess to clean up before getting settled into the campsite. Who’s got time for that?

We’re here to help you! In this article, we’ll show you three different ways you can keep things from falling out of your RV cabinets. Not handy? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. None of these awesome methods of corralling your stuff requires skills or even tools.  

To read more, go here. 

How Fast Should You Replace A Windshield?

Above, The Beast in the GOCO Beast Barn. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Earlier this year, a pebble hit and chipped The Beast's windshield.

It left a small "star" shaped chip.

A few weeks ago, I got a windshield repair kit and fixed the chip. So far, it is holding well and no cracks have expanded from the chip.

Above, the chip's location.

If cracks were to form, I would have to replace the windshield. This week's trip to Durango, Colorado will be a test. It held fine during last week's trip to Albuquerque.

A general question of, "How fast should you replace a chipped windshield?" was posed by Do It Yourself RV this week.

It begins with:

A chipped windshield is not only annoying, but it could be compromising the safety of your vehicle. When a vehicle is designed, the windshield is a critical part of the structural integrity. Pressure on the roof of a vehicle with no glass versus one with glass will have a very different outcome.

That being said, having damaged glass in your vehicle can be a pretty serious thing. In contrast, for the glass to be such a large structural and safety feature, it is very strong and difficult to break.

To read more, go here. 

RV Travel: Full-time RVer safety

Personal safety is not something that I am overly concerned about while traveling. For one thing, I keep everything locked when I am not around and at night.

Also, I keep my 9mm pistol within easy reach and I've had gun training. My grandfather and father kept a "hogleg" with them while camping. I don't travel full-time. With gasoline now at $4.199 at the local Flying J, traveling is a bit cost-prohibitive even for short duration trips.

RV Travel has posted an article on full-time RVer safety. 

They begin with:

Some contemplating a full-time life on the road are a bit concerned about safety. They read about crimes and wonder—how subject to the criminal element are folks in RVs? If you sit around the campfire, sooner or later there’s some sort of RV “crime story” bound to come up. But if you push your source for specifics, often things seem to get vague. Yes, we have heard of actual incidents where travelers have run into trouble—but in reality, it’s a very RARE situation.

RVs are pretty hard to break into, compared to the common home. After all, in the dark of night, a big old house presents a lot of places to sneak in. Your little old RV is so small if somebody breaks a window, it’s sure to wake you up. Burglars don’t want to let you know they’re coming.

Too, robberies most often involve planning: the neighborhood mini-mart, the bank, the liquor store, somebody’s home known to have valuables or lots of dough. By our transient nature, as RVers, we’re a whole lot harder to work into a well-planned robbery effort. Also, for some reason, there’s a prevailing view of RVers that we all carry sawed-off shotguns around, begging for the chance to “make my day.”

To read more, go here. 

Safe RV Driving Tips

Above, The Beast at Petrified Forest National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether one is an experienced RVer of several years or a newbie/novice, accidents can and do happen while on the road. When my daughter was learning to drive, I drummed into her head "speed & distance" constantly. This is especially necessary while driving a bigger and heavier vehicle where "stopping on a dime" is not possible. Speed is self-explanatory. Always drive at the speed as conditions warrant. Distance is between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you and the vehicle alongside of you.

Let's RV has a list of 20 safe RV driving tip that everyone who gets behind the wheel should be mindful of.

They begin with:

RVs are getting easier to drive all the time. But accidents still happen, even to experienced RVers. You can keep the rubber on the road with these safe RV driving tips for new RV owners to long-time nomads.

Whether you buy an awesome small travel trailer or rent an RV for vacations, you are still behind the wheel of a big, heavy vehicle that can do a lot of damage when things go wrong. Lots of RV driving practice, trip planning and cautious driving habits are the best ways to ensure safe handling of your supersized vehicle. For ultimate safety, consider going to RV driving school, and always follow our most essential safe RV driving tips for road trippers.

To see what their 20 safe RV driving tips are, go here. 

RV Propane Safety

Above, getting the propane tank filled. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Everyone who has an RV uses propane.

It is the most common RV fuel to use. It is used for refrigerators, campfires, barbeques and heating. It is so common that it is easy to take for granted. 

RV Life has posted an article of seven important propane safety tips.

They begin it with:

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t use propane as part of their RV experience. Propane gets used in RVs for cooking, refrigeration, and heating.  Outside of the RV, propane has a host of other uses like firing up the barbecue or propane fireplace.  The use of propane is so common, it’s easy for RVers to take propane safety for granted. 

Propane is a colorless, odorless gas that is compressed into a liquid.  Since propane is a highly noxious gas that can kill quickly if a leak goes undetected, gas companies add a rotten egg smell to it. This smell helps us detect propane leaks before they can poison us. When handled correctly, propane is a stable, safe, and convenient fuel.

To read more, go here. 

Keep Kamala Out, Pray For Joe

If Joe Biden prevails in all of the election challenges and is inaugurated as president on January 20, 2021, we a good Americans will have to pray every day for his health and safety so he lasts four years.

As bad a prospect of a Biden presidency would be, a Kamala Harris presidency would be a million times worse. She is a pure evil Marxist bitch. 

10 RV Safety Tips

Above, The Beast at the USA RV Park in Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nobody wants to face problems while on the road, so it is best to prepare beforehand.

Do It Yourself RV has an article with ten important things to keep in mind for safe travels. Each is relatively easy to do and will help to prevent headaches while traveling.

They begin with:

Nobody wants to have issues while traveling with their RV. Flat tires, breakdowns, and other on-the-road problems can all result in grumpy moods and even ruined trips.

Obviously, you won’t always be able to avoid these things. However, by following a few simple safety rules, you can reduce the likelihood that problems will arise. The question is, what kinds of rules should you be following to keep yourself and your family safe during your travel days?

In this article, we will discuss some of our top tips for safe travels so you can help ensure your next RV adventure goes off without a hitch.

To read what they are, go here.