dogre

What a great review! Now if only you could camp next door to me at all of my sites I would be truly happy. Thank you for giving the positive feed back to the park hosts and also for the positive view of how the state park system has performed. That is very important in these trying times. Best Wishes, David Oglevie Chelan, WA

Glad to see you looking at a Toybox. Cruise control? Come take the one out of mine. It is only usable while driving downwind across Kansas. CC is a waste of money in these under powered vehicles (I have a V-6). Dave

I have used a plastic oil change bowl that is anti-slosh. It holds a couple of gallons.Tthe dogs haven't been bothered by any 'plastic' taste (they drink out of mud puddles for goodness sakes), the bowl doesn't tip over or slosh. Available at any auto supply store. Dave, Chelan, WA

Sorry to go off topic a bit. What state do you live in where your vehicle springs were found to be challenged and the inspector happens to know of someone who can help you? This is a gray area that I am curious about. Dave Chelan, WA

A backup set of keys, toilet paper, camp chairs.

Sue, I proposed this gathering but couldn't get consensus so I gave up attempting to herd cats. Sorry. I'll be camping somewhere in Central Washington that weekend. Dave in Chelan

All good advice so far. One item you might want to check is whether you have a timing chain or timing belt. If it is an original timing belt you should consider having the old one replaced. I don't know what the 4 cylinder engines came with. I have a '91 with a 6 cylinder and I know I need to replace my timing belt soon. Belts are supposed to go 90K miles but when they sit unused for years who knows what has happened to them. Oh, yeah, check the housewater inlet (where you fill your water tank from the outside to the actual tank) hose to see if it is brittle. If so, then replace it as it may be cracked and thus leak all over your floor when filling you water tank or when sloshing while you are driving.. Been there and done that. Get a very high quality roll of duct tape! A 13mm ratcheting flex head wrench might be very useful if you find that you need to pull your toilet. Dave in Chelan, WA

We recently returned from our winter voyage (Chelan, WA to San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico) which included the rally at Quartzsite. The only danger we faced was drinking Dave M's moonshine at the rally and attempting to breath the air while driving thru Mexicali while passing by a "police investigation" site 200 yards into Mexico. Once you get thru town the air clears up and life is good. We parked on the beach at Pete's Camp a few of miles north of San Felipe (120 miles south of the border). Pete's Camp has 79 beachside campsites. The crowd was three of us campers. I dislike crowds so this worked out well but the locals are really hurting. Be brave and go to San Felipe. They need the money! Coming north we tried to outrun rain along the 1/101 highway along the California/Oregon/Washington coast. It didn't work. Eventually snow caught up with us on the Oregon coast . We kept going north and visited a buddy in Quinault (rainforest), WA while waiting for the snow to quit in the Cascades. Of course it snowed there too.. We eventually crept to Snohomish, WA and waited for WA Hwy 2 to open. We snuck thru during a 4 hour opening of Stevens Pass. 57 days, 4590 miles. Average of 13 MPG with a V6 in our overweighted '91 Itasca Spirit. What a winter! Dave Oglevie Chelan, WA

We recently returned from our winter voyage (Chelan, WA to San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico) which included the rally at Quartzsite. The only danger we faced was drinking Dave M's moonshine at the rally and attempting to breath the air while driving thru Mexicali while passing by a "police investigation" site 200 yards into Mexico. Once you get thru town the air clears up and life is good. We parked on the beach at Pete's Camp a few of miles north of San Felipe (120 miles south of the border). Pete's Camp has 79 beachside campsites. The crowd was three of us campers. I dislike crowds so this worked out well but the locals are really hurting. Be brave and go to San Felipe. They need the money! Coming north we tried to outrun rain along the 1/101 highway along the California/Oregon/Washington coast. It didn't work. Eventually snow caught up with us on the Oregon coast . We kept going north and visited a buddy in Quinault (rainforest), WA while waiting for the snow to quit in the Cascades. Of course it snowed there too.. We eventually crept to Snohomish, WA and waited for WA Hwy 2 to open. We snuck thru during a 4 hour opening of Stevens Pass. 57 days, 4590 miles. Average of 13 MPG with a V6 in our overweighted '91 Itasca Spirit. What a winter! Dave Oglevie Chelan, WA

Bill, 'Murphy' is usually right but I still want to go on a tool weight loss program. Unfortunately the only suggestions I've received have actually added weight. Have you (or any others reading this) ever purchased some of those "as seen on TV" tools that actually work and reduce your need for many wrenches, pliers, etc.? How about some of the new neat Craftsmen tools from Sears? Dave

Regarding your igniter problem, be sure that some darned spider hasn't spun a web in the mechanism. They are hard to see but can shut the igniter down. When I bought my rig it had sat for 9 years and I had the same problem. Clean it carefully. You may have to take the little gas jet out and clean it. A very thin wire will clean the jets. As I remember, it is not an easy remove but then I'm a klutz. A friend walked me thru it. Dave

I have an Dana's Electronic Speed Control in my '91 Winnebago Spirit. It seems that Dana's was one of the largest aftermarket ESC companies in the 80'-90's. Perhaps this will give you a start point. The company is based in Maumee, Ohio and is known as Dana Holding Company, www.dana.com. If they didn't make your unit I bet that they know who did. I have issues similar to your's with my speed control. I have a V-6 with an automatic transmission. I rarely use it. If I'm on level ground with no breeze or a tailwind then I turn it on and monitor it carefully. If you need to look at my documentation (from July '89) I can try to copy and post it but it would have to be soon as I'm taking my rig on the road for a long trip in a couple of days. Good luck with your search. Dave