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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

I'm headed out for a two + month road trip. Last year I carried about 80 lbs. of tools. I'm trying to go on a tool diet this year. I need to pare down. What do you consider the most important tools to carry? Thanks for your consideration. Dave

I've been using some led lights in my rig for the past year. Unfortunately I bought some of the early "blue" ones that have a color temperature of about 6000 degrees Kelvin (cloudless daylight is 5600K) I'm shifting to the ones that you are considering that look more like what we are used to, (3200 Kelvin) which equates to ' warm white'. After putting in the led's that I have been using I have seen a significant reduction in the draw on my house battery. They are probably worth the money (under $11/bulb) if you find the ones that have the color temperature that you are comfortable with. Led's are supposed to last forever but I'd only buy from US sources. China is flooding the market. Know what color temperature you want, warm or cool before you order. Ask the sales representative about that color temperature, Dave

I've been using some led lights in my rig for the past year. Unfortunately I bought some of the early "blue" ones that have a color temperature of about 6000 degrees Kelvin (cloudless daylight is 5600K) I'm shifting to the ones that you are considering that look more like what we are used to, (3200 Kelvin) which equates to ' warm white'. After putting in the led's that I have been using I have seen a significant reduction in the draw on my house battery. They are probably worth the money (under $11/bulb) if you find the ones that have the color temperature that you are comfortable with. Led's are supposed to last forever but I'd only buy from US sources. China is flooding the market. Know what color temperature you want, warm or cool before you order. Ask the sales representative about that color temperature, Dave

I'll be there but will camp out on BLM land for free and not pay the $7/day and the unexplained $8 registration fee that I paid last year. The hostess didn't show up until the last day of the show. I figured that to be lost money and I won't do it again. I'm Scottish. I'm not cheap, I'm frugal.

Since I asked the question, "What would you like to see..." I should have known what to beware of. I could handle almost all of the requested items in my backyard but my hot tub only holds 23 people and I don't put water in my waterslide until after Memorial Day. Perhaps something more realistic could be considered. I stayed in a National Park Service campground (Spring Canyon, just about a mile above the Grand Coulee Dam) last October. It has a group area that can be reserved and I am presently attempting to secure it. It is presently available for the weekend of May 14-16. There is a lake (Roosevelt) a hundred yards away, clean bathrooms with showers, no electricity, and a cost of about $10 per night per site. Trees, grass, sandy beach, fishing, boat marina, one of the world's largest concrete dams very nearby, great geology all around. More information available at www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm I could figure out a "slip and slide" for kids but it might be a bit cool that early in the year. Your realistic thoughts? Does this site seem like somewhere you might want to camp? Dave

On the steepest grades it doesn't matter if you have a 4 or 6 cylinder engine. As I passed over a 12K pass two years ago the guy in the BMW behind me didn't have enough umph to pass me. He obviously forgot to get a high altitude tune up. Just get acclimated to being a snail on the highway of life. You get to see more things the slower you go. Dave

What would you like to see be included in a "Rally" in central Washington state, the weekend of May 14-16, 2011?

David, I am beginning to plan a Toybox play weekend for May, 14-16, 2011 in central Washington. We did get 5 Toyboxes together last year at the same time of the year at Banks Lake (very near Grand Coulee Dam). Interested? I will be moving this discussion to a new topic dedicated to Pacific NW ToyBox get together, Spring 2011. The previous postings have too much history to look thru. It is time to get specific so we can focus on each proposed rally. The one on Vancouver Island sounds interesting. Your thoughts? Dave Oglevie Chelan, WA '91 Itasca Spirit

McShank, My wife and I will probably be in the Quartzsite area around the Jan.22 to 30th week. We will boondock south of town on BLM land and come in for the show. Perhaps we will see you there. For those of you who are not familiar with this RV show take a look at http://www.quartzsitervshow.com/rvshow.htm Dave Oglevie Chelan, WA