If you are going to buy one of the ad a room for Fleet wood trailers I suggest you buy when you get with your trailer or try and get used.
You can try and negotiate a better price when buying new pop up trailer and maybe get it for 400-500 dollars. If you go an buy the part separately at Fleetwood dealer you are looking at paying 900.00 for the Fleetwood add-a-room deluxe. OUCH.

Best price For Fleetwood Deluxe Add a Room?

Another way to go is to try and find used. Some people may have bought the screen rooms and not find they are using.
This is the best way to go. You might be able to get in the 300-400 range if you buy used. try and buy locally as these are heavy and a killer on shipping.

If you do get used and are missing instruction some kind soul took the trouble to post the original manufacturer instructions- you can view here

Posted by admin as Camping Equipment and Reviews, Fleetwood Pop Up Trailers at 1:34 PM EDT

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I have to laugh - when ever I am in Hooland my German girlfreind use dto comment on the Dutch an dtheir campers. I think of it all the times and wonder how it came about that the Dutch loving camping in a trailer so much. You see many trailers that say “Dutchman” on the side. When driving in Europe you can pretty much garumtee any trailer you see will be pulled by a car with the white and black “Netherland” sticker on the back windshield.

The last time I was in Holland was almost 16 (gulp!) years ago. Feels like yesterday! I can’t believe that I am “old” and this time around won;t be going to night clubs dancing and eating falafel at 3am on the street corner.
We have plan to go in the spring and not sure if kids or going or not.
We will be renting a car and this is what i am most nervous about. There are some reputable places where you can rent a car or as they say in Europe “car hire” .

I am pretty frugal with a dollar and no intention of using a travel agency so looking at getting a car online. My husband travel a lot for business and and rents loads of cars- he says won’t be an issue at all and to stop worrying about stuff so far in advance.

I have visions of use barrelling down the autobahn in sporty convertible but somehow I think we be in the slow lane with kids in a Corolla.

Posted by admin as General Camping at 5:30 PM EDT

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I make a bunch of these in the Fall when I am making candles for gifts. I sue the left over wax for making these fire starters and citronella candles.

Making your own firestarters is very easy. You don;t need and candle making supplies- stuff you have hanging around in your kitchen will be fine. The only thing you may need to buy is some cedar chips ( can buy at any pet store or department store it is used as bedding for hamsters, etc) . Get a small bag- a little goes a LONG way.

Here are supplies:

Wax ( you can use canning was i.e. paraffin wax available at grocery store, old candles, cehap dollar store candles or buy at craft supply store. If you have a choice get wax meant for pillar or votive and not container wax)

Double boiler or similar. If you have old metal coffee can use this. You are going to melt wax and add wood chips and is messy. If you have an old pot or metal coffee can this would be good to use.

Cedar chips or similar. ( some people will also use dryer lint or shredded paper)

Optional: very small paper cups, cardboard egg cartons or large ketchup cups found at fast food restaurants.

1. Melt the was on your stove top. Do not do this without double boiler- never have pot with wax on direct heat. Keep on eye on wax so it doesn’t get too hot- when it is melted and clear you are good to go.

2. Add wood shaving/lint/paper and stir. You Will need to act fast so wax doesn’t harden. Add enough so material is pretty much covered.

3. You can just put blob on cookie sheets and use just as is. I find this messy. I prefer to put into egg cartons and cut up. Also can can spoon into ketchup containers.

4. Done!

All you have to do is light with match when you are starting a fire. these work better than any fire starter I have ever bought.
I keep in ziplock bag.

If you are using as fire starter for your fireplace I would add more material to wax- too much wax can cause creosote buildup in your fireplace liner.

Also- do NOT dispose of old wax or melted was down your drain. It will clog.

Posted by admin as Camping Advice and Camping Tips, Camping Recipes, General Camping at 11:49 AM EDT

1 Comment »

The first time I went camping at Disney’s Fort Wilderness i was surprised at how many people had golf carts that they brought with them or or rented them at the campground.. I couldn’t get over how expensive they were. The cost to rent a golf cart at Fort wilderness is 43.00 a day. Ouch.

Last time we went I did break down and rent one0- they were SO much fun. I took kids all over the pace and was easy to go anywhere. I can see how it would become addictive!
If you can afford it I would at least get if for day just for the fun of it.
Don;t even thin of letting kids drive- there a very strict about who drives the cart- you must have a valid drivers licence.

You rent the golf carts at the Bike Barn in Fort Wilderness and you can also call and reserve one at (407) 824-2742.
You should probably reserve it if you think will will want to rent- they can go pretty fast.

Posted by admin as Orlando, Walt Disney World and Fort Wilderness at 10:05 PM EDT

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I am wondering what some of the best ways to get some extra money when you are travelling? We went to Disney in Florida this winter and we had some unexpected troubles with money. My bank card wouldn’t work and my laptop was stolen- yes it was a bad week! We still had another 4 weeks left of our holiday and thee as no way I could go without my computer- need it to do some work. I work part time as a freelance writer for magazine and trying to work at local library on free computer was next to impossible. i also needed access to my stuff was lucky I had a USB key with bunch of info and back-up files or really would have been an enormous headache an may have had to come home.

My credit card was maxed out with hotel and campground holds and the Best Buy wouldn’t take my card because not valid in States. ARGH. I had wandered about taking some kind of payday loan so i could buy a new laptop., the kind of a loan where you get a cash advance on your pay.

Some of the services also had no fax payday loans which would have been perfect for me.

I ended up getting my laptop returned but I still wonder what i would have done if I need some money quickly and without the hassle of wiring or waiting for money transfers.

Posted by admin as General Camping at 11:25 PM EDT

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Go to love this! The maker/creator claims this only takes 10 minutes to do- which means it would take me x 10, so 100 mins. It si a leather band that has wires an d built in battery- a bracelet/band that lights up with neat little charm. Cant wait to make thse for camping this Summer- my girls will love them
Take a peek at these neat electronic leather bands to make yourself. Looks like materials are simple to work with but hard to come by- will have to do a special order I don’t know if local Radio Shack has supplies or not.

Posted by admin as General Camping at 3:25 PM EDT

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I am in a bit of a tizzy this week. Going camping this weekend for a few days and I have lost 2 crucial items for camping.
1) I cannot find my sunglasses anywhere.
1b) I broke my glasses
2) I cannot find my cell phone.

I used to think when I lost stuff it would eventually turn up but after having children I realize this just isn’t true. Last year we lost a Nintendo DS somewhere int he house and also ANOTHER cell phone. I was convinced they would show up and when we moved I thought I would discover them- nope. I am pretty sure my son put my phone in recycling box.
I have also discovered that the minute I find something i will lose another.

Add to all of this my OCD. I can;t stand when things are broken or lost. Makes me uneasy and impossible to live with and I go into a bit of a frenzy. Not being able to find my sunglasses has been a HUGE hassle. It has been 90 degrees all week and full sun and miserable driving.
This weekend if I don’t have them and we are camping will be awful. I need to see when hiking. Most of the fun is looking for wild life and I REALLY need them- not to mention the long drive with glaring sun going in my eyes, I will pick up a pair of cheap ones at dollar store for the drive but will be flipping out if there are lots of bears and deer on hike and I don’t see them!

Posted by admin as General Camping at 11:21 AM EDT

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I am an avid candle maker . Every fall when I make candles for Christmas gifts I make a couple of things for camping with my leftover wax- citronella candles and campfire firestarters.

Here is the simplest way to make your own citronella candles

Supplies:
Container ( I use clay flower pots) fill in hole on bottom with silicone caulking. You can also use any container where the mouth is not smaller than the rest of the container. Jam jars are great but I don’t like using glass. Metal also fine if it does leak- so test first by filling with water.

wick - buy at online candle supply place or crafts store ( Michael’s, etc) The type of wick you need depends on width of container. The wick will have a label. The hotter it burns then the wider the container. I would stick to something in the 4-5 inch width container. When id doubt go bigger.

Wax- You can use paraffin as for canning but it is crappy quality. If you can buy candle was it is pretty cheap. You can also use up old candles buts. Look for container wax ( it is more creamy and will hold more citronella). You will need about 1 lb to make 2 larger candles.

Any questions let me know.

Citronella oil- get purest you can get. Add 1-1.5 oz per pound of wax. I do suggest a candle supply company if you can.
Other oils to try adding: Lemongrass, rosemary, clove and eucalyptus.

Something to stir.
Double boiler.
Candy Thermometer.

Get containers ready.
Melt wax. Put in double boiler or similar- never melt wax on direct heat.- use candy thermometer to check temperature. If you buy wax it will have a guide how hot it should be. It will be in the 140-160F range. READ instructions for temps.

You can add color with old crayons or old candles but don’t worry about it.

When was is melted take of heat an add oils. stir with bamboo skewer or similar. Pour into your containers. When they have set a but- add oil.

You can also “prime” wick by soaking in the pure citronella oil.
wait a day or so for them to “set”
These also make great gifts. You can get kids to decorate outside of clay pots with paints, etc.

Posted by admin as General Camping at 10:53 PM EDT

1 Comment »

I am not a big fan of sprays like DEET and one of my kids is quite allergic to bug bites and we tray and and prevent the bites from happening.

Here are some ways to keep bugs ants, mosquitoes and ants out of your trailer when camping .

Prevention:
-Keep doors shut. Check openings and zippers to make sure they are closed tightly. I do this when we set up. You can check at night by walking around pop up trailer and checking for light “seepage” for cracks or openings.

- Spray curtains with this recipe for natural mosquito repellent.

-Keep lights off in the trailer as much as possible and when on on use on low setting.

- Limit going in and out and in out of trailer in evenings- tweens and teens seem to “need” to go in and out constantly. Surefire way to get lots of bugs inside your trailer.

- Citronella is a good line of defense. Have Tiki torches or citronella candles around the door to trailer. Some people use incense but I have never found this effective. Here is how to Make Your Own Citronella Candles for Camping
- Don’t use air fresheners in trailer- anything that “smells nice” will attract mosquitoes.

- Not as much fun but turn off your “party” lights- they attract LOTS of bugs.

- Keep ant traps in the trailer if ants are a problem. We had a problem with them on a long stay in Florida one year.

- Fans IN your trailer. We use a desk fan in bug season- the moving air keeps bugs away. The small little fans do not work that well.
- On our Fleetwood Sun Valley we have an add-a-room. We have actually never ised it but I would put it up right away if we went camping in black fly season.

Posted by admin as Camping Advice and Camping Tips, Camping and Mosquitoes at 10:27 PM EDT

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