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IN THIS ISSUE:
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The Future of Batteries
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New Biking, Hiking and Walking Trails
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Three Great Trails for Fly Fishing by Bike
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Three Types of Techie-Tools for the Trail
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Camping in a Donut - What a Concept!
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Trivia Quiz
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The Future of Batteries
 Batteries
are on our mind right now. With the introduction of the Tesla
automobile line, reaching battery nirvana seems possible.
Think of the future of the RV lifestyle! If
a battery is developed with enough capacity to allow us to push a
40-foot recreational vehicle down the highway with enough energy left
over to provide lights, microwave usage, and more …
The RV industry would explode, no question about that. There are some downsides to that, but later for the doom and gloom.
Resources are being deployed to bring us the perfect electrical solution. Companies like Imergy Power Systems, just a few miles down the road from Tesla’s car factory east of San Francisco, for example, and China’s Prudent Energy, sell energy storage using batteries made from the element vanadium.
John Lemmon, a program director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy,
says vanadium batteries last far longer than traditional lithium-ion
batteries because the chemical process that the batteries rely on do not
require the materials they are made of to degrade. The upshot is that
the batteries can last, in theory, for decades without needing to be
replaced.
Meanwhile, companies like Fuji Pigment are working on aluminum-air batteries, for example, that could be cheaper and far more efficient than lithium-ion batteries.
As
battery technologies go, the world has a love-hate relationship with
lithium-ion. On the one hand, breakthroughs in Li-ion designs and
construction are responsible for the Tesla Model S, new installations,
green energy research, and the modern smartphone.
On
the other hand, lithium-ion limitations are the reason why most EVs
have a range of 40-60 miles, the Model S costs upwards of $80,000, and
why your smartphone can’t last all day on a single charge.
For all its promise and capability, lithium-ion has limited long-term utility — which is why a new announcement from Fuji Pigment is
so interesting. The company is claiming that its new aluminum-air
batteries can run for up to two weeks and be refilled with normal water.
How an aluminum-air battery works. Read on …
Read more on this subject:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-chemistry-offer-a-better-lithium-ion-battery/
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Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs!
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 “Healthcare and the RV Lifestyle” is designed to present the important elements required for a safe and healthy interface with the healthcare industry:
– Healthcare and Life Before 65
– Fighting the Medical Syndrome
– Dealing with the Healthcare Industry, Get Help Paying Costs
– Staying Organized, Medical Records, Caregiver Credit
– Medicare Part A, B, C, D, MSA, Therapy Management, Medigap
– Retiree Insurance
– Dental Implants - What to Expect
– What Female Issues are covered
– Glossary of Medical Terminology
 Find out if the RV lifestyle is right for you. If you have questions, "The RV Lifestyle: A Dream Come True" is an eBook that contains the answers.
– Buying That Dream RV - Things to Consider
– Equipping an RV and Tips on Maintenance
– Managing Power, AC and DC
– Emergency Road Service
– Towing Your Auto
– Planning Trips - How To Get The Most For Your Money
– Boondocking (Primitive Parking)
– Earning an Income on the Road
– Staying In Touch with Family and Friends
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New Biking, Hiking and Walking Trails
In
our RV adventures, we look for great places to spend the day outside.
Finding these places to ride, hike, or walk through scenic areas takes
some planning.
Rising to the challenge, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy transforms
unused rail corridors into vibrant public places—ensuring a better
future for America made possible by trails and the connections they
inspire.
They
are creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and
connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.
If
you are interested in becoming a member, learning more about their
trail development work, or finding out how you can get involved in local
or national advocacy efforts to protect trails and trail funding, they
want to hear from you!
For more information: http://www.railstotrails.org/
Three Great Trails for Fly Fishing by Bike
The idea of bicycling and fishing is not exactly new, but it’s probably something many of us have not done since childhood.
With
the renewed interest in bike touring and bikepacking in America, there
is no better time to pack a lightweight fly rod on your next adventure.
Here are three trails, ranging from remote to urban, that pass through some awesome trout fisheries.
The rest of the story…
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"Conquer the Road: RV Maintenance for Travelers"
covers maintenance of all the basic systems: air conditioning, awning,
generator, hot water heater, hydraulic levelers, inverter/converter,
roof, sewer, tires, and much more. Driving and weight balance tips are
included.
Join the thousands of women traveling alone in their RV and live the
adventure of a lifetime. Everything you need to know to get
started is included in
"For Women Only - Traveling Solo In Your RV." It is a simple life and all under your control.
-- Partial Contents --
Safety On the Road
Breaking the News to Your Family
Basics of Buying a Motorhome
Buying an RV Long Distance - NEW
Resources for Choosing the First RV - NEW
Dealing with the Repair Shop
Sales Tax and Registration Fees
Managing Power, AC and DC
Essential Tools
Repair Tools
Towing Your Car
Finding the Best RV Accommodations
Boondocking (Primitive Parking) - NEW
Adding Solar Panels - NEW
Maintaining a Comfortable Lifestyle
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Three Types of Techie-Tools for the Trail
We all hit the trail for different reasons.
Some
folks like the peace and simplicity; a babbling brook, a soaring osprey
and a riverside chat are all great rewards for a day on the trail.
Others love spending time with friends and family. And some just love to
get and be fit.
And then … enter the gadget lovers.
For
these folks, the trail experience is enhanced by technology. Not only
are they motivated to get out and play, they want to track their trip,
record their workout and listen to tunes.
But
you don’t have to be a gadget lover to benefit from techie tools on the
trail. There are some great apps and gizmos that can complement your
trip without being overwhelming. Here are few suggestions:
Read on …
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WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Margo’s blog, Moving On With Margo.com, for more tips, tools, and strategies to help you explore the RV lifestyle and get started. Her website, RV Lifestyle Experts.com, has articles on all phases of the RV lifestyle. Start with "Road Map to RVing".
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Camping in a Donut! – What a concept!
This is a new camping design concept that I have not seen before. It is not on the market yet, but an interesting idea.
What do you think?
The Rest of the Story…
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Geography Trivia Quiz
1. If you took a small boat 50 miles west of Haiti, what tiny place would you find?
a. Goat Island
b. Key West
c. Navassa
Hint: Few have heard of this “lost island.”
2. Name the world’s second largest lake.
a. Superior
b. Champlain
c. Onega
Hint: This lake has a shoreline in the United States and a shoreline in Canada.
3. Name the river that runs from Otsego Lake to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
a. Sabine
b. Susquehanna
c. Stikine
Hint: Otsego Lake is in Cooperstown, New York.
4. Name the place that recorded the highest temperature to date—134 ?F—in the United States.
a. Seymour, Texas
b. Volcano Springs, Calif.
c. Death Valley, Calif.
Hint: This spot also boasts the lowest point in the Americas.
5. At 412 billion gallons, this reservoir is the largest man-made reservoir in the world that is devoted solely
to water supply.
a. Quabbin in Massachusetts
b. Lake Mead in Nevada and Arizona
c. Lake Shasta in California
Hint: The towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott were
evacuated and submerged as part of the process to establish this
reservoir.
6. Name the state that has the most national forests.
a. Oregon
b. Idaho
c. California
Hint: Tahoe National Forest is one of 20 national forests in this state.
7. Name the five states that are part of the Ring of Fire.
a. Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona
b. Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Hawaii
c. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida
Hint: The Ring of Fire is the linear zone of seismic and volcanic
activity that coincides in general with the margins of the Pacific
Plate.
ANSWERS
1. Navassa. Columbus managed to find the American territory of Navassa
in 1507, but today the 2-square-mile island remains virtually invisible
to tourists and cruise ships that swarm the Caribbean.
2.Superior. Lake Superior, the largest, highest, and deepest of
the Great Lakes, is also the world’s largest freshwater lake.
3. Susquehanna. In 1872, the normally quite shallow 444-mi long
Susquehanna—swollen by the rains brought by Hurricane Agnes—flooded,
causing one of the greatest flood disasters in U.S.
history.
4. Death Valley, Calif. Death Valley’s high temperature of July
10, 1913, is bested only by the 136 ?F recorded in El Azizia, Libya.
5. Quabbin in Massachusetts. Two huge earthen dams were built in the
1930s, using the Swift River and, seasonally, the Ware River, to create
Quabbin reservoir, which is 39 square miles and has 181 miles of
shoreline.
6. California. Our third largest state, California, boasts the most national forests.
7. Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Hawaii. The states of the
western seaboard, including Alaska and Hawaii, are the North American
players in the Ring of Fire.
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