theboondork's RV blog

I over engineered my ice chest

8/26/2018

I got up this morning and started modifying the ice chest that I use on my minivacations. I managed to go completely overboard when I added extra insulation to the inside of the ice chest and in an effort to enable ice to last for a week I ended up with an ice chest that barely had room for a six pack of beer.

I did manage to get ice to last for five or six days but there ended up being no point in it since the only thing it would hold was ice. But this whole tent camping thing I'm doing is an experiment to find out what works and what doesn't so I quickly figured out that I'm probably not gonna stay on my minivacations for five or six days I'm thinking three or four days max, which seems about as long as I'm comfortable being away from the Arctic Fox.

I also discovered that I haven't been in a mood to cook anything while I'm tent camping. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I'm too busy having fun, but I just snack around when I'm living in the tent. Some yogurt, cottage cheese, chips, V8, crackers, and things like that seem to be what I live on when I'm tent camping, because I just don't seem to care about dealing with the camp stove, cooking something, and cleaning up, while standing at a picnic table.

So I didn't have enough room in my Coleman ice chest after my re-insulation job to carry all the snacks and drinks that I need to keep cold, but after I finish re-modifying my modification I think the ice chest will have more room inside at the expense of longevity of the ice. But I don't think I'm going to need the ice to last that long anyway.

theboondork

18 Comments

Barney Ward

8/26/2018 04:03:45 pm

Some folks have a 25 quart ice chest for holding only spare ice for the main chest. Many years ago I tried it a few times with a popup camper and it worked well.

Tom

8/26/2018 04:37:03 pm

My Hallmark pop-up camper had a ice box in it, and they mounted it in a cabinet that had empty space all the way around it except the bottom. So I put as much Polyiso board around it as would fit in the cabinet, and it would keep block ice for a week.

Unfortunately I don't have any more room to carry anything else camping. I carry so much stuff now that if I add one more thing I won't fit in the truck.

Tom

Linda Sand

8/26/2018 04:22:09 pm

Finding that balance of what you eat and how to store it is a good thing.

8/26/2018 04:45:49 pm

I don't know if I will ever find that balance, my tastes change too often. I will really like some food or the other, and as soon as I buy a bunch of it I don't want to eat it again for six months. That happens to me all the time. But fortunately I have lots of refrigerator space.

But the ice chest requires a lot more planning I don't know what if anything I'm going to want to eat while I'm living in the tent. And so far the places I've gone are a long way from grocery stores, so I have to plan ahead..... I'm not good at planning ahead.

Tom

Tim

8/27/2018 10:46:40 am

Another update I had a long drive day yesterday and spent the night at an Ohio State Park. I'm going to be here tonight and then tomorrow I'm moving on to a Pennsylvania state Park.

It's been really hot yesterday and today and the rest of the week is supposed to be the same so I needed an electrical hook-up. The Arctic Fox is staying really cool with the AC. So far I'm really happy with the installation of it.

On Thursday night, I should be back home and I'll write my thoughts in general on the trip.

8/27/2018 11:09:24 am

Glad to hear things are going well so far. Living in the Arctic Fox will be far better once you get it set up as your home, and I'd be willing to bet you already have a pretty good size list that will help make it that way.

And I think the more you travel in the Arctic Fox the less likelihood there will be that you will be satisfied waking up every morning and looking at the same scenery outside your window for the rest of your life. Especially when you're able to slow down and enjoy where you're at and what you're doing every day without having a schedule to keep.

Tom

8/27/2018 12:34:03 pm

I'm actually kind of surprised how much I like the arctic fox like it is. The couch, bed, and dinnette are extremely comfortable which I'm surprised about. I think the biggest thing that I need to really work on is the electrical system - when I have power, it is so much more fun in here. For example, I can't run the television right now unless I have AC electricity.

Also, on these days when I'm staying a couple of days it's much more pleasant than driving every single day. Although driving is getting easier as well. Yesterday, it was so pleasant driving I just wanted to keep going.

All in all, I've been extremely happy with the Arctic Fox and I've been having a lot of fun. It'll be interesting to see what my thoughts are back to static life.

8/27/2018 01:35:08 pm

Your new Arctic Fox probably has different furniture than came with my 2013. My sofa bed was all but unusable, my bed was okay but a little too soft for me, my dinette was fine it just had three too many chairs, and my living room chair was too heavy, too clunky, and didn't fit me at all.... it was the first to go.

Solar panels, a good battery bank, and a decent inverter, will solve those electrical problems. And I think you will be surprised how quickly you become acclimatized to not using an air conditioner if you boondock a lot. With a proper choice of locations, learning how and when to use your vent fans, and what Windows to open I can stay pretty comfortable without using the air conditioner.

Out of all those things the proper location is the most important. If it's hot and humid only an air conditioner is going to help you. But if it's hot and dry you've got a fighting chance. Right now in Denver it's 91° outside and 85° in the Arctic Fox, the humidity outside is 10% and with no air conditioning I'm perfectly comfortable. For a boondocker, altitude or the lack there of is your friend.

My guess is getting back to real life will be fine for the first day or two after all it is home. But then you'll start thinking about the freedom of living in the Arctic Fox for this brief moment, and the things you can do to make it even better, all the places there are to go and things there are to see. And every day you spend rooted to the ground is a day you could've spent camping on the beach at Padre island Texas, or boondocking in the Arizona desert next to a Saguaro, with a night time sky so full of stars it doesn't even seem real.... I could be wrong but that's my guess.

Tom

8/27/2018 04:02:31 pm

For many years I did I didn't have air conditioning in my house and just learned to cool it down at night and close windows during the day. However this week the humidity has climbed into the 70% (which it can do on the east coast) and it got up into the 90s today. With those kind of conditions it's really hard to keep things cool without AC.

I agree it's better to just be at the right place at the right time, but I didn't really have that opportunity this week. Hopefully, that will be different in the future.

I think you nailed it as far as the way I'm going to feel when I get back to static life. At first will be happy to see everybody, but then I'll start thinking about places that I want to go.

Yeah the electricity has been one thing that's slightly hampered my freedom this week. It's been okay, but more electricity would have really made things more fun when I was boondocking.

Today I just been relaxing and enjoying the arctic fox. I really haven't done much of anything and it's been kind of nice.

8/27/2018 04:36:30 pm

As you have now experienced abundant electricity is one of the keys to having a "home like" experience living in an RV as opposed to a semi-roughing it "camping" experience. And that is one of the major things that separates a "full timer" from a "camper".

I lived in places where the humidity was high year-round, And have no desire to do so again. Such is the beauty of being a full timer, most of my time is spent in the West where the humidity is at least fairly tolerable.

My lazy days when I have neither the inclination or the motivation to do anything useful are highly prized by me. I take great satisfaction in looking back on my day and realizing I've done nothing but relaxed and enjoyed myself. Such is the life of a full timer.

Tom

8/28/2018 05:38:39 pm

Hi Tom, this is probably my last update from the road. I'm camping in a Pennsylvania State Park for two nights and then I'll be heading home. Everything is still going great; did hit some hills today and the truck did fine with them.

Still really hot, but the air conditioner in the arctic fox is doing great.

I'll post more when I get back home in a few days.

8/29/2018 08:41:19 am

Hills are where the Duramax shines. I've pulled my Arctic Fox up some pretty steep grades and I've never found one that the Duramax wouldn't accelerate while climbing.

Through Judicious choice of climates I find that I seldom use my air conditioner but when I am plugged into shore power I found that my single air conditioner keeps it comfortable inside. Before I bought the Arctic Fox I debated about getting the second air conditioner for the bedroom. But now that I've lived in the trailer for a few years I'm glad I didn't. Partially because I'm not plugged in to shore power enough to make it worthwhile, and because the single air conditioner does just fine.

Can't wait to hear the synopsis of your trip, it's good to get debriefed while everything is fresh in your mind.

Tom

8/31/2018 11:22:14 am

hi Tom,

I made it back yesterday afternoon and everything went fine . I have the RV set up at the storage facility and I'm very happy with the setup .

So here's some thoughts about the week, some of this I've repeated in previous post but I thought I would put them all together here in one post:

1) I'm really happy with the Arctic Fox in general; the size is good and I would not want anything any bigger for sure. Sometimes I looked at the smaller class B's with a little bit of envy but then I just don't think it would work out for me as well as the arctic fox will. Not only was the size good but I was very happy with the holding tank sizes, insulation, and the general build of the RV . Everything just seems really good and and it seems very stable .

2) I had a lot of fun and met a lot of people and everybody was very friendly . As I mentioned in a previous post, one thing that kind of threw me was realizing that I met people that I probably will not see him again however I do realize that once I go full time the things will be different .

3) the closer I got to the Northeast the less I liked it, the roads are narrower the the drivers were more aggressive and it just was not as pleasant as the Midwest . I'm assuming that the West will be even better than the Midwest . Also the prices started escalating rapidly the closer I got to the Northeast . For example I ate at a restaurant in Iowa and it was an amazing amount of food for a very low price; in the Northeast, it would have costed at least double what I paid .

4) I'm really happy to be home and was also really happy in the RV. I think the kicker will be when I go back to work next week, if it will still be the same general feeling of happiness or if I'll be ready to move on . Right now I just don't know and I'm just going to have to kind of wait and see how it goes .

5) I was really happy with the truck and really glad I got the diesel with a Duramax engine . The standard bed worked out fine and in some cases I had to make some pretty sharp turns but didn't get close to the cab.

6) As I mentioned in another post one of the first things that I plan to work on is the electrical system . When I was boondocking, electricity was always the thing I was having to be very careful with. Hopefully I can get that situation solved this fall .

7) I'm using dictation today to write this and I am kind of spoiled now . It will be hard to use this at work and now I'm used to speaking instead of typing, so it's going to take some adjustment.

8) While I did miss my friends, most of them have hectic lives and in some case, starting families so things are changing and soon will be time for me to move on .

9) I thought that I was going to might want to make a lot of changes to the arctic fox, but I'm really happy the way it is right now. As I mentioned before, I found all the furniture to be very comfortable. He'll be interested in see how I feel what I meant it for a longer period of time.

10) I never want to drive that far that quickly pulling in RV again. Everything went fine but it would have been much more enjoyable to have traveled at a slower pace and enjoyed the areas for a longer period of time.

That's it for now. Overall, it was a very interesting, fun, educational trip and has given me a lot to think over.

8/31/2018 01:40:16 pm

Great comment, I think a lot of people will be interested in the steps you take towards your full-time lifestyle.

Sometimes I look at those class B vans and all the places they can go that I can't and I think of all the good reasons for living in something like that. But then I think of the lack of roof space for solar panels, the tiny little holding tanks so you have to dump every week, and the lack of space for things that "I just can't live without" and I can see that I'm not ready to make that move yet.

The West is the best, that's why there are so many RV's down here.

For me making a decision between work and freedom is a no-brainer and never has been. But like I said in the past it all depends on how you see your self worth, I believe the old saying is, do you live to work or work to live. Other than when I had my own businesses, which I enjoyed, I worked to live, and in no way associated who I was with what I did. And that's what makes me a great full timer.

My blog would wither and die if I had to type anything. Or at best it would be two paragraphs long. Dictation is definitely the way to go for those of us that can't type and are too lazy to learn.

As you found out you can meet plenty of people on the road, and if you want to some of them can even be friends. Being a full timer gives you the freedom to have just as many friends and acquaintances, or be just as alone as you want to be.

Not making changes right now is a good idea. The things that need changing, if any, will become apparent as you settle into your full-time lifestyle. Just this short trip has shown you that your electrical system needs an overhaul, and as time goes on other things may need to be changed depending on what kind of full timing lifestyle you choose. You may find that you love the camaraderie of RV parks and being around the same people for a month or more and since your always plugged in you don't need much in the way of batteries and solar power. You may find that you love being outside under the awning and talking to folks as they walk by, so your indoor furniture is inconsequential. Overall it's best to make the Arctic Fox fit your life after you know what your life will be.

It's good you've already found out that "low and slow is the way to go" because that's a big step towards enjoying the full-time lifestyle. When you go full time you won't "need" to be anyplace. So slow down and enjoy the trip, the trip is the thing.

I'm wondering if you shot some video of the trip. Inquiring minds want to know.

Tom

8/31/2018 07:09:49 pm

A couple of other things I thought of that I wanted to mention:

- I like towing the fifth wheel much better than the Class C for a number of reasons. 1) The Class C was always noisy because basically you're driving in your house and there was always something creaking, squeaking, or rattling. With the fifth wheel, it was really quiet driving and I could easily listen to the radio or an audiobook. 2) It was much easier towing the fifth wheel than towing a toad. 3) When semi-trucks passed me, I didn't even feel it - with the Class C, the trucks would pull you over towards them. 4) The wind never affected me. Now granted, I wasn't in any high wind conditions, but what I was in you would have been able to feel in the Class C.

- I was really happy with how long the fresh water lasted and how slowly the grey and black tanks filled, especially since I wasn't really trying to conserve. I think I could easily go at least two weeks (or longer if I'm careful) without taking on water or dumping the tanks.

- When I was parked, the Arctic Fox felt incredibly stable and didn't rock at all. With my Class C (and my parents' travel trailers), you always felt like you were in a trailer. With the Arctic Fox, it felt like I was in a little condo.

- Although I was somewhat envious of the Class B's, what I wouldn't like about them is that you have to take your house wherever you go. I liked being able to drop the Arctic Fox at a campsite and go drive around, get diesel, go shopping, etc. And when I came back, it seemed like I was coming home.

- On the travel days, if the Arctic Fox started out cool in the morning, I could stop for lunch and eat inside the AF and the temperatures were reasonable. That was great. You can really tell that it's well insulated.

- Yeah, slow is definitely the way to go. I could have happily stayed at each campsite for much, much longer. Traveling was fine and I enjoyed it, but I didn't feel like I got a chance to really explore an area when I was camped.

- Freedom is what I'm really going to miss when I go back to work. I can feel the lose of it grinding on me already. For me, it's not really that work identifies me, but I'm worried that I'll quit just a little too early and then struggle financially. So, I'm trying to get just a little bit closer to Social Security and Medicare age and save just a little bit more. Realistically, I think I have enough now. I did realize how little I need to be happy. The only things I wish I had on this trip was a bicycle and maybe an inflatable kayak (I did rent a kayak one day in Pennsylvania and it was great). Other than that, I was perfectly happy and wanted for nothing else.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any video. I had planned to, but driving to Minnesota I was traveling through some major metro areas (Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc.), plus I hit some big storms, so I had my hands full most of the time. Coming back, I was on overload trying to learn everything, figure out where I was going, where I was going to stay each night, learn the systems, etc., etc., that it was just a bridge too far for me to record anything. I did take photos, so if I start my blog up soon, I'll post them. Which brings me to my last point:

- I think a blog is imperative for a full-timer. I was at so many places and so many things happened that it would be really helpful to have a blog and/or YouTube channel to keep track of everything, even if no one else reads/watches it.

(BTW, I wrote this the old fashion way instead of dictation and my fingers are exhausted).

8/31/2018 08:27:55 pm

It's good to have a backup method of posting on a blog. If my dictation software goes down, I have no backup fingers.

A lot of that smooth towing you were experiencing is because of the Andersen hitch. My Andersen hitch feels way smoother than my old flat hitch.

Big tanks are one of the major selling points of the Arctic Fox. I can easily go for a month without taking on water or dumping. And I think your tanks are bigger than mine.

The Arctic Fox is the most stable fifth wheel I've ever owned, and I only put the rear jacks down when I'm camping if the wind is blowing really hard.

The insulation in the Arctic Fox is what caused me to buy it. It really is well insulated. And the insulated, light proof drapes my wife made for it adds to its ability to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

I always figured when I start getting low on money I will just plan on living on less. Full timing gives you all kinds of options that you may not have when you're rooted to the ground. You can get a part-time job at a campground. You can volunteer at state and national parks for a free campsite. You can travel less, instead of driving all over the place make most of your traveling to and from your winter and summer camping area. Eat healthier by staying away from expensive snack foods, "do as I say not as I do". Get a temporary job as a greeter at Walmart, I thought about doing that but my greeting skills left something to be desired.... Welcome to Walmart, buy something or get out. There's all kinds of ways of saving money or making money on the road, all it takes is a little imagination.

There are bicycle people and non-bicycle people. I fall into the latter category. I carried a bicycle around for about two years and could count the times I used it on one hand and the distance I traveled could be measured in yards instead of miles. It is now being stored at my wife's house.

I thought long and hard about a kayak but the difficulty of storing one, including the inflatable's was more than I could deal with. And the chance of hanging upside down in the kayak in shark infested waters was also a nonstarter

Yes making a video is definitely difficult, making it entertaining is even more difficult, and the editing process is the most difficult of all. I keep telling myself I should try to do more videos but myself always says SHUTUP! It's too much work.

I enjoy doing my blog mostly because I don't put pressure on myself to do it. If I can't think of anything to say I'll skip it. If I haven't got a single picture to put on it, then it won't have a picture that day. Full timing is all about freedom and enjoying your life, if something ceases being fun, I'll do something else.

Tom

8/31/2018 08:47:51 pm

Ah, that's the last thing I keep forgetting to mention. I have no frame of reference, since this is the only fifth wheel I've pulled, but the Andersen Hitch was great. I'm able to see it out the back window, so it was easy to see to hook up and it pulled great. I've heard that the standard type of fifth wheel has "bucking and chucking", but I felt none of that with the Andersen. Plus, if I want to remove it for awhile, it's so light that it's a piece of cake. I'm guessing that it will be easy to hook up on uneven ground, but I didn't experience any of that yet.

BTW, in Minnesota, there's a law that you have to use chains with the Andersen, so we hooked them up at the dealership and I used them for the whole trip. It was really not that big of a deal to hook up each time.

I used to do a lot of long distance road bike riding, but now I'm just a causal rider. I'm thinking of getting an e-bike, just to make it that much easier. I've also done a lot of kayaking over the years, but sold my three kayaks in the estate sale, just because I didn't want to pay for a storage space (and they were all too big to take on the road). I haven't decided for sure on a kayak, but definitely plan on getting a bike (had the dealership weld a hitch on the RV just to haul a bike).

As for money, I guess I'm worried that some day I might want to give up the RV lifestyle and do something different. If that's the case, it's so much easier to work a little longer now than later. That's probably faulty reasoning, but that's were my head's at right now.

9/1/2018 01:09:20 pm

I would probably still carry my bicycle around with me but it interfered with getting the motorcycle on and off the rack quickly and easily so one of them had to go. And since the motorcycle goes down the trail with little to no effort on my part I deemed it more useful than something that required physical effort from me, therefore your e-bike sounds like a good idea.

I try to never worry about the future, or money because either one is a bottomless pit of worry. It seems to me the more money I had the more I had to worry about, and the more I looked into the future the more things I could FIND to worry about. So I pay very little attention to either one, based upon the fact that no matter how bad a situation I got myself into I always managed to muddle through, and therefore it's safe to assume I will continue to do so.

So all of that means to me that for better or for worse I will probably continue to live in the moment, trying to enjoy each day with little concern for the future or what hardships it may bring. Since life is a gamble I'm not willing to bet present happiness and freedom for the possibility of happiness and freedom in the future, I believe the requisite old saying that relates to this is "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

So I will probably hang on to my one bird till the bitter end, standing on a corner with a work for diesel fuel sign, but since happiness is all in the mind, in my mind I will still be living the dream.

Tom

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I over engineered my ice chest

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