Provisioning suggestions?

[maxandgeorgia]

Now that at last we have the AS of our dreams and the tow vehicle to safely pull her, we are ready to provision for our first trip! We have most of the basics from our years of camping, but we have a few questions that we are asking for help to solve. 1. We have moved to our AS from an SOB that had a great feature: a built-in, gas-line-connected, two burner outdoor stove that we loved and used all the time. When we travel and camp, our objective is to be outside as much as possible, including cooking and dining. We have lost that advantage with our new AS, yet we really do not want to cook indoors with the resulting clean up and odors unless weather forces us. So, what do you do for outdoor cooking? What is handy, easy to use, produces tasty meals, and is reasonable in cost? Are you using small tank propane? Is there a safe way to connect a stove to the propane tanks on the trailer? 2. Has anyone replaced the nearly useless small double sink with a single sink in the identical space? What have you found and where? 3. Do you add the Maxx Air Vent covers over the existing vents for protection for when you run the vents during wet weather? We have a hand cranked fan vent in the front LR area and a Fantastic Fan in the BR. (By the way, are these adequate to handle the humidity of morning showers? Tips?) If you recommend them, is there anything special we need to know about installing these Maxx covers on an AS (aluminum)? Do it ourselves or need a pro? 4. What other special provisioning have you done that has made your AS work better for you that we haven't thought of yet? 5. One thing we HAVE done that is going to make every trip better is the purchase of a 2" Miracle Foam mattress pad with cover at Sam's Club. What a difference it makes in that hard as a rock AS mattress! It was so good that I went back and bought one for our bed in the house! Thanks for all the tips you can give us as we decide what provisioning we need to get "Gypsy" ready to go on the road! (Can't wait!)

[mandolindave]

You can get a quick connect splitter for hooking a grill up to your propane
tanks. That is not the precise correct name for it but I have seen them used.

[InsideOut]

So, what do you do for outdoor cooking? What is handy, easy to use, produces tasty meals, and is reasonable in cost?

We use a Coleman Road Trip Grill...very flexible cooking options. We use a separate tank with a spliter & also attach a lantern to it. The reason for the separate tank is flexibility in where we set up the outdoor kitchen. You can see it set-up of to the left ion the background here....sorry, I don't have a better picture ~ works great!

Here's a link to a similar thread from last summer...might give you some more ideas

Shari

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

3. Do you add the Maxx Air Vent covers over the existing vents for protection for when you run the vents during wet weather? We have a hand cranked fan vent in the front LR area and a Fantastic Fan in the BR. (By the way, are these adequate to handle the humidity of morning showers? Tips?) If you recommend them, is there anything special we need to know about installing these Maxx covers on an AS (aluminum)? Do it ourselves or need a pro?

I was under the impression that the Maxx covers either would not work or were not reccomended for the Fantastic fans? We have a vintage unit...We WILL be installing 2 Fantastic fans, one in the front and one in the bath. They are AWESOME on moving air in and out of the trailer. The Maxx covers are very easy to install, (I helped a buddy install a couple on a utility box trailer) IIRC there is a base ring that goes down and the cover kind of locks on over it. As far as installation on Aluminum do all of us a favor and DON'T use Silicone As far as the outside LP hookup...Coleman?Fleetwood uses one on their popups, I do know that it is hooked up ahead of the regulator in that application. I am considering a similar assembly on mine, I prefer to cook outside too

Aaron

[j54mark]

Many members on these forums have added propane quick disconnects to work with portable gas grills. I use a Weber Go-Anywhere grill (charcoal) which I really like AND which fits neatly through the rear storage door. They make a propane version of the same size.

The use of those stupid rv sinks is one of the mysteries of our times. I installed a 25" stainless single bowl sink which offers several advantages: Deeper front to back, deeper bowl, narrower side to side (I was desparate for counter space), and yet, because of the lack of the divider, actually has MORE bowl volume than the old sink. We slip in a small plastic tub and gain all the benefits of a two-bowl sink. See my photos at http://www.airstreamphotos.com/photo...500/ppuser/139 for more.

Fantastic Vent company recommends against using covers of any kind. Some members here have done it anyway.

Your bathroom should have its own vent. This is better than pulling moisture out of the bath through the coach to your Fantastic Fan.

Mark

[norbert]

double sinks keep the dishes from piling up!...got to be ship shape!...i mean stream shape!
norby

[85MH325]

Hey! Congrats on the truck! Looks like you got yourselves a REAL puller there!

I really like Mark's sink setup; it's gorgeous and he did a fabulous job, but most of us just slog along with our factory installed doubles. Ours is molded into the countertop.

We have a vent cover over the front crank up vent and it works pretty well. The big advantage is that you can leave the vent open going down the road. I wouldn't cover the Fantastic Fan; particularly if it's the model with the rain sensor. I think it would limit your fan's ability to move air. Our Limited has the Attic Fan option installed in the bedroom, the Pre-FantasticFan fantastic fan. It can move so many CFMs of air that the living room vent alone isn't big enough to feed it adequately. We need to have a window open as well. You could probably install a front FF particularly since you have the lighting and power in that fixture, but you'd lose one of your living room lights.

For the grill option, there are a number of good solutions out there. George Foreman makes an interesting alternative that runs off the small LP cylinders. It has no charcoal or 'bricks', but instead uses a large 20" (or so) round Teflon grill surface that allows all of the runoff to go into a cup. Really easy cleanup, and no-mess storage. It comes with a stand, and I think we got ours at Target last year for $39. I was dubious at first, because it doesn't give a 'smoked' flavor to foods, but I figured for $39 I couldn't go wrong. After using it, I'm a believer!

Foreman gas grill

Roger

[maxandgeorgia]

Thanks to ALL for this terrific help! It's a weekend so off we'll go checking out your ideas! Anyone else. . .we are grateful for your input. --Georgia

[j54mark]

Originally Posted by norbert

double sinks keep the dishes from piling up!...got to be ship shape!...i mean stream shape!
norby

We simply could not ever figure out how to use the double bowl sink (which is upstairs, should anyone want it). Neither bowl is large enough to actually submerge a standard dinner plate. If you can't wash dishes, then what exactly is the point?

Admittedly, we are a bit unique in that one of the things I actually enjoy when camping is cooking. It is a little known fact that calories consumed on a campground do not count, so we tend to splurge on our favorites. But that means somewhere to clean up, so I had to deal with the sink.

Airstream uses a round, single bowl sink on several models now, so at least one alternative is readily available. There is plenty of room in the 30' and longer coaches for a much larger divided sink. The 25' and even 28' models could well stand more counter space and the sink supplied takes up too much of what is there. So what possible justification is there for those shallow, tiny, stupid, useless, divided rv sinks in ANY RV?

Mark

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by j54mark

We simply could not ever figure out how to use the double bowl sink (which is upstairs, should anyone want it). Neither bowl is large enough to actually submerge a standard dinner plate. If you can't wash dishes, then what exactly is the point?

Airstream uses a round, single bowl sink on several models now, so at least one alternative is readily available. There is plenty of room in the 30' and longer coaches for a much larger divided sink. The 25' and even 28' models could well stand more counter space and the sink supplied takes up too much of what is there. So what possible justification is there for those shallow, tiny, stupid, useless, divided rv sinks in ANY RV?

Mark

Mark,

My thoughts EXACTLY! We full timed in our 77 with the 2 bowl sink. One side was covered 90% of the time. The other side was a pain to use

In both of our recent MH's I have installed a single round Blanco sink. It is flat bottomed and allows for the plates and posts to be submerged for washing. It also only uses 60% of the space the 2 bowl did, so I gain workspace. I too like to cook while we travel so I want my kitchen to be as nice and as functional as the one in my home. The one we have now is a composite materilal. it is easy to keep clean, and looks so much better than the stainless ones IMHO.

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by j54mark

Airstream uses a round, single bowl sink on several models now, so at least one alternative is readily available. There is plenty of room in the 30' and longer coaches for a much larger divided sink. The 25' and even 28' models could well stand more counter space and the sink supplied takes up too much of what is there. So what possible justification is there for those shallow, tiny, stupid, useless, divided rv sinks in ANY RV?

Mark

You know, Mark... there's GOT to be a reason... uhhh.... lemme see.... uhhh... oh h*ll, I'll think of it...

Actually, we've considered replacing the entire "molded plastic to look like Corian" countertop in the Behemoth with Corian in the next couple of years. The PO ordered it with that countertop for the weight savings, even tho the bathroom counter/sink is really Corian. Since the sinks are molded in, it'll do away with our sink as well. There are any number of really great designs out there now, and it will make a world of difference in our kitchen. After all, weight's no concern, right?

Roger

[kposey]

We do a lot of cooking on our trips and there is usually a group of us. We find that the space inside the Airstream is not big enough for cooking or washing the dishes, especially since we all pitch in. We use a portable gas grill (sometimes 2 grills) with the small propane gas tanks. This allows us to set up kitchen anywhere we choose, usually on the end of the picnic table. We do use the microwave in the Airsteam to bake the potatoes or heat the butter for seafood. We also use a portable gas stove. Be sure to get one with sides on it to block wind.

We have two wash basins for washing dishes outside. This gives us plenty of room for drying too!

[ALANSD]

I will say from experience last week, Kathy and her crew have got it down! They were like a well oiled machine setting up and tearing down what looked like a campsite for a week instead of a weekend. Great.

[flyfshr]

One thing that I've found very useful when boondocking is to use a squirt bottle for dishes. It uses very little water when water is at a premium and you can wash up your dishes anywhere you want. I keep a couple of the large ones in the trailer and one is prepped with a mixture of dishsoap and hot water. Another is used for rinsing. You'll be amazed at the water savings when using this method.

FF

[RoadKingMoe]

When I worked in RVs, an old camper showed me the spray bottle trick.

It saves a lot of water washing dishes, but we put the soapy dishes a rack in the right-hand sink and just use the spray head to rinse them all when done.

A coupla squirts of soapy water in the toilet bowl after adding some water before use will prevent skid marks that usually require the toilet sprayer to remove.

It's also good to take in the shower. One of the problems with Navy showers is with me and the wash cloth drying up between wetting down and rinsing off. The spray bottle of soapy water keeping the wash cloth wet is just enough to finish scrubbing without having to wet down again.

[norbert]

great water saving idea!
norby