Airstream Comfort Extreme Limits 40F to 90F?

[field & stream]

Ray: slightly off topic maybe, but another type of "extreme" relates to insects, like flies, mosquitoes, and no see 'ems. Like temperature, I guess everyone has their own tolerance.

What is your experience with Summer camping in the Rockies? Are insects much of a problem?

[Ray Eklund]

[QUOTE=field & stream;1696359]Ray: slightly off topic maybe, but another type of "extreme" relates to insects, like flies, mosquitoes, and no see 'ems. Like temperature, I guess everyone has their own tolerance.

What is your experience with Summer camping in the Rockies? Are insects much of a problem?[/QUOTE
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MOSQUITOS:

Water in ponds, marshy areas and slow moving creeks are insect havens in the Spring in the Rocky Mountains. When you read about a "Wet Spring" in the Rockies... it means you are Insect Food. Mostly mosquitos. They vary in size from small to Alaska small (large to us).

High percentage of DEET insect repellant will fend the majority of these aggressive and voracious vampires (the larger ones). Be liberal with the coverage and keep the spray can or hand applied repellant with you at all times when the mosquitos are in force. I am sure someone might know the time schedules of hatches at elevation. Myself... Wet Spring... be prepared.

The small mosquito bites do not welt up and itch like their larger, maybe three four times the size welt up, itch and if you do not scratch they recover faster.

For two years we have avoided the flat prairies of Wyoming's because of the dampness. Even the Snowy Range southwest of Laramie in Spring will have clouds of hungry large mosquitos. Maybe 8 years ago there were so many, we immediately left the area. Ten or more would be working on you at a time.

There is nothing worse than trying to sleep in a tent or trailer with the high pitched whine of ONE evasive mosquito. When the sound quits... you begin to rub your face or bare exposed skin... just in case it is you this time. I will hunt the critter(s) down before one minute of sleep can be done, safely.

Mosquitos seem to like the early sunrise and afternoon as the sun sets to feed upon easy targets. YOU.

FLIES:

Cattle bring flies to a campground. When you begin to notice large flies... cattle are moving into your area. Cattle feces is their buffet and nursery. These flies, adult and young are nuisance flies. Everyone is expected to have an inexpensive fly swatter and keep count of your... fly counts. These I call "licker flies" that sit on you and lick sweat or whatever.

Now, what I call Horse Flies. Maybe with cattle as well are those with the wings of a jet fighter when sitting on you and biting for flesh/blood. Whichever. DEET deters them, but some are very aggressive. Very different wing pattern Very aggressive. They like your head and the backs of your arms where you cannot see them. You will feel them digging into your skin... ouch.

Yellow Jackets around trash cans with soda cans. Wasps. Gnats. Geez... you think that the entire country is under insect attack.

I know as much about insects as my dogs. Just recognize why, when and what to do over time. Wear long sleeve shirts, wear a cap, long pants.

FLY FISHERMEN

Insect hatches are their friend to selecting a "fly" to fish with. So, not all insects are a hassle.

Overall during our travels, these hatches and swarms are temporary. A breezy spot above a wet area works best for a campsite. Only twice can I recall the swarms of biting insects a problem in the Rockies. Both in the Spring time in Wyoming. I said SPRING TIME, not Fall which is I why August is a time to really rest in peace.

Someone who actually is an entomologist, please explain Fly and Mosquito life cycles in higher elevations with water sources nearby. If I have to research this, I might be afraid to go outdoors afterwards.

Ticks... we have not even started. You Midwesterners know them better than I. Arkansas... wow... as thick as flies are at a feed lot in Colorado! We have ticks as well, but they are small and you have to be looking for them on your legs or pants.

[field & stream]

Ray -- thanks for the helpful insect report. Looks like we might be buying a screen room!

[blkmagikca]

During the winters I relocate from the frozen north (Ontario, Canada) to AZ. Because of the low humidity in AZ, the nights can get quite cool, dropping to and sometime below the freezing mark. 2 or 3 years ago the fountain in the middle of Lake Havasu City, AZ was frozen solid, as was the fountain at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Since running the furnace at night while boondocking is not feasible as the batteries will die, we added a blue-flame heater. The blue-flame is a convection type of heater, and the warm air is circulated throughout the AS with no electricity use. When running the heater I crack open the window over the sink, open the vent over the stove (but not so that the fan comes on) and I open the small vent in the shower (again without switching on the fan).

[OTRA15]

If I am thinking of the correct heater, it should probably be noted that its exhaust (which discharges directly into the coach, not up through a flue) contains high levels of Carbon Monoxide (which is why you open the various ventilation openings you mentioned). Just for those who may not know this . . .

[blkmagikca]

OTRA15 - they also have oxygen depletion sensors, but I don't rely on them.

For those who may not know the differences, there are also radiant-type of heaters, such as the catalytic heater and the radiant brick heater. They (the radiant ones) only project their heat straight out. The blue flame heater actually heats the air (cool air enters through a bottom grill) and passes the air between two sheets of tempered glass. The heated air exits through a grill at the top. The motion of the air carries the heated air throughout the RV. Because there is no exhaust exit, the heater is 100% efficient (i.e., no heat is lost as in the case of the typical RV furnace). Safety mandates that you must have a source of fresh air, hence the slightly opened window.

[nrgtrakr]

Not just a source of air to burn (and breathe), but also a way for carbon monoxide to leave.
http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore...ike/id110.html
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103972/CO03.pdf
http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/ow...icheaters.html

[blkmagikca]

Originally Posted by nrgtrakr

Not just a source of air to burn (and breathe), but also a way for carbon monoxide to leave.
Vent Free Heater Cautions
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103972/CO03.pdf
Using catalytic heaters to keep warm

Which is why it is imperative that there is replenishment of oxygen by having a source of fresh air, such as an open window.

I do have a CO detector above the heater. Interestingly enough, when I first acquired the '87 Excella, it came with a catalytic heater. It was an older one and it was more cost effective to change it for a new one. So I bought a new catalytic heater and, from the moment I ran it, it tripped the CO alarm. Since I bought it from Amazon, I returned it as it was clearly defective and got my money back. Then I bought the blue flame one. I had had that same heater in my '94 LY M/H and it had performed flawlessly. I had acquired that heater in Quartzsite, where night temps drop close to freezing, and when boondocking without hookups it is critical not to deplete the batteries.

I do agree that this type of heater requires a certain degree of intelligence on the part of the user (defined as an "informed user") - make absolutely sure that there is a source of fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

[blkmagikca]

Since the main reason not to use the furnace for heating the AS at night is that the batteries will be depleted, one could consider the use of a wind turbine generator. See https://www.emarineinc.com/categorie...-Wind-Turbines - There was a boondocker at Quartzsite using one of these. I had explored the idea of mounting the mast to support a small wind turbine generator (about 500 watts) using the flag pole holder which is clamped to the tongue jack. For people camping in New Mexico where the winds blow all day and all night, this would be an excellent way of topping up your batteries. The downside (and isn't there always a downside) is that you would have to dissemble the kit and pack it up when you want to travel.

Food for thought . . .

[Ray Eklund]

Solution to a "short term" cold spell while on the road in the West.

I had bought a 24 foot Uhaul load of geological books in Ardmore, Oklahoma in late February. This was after being at the Tucson Rock Show in Arizona for the first half of February and then east to Ardmore, OK to pick up tons of books.

Weather in Ardmore was warm and pleasant, with a drizzling rain the day we loaded. Of course. We leased and filled the Uhaul truck in Ardmore, we headed north to Salina, KS, caught I-70 and headed west to Denver, CO. We were pulling our 23 foot Airstream and driving the Uhaul home. We drained the Fresh, Black and Grey water tanks at the first truck stop. Drained the water lines by opening the valves under the trailer and let them drain. Opened the cabinet door to the water pump, as there is always water in it, unless air flushed. We carry a five gallon jug for us and dogs inside the trailer.

February snow is to the High Country, as rain is to southwestern Alaska... expected, but if you time it right in the Rockies... it could be pleasant, and dry. Not so on this trip.

A Winter "clipper" closed I-70 down in both directions from the Colorado border and west to Denver. We found a familiar spot... Walmart at Goodland, KS. Snow arrived with the Kansas wind... blowing from the south across the parking lot. I topped off the gas tank in the Tundra and parked on the north side of the large parking lot. A few 18 wheelers paused to head further East, and we bought some doughnuts to wait out this blizzard until the highways were reopened, dry and clear.

That evening we had the furnace set at 45F to 50F, at least comfortable for the evening and all of the sleeping bags and blankets being used. Each Blue Heeler had their pillow and a light blanket on top of them. Power... the Tundra idling. We felt the trailer rock a bit with wind gusts and cracked open the top vents when frost at the bottom of the bedroom windows began to frost up.

By morning it was clear, sunny and by 10AM the roads were DRY. We used 1/4 tank or so of gasoline with the Tundra idling through the night. The furnace, as any Airstream owner knows in this situation... shuts off and a minute later starts up again. Over and over. You get use to it and ignore it after a few hours. I forget the low temperature that evening, but most likely under 20F. Wind chill... wow! You get frost on your mustache wind chill.

Sometimes you cannot plan for the worst. It just shows up. You hope for the best... but PLAN FOR THE WORST. Our propane tanks were full. We found a "safe zone" to park overnight. Gasoline was easily available. Walmart had unlimited food, snacks and ice scrapers if needed. We survived this with no ill effects.

To add... I found a $1 bill blown into the grass by the wind and hung up in the tall grass. Ding, ding, ding. Amount of snow... maybe two inches and blown into drifts off of the paved surfaces into a foot or more. In Wyoming... it snows an inch and drifts a foot... as another example.

YOU can make it through a temporary cold and snow event. We were wise diving into the first "safe zone" and remained patient. No hurry even if you are running late. It is best to be smart than a victim of weather.

Was it foolish of us to travel this time of the year? No. We were prepared. After a "BIG" storm in the Rockies... the blue sky, bright sun warm you up the next morning! Not like Buffalo, NY where it goes on, and on... and on.

Travel during the winter is not an issue, but you have to rethink how to prepare yourselves and trailer for the... just in the event of. We do. The doughnuts were only so... so. Our coffee... worth preparing and wearing a jacket and gloves inside the trailer, perfect.