Sick of sand & dust - how do you cope?

[WestieHouse]

We’re honored to share Sparky’s mobile silver kennel. We’ve traveled with her from Denali to Key West and San Diego to St. John’s NL. Terlingua and surroundings around Big Bend were fascinating. The Everglades intrigued us - even the vultures that devour any rubber-like object on your vehicles in minutes (the park provides tarps and bungee cords to help prevent the damage).

If you’re bothered by tiny objects like dust and pollen you may want to focus instead on much larger, and equally numerous, objects in the starlight sky.

Our immobile house has about 30 times greater air volume and surface area than our 25 FC. Maybe we just see more small particles when living in a confined space with them? I know we trip over Sparky much more often in our adventures with her in her mobile aluminum kennel.

[pmclemore]

When driving on dirt roads, I have had success with using intake air from my Fantastic Fan to partially pressurize the rig, hoping that some of the road dust won't get in.

Dust storms? Come to Virginia and avoid them.

Pat

[missaviatrix]

You’re in west Texas; there is nothing but dirt for as far as you can see. The solution is simple; leave.

And if you’ve never lived in Florida in the summer heat and humidity, you’ll pray to be back in California.

I’ve lived in all 3 states and they all have issues. Like the previous post said, you’d better reconsider your chosen lifestyle.

[Earth2Wendy]

Originally Posted by GetawA-S

Ummm... Florida has been rising from the sea floor for the past 50 million years or so. It is the world's largest sandbar.
My wife found nubby floor mats on Amazon. Very effective, and easy to shake out - much better than the original A-S one. The rear bumper is a great place to set them as she sweeps the remaining dirt back out the door.
A medium sized outdoor rug is helpful where allowed (which is just about anywhere without grass).

Hi GetawA-S, can you be a bit more specific about those magical “nubby floor mats”? EDIT: Just found this mat on Amazon which is perhaps what you meant? Durable Corporation-396S2432 Heavy Duty Rubber Fingertip Outdoor Entrance Mat, 24" x 32", Black

Thanks for prompting me to seek it out!

Thanks!

[AKmtnpilot]

Camping is known to the State of California to cause cancer, dust mites, COPD, flat tires, frustration, and mental illness. Camping in California is not allowed; only Glamping.

[WestieHouse]

The esthetic, and potential health effects for susceptible Air-streamers, due to dust and pollen are only one atmospheric concern.

Traveling on the west coast and Rocky Mountain region can be fraught with wildfires and their attendant smoke and debris. In addition to respiratory or eye problems this can obstruct the propane burners in your appliances, especially the refrigerator and hot water heater. I had to clear both of these this past season due to ash accumulation.

Two years before COVID began I carried N-95 masks when traveling across WA, ID, and MT one summer. And bring artificial tears. Real ones are more natural, but insufficient. 🤣

[Big Ol Dad]

Originally Posted by SnooMc

Just...get out of Texas
Get an air purifier, or two. Ours have helped considerably with both dust and pollen.
Get easily washable/shakable rugs, and shake every day.
I use a swiffer every single day; it's amazing how much we shed. And I wipe down all surfaces every day. It's not that much, but it makes a difference.
Use your AC and skip the open windows when it's bad.
I'm a little OCD too; you can do it.

You’re free to stay away, believe me.


As for the poster, the parts of ate as you’ve been driving through are some of the beat in the country. And they are experiencing dust storms from Mexico right now. They’re semi-arid, but it’s worse than normal right now. My advice is to stay there and hit Hueco Tanks, Mount Guadalupe, Seminole Canyon, Balmorhea (if the incompetents running it have opened it yet), and other parks in west Texas. Florida is soulless.

[trikdacy]

I can tell you that dust and sand in our Airstream while traveling, and camping is not as bad as the street dust of everyday living in NYC.

[B. Cole]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

Really Jerry !!
I don’t find that funny at all.

Spend a little time ( sit a spell ) down in Polk or Hendry county. The Jerry Springer show contestants would seem mild in comparison

[MMCMRET]

We have learned to accept some dirt/dust in the AS. On the road, we sweep once a day. We tried to get the dogs to stay in their beds, on the floor, at night but to no avail. We just wash the bed cover monthly.

Good Luck.

[GetawA-S]

Someone asked about the "nubby" floor mat I mentioned in an earlier post. It is a WaterHog 18" by 27" polypropylene mat available on Amazon. $18.97 from M+A Matting Store.

[69SoulShine]

Originally Posted by CMHM

We're new to traveling in our 2021 Globetrotter, and have just reached Fort Davis, TX coming from California. We are trying to head to Florida and reached a point where we cannot do sandy and dusty campgrounds anymore. We boondocked, stayed in beautiful State parks and RV resorts.

Does it get better further East, more grass? How do you keep the dust out? We also have a dog and haven't found the right way of letting him enjoy the outdoors without having to give him a bath every night.

We are quite OCD, so I would love to hear your advice on how to camp in the 'wild' West.

Thanks

Nice size piece of Astroturf works for us. As far as the dog God only knows.

[spiderman13]

After a lifetime of tenting, RV life is luxury camping. You are not a Camper. Sell the AS and stay in motels.

[Dennis C]

I used a broom this morning to get some dust and dirt out of my airstream.

[majorairhead]

Good old fashioned broom, and a hand held rechargeable vacuum.

[LNBright]

Originally Posted by GetawA-S

Someone asked about the "nubby" floor mat I mentioned in an earlier post. It is a WaterHog 18" by 27" polypropylene mat available on Amazon. $18.97 from M+A Matting Store.

Yup, Waterhog. One of the first things my wife wanted to get for our Airstream. We got ours through LLBean, wife liked a different color/ pattern that they had that she wasn't turning up on Amazon. (Might've found it if we kept looking, but, at a certain point.... well, I'm okay w/ supporting LLBean, keeping them around....).

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/1246...N3&csp=a&pos=1

[Life is a Highway]

You run the fan vent closed?

Originally Posted by pmclemore

When driving on dirt roads, I have had success with using intake air from my Fantastic Fan to partially pressurize the rig, hoping that some of the road dust won't get in.

Dust storms? Come to Virginia and avoid them.

Pat

[GetawA-S]

Life is a highway, (re. running fan with vent closed)
While some fan manufacturers offer that option to move the air around inside the trailer, I think pmclemore keeps his open to pull from the relatively clean air above the trailer to keep the ground level dust out.
He's probably not recoomending that for driving down the highway at speed. But, as any countryboy knows, the best way to keep the dust down is to DRIVE SLOW!!
Where I come from, it is the height of rudeness to kick up a big roostertail of dust for someone else to drive through.

[Landshark]

Originally Posted by Joyman

Mnnnn, yes our ancestors were one tough bunch, we cross in a modern airstream towed by a powerful diesel truck while they crossed on a horse back wagon and on foot......

Bird

You can still experience what our ancestors did and determine your degree of toughness: every summer out of Challis, ID, a Wagon Train Drive is run with maybe 10 or so wagons and 75 or so outriders. The outriders bring their own camping gear, and meals are provided by chuck wagon.

So sign up, y'all, and discover your mettle! (At least, I hope it is still running. I took my horse on it several summers, it's 3 days and alternates among 3-4 different routes across the sage and desert.)

Vivian

[Goin camping]

Will the OP ever post again?