MOTORHOMING WITH FINN THE COCKAPOO
Other Issues
The Lucky Escape
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There had been a lot of build up on the news about the big storm approaching, and we had not been concerned until our neighbour, under whose trees our motorhome was parked, called in to express his concern. Following his visit we visited the trees, which were already creaking in the wind, and agreed it would be prudent to move the motorhome out of the potential danger of a tree being blown over. We agreed to move the vehicle and park it outside our house for the night, and then thought nothing else about it.
The storm blew over and the TV news the next morning included tales of the damage caused by it nationwide. A quick look across the road revealed that there was a felled tree smack bang in the spot that the motorhome had been, we had been very lucky!
We quickly discussed with our neighbour ways of preventing similar occurences happening in the future, and it was agreed that the trees had to go. The Electricity Board had already decided this as their wires had been compromised by the branches in the past. Whilst our neighbour was in agreement with the solution he was unwilling to put his hand in his pocket at that time. Later the Electricity Board decided their wires had been compromised too many times, and they organised the removal of the trees. We ensured that the motorhome was moved whilst this exercise was carried out.
The motorhome is now parked back in the (treeless) garden as we pay an annual agreed amount to do so (although I do suspect that the gentleman of the house fails to inform his wife of the amount that he pockets in the deal).
Whilst not in use the motorhome remains parked there, whilst one eye is always on the weather, and the possible damage that could be caused in inclement conditions.
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Swapping the Motorhome
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On our return from Beadnell we had earlier arranged to visit the motorhome dealer, Cleveland Motorhomes, to have some warranty work, in respect of the grill, undertaken. With the interest we had later shown in the Elldis Accordo 125, that they had just taken into stock, the warranty work became superfluous.
We were to visit and view the 125, with a view to a swap, and were shown straight to it upon arrival, and given time to inspect it. The 125, although not new, was only a few years older than ours, but with a very low mileage. We effectively agreed to a straight swap, if it was brought up to the spec of ours. Whilst Sue was outside chatting to the salesman I managed to get myself locked in, being ignorant of the opening mechanism. They were unaware that I was trapped and it took some time before I was freed.
The previous owners of the 125 had taken good care of it, and had converted it to run on an underslung LPG system, as opposed to the bottled butane we were familiar with, and we agreed to retain that system although we were offered the choice of returning to the bottled system. The 125 offered exactly what we were after, with a fixed bed at the back, and a huge storage area underneath. We were delighted with it and agreed to pick it up three weeks later.
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Naming of the motorhome
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When we took delivery of the first motorhome Sue was of the mind to give it a name, and a list was compiled and names discounted until, after driving the motorhome around for a while, she started calling it the bus. From that she came up with the name Claud. The second motorhome has inherited that name.
The name, as lovers of classical music will recognise is a derivation of Claud Debussy (Claud the bus).
Very few people appear to have heard of Claud Debussy, the French composer, so the link is often missed.
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The Motorhomers Wave
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The following summarises the conflict I had regarding waving to other motorhomers:-
Many motorhomes wave to each other as they pass on the road, many don't! The question is whether you should or you shouldn't.
Those who tend to wave most enthusiastically, I have assumed, are those new to motor homing, and are keen to impress others in the exclusive club that they have just joined. It is entertaining to drive past these folk on the road, and by not waving back to them you risk upsetting them, and make them feel like fools. For this reason it is always good form to wave back to them.
But should you initiate a wave? Motorbikers and owners of certain types of cars often wave to each other out of mutual respect. I see no reason why this respect can't be extended to the motorhome community, hence a wave is always in order.
Once you've decided to wave what type of wave are you going to adopt? Be careful not to come across as overeager by waving your hand frantically, or not too laid back by only lifting one finger from the steering wheel.
Again, try not to look too eager with both the driver and the passenger frantically waving. Given that the driver should be concentrating on the road leave the waving to the passenger. It's a good game to see how many people wave back to you so join the fun.
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Membership of Organisations/Clubs
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When we were awaiting delivery of the first motorhome I did a lot of research online regarding the relevant clubs for motorhomers, and I joined those I felt would benefit us:-
Caravan and Motorhome Club
This is one of the main clubs and runs a number of it's own sites which are (purportedly) advertised at a discount to members.
The Camping and Caravanning Club
This is a similar club to the above, again offering it's own sites.
Wild Camping for Motorhomes Club
This club offers details of places to wild camp (non sites without electricity and water facilities).
Pitchup
Again, this organisation offers details of places to pitch up (official sites and non sites).
Searchforsites
This is basically an App which provides details of all places to stay within a postcode area (including Europe).
Britstops
This organisation provides details of other organisations (for example pubs, restaurants and museums) that provide free overnight stays if you use their facilities.
I joined all of the above, and have never been short of details of where to stay the night (However, membership of the first two clubs will ensure your welcome to most of the better sites in the UK).
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Keeping Clean
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Although most motorhomes come equipped with showers they tend to be seldom used. In fact, when we swapped our 105 for the 125 the shower in the former had never been used.
The reasons for this are:
1. Most campsites offer excellent showers and toilet blocks.
2. A lot of motorhomers use their shower cubicles as additional storage space.
3. The logistics of taking a shower in the confined space provided are not good.
4. There is seldom an area for drying oneself after the shower.
5. The technology regarding 'wipes' has improved significantly, and they offer a speedy alternative to a shower on the odd day.
If we'd known this when we were so insistent on our first motorhome having a separate shower cubicle we could have saved ourselves a lot of time!
Sue's Handling Course
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Prior to discussing the next topic I need to explain that I have epilepsy, and I had to surrender my licence to the DVLA upon diagnosis, so Sue is our sole driver.
Given Sue's reticence in manoeuvring the motorhome into tight spaces, and her general lack of confidence in driving it we decided that she could maybe benefit from a motorhome tuition course.
With that in mind she enrolled on the one day Caravan and Motorhome Club manoeuvring course taking place in Dumfries on 10th July. Little did I know when I sat down to pay the fee that she would need to be in Dumfries for 8.45am that Sunday morning ( a journey of one and a half hours!).
With all the necessary paperwork in hand she set off for Dumfries in the middle of the night (for me at least!) on that Sunday morning with a little trepidation.
She had nothing to worry about, and thoroughly enjoyed the day (or half day!). When she arrived there she found that she was only one of two attendees for the course, as other attendees had failed to turn up. As a result of this the instructor was able to get through the course content in half the time, resulting in Sue getting home shortly after lunchtime.
Whilst on the course Sue learnt about the regulations which apply specifically to motorhomes, and which are little known, as well as having the correct equipment on board to deal with most emergencies.
She also had to complete two practical sessions, the first being to complete a slalom and a reverse slalom through a course of traffic cones. The second was an accompanied drive around Dumfries. Both Sue and the instructor were pleased with her practical performance, and she retuned home sporting a certificate confirming her completion of the course.
Prior to the course Sue had been reticent on entering and exiting the entrance of the land upon which we park the motorhome. It was plain to see upon her return how much her confidence had improved, with her speed and ability being much better than before. The narrow entrance no longer worried her.
Overall, good value for money.
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Getting about Onsite
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Caravans provide their owners with a means of transport in and around, and from the sites they visit, due to the fact that a vehicle is needed to transport them. Motorhomes once parked on their pitch do not provide the same opportunity to travel in the area of the site. It is possible, however, on many sites to leave the pitch, and leave a reserved pitch sign, to ensure no-one else parks there in the absence of the motorhome. However, given the need to ensure that everything is secured on board, moving a motorhome mid break is often not very practicable. Some owners of larger motorhomes often tow a small car, but some pitches will not have the room to park a car. Unless you possess a motorbike licence your only option for getting about will be a cycle. The increasing availability of electric bikes has made this a popular choice, especially those that fold. My wife and I possess one of these each, although it did take a number of purchases before we found the right one for us. We opted for the DYU A1F (per the link here https://dyuebike.sjv.io/q49By5 ). We chose this model as it is small, powerful and foldable. It doesn't take up too much room. We haven't yet taken them on a trip yet as we're in a quandary as to how Finn will be transported. They currently have a sale on, click on the link below:-
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Keeping the water sterile
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Whilst the water tanks are empty over the winter months little nasties i.e. bacteria can colonise your system. This can also happen with the grey water tank as the nasties you wash away refuse to leave your system. I was not too much aware of this until I queried why I suffered with stomach upsets on our breaks. That's when I looked into ways of dealing with the problem.
You may also find from time to time that a horrible smell is emitted from the plug holes as the bacteria builds up to make it's presence known.
I would advise that you consider using one of the many products available to deal with these problems, some of which can be found on the following link https://amzn.to/4ax3MZR. If you don't want to fork out the amounts asked for these products you can try to sort the problem out yourself using Milton sterilising fluid or Campden tablets, although these may have a detrimental affect on the tank and pipework.
To ensure that we're not imbibing nasties we often use bottled water or cider to drink!
To Conclude
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If you're considering buying a motorhome to travel different places for your holidays.....do it! We're really enjoying our outings, and would strongly recommend the experience. The freedom of going where you want, when you want is addictive, and, if you restrict yourself to the UK there is very little of the regulation and delay you encounter when flying.
We have only scratched the surface of the places we could visit, limiting ourselves, mostly, to short visits not too far from home. Once we become more proficient we may consider getting on ferries to Europe, Guernsey, Jersey and the Scottish Isles.
The learning is fun, and the people we have met have all been great. It's a great way to keep fit, with interesting walks in most locations. If we could find a safe way to transport Finn we could consider taking our electric bikes with us.
Thank you for taking time to read my musings.
Cheers
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