Get Ready for your Winter RV Adventure

Get Ready for your by Blake Herzog Winter RV Adventure

Are you looking for a post-holiday escape to nature for some rejuvenation?

If you’re thinking along those lines right now, you’ve likely got a little bit of polar bear in you. Camping in a tent might still seem a little extreme, but a weekend camping trip in an RV could be right up your alley.

It’s a great way to see some destinations that might be a little crowded for your taste in the summer and a chance to see the astonishing beauty of winter up close. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to be parked in the middle of freshly fallen snow, you’ll see a landscape brimming with surprising life and energy. Q

Many campgrounds are partially or completely shut down during the cold months so you’ll want to verify whether you’ll have a space to park once you arrive at your destination.

And if this is the first time you’ve taken your RV or trailer out in the winter you may need to do a little work to get it ready, depending on the kind of weather you’re expecting. But once it’s done you should be ready to go for many a winter’s ride.

INSULATION — Many modern RVs are well-insulated enough for a weekend trip in the Arizona mountains, but you’ll want to make sure yours is as sealed as it can be against the cold. Seal all windows and doors, install window coverings like foil if you haven’t already and use heavy drapes to block drafts from around windows. You can install extra installation on the floor and the skirting for extra protection

PLUMBING PROTECTION — If freezing pipes are a possibility where you’re going, wrap heat tape around your freshwater and sewer hoses and on connections most at risk of freeze-ups; add foam insulation to be extra safe. Keep your kitchen and bathroom cabinets open so your trailer’s heat can keep the pipes warm. Use your internal freshwater tank as your primary source of water. CHECK THE ENGINE — Inspect the battery before you leave on your trip for any signs of damage and ensure it is fully charged. Use the proper amount of antifreeze (usually 50%).

PREPARE THE FURNACE — Remove dirt and debris and check for any obstructions that could restrict air flow. Check to make sure the furnace return isn’t blocked. Space and catalytic heaters can be a great help in heating your interior, but use them with the proper precautions.

INSTALL VENT COVERS — These allow you to keep your air vents open in any weather while keeping snow or rain from getting inside. Keeping them open reduces the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if you’re using a portable heater and releases humidity to keep it dry, as well.

For more tips, see www.koa.com/blog/winter-rvcamping-guide-tips-for-cold-weather-rving.

Parks Essential to Mental Health

by Kelly Tolbert, Recreation Coordinator, City of Prescott

If anything, the recent pandemic has shown us how essential outdoor spaces are in improving mental health and quality of life. The City of Prescott’s Open Space Policy includes the verbiage “to promote quality of life for the citizens of Prescott by preserving and protecting the natural environment that has given this City much of its character.”

Adopted by the City Council as Resolution 3700 Aug. 23, 2005, it goes to say: “As Prescott continues to grow, open spaces will be woven into the fabric of the City.”

Prior to the adoption of this official policy, natural parkland purchases were accomplished through complex land exchanges in the 1980s and ‘90s including Stricklin Park, Acker Park, a portion of Storm Ranch and Granite Dells Ranch parcels north of Willow Lake.

According to Making the Case for Designing Active Cities, Active Living Research (2015), use of green spaces is associated with decreased health complaints, improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduced stress, improved general health perceptions and a greater ability to face problems. In 2000, the Prescott voters approved a 1% sales tax extension for street improvements and open space acquisitions, motivated by the purchase of 32 acres east of Thumb Butte also known as Butterfly Hill.

This period marks the infancy of preserving open space with the formation of a Mayor’s Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee. This committee developed the current open space policy that revised the previous Open Space Plan from 1999.

More information can be found here: www.prescott-az.gov/recreation-events recreation-areas/open-space.

When running in Philadelphia you have to go see the Rocky statue!

2020 Trip to Mount Rushmore - It was amazing!

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Prescott LIVING: Does Prescott have a gang issue?

Chief Amy Bonney: We do have gangs from time to time. They are not as active or of the same nature as you would see in larger cities. When we do have problems, we work with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. It has a state gang taskforce. We work with them to identify any issues, whether it’s outlaw motorcycle gangs or other gangs that might infiltrate.

Prescott LIVING: Anything you would like to share with readers — something that you would like for people to know about what you as a police force are doing here in Prescott?

Chief Amy Bonney: There is so much, of course, I want to tell people. The police department employees who serve here are the absolute best. They are all serving because they care about this community. We have a dedicated, professional and compassionate group of people who just work so hard every single day to serve this community and to keep this community safe. I encourage people to learn more about us. Attend our Citizen Academies when we have them and just learn about everything the city is doing — everything the police department is doing to provide quality law enforcement services and really work in partnership with the community to keep this a great place to be.

We work very hard to instill in Reagan how privileged we are to live in the greatest country on earth, how important it is to honor our history and love and respect our flag and those who defend it.

““I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, BUT IF I HAD TO PICK MY TOP THREE, I THINK THEY WOULD BE THESE: MY FAITH; SECOND, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS — AND, YES, THAT’S TWO IN ONE; AND FINALLY, PRESCOTT.”

- CHIEF AMY BONNEY

Prescott LIVING: Identify three passions you have and are committed to.

Chief Amy Bonney: That’s a tough one. I’m passionate about a lot of things, but if I had to pick my top three, I think they would be these: my faith; second, my family and friends — and, yes, that’s two in one; and finally, Prescott.