Getting the most from your Hobby Motorhome

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Hobby motorhomeHave your just bought (or already own) a Hobby motorhome? Want to know how to get the most from it? I am the owner of a beautiful Hobby Siesta motorhome that I bought brand new back in 2007. At first I was a bit hesitant and wasn’t sure if it was right for me but having owned it for the past 6 years and had the greatest time of my life in it I think I am qualified to talk about this.

I have the model with the fixed my single beds at the back, it has the central washroom and  the bed over the front cab. Obviously there are many other layouts of Hobby motorhomes but I liked the freedom of getting out of bed without waking the wife. The Transit chassis performs really well with the 140bhp engine (2.4TD) and I get reasonable economy from it. To get the best economy-wise I have discovered that it is best to stick to 56 mile per hour when you can, keep your weight down (not your personal weight) and don’t accelerate too quickly. The Ford Transit chassis is designed to be a commercial vehicle after all, users of these vans demand that they have optimum fuel-economy.

To get the best out of your Hobby I would suggest getting it serviced every year around the anniversary of purchase, especially if you still have some warranty outstanding. Now remember, there are two types of service that need to be carried out on a motorhome. Both the Ford part and Hobby part. The motorhome will need to go to a main dealer of commercial van service agent who will undertake the engine service. Here is an example of a Hobby motorhome dealer who will undertake your service, http://www.hobbymotorhomes.com. To do the Hobby part, you will need to take it to a motorhome service centre, they will test the electric, gas and water systems to ensure they are safe and in working order and also give your motorhome the once-over with a damp meter.

All in all I would say you have made the right decision buying Hobby, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.

Should you hire a horsebox or a horse trailer?

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Horsebox HireSo this is something I know a lot of people want to know. Should they hire a horsebox or a horse trailer when they go to shows etc? I guess it comes down to you answering a few questions for yourself.

Do you have a tow vehicle?

Towing a horse trailer without a tow vehicle could be quite a challenge. Some companies may offer a tow vehicle to hire too but by this time you may as well have just hired the horsebox.

How much do you have to spend?

If you are looking for the cheapest option then the horse trailer is definitely the one. It probably costs half of what horsebox hire does.

Where are you going?

If you are going to be travelling some 100+ miles to a show far away would you rather be driving one vehicle solo or your car with a trailer? I am not trying to out you off a trailer but in my experience negotiating a car and trailer down a very narrow road when a tractor comes the other way with a queue of traffic behind is not fun!

How long for?

How long are you going for can have an impact on what you should decide to hire. Many horseboxes unlike trailers have living compartments so the user can actually sleep in the vehicle itself! If you are going away for a long weekend this will likely b a good thing and will save you on the cost of hotels.

Want more info?

Okay, so I have just touched on the surface of it here, but if you visit http://www.easternhorseboxhire.co.uk you will be able to get more information and prices on hiring both horseboxes and horse trailers.

Healthy eating on your camping trip

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Healthy Eating CampingEating healthily has never been so important, especially with all of the junk food available on the market. And so many people fall in to the trap of eating rubbish when they go camping, it is totally not necessary! It is quite possible to cook a healthy meal using a simple camping stove, the right ingredients and some know-how.

What to stay away from?

You need to stay away from the fried stuff! Anything like bacon, fried eggs, fried bread – cooked in this manner they are full of fat and very high in cholesterol. If you want to stay fit and healthy for your future camp outs then you need to make sure these foods are on the naughty list.

What food is okay?

I don’t preach to eat salads and fruit with nothing else, this is not the diet of a carnivore like me. I enjoy meat but I understand that I can balance it with the right fruits and vegetables and make it a very enjoyable, yet healthy meal. Things like fresh fish and lean meats make great quick and tasty meals and they’re really good for you. A piece of sole, some garlic and lemon juice with a crunchy side salad and you’ve got yourself a really cheap, satisfying dinner.

What else do you need to know?

As I said above you need to stay away from frying the food. It is the least healthy way to cook. Food like sausages and bacon can quite easily be reduced in calories by simply grilling them. So, what does this mean? It means you will need a camping stove that has a grill and probably a couple of burners to boil your greens on. You can find out more about the different stoves that are available at http://campingstovehq.com. Also, you could do a simple Google search for the exact type you want.

I hope this has helped… Stay healthy and keep on camping!

Getting started with camping

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Getting Started With CampingIf you are just getting started with camping then you really do have a lot to think about, there is more to it than meets the eye. The fact is that when you go away in a tent you can literally go anywhere! You can stay local or you could travel to the other side of your country. You could even go abroad. I know people that live in UK and once a year during the summer holidays they spend 4 weeks in the South of France in their big frame tent.

So other than the destination what other things do you need to consider? Well, the length of time you intend to stay for can have a major impact on the type of equipment you choose to purchase for your camping trip. If you are like my friends and visiting Europe for 4 weeks then you will need a very substantial tent, electric adapters and most certainly adequate cooking facilities.

What is the reason for your camping trip? Are you going hiking or backpacking? or is this simply a little hobby fishing trip? Perhaps a weekend break with the family? Again, all of these factors will have implications on your plan so make sure you map everything out carefully.

One way I have found to be very helpful when I go away on my camp trips is to make a list! A check list with everything I need to remember to pack on it. As you can imagine, the list gets pretty intense sometimes but, boy have I been glad I made it most of the time. It can also really to help to make the whole thing a lot less stressful. You can assign certain items to certain people and that way, everyone gets to help out.

This is a video demonstrating how to put a tent up in only 6 minutes: