Growing up in the Midwest, fall was one of my favorite times of the year and still is today. Even with the brutal temperatures and winter storms looming just around the corner, fall still presents a calmer, picturesque time of the year.
When I think of fall I remember the smells. Crisp, cool mornings that fill your lungs with fresh, clean air; the first campfire in the backyard with marshmallows and hot dogs on sticks; warm treats like hot chocolate and hot apple cider with cinnamon; and of course, pumpkin pie.
No matter your favorite hobby or your definition of fun, fall offers something for everyone. A fall trip in the RV could include following the changing foliage colors, attending harvest festivals, going hunting, or traveling to watch sports like football or the World Series.
Chasing Fall Colors
Every part of this beautiful country has its own unique festival, color tour, or harvest experience that will provide a lifelong memory. If you are looking for the utmost in color, keep in mind that typically the first trees to turn are maples and oaks which can start as early as late August or September. The second color turn are birch and aspens, however Mother Nature can turn your color tour into a black and white adventure in a hurry with a sudden cold snap or excess wind. Luckily we have resources to help us predict these changes; for example the Weather Channel maintains a map of current foliage conditions throughout the country.
Regional Fall Activities
Here are some of my favorite regions in the country to visit in the fall, as well as some key sites, activities, and festivals to check out:
1. Alaska
Either going up through Montana and Banff, or into British Columbia and then to the Alcan, an RV trip to Alaska is a once a lifetime experience. Get a Milepost Magazine and plan your trip in such a way to start coming back in mid-September. You can stretch it some years into October but every year is different. Depending on the weather conditions, the Caribou start migrating south when the temps fall and the other animals become hard to see, but the colors are breathtaking.2. Southwest
There’s nothing better than the Chile Festivals in New Mexico and other parts of the Southwest. The National Hot Air Balloon Festival dots the skies with an incredible array of colors and several festivals feature a tapestry of colors and cuisine. Visit www.newmexico.org for more information.3. Midwest
I may be biased, but the Midwest offers some of the most beautiful fall foliage tours in the country. Northern Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri are at the top of the list. Tours along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers offer breathtaking views of fall color as well as wildlife, particularly bald eagles. If you’re in the southern Minnesota area, the National Eagle Center is definitely worth a visit. The National Parks Service also has good information on viewing wildlife throughout the country.One of my favorite fall festivals is the old-time “threshing” events. Threshing is the old method of harvesting crops and in my opinion nobody does it better than Heritage Park in Forest City, Iowa. With the support of Winnebago Industries, they have developed a full-scale working farm which features impressive collections of steam traction engines, prairie tractors, threshing machines, crawlers, flywheel engines, row crop tractors, and much more. This year’s event has come and gone, but you can still check out the Heritage Park website to start planning for next year.
4. Northeast
Acadia National Park, Adirondacks Region, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains… my list of favorite spots in the Northeast is just too long! The seafood in Connecticut and Boston is to die for, and the foliage in New England is spectacular. For more specifics, visit www.discovernewengland.org.
5. Colorado
Okay, so not necessarily a region, but Colorado is big enough to count as one on my list! In the fall, the beauty of Colorado is in the aspens turning from silver to gold and the occasional snow-topped mountain peaks. If you can get to the southwest corner of the state, you must take the horseshoe drive around Durango, Ouray, and Silverton. There is a great historic train ride through the area too – it’s worth the trip. But for this particular area I would suggest a towed car instead of a motorhome. We went into Telluride with three 40’ motorhomes and had to back up about one mile as the streets are designed for 1950-60 era mining carts!
6. California
Another favorite fall trip is harvest time in California wine country. Thousands of people flock to Napa Valley, Sonoma, and surrounding regions to witness the harvesting and to take in the tasting tours. A word of caution however – fall is such an ideal time to visit this area that traffic can be an issue (especially in an RV) and prices can skyrocket. I actually like to go in the spring during the Napa Valley Mustard Festival for a better chance to meet the wine makers and have a more relaxing experience. There is a beautiful campground just outside Napa or the State Park up north by Calistoga is a great option too.
In my opinion, there is no season better suited for an RV adventure than fall. Follow your favorite football team and tailgate, experience the fall colors, or dive into the threshing activities of the past. Whatever your desire, passion, or interest, there is a trip waiting for you!
How to repair a squeaky floor on my travel trailer
Hello Roger. Can we please get the Make, Model and Year of your RV for our experts?
Thanks
Sarah
RV Lifestyle and Repair Video Membership
Michigan is beautiful all through the state, not just the upper peninsula. With all our lakes, and the colors of the leafs, you just feel like you’re in heaven!! The northern, lower peninsula as well as the upper peninsula are spectacular!!
Electric stairs floor retractable cover (passenger side) stop working. I hear the motor energize upon pressing the dash switch. But cover stay in the retracted position. Therefore, I believe it has something to do with the mechanism.
Hi Ron. You will have to gain access from underneath or behind the steps and find the motor. It will have a linkage arm that moves the mechanism. It is possible a pin broke off or something bent. It could also be the motor is running but too weak to operate. The only way to know what is going on is to gain access to the area and see what is not operating. If you hear the motor running and nothing moves, most of the time something is on a bind or broke off.
Dan
RV Repair Club
Good site.
Both dump valves appear to be same size. have a front valve and one 2 feet back. just bought unit and trying to figure which is black water and which is grey water? any ideas?? Thanks
Donald,
Typically the piping is a different size going to the valves but they can be the same size. The gray tank can be 1 1/2″, 2″ or 3″ where as the black tank is always 3″. If they are the same size the best thing to do is connect to water, open the valves and turn on the kitchen sink. Once water starts flowing out of the termination, close one valve and see if the water flow stops. This will tell you which valve closes the gray tank as the kitchen sink will be going to the gray tank. You can also check to see which one is closer to the toilet. The toilet always sits above the tank, it will not travel like the gray tank drains will so most likely the valve closest to the toilet will be for the black tank.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I’m in search of a dependable Convection/Microwave over the range with measurements of 24″wide 16″h and up to 21″deep. My conversion RV had a Half Time initially installed and when it went out I replaced it with another Half Time. The replacement only last just over two years. Would like to find another make that would fit into my space. Thanking you in advance for any information. J.D.
James,
We’d love to assist you!
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
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Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Will not covert to propane ?
Hey Chester!
That’s an interesting issue.
The ‘Ask an Expert’ section is currently for members to our online community. We do have a promotional offer if you are interested. This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Please feel free to take a look. You can message us right back with your question if you decide to become a member and you will have a response within 1-2 business days from our experts!
Please follow the steps below to receive the annual membership at the introductory rate:
1. Click on the email link: https://go.rvrepairclub.com/c18386
2. Click on the Premium Membership offer.
3. The Checkout page will display your Premium Membership purchase.
4. Fill in your Billing Details and create an account password.
5. Fill in your debit/credit card information.
6. Finish by clicking Complete Order.
If you have any further questions, please contact Customer Service at 1-855-706-3536 at your earliest convenience, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
How do you unsubscribe from rvrepair i have tried everything. Even blocking dosnt work
Hi there Robert!
I’ve unsubscribed your email from our mailing list! Please allow up to 5 business days for the process to complete. Until then, you’re always welcome to check us out at http://www.rvrepairclub.com. If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to email us at: rvrepairclub@program-director.net, call us at 1-855-706-3536, or chat with us here on the website!
Sincerely,
Jessica
RV Repair Club Video Membership
Just purchased and are looking for ideas
When in a campground and plugged into power for more than 4 my chassis battery goes dead. I am told that there is no charging going on to the chassis battery when plugged into power. Why? How can I remedy these dead batteries I am having. Solar? I have a switch to turn off the chassis battery however I was told that’s only for Winthrop storage. HELP. I luv to watch your vids. Thnx for the great info. K
Kevin,
The chassis battery should last a lot longer when in storage let alone being plugged into shore power. The chassis battery is separated from the system when it is in use. This is so if the charging system fails or you are running strictly off of battery, it will not drain the chassis battery and leave you stranded. Some RV’s are equipped with a switch to connect it to the system to help jump start something or to get a charge when plugged in but this is an option by the manufacture. If you do have this switch, you only want it on when plugged into shore power or as a back up. The only time the chassis battery is connected to the RV living area is during travel, there is a switch that is activated to charge your house batteries off of the alternator while traveling. If your battery is dying that fast there is either a draw on the system when there shouldn’t be or the battery can’t hold a good charge and would need replaced. If the battery was somehow connected to the system it should actually be getting a charge so most likely any issue you are having is a short from the battery to the ignition switch or an accessory connected to the battery. Most likely the issue is the battery is not holding a charge. I would get it load tested at a local auto parts store and see what the condition of it is. Solar might help but I feel like the issue is with the battery itself.
Sincerely,
Dan
RV Repair Club Technical Expert
I am from Des Moines, Iowa area. Where would the closest repair center be for a Allen-Bradley Interior Lighting system?
Model Panel View 600 ?
We are newbies to rving
Ice maker does not work. I think I waited too long to change the water filter. Ice maker stopped then ice water dispenser slowed to trickle. Replaced the filter and water worked fine, but ice maker never came back. Any ideas how to get ice maker to work?
Hello Gerry,
I would start by removing the ice maker and cleaning out all the valves and tubes going to the unit as there might have been some calcium and other items that have obstructed the flow. Once you verify the water is getting to the unit, check for 12-volt power to the unit with a multimeter. I would say if it slowed to a trickle then it’s probably a blocked water supply line.
Hope this helps,
David RVRC Video Membership