Here's the place where RVers are helping each other. We ask you to participate in two ways. First, we invite you to send along your comments or questions for posting below. But equally important, we invite you to read through the mailbox, and respond directly to the person posting the question or comment. We'll include the email address for all items requesting reader response -- so you can click on it and contact the writer directly. To send your question for posting in the RVers Mailbox, just click here. All submissions are subject to editing, and will become the property of RVers Online.
Subject: REPORT 03/09/10 Mexico Pacific Coast Highway Lazaro Cardenas to Barra de Navidad
March 9, 2010
Hi Tom,
Just returned from a four-day "holiday" in Barra de Navidad, and perhaps my "fro and to" road report will be of some use for RV'ers plying their way northward from points south. For those readers not familiar with the names, the report covers Mexico highway 200, all the way through the states of Michoacan, Colima and then a bit into Jalisco.
Hopefully to make a bit more sense than a lengthy milepost report a "most significant" to "least significant" approach to subject matter may be appreciated better by readers.
Saludos de Michoacan Mexico,
Subject: Question?
March 3, 2010
Is the red pictographs in Mohave County in AZ somewhere? I have been searching for 3-4 life like figures that are in the Chemehuevi Flats area - but have not found them.
http://www.rversonline.org/PixJack.jpg
Bill
+++Bill, this is one of the most interesting questions we've had since starting this site. I'm not sure how you were able to search for this type of picture and then attempt to trace its location -- but that aside, this is actually a photo we took while on a guided tour at Seminole State Park in Texas. A full description of the location and what we discovered there is in one of the archives of Stephanie's Postcards. You'll need to scroll down that document to find the one that's dated March 12, 2007. Again, your inquiry is most interesting on a number of levels. Good luck!
Subject: Q on RVs and seat belts
March 1, 2010
We have a 29 foot class C RV. The driver and the front passenger are the only ones with a shoulder belt. The couch seat has 2 lap belts, and one of the two table benches has 2 lap belts. Texas just passed a law last year that made it a requirement for all children under 8yrs. old must be in a booster seat. Didn't know what laws applied to RVs. There was one site I looked at where the vehicle is exempt if it's over 15K pounds. Our RV won't make that weight I don't think.
We take our 2 children out with only the lap belts. They are ages 11 and 6. We will be going on a trip with friends of ours in a couple weeks. They have 4 children - aged 9 mos., 5 yrs., 7 yrs., and 11 yrs. The 9 mos. old and the 5 yr. old are in seats that would require only a lap belt seat belt with their children safety seats. Just wondered over all about the booster requirement, shoulder belt requirements, etc.
Thanks much for your help,
Tepe Hamilton, McKinney, TX
Subject: VW camper
March 1, 2010
A while back there was a RVer who bought volks wagon camper and fixed it all up do you know their website..
+++We've not seen anything on that, but perhaps someone else might have...
Subject: Short Stories for RVers
February 28, 2010
Dear Tom and Stephanie,
My husband and I are "newbie" full-time RVers experiencing that odd mixture of exhileration and frustration everyone who's ventured into this lifestyle have felt.
It's a combination only a fiction writer could love! I found myself writing fiction again after several years (my novel was published in 1996 by Baskerville Publishers) -- stories inspired by our experiences on the road.
I just spent the full overtime period of the USA/Canada Gold Medal Hockey Game absorbed by clicking around in the www.rversonline.org Web site and am glad to have found a place where so much current information is being shared!
With so little RV-related fiction available online, I'm wondering if you might be interested in posting one of my short stories (free, of course). I'd be interested to find out if the new series of short stories I've been writing can find an audience and in a format I designed with the RVer in mind.
I believe these sorts of books -- even more visually interesting and easy to read than the text-only books for readers such as Kindle and Nook -- are ideal for the RV lifestyle.
Congratulations on a Web site that's clearly of great interest and help to many people! I look forward to hearing from you about adding a possible fiction page or story.
Thank you both!
Ellen Behrens
+++Hi Ellen....while we're not able to post commecial items here, the fact that you're doing this may be of interest to other RVers who can contact you directly.
From: billstrack <>
Subject: Black water dunp valve
Date: February 23, 2010
Am experiencing difficulty in fully/completely "closing" the black water dump valve. By really working at it I can shut things off but its not real handy. I expect there has been an accumulation of debris in it. Short of dropping the "pan" and getting into where the valve is and then the disassembly of it to replace said valve does anyone have a recommendation. I wondered if there might be a product on the market that when dumped in the tank would help dissolve toilet tissue at least from the tank side if allowed to stand undesturbed for a few days. I'm thinking something along the line of "Liquid Plumber" for example. We are currently "wintering" in the camper and several days from home where a person could tear things apart. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
+++Perhaps someone has a bit of expertise to lend here. I promise we do not!
Subject: Re: Conversion
February 25, 2010
Your article was really good with regards to neophytes, me being one, and the first steps to solar powering an RV. It showed how to convert AC to DC and I believe the example was a TV. 100 watts AC needed to run TV and the formula was AC watts /12 volt to get DC amps needed. Answer given was, I believe 9.1. Mine came out at 8.3, but I guess it is pretty much “ball park”.
+++We weren't sure what was being asked here, so we referred this to David Eidell who in turn responded to Mark as follows:
"Tom Gonser forwarded your message to me because although I am retired I am a charging system electrical engineer and battery design engineer. Lucky for me my engineer's hat still fits :-)
I could make this reply long and flowery replete with prose and heavily spiced with engineering buzzwords, but I won't. I would be silly and all the extra baggage would serve only to confuse. If you already know some or much of what I shall write please excuse me.
SOLAR PANELS are rated at the best possible environent. Summer in Arizona would be the ideal and many panel manufacturers use this ploy to make their panels look as good as possible for sales. A similar panel in Minneapolis in December may put out one-tenth the total amperage hours even on a clear day. The sun angle must be perpendicular to the panel in order for it to do what the manufacturer claims. Several years ago I had a large rig parked on a beach in Mexico where sunrise meant crystal clear air. At 0800 in the morning, the panels put out 2.6 amps total. at twelve noon 44.6 (forty four point six) amperes. I figured I had at most three or four hours (this was in the winter) of charging potential above 32.0 amps. The other five hours had the output drizzle down to next to nothing. The panels were mounted flat on my roof.
INVERTERS are never one-hundred percent efficient and there is no such thing as a purely DC cathode ray tube TV. They have their own form of inverter inside. LCD and plasma TV's "may" use 12 volts, just look for a converter box on the power cord between the plug and and TV and read its UL label. Many operate on 12 volts dc power and this may be important to you later. LCD televisions use less power unless you exchange a small CRT TV for a large LCD or plasma unit.
INVERTERS and BATTERIES are like having a Swiss Bank Account. You put money in and get less back due to service and handling fees. Most inverters are eighty-to-ninety percent efficient and most flooded (Deep cycle) batteries are aroud 87% efficient even when brand-new. Do the math and you can see that your hairpin careful calculations are mostly for naught.
ELECTRONIC DC DEVICES ARE WEIRD The higher the voltage, the less amperage they draw. It isn't a great deal of difference but if you're going to cut it close you need to factor it in. The factorial value is WATTS and you need to contact the appliance manufacturer to ask for the actual wattage rating, if it isn't posted on the back of the device somewhere.
The subject of ampere hour monitoring and management is a whole other ballgame and I just cannot justify the creation of a twenty page document that you may never use.
Hope This Helps!
David"
Subject: Park Membership
February 25, 2010
Just a quick background, We were members for over 15 years when our home park changed over to ROD. We were contacted by the owners and they convinced us that we would be far better off by joining there new system than staying with Coast to Coast. At the time it and with the info that they were giving us it seemed like the right thing to do so we moved over to ROD. Now that we are retired and trying to plan some trips across country we are finding out that the choices that they are offering sucks. We are finding out that because they don’t have as many campgrounds as they say we would end up spending more time outside there camp system than in it and we are finding that on a simple fixed budget that doesn’t work either. We were very happy with our Coast to Coast membership before we retired even though we weren’t really able to use it because of work, but we looked forward to the day we could. For some reason our home campground found more favor with ROD and convinced several members to change also. I have heard others also say the same concerns. But what I am trying to find out is how would a couple return to Coast to Coast membership? Without great expense to themselves.
Respectfully,
+++
Subject: following your adventures
February 23, 2010
Just a quick note to say " THANK YOU" for letting us follow along electronically. It is very educational. Even though it is time consuming on your part, many of us would never experience the adventure without you. I have been following the site since you were getting the Country Coach. I have an Intrigue and like you have had to find ways to cope without the factory hotline.
Keep up the good work and if you are ever in need of assistance when you are in Tyler, Texas area feel free to call on me. The almost daily posts on the down under trip were great.
Subject: RV Park
February 22, 2010
[Note: This relates to a previously posted inquiry.]
One response to your question to RVersonlne gave some tips that may be useful in building your proposed RV park but the information on electrical is not in my opinion. First, your local government (county?)will probably require permits for all work but especially utilities such as electric. You will need an electrical contractor versed in RV electrical code as it differs from all others due to the special nature of the application i.e. RV’s are not wired in same manner as house and thus have special needs. The code spells out minimum number of so-called 50 amp sites that must be in an RV Park as a percentage of total sites and the balance in 30 amp. Let me add here that 50 amp sites are really 240 volt 100 amp service which is split into two feeds of 120 volt 50 amp for use by the larger RV’s. Thus a “50 amp” RV could use as much as 3.33 times (30 X3.33=100) the power of a 30 amp RV (30 amp being its true value). It’s not likely that even one RV would use 100 amps at one time while in park let alone multiple number of RV’s at one time. (You would have to have 3 or 4 air conditions running under full load , an house type electrical stove, several big flat screen TV’s , etc all on at same time to consume 100 amps) Therefore, electrical code provides for a calculation, by the contractor designing your system, methodology to determine a more realistic value of total capacity that must be provided. Thus the installation cost can be significantly lessened.
The comment on water line being close to electrical would seem to be right but in practice code requires that the grounding system for each power pedestal must be taken back to primary substation without any interruption and where metal water piping exists it becomes the grounding mechanism to accomplish the task . Obviously, one wouldn’t want to be standing in water while plugging it.
I give this short comment to simply try and reinforce the notion of hiring a competent electrical contractor. I would add that I run a small community campground and we elected to go with 50 amp pedestals across the board since most RV’s and trailers come with this level of power these days and we provide, if the customer doesn’t have one, a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter to those whose power cord is 30 amp. (we lock the adapter to the pedestal so it doesn’t walk away). Pricing of electrical is done differently by RV parks. Some parks set a single daily rate taking into account the higher cost of 50 amp service using some sort of fudge factor, others simply apply a higher site fee for 50 amp vehicles while others do meter it. However, the latter requires more personal effort ( more expensive pedestals can be bought with meters that transmit to front desk the numbers) and thus is not looked on too favorably. More importantly, one can run into legal problems in some states or communities as the metering is seen as reselling power and not approved.; some states simply allow passing on of your cost and then audit to find violations i.e. selling above cost and making a profit. (God forbid anyone make a profit). LOL
I hope the forgoing doesn’t discourage you. Our small park is very simple but effective. We have large flat level sites, all back in, with power, sewer and water. The power and water run along the back and of course, the sewer dumps are along the driver’s side. It was easy to install and maintain.
Good Luck
Leo Everitt (Contributor to Rversonline at times)
Subject: Fun adventures in RV Camping, Freightliner style
February 22, 2010
Calling all RV pilots and co-pilots! Camp Freightliner sessions are now open for registration.
Camp Freightliner is an opportunity for RV owners and enthusiasts to spend two days at the South Carolina Freightliner Factory learning the “in and outs” of their motorhome. Sessions are running from Feb. – Nov. 2010. To register and schedules, please visit: http://bit.ly/7MDzKj.
Campers will hear from Freightliner experts who will lead workshops covering RV ownership from A to Z, including:
· Understanding and maintaining air brake and electrical systems
· Overall tips and guidelines for maximum performance
· Suggested maintenance intervals
· The importance of weight distribution
· Proper vehicle storage
FCCC officials have designed the Camp sessions for any new, existing or hopeful Class A motorhome owner who wants to learn more about diesel-powered RVs and how to care for them. Camp Freightliner accommodations include full hook-ups and discounted camping rates are also available at the local Spartanburg KOA campground. Camp Freightliner will host a cookout dinner for participants the first evening of each session.
Julie Ma, CMD c/o Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation,
+++We were interested to learn of this program. And while we of course do not endorse specific products, including chassis components, this appears to be a very forward-looking program sponsored by Freightliner. We'd be interested in hearing from someone that is able to attend one.
Subject: RV Exchange with France
February 19, 2010
Hello
My name is Sylvie. I own a RV ( or maybe camper , I don't know the difference) 6,50 meters length, 4 to 6 berth, air conditionning, separate shower, located on the french Riviera ( by Nice, Monaco). I would like to exchange it for 3 /4 weeks with a similar vehicle during the summer 2010.
I plan to visit the aeras south and north from New York.
The exchange could be simultaneous or take place at any convenient time for you. If you want to travel through France or another european country please contact me.
+++We recall seeing a reference to a website that caters to exchanges. This would be a more appropriate venue for seeking out such exchanges. Clearly there are questions of insurance and liability that require consideration.
Subject: A Chat With An ATM Technician
February 17, 2010
Hi Tom,
I saw a gentleman with a satchel of tools and test equipment performing service or repairs on a major bank ATM a few days ago. Two heavily armed guards watched with great interest as I approached, but I stopped short and then caught the man's attention. He turned out to be amiable, and then chatted freely when I revealed that I am a retired engineer. Here are a couple of interesting points:
He said that he was familiar with ATM machines in Mexico and the USA and Canada. Mexican machines are calibrated and set to be more sensitive to errors (meaning damage and wear) to the magnetic stripe on the reverse of the card. Some ATM's he said will refuse to dispense money, and refer the cardholder to call their bank. A bad stripe can also cause a machine to swallow the card because it thinks the damaged stripe indicates fraud or a hacking attempt on the machine.
Therefore I have added "obtain new ATM cards" to my list of things to do when I am north of the border. I might add that the man's command of English was superb, and therefore i cannot discount his statement that he knows US and Canadian ATM machines.
Saludos de Michoacan Mexico,
+++A very interesting point not only for those visiting Mexico, but perhaps of equal interest to those (like us) who travel to other overseas destinations and count on plastic as our primary source of funds abroad.
Subject: GMC Moterhome Headliner
February 15, 2010
We have a 1976 Kinglsey and would like to replace it with new material and would like your members
to recommend a dealer or repair shop in the Los Angles area (Valencia to Long Beach). Also
possible rivet repair on front of roof. Thank you,
Subject: Not An Expert On USA Park Construction, But...
February 15, 2010
[Note: This relates to a previously posted inquiry.]
Hi Alka,
I constructed and operated a small RV park for several years in Mexico and I certainly went through the school of hard knocks in some areas. Perhaps some of these would be of service to you in your quest of gaining knowledge:
Large RV's use a lot of electrical power and I mean a very large amount. To feed one of the monster rigs that have and use the 50-amp style connection you are going to have to wire each fifty amp and each thirty amp RV sockets with 8-gauge electrical wire. The standard household style receptacles are wired with 12 gauge wire. Check your local building codes for specific requirements. RV electrical hookups are hard on receptacles. I would suggest rigging up some sort of support that relieves the weight of the rig's hookup wire from yanking constantly downward on the receptacle. 15-amp receptacles and cover plates should be of Nylon rather than plastic which would break after a month or two. There are various methods used to shield the electrical connections from the rain and wet weather. I seem to prefer a solid color flip up shield which allows easy access yet blocks sunlight UV from destroying plastic receptacles and breaker toggles.
Bite the bullet and purchase individual electric kWh meters for each large site. You must know how much power is being consumed so that a surprise electrical bill won't knock your budget for a loop. Some bigger rigs and power hungry RV'ers can require as much as sixty cents to more than a dollar an hour for electrical power depending on where you live and your utility rate. Having individual kWh hour meters (just like the one on your house) will allow you to choose options such as whether or not to charge separately for electricity or readjust your site rental prices. Some meters use numbers just like a car odometer so reading them is a snap. If necessary ask your local utility for help in learning how to read a kWh meter.
I've seen many USA parks where the water spigot is very close to the electrical hookup. I shall be quite polite and remark that this practice is "not smart".
I used a one-micron water filter to assure RV'ers that their water supply was absolutely clean of particulate matter that could clog pumps and plumbing.
Another point is to create custom dump points that surround each drain pipe with a small patch of concrete that drains into the pipe. This makes it easy to clean. If you use plastic, think about cementing a long and stout plastic "Tee" onto each threaded cap for each dump pipe. RV'ers seem to appreciate not having to get their hands too close to the um...
I used lime overtop grass to place a navigation line from the entry lane back into each parking space. RV'ers could refer to this line from their side mirror when parking. Another tip is to measure a given distance from a wall or abutment and then place a sign at the front of the space. "33'" would announce to someone backing in that thirty-three feet exists between sign and where you would recommend that the far end of their rig end up. Overnighters jump for joy when they encounter a drive-through space but these easy-to-park spaces eat up a lot of room.
Providing an exclusive shaded table for barbecue use would be optional but a big hit.
Birders and other cornball naturalist types like me always love to see signage announcing local species that may be available for viewing. Even mundane natural shrubbery and vegetation becomes of interest if someone where to post an informational sign that would educate.
In closing I have to again say that the above are mere tips and suggestions. Building an RV park requires a lot of planning and forethought. But perhaps key to all your dreams and scheming is a necessity to always, always, always, remember to take moments along the way and imagine you are an RV'er who is arriving or living there and what you would want to see and experience.
Hope This Helps!
David
Subject: In response to requests for Wish Lists for homemade travel trailer:
February 13, 2010
Greetings,
I recently sent out an email with a link to the blog I created to chronicle the construction of my 32' rolling solar powered home, and I received many responses to the effect of:
"What can I do to help? Is there anything you need?"
I created a general wish list on the blog site itself, and then had responses to the effect of:
"Where do I get ____? How much is it? Where do I send it?"
If you (or anyone you might know) are interested in bartering with me for a piece of clothing or a pop-up book....
Wouldn't it be cool if I end up creating a wedding dress for someone in exchange for a fridge or incinerating toilet?!
In the mean time I am working away at The Waffle House in Cartersville, GA. Everytime someone tips me, even if it is only change I think: "One little bit closer to home! Every little bit, added to what you've got, will make you have alittle bit more!"
Cheers, and thank you for all your confidence and encouragement!
Gretchen Elsner, www.egretion.com
Subject: about those "no-see-um" remedies
February 12, 2010
Greetings from snowy north Texas!
First of all I want to say how much I enjoyed the postcard about your trip "down under". We'll probably never make that trip, but it sounds fantastic!
Having had a horrible experience with no-see-um bites all over my scalp several years ago, I am well aware of what doesn't work to control the itching & swelling that result. I felt like those comic book characters with lumps all over their heads from bee attacks or whatever. I suffered for several days with awful, awful itching, burning, swelling. Nothing I tried would counteract the symptoms. I'm a registered nurse and I just kept trying one allergy treatment after another. I would have stuck my head in a vat of just about anything if I thought it would work.
I hope I never have to try the vaporub treatment, but I will remember to try it if need be.
Gerry Carey
Subject: ***Mayo Clinic - New CPR Method
February 12, 2010
EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THIS "YOU TUBE" VIDEO PLEASE FORWARD IT TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES..
NEW CPR METHOD; NO MOUTH TO MOUTH AND WORKS BETTER. ANYONE CAN DO AFTER SEEING THIS ONCE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5huVSebZpM
+++Note: Typically we do not forward or post this type of information. However, it was submitted by one of our long-time advisors. Moreover we've recently taken the "new" training class in this technique. We would quibble with the assertion that anyone can do this after seeing just the video -- in our view there is no substitute for taking one of the *new* CPR classes.
Subject: Starting RV park in Guymon,Ok
February 10, 2010
Hi,
My name is Alka we own some land in Guymon, Ok which is adjacent to drive-in movie theater, which we own as well. We want to add a RV park along with the drive-in. I’ve read your tab on Building an RV Park, can you tell me what kind of expense to expect per site, accommodating the “ big rigs “. Our town is not really a destination point we’d be accommodating mostly Highway travelers. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
+++While we have no information relating to construction costs, perhaps some of our park owner readers might be able provide a bit of guidance.
Subject: Host Camper for sale?
February 9, 2010
Hello:
I am just now reading some of the sites regarding the Host Camper that I would dearly love to have.
Have you sold this unit? If not, pls. let me know the details of your truck; mileage, 1-ton?, etc. Do you have any pictures?
Sincerely,
+++We have sold the unit, but it's still "in the family" as our kids wanted it. It was a fabulous unit. We were using a Dodge dually with a Cummins engine. Our fuel mileage was always in the 13-14 MPG range.
Subject: Freightliner "Fueled by Us" Campaign
February 8, 2010
Tom & Stephanie,
First of thank you for “hosting” this website…we met briefly at Borrego Springs and hope to see you there again soon.
I aslo want to let you know that a post from Julie (thank you Julie !!) on behalf of Freightliner has paid off….literally !!!
So, thank you for posting the information from Julie to obtain a $1250.00 gas card offered by Freightliner. I was dubious, but to my delight I received a phone call from Freightliner this morning to verify my address….the card is in the mail!!
For those who quality…you still have time to apply…but do it quickly…Submission for this offer expires January 31, 2010 !!
Again Thank you for all you do !
Lisa Frye
+++Sounds as if the time's up on this one, but I'm glad we opted to post the piece from Freightliner. We usually don't opt to publish commercial messages, but when it might involve a payout for some of our readers, well, that just has to be an exception!
Subject: Requesting permission
February 7, 2010
Hello my name is Ray Miller and I am a former fulltime RVER. I have had many enjoyable hours on your website. I am now a Real Estate Associate Broker and would like to put a link to your website on my website, www.ray4azhomes.com . I thought it would be okay but I don’t like to take anything for granted so I am requesting your permission.
Yours truly,
Ray Miller, GRI
+++Thx for asking, and we're always amenable to having post links where it's in a non-commercial context. Our purpose is to be a useful information resource for all RVers.
Subject: RV CLASSIFIED WEB SITES:
February 7, 2010
Hi Bob,
I enjoyed reading your tips on selling a RV. I noticed at the bottom of the page you had links to some RV classifieds sites. I run a FREE RV only classifieds website which is gaining popularity everyday. Recently my site was mentioned on Trailer Life Forums, which gave me a nice little bump. I would appreciate it very much if you could include http://www.usedrvsforsale.us/ as a RV Classifeds website.
Regards
Chris
+++Happy to do it Chris. RVers always like to know about freebies!
Subject: Building a Solar powered Travel Tailer
February 6, 2010
Greetings!
I have just spent several hours engorssed in your site, and I want to thank you for the time enthusiasm and dedictaion that goes into it! My boyfriend and I are building a 32' travel trailer from the ground up to live and work in full time; right now working on the grueling bare-bones work of constructing the chassis. I was looking for information on wieghts and balance, and was directed to an article on your site, and then my exploration went on and on and on. I wanted to write and thank you, and also share the blog about our construction project:
http://homemadesolartraveltrailer.blogspot.com/
I hope that as I aquire more knowledge and information I will have some experiences to share ,and if you happen across an information that may help in building an RV, please think of us!
Kindest Regards,
+++Happy to pass that on to our readers...
Subject: gas pusher coash
February 2, 2010
I am looking at purchasing a coach and we have found a beautiful one, but it is a gas pusher.
I know very little about them and I am looking for comments.
please let me know what you think?
+++We have no personal experience with this type of chassis, but likely some of our readers may be able to comment.
Subject: no see um bites
January 31, 2010
I read your article on no-see-um bites and how to stop the itching and swelling.
http://www.rversonline.org/ArtMexNo-See-Ums.html
We are farm hosts in Northern Ontario and we also have tons of no-see-ums up here as well as black flies, mosquitoes and deer flies. One of our volunteers got no-see-um bites all over his arms and neck when he wore a short sleeved shirt outside just before sunset. The mosquito bites didn’t seem to affect him too much, but those tiny no-see-ums really did a job on him.
I am “into” natural and organic solutions, but none of them seemed to work. Vinegar, baking soda, plantain poultice (he actually had an allergic skin reaction to this – thank goodness we only did test patches to begin with), stick deodorant, even over the counter after bite products.
Mud was about the only thing to work reliably, but of course he couldn’t wear it to bed so he didn’t get much sleep until we finally found something that worked. It took us 3 days and lots of research on the internet but we finally found a solution to just about any itching insect bite or rash you get. It also worked on damping the itch from a scratchy plant I encountered in a medicinal plant collecting foray (don’t know the name of the plant). Vicks VapoRub (or any other generic brand of vapor chest rub) It stopped the itch of the no-see-ums and mosquitoes and the itchy rash from the plant brush burn. Athlete’s foot also responds to nightly and post-shower application.
Needless to say, I now have 3 or 4 jars of the stuff in the house, one in the volunteer’s trailer and I give them each a jar when they leave.
Noreen Daigle, Val Gagne, Ontario, Canada
+++Thanks for the suggestion. Hope some might find this helpful!