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PLUS: HITCH HINTS RV TIPS THE COOKING LADIES NEW PRODUCTS AND MUCH MORE! LOOKING FOR A GREAT VACATION? - YOUR RV ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! LOOKING FOR A GREAT VACATION? - YOUR RV ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! www.rvlifemag.com $9.95 ROAD TESTS: East To West RV Alta 2810KIK ✓ 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement #43638025 Vol. 51 No.6 DISCOVERING MAPLE SYRUP MAGIC! f o r ‘23 SPOTLIGHT ON NEW RVS 51-6 NEW.indd 151-6 NEW.indd 12023-03-31 11:46 AM2023-03-31 11:46 AMThe drinks? Cold. Temperature? Just right. Your pet? On cloud 9. That’s the peace of mind that comes with the new EC-AGS+ Wireless RV Auto Generator Start System. Using your smartphone, the system enables automatic, manual or voice-activated start; climate monitoring; and key maintenance reminders. Plus, your batteries are charged and topped off before quiet hours. Easily install the EC- AGS+, and you’ll never think about your generator again. EC-AGS+ WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEMFollow us on Facebook! @ RVLifestyleMagazine Follow us on Instagram! @rvlifestylemagazine Departments 6 HITCH HINTS By Andy Thomson Understanding the Equalizing Hitch. 12 RV TIPS by Garth Cane Simple tricks to keep your RV running right! 18 THE COOKING LADIES Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay Returning to the Rio Grande Valley for Grapefruit Marshmallow Pie… Road Test 22 EAST TO WEST RV ALTA 2810KIK by Norm Rosen Streamlined and ready to roll! or the whole family! CONTENTS VOL. 51 NO. 6 ON THE COVER Road testing the 2023 East to West RV Alta 2810KIK Travel Trailer. Cover photo by Norm Rosen PLUS: HITCH HINTS RV TIPS THE COOKING LADIES NEW PRODUCTS AND MUCH MORE! LOOKING FOR A GREAT VACATION? - YOUR RV ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! LOOKING FOR A GREAT VACATION? - YOUR RV ADVENTURE STARTS HERE! www.rvlifemag.com$9.95 ROAD TESTS: East To West RV Alta 2810KIK ✓ 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent., Campbellville, ON L0P 1B0 Publications Mail Agreement #43638025 Vol. 51 No.6 DISCOVERING MAPLE SYRUP MAGIC! f o r ‘23 SPOTLIGHT ON NEW RVS 51-6 NEW.indd 151-6 NEW.indd 12023-03-31 11:46 AM2023-03-31 11:46 AM Destinations 28 IT’S MAPLE SYRUP TIME… Travel Editor James Stoness reveals sweet sensations for the RV family. Special Features 34 NEW RVS FOR ’23! Here’s a montage of cool RV models, on sale now at RV dealerships across Canada! 40 RV TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH PETS A special feature by Monica Baer, from our friends at REV RV Group. New Products 42 NEW PRODUCTS FOR YOUR CAMPING ADVENTURES! Available now at RV dealerships and campground stores RV Lifestyle Magazine archives are open for your viewing pleasure – check them out at www.rvlifemag.com Click on MAGAZINES, and use the password RVLFREE2017. Watch our road test videos at our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ rvlifestylemagazine SUBSCRIBERS: e-mail editor@rvlifemag.com for FREE access to the latest digital edition! RV51-6 CONTENTS.indd 3RV51-6 CONTENTS.indd 32023-03-31 11:49 AM2023-03-31 11:49 AM4 RV Lifestyle | Volume 51 Number 6 After a long period of pandemic related problems, the North American leisure lifestyle is getting back to normal, with vacation travel returning to the high priority list for many families. The RV industry, after a three-year burst of new buyers, is settling into a steady pro- duction schedule that will see more than 400,000 new trailers, motorhomes, and camp- ers rolling off the production lines. While this is down from the peak in 2021, when families across North America scrambled to embrace the RV as the only safe mode of travel, the 2023 sales forecast is approaching the normal level in the midst of economic, health, and political uncertainty. Will this be a good year to buy an RV? In a word, ABSOLUTELY! While supply chain issues stymied many manufacturers, RV dealers across North America waited for their shipments of 2022 models. Things started to normalize in the Fall of ’22, and shipments rolled onto the RV dealer’s lots… but many dealers found their inventory was filled quite late in the season with multiple units of the same design and décor – the result – there is now a larger than usual number of new, but non-current RVs on dealer lots across North America. What does this mean for the RV consumer? It’s an unusual opportunity to pick up a perfectly good brand new 2022 model, at pricing that should be a good saving com- pared to a 2023 model with similar specs. So shopping for a new RV in the first quarter of 2023 could mean that you are look- ing at a 2022 model, at significant savings. The warranty coverage would be the same, the components will be the same, even the graphics and decor could be the same, but when you decide to trade in the unit, it will be listed as a 2022, rather than a 2023, so you have to take this into consideration when you strike a deal with your RV dealer. When will model years get back to a “normal” schedule? Probably by the start of the 2024 model year… in any case, why not take advantage of this once in a blue moon opportunity to help your local RV dealer move one of the 2022 units! If you decide to wait for the 2023 models to fill the dealer lots, stay tuned for our annual RV Buyer’s Guide issue, coming soon to subscriber’s mailboxes, and news- stands across Canada. Check out the latest developments in the RV experience at our website, www.rvlifemag.com and follow us on Facebook at rvlifestylemagazine IT’S RV SEASON! Publisher’s MESSAGE William E. Taylor, Publisher TMTM TM TM volume 51 number 6 Publisher: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR bill@rvlifemag.com Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS melanie@rvlifemag.com Editorial Director: NORM ROSEN nrosen@rvlifemag.com Technical Editors: GARTH CANE gcane@taylorpublishinggroup.com Art/Production Manager: GISELLE BANSAL Design: TAMARA TAYLOR Contributing Writers: PHYLLIS HINZ JAMES STONESS ANDY THOMSON Advertising Sales: info@rvlifemag.com 1-800-354-9145 EXECUTIVE OFFICES: TORONTO: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 Tel: 905-844-8218 Fax: 905-844-5032 MONTREAL: Tel: 514-856-0788 Fax: 514-856-0790 VANCOUVER: Bob and Carole Taylor, 1745 Rufus Drive North Vancouver, BC V7J 3L8 ADMINISTRATION: President/CEO: WILLIAM E. TAYLOR Group Publisher: MELANIE TAYLOR-WALLIS VP/Special Projects: NORM ROSEN Advertising Sales: TODD TAYLOR, Accounting: NANCY MUELLER Camping Canada’s RV Lifestyle Magazine is published seven times a year by Camping Canada Magazine Ltd. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Subscription rates: Canada 1 year (7 issues) $35+tax: 2 years (14 issues) $50+tax. U.S. subscriptions:1 year (7 issues) $50 US. Single copies are $9.95 for regular issues, and $14.95 for the annual RV Buyer’s Guide and the annual Campground Directory issues. Subscription inquiries 1-800-354-9145 Advertising rates available on request. Editorial contributions must be accompanied by return post- age and will be handled with reasonable care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of safety of artwork, pho- tographs, or manuscripts. Camping Canada Magazine reserves the right to refuse any and all advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements of facts made by its advertisers or inde- pendent columnists. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #43638025 Undeliverables to: 268 - 44 Crawford Crescent, Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0 MONTREAL, QUEBEC © 2023 CAMPING CANADA MAGAZINE PRINTED IN CANADA RV51-6 CONTENTS.indd 4RV51-6 CONTENTS.indd 42023-03-29 2:41 PM2023-03-29 2:41 PM• MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 4X4 • 400-WATT SOLAR PANEL PACKAGE • 4 X 100AH ECO-ION LITHIUM (LIFEPO4) BATTERIES • DUAL 10-INCH TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL PANELS • XANTREX™ 2000-WATT PURE-SINE WAVE INVERTER • TRUMA VARIOHEAT 11,500 BTU FURNACE • TRUMA AQUAGO® COMFORT PLUS WATER HEATER • 2.1 CU. FT. TRUMA PORTABLE FRIDGE/FREEZER • 124 CU. FT. GARAGE STORAGE AREA • MURPHY BED SYSTEM 70” X 72” • 40 GAL. HEATED FRESH WATER TANK • FOUR SEASON COACH • PRIVATE WET BATH / GEAR LOCKER KEY FEATURES Tour the REKON 4x4 today at www.pleasureway.com/goliveRV Lifestyle | Volume 51 Number 6 www.rvlifemag.com HITCH HINTS by Andy Thomson 6 A properly connected equal- izing hitch is a simple but amazingly effective piece of equipment. It transfers about 50% of the trailer’s hitch weight to the front wheels of the tow vehicle. The effect of transferring this weight creates an improvement in stability, ride comfort and safety that are hard to over emphasize. Every full size trailer should be connected with one but even some smaller trailers like hardtops tow much better with an equalizing hitch. Hitches have a terminology all their own here are some of the key components. 1. The “receiver or platform” is the only portion that is permanently attached to the tow vehicle. It has to be strong enough to transmit the torque created by the equal- izing hitch. Andy Thomson has been writing for RV Lifestyle Magazine for more than 25 years. He also owns and operates Can-Am RV Centre located in London, ON. continued on page 8 UNDERSTANDING THE EQUALIZING HITCH… A properly adjusted equalizing hitch makes towing a breeze! 1 Hitch Hints 51-6.indd 6Hitch Hints 51-6.indd 62023-03-29 2:43 PM2023-03-29 2:43 PMProtect Your Home Away From Home At Wayfarer Insurance Group, we understand that your RV is your passion and it’s worth protecting. We offer customized coverage at a competitive price. Get a quote today! 1 (844) 929-4768 wayfarerinsurancegroup.com/rvlifemag @wayfarerinsurancegroup SCAN ME RVLifeMag_Wayfarer_FullPg_Ad_Bleed.indd 1RVLifeMag_Wayfarer_FullPg_Ad_Bleed.indd 12022-06-10 1:49:29 PM2022-06-10 1:49:29 PM Wayfarer HR.indd 1Wayfarer HR.indd 12023-03-27 1:05 PM2023-03-27 1:05 PMHITCH HINTS by Andy Thomson 8 continued from page 6 RV Lifestyle | Volume 51 Number 6 www.rvlifemag.com 2. Next you need a section of 2” solid steel to slide into the receiver this portion can be a simple section of straight 2xs steel bar for welded hitches or an “L” Shaped assembly with a series of holes for bolt together hitches. This portion is called the “Shank”. 3. Attached to the shank is the “Ball Mount” This can be welded or bolted to the shank depending on the design. This is where most hitch installa- tions go wrong the height and angle of the ball mount are critical to maximize handling stability. 4. The “Torsion or Spring Bars” are the portions of the hitch that do the work of distribut- ing the weight forward. They need to be firm enough to transfer the weight yet still have enough movement to allow the combination to drive through dips up ramps etc. Here you can see the torsion bars have some arc while still trans- mitting weight properly to the front wheels. Other important elements that make this set up work very well are that the ball is close to the back of the car, there is good rear- ward angle on the ball mount and the height is set properly so that the trailer sits level when the car is level. Also shown in this picture is a “Friction Sway Control”. This is not nearly as important as the weight distribution portion of the hitch and it is not a substitute for weight distribution. Still they are not expensive and well worth having on most combinations. Generally you add 2 if the trailer is over 25’ long. Inside the control are brake linings that squeeze on the bar as the combination turns. Just for some contrast here is a hitch that is not set up properly. 2 3 4 continued on page 10 Hitch Hints 51-6.indd 8Hitch Hints 51-6.indd 82023-03-30 12:54 PM2023-03-30 12:54 PMNext >