May 24th, 2013 -
PleasureLand is the place to begin your travel planning with a look at what’s available to make your vacation getaway comfortable and convenient. With one of the best RV dealers in Minnesota on your side, you’ll drive away with the perfect ride for all of your adventures.
Benefits of RV traveling are having everything you need along for the ride including your favorite goodies for meals. With quick and simple recipes, creating tasty meals is a piece of cake.
Breakfast
Prepare a variety of fruit such as cantaloupe, honeydew and pineapple and place in containers. Also include blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Bring bananas, a bag of sliced almonds, raisins, granola cereal and a large container of vanilla yogurt.
- Place the fruit containers and additional garnishes on the table
- Fill dishes with vanilla yogurt
- Add fresh fruit
- Garnish with almonds, raisins and granola
- Note: all of these items are great for snacking throughout the day
Lunch
Tacos equal an easy meal. Ingredients needed include a package of hamburger pre-cooked and frozen for the trip, taco seasoning, taco shells, assorted vegetables, shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream.
- Thaw the hamburger. Add taco seasoning and mix thoroughly
- Let simmer for 10 minutes on low heat then place meat in a serving bowl
- While meat is simmering, shred lettuce, cube or dice 1 or 2 tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1 green pepper and several banana peppersand place in individual dishes
- Arrange taco shells along with prepared veggies, sliced black olives, mild to hot salsa, cheese and sour cream on a table so everyone can dress up their tacos
- Note: Use leftover vegetables in a tossed salad
Save time by preparing and freezing items prior to starting your vacation such as chili, spaghetti sauce, gravy and grilled chicken and steak strips for salads. Also include versatile canned items like chili for hot dogs, beans for dip and whole mushrooms for shish kabobs.
Dinner
You’ll never go wrong with a traditional hot dog roast over a campfire. Keep it simple.
- Thaw the hot dogs
- Cook hot dogs over an open fire or use the grill. Whichever is more convenient
- For garnishes, melt cheese, open a can of chili or use a package of your pre-made chili in the freezer and grill leftover onions from the taco lunch
- Include traditional mustard, ketchup and relish
For dessert, help the kids create smores.
- Place a piece of chocolate on a graham cracker or oatmeal cookie
- Place one large marshmallow on a stick
- Hold the stick over the campfire to brown the marshmallow.
- Place hot marshmallow on top of the chocolate and top with another cracker or cookie
With travel plans in place, stop by PleasureLand for a last minute check up or accessories.
May 17th, 2013 -
It is being called the “can’t miss coach value coach of 2013”. It is the Winnebago Vista available at PleasureLand RV Center. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the Winnebago Vista and what makes this Class A motorhome such a value.
The Vista made the cover of MotorHome Magazine this past March. It has the three main features that are sure to get the attention of anyone looking for the best RV motorhomes that Minneapolis, Minnesota has to offer…quality, comfort, and a great price.
The Vista starts with a choice of floor plans that are family-friendly. The new 26HE leans toward the sporty side with Solo blackout shades. The 27N features a new triple slide-out. The spacious 35B and 35F have master baths and guest half baths, and the 35B includes bunk beds. The new 31KE has a u-shaped dinette, mid-coach TV and walk-around queen sized bed.
What really makes the 2013 Winnebago Vista such a great value is the amount and type of amenities that are offered as standard. These include:
- Electric patio awnings
- MCD roller shades
- Large LCD TV
- Reclining Ultraleather cab seats that swivel
- Hydraulic automatic leveling jacks
- Cummins Onan generator
- Rearview monitors
- Studio Loft drop-down beds (in most models)
The Vista includes lots of little touches you will really appreciate on the road. These include single paddle latches that offer one handed operation for cargo areas and a handy wash station with hot and cold water, in the service center, to help rinse off sandy shoes or even pets.
On the inside the Vista has a crowned, fiberglass roof guaranteed for 10 years. Thermo-panel sidewalls help provide insulation and sound-proofing. E-coating helps protect steel pipes and laser-cut tubing provides precision joins. The Vista’s superstructure is constructed like no other, and it is built to last.
It also comes with an extremely attractive price.
If you are looking for an RV dealership to trust and that can give you a personalized tour of the Vista, contact PleasureLand RV Center. With locations in Brainerd, St. Cloud, Ramsey, and Willmar, Minnesota we offer a wide selection of RVs. We are family owned and enjoy sharing our love of the RV lifestyle with our customers. For new RVs, used RVs and even RV rentals, come to Pleasureland RV Center.
May 8th, 2013 -
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and there are all kinds of ways to make your mother feel special, and let her know you love her. A phone call or a card and some flowers is a simple way, but why not try something else like a trip in your RV together, or stopping by for your visit. Mom did everything for you when you were growing up, and means the world to you now, so why not plan a vacation for her that would show her just how much you love her.
If your mom lives close by, you might want to try taking a trip together for the day. There are plenty of lakes, rivers, and parks available now that Minnesota is starting to warm up and the two of you could visit them together. And who knows, with all the amenities that your RV has, you might even want to make a week or a weekend of it. It’s probably been a while since your mom had a vacation, and she deserves a few days away from all the hustle and bustle of home.
You can visit any of the hundreds of RV parks, National Parks or State Parks that Minnesota and the neighboring states have to offer. Or, why not take a trip into Canada, which is only a hop, skip and jump away, and add a little international flavor to your trip.
Or why not bring the party to her. Surprise mom with a visit. The best part about traveling in your RV is that she won’t have to worry about putting you up for the night. Whether it’s a few hours drive, or it takes you a few days, you know that you and your family will be comfortable in your RV from PleasureLand RV Center. With a full kitchen, bathroom, and beds, your trip will be comfortable and smooth sailing. There’s always plenty of room for everyone in the family.
No matter whether you decided to visit your mother or take her on a vacation she’ll never forget, the most important thing is time to create a memorable and fun Mother’s Day with the whole family. At Pleasureland RV Center we would be proud to help you find the right, used or new RV. We also offer RV rentals to anyone who wants to take a trip in an RV.
May 6th, 2013 -
Having kids doesn’t mean that you have to give up the RV lifestyle, and being an RVer doesn’t mean that you can’t adopt that dog that you’ve been longing for. There are some considerations to keep in mind when you have kids and dogs on the road, but by and large, pets and children can love the open road as deeply as you do.
Caring for Children on the Road
Children do tend to thrive on stability, having the same friends for more than a few days at a time, so you don’t find a lot of full-time RVers on the road, but it’s hard to find a child who doesn’t enjoy heading to a new campground every month, spending every summer exploring lakes, rivers and roadside attractions.
Scheduling a few big trips a year with a few weekends out here and there is generally going to be your best bet at providing both stability and adventure in your child’s life. Summer, Winter and Spring break are all a great opportunity to spend a week in the mountains or traversing Old Route 66.
Caring for Pets on the Road
It might not be a bad idea to look for a smaller pet. Even if you have a large RV, it’s tough on a big dog to always be cooped up inside of the vehicle. As much as they’ll love exploring hiking trails with you, the time spent in between stops can be very stressful for a larger animal.
If your pet has special dietary concerns, then make sure to stock up before you take off for a trip. Don’t assume that every small town in the country has what you need to feed your four legged friend.
The open road calls to us all at some point or other, whether you’re an adult, a child, a dog or a cat. The freedom and thrill of waking up in a new town every morning, of exploring your home country has universal appeal. As long as your pet or child has all of their needs taken care of, then there’s no reason not to take them out on the road with you.
March 30th, 2012 -
The other day, we talked about ways we can save on one of our large RV expenses – propane. One of the ways we can do this is by using alternative cooking methods like an electric skillet or crock pot. If you’ve become accustomed to using your stove and oven to prepare your meals, then using alternative methods may seem a little difficult to you. But it doesn’t have to be!
When most people think of crock pots, they immediately think of stew or chip dips and nothing else. What most people don’t know, is that you can use a crock pot for almost any type of meal whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner! On top of saving on your propane consumption, you’ll also be enjoying a delicious meal that was super easy to prepare. Most of the time, you can just throw your ingredients in the pot in the morning and by dinner time, you’re all set. That’s all there is to it! In case you don’t believe me, I’m going to share one of my favorite crock pot recipes of all time – chicken casserole. I bet you would have never thought a crock pot was capable of this one! If you don’t already have a crock pot, you can purchase a
12V 1.5 qt. crock pot
at the Pleasureland RV online parts store.
What You’ll Need:
4 lg. chicken breasts
1 sm. can cream of chicken soup
1 sm. can cream of celery soup
1 sm. can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. diced celery
1 c. Minute Rice ( if you want you can try different flavors)
How to Cook:
Mix in crockpot the soups and rice. Place chicken on top of mixture, then sprinkle diced celery over chicken. Then let it sit on low for four hours and you’re ready to serve four people! For a little more flavor, add some salt and pepper and other seasoning of your choice.
This is one of thousands of recipes you can make in a crock pot. Who knows, this could even become your new hobby while on the road in your
Minnesota RV
. Are you already using a crock pot to prepare delicious meals on the road? Share some of your favorite recipes with
Pleasureland RV!
November 18th, 2011 -
The winter months are starting to arrive bringing those unexpected snow storms that can put a damper on your RV travels. On average, Southwest Minnesota gets about 35 inches of snow a year and Northeast Minnesota usually sees around 70 inches. While many
Minnesota RVers
decide to winterize their motorhomes during the cold season, others enjoy utlilizing their RV for the duration of the winter season. Most full-timers out there would say that driving a motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer during the winter is highly difficult due to the snow and ice on most Minnesota roadways.
If this is going to be your first Minnesota winter in your RV, it’s good to know how to handle your RV in snowy and icy conditions. Follow these tips below and you’ll be able to weather the storm with no problem.
Use your low beams and windshield wipers. Snow contributes to low visibility and reduced traction, so be sure to use your low beams and take it slow.
Accelerate, brake and steer smoothly to avoid skidding. Although a skid is almost inevitable in icy conditions, keeping focused and taking it slow and steady can help you keep the skids to a minimum.
Don’t forget that RVs are rear wheel drive. Most passenger cars are front wheel drive and for the past two or three decades, most of you have been trained on how to regain control in a skid. When you’re in an RV though, remember that you steer with the slide and pump the brakes lightly in order to regain control.
Turn off your exhaust brake in icy conditions. If you are driving a diesel RV, shut off your exhaust brake; otherwise, if you let off the accelerator, the back-end of your coach could “fishtail” and land you in the ditch (rvtoads.com).
Keep a full tank of gas. This is very important in snowy conditions. If you come across an area you can’t pass or you would rather throw in the towel all together, you’ll definitely want to have enough fuel to park it for the night and wait for the weather conditions to improve.
Always have a set of snow chains handy. There is nothing worse than driving your RV to higher elevation, and experiencing an unexpected storm without chains for your motorhome.
See? It doesn’t sound too terrible, does it? If you follow these snow safety tips, I’m sure you can weather those Minnesota winter roads. If you need some reassurance or just want to talk to an expert before you head out, come by
Pleasureland RV and chat with the RV experts. We’re always happy to help.
October 27th, 2011 -
Insuring your
new or used RV is a no brainer. For a lot of us, our RV serves as our home and our car, so it’s important to protect ourselves from accidents, fires and theft. Before selecting an insurance provider, you should to do a lot of research. Since there are so many companies out there, I thought I’d start you off with some basic information about the most popular RV insurance companies.
RV America Insurance. This company ensures you receive coverage specialized to your needs at the lowest price by working with six different RV insurance companies. They also offer coverage on flood, theft, fire, full-timer, total loss and 24/7 roadside assistance.
Gilbert RV Insurance. Gilbert offers several options and has excellent replacement cost, purchase price and full-time RV coverage. In the unfortunate event that your RV is totaled, Gilbert’s replacement cost coverage will guarantee you receive the same model, body and size RV. Their purchase price coverage gives you the option of being paid in the exact amount of your RVs price when purchased. If you’re a full-timer, you’ll love Gilbert’s high liability limits with total coverage.
Good Sam VIP RV Insurance. The Good Sam club is a huge organization that is very well-known in the RV world. On average, their insurance saves each customer $312 per year, and they offer many features including full RV replacement, full timer coverage, permanently attached items coverage, and personal effects coverage.
Recently, the Good Sam Club released the Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) Mobile app making it even easier for its members to request service. The app is GPS enabled, allowing Good Sam to pinpoint your exact location as soon as you place a call for help (which minimizes call time.) You can also pre-register your membership vehicle to cut down call time, too. Once you place a call for service, you’ll see the name of the provider dispatched to assist you and their estimated time of arrival.
There are also other auto insurance companies out there, like Progressive and State Farm, who offer RV insurance. As I said before, the best thing to do is call around and get several quotes before making decision. Hopefully I gave you a good head start. If you’re looking for a new motorhome, travel trailer or fifth wheel in Minnesota to insure, come see us. We’ll find the perfect fit for you and your family.
October 26th, 2011 -
Photo Courtesy of RVBasics
Do any of you
Minnesota RVers
remember when you’d have to use a dial-up connection at a campground, an Internet café or a public place like a library to connect to the Internet? My how times have changed. Thanks to technology, we no longer have to find a place to get online where we’d have to wait our turn and then be limited in the amount of time we had to use the Internet.
Today we have a number of options when it comes to staying connected on the road. We can send emails, surf the web and more while we’re traveling down the road or even boondocking. The three most common and easiest choices are to simply use a smart phone itself, tether through a smart phone or purchase an air card. The option that is right for you, all depends on how much you use the Internet.
Option 1: A Data-Capable Smart Phone. This is for those of you out there who only use the Internet to send and receive emails, get directions and occasionally surf the Internet. Your phone basically serves as your computer screen. Just remember, that data packages can get pricey if you go over your designated amount of usage.
Option 2: Tethering with a Data-Capable Smart Phone. The second option also requires a smart phone. If you moderately use the Internet, this may be a better solution for you. This is also good for those of you prefer using computers or laptops on the road. In order to do this, you’ll need to purchase a tethering plan from your wireless provider. Then you can plug your smart phone into your computer and using the Internet connection from your phone, you’ll have the full functionality of a computer.
Option 3: An Air Card. If you’re an avid user of the Internet or you work from the road, then this option is probably the best one out there. Air cards allow you to surf the web more frequently and generally have much higher-speed connections. There are many wireless carriers out there like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon who offer air cards. This is by far my favorite option, but again, you have to choose the best option for you.
So
motorhome owners, which option is right for your RV? Make sure you do some shopping around before you decide. If you choose to go with an air card, check with several different carriers. Often times, they will be offering specials that you can take advantage of.
October 20th, 2011 -
The black bear: a symbol of Minnesota’s wilderness. As a Minnesota RVer who enjoys camping in the great outdoors, it is important to be mindful of what type of wildlife, and in this case bears, you may encounter. Bears are most common in the northern parts of Minnesota, although they have been known to wander into more urban areas.
Conflicts between people and bears have increased as more people build homes and cabins in northern Minnesota. These types of conflicts between bear and human can arise when bears damage personal property, beehives, livestock and even agricultural crops.
The black bears natural source for food are nuts, fish, berries, insects and certain types of vegetation. However, when their natural food sources become scarce, a bear will take advantage of any food they find available and eat anything that might resemble food by its look, smell or even taste. It is when a bear’s desperate search food occurs that they will often come in contact with people.
Reducing Bear Encounters
- Move campsites if there are any signs that a bear has been there recently.
- Never leave food in your tent or outside your RV.
- Use canned or dried foods to minimize the scent of food.
- Store foods out of a bear’s reach, either in a bear safety storage box or by hanging it at least 15 feet off the ground from a
tree limb.
- Burn any used napkins or paper towels in your campfire.
- Remove all garbage and any fish or other meat remains from your campsite immediately after use.
People share in the responsibility to avoid conflicts with bears. Learning effective measures to prevent bear problems will help both bears and people. The best way to avoid bear conflicts is to not attract them in the first place. If you would like more information about bear safety, we’d be happy to help!
October 7th, 2011 -
When you think about making breakfast in your RV that is both simple and quick and doesn’t require a whole lot of cleanup, generally only a few things come to mind. You have things like cereal, toast, maybe a breakfast bar… but having something a little more complicated (like an omelet) usually doesn’t sound too appealing given the space to work with in an RV. Get ready though, because those mornings of omelet free breakfasts on the campgrounds are over! No need to dirty up your skillet or try and master that folding technique for the perfect omelet shape. Now you can have the perfect omelet that comes right out of the bag. Not just any bag of course, but straight from your trusty Ziploc bag. (Yields one omelet.)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 slices of ham, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon green or red bell pepper, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons red tomato, chopped (optional)
- 2 fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chunky salsa (optional)
Directions
- Crack open two eggs and put them into a sandwich size Ziploc baggy. Press most of the air out of the bag before sealing. Shake or squeeze the bag in order to beat the eggs.
- Open the bag and add the desired ingredients above.
- Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag and reseal.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the bag into the water and let boil for 13 minutes.
- Open the bag and let the now cooked omelet slide out onto a plate. (Your omelet should slide or roll out of the baggy with ease.)
Know of any other simple breakfast ideas to make in your RV? Share the wealth!
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About Me
Hi, my name is Dan Pearson and I am the Owner of PleasureLand RV Centers based out of St. Cloud, MN. We have three other Minnesota locations to serve all of you RV needs. I look forward to providing you with all your RV information from buying an RV to tips and maintenance. If you would like to contact me, be sure to leave a comment.
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