Upgraded TST TPMS display

One of the first accessories I purchased for our coach was a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Recently an RV technology site called TechnoRV announced an upgraded display unit, that is compatible with the older system. The new one has a larger display, and uses a touchscreen instead of buttons next to the display.

Here’s the old unit:

Old unit

And the new unit:

New unit

I also got a weighted base, that attaches magnetically to the unit:

Base and unit

The unit on the base:

Unit on base

The new unit’s menu:

New unit

The old and new units next to each over; you can see how much larger and more clear the new unit is:

Old and new units

2022 stickers

On the passenger-side slide-out, we have a large sticker with the Sinclair Trails logo, a map of the US showing the states we’re visited, and stickers with the SinclairTrails.com domain name and @SinclairTrails social handle:

States

The states sticker consists of separate stickers for each state, applied to a base sticker. Our rule is that we have to spend a night in a state for it to count (and only since purchasing our coach). Once we have spent a night in a new state, we add its sticker. So far, we’ve visited 12 of the 50 states:

States

Visiting Alaska is going to be a major project. And of course we can’t take our motorhome to Hawaii, but we’ll count that just by the next time we visit (and may or may not rent a camper of some sort, depending on how strict we want to be).

On the driver-side slide-out of the coach, we have stickers for each of the National Parks we have visited, that being another of the goals in our travels. So far, we have visited 27 of the 63 parks:

National Park stickers

Of course, we’ve also visited numerous National Monuments, National Historic Sites, and other classifications. With 423 parks of various types in the National Park System, not to mention parks administered by states, forest services, etc, we had to cap the memorializing of them somewhere! National Parks are the goal; others are gravy.

However, inside our coach we have a framed board with a wooden map of the US, around which we add stickers (and other objects) for any kind of attraction we visit:

States and stickers board

The wooden map has pins for states we’ve visited (in their capitols); the pins feature the state flags:

Map

Some of the stickers above and below the map:

Stickers

Stickers

2022 special posts

While most of the posts on this blog are about travel, campgrounds, attractions, and modifications, I sometimes post about other topics. This is a summary of those posts from 2022.

As with previous summaries, for each I include a link to the corresponding blog post, and a sample picture; see the post for details.

Making a multi-year route map:

Route map in Acorn

Introducing the Tiffin Allegro Bus 2016-2018 Owners group on Facebook:

2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP

Sinclair Trails logo:

Sinclair Trails logo

Sinclair Trails merch!

Sinclair Trails mug

Washingtonians:

Washington coach license plate

Anniversary of buying our motorhome:

2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP

RV floorplan and square footage:

2017 40SP floorplan with sizing

RV trip planning:

RV Life Trip Wizard

2022 modifications

We have done a number of modifications to our 2017 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40SP motorhome, to make it more comfortable as a full-time home, to improve the features, or to repair issues. This is a summary of some of the changes done in 2022; also check out the changes from 2021.

As with previous summaries, for each I include a link to the corresponding blog post, and a sample picture; see the post for details.

You can see all of the modification-related blog posts via the modifications category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top.

Security cameras:

Eufy camera

Telescoping ladder:

Ladder

Spyder control panel and shades issue:

Wiring

States map:

David adding states

Jack pads:

Jack pads

Bolts to secure our outdoor rug:

Drill driver, bolts, washers

An extra step:

Extra step

Truck windshield rock chip repair:

Adding resin

Wine rack and liquor holder:

Liquor holder and wine rack

Steering wheel table:

Steering wheel table with plants

Cummins for check engine and malfunction lights:

Errors

Magne Shades:

Magne Shade

National park stickers:

National park stickers

Foldable wagon:

In use

Dash cover:

Dash cover

3-stage water filter:

Clearsource water filters

Safe T Plus and Koni shocks:

Koni shock and Safe T Plus

Chair armrest adjustment:

Passenger chair

Cellular internet:

MiFi

Internet cupboard:

Internet cupboard

Emergency labels:

In case of emergency labels

Ceiling AC filters:

Filters

Water quick connectors and gauges:

Tap, splitter, gauge

Coach Proxy:

Coach Proxy hardware

Starlink internet:

Starlink dish

Window latch repair:

Replacement latches

Ceiling fan motor replacement:

Dismounted motor

Replacing 3-stage water filters:

Water filters

Lectric XP 2.0 ebikes:

Bikes

Propane fire pit:

Propane fire pit

CLAM screen tent:

With our chairs

IKEA storage cabinets:

Drawers and cupboards

Reflectix insulation in cupboards:

Reflectix

Heavy-duty security chain and lock for bikes:

Bike lock

Sinclair Trails stickers:

Stickers

Half-bath door hinges:

New hinges

Hammock:

Assembled hammock

Map and sticker art:

Picture

Theater seating and cabinets:

Theater seating

Mirror glass replacement:

Removing broken glass

Firefly Vegatouch Mira:

Vegatouch device

Unclogging macerating toilet:

Toilet in shower

Automatic paper towel dispenser:

Dispensing

Water softener:

Water softener

BlueFire diagnostic adapter:

BlueFire data adapter

Power Watchdog dimmer shade:

Power Watchdog at night

RV fire safety:

Open emergency exit

Wash Wax All waterless cleaner:

Wash Wax All kit

VIAIR tire inflation compressor:

VIAIR tire inflator

2022 campgrounds

Another interesting summary of 2022 — the places we stayed during the year. A much longer post than 2021, which you might also want to revisit.

For each location, I’ll include a link to the corresponding blog post, so you can click through to see a lot more information, and a picture of our site. Enjoy!

You can also see all of the campground-related blog posts via the campsite category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top.

Black Rock RV Village in Salome, Arizona:

Campsite

Xscapers Bash at Lake Havasu Rodeo grounds in Arizona:

Our coach

Leaf Verde RV Resort in Buckeye, Arizona:

Campsite

Catalina Spa and RV Resort in Desert Hot Springs, California:

Our campsite

Orangeland RV Park in Orange, California:

Our site

Ocean Mesa RV Resort near Santa Barbara, California:

Our site

Lakeview campground in the Rancho Jurupa Regional Park in California:

Site

Thousand Trails Palm Springs RV Resort in Palm Desert, California:

Our site

Buckeye Desert Backyard in Buckeye, Arizona:

Coach at Buckeye Desert Backyard

Picacho/Tucson NW KOA Journey in Picacho, Arizona:

Our site

FMCA “Sunsets + Saguaros” annual convention in Tucson, Arizona; pre-convention site:

RV

FMCA site:

Our site

Thousand Trails Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort in Cottonwood, Arizona:

Our site

Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams, Arizona:

Our site

Lake Mead RV Village in Boulder City, Nevada:

Site

Young’s RV Park in Caliente, Nevada:

Our site

The Riverside Ranch in Hatch, Utah:

Our site

Thousand Lakes RV Park in Torrey, Utah:

Our site

Green River KOA Journey in Green River, Utah:

Our site

Monument Valley KOA Journey in Monument Valley, Utah:

Our site

Ancient Cedars Mesa Verde RV Park in Mancos, Colorado:

Our site

Montrose / Black Canyon NP KOA Journey in Montrose, Colorado:

Our site

Vernal / Dinosaurland KOA Holiday in Vernal, Utah:

Our site

Tiffin rally at the Sweetwater Events Center in Rock Springs, Wyoming:

Our site

Mountain Valley RV Resort in Heber City, Utah:

Our site

Village of Trees RV Resort in Declo, Idaho:

Our site

Ambassador RV Resort in Caldwell, Idaho:

Our site

Fish House Inn & RV Park in Dayville, Oregon:

Our site

Thousand Trails Bend-Sunriver RV Campground in Bend, Oregon:

Our site

Gill’s Landing RV Park in Lebanon, Oregon:

Our site

LL Stub Stewart State Park in Buxton, Oregon:

Our site

Mt Hood RV & Camping Resort in Welches, Oregon:

Our site

Alder Lake Park Rocky Point Campground in Eatonville, Washington:

Our site

Mom’s house near Shelton, Washington:

Coach and truck at Mom's place

Concrete / Grandy Creek KOA Holiday in Concrete, Washington:

Our site

Brookhollow RV Park in Kelso, Washington:

Our site

Plymouth Park Campground in Plymouth, Washington:

Our site

Gilmore West Campground in Farragut State Park in Athol, Idaho:

Our site

McGregor Lakes RV in Marion, Montana:

Our site

Moose Creek RV Resort and B&B in West Glacier, Montana:

Our site

Jim & Mary’s RV Park in Missoula, Montana:

Our site

Osens RV Park in Livingston, Montana:

Our site

Buffalo KOA Journey in Buffalo, Wyoming:

Our site

El Rancho Village RV Park & Cabins in Wheatland, Wyoming:

Our site

St Vrain State Park in Longmont, Colorado:

Our site

Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado:

Our site

Alamosa KOA Journey in Alamosa, Colorado:

Our site

Taos Valley RV Park in Taos, New Mexico:

Our site

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta:

Balloons

Palomino Campground in Caballo Lake State Park in Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico:

Our site

Las Cruces KOA Journey in Las Cruces, New Mexico:

Our site

Slow Play RV Park in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico:

Our site

Carlsbad KOA Holiday in Carlsbad, New Mexico:

Our site

Loma Paloma RV Park in Presidio, Texas:

Our site

Marathon Motel & RV Park in Marathon, Texas:

Our site with our truck in front

Pecan Valley RV Park in Junction, Texas:

Our site, with chickens

Hidden Valley RV Park in San Antonio, Texas:

Our site

Corpus Christi KOA Journey in Corpus Christi, Texas:

Our site

2022 travel days

I thought it’d be interesting and useful to include a summary of travel days. Here are links to blog posts, and a sample picture of the view of each, so you can see how the landscape changed as we travelled in our coach.

You can see all of the travel-related blog posts via the travel category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top.

Travel to Lake Havasu City, Arizona:

Highway

To Buckeye, Arizona:

Mountains

To Desert Hot Springs, California:

Inspection station

To Orange, California:

Freeway

To Santa Barbara, California:

Hollywood sign

To Jurupa Valley, California:

Coast

To Palm Desert, California:

Freeway

To Buckeye, Arizona:

Welcome to Arizona

To Picacho, Arizona:

Picacho Peak

To Tucson, Arizona:

Tucson

To Cottonwood, Arizona:

Cacti

To Williams, Arizona:

Williams arch

To Lake Mead, Boulder City, Nevada:

Entering Nevada

To Caliente, Nevada:

Rocks and curves

To Hatch, Utah:

Entering Utah

To Torrey, Utah:

Road and mountains

To Green River, Utah:

Capitol Reef National Park

To Monument Valley, Utah:

Rocks

To Mancos, Colorado:

Rocks

To Montrose, Colorado:

River

To Vernal, Utah:

Steep grade, sharp curves

To Rock Springs, Wyoming:

Highway

To Heber City, Utah:

Heber City exit

To Declo, Idaho:

Welcome to Idaho

To Caldwell, Idaho:

Snake River

To Dayville, Oregon:

Welcome to Oregon

To Bend, Oregon:

Hills

To Lebanon, Oregon:

Rough road

To Buxton, Oregon:

Our coach

To Welches, Oregon:

Portland

To Eatonville, Washington:

Highway 12

To Shelton, Washington:

Shelton sign

To Concrete, Washington:

Seattle

To Kelso, Washington:

Seattle Space Needle

To Plymouth, Washington:

Gorge

To Athol, Idaho:

US-395

To Marion, Montana:

Kootenai River

To West Glacier, Montana:

Coach parked at Woody's

To Missoula, Montana:

MT-35

To Livingston, Montana:

Smoky trees

To Buffalo, Wyoming:

Wyoming

To Wheatland, Wyoming:

Interesting rocks

To Longmont, Colorado:

Removing tire

To Colorado Springs, Colorado:

Heading towards state park

To Alamosa, Colorado:

Scenic mountains

To Taos, New Mexico:

Taos

To Albuquerque, New Mexico:

Rio Grande gorge

To Truth or Consequences, New Mexico:

Mountains

To Las Cruces, New Mexico:

Las Cruces and mountains

To Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico:

Mountains

To Carlsbad, New Mexico:

Pond

To Presidio, Texas:

Entering Texas

To Marathon, Texas:

US-67

To Junction, Texas:

Cutaway

To San Antonio, Texas:

Freeway overpasses

To Corpus Christi, Texas:

Back to our coach

VIAIR tire inflation compressor

Another essential gadget I’ve had for quite some time is the VIAIR 450P air compressor, to inflate the tires on our coach.

I already had a tire inflator that plugged into a 110V outlet, which I’ve previously used for truck tires and other tires. But it can’t quite handle the maximum 130 PSI of the coach tires, plus is very noisy. (I inflate the front tires to 120 PSI.)

The VIAIR unit is much quieter, and automatically shuts off when not actively inflating.

Unlike the old one, this one connects to a 12V source like a car battery. I hook it up to the truck’s battery; the truck needs to be running while in use, to avoid draining the battery.

I keep it in the back of our truck, so we’ll be able to use it while driving the truck around if needed.

It comes in a handy bag, and includes two long coiled hoses, so I can leave the compressor by the truck, and reach all of the coach tires:

VIAIR tire inflator

VIAIR tire inflator

Here it is in use; it’s easy to inflate by pulling the trigger, and release to read the gauge to check the static pressure:

VIAIR tire inflator

An essential tool.

Video

Video: 2021 motorhome travel timelapses

I’ll soon be publishing a video showing all of our motorhome driving timelapses in 2022, so I thought I’d first publish one for 2021, to be complete. Or as complete as possible; I didn’t get a dashcam until about a month after we got the coach.

This video is 20x the speed of the original timelapse videos.