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Solving Problems by Diversion

Most people have experienced problems "just solving themselves" when they took their minds off the issue for awhile. This is probably due to surrendering some unreasonable demand, or abandoning an invalid assumption in the way that they posed the problem.

While getting the rig ready for the road again, I got interested in food refrigeration. When my standard Dometic refrigerator gave up after 9 years or so, I didn't replace it because it was too costly for a travel trailer that had a low resale value, and because I never thought it worked all that well for the propane consumed.

There are other choices, such as super-expensive, super-efficient, compressor-driven refrigerators. But I went through my tech-weenie phase with specialized RV equipment years ago, and it didn't work out so well.

On the other end of the tech spectrum, there is the ice chest. This works better than you think if you can find block ice or if you go to the trouble of putting the cubed ice in leakproof containers. Let somebody else get stuck buying and repairing freezer equipment! And melted ice is delicious to drink. The ice chest option is only practical if you are going by an ice-selling shop every three days. Any special trips will eat you alive.

Ahh, but look at how this discussion has gotten started by putting the cart before the horse. It makes more sense to consider diet and food-buying habits before rolling up your sleeves about "how to" buy an RV refrigerator. Consider ways that refrigerator problems can be turned to your advantage by adjusting your food-buying habits.

For instance some people think they need a freezer, and then are frustrated how poorly standard RV units work. Rather than reinvent the refrigeration industry, why not ask yourself if you really need to buy frozen foods. Ice cream, frozen pizza, expensive convenience food: does your waistline or your wallet really need that stuff?

One of the first and most satisfying downsizings that I ever went through was to get rid of the microwave oven, since it took up a lot of room, and encouraged me to buy expensive, frozen, "Lean Cuisine"/Stouffers type food.

Once I ran into an RV hobbyist who had a small and funky rig, of which he was justly proud. When I asked about his refrigerator, he replied that he simply didn't eat the kind of food that required refrigeration. Brilliant!, especially for someone who eats a lot of brown rice and beans. Canned goods (chili, tuna), persistent vegetables (squash, cabbage, potatoes), dry parmesan cheese, vinegar (tabasco sauce, Dijon mustard), and garlic or other dry spices would round out the diet quite well.

There are more examples of solving a "tech problem" by diverting it to a thought-provoking discussion of why you buy the foods that you traditionally have.

Comments

Anonymous said…
ah, the ice question (rhetorical)....why is it that block ice seems so difficult to find in the west, where the sun shines so much and the temps are generally higher than here in the NE?....yet here in the NE, block ice is nearly everywhere I stop to buy some, right along side the cubes (which is really more like shaved)....always feel lucky when I find blocks in the west....enjoy your writing, and how you hold Randy's feet to the fire on certain topics.
heyduke50 said…
if it works for you then go for it... wouldn't work for me cuz I like to fish and freeze the excess..
heyduke50, special interests do make life more of a challenge. You should try to travel with four bicycles.

Anonymous, the Kodger needs somebody to hold his feet to the fire, with all those groupie commenters of his.
Anonymous said…
Grass Fed Chipmunks? Snicker

Tom in Kansas
Anonymous said…
Yeah, let Albertsons take care of the refrigeration. Although not fridge free myself, I did give up the microwave years ago. It really wasn't a big deal. If I need to heat something up, it's in a pan on the stove. bethers