Intro/Letter From the Editor - Ryan Main - Sales

As the May Long Weekend quickly creeps up on those of us in the 'camping state of mind', I must point out a couple of new additions to this months Pik-A-Dilly newsletter.  Inside this issue you'll find the first camping tip, appropriately geared towards avoiding ticks, as this is the beginning of 'tick season'.  As well as our first "Campfire Recipe" for 'Big Jim's Camping Beans'.  I encourage the submission of your own campfire concoctions to be published in an upcoming Pik-A-Dilly newsletter for all to try (recognition will of course be given)!!  As we near summer, there will be an abundance of summer festivals and going's on around all area's, so be sure and let me know what's happening in your area, and we'll create a calendar of events for the next newsletter.  As always, your questions, comments, and submissions can be made to rmain@pikadilly.com.  Until next month, keep your fingers crossed for great May Long weather, and enjoy the newsletter!

Dealership News - Don Main - General Manager

Aaaaah .............Spring. The most anticipated time of year for camping families!

It's also an important time of year to protect your family's safety. Most of you will have stored your RV for the winter - an extremely cold winter at that. The colder the weather, the more chance of damage to some integral working parts of your RV.

Some items you will want to pay attention to:

1) Propane hoses can crack and become porous, allowing them to leak.

2) Tires get weather checked and weaken the sidewalls. You don't want tire issues while on the road!

3) Wheel bearing grease hardens and won't lubricate properly.

4) Roof sealant may crack and allow leakage if not corrected.

5) Diaphrams in oven, water heater, and furnace controls can harden causing potential gas leakage.

These are just a few of the things you need to pay attention to after a long, cold winter. There are lots more. You may want to make an appointment with our service department and have one of our certified professionals perform a spring check-over.

Open up your RV soon, we have had a few reports of broken flooring as a result of the -50 degree cold spell!

On another note: we have talked about RV Care in previous issues. RV Care is a group of like-minded, quality dealers that have banded together to create a service network for our customers when they are travelling. The RV Care network has now grown to nearly 40 dealers across Canada and we are expanding rapidly. RV Care is a benefit provided at no charge to all that purchase their RV from Pik-A-Dilly. Feel free to call us for details or stop in and pick up a brochure explaining details.

Until next time. 

Sales Department News - Dave Shepherd - Sales Manager

Now that the warm weather is threatening and the May Long Weekend (the unofficial start of camping season in Manitoba) quickly approaching, many people, after a long winter of planning and dreaming, are starting to put their plans for a new camper into action.  It is important to keep some things in mind.  With everyone thinking about camping and getting ready for the season, RV dealerships are experiencing their busiest time of year.  For those that have plans for a new (or new to them) camper, you don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your camper for the long weekend as you may end up disappointed because the dealer will not have the time to get it ready for you to use.

For those that currently have a camper and are planning on an upgrade this year, there has never been a better time to trade.  The pricing on new campers is better than it has been for a decade thanks to the Canada-US dollar exchange hovering close to par.  This combined with the fact that there is a serious shortage of used RV’s in the marketplace currently, has seen trade-in values rise.

So for those planning on a change, don’t delay.  Avoid disappointment, act now, and get ready to enjoy the summer weather that's just around the corner.

Service Department News - Heather Arthurson - Service Manager

Meet your service technician, this month, Will Dron.

Will began his career with Pik-A-Dilly in November 2004. He is the youngest technician in our service department, and has provided an added spark to the team.  Will is highly energetic and one usually sees a smile on his face. Like all of our other technicians, Will participated in the RVIA-RVDA Satellite Distance Learning Program.  Will passed with a mark that qualified him as a Master Certified Technician. Will needs to wait until he has five full years of hands on experience before he receives that certification. At this point he is considered certified until that time lapses. We are pleased to introduce to you, Mr. Will Dron.

Parts Department News - Jim Bridger - Parts Manager

With the weather getting warmer it's time to get your water system ready for camping.  The system will need to be flushed out to get rid of any anti-freeze in the lines.  Once flushed, it's a good idea to sanitize.  One product we use is simply called Happy Tank.  Mix the sanitizer with water in the fresh water tank, pump the mixture through the whole system, and let sit for several hours prior to flushing out.  Also be sure to check your anode rod in the water heater as it may need replacing.  Come in and talk to us about flushing your water system and any of your spring needs.

De-winterizing the RV Water System - Heather Arthurson - Service Manager

De-winterizing is simply the process of removing all traces of the RV anti-freeze that was used to protect the water system over the winter months.

Step 1 - Put several gallons of water into the fresh water tank.
Step 2 - Turn on the water pump, and open a cold water tap.
Step 3 - Allow the water to flow for several minutes.
Step 4 - Connect the water hose to your city water supply inlet.  Turn on the supply.
Step 5 - Open all taps one-by-one and allow the water to flow for several minutes.
Step 6 - Flush the toilet several times.
Step 7 - Open the water heater bypass and fill the water heater with fresh water. (You may choose to allow a few gallons to flow through the water heater, and drain it completely before re-installing the drain plug).
Step 8 - Run water through all the hot water faucets.

That's all there is to it!!  If these steps seem like too much work, complicated, or you simply can't find the time, give the service department a call and let us do the work for you at 728-2015.

Camping Tips

This month, Exposure to Ticks.

To avoid exposure to ticks, stay on the trails and avoid grassy, brushy areas. Wear light colored clothing so ticks can be seen. Wear long sleeve shirts tucked into pants, and pant legs tucked into socks. Wear a hat. Do not wear shorts on the trails. Check yourself for ticks or have someone else check for you. Finding and removing a tick early, within 36 hours, is key to the prevention of Lyme disease. If a tick is attached to your skin, grab it with tweezers as close to your skin as possible and pull it straight out. Do not use Vaseline as it will kill the tick and cause more harm. Also do not squeeze the body of the tick, it can cause all the infected material of the tick to enter into your skin. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and use a disinfectant. You should have any tick bite checked by a doctor, especially if a rash of more than one inch wide appears at the bite site as this could be a sign of Lyme disease. If you have flu-like symptoms up to a month after being bitten by a tick, call your doctor, you could have ehrlichiosis, another serious, potentially fatal,  tick-borne disease that can be treated with antibiotics. Don't forget to check your pets for ticks also. You can get a Lyme disease vaccine for your dogs, but they have not yet developed one for cats. Be sure to use a flea and tick control medication or a flea and tick collar also.

Campfire Recipes

Big Jim's Camping Beans

Ingredients
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage (crumbled and cooked)
1 pound ground beef (crumbled and cooked)
1 large onion
1 bell pepper
2 jalepeno peppers
1 can butter beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans
1/2 c BBQ sauce
3 Tbsp dark brown sugar

Directions
Dice and sauté onion, bell pepper and jalepeno pepper with meat. In either a crock pot or baking dish, add beans, BBQ sauce and brown sugar. Cook in crock pot on high until thoroughly heated thru or in an oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve and enjoy as side dish or main dish.

**Recipe from KOA website.

Pik-A-Dilly Contact Information

Sales department and business office 728-8570 or toll free 1-877-728-8570
Sales Manager - Dave Shepherd
Financial Services Manager - Garry Taylor
Sales staff - Garry Paton
                   Mike Volek
                   Ryan Main

Parts and service department 728-2015 or toll free 1-877-728-8570
Parts Manager - Jim Bridger
Parts staff - Shannon Davis
Service Manager - Heather Arthurson
Service Writer - Pat Watson

Website - www.pikadilly.com