Uses and Tips

There’s a big football game being played on Sunday, and there will be a championship feeling in the air. Whether your favorite team is playing, or you have no rooting interest at all, the best way to celebrate the day is with a small backyard homegate party!

While a tailgate party is an outdoor bash that takes place before a sporting event at the parking lot of a stadium, a homegate party that you hold in your backyard. A tailgate party will include a grill, a tailgate canopy, portable folding chairs, a sturdy but compact camping table, a trusty metal cooler, and plenty of food and drinks.

A homegate party gives you all the benefits of a tailgate without the added stress of gameday traffic, need to prep food the night before, or the need to pack your car or truck with tailgating gear. Additionally, homegating allows you to keep your party as intimate as you’d like. You can make it a family affair, or just invite the neighbors over for a pre-game meal.

While the big game atmosphere can make tailgating a unique experience, you can replicate the feel in your own backyard. In fact, when you’re homegating, you aren’t restricted to one or two parking spaces. You’ll have more room to set up tables and chairs, games like cornhole, and to generally just stretch out. Also, you’ll have the convenience of setting up and breaking down your backyard in your own time frame, and not when the stadium parking lot is open.

It doesn’t matter if you live in the cold Kansas City area, the warmth of the Tampa Bay area, or anywhere else in the United States. Even thought the 54 of the 55 of big championship football games have been played in warmer weather or indoor stadiums, it’s a sport that’s played in just about any weather. Those who tailgate at Kansas City games dress in layers to stay warm. Fans of the team in Tampa know how to stay cool under the blazing sun.

A backyard shed is a great place to store your tools, pool supplies, lawn equipment, and more. However, if you don’t take some simple precautions, temperatures inside your shed can reach extremes and cause damage to your items.

Many people think that items made for outdoor use don’t require any special accommodations. However, extreme heat and cold can have negative effects and shorten their lifespan. Here’s a closer look at some of the issues you may face and the best cold and hot storage tips to help you prevent them.

Lawn Equipment & Machinery

Since extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on moving parts inside engines, proper hot and cold storage is critical for lawn equipment and machinery. Even if you use low viscosity oil, it will get thicker in the extreme cold. This creates more resistance, putting excess strain on the internal parts.

In freezing temperatures, batteries also have less pulling voltage, making it harder to start your equipment.

There’s nothing quite like spending time in the great outdoors and sleeping under the stars. But, if you’re not prepared, your amazing camping adventure can quickly turn into a nightmare.

While camping used to be all about “roughing it,” today, many people prefer casual camping or even “glamping” (luxury camping). While you can’t bring all the comforts of home with you, packing a few extras will help ensure you can comfortably enjoy your next trip.

Not quite sure what to bring camping? We’ve got you covered! Check out our round-up of all the most important camping must-haves.

Setting Up Your Campsite

Since you’ll spend a lot of time relaxing at your campsite, you’ll want to take the time to think about the layout and the camping must-haves you’ll need to bring with you. When setting up your campsite, it’s important to create a comfortable space to sleep in as well as a centralized area where everyone can gather and enjoy their time together.

Try to put as much space between these areas as you can. This way, if other people in your party are night owls or early risers, they won’t disrupt your sleep schedule. As you make your list of camping supplies, be sure to consider each

Have you been shopping for a beach chair lately? If you’re in the market for one, you’ve probably noticed that chairs for the beach are not very easy to find this year. Even if you’re able to find a beach chair in a store or online, it’s either overpriced or it’s not quite what you’d hoped for. After a year of social distancing, beach chairs have become a hot must-have item for the summer. Families and individuals will be spending more downtime relaxing at their local beach, backyards, the park, or the local swimming hole.

If it's been hard finding the perfect beach chair for you, look no further than RIO. You can choose from many great patterns, styles, and categories, models with hardwood or molded plastic arms, and built-in drink holders. Whether you like to recline and relax, sit up and enjoy the view, or need extra protection from the sun, RIO has a beach chair to fit your needs.

Don’t go without a chair for the beach this summer: we have them in stock!

Removable

We all need to plan time off from work to spend quality time alone or with family and friends and recharge our minds. However, taking paid vacation time is something not every American worker is doing. According to the U.S. Travel Association, American workers left an average of 33% of their paid time on the table last year.

National Plan a Vacation Day, which is the last Tuesday in January (this year, it’s January 26), reminds us to plan our vacation at the start of the year for the rest of the year. The earlier you plan a vacation, the more ready and relaxed you’ll be when your vacation time gets here.