We love our Micro Lite.
But when it comes to the end of the day, and we want to read in bed, there are some problems.
I’m guessing the designers of our Micro Lite never read in bed. We do. Nearly every night. Reading is one of my joys in life. But here’s the issues:
- The lights are positioned right above our heads. So, the page of the book being read is in a shadow. In order to see the words, the book must be tilted. This leads book butting by Dan and I. Some married folks butt heads. We do, too, once in a while. But, in our Micro Lite, we butt books. Regularly. We manage, but it ain’t pretty.
- We read until we are ready to drift off. At this point, it’s a quick kiss good night and lights out. Apparently, the designers must not read in bed to the point of being ready to fall asleep. The issue is the light switch is at the end of the built-in night stand. Dan has to get up to turn off the light. Hey, he picked that side of the bed, so it’s on his side. He manages, but let’s just say someone does some grumbling.
But now, thanks to the Micro Lite Owners Facebook page, I learned about some goose-neck lamps which can turn the page on these issues. Ha Ha. Micro Lite camping couples can now read in bed until their eye lids turn off the day, and the reading light can be turned off almost as easily.
Thanks to Amazon, the goose-neck reading lamps arrived lightening fast. But now we had a new issue. They needed to be installed.
No wiring was required. Each reading lamp plugged into a nearby outlet. Fortunately, the Micro Lite designers did make an outlet available on each side of the bed.
Sometimes, when Dan and I put our heads together, we can actually fix something. We always have a celebratory dinner when this happens. Once we went out to Longhorn Steakhouse when we replaced our toilet tank flapper. We were so happy! We did it! We did it!
But even without wiring being required, we still couldn’t quite figure out the directions which came with few words. Or at least, not enough words for us.
Fortunately, I have a son in my back pocket who can do almost anything. So, on our recent visit to Dallas, I asked him if he could help out a couple of senior citizens, and install these goose-neck babies, so we could read at night. Michael happily agreed to do the job for us. He even said he likes doing stuff like this. Lucky us!
Michael completed the job with ease.
The lights are installed on the bottom of each upper cabinet and are positioned at just the right spot. The light is on the book, the switch is just an arm’s lift and a light finger touch away, and the goose-neck is easily moved to be out of the way when our Murphy bed goes up.
Life is good. And you could say, we’ve started a whole new chapter.
The End.
Chambers on the Road 
Great post, and a fun read,Betty. Many years ago, I started using an e-reader. I know many people prefer the feel of a paper book in their hands, the smell of the pages, turning the pages … all of that sensory stuff, but for me, it’s all about what’s on the page vs the page itself, so an e-reader is perfect for me. Two definite advantages I found in the motorhome was that I had an entire library at my fingertips in one small device, and the pages are backlit, so no need for reading lights, no matter where we are.
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Thanks, Terry. I definitely can see the appeal of an e-reader, and maybe someday I will get one. I especially like how an entire library is at your fingertips, and books do not have to be stored. However, I am one that enjoys physical books. We have stacks at home from our annual book fairs; we get the books from volunteering. I also regularly put and take books in free little libraries. We donate books when we are done to keep our collection under control. I also use our city library on a regular basis; we ride our e-bikes there. And I can always give (or lend) a good book that I’m done with to a friend. Dan and I trade books, too. Old habits die hard, I guess. 🙂 But the wonderful thing is – whether we read by e-book or the old-fashioned way, we are enjoying one’s of life’s greatest joys – reading! Have a great day!
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Absolute truth about reading being one of life’s greatest joys, no matter how we do it, Betty! I hope your day is good too!
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Reading in bed before sleep is an essential part of the day. Your son is talented! Enjoy the gooseneck lights that are another travel luxury for you!
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Thank you! We have used those gooseneck lights several nights now, and each time we say, “Thank you, Michael” even though he isn’t there. 🙂 We are just so glad to have them! Hope you have a great week!
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An enlightening post. Thanks for shedding some light on a simple fix for a shady issue. And a big round of applause for Michael who by laying down on the job got things done one, two, three! Have a great day.
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Thanks for the morning laugh! I take it you’ve had your coffee – and maybe even an extra cup! Enjoy your day; you’re off to a great start!
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That sounds like a great solution to an annoying problem! Worth a celebratory dinner out. The little reading lights above our RV bed are not ideal either. I bought something that is a long flexible thing with little flashlights on the ends that wraps around your head hangs down. You can flex the ends to point in the right direction for reading or knitting in the dark, like in the car or if Wayne is sleeping and I want to read in bed. Wayne only reads his phone in bed, and I have been reading in a chair instead.
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My guess is that it’s a pretty common problem in RVs for those of us who read in bed. Thank heavens for Facebook Groups which can be very helpful at times. It sounds like you have a very good solution, too, and one that gives even greater flexibility. Happy reading, and I hope you have a great week ahead!
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Does your son hire out? We could use a handy guy like him around our home and travel trailer! Glad you got it fixed so you don’t have to wrestle for the good lighting.
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Ha ha! We once asked a mechanic if he wanted to go camping with us. Our travel trailer needed to be backed into the service facility. To us, it looked like threading a needle, but he did it so quickly and easily. He just laughed when we asked him. 🙂 We are very glad to have the reading lights! Hope you have a great week!
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It is indeed good to have a talented son! The lights look like a far better solution for you. Sounds like I need one of those lights for my bed–the lamp just doesn’t give enough light, even if I do not have to get up to turn it off. Happy Monday.
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The lights have worked out really well. I hope you find an easy solution to having enough light to read comfortably. Happy Monday to you, too, and I hope you have a great week ahead!
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Well done! Kenn and I read on the Kindle app on our phones so there’s no problem there. However, he did install small push on/off “button” type lights in the same location as your gooseneck lights in our Micro Lite. He even installed a double USB port near the light on my side of the bed. (His night stand has a USB port built in; mine does not.) On another note, those window valances are the same as ours!
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Our Micro Lites must be very similar. Ours is a 2019 – 23FBKS (Front Bedroom, Kitchen Side). Dan has the USB on his night stand; I just have an electrical outlet. I use one of those converters if I need a USB. Kenn sounds a little handier than we are, but we make do one way or the other. 🙂 The window valances are what the chicest travel trailers are wearing these days! I think those valances will outlast the trailer! Hope you have a good week!
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Ours is a 21 FBRS. Our bed is in the same location as yours but it’s fixed, it’s not a Murphy bed.
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I bought a used kindle paperwhite on ebay because the light (in bed) was just never right, especially when I turned. I love it, it’s the only time I use a kindle and it was money well spent.
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I am glad you like it, and it is money well spent. So, the question in my mind is – since that’s the only time you use the kindle (in bed), does that mean you read “regular” books at other times, or is the vast majority of your reading done at bedtime? It seems that those who have kindles really love them.
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I do not love my kindle, neither am I a big fan of audiobooks, but I use both. I read a lot, have an ongoing love affair with books that started when I was a child. I read books in various languages (former translator). I use the kindle because of the light-issue when I want to read in bed. If I don’t read before I go to bed, I listen to an adult sleep story on TV (youtube) and the TV is set for 15 min sleep time, which I never get to, because it seems to knock me out after just a couple of minutes. I listen to audiobooks before I fall asleep, also set on a timer for 20 min and I never hear it go off. I have the ‘calm’ app on my phone, which I love. It puts the ‘hamster’ to sleep.
I read everywhere and almost everything. I love books, have a ton and won’t have it any other way. 🙂
I mark pharagraphs in my books, my books have bent corners, translations, explanations etc pp. 🙂
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In years past, we have volunteered at our library’s bookfair. We saw so many people who bought tons of books because they love them. When my Grandma (she was from Austria) was little, her mom asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She was told she would get one thing. She quickly replied, “A book.” She was a voracious reader her whole life long and had her mind until she died at 96. Books are a joy and a treasure in my life, too!
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I keep about one hundred books, not counting the cookbooks, the ones I translated, or the ones used for work. When I have too many books, I pack them and bring them by a women’s shelter and/or a nursing home. They always love what I bring 🙂
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Great RV improvement! The new book lights look wonderful!
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Yes, a little thing that makes a big improvement! Hope you have a great week!
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So many witty one-liners in a short informative post. You and Dan are super duper problem solvers!
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Thank you, David. Oh, yes. We are super duper problem solvers. We solved this issue by asking my son for help! We know how to get the job done even if we don’t know how to get the job done. 🙂 Have a good rest of the evening and a great day tomorrow!
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Still chuckling along with this one👏👏👏👏
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Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed it! Have a great day!
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Wow, you have a great son. Glad he “helped” you out. Reading in bed is essential for some of us!
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Thank you. He really did help us out, and we are really glad he did, too! Enjoy your day!
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Great blog and title! That is a very elegant solution to your book lighting problem. I too like to install stuff like that so I am at one with your son. Also, my preferred reading device is a Kindle paperwhite as your reader indicated above for the same reason. But also, it is much lighter in weight than a real book or even an iPad so it doesn’t wake me when it plunks down on my chest when I fall asleep.
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Thanks, David! I can see the similarities between you and my son. He loves technology and seems to always be doing something impressive – just like you! Most of the Kindle users here seem to really love them and for so many good reasons. I can certainly see the appeal. However, I’m just not there yet, even if I drop a book once in a while. 🙂 Have a great evening!
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Thank you for the compliments! You have a nice evening too.
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Kevin and I are like you – we have parties together for even the smallest accomplishment! Haha. Looks like Michael did a great job. Now go out and celebrate. 🙂
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You make an excellent point! We need to celebrate the job being done. Hey Dan, let’s go out to dinner! 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!
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[…] you know it – we get those nice reading lamps installed in our Micro Lite and what happens? I leave my two books at home. When packing up, I was debating which books to […]
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