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18 episodes with roadtrek
12 episodes with roadtrek
Scarborough Dude joins the fall Roadtrek gathering at MacGregor and gets high on Tom Petty's Wildflowers.
Scarborough Dude talks about Scarborough, cluster bombs, racism, Aboriginal issues, religious stupidity, Roadtrek radio repair, Umbrella Academy, value of reading, life and death on earth and beyond, and ending the Pacific War.
Scarborough Dude talks greets you from inside his Roadtrek, talks about family, questions his own authenticity, shares some zen quotes, reluctantly signs up for Uber, deals with nagging pain, listens to CBC News, worries about Toronto's future, and takes care of car problems.
Scarborough Dude almost makes a new friend, struggles with self-love, returns to his old church, talks about Canadian canals, his declining mobility, his Roadtrek, Toronto mayoral election, and lets Chicken have his say.
Scarborough Dude visits his childhood hometown and then heads off for a Roadtrek gathering in Pinery Provincial Park.
Scarborough Dude visits his brother, has his camping chair and Roadtrek fixed and praises his dear Queen Elizabeth.
Types of Camping Rigs—Why Not a Van?As I was discovering, towing a trailer is a different experience from driving a van. In my lifetime, I had owned two VW pop-top camper vans that bring back wonderful memories. More recently, I owned a Ford E150 conversion van that I fashioned into a rolling living room and writing studio by taking out the center row of seats and installing a rug, car refrigerator, and portable toilet.I had fantasized for years about someday getting a Roadtrek mini motorhome. Considering all that, it seems weird that I ended up with a trailer. But what a perfect choice for the nomad lifestyle!Each type of rig has its pros and cons:Vans are currently trending, and those who live in their vans are referred to as “vanlifers.” Vans are nimble and can generally be parked in a typical parking spot without hassle. Vans make it possible to “stealth camp,” which means staying overnight in places not designed for overnight stays, like city streets or parking lots. Vans can be parked on a bluff overlooking the ocean, or in a city during a festival, or in a friend's driveway. The choices of where to park a van are endless. On the downside, there is not much room in a van. The biggest downside for me is the need to move my house every few days for shopping or sightseeing or whatever else I need transportation for. Though I'm a full-time traveler, I typically stay for two to three weeks at each campground, which gives me a settled feeling.Read more in the book or listen to the audiobook—Travels With The Tiny: Getting Ready to Nomad
Scarborough Dude enjoys a Roadtrek gathering camping at Pinery provincial park, decides to quit podcasting, but doesn't.
Scarborough Dude talks about war crimes, getting his Roadtrek ready, Thich Nhat Hanh, dinosaur extinction, Scarborough, the film, Community, the series, and racing down the Appalachian Trail top speed!
When it comes to maintenance and do-it-yourself repairs of your RV, are you a bit intimidated Are you, like me, not exactly the most handy of handymen? If so, and even if you are comfortable doing things mechanically, listen up because in this episode, we're going to talk to a top service technician about preventive maintenance that everyone can do to keep their RVs in tip top shape. Plus, lots of RV News, this week, your RV questions, traveling tech suggestions and another fascinating off the beaten path report from the Burketts. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="1:09"] We just returned from a great experience at the Owner's Academy, held last week for three days by Roadtrek and the Erwin Hymer Group of North America's headquarters in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. We were there to talk about our style of Serendipity Travel but we found the presentations by the factory staff so helpful that not only did we stuck around and listen but we did this week's podcast interview on the preventative maintenance tips we learned. It really was a lot of fun. People came from all over North America and everyone left so much more confident about handling the preventative maintenance things they were taught. They are doing two more Owner's Academy this year and we look forward to attending them, too. Both, though, are sold out but based on the great reception to them I'm sure there will be others scheduled. When they are, we'll let you know as soon as we do. We've been working hard on videos these past few weeks. We have a whole bunch in the hopper and you can see new ones on our RV Lifestyle Channel on You Tube. New videos are released every Thursday morning. Best way to know about them is to go to the channel and subscribe. Then you can clock on a a bell icon and every time a new one is ready, you'll get an immediate notification. But we have travel videos coming, a review of a new cellular booster system we're trying out, RV model walk-throughs and all sorts of other surprises. Here's the RV News of the week… Colorado Wildlife officers using social media to track people who harass moose Colorado wildlife officers are using social media to help them track down people who take pictures of themselves standing near and otherwise harassing moose. The desire to take a selfie near wildlife has been a growing problem at national parks and federal lands throughout the country, putting the wildlife and people at risk. In Colorado officers are using pictures, posted on social media, to successfully track down wildlife harassers to either issue tickets or issue warnings. RVs on fire filled last week's news; Take steps to stay safe Last week's RV news was full of what felt like an unusual number of RV fire reports. There was the story of a fifth wheel trailer fire in Arizona that reportedly appeared to start near the refrigerator. A woman and her cats were inside an RV in Florida when it caught aflame, apparently because of an electrical problem. A trailer was being towed in North Carolina when it caught a blaze, cause not immediately known. In Virginia an RV was parked in the owner's driveway when it caught on fire, spreading to the owner's home. All of these stories, and a few others, got me thinking back to an interview we did last year for the podcast on fire safety with Mark Polk of RVEducation101.com. Folks, it is important to do everything you can to stay safe. Click here to review that conversation and hear Mark's helpful safety tips. Kentucky combining camping and fine dining in new state park program Kentucky officials recently kicked off their "Kentucky State Parks Culinary Trail," a tourism project hoping to attract visitors to the Bluegrass state through offering good food at state park locations that t...
It always amazes me how our RVs enhance our lifestyle. We collect stories from the road on how people use their RV and the stories are endless. The hobbies, personal interests and the discoveries people make when they start traveling in an RV inspires us and gives us ideas on activities we can participate in and places we need to visit. In this week's episode during our interview segment, you'll meet a bunch of different RVers we met on the road a couple of weeks ago when we were in Arizona. You'll enjoy learning the many ways we can use our RV. Plus much more, RV News, RV Tips Traveling Tech ideas and much more. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:03"] As this episode goes live we find ourselves in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. We're doing a seminar this week at the headquarters of Roadtrek and the Erwin Hymer Group of North America at “Owners School,” a special three-day event at the assembly factory for new owners of Hymer and Roadtrek motorhomes. This is the first of three sessions they will be having this year and all are filled right now, with no openings. But fear not, future sessions are being planned and we'll do a best to give you a feel for it on our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube. Mike is recovering fine from his elbow surgery. Jennifer almost lost her key to the RV. We used our RV as a palace to hang out during a weekend event with our grandaughters Meanwhile, here's the RV News you need to know about this week: National parks visitors bring billions into U.S. economy in 2017 The new report shows national parks visitors bring in $35.8 billion in benefits last year to the U.S. economy. The report by economist in the U.S Geological Survey and the National Park Service showed 330 million national park visitors brought in $18.6 million of direct spending to communities within 60 miles of a national park. That spending contributed toward 306,000 jobs, with an overall economic benefit of nearly $36 billion. Plan calls for removal of mountain goats from Olympic National Park A plan is underway to remove the mountain goats from Washington's Olympic National Park. The mountain goat was reportedly brought into the park by hunters in the 1920s, before Olympic was designated as a national park. In recent years, however, the goats have become a problem. As a non-native species there is no natural salt, essential to their diet. Some blame this for the rare goring of a hiker several years back, and the animals' occasional aggressive behavior towards people. And they hurt native plants. The plan is to move to as many as possible to North Cascades and kill any that remain over two years. Hiker bit by copperhead good reminder to know your snake safety before hitting the trails A woman hiking at Kentucky's Red River Gorge last week was bit by a copperhead snake, and carried away in an ambulance. The incident led to many reminders about the importance of snake safety when out on the trails. To read more safety tips click here. To listen to a podcast we published that covered North American venomous snakes and safety tips, click here. CDC reports number of people contacting insect-borne disease triples The Centers for Disease Control issued a warning last week about the rise of disease and illness caused from ticks, mosquitoes and fleas. The CDC reported the number of people reporting insect-borne illness between 2004 and 2016 tripled. More than 96,000 people reported insect-borne illness last year alone. The best defense? Prot ect yourself. Click here to listen to listen to podcast we did on tick protection. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 19 locations and gro...
How would you like to make a difference in this world with your RV travels? To really help individuals and local communities, while still enjoying the RV Lifestyle and traveling to the destinations of your choice? In this episode, we're going to learn about an off shoot of Habitat for Humanity, in which RVers build homes with Habitat homeowners in the U.S. and Canada. Plus, we have lots of RV news, RV tips, tech ideas, an off the beaten path report and much more. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #190 May 2, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="1:50"] We're back home in our Michigan sticks and bricks house for a few days. We emphasize few as we hit the road again next week. Will be heading to Canada next week, where we will be teaching a session at “Owners School” for owners of Roadtrek and Hymer RVs next week at the Cambridge, Ontario headquarters of the Erwin Hymer Group of North America. Yes, and we're staying at a local campground there and look forward to lots of visiting around a campfire with the students, who will be attending this gathering from all across North America. We'll take our video gear and see if we can find some interesting people to interview. It should be a lot of fun! This week, though, Mike will be doing a bit of recuperating. I have surgery scheduled this week to repair some damage done to my right elbow. I broke it back in January when I slipped on the ice up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It was during our Roadtreking gathering there and I was getting out of the RV to photograph a bunch of Roadtrekers crossing the Mackinac Bridge that separates Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. It should be minor surgery but It's time I get it tended to before we are tied up with our summer camping travels. Meantime, here's the RV news of the week… Highest fuel prices in three years greet RVers as they hit the road again Fuel prices are causing sticker shock across North America. Blame it on demand, caused by pent up desires to get outside and travel again. And more demand means you pay more at the pump. The federal Energy Information Administration's latest data indicates consumer gasoline demand is at 9.857 million barrels per day, which is at the highest level ever on record for the month of April and exceeds typical summer demand measurements, driving up prices at the pump all across the U.S, according to analysts at AAA. Five states reported double-digit increases and the national average went up a nickel to $2.76, AAA reported. Overall prices are at the highest level in three years. Gas is selling at $2.26 or more at every gas station in America. More so, 13% of stations have pump prices set at $3 or more Unlucky man survives bear, rattlesnake and shark bites in four years Did you remember hearing about the young man who woke last summer the crunching sound of a black bear biting him in the head? The young man was at a camp in Colorado, and while he was sleeping a bear bit him in the head and tried to drag him out of his tent. Other staff members scared the bear away and likely saved his life. The young man, now 20, was in the news again this week for surviving a shark bite. This time the Colorado man was on vacation in Hawaii when he was bit by a shark. He had been in the ocean on a board when a shark bit his leg. And four years ago he was bitten by a rattlesnake! Talk about bad luck. Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser erupts for third time in six weeks Steamboat geyser is the largest of Yellowstone's many thermal features and something is up with it. After being dormant for years, it has erupted three times now in six weeks, the latest this past Friday. When it blows, it goes as high as 400 feet, compared to 150 feet for Old Faithful.
Would you like to do more RV traveling this year but can't afford it? Then consider workamping, or working for relatively short periods of time in exchange for a place to park your RV and often even for pay. We'll talk about that I this episode and get great advice from an experienced workamping couple. We'll also have lots of workamping resources for you to check out. Plus your questions, comments, RV news and much more. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #176 1/24/18 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="1:45"] Mike and Jennifer were snug and warm inside their RV as they recorded this episode in the middle of a blizzard in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Mike and Jen are quite literally snowbound as they recorded this episode of the RV podcast, coming to you from the snowy woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula where a Lake Superior winter storm has them hunkered down in their Roadtrek until the roads get plowed. You may be surprised to know they're delighted with the situation! So is Bo, who was made for the snow. They share their love of winter camping, but admittedly are looking forward to thawing out as they head to Florida in a couple of weeks for some personal appearances at RV shows and a Roadtreking gathering at the Manatee Springs State Park. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 19 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="9:48"] We, like many RVers, love to travel with our dog. And our dogs sure love exploring new The Link AKC dog collar with GPS and a temperature sensor That's why the tip we received from a listener named Sue is so appreciated. Sue has a way to have peace of mind that if your pet does takes off, you will be able to easily located hime. Sue suggests aproduct called Link AKC. It sells for $99 and comes in two sizes, one for small dogs, one for large. It's a GPS system for your pet. We'll put a link to them on Amazon on the show notes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-cm-slash-176. And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast, YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel and here on the blog, go to https://rvlifestyle.com/gear Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="14:18"] Monica asks: Please talk about how you keep the flooring clean in your Roadtrek. Thanks. Jennifer uses Clorox wipes to keep ours clean- Howard e-mails: In your video about using the Reflectix on the window for insulation, can it be used for the windshield, driver and passenger window as well? Mike thinks it would be hard to attach there. We instead use a Sunshield, which is about the same thing and has Hook and loop fasteners to attach to the outside edges. You can get at any camping store or on Amazon at amzn.to/2DyDPgT Barry writes: We have one of the three-way refrigerators that we use almost exclusively on propane. As you probably know they are not always reliable. We would like to be alerted when the temperature in the refrigerator or the freeze strays outside a g...
In this episode, we talk about Walmart parking lots, one of the favorite overnight camping spots used by RVers when they need a quick place to spend the night. Over the past couple of years, Walmart parking lots have been linked to story after story about crimes committed there. Many RVers, in fact, now are worried, or simlpy stay away from them as overnight spots. Is the anxiety justified? We'll answer a call from a worried listener and do our best to clarify the concerns and let you know our thoughts abut this. Plus more of your questions, a great off the beaten path report, tips on saving money this shopping season and an interview with Mary Jane Curry on the top gadgets you need in your RV kitchen. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #170 December 13, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:22"] Mike and Jennifer are both recovering from severe head colds. But the show must go on… We discuss a major change in direction for the Family Motorcoach Association - FMCA votes to allow owners of all self-contained RVs in This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 19 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="9:20"] RVers love their pets! In fact, surveys show that one of the main reasons people buy an RV is so they can travel with their pets. At a recent RV show in Louisville, we ran into our friends Mark and Dawn Polk, of RV Education 101. They travel with not one, not two but three dogs. How do they do it? We whipped out the recorder and asked Dawn for some tips… Good advice from the Polks! And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions about any aspect of the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="14:17"] Hal is a new Pleasureway owner. He shares his travel plans. He likes the blog post we had some time back from Campskunk on staying in 70 degree weather and moving with the season all year. Peggy has a 2004 Chevy 190 from Roadtrek and needs to replace some of her old plumbing. She also asks for input on a composting toilet. And despite some distortion on the call, Teri has a problem with swaying with her Serenity RV from Leisure Travel Vans. She's looking for advice. And a caller questioned a recent guest's worry about crime in Walmart parking lots. Walmart has traditionally been very welcoming to RVers and, in municipalities that allow it, generally allow RVs to park there overnight. Our caller is looking for advice on straying there when needed. [spp-timestamp time="27:36"] Here are some recent headlines a quick Google search returns from over the last year or so: From Bloomberg - Walmart's Out-of-Control Crime Problem Is Driving Police Crazy From NPR - Wal-Mart's Crime Problem Overwhelms Police Across From JR Security - Wal-Mart Parking Lots Are Virtual Magnet For Crime From the publication This Week - Why criminals flock to Walmart From the NY Daily News - Violent crimes at Walmart top 200 this year as cops slam retailer Let me read this from a 2016 story in Time Magazine: “Across the U.S., Walmarts have become a regular stop for law enforcement res...
We've all heard of the horrible devastation still affecting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Nearly a month after the storm, water and electricity are in scarce supply. Cellphone service ranges from spotty to nonexistent, landline telephones are out, banks and many businesses are shuttered, cars are damaged and roads blocked. For many, work and school still have not resumed and there's been no outside communication with friends and family Helping out is he Erwin Hymer Group of North America and their special mobile research lab equipped with a Kymeta satellite antenna for the Internet, part of a humanitarian effort sponsored by Liberty Cablevision, the islands cable TV and broadband provider. We caught up with Joe Raetano, the director of advanced research and Development for the Hymer Group, who explains how valuable the Internet Satellite system on his Roadtrek advanced mobile Lab is in helping island residents reconnect. We interviewed Joe over a satellite phone connection made possible by that Kymeta antenna on his RV That's coming up in the interview of the week segment in just a few minutes. But also in this episode, your questions and comments, RV tips and news and much more… but first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride…Jennifer. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #163 October 25, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="3:16"] We had a great spontaneous meet-up this past weekend with many of our listeners along Florida's Emerald Coast in Navarre Beach. We will try and do this sort of thing again as we visit other parts of the country. Here's a call we got from Gary, who was among those who showed up. As we begin the last week of October, we're starting to see the first signs of the great snowbird migration as tens of thousands of folks from northern states are starting to make their way south for the winter. For those who stay put during the winter, it's time to winterize their RVs, cleaning it out and putting it in storage for the next several months. Jennifer and I are spending a few more days in Florida but we'll soon be heading north to Michigan. We, too, will have to winterize while we're up north, but we are among the growing number of RVers who camp all year round. We love winter camping in the snow but we also plan to head back to Florida shortly after the first of the year. If you ever wonder where we are, there's a live map on the lower right had column of our roadtreking.com blog that shows where we are. There's one big camping weekend left! Most campgrounds are sold out this coming weekend for Halloween, with costume contests, trick or treating and decorated RVs. In fact, the whole month is busy as RVers try to squeeze as many outings as possible before the cold weather arrives. But that cold weather is not to be ignored. Out west, they are starting to close roads in some of our national parks....because of snow! This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="10:29"] Here's a tip on what to do with your RV AFTER you return from a trip, after you've emptied your clothes and other items and after you've emptied the refrigerator and are ready to leave it for a long period of time, be it a week or a few months. And it has to do with the refrigerator. Specifically, how to avoid the sour smell that often happens when an RV is shut up tight when it's not being used or is in storage. One, after the freezer had thawed, wipe it and the main compartment out. You want to put it away dry. Secondly, we put an open box of baking soda in one of the...
Location Independence is a phrase you hear a lot about these days in the RV industry as more and more people take to a life on the road in their RV and do their work from anywhere, as long as they have a connection to the Internet. That connection is now a whole lot more reliable thanks to a company called Kymeta that has come up with a revolutionary satellite solution that provides broadband-speed Internet where it's never been before. And this week in our interview section coming up, you'll learn how this works and what it can mean to you. And I'm also excited to tell you that I am testing that solution right now in my RV. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #158 Sept. 20, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We're back from Canada and the opening of the Erwin Hymer Group of North America's brand new 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility – see https://youtu.be/CyLm5_3LrA8 We're testing out that new Kymeta system we'll be talking about in our interview section but we've also added the WiFi Ranger system to the RV, plus our Wilson WeBoost cell phone booster and a new VHF/UHF amateur radio transceiver that utilizes some cool new technology. We also have tested a new cargo box for the RV. We did a review on it and you can see why we won't be recommending it for others by watching the video review we did. We'll link to it in the shownotes for this episode at roadtreking,com/158 Our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel is rockin and rollin! One of our videos, a tour of our 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL RV, just reached a very huge milestone! It has been watched over 1 million times! We love doing RV videos and have been putting out two and sometimes three a week. You can subscribe by going to rvlifestylechannel.com and clicking the little red subscribe button. There's also an option to be notified of when new videos go online. After subscribing, just click that little bell icon you at the top right of the channel page. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK With fall now upon us, the nights are getting colder and for those with forced air heaters, the air inside your RV can get mighty dry. We met fellow RVer Jan Mathews at a campground a while back and she had this suggestion for us. Get a small portable humidifier/moisturizer. Janet's Fresh Aire moisturizer Jan says these little humidifiers are available everywhere. We found them on Amazon. In fact, we found a whole page of them, some of them even offering aroma therapy as well. We even found one that works off the USB connectors in your RV. Here's a link to the Amazon offerings - http://amzn.to/2w5jCHY And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast, YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel and here on the blog, go to https://rvlifestyle.com/gear LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Lynn is from Florida and recently lost power at her home as a result of Hurricane Irma. She wonders about the generator in her 17 year old Roadtrek Popular 200 RV is strong enough to power her house refrigerator of it happens again. The generators that Roadtrek uses are made by Cummins/Onan and the gas generator model that is installed w...
Boondocking just may be the biggest trend affecting the RV Lifestyle these days. For one thing, with so many new RVers coming on the scene, it's getting more difficult each day to find an open site at a campground. But for another, new technology like solar power, engine generators and lithium batteries are making it much easier to camp in the wilderness, with no hookups, off the grid. So how do you find that perfect boondocking spot? In our interview segment coming up, we'll hear from an expert – Nina Fussing, a fulltime RVer and the author of the popular WheelingIT RV blog. Nina, with husband Paul accompanied by a small a menagerie of pets, are boondocking experts and this week, she'll share how to find the perfect boondocking spot. Plus we'll answer your questions, share a bunch of travel and technology tips and some great off the beaten path RV stops in the American heartland. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #157 Sept. 13, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We're in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada today, as this episode is being released, covering the Grand Opening of a new manufacturing facility for the Erwin Hymer Group of North America. It's in the next town over from Kitchener, Ontario, where Hymer has its factory to manufacture Roadtrek motorhomes. This new building will be used to assemble Hymer's new line of towable trailers. It will also have a couple of dedicated bays for warranty work for all their products. We'll be doing a live video from the new factory and you'll be able to see it on our You Tube RV Lifestyle Channel. We've heard from lots of friends from Florida who are in their RVs after evacuating their homes in the path or Hurricane Irma. With 5 million households out of power throughout the Sunshine State, having a self-contained RV has been a great convenience for so many. Hats off to the many state and local campgrounds in adjoining states that have welcomed the evacuees, many waiving their camping fees for the duration. We're getting ready to head to northern Michigan over the next week or so to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and the early color we're seeing on the trees. It's been spectacular so far this month, with lows in the 40's for good sleeping at night and highs in the upper 60's or low 70's. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Last week, a listener named Bill shared how he uses cleaning vinegar mixed 50-50 with water in a spray bottle to wash the dishes in his RV, thus saving use of fresh water when out boondocking. Mike and I were a little skeptical about the idea and Len, or “Vinegar Len” as he now calls himself, sent us in this follow up Tip. He swears there's no after taste and…best of all… he says the vinegar cleaner is a great way to clean your dishes on winter camping trips! Thanks, Bill! You won us over with your suggestion on how cleaning vinegar will help during winter campouts, especially the one we have coming up in January at Michigan's Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Peninsula. In winter camping, you don't have running water. So we promise, we'll try your idea and use cleaning vinegar – to clean the dishes we dirty during that event. We appreciate your tip! And for the rest of you, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast,
Have you ever dreamed about fulltiming in an RV? Quitting your job, moving from a sticks and bricks house to an RV, taking your family on the road and becoming location independent? It's happening every day. In fact, our guest in the interview segment this week estimates that 200,000 families are doing that across the country right now. Is this for you? What about school and the kids? What about earning a living? Stay tuned because in this episode, Kimberly Travaglino, author of the book How to Hit the Road, Making Your Family's Full-time RV Dreams a Reality, joins us to talk about how breaking free and hitting the road. Also, listener questions and answers, lots of RV tips, traveling technology you need to know about and the RV News of the week. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #155 August 30, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK The Labor Day weekend is almost here and this podcast comes to you from the heart of the Emerald Coast - Okaloosa Island, Florida where we're catching some R&R time before jumping into a busy full travel schedule. Our 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL 4X4 is not with us on this trip as its being outfitted with some experimental communications gear that we'll be talking about in a few weeks. We're working on Facebook and YouTube Live videos. We've been doing two and three new videos a week. Best way to know about them is to subscribe to our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube at Over on our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel, someone wrote a comment about not understanding why anyone would spend $100K for a "depreciating asset" like our Roadtrek. I wrote a reply there that I want to share here: "It's much, much more than a "depreciating asset." In fact, it makes me APPRECIATE life more. It's a lifestyle. It's a freedom machine. It brings me joy every time I drive it, camp in it or look at it in the driveway. It reduces the stress in my life. It gives me wonderful vacations to look forward to and awesome memories to make me smile in remembrance of. It's taken me to places and introduced me to people I would never had seen or met. It's enlarged my circle of friends, helped me learn history and geography, shown me the magnificence of nature up close and enriched my life, my marriage and my faith by giving me new perspectives and sensitivities. Add all that up and it's a terrific bargain in my book. :-) . " This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer One of the realities of RV Travel is that things have to be put away and not left out. Otherwise, they'll slide off counters and tables. RVers are not the only ones who experience such problems. So do boaters. And this week, I received a tip from a listener named Melissa who is both an RVer and a boater and she shares a terrific suggestion on how to keep things in place…in our RV or boat. The product Melissa suggests is called coaster tacky. You can find it at the dollar store as she suggests. And Amazon has lots of coasters treated with that tacky surface that will keep it – and the things you place on it – from sliding around. I'll put a link on the shownotes for this episode to an Amazon search page with several different types of coaster tacky you can look at. And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast, YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel and here on the blog,
Up in Kitchener Ontario at the factory where the Erwin Hymer Group of North America builds Roadtrek Motorhomes, they just celebrated a momentous event – the building of the 30,000th Roadtrek since the company's founding more than 40 years ago. We were there, met the buyer and talked to officials who shared some what's ahead for Roadtrek and the booming Class B RV market. All that is coming up in our interview section. Also this week, listener questions, some great TV tips, traveling tech and RV new and an off the beaten path report about an enchanted highway. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #148 July 10, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: Mike and Jennifer's activities this week: [spp-timestamp time="2:12"] To Kitchener and Cambridge, Ontario to meet and tour Erwin Hymer facilities in Ontario Then to Indianapolis and the Family Motorcoach Association annual summer reunion rally… Mike and Jennifer will be doing seminars Wednesday and Thursday at the FMCA rally Mike confides he is coping with another case of Shingles. His second in two months. Doctors say he overdid it after his emergency gallbladder surgery, doing too much hiking and traveling on a whirlwind trip to three U.S. National parks and two Canadian National Parks immediately on his release from the hospital. Stress is a suspected cause of shingles outbreaks and Mike tells everyone the key to treatment is starting on a drug regimen within 72 hours after the outbreak. He missed that deadline and is now waiting for it to go away. He was keeping this all quiet but those who see him in Indianapolis will still see the sores, so he decided to come clean. The last time was on his left arm. this time its the left side of his neck. Building a master list of all the resources, products, gadgets and RV travel apps we use and talk about on the podcast, the Roadtreking blog and out RV Lifestyle Youtube Channel. You can access it all, organized by categories, at http://kit.com/rvlifestyle This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer's trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK When we travel, we often wonder what mail we're getting back home, and if there is something important that we need to attend to. [spp-timestamp time="11:17"] Well, listener Tom called in this great tip about a new service from the United States Postal Service - USPS Informed Delivery . Once there, you first enter in your zip code to see if it's available in your area. Most of the country is included. Mike and I just signed up thanks to Tom's tip. The service allows customers to track incoming mail through an online dashboard and/or a daily email. Enrolled customers are able to see scanned images of the outside of their letters the morning before they are delivered to their physical mailbox. Again, while the Informed Delivery product is available for most addresses, it is not available for all. A few of you may need to be patient a bit as the program is rolled out. Meantime, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Sue and Bud want some help in cleaning their screens,
Technology is changing the RV World and Lifestyle faster than any of us could imagine. Terms like electrical independence, Voltstart, Ecotrek and technologies like lithium ion batteries and solar power generation are revolutionizing the way we camp and experience the outdoors in our recreational vehicles. This week, we talk about the future of RV technical innovation with an RV engineer, our friend Yan Seiner from the Erwin Hymer Group of North America, the makers of Roadtrek motorhomes. Yan tells us how far technology has advanced and where it's headed. That's in our interview segment. But we have much more, including our regular RV tip segments, a traveling tech report, your questions and an off the beaten path destination… all coming up in this episode of the RV podcast. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #143 June 7, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: MONOLOGUE Mike and Jennifer chat about their multi-trip west and how they intend to keep Mike's “330 Rule,” which is to stop for the day after traveling no more than 330 miles or by 3:30 PM local time, whichever is first.[spp-timestamp time="2:18"] To help keep their own rule, they need to be held accountable and the best way to do that is to be committed to keeping a live video report schedule. So, starting Thursday, June 8, they will go live on the Roadtreking Facebook Page at 4PM local time…which will be 5 or 6PM Eastern Time as they head through the various time zones. Also look for video report on Mike and Jennifer's RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer You know those maps we all like to use that show all the states and provinces we visit? A lot of RVers use them but there's one thing that many don't like: They can sometimes leave an ugly residue on the paint because of the adhesive used to stick them on the RV. [spp-timestamp time="9:57"] Well, a listener named Sharon found a way to solve that and she sent us in this tip! Sharon bought a magnetic sheet and affixes the stocker to it, instead of the RV body. The magnetic sheet attaches without glue and can easily be removed. You can find those sheets in differing sizes at craft stores, office supply stores and, of course, Amazon. Be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Listener Jim noticed our new RV has the roof mounted air conditioner, rather than the undermount that we used to have. He also wonders about solar and fuel mileage. We explain that the unit we have was bought off the lot, and to have waited for an undermount would have meant a new build and these days, that takes months. Besides, our new unit is a 4 x 4 and we were not keen on hanging stuff under the chassis because we plan to do a lot of back road boondocking. [spp-timestamp time="14:00"] Kathy from Hamiliton, ON, Canada is picking up a new Leisure Travel Van Unity in the fall. She asks if she needs a Canadian plan and a US cellular plan if she is traveling in both countries. [spp-timestamp time="25:40"]As with Sprint and Verizon in the US have plans for US people traveling to Canada, nearly all Canadian carriers have all-inclusive roaming plans for visiting the US. The benefits are obvious: you get to keep your phon...
Would you like to leave your current job and fulltime in an RV? Or perhaps you're retired and would like to travel more in your recreational vehicle but need to have some income to offset the costs of living on the road. In this episode, we talk about making money while you're out there RVing. Yes, it is possible – and practical – to make enough money to live in an RV full-time, travel, and enjoy life! You may be surprised to know there are more jobs for RVers and work campers than there are RVers and campers willing to work. You can also earn a living running a business from your RV. Our guest today has been helping RVers find paying jobs for many years. Her name is Colleen and, with husband, Bob, she publishes a Workers on Wheels website that keeps track of temporary, seasonal, and mobile jobs that pay. Also, RV based business, online careers, work camper campground jobs, and volunteer workamper positions. You can do them all while traveling, camping, or living in a recreational vehicle – while being Workers On Wheels! Plus your questions, comments and tips. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #139 May 10, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK In an RV, storage space is at a premium. And one of the things that takes up a lot of that space is clothing.[spp-timestamp time="8:10"] Lise's shoe storage bag holds her clothng. She found this at Ikea We recently met a woman named Lise, who travels solo in her Class B RV. And Lise showed us how she's able to maximize her clothes storage with a great accessory. She uses a cloth shoe storage bag she bought at Ikea, rolling her clothes and keeping them in the shoe storage bins. See the photo at left. Meanwhile, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: First this listener note about a recent tip we had on our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel about removing bugs that get squished on our windshields. You can find that tip on our RV Tips and How-To Playlist or by clicking here [spp-timestamp time="12:40"] Listener Julie is looking for an owner's manual for her Roadtrek RV. We refer her to the Roadtrek.com corporate site, Here's a link to the page that lets you download a manual for every model they have made. [spp-timestamp time="15:03"] Jon wants to know how long he has to wait for an RV that is propelled by electricity. Mike says a very long time as he knows of nothing like that in the works for RVers. [spp-timestamp time="16:28"] And listener Jeff has a suggestion to the person in episode 138 of the RV Podcast who wanted to use a crock pot to slow cook as they drive down the road in their RV. It's a non-electric Thermal Cooker. It comes with an inner pot that will go over the stove top to boil the food. Once the food is boiled, set into the outer, stainless steel vacuum insulated container to allow the food to cook thoroughly without fire or electricity while the outside body stays cool to touch. We found a whole page of them on Amazon starting at a little over $60. [spp-timestamp time="17:34"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas.
With the return spring and warm weather, many RVers are making their first trips to the great outdoors this time of year. And seeing wildlife in or adventures is always exciting, especially when we encounter newborn animal babies out in the wild. But what is the best way to behave when we come across these little critters? Too many people make too many mistakes when encountering wildlife babies and this week, in our interview section, we talk to an expert who sets us straight on how we can best protect those animal babies… and ourselves. Also this week, lots of RV news, Tips, a bucket list report and, as always, your comments and questions. [spp-player] Complete shownotes for Episode 137 of The RV Podcast by Mike and Jennifer Wendland WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THESE DAYS: Join us this weekend at the huge: Super B RV Show [spp-timestamp time="2:22"] University of Phoenix Stadium Class B RV Show Dates: Thursday, April 27th to Sunday, April 30th. Time: 9am to 7pm Location:University of Phoenix Stadium (Inside) 1 Cardinals Dr. Glendale, AZ 85305 FREE PARKING & ADMISSION Here is your opportunity to compare Class B & C RVs side by side from these manufacturers: Roadtrek, Hymer, Leisure Travel Vans, Winnebago, Thor Motor Coach, Tiffin and Jayco! Plus, get a sneak peak of concept vehicles on display to see what may be coming in the future. Almost 100 different floorplans to consider in vehicles that are 26 feet in length and shorter. Attend a FREE seminar from Roadtrek. Learn about their EcoTrek system, VoltStart system and solar! Meet factory personnel including: Jim Hammill, President & CEO of Erwin Hymer Group North America Trent Tiffin of Tiffin Motorhomes Royer Allman of Mercedes Benz Mike and Jennifer Wendland, Roadtreking.com We'll be doing Facebook Live videos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 3PM Eastern time on our Roadtreking Facebook Page at The show is an indoor RV show, so you can leave the heat outside and shop comfortably indoors Also... Our YouTube Channel has been redesigned and reorganized, now offering hundreds of RV videos on just about every topic. It's called Mike and Jennifer's RV Lifestyle Channel and we put up new videos all the time. We invite you to subscribe! [spp-timestamp time="5:22"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer The RV community is a very sharing group of people and one of the most enjoyable things for me as Mike and I travel about reporting on the RV lifestyle is hearing from members of our RV community who have great tips to pass along. [spp-timestamp time="9:18"] So it is today with one from Tom, from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who has a suggestion about choosing a mattress to put on our bed. Specifically, Tom mentions the Therm-a-Rest type of mattress…. And he has five reasons why it may make sense for your RV. Like Tom said, you can find Therm-a-Rest air mattresses at most outdoor stores. There's also a bunch of them on Amazon. We'll put a link on the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-slash-137 And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Wade has a great DIY solution for dimming the bright lights of various displays in the RV so as to be able to sleep in darkness. [spp-timestamp time="14:14"] Scott wants to know about the ProAir undermount AC and its availability [spp-timestamp time="18:07"]
In this episode we meet a couple who have been RVing for 40 years! They started in a popup and now have a Class B RV and they share how RVing has allowed them to enhance and enjoy other interests and hobbies, like discovering antiques, old cars, trains, planes and all things mechanical. Also this week, lots of reader comments and questions, traveling technology tips and a special off the beaten path report about an amazing natural phenomenon you need to see. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #136 April 19,2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: What Mike and Jennifer are up to this week: [spp-timestamp time="2:04"] Mike is awaiting the arrival of the brand new Samsung Galaxy 8 Plus smartphone, coming this week. He's also been working on the RV Podcast and Blog You Tube channel – You can sign up at: https://www.youtube.com/user/roadtrekingmike Jennifer is working on a video on how to keep the cushions in the RV from sliding off while driving, turning corners, etc. Next week, we're heading to Arizona, Phoenix area for The Super B RV Show April 26-30 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Jennifer and Mike will be there! Come meet them, ask questions. Roadtrek will also be conducting seminars. And there will be representatives on hand form all of the major Class B motorhome manufacturers. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Kiki in her Onesie I get so many of my tips from friends we meet on the road, in campgrounds at our Roadtreking gatherings. So it was not long ago when we met our friend Kiki around a campfire. She was wearing a Onesie. You know what a Onesie is… its those one piece jumpsuit-like coveralls that we buy toddlers and infants to keep them all warm and cozy. Well, Kiki was indeed that, in an adult Onesie… perfect for hanging around a campfire. [spp-timestamp time="5:50"] Kiki got hers from a local store in northern Michigan. But you can also find a wide variety of them in all different sizes on Amazon. And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Jan is a new RVer and wonders why the monitors inside her RV are so bright and how they can be dimmed so the panel lights are not as jarring at night. [spp-timestamp time="10:41"] Arvid has an alternative to the Lynx Leveling blocks many of us use for our RVs. The curved device he suggests is the Anderson Hitches 3604 x 2 2 Pack Camper Leveler and chock set. I warn you, it's expensive. $82 on Amazon. A cheaper alternative for just $17 is the Camco Yellow Tri-Leveler. The Tri-Leveler features a gradient of three levels for simple, customizable leveling up to 3-7/8-inch. [spp-timestamp time="17:06"] Craig wants to know of a good exterior wax for his RV. We suggest Turtle Wax paste, available in most stores. Here's a handy article we found that recommends other waxes, all of which is fine - http://www.doityourselfrv.com/what-is-the-best-product-to-use-for-waxing-your-rv/[spp-timestamp time="20:20"] Laura was interested in Campskunk's planned RV trip to Europe, which we talked about in Episode 135 of the RV Podcast. She shared how years ago she and her husband took advantage of a unique way to buy a new RV in Europe from Volkswagon and then ship it back here as a ...
On August 21, 2017, millions of people across the United States will see nature's most wondrous spectacle — a total eclipse of the Sun. It is a scene of unimaginable beauty; the Moon completely blocks the Sun, daytime becomes a deep twilight, and the Sun's corona shimmers in the darkened sky. In this week's podcast, we offer a guide to understand, prepare for, and view this rare celestial event. We interview Michael Zeiler, the founder of the Great American Eclipse website, who tells us why RVers are in the best position to view this stupendous event. That interview is coming up in just a few minutes, along with audience Q&A, lots of RV News and tips and an off the beaten path report. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #32 March 22, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: MONOLOGUE Here's the link to the post from our Facebook Group that Jennifer and Mike talked about, the story of the snakeskin in the RV: [spp-timestamp time="4:22"] https://www.facebook.com/groups/roadtreking/permalink/775652012593780/ JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer Have you ever had trouble sleeping in your RV at night because it's too bright? Then listen to listener Nancy Richardson's tip on making your own black out curtains. [spp-timestamp time="9:29"] Great tip! Do you have one? Well consider this an invitation send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Kevin asks about the Volcano Grill… Mike shares his thoughts about this $145 three-fuel portable camping grill. [spp-timestamp time="14:24"] Two email questions this week: From Neal: Just wondering if you have encountered any problems with using BioDiesel in your Roadtreck. I have the same chassis with a Winnebago unit and I'm planning a cross country trip this Summer. Did you encounter places where you could not find regular diesel and if so, were there any problems using BioDiesel? [spp-timestamp time="17:30"] From Anette: Greetings! I have recently found your website and can't stay long enough to hear enough! I am in the process of purchasing my first Roadtrek! It is a 2009 170 popular with 25,000 miles, one owner. Your podcasts have been soooo very helpful. I have wanted a Roadtrek for the last ten years and have been actively been look for 3 years. My question is do you have any recommendations for a company for extended warranties? You might talk about it on one of your shows, but I have a ton to listen to. Thank you very much for your helpful tips and information. [spp-timestamp time="21:25"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. PET TIP OF THE WEEK We all know that humans need skin protection from too much sun. But do you dogs do, too? No granted, dogs heavy fur cast minimize the risk over much of their bodies but one part of them is very susceptible to sun damage: Their nose. [spp-timestamp time="26:07"] A sunburned nose on your dog can be painful, and they can also increase your dog's risk of cancer. Search for sunscreens that are designed specifically for dogs,
Are you planning your 2017 RV travels? Be sure to include Canada this year. There's no better time to visit our neighbor to the north as the nation proudly celebrates its 150th birthday. And Canada's amazing National Parks are making it particularly attractive for RVers this year with a pass that allows free entrance all year long, no matter where you're from, Canada, the U.S. or anywhere else. We'll tell you how to get one and offer lots of suggestions on what to see and where to go in Canada this year….coming up in our interview segment of the podcast. Plus tips for you, your pets and your on the go technology, as well as audience questions, RV news of the week and the RV calendar… all this coming up in episode 131 of the Roadtreking RV Lifestyle podcast. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Complete Show Notes for Episode #131 March 15, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: Save the Date! Mark down April 27-29 if you are in the American Southwest within driving distance of Phoenix, AZ. Jennifer and I will be there that weekend making personal appearances, meeting and greeting folks at the big Class B RV show and expo sponsored by the good folks at La Mesa RV. [spp-timestamp time="8:29"] There's a free BBQ that Saturday, demos of the latest in Class B technology and displays featuring the latest models from Roadtrek and others. We'll have more to say about this but for now, if you can get there, put it on your calendar…April 27-29, 2017 in the Phoenix AZ area. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer Our Roadtreking friend Mary Z recently shared a fascinating article from Outdoor magazine that notes sixteen hundred people go missing from our public lands each year. They're on a hike or jogging or exploring, usually not from camp or a road and they are never seen again. We'll put a link to the article from the magazine on the Roadtreking-dot-com blog but Mary, who used to work for the Forest Service posted this on our Roadtreking Facebook Group that I think is worth passing along here on the podcast. [spp-timestamp time="10:55"] Says Mary: “I am retired Forest Service and I have seen this happen so many times people disappear without a trace. If you are solo make sure people know where you are headed. I witnessed people disappear on Forest Service roads, and no one had an inkling they where they were. We found several dead in unexpected locations. Let your family know your plans and if you hike solo, as I do, take less risk and sign in to those trail head logs, your life may depend on it.” Mary's post brought some good responses and even more tips: Said Rick: “Always carry a little, but loud, whistle. I include one in my first aid kit, camera bag and glove compartment” Another Facebook reader noted: “My husband always lets me know which trail he is taking and what time he should be back by.” And Connie added: “Be very cautious following your GPS. More than once we have been directed to forest service or Township roads totally unsuitable for a vehicle, especially a Roadtrek. Keep road maps up front (along with common sense). “ Good tips all! And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Sue is getting ready for a three month RV trip and ha...
With warmer weather, we are spending more and more time outdoors again and that means more exposure to a tiny creature that poses big problems. I'm talking about ticks, a biting, blood-sucking bug not much bigger than a pinhead. But they are nothing to take lightly. Ticks are everywhere, increasing in numbers, and spreading a serious illness called Lyme Disease. You need to listen to our interview his week with a top expert on tick infestation and Lyme Disease, a very real threat to any RVer who spends a lot of time outdoors. Also this weeks, lots of tips, listener questions, RV News of the Week, the RV Calendatr and an off the beaten path report Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #128 2/22/17 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK We've talked before about a great product called Reflectix, an insulating product that comes in rolls and can be easily cut to fit inside and around your RV's windows. Most recently, we used it on a winter camping trip in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and it did a great of keeping our Roadtrek motorhome warm by preventing the inside heat from escaping through the windows. But you can also use Reflectix in the summer to keep your air-conditioned coolness in, and the outside heat…out! A listener named Tom tells us the Reflectix should be applied on the outside of the window, not the inside. Don't put inside the window because it would reflect too much heat onto the window and could damage the glass. Mount it outside, with stick on Velcro, just as Tom suggests! [spp-timestamp time="8:45"] And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Joyce has air in her water lines and wants to know how to get it out [spp-timestamp time="12:42"] Bill saw our recent Videoblog about our trip south and through Nashville and wants to know how to beat rush hour traffic in big cities [spp-timestamp time="14:40"] And Bob asks about amateur radio and RVing. [spp-timestamp time="18:05"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. PET TIP OF THE WEEK What could be worse than losing your pet while on an RV trip? [spp-timestamp time="23:26"] Bo's collar with name and phone number engraved on it It happens and it happens much too often. Our pets can be stressed and confused in new environments and be frightened by those unfamiliar surroundings. Do you know that lack of identification means as few as 14% of pets ever find their way home after getting lost? So for starters, always have your pets wear a collar with ID. Our Bo has his name and our phone number engraved on his collar, We don't have to worry about a metal tag getting snagged and falling off. But there's even a better way: Microchipping. About the size of a rice grain, a microchip is inserted under the skin in less than a second. It needs no battery and can be scanned by a vet or an animal control officer in seconds. If your pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic or animal shelter, your pet will be scanned for a microchip to reveal his unique ID ...
Survey any group of RVers about what's number one on their bucket list and inevitably, one destination will be at the very top: Alaska, a wilderness land of majestic mountains, spectacular scenery and wildlife and grand adventure. Every RVer needs to experience Alaska at least once and in this episode of the Roadtreking RV Lifestyle Podcast, we learn from perhaps the top expert when it comes to RVing in Alaska – author and fulltime RVer Ron Jones. Ron tells us that if you are planning to visit Alaska this year – right now is when you should start planning and he dispels some myths and false notions, replacing it with solid, practical and expert advice on making this long journey. You will not want to miss my interview with Ron, coming up soon. Also in this episode, RV travel, tech and pet tips, news, your questions and comments and much more. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #123 Jan. 18 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer This tip comes by email from one of our listeners named Wendy… who came across an inexpensive little gadget that can help with staying clean and showering on camping trips and hikes. [spp-timestamp time="5:30"] It's called the Simple Shower and it is a specially designed portable shower that attaches to just about any one or two liter bottle to convert them into a shower. That's right: It turns an empty water or soft drink bottle into a makeshift shower. Here's how it works: Simply fill a plastic 1 or 2 liter bottle with warm water, or leave the bottle in the sun to heat up, and attach the Simple Shower device in the open neck of the bottle for a quick and easy shower. It's ideal for backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, camping, emergencies, cleaning pets, washing utensils, at the beach, and anywhere else a steady stream flow shower can be used. A two liter bottle can hold pretty close to a half gallon of water and the Simple Shower attachment pours it out in a nice stream, not all at once And if you have a couple of them, you could even wash your hair. It costs just $12.99 on Amazon. Thanks, Wendy, for sending me that tip. And I invite all our listeners to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by T RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: A listener wants to have her own website to post pictures and tell her story. She wants someone else to build it for her but to teach her how do updates.[spp-timestamp time="9:38"] Mike suggests several resources and services: www.blogger.com http://www.wix.com/ http://www.weebly.com/ http://blogstarting.org/ And a reader wants to see an eTrek at an RV show. Mike suggests visiting the biggest one near or to call their local Roadtrek dealer and ask where they will be displaying one. [spp-timestamp time="14:24"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. PET TIP OF THE WEEK We all know how important it is not to sit for long periods of time and, on long RV trips, to get up and walk around.[spp-timestamp time="18:36"] But you know it's just as important, if not more so, for our dogs. In fact,
It's a New Year and RVers have made their bucket lists and are ready to take on 2017. And in this episode of the podcast. We hear from lots of our fellow RV travelers who share what's on their bucket list for this year. And in the process, they offer all of us plenty of ideas for places and events that wemay not have been aware of. Plus tech tips, your questions and much more. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Shownotes for Episode 121 of the Roadtreking RV Lifestyle Podcast JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK There are lots of ways to use a Roadtrek besides camping and boondocking. [spp-timestamp time="7:18"] You can driveway camp at the homes of friends and relatives, use it to stay in the parking lot of a hospital, use it as a moving van or as a second vehicle for errands around town. Meanwhile… We have follow up report from Steve Dodd, a Roadtreker we met and interviewed last summer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Steve shares a most unusual second use for his Roadtrek…. As Santa's delivery van. He gives us this update on how it worked out for him this past Christmastime. Be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile device to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes , an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: A listener named Donna put her RV under cover and in storage. When she checked it the other day, the carbon monoxide alarm was chirping. She wonders what's wrong…[spp-timestamp time="14:24"] Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms are designed to alert you to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide. They do this by making noise and flashing lights. However, they also make noise and flash lights under other conditions. The noise that they make has been described as beeping, chirping, and even squeaking. Most detectors will make two sounds: a “beep” and a much shorter “chirp”. The beeping noise is used to alert you to unsafe CO levels. It is usually in the form of 4 beeps, a pause, then 4 more beeps. This pattern is repeated continuously until the CO level drops or until you press the “mute” button. On the other hand, the chirping sound is used to report some problem with the detector. It is not as critical as the beeping alarm, but it should be addressed. The chirping is telling you that the detector may not be functioning or may fail soon. It may be reporting a low battery, an internal error, a unit malfunction, or the end of the internal sensors useful life. If you do not have it plugged in, your batteries will drain down. If the CO detector and/or the smoke alarms notice low batteries, they will beep to warn you the batteries are low. That is most likely what is happening. My gut feeling is that your C0 detector is probably fine; but your batteries might need looking at and or replacing if they been drained down too often. Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK – Bucket Lists for 2017 Jennifer and I have a bunch of trips on our 2017 bucket list, too. We've shared many on the blog (see https://rvlifestyle.com/2017-schedule-roadtreking-gatherings/). Mike and Jen's big trips include: January 20-22: January Freezeout, Tahquamenon State Park, Michigan February 24-27,
When it comes to snowbird getaways, one place stands out… Quartzsite, AZ. It is a gathering spot so huge that sometimes – and we are not exaggerating - as many as 100,000 RVers set up camp there. Some think attendance is often even more than that. It is easily the biggest RV gathering in the world and it happens every January and February. It belongs on every RVers bucket list, with a sort of a Woodstock/Burning Man/carnival atmosphere built around flea markets, RV displays and boondocking fun in the desert. This week, we learn all about Quartzsite from Shanana Rain Golden-Bear, publisher of Quartssite's community newspaper the Desert Messenger, and the Marketing Director at Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Plus RV new, RV tips and much more! Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #120 Dec. 28, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer On our Roadtreking.com blog this week, RV Recipes Chef Mary Jane Curry has shared some tips about the convection oven that comes pretty standard on most RVs these days. For many RVers, it's an appliance seldom used. We know how the microwave part of it works but are often perplexed by the convection oven part. Fear not! Mary Jane shares some more tips for us this week! [spp-timestamp time="5:26"] Check out: https://rvlifestyle.com/convection-oven-tips/ And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. If I use your tip in the podcast, we'll send you a free Roadtreking hat! I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: This week, we answer five email questions sent to Jennifer. Mike has been saving these or several months and this podcast is where Jennifer answers them: [spp-timestamp time="11:22"] We wonder about how much Jennifer drives while you are on the road. We've heard her say before but my wife is afraid to do so and perhaps we could hear from Jennifer on her perspective of driving the RV. – Dick from St. Paul We'd like to hear from Jennifer about how she makes up the bed in your Roadtrek…. As two singles or king, whether it stays made all the time and if you put it away where al the bedding goes when you use it in the original sofa configuration. Ron and Marta How do you two handle chores in the RV… like cooking, cleaning, dog walking, etc. – Beth, from Metaire, LA Jennifer… how much stuff do you leave in the RV when you return from a trip? What do you take out (besides refrigerator items, of course) and what do you leave in? It seems packing and unpacking our Roadtrek takes way too much time. My wife brings everything in and I have to believe you two have figured out a better way. Howard, from Ames, Iowa. Dear Jennifer: What's your favorite accessories that you have added to your Roadtrek? We're getting our new CS Adventurous in early spring and I am hoping you can save me some time so I can get them all ahead of time. Christy Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK – Quartzsite, Arizona Shanana Rain Golden-Bear When it comes to snowbird getaways, one place stands out… Quartzsite, AZ.
It's Thanksgiving Week in the U.S. and the roads are full with lots of travelers heading home for the big holiday. In this Thanksgiving edition of the podcast we're joined by a whole bunch of our friends from the Roadtreking community and RV industry who share the things they're most thankful for this year. Besides or regular tips, news and RV questions and answers, you'll hear the Roadtreking community marvelously underscore just how awesome the Roadtreking lifestyle truly is and how it brings people together in truly inspiring ways. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #115 Nov. 23, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: Mike and Jennifer begin by sharing the many things they are thankful for this Thanksgiving [spp-timestamp time="2:47"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK We all love cooking out on the road… but sometimes, those grills we use can be a real mess. On a recent Roadtreking gathering, we saw how a friend of ours from Texas does it. [spp-timestamp time="7:57"] Doug McClendon shares how he uses half a lemon to scour and clean dirty grills. And for all of you, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. If I use your tip in the podcast, we'll send you a free Roadtreking hat! I love hearing from you! Here's a photo of Doug cleaning a grill with an onion. Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Two questions this week: [spp-timestamp time="12:54"] A listener asks about screens to cover the opening in a sliding door on a Roadtrek. A listener asks about whether he can order a Roadtrek with a different floorplan. Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: We have six stories for you this week: [spp-timestamp time="21:36"] Number of entrance fee-free days in national parks system dropping by 40 percent in 2017. Read more Woman sexually assaulted in southern California campground's restroom. Read more. Trail Ridge Road at Rocky Mountain National Park closed for winter. Read more Wayward elk, seen wandering around homes in South Carolina, tranquilized and taken out to mountains. Read more Ten new national historic landmarks announced. Read more Maryland woman mauled by bear in her own driveway. Read more This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK: Listen to a wide assortment of readers, listeners, members of our Facebook Roadtreking Group and industry leaders share their Thanksgiving wishes and the travel highlights they are most thankful for this past year. It's a very inspiring and comprehensive string of messages that marvelously underscores just how awesome the Roadtreking lifestyle truly is.[spp-timestamp time="31:27"] TRAVELING TECH TIP: Steve Van Dinter Verizon's Steve Van Dinter reports [spp-timestamp time="53:45"] Thanksgiving is a time when all of us slow down just a little, gather with family and friends, talk about what we're thankful for, and share stories about fond memories from the past. And if that past happened more than about 10 years ago chances are we don't have digital ph...
Estimates place the number of solo RVers at between 20 to 30 percent of all the RVers on the road. In this episode, we talk to a recent solo traveler, a widow who has crisscrossed North America and loves her new lifestyle. You'll meet Joette George who, with her Golden Retriever, routinely is on the open road for weeks at a time. She shares her experience and offers some great advice for all RVers. [spp-timestamp time="31:57"] Also this week, we talk about everything from a recent Bigfoot sighting to fun off the beaten path spot in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, plus listener questions, tech tips and RV news. Click the player to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details and resources. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Mike and Jennifer begin by sharing their recent trip to Mackinac Island. [spp-timestamp time="2:48"] They Mike talks about that recent Bigfoot sighting, and shares a funny story of his own [spp-timestamp time="4:45"] This week, Mike and Jennifer will travel to Pennsylvania. [spp-timestamp time="7:48"] On Friday at noon eastern time, they'll do a Facebook Live report from Fretz RV in Souderton, PA on the Roadtreking Facebook Group. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Lisa Gruner According to a survey Mike recently did on our Facebook Group, almost 70% of all RVers travel with pets, most often a dog. But one concern many of us have is how to keep our pets secure while traveling, or from bolting outside when we open the door. At a recent Roadtreking gathering, I asked fellow traveler Lisa Gruner for how she manages her dog while on the road. Lisa shares a simple trick…and another tip on how she gets total darkness in her RV. [spp-timestamp time="9:43"] And be sure to send Jennifer your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by T RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Mariane is a single listener who wants to get an RV and hit the road and asks Miked and Jennifer for advice. [spp-timestamp time="14:31"] Sue asks about showering in a Roadtrek Class B Roadtrek, specifically about how much room there is. [spp-timestamp time="20:40"] And Allen, who can't wait to get an RV, has a suggestion on keeping dogs safe when outside during hunting season [spp-timestamp time="22:52"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK – Joette George Joette George This week we talk to solo traveler Joette George, a widow who travels all over North America in here Roadtrek motorhome, accompanied only by her Golden Retriever. [spp-timestamp time="31:57"] Joette talks about: How she came to be a solo Roadtreker How she came to choose the right RV for her What's involved in solo travel Security concerns for the solo traveler What her kids and friends thought of her decision What she likes most about the RV lifestyle The places she's been and her best memories Suggestions for those thinking about solo travel RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: RV Shipments Soared Last Month [spp-timestamp time="43:05"] Puppy caught in trap while on a hike with its owner [spp-timestamp time="45:50"] All RVs banned from parking in Santa Barbara, CA [spp-timestamp time="47:37"] This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde the only name in heat ...
Living and traveling in an RV used to be only for retirees or the annual family vacation. But over the past few years there has been a new movement of young RVers who have intentionally chosen to live with less stuff, be mobile, and take their lives on the road. This week's interview segment introduces you to a young man who has done just that, becoming an RV entrepreneur. Mike and his guest Heath Padgett share ways anyone – no matter their age – can make the break , travel and earn a livable income on the road in an RV.[spp-timestamp time="45:37"] Plus we have tips, trends, RV news and a great off the beaten path report. Click the player to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #109 Oct. 12, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: Mike and Jennifer come to you this week from the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan where they've been exploring the deep woods and taking in the beautiful fall colors. [spp-timestamp time="2:37"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK I love getting your tips and suggestions for this segment. We al are really one big family and we're in this RV travel lifestyle thing together. So when you leave me a voicemail from the Roadtreking dot com RV travel blog, it's always excitingd to learn something new and get new ideas. So it is this week from a listener named Julie who has solved a problem many of us have experienced… namely… when one wants to stay up late reading and the other doesn't. Julie's tip also helps save battery life, something very important when out there boon docking [spp-timestamp time="11:30"] So here is Julie…offering a tip about a great LED light for reading…Mighty Bright Clip on LED light And for everyone… be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. If I use your tip in the podcast, we'll send you a free Roadtreking hat! I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by T RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Stephen asks about cell phone use by US citizens in Canada [spp-timestamp time="16:25"] Larry asks about parking in unrestricted areas on the California coast [spp-timestamp time="20:07"] Reader e-Mail: [spp-timestamp time="22:00"] -- I've enjoyed your Roadtrek site, podcast and facebook page for a couple years. After hearing about your yearning for a kayak the last few weeks --- something that I also have had lately -- I wanted to tell you about a foldable kayak (Orukayak.com). My wife, son and I purchased a 2014 CS Adventurous new and have enjoyed it immensely. When I retire -- I wanted to be able to take two kayaks and 2 bikes on a Roadtrek. So, I've been trying to figure out how to do it. I had looked at the set up you recently mentioned a while ago -- but didn't like so much that only a 9 or 10 ft kayak could be used -- plus, couldn't get in the back of the RV if I remember right (it didn't swing out). I'm definitely not an inflatable kayak guy -- earlier in my life I had a 17 ft. sea kayak and just need something better then a raft. A few weeks ago we purchased a Beach model of the Oru Kayak. I was skeptical -- but really amazed at how quickly it went together and how well it performed in the water. Then got a Bay plus model and really liked how well it works. Both of these are 12 ft kayaks and fold up in to a box size of 33 x 30 x 13 inches approximately.
In this episode, we tackle a whole bunch of audience questions, on everything from camping in cold weather, to showering in an RV to staying connected to the Internet while traveling. Plus we have lots of news, tips and travel suggestions. Click the player to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #107 Sept. 28, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: Jennifer and I catch you up on our recent travels and experiences and preview where we're headed. It's fall and as it finally cools off down south and in the southwest, the forests of the northwest, mountain states, Midwest, northeast and Canada are starting to change colors. It's a perfect time to get out there on a fall RV trip. [spp-timestamp time="1:11"] This part of the podcast brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Today's tip has to do with making the front seats into a bed on a Class B motorhome. [spp-timestamp time="6:17"] We just came back from a boondocking getaway in Northern Michigan with our two grandchildren. Now our Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL best sleeps two… so, with me and the two granddaughters, that meant Mike and Bo were outside, in a tent. No problem there, though Mike may have a different opinion after sleeping on the hard ground. But that's another topic. This tip has to do with sleeping three in the Roadtrek. I made the back up into two twin beds. Thirteen-year-old Hua Hua slept on the passenger side bed. I had the driver's side twin. So where to put 10 year old Rachel? Up front, of course. Now Roadtrek and its dealers sell a sort of folding bed that works. But we improvised and found a great solution. We brought along a thick, four inch folding pad that we had used back in our tenting days. Rachel's bed across the front seats What we did to make a bed for Rachel was push the driver and passenger seats back, pull out one of the tables and put that across the space between the two seats. Then we put the four-inch pad, about the size of a twin bed, right across the seats. The table gave solid support. Rachel's sleeping bag went on top of the pad and she was as snug as a bug in a rug. She says she slept great and was very comfy. The configuration is fine for kids. An adult could manage there in a pinch but we wouldn't recommend it. We'll put a photo of Rachel and her sleeping arrangements in the shownotes for this episode at roadtreking.com/107 Rachel and Hua Hua are already looking forward to their next boondocking trip with us. Mike says he needs a little more padding for the tent outslde. Do you have a tip you'd like to share? Use the Leave Voicemail link on the Roadtreking.com website. It lets you record a message using the built in microphone in your computer, smartphone or tablet and send it directly to me. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Lots of questions this week! [spp-timestamp time="13:23"] Listener John talked about his interest in the new Hymer Activ Class B motorhome and noted that new production models starting in January will have some nice finishing touches. Bruce called in from Western Colorado where the temperature dropped to 28 degrees. He wonders when he has to start worrying about freezing his pipes in cold weather. Joanne, a semiretired teacher from Ontario, is new to RVing and is planning a long trip to Florida and wants to know about finding some great campsites. This rack holds two kayaks and two bicycles and attaches to the bumper hitch
The title for this week's episode “The World is Our Backyard” comes from the sign our special guests put out on the back of their RV. A little later on you'll meet Jim and Rhonda Phipps, two recent retirees, whose lifestyle has dramatically changed for the better thanks to their Roadtreking across the country in a Class B campervan…. Also this week, your questions, helpful tips, RV news and a special Off The Beaten Path Report. [spp-player] Mike and Jennifer begin by recapping their week in Hershey, PA at America's Largest RV Show, then they update the audience on their adventures with Bo, their nine-month-old Norwegian Elkhound puppy and his recent “Great Escape.”They share their travel plans for this week, heading out to do some boondocking in the woods with their granddaughters. [spp-timestamp time="2:13"] This part of the podcast brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK One of the biggest challenges faced by RVers is finding that perfect campsite in the perfect place. [spp-timestamp time="12:38"] The problem is, the most popular campgrounds are booked up months in advance, sometimes even a year ahead of time. So, it can be very frustrating. The only way to get in is if someone who already has a reservation cancels. That means you need to spend a lot of time…. Checking. Well here's a great tip, originally passed along on our Facebook Roadtreking Group by Judy Bass. Judy has discovered a terrific online service. If you want to book a site at a public campground and there are no vacancies, go to yesyoucamp.com and enter the information - the campground you want, dates and length of stay desired. For $3 they'll check the site every 5 minutes and text you if something opens up. For no charge, they'll check every four hours and email you. If you book, they request a donation. Again, the site is to yesyoucamp.com. That's to yesyoucamp.com. Judy used the site and snagged a hjghly desireable spot on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for this week, even though it's booked solid till the end of the season. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Mark and Melissa in Des Moine, IA are getting a new Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL and wonder how lithium ion batteries behave in the winter time. [spp-timestamp time="16:44"] Jaqueline wants to know what innovation and “surprises” are coming from Roadtrek in 2017 [spp-timestamp time="20:30"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. Listener Bill shares his recent experience with Creston RV in Montana [spp-timestamp time="26:58"] RV BASIC TRAINING The U.S. Forest Service recommends campers be prepared for minor injuries, sudden weather changes and other unexpected events by bringing the following items when they head out camping for any extended amount of time. How many items do you have tucked in your RV? [spp-timestamp time="28:44"] Candles Compass Flashlight Foil (to use as a cup or signaling device) Hat Insect repellent Map Nylon filament Pocket knife Pocket mirror (to use as a signaling device) Prescription glasses (an extra pair) Prescription medications for ongoing medical conditions Radio with batteries Sunglasses Sunscreen Trash bag (makes an adequate poncho) Whistle (to scare off animals or to use as a signaling device Waterproof matches This part of the podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 15 locations on the East Coast RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Three stories this week - [spp-timestamp time="35:15"]
This episode of Roadtreking the RV Podcast comes to you from the Bruce Peninsula National park in Ontario, Canada and in it we share lots of RV tips, audience questions, suggestions and ideas – including Mike's instructions on how to photograph the Milky Way and the night sky. Click the player to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] How to Photograph the Milky Way [spp-timestamp time="7:19"]Find a Dark Sky. Just waiting until nighttime won't do. ... Know When and Where to Look. ... Use a Digital Camera with Good High ISO Capabilities. ... Use a Fast Wide Angle Lens. ... Use a Tripod. ... Use Live View. ... Start with ISO 3200. ... Set a Long Shutter Speed. Here are some apps: PhotoPills for iOS SkyGuide for iOS Stellarium Mobile for Android This part of the podcast brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Valerie has a tip about holding mail while you are on a long RV trip [spp-timestamp time="16:16"] Tom offers a unique way to wash your clothes without having to find a laundromat [spp-timestamp time="19:00"] And Jim has a tip about how to stay local by keeping to the back roads [spp-timestamp time="21:28"] The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Daryl has new Roadtrek and wants to know about what kind of fuel economy to expect. He's averaging a little over 16 mpg. Also wants to know how to protect the painted surface of his RV [spp-timestamp time="24:10"] And Jim wants an RV with rooftop solar and whether available. Also wants to separately adjustable twin beds. [spp-timestamp time="30:00"] Angelique called in to comment about traveling with pets [spp-timestamp time="32:29"] RV BASIC TRAINING The Care and Feeding of Your Solar Panels – By Campskunk [spp-timestamp time="37:15"] This part of the podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the nation's largest family-operated RV dealership with 15 locations on the East Coast RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Man's Typo while Booking RV Site costs him $1,000 [spp-timestamp time="42:20"] Tornado hits NC Campground [spp-timestamp time="44:20"] National Parks Grappling with Misbehaving Tourists [spp-timestamp time="45:33"] This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV TRAVELING TECH TIP: From Verizon's Steve Van Dinter …[spp-timestamp time="48:55"] I always love sharing cool tech info with your listeners, and today I've got some great news - a wireless speed increase for those who use Verizon - and the best part - it comes at no additional cost. It's thanks to something Verizon is calling LTE Advanced. We're all familiar today with traditional 4G LTE. When you see that symbol on your phone you know it means being able to browse the web, download movies and listen to your music fast. Well with LTE Advanced, you'll now see those movies, music and files download about 50 percent faster. To access this next generation network, all you need is one of 39 compatible phones - and make sure you have accepted software updates when they've become available. You also need to live in or travel near one of the 461 cities and counting where LTE Advanced is available - which is a good portion of the US. Highways, interstates and rural areas are also included. To bring you these crazy fast speeds, your phones uses two or even three channels to transmit on - rather than one - and that means speeds of up to 225 mbps when it's connected via two channels and up to 300 mbps for the times it's connected on three channels - that's many times faster than...
In this episode we talk about fall fun and RV travel… plus we discuss seat belt laws and sleeping in the back of a motorhome while driving, choosing the right vehicle to tow a travel trailer. There's lots of tips, interesting RV news and a fun off the beaten path report. Click the player below to listen now or scroll down through the shownotes details and resources. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] In this episode, we talk about our fall schedule and some fall activities that our readers can participate in. [spp-timestamp time="5:56"] They include: National Apple Harvest Festivalin Arendtsville, Penn - Oct. 1,2, 8-9 International Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, NM - Oct. 1-9 World Championship Punkin' Chunkin' in Nassau, Del. - Nov. 4-6 German Village Oktoberfest in Columbus, Ohio - Sept. 23-25 Or check out this full list of the Best Fall Festivals And here is a list of three of the big events Mike and Jennifer will be attending this fall. Our Roadtreking Tobermore Roadtreking Gathering - Sept 5-9 America's Biggest RV Show in Hershey, Pa – Sept. 14-18 (Look for us hanging around the Roadtrek and Erwin Hymer Group of North America booths) Our Porcupine Mountains Fall Foilage Gathering - Oct. 10-13, 2016 This part of the podcast brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Shari has a tip about Getting rid of sand and dust… and a question, too, about sleeping in the back of a motorhome while moving. [spp-timestamp time="20:20"] There's lots of controversy about the issue of walking around in a moving motothome. As to legality, as far as we could find out, in most states, you can. Kids have to be buckled in the regular seats. Always. So do the front seat driver and passenger. In a motorhome, though, even the seat-belt law becomes very questionable. Most states only require those in the front seats, the driving area, to wear seatbelts. Those in the living area are free to roam or sit without belts. Therefore, it would be legal to sleep in the back bed while driving. Trailers are different. Most states only allow passengers in a trailer when it is a 5th wheel and there is a communication system to the driver. It basically comes down to a risk management decision We do. We also have belts back there. Think of a tour bus or an airplane. Each of these vehicles permit you to move about when safe. There is always that risk that something could happen. Many of the long haul trucks with sleepers you see on the highway have the other driver sleeping in the bunk. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Chuck asks about choosing the proper tow vehicle for his new travel trailer that has a unit base weight of 5,600 pounds, a gross vehicle weight rating of 7,600 pounds and a tongue weight of 775 pounds. [spp-timestamp time="29:19"] We towed a 21 foot trailer with our Roadtrek, which was on a diesel Sprinter 3500 chassis. It was rated to tow at 7,500 and the Ultra lite we towed near 5,000 pounds with passengers and weight… it handled it fine The number of actual vehicles you may need to sort through is limited by the weight of the trailer you wish to tow. If all you plan to pull is a 3,000 to 4,000 pound popup camper, you have dozens of possibilities. If the trailer weighs 4,000 to 9,000 pounds, choices become fewer – usually full size trucks, vans or SUVs. And when contemplating 9,000 to 20,000 pounds or more, you are far more likely to become a customer of the American Big Three – Ford, Chevy/GMC or Dodge, although Toyota or Nissan have full-size trucks suitable for the lower end of this scale. You also want to use a weight distributing hitch with sway control.
In this week's podcast, we tackle the question of just what it costs for enjoying the RV lifestyle. What should you budget for fuel? Food? Fun? Mike and Jennifer, aided by lots of input from the Roadtreking Facebook community, share their experience. Also this week, lots of reader questions, tech tips, how to earn a living while traveling and an off the beaten path report that will have you longing for the Florida keys. Click the player to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Shownotes for Episode 98: This week we come to you from Memphis, TN. Mike and Jennifer update the audience on their travels, the hot weather gripping the country and how Bo is doing on his first extended road trip. [spp-timestamp time="2:45"] We've been on the road now for six weeks! This part of the podcast brought to you by RadPower Bikes, an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Mention Roadtreking for $75 off your purchase price. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK - Furminator Pet De-Shedding Tool [spp-timestamp time="9:05"] Many of you know that we have been traveling this summer with Bo, our new Norwegian Elkhound puppy. Bo is just 8 months old and a bundle of energy. Mike and I call him “Mr. Enthusiasm.” He loves the Roadtreking lifestyle and he brings us a lot of joy as we watch him take to life on the road and all the adventures he's having. But there is one thing we are not happy with about Bo. His fur. In other words, he's shedding. He is a big dog with a thick, healthy double coat of long hair and with the heat and humidity we've been experiencing lately, Bo is leaving lots of very visible traces of his presence behind. That's why we are so glad to have discovered the Furminator Pet De-Shedding Tool. This is a very special brush. It is expensive. It's $45 on Amazon. Well over $50 in pet stores. But we think it's worth every bit of that. The Stainless steel deShedding edge reaches deep beneath his topcoat to gently remove loose hair. One swipe and it makes you a believer. It reduces shedding better than any brush, rake or comb we've tried. The manufacturer says it reduces shedding by up to 90% and we believe it. The tool comes with a great ejector button that cleans and removes loose hair from the tool with ease. And Bo actually seems to like it. In this heat, getting rid of all that excess fur and hair makes for a very happy puppy. Mike and I like it because there is much less dog hair in the RV. The Furminator makes us all happy campers. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Lisa asks if we have any plans for something special for the 100th episode…coming in just two weeks. [spp-timestamp time="13:38"] Dorinda asks about replacing and installing a new side window for her Roadtrek campervan. [spp-timestamp time="15:49"] Rebecca is considering a Class B motorhome and wonders about getting a diesel unit and asks Mike and Jennifer to share their experience.[spp-timestamp time="19:29"] And Barak asks Mike and Jennifer to share a budgeting breakdown for living the Roadtreking lifestyle. We share our experience and also those from our Roadtreking Facebook Group [spp-timestamp time="23:05"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV BASIC TRAINING [spp-timestamp time="37:50"] Even if your work doesn't need to be done in an office, it can be very hard to work when you travel. You may be a freelancer, you may own your business, or you may telecommute,
We meet a lot of interesting people out on the road. Not long ago, we met Santa, in the form of a super nice guy named Steve Dodd. Santa drives (besides the sleigh, of course) a Roadtrek. Listen to Steve's interview in this episode of the podcast, along with lots of listener questions, RV Basic Training, Traveling Tech Tips, RV News of the Week and a great Off-The-Beaten-Path report. Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #96 July 13, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="6:06"] This week's tip would come from our Norwegian Elkhound puppy, Bo… if he could give it. As many of you know, Bo has been traveling with us this summer and having a great time. He loves everything about RVing… except for one thing: The heat. Bo on his cooling pad Right now, we're in the deep south, near the Florida/Alabama border and the daytime temperatures have been over 100 degrees a couple of days over the past week. We spend as much time on the Gulf shore, where there's always a nice cooling breeze off the water. But dogs are not allowed n the beach and Bo needs a little help. So we got him a cooling pad. It's a matt made out of cold gel. We bought it at a pet store and Amazon has a whole bunch of them in different sizes. [spp-timestamp time="6:05"] The pad is soft and the gel inside is noticeably cool to the touch. Bo loves it. He finds it very comfy and in this hot weather, prefers it to the thick cloth bed he usually sleeps in. We put it on the floor of our Roadtrek for him at night and while we're driving and, when we are at a campsite, we put it down on top of the ground pad under the awning. The pads are around $30 or so and they are very easy to clean. My only suggestion is to get one big enough for your pet to fully stretch out on. Bo loves his. I bet your pet would as well. That's my tip this week. If you have a traveling tip to share, either e-mail me at Jennifer At Roadtreking Dot Com or use the “Leave Voicemail” link on the Roatreking Dot Com blog to record one and send it to me by using the built in microphone on your computer, tablet or smartphone. I love getting your tips… so let me hear from you! The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:[spp-timestamp time="9:52"] Listener Lee is shopping for an RV. But with six kids who he plans to “roadschool,” he's wondering what size RV he needs. [spp-timestamp time="9:51"] Rob from Fairbanks, Alaska, is also shopping for an RV. He has it narrowed down between a Class B campervan and a travel trailer and wants to know how challenging it is to “decamp” with an RV and whether a travel trailer is easier. [spp-timestamp time="13:36"] e-mail questions: Just wondering if you or Jennifer could give us more information on the bed pads that you're using now and where you purchased them. Thanks. - Gary and Carol [spp-timestamp time="17:09"] Thanks for this website and your experiences How do you Wifi from an RV? I am about to retire and am thinking of buying a New Road Trek and traveling the USA on and off the grid. 1) Can you tell me the downside of Living for months at a time in a Road Trek class B RV? 2) What do RV parks typically cost when traveling? Any tips on negotiating the price of a new RV? Thank you. I Hope to meet you on the road someday. -Al [spp-timestamp time="20:30"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV BASIC TRAINING - [spp-timestamp time="25:57"] How to sanitize your RV's fresh water tank.
In this episode of the Roadtreking RV Podcast we share some great stories from a veteran ranger who has served in National Parks across the country. Jim Burnett is my guest [spp-timestamp time="50:28"] and he shares some fascinating stories about life in the parks and gives us a first hand look at what being a ranger is like. He's also the author of two great books - “Hey Ranger!,” True Tales of Humor & Misadventure from the Great Outdoors and “Hey Ranger!, 2,” with lots more fun stories. Plus we have reader and listener questions and comments, RV news, tech tips and much more. Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #93 June 22, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: This episode is recorded from our Roadtreking Great Smoky Nountains National park Photo Safaris. With about 65 Roadtrekers, Jennifer and Mike are here for lots of hiking and exploring in a park that covers 522,427 acres, divided almost evenly between the states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America's most popular national park. It gets over 10 million visitors a year. Second most popular is Grand Canyon, which doesn't even get half that much. We are all staying at the Flaming Arrow Campground near Cherokee, NC In the national park itself, there are 10 campgrounds, with 1,000 total spots. They are booked up months in advance, though, and every year they record more than a quarter of a million camper nights. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="7:21"] This week's tip has to do with hydration and outdoor exertion. Down here in the Smoky Mountains, lots of our Roadtreking photo safaris campers are doing lots of hiking this week. But this tip applies to everyone, especially those doing fairly strenuous exercise in the warm summer months. Here in North Carolina in the Smokies, the daytime temperatures this week are in the nineties. That means dehydration can hit very fast. Never hike, even for short distances, without carrying water. Everyone is different, but a general guideline is while hiking and doing prolonged exercise outside, you need to take in about 4 to 6 ounces every 20 minutes or so. Better to sip a little frequently than a lot every few hours. We usually add a couple of water bottles into the mesh pockets on the outside of our backpack. For shorter hikes, we may just carry a water bottle. A lot of serious hikers like to invest in a hydration bladder like a Camelback or one of those backpack-style water packs. Water bottles are quicker to fill and clean, but can be more awkward to grab while hiking – depending on how they carried. So those hydration bladders are a good investment if you do a lot of hiking. Generally, you want to be sipping water all during the hike. It's easy to become dehydrated, especially if its hot and humid or you are at altitude. Watch out for the symptoms of dehydration - Dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea and cramps. Be sure and take breaks. Always wear a hat while hiking and take your time. Especially when the weather is hot. Bottom line – drink early and often. Dehydration can have very serious consequences and lead to medical emergencies. Drink up everyone! The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: [spp-timestamp time="13:27"] Listener Judy asks about how to find a manual for the used 1997 Roadtrek she just purchased. Mike refers her to http://www.roadtrek.com/support-contact#section-manuals on the Roadtrek corporate site, where she can download the manual she wants. Manuals for every year since 1987 can be found there. A listener asks if it okay to run the television in the back for children while traveling? Absolutely, Mike answers,
This week, we talk about how to find free or very cheap sites in National Forests and we offer up some major motivation about why you need to get out there RVing. We also report on a study that shows one of the top of the list regrets Baby Boomers have is not traveling more. And we note how the kind of travel that RVing offers builds lasting memories and true contentment. Plus listener questions, comments, lots of tips and an of-the-beaten-path report. Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #91 June 8 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="5:12"] Space is always at a premium in an RV so finding ways to maximize storage and take up less room at the same time is quite the balancing act. That's where Zip Lock Bags come in so handy. Most of us use them for things like sandwiches. And that's good. But in the RV, we use them for lots more. In the fridge, I use them for leftovers, for veggies, for premade meals. They pack well and don't roll around or rattle. But in our pantry, they're great for storing things like cereal and dry goods and things that come with lots of packaging, in big boxes that take up lots of space. Just empty the box into a baggie. You've instantly saved at lots of space. And because they seal up tight, things stay fresher than when stored in an open box. Mike uses Zip Lock bags to hold screws, fuses, cables, spare latches for the cabinet doors and various maintenance parts. Because the bags are clear, you instantly know what's inside. And they come in different sizes. Zip Lock Bags make great space savers! Do you have a tip that we should share on the podcast? Use the Leave Voicemail link on the right side of the screen to send it in. I love hearing from you! The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50thyear. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: [spp-timestamp time="9:04"] Listener Jan has a question about the piece of wood that connects the lower part of the two rear sofa beds at the back of a Roadtrek. Mike and Jennifer share their experience on how to keep it from falling down. Gina asks about the app Roadside America and what mobile platforms it worked on. Alas, as Mike says, it's only for iOS devices, not Android. The app helps users find all of the oddities across the United States and Canada, from giant twine balls to other off-the-wall attractions like the Cathedral of Junk in Austin, Texas. Search for attractions nearby, where headed – even by theme. The Roadside America app delivers a short description, address, and directions. The app is $2.99 for iOS with in-app purchases available to expand capabilities. By email, reader Loretta asks: Hi! We are not new to camping, but new to Roadtreking:) we have a small dog that we need to check on with our iPad using ATT cell data. Do you know of a compatible 'spy' camera? I have read so many descriptions on different make cameras, but they always want you to use Wifi - which we will not have on the road.Thanks so much! Loretta Mike shares his solution, Canary, noting that all remote monitoring systems DO require Wi-Fi. But her iPad can set up its own hotspot, which in turn can be used by Canary. The Canary device works through a free app and it provides live, wide angle streaming video and audio. We set it up before we leave the RV and we can use our smartphones to check up on what's happening and how Bo is doing from anywhere. Something else we really like about the Canary: It provides real time readouts of the temperature, humidity and air quality so we can be sure the AC is working. The cost is $200. There are premium fees that you can upgrade to that archives your video, a feature more suited to fulltime use in a fixe...
In this week's episode, we report on how Roadtrek's CEO is personally getting involved to help customers save money and we learn of a Uber-like app that will pay RVers to make deliveries across the country Plus RV travel suggestions, audience questions, tech tips and an off the beaten path report. Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #90 June 1, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="6:20"] My tip this week is about being prepared for emergency repairs while on the road. I share it because of an experience last week. We were in hot and humid Florida and navigating stop and go heavy traffic around Destin, which was getting very crowded with vacationers flocking to the area's beaches for the big Memorial Day holiday. Anyway, while stuck in traffic, an emergency warning light appeared telling us to pull over and shut down the engine because the coolant was overheating. We did so Mike popped the hood to check on the antifreeze. The level was just fine and as he was scratching his head, he looked around and found that the serpentine belt had shredded and fallen off the pulleys it winds around. The serpentine belt is a single continuous belt used to drive multiple devices in our Roadtrek, such as an alternator, the vehicle air conditioning compressor and the engine generator. Now that's not a life and death issue. After the engine cooled down, we drove to our campground. But we obviously needed to put a new belt on. Here's where the being prepared part comes in. We had a replacement belt with us. I was so proud of Mike that he had one because trying to find the right one that would fit our Roadtrek would have been very challenging on a holiday weekend. A friend came by the campground and installed the new one in just a few minutes, showing Mike how to do it. Our Roadtrek will have about 50,000 miles on it after our next trip and we've driven it long and hard. So it was time to replace the belt. Doubtless our auto mechanic would have done so at our next service visit. But our belt gave up the ghost before he could get to it. Having that replacement belt with us saved a lot of time. So my tip is find out what size and type of serpentine belt your RV has. Almost all have such a belt and you'll find the size typically in the manual that came with your vehicle. Or ask your mechanic to get you one and carry it with you. Same with fuses, by the way. Today's RVs have lots of fuses of all kinds. Stop by an auto supply store and get a bunch of them. Anyone can change a fuse. Be prepared! It's just a smart thing to do! The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Charles asks about outside tables that attach to a motorhome. [spp-timestamp time="16:00"] There are all sorts of tables that can be useful when you go camping. Portability is an important consideration, but so are size and functionality. Camping World has tables, accessories, and gadgets that will make dining and meal prep fun and easy. When space is at a premium, you want a table that can be attached to your camper or RV. Pick one that can be placed in a hitch or on your steering wheel. Tables which fold flat or which can be used at different heights are also great and can be used for prep or eating. Portable kitchens give you a place to wash dishes, chop ingredients, and store gear. You can even pick up a small table which will attach to your camping chair so you can snack in comfort. Check Camping World. They have a bunch - http://www.campingworld.com/category/tables/1289 Ryan inquires about heavily wooded campgrounds in Michigan's Upper Peninsula [spp-timestamp time="17:39"]
We have a jam-packed show for you this week. We talk about solar power, what you need to know about it and how it will enhance your RV experience. And we have travel trailer towing resources and insights into life on the road. We'll introduce you to a several of the people we've met on the road recently, including a single woman who lives in her Class B RV as she travels the country after retiring from her job as a missionary in Africa. Plus, reader comment and questions, tech tips, a fun RV destination report and RV News of the Week. Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #88 May 18, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: This week's show was recorded at the beautiful Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, FL. That's our Roadtrek where we parked in a lot overlooking the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. We opened the rear and side doors and recorded the show right from here, enjoying the nice sea breeze and salty air. Henderson beach boast more than 6,000 feet of natural scenic shoreline border the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Natural features of the park include sand pines, scrub oaks, and dune rosemary. Boardwalks provide access to the beach for swimming, sunbathing, and fishing. Four large and two small pavilions allow for picnicking and grilling. The view out our back door as we recorded this episode There's great camping here. The park has 60 campsites that can accommodate either tents or RVs, with a mixture of back in and pull-through sites. The sites have water, electricity (all sites are 50 amp except campsite #28); picnic tables, ground grills and clothesline posts. Campsites do not have sewer connections; a centrally located dump station is for provided for the proper disposal of waste. Amenities include heated and air conditioned restrooms with showers, coin operated washers, dryers and vending machines. Pets are welcome at campsites. Unlike remote wilderness camping, provisions and restaurants are a short drive away. The only downside is the spots here are usually booked a year in advance. We often to day camping, as shown above. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK This week's tip is about cooking and serving sizes. I've shared before that I like to prepare as many meals ahead of time as possible. That means less time spent in the RV on meal prep while Mike and Bo are having fun outside. [spp-timestamp time="5:15"] So we try to spend an afternoon at home before each trip planning meals and cooking them. One easy meal is meatloaf. And when I make meatloaf, I like to bake it in a muffin and cupcake pan. The pan I use is non-stick and it has spaces to make 12 cupcakes. But we make 12 little meat loafs. Just spn the meatloaf mixture into each hole and bake in a preheated oven at 350 for about 25 minutes. I've found that each one is a perfect serving. Sometimes Mike takes two. But after baking the little meat loaf muffins, they store easily in a zip lock bag which then goes into the freezer of our Roadtrek CS Adventurous. It takes only a couple of minutes to heat them up in our RV's microwave/convection oven. So simple. We serve with steamed green beans and a nice salad. Meatball muffins. Try ‘em. Mikie likes em. I bet you will too! The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS and COMMENTS OF THE WEEK: Listener Michael asks for help on adding solar for his RV: How much does he need? We refer him Try to the Go Power! Calculator which will recommend battery bank size for the loads you use. [spp-timestamp time="10:05"] This is a great web tool that will help you size your system and provide you with equipment recommendations based on your specific power usage, location and season.
This episode of the Roadtreking RV Lifestyle Podcast offers so much information and advice that it's a virtual RV Travel Magazine for the ear. From National Park guides and news to a discussion on taking a canoe or kayak on an RV trip to some awesome drives that belong on every RVer's Bucket List, we cover it all. [spp-player] Complete shownotes for Episode 86 of the Roadtreking RV Lifestytle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Where to get a great National Park Guide… http://nationalparkstraveler.com This is a 36-page book that will help you find your place in the National Park System this year. With the Essential Park Guide, you can find that place. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Listener Dave asks for recommendations on where to park his Class A RV while visiting America's Largest RV Show in Hershey, PA Sept. 14-18 Mike suggests a link to area campgrounds in and around Hershey, but recommends the Hersheypark Camping Resort, right near the show grounds, which runs free shuttle service. Listener John asks if there is any news about the lottery we held for the camping spots for the Roadtreking gathering we call the Tobermory Expedition, Sept. 5-9 at Tobermory in northern Ontario, Canada. The event is sold out and the lottery was held. We showed a video of it on our Roadtreking Facebook Group. That group is THE single best place to go when you have RV questions, need help or just want to be kept informed on events, news and items of interest to the Roadtreking RV audience, no matter what kind of RV you have. Tobermory is at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula between Georgian Bay and the main basin of Lake Huron. It is known for its crystal clear waters and spectacular wilderness scenery. You can watch the video for the lottery to award spots on the Facebook Group. Just a note that our other Roadtreking gatherings for this year – to the Smoky Mountains in June and the Fall Foliage one in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in October are also sold out with long waiting lists. All this is to underscore the importance of being a part of our Facebook Group. The next event that is not yet sold out will be January 20-22, 2017 and is our annual winter campout at Tahquamenon Falls. We'll start taking signups for it on the blog and announce via the Roadtreking Facebook Group sometime in the early fall. Speaking of the Smokies, reader Jane DeWolf sent a nice note: My husband, Dennis, and I are looking forward to the Roadtrek trip to the Smokies in June. We actually live near the Smokies and do volunteer work in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This weekend when we were listening to your podcast, you mentioned that you were going to bring Bo with you on this trip. Naturally we are very anxious to meet you, your wife, Jennifer, and of course, Bo. However, we thought we should warn you that there are only 2 trails in the GSMNP which allow dogs on them. Both are near the park entrances. The one on the Tennessee side of the park is the Sugarland's trail near the Sugarland's Visitors Center. The one near Cherokee in the NC side is the River trail near the Oconuluftee Visitor Center. Dogs are allowed in the park campgrounds and on the roads. We just thought we would give you a heads up in case you were not aware of the GSMNP regulations. Gary Hennes' system By email, a listener asks: “I am trying to find the best way to carry a canoe on a roadtrek. I have a 2003 Popular 200. Any ideas?” Mike notes that he found a webpage at Trails.com that offered some ideas. Roadtrek RVs have raised roofs that can make carrying a canoe seem difficult. However, the vehicles are compatible with several roof racks and canoes can also be mounted to the rear of the RV. Roof racks are the most stable and the safest carrying option. The canoe you choose should be measured first to ensure it fits your vehicle ...
Our main guest this week is guest is Amy Burkert, of gopetfriendly.com, which is – hands down – the best resource I've found for RVers who travel with their pets. And according to our survey – 67% of all RVers do just that. But also this week, Jennifer also has a special invitation for you to join us May 13-15 for a spontaneous trip to Nashville and the Grand Old Opry! One of the reasons I like GoPetFriendly so much is because Amy and her Husband Rod are fulltime RVers themselves, traveling North America in a Class A with dogs Buster and Ty and documenting thousands of places friendly to pets. Their site is an encyclopedia of travel advice for RVers looking for pet friendly places. Also this week, lots of great questions from our listeners, RV news, traveling tech tips and a great off the beaten path report. Plus Jennifer's special invite, of course! [spp-player] Complete shownotes for Episode 85 of the Roadtreking RV Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK – Meet us in Nashville My tip of the week this week is really an invitation…. And a response to readers and listeners who say they want to meet us on the road. Well, here's your chance… though admittedly this is a bit spontaneous and short notice. Mike and I will be heading down I65 in a couple weeks and we thought, wouldn't it be fun to stop and spend a night at the Grand Old Opry. Then we got to wondering about finding a campground near there and then... would other Roadtrekers care to join us? So… consider this your invitation! We're looking at Saturday May 14 for the Opry. We've already reserved our seats for the 7PM show. We're staying at The Nashville KOA on Music Center Drive, which is near the Opry. Mike and I will come in Friday afternoon, May 13th and leave Sunday the 15th. If you'll be joining us, there's a post about this on our Facebook Group… let us know there. You need to make your own reservations for the Opry and for the campground. But we'd love to meet you…. Or should I say “y'all!” We'll put a link to all this on the shownotes page for this episode at roadtreking-dot-com-forward slash-85. Alas, we won't have our dog, Bo, with us on this trip, It will just be Mike and me. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Ed asks the best way to sell his RV, wondering about Craigs List. He also asks about the best way to accept payment for it. I am NOT a fan of CraigsList. There are way too many reports of fraud, robberies, even murders linked to the site. I recommend RV Trader as a great place to buy or sell a used RV. To sell a Roadtrek, I recommend listing it on Roadtrek International, a chapter of Family Motor Coach Association for Roadtrek owners. Roadtrek International lists a lot of Roadtreks for sale at http://www.roadtrekchapter.org/roadtreks-for-sale. I recommend being paid by a cashier's check. A cashier's check is a draft guaranteed by a bank, drawn from the bank's own funds and signed by a cashier or teller. It's used in place of cash, personal checks, credit cards or money orders. Ben asks about finding backgrounds for mountain biking and off grid camping National Geographic rated the 10 best Mountain Bike areas in the country and two were in Southwest Colorado: As to where to stay… Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Mesa Verde National Parks are two places I can suggest. Great campgrounds, can ride right out of the campsite. The two mountain bike areas in SW Colorado, I suggest: Crested Butte and Durango, Colorado And a listener notes how a recent post on the blog about solar panels helped her understand how they work Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK:
This week, we talk about a topic near and dear to every RVers heart – food. We hear from a woman who has started a company that aims to meet the special needs of campers and RVers who want quick, tasty and nutritious meals – the preparation of which doesn't take time away from enjoying the outdoors. Plus, we have RV news, some tech tips, a great off the beaten path report and, of course, your comments and questions. [spp-player] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK – KAYWOS Cloth This week's tip is about one of our favorite cleaning products… the KAYWOS cloth. KAYWOS – spelled K-A-Y-O-S stands for Klean (why they spell it with a K is beyond me) Anything Without Leaving a streak. Anyway, weird name and spelling aside, these cloths are nothing short of amazing. They really do clean just about anything. On our RV, we've used them to remove bugs, road gunk, bird droppings and dirt and grime from the exterior of our Roadtrek motorhome. Without soap and water. In essence, we cleaned the whole RV with the cloth. You just wet it, wring it dry and start cleaning. The cloths are re-useable. You can run them through the wash. Just let them air dry, never put them in the dryer. On the interior, we use them to clean mirrors and windows– with no streaking. They remove tar, grease, fingerprints and grime. They clean plastic, granite, stainless, chrome, computer screens, glasses and more. The KAYWOS cloth is made of ultra fine micro fibers and they grab and hold dirt like a magnet. The results are clean, streak free surfaces. Using water helps emulsify dirt and oil, making it easier for the micro fiber cloth to pick it up. Its high absorbency will quickly clean up spills. When washing a well used cloth, machine wash with laundry detergent or hand wash with dish soap in hot water. Rinse thoroughly. Using bleach will shorten the life of your cloths. Do not use fabric softener (fabric softener leaves a film on the cloth and decreases its effectiveness). And be careful when machine washing or drying in mixed loads as cloths will pick up lint from other fabrics. Air-dry only. We love the cloths. They cost $6 for one, $10 for two. We'll put a link to them on the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-forward slash-83. Here's a video Mike and I did showing how well they work. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Norm is getting a new RV and will use a mobile hotspot. He asks how we measure and report back the temperature in our motorhome while their dogs are alone. I share info about the Canary system we use. Tina is off from Southern California to Lake Louise, Calgary and Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. She's looking for places to stay and see.I refer her to travelalberta.com for a list of attractions, places to camp and so much more Tom suggests a way to protect against pollen for RVers. He recommends a product called PollenTec that is an extra fine screen that can be put over your RV windows. Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Free Days and National Parks: Mark your calendar and plan to visit your National Parks on these special days! Entrance fees will be waived to celebrate and honor the following important dates: April 16-24 – National Park Week August 25-28 – National Park Service Birthday Weekend September 24 – National Public Lands Day November 11 – Veterans Day Winnebago Recalls 2-16 Winnie Drop Trailers Winnebago Towable is recalling certain model year 2016 Winnie Drop recreational trailers manufactured Sept. 10 to March 8. The refrigerator compartment may not be completely sealed and thus may allow carbon monoxide to enter the main cabin.
The RV community is on the move. Spring vacations, returning snowbirds and the new travel season is making many think about where to camp, where to overnight and how to get just the right spot. So this week, we talk to the guy who literally wrote the app on all that, Adam Longfellow from AllStays, the Net's most respected RV and camping website and app. AllStays just came on as one of our Roadtreking RV Podcast sponsors. But as I've gotten to know Adam, I realized how much helpful information he personally has to share with us all. So I asked him to come on this week and offer up some tips for finding just the right spot to spend the night in our RV. You'll find his suggestions below in the off The Beaten Path report section. That's just one part of a jam-packed podcast for you this week! [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #82 April 6, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK - The portable chairs we take One of the most asked questions we get has to do with the portable chairs we carry around with us in our RV for outside seating. We carry four of them. Two of them are the Pico Telescoping Directors Chair. They were the very first accessories we bought for our Roadtrek when we were just starting out in 2012. Mike selected them because of how small they are. Each chair folds down to size of a laptop. They are made of breathable nylon mesh and polyester fabric and have scratch free nylon-coated feet. And they have a beverage holder and a side pocket. They set up and become regular-sized outdoor arm chairs. They are probably the first thing we bring out when we set up camp. And, yes, they are surprisingly comfortable. We know a lot of fellow Roadterkers have also bought them after seeing ours, so we are obviously not alone in liking these chairs, despite the fact that, at about $100 each, they are certainly on the expensive side. The high cost is no doubt because of the way they telescope down so small. There are two more chairs we also now carry in our RV. They are Zero Gravity Reclining chairs, typically sold for around pools and patios.Mike and I call them out “look at the sky chairs” because they let you recline way back. They take up quite a bit of room. We are able to fit them in the back of our Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL but on our other RVs, they would have been too big. But they fit just fine in our current Roadtrek and we wouldn't think of heading out anywhere without bringing these chairs as well. You can get two of the models we have from Amazon for $98. But check Walmart as we've seen them on sale from time to time for considerably less. The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: We answer listener questions and hear feedback about: Using the Canary wi-fi security camera in an RV with a Jet pack data card A woman's enthusiasm that she will soon be fulltiming in an RV with her dog A video showing our solar panels atop our Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL Finding a dog friendly beach in Florida Whether it's necessary to tow a car with a Class B motorhome for mobility Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Woman warns of Craig's List RV scam Yellowstone National Park busy opening roads for new season Oregon Police trying to solve mystery of body found inside a burned RV This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV TRAVELING TECH TIP: How to use your iPad as a second monitor This week's tip comes from a listener named Andy, from Chattanooga. Andy is a work camper who will be working and living on the road for the next year or so,
In this episode, we come to you from the Emerald Coast of Florida's Panhandle, recording the podcast from a picnic table 25 feet from the Gulf of Mexico at the Navarre Beach Campground, answering listener questions, sharing tips and reporting the RV news of the week. [spp-player] Complete shownotes for The Roadtreking RV Podcast Episode 79: MIKE AND JENNIFER'S WHEREABOUTS We'll be at the big Family Motorcoach Association 2016 Family Reunion at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, GA March 17-20. Jennifer and I will be there and presenting two seminars: The first is called “Serendipity Travel with the Wendlands” which details the way we travel in our RV with no reservations and stopping and sightseeing at random along the roads we travel. It will be on Friday, March 18, at in Seminar Room 4 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. The second seminar will be “Living in a Type B Motorhome” and talk about how two people and a dog have happily lived and traveled over 100,000 miles over the past four years in a Class B motorhome. There's a lot of interest in Class A and Class C owners in downsizing and we'll talk about what it's like. That seminar will be held Saturday at in Seminar Room 2. In between times, we'll be hanging around the FMCA booth The FMCA Membership booth, in the Miller-Murphy-Howard building at the gathering or camped out with a bunch of Roadtrek owners in a special area of the campground. Come look us up and say Hi. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK – Our Protein Smoothie Maker I've shared before how we are trying to eat healthy on the road. Today, I want to tell you about one of the best tools for doing that. A high speed blender/mixer called the NutriBullet, and Mike and I use it to make the most delicious protein smoothies. Today, for example, we mixed up frozen cherries and some whey protein. It was so good it was hard to believe it WAS actually good for us! But it was! The NutriBullet breaks down and pulverizes the stems, seeds, and skins of fruits and vegetables, which is where most of the essential nutrition lies – unlike what juicers and blenders do. Simply add your favorite foods and special boosts like nuts, seeds, and, along with some water or another liquid, and it extracts the ingredients into smooth, tasty drink. And the best part is it takes only seconds to prepare, seconds to clean and couldn't be easier to take on-the-go. We have a NutriBullet at home and, for $70, we added another for our RV. It effortlessly pulverizes fruits, vegetables and healthy superfoods with a high torque 600 watt motor. The unit we got on Amazon came with a tall cup which we use when we are both having a protein shake, as well as two short cups that are good for individual servings. It comes with a flat blade and an emulsifying blade, as well as a manual and some recipes So… you want our favorite recipe? Okay, for the two of us, we mix in two cups of frozen fruit, two scoops of protein and some coconut milk. Sometimes, we have it for breakfast, sometimes after a workout or a long hike or some strenuous exercise. The NutriBullet itself fits with all the accessories in a cabinet beneath the sink in our Roadtrek's galley, cleans up very easy and is probably our favorite appliance. You can find in any of the big box stores like Walmart and Target. We'll put a direct affiliate link to it on Amazon on the shownotes page for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-forward slash-79 LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: A listener asks for an app to make free long distance calls to other countries – Mike suggests the aptly named Roger app, which has walkie talkie-like features. Just a push the big simple button, record your message, and send. One especially cool feature about the Roger app is you can see the location, weather, and time of day of the person who is receiving your message. And all you need to get started is the phone number of the person you want to start communicating with ...
Our special guest in this week's edition of the Roadtreking RV Podcast is none other than Campskunk, our resident fulltimer, who is about to end his winter hiatus in Florida and hit the road for another year of RV travel. But before he does, he shares with us the chores he says every RVer should do before heading out for a new season of RV adventure. Besides Campskunk, we have lots of audience comments and questions, a tip from Jennifer on our most often used RV accessory, some tips on how your smartphone can double as an RV walkie-talking for your RVing pals and a fun off the beaten path report about some little known must-see attractions in Colorado. [spp-player] Complete shownotes for Episode 78 of the Roadtreking RV Podcast, released March 9, 2016. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK - A clock and indoor/outdoor thermometer for the RV My tip this week is about the one device in our RV we probably use more than any other device or appliance. The clock! [spp-timestamp time="6:19"] Specifically, a very handy wall clock. We use SkyScan Atomic Digital Clock with Indoor and Outdoor Temperature. We got it on Amazon for $38. There's an outdoor sensor that Mike mounted on our outside rear door with industrial strength Velcro… On the inside, he mounted the main display on the wall between the rear bed and the galley, also with Velcro. Both the sensor and the display stay firmly in place, even on bumpy roads. The display is very easy to read, especially with those three inch time digits. We get an inside temperature reading and an outside temperature, plus the time, as well as the day and date. We like this clock because it is always accurate. That's because it is self-setting and uses atomic time. Every day around 2 am, it syncs by radio waves to the official US time standard in Fort Collins CO. All you do is select the time zone you are in and the clock automatically adjusts the time and, like it will do on Sunday March 13, automatically sets itself to Daylight Savings Time. The clock is quite attractive. The one we picked has black frame that matches very nicely with the gray and ebony interior colors of our Roadtrek. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Comments and questions from the audience deal with: How to get a great RV Packing List (hint: email Mike),[spp-timestamp time="8:18"] The Canary streaming cameras as a security device for the RV [spp-timestamp time="11:20"] Photo tips [spp-timestamp time="17:12"] RV comparisons [spp-timestamp time="19:37"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B's from three locations. All three have a great fly and drive program. They'll pick you up from the airport and will reimburse you $500 toward your airfare. Then, your RV will be fully prepared for travel, complete with full tanks of fuel and propane RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Trial to begin for man accuse of killing a couple who banished on an RV trip [spp-timestamp time="28:38"] California RV Park invests $1.1 million in solar [spp-timestamp time="28:36"] This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde… the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV The Alde hydronic system brings many features and benefits not found with any other product. Silent Radiant Heat - providing a warm even natural heated interior. Great for pets. (And Humans) Increased Interior Space by combining two systems in one. Efficiency. The whole system draws less than 1 amp on 12V DC and will extend the life of your propane roughly 40 percent over forced air. Heating on Electric or Gas. Multiple Options and Amenities: Towel Warmers, Floor Heat, Tank Heating, 4 Season Camping, Engine Heat, Driver Comfort, Modern Programable Color Touch Screen Thermostat and Interface Minimal Side-Wall Penetration. Small combined intake and exhaust eliminate big cut outs and sidewall congestion.
The major RV News of the week is the acquisition of Roadtrek Motorhomes by Europe's gigantic Erwin Hymer Group, the largest motorhome manufacturer in the world. I was on hand in Kitchener, Ontario and Roadtrek headquarters this week when the deal was announced and have in depth interviews with the principals. Bottom line is that while Roadtrek is now owned by the newly formed Erwin Hammer Group of North America, it's top management team is the same as its been and the company wll continue to aggressively buoid its award winning and best selling Class B motorhomes…. BUT it is now part of the newly formed Erwin Hymer Group of North America which will soon be introducing some amazingly innvatiive new products, like ultra light weight towables and even larger Class C and Class A motorhomes. You'll get all the details, in depth, in the news of the week segment of the podcast. But there's even more in this episode! [spp-player] Shownotes for episode 76 of Roadtreking: The RV Lifestyle Podcast. Clock the time link to jump directly to that part of the podcast. MIKE AND JEN'S UPDATE Mike and Jennifer update listeners on their progress in training their new puppy, Bo [spp-timestamp time="3:30"], and some big RV shows to take note of - one in Phoenix, AZ where LeMesa RV will hold a huge small motorhome show in the University of Phoenix Dstadium and one in Perry, GA where the Family Motorhome Association will have it's annual reunion in Perry, GA. Both will be March 17-20 [spp-timestamp time="5:00"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK - Water filters for RVers I'm a fanatic about clean water. Clean drinking water. Filtered drinking water. It amazes me how many RVs I see that hook up directly to campground water spigots without using a filter. [spp-timestamp time="7:00"] They say one filter lasts an entre season. We use the Camco TastePURE Water Filter. You can pick them up at most RV dealers, Walmart or Amazon for about $15. You do want a fresh one each year. These filters reduce bad taste, ordors, chlorine and sediment in drinking water. They have a carbon filter and come with a short flexible hose connection. Here's a hint, when you first hook it up r to your water source, allow the water to run free for a few minutes to flush the initial loose carbon out of the filter. When the water runs clear, the filter is ready for use. But please… use a filter when you connect water to your RV. And by the way, these filters aren't restricted to RV use. Use it in the garden for reduced-chlorine watering when watering your plants and when washing your car to reduce mineral deposit spots. LISTENER QUESTIONS Anew RVer asks our recommendations about mail forwarding while on extended trips. We refer him to Episode 58, where we talk with people from DakotaPost, a mail forwarding company based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that works with the Family Motorcoach Association in handling mail forwarding and offering virtual mailboxes. [spp-timestamp time="8:24"] We talk about food storage and safety in bear country and also receive a listener tip about health care while on the RV and traveling when you're not feeling well. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: Roadtrek's new owners This week we interview in depth: [spp-timestamp time="20:55"] Jim Hammill, President and CEO of Roadtrek and the newly formed Erwin Hymer Group North America, Inc., which will continue producing Roadtrek motorhomes and introduce some new Hymer models over the next three years Martin Brandt, the CEO of the Erwin Hymer Group, who discusses the product line up, plans for Roadtrek and the drive for innovation and consumer-oriented RV products. Jim Hammil (left), new President and CEO of the new Erwin Hymer Group of North America, and Martin Brandt, CEO and Chairman of the Erwin Hymer Group Brandt said the Hymer Group has wanted to get deeply involved in North America since 2013 and has been unable to find the right partner – until they met Roadtrek and started talking to Hammill and his team...
In this episode of the Roadtreking RV Podcast we answer some questions from listeners who want to embrace the RV lifestyle but have concerns because they are not mechanically inclined or good at "fixing stuff." They wonder if they'll be able to cut it as an RV owner. I do my best to assure them, with Jennifer chiming in. Bottom line is if I can do it, they can. I am not a Mr. Fix it. We share the tips and suggestions needed that will let anyone take to the road in an RV confident that, whatever comes up, they can handle it. And no, you do not have to roll up your sleeves and do-it-yourself. Help, we assure everyone, is easy to find, as we share our experiences. [spp-player] Complete Shownotes for Episode 74 of the Roadtreking RV Podcast As Jennifer joins me, we update the audience of our whereabouts and our rough travel plans for 2016, both confessing that we have a bit of cabin fever and are soon planning to hit the road.[spp-timestamp time="2:30"] JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Let's face it, sometimes those long drives in our RV to get to all those great places out there can be…. Well, a pain in the…. Glutes. [spp-timestamp time="4:30"] Both Mike and I have had it. And while our Roadtrek seats are very comfy and have great lumbar support, all that sitting puts a lot of pressure on your butt and the back of your thighs. We've seen comfort pads and padded cushions sold at truck stops and online but we were looking for something more ergonomically designed. And that took us to a store near our house called Relax the Back. Actually, there are about 100 of these around the U.S. and each one specializes in products aimed at people seeking relief and prevention of back and neck pain. It was there that we found the Travel Lite Cushion by Lifeform, a seat cushion made with pressure sensitive memory foam that conforms to your body and then regains its shape when not in use. The sales person at the store took it out to the parking lot so we could try it in our Roadtrek. He explained that it is desiged to help correct our pelvic angle and sitting posture while maintaining the natural curve of the spine. By reducing pressure to the glues and the back of the thighs, it helps improve circulation to the legs and feet. We couldn't be happier with these cushions. We carry it between our RV and our personal car and I even bring it in the house and pur it on my office chair when we're home. They are exclusive to the Relax Your Back stores and cost $145 each. That's a lot but we think they are really worth it. Oh yeah, one other related tip we picked up from our Relax the Back store consultant that is for you men. And this tip is free: Don't sit on your billfold. Do not keep your billfold in your back pocket while you drive. Even if you have one of these skinny billfolds like Mike has, siting on it makes an unnatural tilt and that will always result in back pain after a long drive. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Two of our listeners have questions this week that expressed their eagerness to hit the road in an RV but were worried at their lack of mechanical skills. Listener Brian is a Texas attorney about to retire and hit the road in a Class B campervan. But he worries that his lack of fix it skills will leave him in a bind. [spp-timestamp time="10:00"] A listener asks about traveling to Alaska in an RV and seeks advice on what to see and where to go. Mike refers her to the Alaska Tourism office and their excellent book Milepost 2016, which details literally every single mile of the Alaska Highway. [spp-timestamp time="18:35"] And Listener Dan, whose looking to buy used class B, also has concern's about not being good at fixing things and wants to know where he can find one for about $30K. Mike and Jennifer suggest he try Roadtrek International or RV Trader for used RVs, besides calling various Class B dealers around the country and ask them. Jennifer warns him that because they are in such high demand,
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