Podcasts about rv industry association

On this week's episode of Good Morning Outdoors, Alex Burkett holds down the fort while Matt Whitermore away at a conference, and we're joined by a very special guest-host, Christine Taylor. Chrissy brings a unique perspective to the show, with a background that spans campgrounds, compliance, and now law, as she wraps up her legal career at Goldberg Segalla. We dive into the brand-new 2025 Kampgrounds of America, Inc. Report and what the data reveals about shifting consumer preferences in the outdoor space. Then, we explore a new article from the RV Industry Association, highlighting how Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping the RV industry and pushing manufacturers and operators to adapt. We also take a closer look at the Terramor Outdoor Resort brand, built by KOA, and how it's blending luxury design with legacy campground roots. Finally, we break down the latest SSI data showing a nearly 12% drop in retail RV registrations for February 2025—and what it could signal for the year ahead. This one's packed with insights for campground owners, RV pros, and anyone watching the outdoor hospitality space evolve in real-time. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Good Morning Outdoors, Alex Burkett holds down the fort while Matt Whitermore away at a conference, and we're joined by a very special guest-host, Christine Taylor. Chrissy brings a unique perspective to the show, with a background that spans campgrounds, compliance, and now law, as she wraps up her legal career at Goldberg Segalla. We dive into the brand-new 2025 Kampgrounds of America, Inc. Report and what the data reveals about shifting consumer preferences in the outdoor space. Then, we explore a new article from the RV Industry Association, highlighting how Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping the RV industry and pushing manufacturers and operators to adapt. We also take a closer look at the Terramor Outdoor Resort brand, built by KOA, and how it's blending luxury design with legacy campground roots. Finally, we break down the latest SSI data showing a nearly 12% drop in retail RV registrations for February 2025—and what it could signal for the year ahead. This one's packed with insights for campground owners, RV pros, and anyone watching the outdoor hospitality space evolve in real-time. ---- Good Morning Hospitality is part of the Hospitality.FM Multi-Media Network and is a Hospitality.FM Original The hospitality industry is constantly growing, changing, and innovating! This podcast brings you the top news and topics from industry experts across different hospitality fields. Good Morning Hospitality publishes three thirty-minute weekly episodes: every Monday and Wednesday at 7 a.m. PST / 10 a.m. EST and every Tuesday at 8 a.m. CET for our European and UK-focused content. Make sure to tune in during our live show on our LinkedIn page or YouTube every week and join the conversation live! Explore everything Good Morning Hospitality has to offer: • Well & Good Morning Coffee: Enjoy our signature roast—order here! • Retreats: Join us at one of our exclusive retreats—learn more and register your interest here! • Episodes & More: Find all episodes and additional info at GoodMorningHospitality.com Thank you to all of the Hospitality.FM Partners that help make this show possible. If you have any press you want to be covered during the show, email us at goodmorning@hospitality.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

RV owners are getting younger and consider RVing as a way to pursue their dreams of travel while working from the road, according to the results of a survey by the RV Industry Association. We'll talk about the state of RVing and what younger RV buyers mean to the health of the RV industry in this edition of Rolling Home. Show notes

Ep 41: An insight into the Caravan Industry in the USA with an interview with RV Industry Association spokesperson, Monica Geraci.With production figures typically around 500,000 RVs per annum, Is everything bigger and better on the other side of the Atlantic?CONTACTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rvindustryassociation/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RVIndustryAssocTwitter: https://twitter.com/RV_IndustryLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rvia/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RVIACommunicationsOther: www.rvia.org OFFERS

Hey RV Miles listeners! We’re trying something new. We’ve been making these short news videos over on YouTube, and a lot of you find them valuable but aren’t regular YouTube watchers. We’re going to begin adding the audio from these news bits into the RV miles podcast feed, so once or twice a week, you can expect to get a short episode (under 10 minutes) in addition to the weekly podcast you know and love. We hope you enjoy these bits of RV and camping news. In this new episode, we break down a new report from the RV Industry Association's Marketing Arm, GO RVing, about the changing demographics of RV ownership. You can view the top sheet of the report here: https://www.rvia.org/go-rving-rv-owner-demographic-profile

Vacationing during Covid-19 is very different. So many vacations were canceled early; some because of safety concerns, but still others because of lost income. During this time, many across the country have turned to camping and RV’ing as a safe and affordable alternative - and tons of friends and colleagues have reached out to me to ask for advice.  So tuck yourselves in for a podcast all about vacationing by RV. I’m affectionately calling this episode - TAKE YOUR DAMN VACATION. On today’s episode, I’ll share our family history of RVing, my 3 key messages about traveling the states in a camper, answer some of the most frequently asked questions about travel by RV. But above all, I totally want to encourage you to take your vacation. Only 44 percent of American women use all of their annually allotted vacation time, compared with 48 percent of men according to Project Time Off. Whatever you decide to do for vacation, DO IT SAFELY. For real. Mask up. Wash your hands. And take every precaution possible to stay healthy.  What I’m talking about: According to RV Industry Association, RV sales in some areas during spring of 2020 have sped up 170 percent over the same time period last year. There’s a huge interest in turning to the road and national parks Our family has been to 47 of the 48 lower states, Canada, and 26 national parks (and tons more other monuments, forests, etc.) in our RV. We probably have close to 250 nights in it. The RV adventure started for our family in 2015 by renting a Class C Rv. By 2017 we purchased a Winnebego Class A for our family and committed to spending our vacations RVing for the next few years. My key messages about rving as a way of vacationing. #1 - Really reflect on if you imagine yourself as an RVer.  #2 - Start small.  #3 - Plan in advance. Definitely do your research or reach out to someone to help you plan like my friend Mindy Weber. Mindy specializes in planning road trips with her company Nature Driven Adventures. Totally give her a follow on Instagram. 5. And my Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions about RVing: Is it cheaper than a hotel or airbnb?  Is it hard to drive?  How do I find places to stay? What do you do all day - and do you get tired of being in a small space?  And finally, how do you plan for meals and things like that, particularly during Covid? 

Your summer RV Trip faces unprecedented challenges this year. We’re still in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Camping and non-essential travel is restricted in many places. Dangerous riots have erupted across America in every major city and in many smaller ones. The Canadian border is closed. There are safety concerns, financial concerns, and seemingly a new crisis every day. This week in the RV Podcast, we talk about those summer RV trip challenges and how you can make your RV travel as safe and satisfying as possible, given the very unusual circumstances under which we now find ourselves in the summer of 2020. Hello everyone and welcome to episode 297 of the RV Podcast. We have a lot to talk about this week. We have RV news, your questions, an interview about how you can get around those summer RV trip challenges, and get your RV to Alaska by ship, plus RV tips and suggestions. Shownotes for Episode #297 June 3, 2020 of The RV Podcast: RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK This is Mike and Jen at Bryce Canyon National Park...one of their favorite summer RV trip destinations What tumultuous times we live in. Last week, as we finally started to move out of the national lockdowns from the coronavirus pandemic, we were saying who could have seen such a terrible thing. This week, we look at the wave of terrible riots and violence sweeping the country in the wake of the protests over police brutality and the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and we say who could have seen such destruction and pain. This podcast is about the RV lifestyle but we certainly have to acknowledge the terrible times we are living through. Jennifer and I are people of faith and optimistic by nature and we know many of you Fellow Travelers are the same and join us in prayer for our nation. None of us know what is next. But at the same time, we believe we can move forward when it comes to summer RV trip plans but we have to do so recognizing the challenges we face. This will be a summer like no other we have expected. As this episode of the RV Podcast releases, we’re still in Florida on Okaloosa Island. We’re planning a getaway camping trip next weekend and then, the week after, barring the unexpected – which is certainly happening a lot this year – we plan to leave Florida after almost six months and head to our home in Michigan. We have lots of RV travel plans for late June and July and beyond but if we’ve learned anything this year, it’s that those plans have to be flexible. RV PODCAST NEWS OF THE WEEK - Summer RV Trip challenges Judge denies request to lift mandatory 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors as court challenge works way through courts As we talk here on the RV Podcast about summer RV trip challenges, let’s start in Maine, where a federal judge has upheld the governor of Maine's requirement that all out-of-state visitors be quarantined for 14 days when entering the state. Two campgrounds were among several small businesses that filed a federal lawsuit saying the quarantine is unconstitutional for discriminating against out-of-towners. The governor permits Maine residents to go camping, but out-of-towners must be quarantined for 14 days before they can travel about. The small businesses, heavily dependent upon tourism, said this order was hurting them financially and sought a preliminary injunction to lift the order as their lawsuit works its way through the legal process. While the injunction was not granted, the case is still in the early stages. We'll keep you informed when we hear more. One in four Americans interested in doing some sort of RV camping trip in next year, according to report That’s just one of the summer RV trip challenges this year. But despite the many concerns, one in four Americans plan to take some sort of RV trip in the next 12 months according to a survey released last week from the RV Industry Association.

This special episode of the RV Podcast comes to you direct from Salt Lake City, Utah, where we are attending the RV Industry Association’s glitzy new RVX show, which has brought nearly 5,000 RV manufacturers, dealers, suppliers and media to this cold, wintry city to kick off the 2019 camping season with the introduction of new RVs, RV-related technology and new products aimed at the camping public. We’ll have interviews, inside information and more direct from the show floor. Show Notes for Episode #233 March 13, 2019 of The RV Podcast WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Part of the Reveal awards to the best in category RVs at the RVX show. This one is for the Unity 2020 Rear Lounge model from Leisure Travel Vans which won the best in the City Escape Category JENNIFER This is a busy week out here in Salt Lake City, where the area is under a winter weather advisory with lots of snow and high winds predicted during the show dates out here. We’re going to devote the whole podcast to this event out here, which is really a big deal as it’s done by the RVIA – the RV Industry Association, which is the influential trade group whose polices and promotions set much of the industry agenda. MIKE There was a lot of skepticism about this show this year. It replaces the traditional November show the RVIA did every year right after Thanksgiving in Louisville. That show suffered with dwindling attendance over its past several years because the Industry Open House in Elkhart, Indiana – the RV capital of the world -  drew away most of the dealers who felt they couldn’t afford two industry shows a month apart. So Louisville ended in 2017 and the RVIA promises to reboot the show with RVX, which will go to different cities each year. And this one is the first, but there’s a lot riding on it. I’m hearing from a lot of manufacturer reps we’ve talked to that many dealers are not here. March is a busy time for them as they prepare for the new season and, let’s face it, Salt Lake City in March is not exactly a garden spot this time of year. JENNIFER There may be snow and wind outside, but inside the Salt Palace Convention Center, it does look a lot like spring. The displays are big and glitzy and we do want to compliment the RVIA for adding a lot of excitement to every aspect of this, including big reveals of new RVs, even RV concept vehicles. It reminds me of the big Detroit auto shows we have attended, with a touch of the Consumer Electronic Shows in Las Vegas. MIKE We were brought out here by Leisure Travel Vans, and we’re doing some meet and grets with those attending RVX at their booth. Plus we will be doing a live YouTube broadcast on our RV Lifestyle Channel Thursday March 14 at 3PM right from the show floor. And we’ll be learniung as much as we can about what’s coming in 2019 for the industry, which we promise to share with you. JENNIFER Now we should point out that this show is not open to the public. It’s just for the industry. But we’ll do the best we can to be your eye and ears and let you know the big news from here. Speaking of RV news, let’s do a quick check on the RV News of the Week. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK JENNIFER The 2018 list of the 10 most visited U.S. national parks released last week More than 318 million people visited America's national parks last year, with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park remaining America's most visited park in 2018, with 11.42 million visitors. Next up was the Grand Canyon National Park, with 6.38 million visitors, followed by the Rocky Mountain National Park with 4.59 million. All the parks are gearing up for another big tourism year in 2019. We visited Arches National Park in Utah this past weekend and learned that there is quite a controversy brewing about a proposal by the National Park System to limit visitors to the park during the peak spring and summer season to only those who make reservations.

Across the country, there’s a growing movement for something known as R2R, or Right to Repair. It’s being fought by the RV industry, which often limits just who can repair their products, usually through a tightly controlled dealership network. For RV owners, this often means that necessary repairs can take days, even weeks because many of those dealership service shops are booked solid. But what if those repairs could be done by other repair facilities, not financially tied at the hip to the manufacturer? When manufacturers own the only repair shop around, prices go up and quality goes down. Competition is better for customers, but mom and pop repair shops are struggling with unfair practices by multinational corporations. Consumers and repair pros are starting to fight back. Today, in our interview of the week segment, we’re going to talk about the R2R movement, why the industry is so against it and what this means to you, the RV owner. Plus, your comments, questions and tips, plus the RV news of the week and a great off the beaten path report.   Show Notes for Episode #232 March 6, 2018 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER This week finds us on the road again. We’re on a week-long roadtrip that will eventually take us to Salt Lake City Utah for a big trade show next week. But we’re taking our time getting there, trying to keep to our “330 Rule” of not traveling more than 330 miles in a single day or stopping by 3:30PM so we can enjoy the area. MIKE We can’t gIve you an itinerary because, well, we seldom have one, other than a direction. We’ll be staying at Harvest Host wineries, farms and attractions as well as any interesting state or local campgrounds or boondocking spots that catch our eye. And yes, Bo is with us on this trip, though we will be using Rover.com to find a local family that he can stay with in Salt Lake City since we’ll be working during the RV show hours. JENNIFER We can’t say enough good things about Rover. It is a free app that connects you to a nationwide network of dog sitters, doggie day care centers and boarding facilities. We often use it when we travel to different areas. The sitters are well screened and Bo seems to really enjoy his visits. MIKE Many of you have been following our travels over the past month in a 2019 Leisure Travel Van Wonder, RTB, for Rear Twin Bed. We have been interested in test driving it for two purposes: One, to see what it’s like driving an RV on the Ford Transit chassis. We just posted a video on that experience on our RV Lifestyle Channel. Overall, we have been very pleased with it, except for a few things. But we think the Transit is going to give the Mercedes Benz Sprinter a real run for the money as the most popular chassis these days for small motorhomes. JENNIFER The second part of the Wonder we wanted to experience was our comfort level with a slightly larger van than we’re used to. Leisure Travel Vans are what is known as B+ vans, a sort of cross between a Class B campervan and a larger Class C Van. Technically, a B+ is listed for insurance purposes as a Class C motorhome but they call it a B+ because it does not have the typical cab overhang you see on most Class Cs and it’s a little less boxy looking. We will have a full video review of the Wonder and our experience with it coming it this Thursday. You can see all our videos at YouTube-dot-com-slash-rvlifestyle. MIKE The show we are attending next week is called RVx and is organized by RV Industry Association and will be attended by TV dealers, RV manufacturers, industry leaders, suppliers and the media. Jennifer and I will be hanging out at the show doing meet and greets for the attendees all three days. Tuesday from 3-5PM, Wednesday from 4-5 PM and Thursday from 11AM-1PM. If you are one of those who, will be at the show, look for us at the Leisure Travel Vans Display. We’d love to say hi.

This week we hear from a favorite, Chef MJ… Mary Jane Curry, who has been writing up RV Recipes for our RV Lifestyle Blog for several years now and has just published a delightful cookbook aimed squarely at RVers called “Small Kitchen Big Flavors.” Chef MJ is our interview of the week and she has five great RV kitchen and cooking tips to share with us. Plus, you’ll get first notice here of an awesome event this spring where you can learn from Chef MJ in person. But also, in this episode, RV news, RV tips, a great off the beaten path report and much more. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride, Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #221 Dec. 5, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We’re working on videos We’re planning a break… to take the first time off in seven years… the last two weeks of the year. We talk about our free Christmas gift-buying guide… https://rvlifestyle.com/christmas And we also talk about the members-only benefits available free through our RV Community at https://rvlifestyle.com/community RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK MIKE Man and dog climb tree to escape angry herd of buffalo, and broadcast whole thing on Facebook live Have you ever been out west, out for a hike, and come across some wild buffalo that are not too happy to see you? Well, in a story I saw last week, apparently a man was hiking on Antelope Island near Salt Lake City, Utah, with his German Shepard when a herd of buffalo decided to go aggressively come toward him. The man did what many do these days, decided to record the whole thing on Facebook Live. As the buffalo started following him he noticed their tails were up - a sign of aggression - and they were grunting menacingly. He walked faster and faster and then tried to climb a tree as he called for help. His story has a happy ending, after a parks official came to help. Officials believe the herd mistook the dog as a predator. JENNIFER RV shipments to dealers down 11 percent, though sales are up 4.63 percent You may have heard that Elkhart, Indiana, home to the RV manufacturing industry, is closely watched for signs of how the economy is doing. Several stories out last week analyzed what the third slip in RV shipments in a row means not just for the RV industry, but for the whole country. The RV Industry Association reported wholesale shipments to dealers dropped 11 percent for its third period, yet RV sales in the U.S. and Canada are up 4.63 percent. What is not clear is if the third drop in shipments is because dealers had ordered too much inventory, or if rising interest rates, tariffs and the contentious the political climate is adding up to mean something else. MIKE Manatees ares heading to Florida's inland hot water springs  The manatees are back! Florida's Blue Springs State Park report that the manatees are back in large numbers as cold temperatures have hit the Sunshine State driving the gentle giants inland to Florida's warm springs. A story out last week about this made me think of a camping trip Jennifer and I took at the Blue Springs State Park a few years back to see the manatees. (see our report here). We thoroughly enjoyed camping in the park and watching the gigantic creatures. If you can't make it to Florida, a webcam is also operating live footage here. To see the report that took me down memory lane click: http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/manatees-gather-at-blue-springs-state-park-to-stay-warm JENNIFER Man camping in at Idaho KOA campground dies in fire tied to space heater use  A sad story caught my eye out of Idaho this week about a man dying after his camper at a KOA caught on fire. The man had apparently been using a space heater to help his vehicle stay warm, and fire officials said the blaze was caused by combustible materials getting too close to the space heater. The trailer also did not have working smoke alarms.

America’s National Parks are in crisis. A growing near $12 billion backlog of desperately needed repairs and maintenance is seriously affecting America's National Parks. Inadequate federal campgrounds and deteriorating or closed roads, bridges and facilities negatively impact visitor experiences and RVers in particular. In our interview of the week, we talk to Chris Bornemann, Senior Manager of Government Affairs for the RV Industry Association, who will tell us what we can do to help persuade Congress to restore our parks. Plus, your questions, comments, lots of RV news and Tips and a great off-the-beaten-path report from the Burketts. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #209 Sept. 12.2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:14"] JENNIFER As this episode comes your way, we’re way up north at Algonquin Provincial Park in Canada, attending one of our Roadtreking boondocking gatherings with a couple dozen fellow RVers. We’re enjoying the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, hiking, taking a lot of pictures and enjoying some early fall weather. Though it’s supposed to warm up later in the week up here, the nighttime temperatures have been in the mid 40’s. MIKE And Bo, our Norwegian Elkhound, loves it. He’s grown weary of the heat and humidity of the past few months as we’ve traveled through the southern US and the Gulf Coast. This Ontario weather is much more to his liking. JENNIFER This is a very busy week for us. We have to leave here and on Thursday start traveling to Hershey, PA and America’s Largest RV show there. We always have a ball at this show. More than 45 RV manufacturers will be displaying over 1,300 RVs here and there are over 100 other companies that make RV accessories and provide RV related services. We will be shooting videos and we have two live broadcasts we plan to do on our Facebook Roadtreking Page. MIKE We will be doing two Facebook Live broadcasts from the Hershey show next weekend. The frst will be on Friday at 3:30 PM from the Rad Power Bikes display.  The second will be Saturday at 3 PM from the Roadtrek. Hymer display.  Both will be on our Roadtreking Facebook Page  Also, we’ll be doing meet at greet appearances at the Roadtrek and Hymer display Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 1 PM. We love meeting you and invite you to come by if you are attending the show. If not, then tune in to our Live reports on the Facebook Page for a look at what we’re discovering. Again, that first live report is Saturday at 3 PM. The second will be on Sunday at 3PM, when we’ll go live from the show from the Rad Power Bikes display. JENNIFER This has also been an exciting week for us as Mike is now well underway on his new healthy living program. If you heard Episode 208 last week, you learned why the RV Lifestyle and all the sitting while driving and eating at those great RV gathering pot lucks can really put on the pounds. Anyway, Mike entered the program that is run by the weight loss expert he interviewed last week and we’ve been following it faithfully. So far so good, right? MIKE Oh yeah… very right. We update my progress on this plan every Sunday night on our YouTube Live broadcast on our RV Lifestyle Channel there. So if you want the details, make sure you tune in Sunday night. But so far, in the first week, I’ve lost several pounds and because this is a simple plan that basically cuts out sugars and starches – carbohydrates – we’re eating healthy, organic, whole foods as much as possible, something we can easily prepare on the road.  Anyway, go to our YouTube Channel at RVLifestyleChannel.com and you can see the most recent update. But I can report there’s definitely less of me this week than there was last week! JENNIFER So, that’s what we’ve been up to. We’re having a ball meeting others, traveling in our RV and seeing North America. This part of the program is brought to you Overnight RV Parking...

Check out the full show notes, video, and more at http://www.channelmastery.com/48 GUEST PROFILE: Frank Hugelmeyer is president of the RV Industry Association, co-chairman of Go RVing, and a co-founding board member of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. He has more than 30 years of experience in the sporting goods, fitness equipment and outdoor industry private sectors and an extensive background in retail, manufacturing, brand development, public policy and association management. Prior to RV Industry Association, Hugelmeyer was the longtime president and CEO of Outdoor Industry Association where he delivered sweeping improvements to member value in the fields of consumer trends, business innovation, B2B education and advocacy. While at OIA, Frank inspired and led campaign to identify the value of the outdoor recreation economy.

There's a great saying about the RV Lifestyle: The journey IS the destination. What it means is that the things we discover AS we travel are just as much a part of the adventure as the place we're heading. In other, words, off the beaten path discoveries. In this episode, you'll meet a couple who have perfected the adventure of uncovering the fascinating things you can encounter on the way to somewhere else. Stay tuned as our Interview Segment this week features our own Tom and Patti Burkett, the best off the beaten path explorers we've ever met. They'll share their secrets and tips that you can put in practice on your next RV trip. Plus, we have listener questions, feedback, RV tips, Traveling with Technology advise 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 #177 January 31, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO AND INTERESTED IN THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:10"] We can't wait to head out to warmer climes We're packing again, about to head off for a very long trip that will have us on the road pretty much through April. We loved the snow up in Michigan but now it's time to get warm again!  Our Norwegian Elkhound Bo is a snowdog and will miss it, but Jen and Mike need some beach time in the sun. We signed up for the Dakota Post mail forwarding service to handle our mail while we're away. DakotaPost, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been in the mail forwarding business since 1989 and provides a safe and secure service. Options for receiving your mail include monthly, twice a month, weekly, or on demand.  The company's new secure Client Portal gives you direct access to request your mail, change your mailing address, or update your account information online. It starts at $12 a month, $15 a month for short term of 3-9 months. I opted for Virtual Mailbox. It's $19 a month but it lets you immediately see your physical mail. Virtual Mailbox will display an exterior image of each piece of mail received in your mailbox in an online space called your Client Portal. We can have it opened or scanned or mailed to us wherever we happen to be. We'll let you know how it goes. Some onths back on the podcast, we interviewed some folks from Dakota Post... We discuss an interesting story in the Miami Herald, headlined “Dont be distracted by the beauty: Florida's National Parks are falling apart.” It talks about the massive repair backlog, to Everglades National Park in particular. A backlog of repairs at the park now tops $88 million, with about $254 million in repairs needed at national parks across the state. If you think those campgrounds and the roads you travel are more congested with RVs these days, you're right. For the first time in more than four decades – and the first time since the RV Industry Association has been keeping statistics – wholesale shipments topped half-a-million, with a total of 504,599 units moving from manufacturers to RV dealers in 2017. That figure is a 17.2% increase compared to the 430,691 units shipped in 2016. Towable units, by far the largest-selling segment of the RV market, led again in 2017, with 441,691 such units shipped, a 17.6% increase year over year. This included 31,541 towable units shipped in December, a 9.5% bump from the previous December. Motorhome shipments were also strong in 2017, finishing the year at 62,638 units on 14.4% growth over the 54,741 units shipped during 2016. December motorhome shipments were up 12.2% year over year 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="15:40"] Last week Mike and I were winter camping in the Michigan's Upper Penin...