RV Podcast - RV Lifestyle News and Tips

We've had lots of requests for for more info on owning your RV campsite in response to the story we did on The Landings in Tennessee. Here's an interview with the developer.

Because your RV motorhome, 5th Wheel or Towable Trailer camper is one of the most expensive investments you can make, protecting its roof and finish from unnecessary damage is a top priority for many of us. And an RV cover just may be the best way to do that.

In these days of high demand for RVs of all types, a lot of people have heard about RV Brokers but wonder just what does an RV Broker do? The answer is... a lot! In Episode 345 of the RV Podcast, we talk to Dr. James Upham, a well-known RV broker with years of experience. He offers a very candid explanation of just why someone may want to use an RV broker to either help them find and buy the RV of their dreams or to sell their current model. He also reveals some little-known insider information about a secret industry sales tactic that explains why some RV salesman may steer you towards a particular RV that pays them an under-the-table payment called a "SPIF" instead of recommending what may be the best choice for you. Click the player below to listen to the entire podcast. And for a complete transcript of my interview, keep scrolling down. Here is an edited transcript of the interview with Dr. James Upham of MyRVBroker.com: What does an RV Broker do? Mike Wendland: RVs have never been in higher demand. It's harder and harder to find what you want. And that's why I thought that you would make such a great guest. Tell everybody, first of all, what is an RV broker? What do they do? James Upham: So an RV broker works much like an auto broker. Okay? So they work... The term is used often the middleman, but really the person in between so that it saves, hopefully,  saves money, time and it gets you the best deal. Exactly what you're looking for. RV brokers are generally used to sell or buy or sometimes both, motorhomes. So if you're looking to get out of one, get into one, you don't want to deal with negotiation. You don't have time. Maybe that's an issue for you. You definitely want to get the best deal. You appreciate the whole sales process. This is where you would hire an RV broker to come in and do the work for you. Why use an RV Broker? Mike Wendland: So, one way would be to sell my RV. And of course, this is a prime time to sell them. You might just talk a little bit about that. So if I contract with you to sell my RV, what do you do? Why would I do that rather than putting an ad in one of the trade publications or put a sign out front? James Upham: Well, right now, you hit it on the head, Mike, you don't want to do that. The market right now is such that it's amazing what some of these RVs are getting in the used market right now. I mean, I happened to spend a lot of my time helping buyers, new buyers, first-time buyers, especially. And a lot of first-time buyers are looking into the new market. The reason being is that a lot of the used market, where, as before, you would save a substantial amount of money. In this market, you don't save a lot. So you really don't need an RV broker in my opinion, to sell your unit. Your best way to do that now is to go to Facebook Marketplace, saved Craigslist, some of these free sites that you would do it on your own. Now, with that said, let's say that you still didn't want to mess with that and you wanted to hire someone like us in order to sell. What we would do is we would pre-negotiate some arrangement with you. RV Brokers take a percentage of the deal We would decide on what our fee would be, and then we would take it from there. So we would take all your pictures. We would list them for you. We do things a little differently for our services and what brokers generally do. But yeah, your big RV sites and such, they'll try to line up certain buyers for your motorhome. But it may cost you five, 10% depending on what people are charging. And you just don't want to do that right now in this market, because you have a much better chance of selling it yourself. Mike Wendland: I appreciate you being so honest about that because it really does seem to be a sellers market. So flipping it on the other side and the side that I think is of most interest right now, to so many new people who can't find that RV they want, or they go to a dealer and they find the model and they say, "I want it." And the guy says, "Well, it's going to take you a year and a half to have it built." James Upham: Yeah. Why use an RV Broker? Mike Wendland: Why would I use an RV broker, in that case, to find what I want? James Upham: Well, the main reason... I always bring it down to two big issues. The one being the most, if saving money is important. Now I say that with a smile on my face because I'm blown away and amazed by how many people are rushing into this. They're buying an RV on an emotional whim. They're letting their emotions drive them. And because they're being told the truth in many cases about an RV's delivery date, but sometimes we know that there might be a little bit of embellishment there and a little exaggeration, but they're letting their emotions drive them and they're paying way too much. An RV Broker can save you money on an RV purchase So the main reason why you would hire an RV broker is to help you save money. The second thing that I like to relay to is that I really provide, in my case, I provide a consulting service where I can help you through to identify certain issues that you may have not have considered before. James Upham: And it's good to have a coach in your corner to help you with that. The way that it generally works for us is that what we'll do is we have established relationships. I worked for years as a sales rep, manufacturing rep for Winnebago. And so I got to meet a lot of great people along the way, a lot of dealers, and through the process to starting my own company, what ended up happening is I was able to pre-negotiate discounts based on volume of bringing customers to dealers. And so that's really if you want to save time, you want to save money and you just don't deal or appreciate with any of the headaches out there. You want someone to coach you in your corner to help you and give you a third-party perspective that's not driven by a commission. That's why you would have an RV broker on your side. Who pays the fees for an RV Broker? Mike Wendland: Now, if I contract with an RV broker to help me find the RV I want, who pays the fee, is that paid by me? Or is it by the seller that I end up buying from? James Upham: Yeah. So great question. It really depends. We work, just to answer it from our perspective, we work a little differently, whereas we'll work out a scenario that's best for everybody. A lot of cases, a buyer will actually hire me. I'll provide them with an invoice with the flat rate and we'll go to work. And at any point, as long as they pay us before they pick up their motorhome, we have no pressure. We just work there and we have unlimited access to kind of help you through the process. Other brokers will work out a commission of some kind that either the seller will pay or if they happen to have inventory of their own. So if they're buying and selling their own, then they have that scenario. So it really depends on what the arrangement is. For us when we're helping people to find motorhomes or trailers. But specifically, we find a lot of motorhome buyers right now. Then we will generally work with that motorhome buyer so that I'm working directly for them. And there's no ulterior motive or influence based on what a dealer might pay me, because I really want to have their best interest in mind. It's not always that way. It really kind of depends on the scenario. What fees do RV Brokers typically charge? Mike Wendland: That was one of my concerns. because it seems to me that it would be very tempting for the broker to say, to go to dealer a and say, "Look, I can put him in that RV. I'll sell them to that one, but I want you to give me a cut on that." And so negotiating a fee has got... A rough ballpark, let's say we're talking to a hundred thousand dollar motorhome that somebody has budgeted. What would that cost me as a buyer? James Upham: It could be a scenario where you may have, might pay as much as five to 10%. I mean, now, usually not that high because of the demand right now, because of the market, right? Where you have everybody trying to get out there and get buyers. But yeah, it really depends on that particular broker. For us, we usually do a flat fee and then we offer additional services if they need it. We really want what's best for everybody. The SPIF: A payments to salesmen by manufacturers to push their products We find that just being kind of middle of the road, having a reasonable fee out there is really the best way to go. You know, to your point, Mike, one of the things that we saw that you may have addressed already with some of the other podcasts and YouTube videos is there is something that unfortunately drives a lot of sales and that is a manufacturer's payment to a salesperson. James Upham: It's what's called a SPIF. And it's this ugly word out there and whether or not anybody knows about that, I've gone on and on about that. It's something to be careful, where a SPIF is being paid by a manufacturer, in addition to what the dealer is paying, and that can sometimes influence what we're offering to a customer. So there's an exterior force that's coming in here saying, "Hey, if I sell this one over here, either one will work, but this one over here is going to pay me more." That's what you'll try to avoid when working with an RV broker, hopefully, is that they have your best interest in mind and they don't have additional resources available to them. Mike Wendland: This idea of a SPIF... I've mentioned it in times past, but what does that stand for? Is there a sales incentive something?  SPIF stands for Sales Performance Incentive Fund and is common in the industry James Upham: I have another word for it. I don't know if I can say it on your broadcast, but I mean, it is to me, look, it happens, right? It's out there. It's been around for a long time.

Many RVers wonder whether an Extended RV Warranty is worth the investment of protecting what already is the most expensive investment they will ever make besides their sticks and bricks home - the RV. The answer is dependent on a number of factors that we consider in Episode 344 of the RV Podcast. But for those who plan to keep their RV for many years, an extended RV warranty provides something hard to measure: The peace of mind of knowing that pretty much whatever happens, whenever it happens, they're covered. Listen to the entire podcast in the player below. Scroll to about 25 minutes in to hear the interview. And keep reading below for a transcript of the interview Here's a transcript of my Interview with Staci Ritchie Roman of Wholesale Warranties What is an Extended RV Warranty? Mike Wendland:           Well, joining us now to sort out this whole issue of extended RV warranties is our friend Staci Ritchie Roman from Wholesale Warranties. And Staci, first of all, welcome to the podcast. It's always great to have you on. I think you've been on, a couple years ago we had you. Staci Ritchie Roman:      Yeah, thank you so much for having us on again. Mike Wendland:           It's such a crazy time in the RV business. Let's start off with the real basic discussion. What is an extended RV warranty? Staci Ritchie Roman:      Sure. So what most of us know as an extended RV warranty is actually an RV extended service contract, and what it is, is a policy that will step in to pay for repairs to some of the most common mechanical failures your RV is going to face. And so that ranges, everything from a diesel engine down to a microwave, and pretty much everything mechanical and electrical in between. Do you need an Extended RV Warranty for a new RV? Mike Wendland:           Well, then what about when someone buys a new RV? Do they need an extended warranty for a new RV? Staci Ritchie Roman:      Yeah, so it kind of comes down to personal preference, but we'll tell you what we think. So your RV comes with a manufacturer's warranty and that definitely takes precedence. So if you have a manufacturer warranty, you're going to go there first. Those don't always cover everything, and things start to drop off after a couple of years. The great thing about an extended warranty is you can lock in several years of coverage all at once, and the best rate you're ever going to get, the best price you're ever going to get for an extended warranty, is when it's brand new because the extended warranty companies know that they're probably not going to be paying too many claims right off the bat. So the longest term, the best price you're ever going to get is to buy right when your rig is brand new. And there are some added benefits that come with the extended warranty that you'll be able to use as well, during that first year of manufacturer coverage. What are the added benefits of an Extended RV Warranty The most common times major breakdowns occur on an RV  Source: Wholesale Warranties Mike Wendland:           What are some of those added benefits that you can use? Staci Ritchie Roman:      Sure. So there are additional things like roadside assistance on some of the policies. So it kind of varies policy to policy, and so as a broker, we have several different options available, and that's something that you'll want to discuss with your warranty specialists. But some of these policies do come with added benefits and coverages that maybe the manufacturer coverage didn't come with, so appliances and things like that. Every rig is different, and the manufacturer warranties that come with them are different, as well. Mike Wendland:           And that leads me to a question. You talked about being a broker. When you buy a new RV, they try and get you to sign up right there at the dealership. Is that necessarily the best place to do it? Staci Ritchie Roman:      You know, you have options. That's what we want RVers to know. So most of us are familiar with the only time you can get an extended warranty being when you're buying that rig brand new and at the dealership. And that's just not the case. So there are online brokers, like Wholesale Warranties, where you can get a quote for coverage. Always recommend getting a quote and getting some different options available to you, and having some of that education before you walk into the dealership on that day when you're going to be in that F&I office, and, you know, "Hey, here, get this extended warranty, as well. It's great." Take some time before you lock in your rig, work with somebody like Wholesale Warranties, and see what extended warranties are available to you, what options you have. And it's good to know, too, if you're buying private party or you just have a used rig that you've had for a while, you can still get an extended warranty. So even though you won't be going to a dealership, you can work with a broker like Wholesale Warranties and get coverage on a used unit, as well. Mike Wendland:           So basically before I take possession of that rig, before I sit down and sign those final contracts, that's the time to really check with you guys and tell you what kind of information would you want, and then what kind of information would we have then to be able to go into the RV dealership, and say, "No, I don't want that. I got my own." Staci Ritchie Roman:      Yeah, sure. So we'll just need basic information on an RV in order to pull up a quote for you. So that's going to be the year, make, model, mileage, if that applies, what the purchase price is going to be on your rig, and then some personal information. So how do you use your rig? Are you a full-timer? Are you worried about all types of failures, or maybe you're kind of handy, and you're just worrying about those huge engine repairs and things like that. So we work really closely with our customers to learn what type of RVer you are, as well, and that will allow us to recommend the best price and the best policy for who you are as an individual RVer and not just like a one size fits all policy. Why is an Extended RV Warranty needed? Mike Wendland:           Go over the key reasons why someone would need an extended RV warranty. Staci Ritchie Roman:      Sure. So simply put, RVs break down. These are homes on wheels and they're built by humans. And some of those mechanical and electrical components are just going to fail you. And we see year after year, the cost of that repair is going up. And there's a lot that goes into that. Right now, for instance, the demand for RV repair is so high because the demand for everything RVing is really, really high right now. And so that will drive up the cost of labor. It drives up the cost of parts. And every year the RVs get a little bit fancier, too. We have all these new bells and whistles, and with that comes a higher skill level required for repair, again, driving up those labor costs. And again, the more mechanical and electrical components in your rig, the higher the cost of repair on parts, as well. So when these RVs are traveling and even when they're sitting, you know, we actually see most of our repairs after RVs have been sitting for a while. They're just not really made to do that, and so your electrical and mechanical components start to wear down and break over time, and a great way to protect your budget and spend your money on traveling and adventure and campgrounds and going places is to get an RV warranty and let us pick up the tab on the repair bill. What are the most common Extended RV Warranty Claims? Mike Wendland:           That leads me to the question of what are the most common claims for an extended RV warranty? Staci Ritchie Roman:      Yeah, so we see a lot of refrigerator, air conditioning, generator repairs, also slide-outs, and leveling systems. I think those just get used so frequently that those fail, as well. So those are some of the top repairs that we see, and a refrigerator is a great example of why the cost of repair is so high. And so it sounds like a relatively simple fix, but just to diagnose and to look at a lot of those refrigerators, they have to remove the windshield and pull that refrigerator out of your unit. And your labor just starts going up and up and up, when they don't even know what the repair is going to be yet. And so refrigerator sounds like maybe a simple, easy one. Those usually look around 1500 to $3,000 per repair, and it's super common to see those fail. So those things that you use regularly and that you rely on, those things are going to fail pretty frequently. What does an Extended RV Warranty cover that the Manufacturer's Warranty doesn't cover? Mike Wendland:           What are the things, Staci, that are covered by an extended RV warranty that may not be covered on a new RV from the manufacturer's warranty? Staci Ritchie Roman:      Yeah, so it differs rig to rig. Usually, the longest manufacturer warranty you're going to get is on your engine. And so usually those are three to five years. But each individual appliance will come with an individual manufacturer warranty. A lot of them drop off after that first year, and that's why we like to lock people in for long-term coverages. So as those things start to drop off, and rather than keeping track of, okay, I've got another three months on my fridge, I've got another six months on my air conditioning, as things come up, you can just say, "Okay, does this go to manufacturer," or "Hey, I've got seven years of coverage from Wholesale. I can probably send it over there." And so common things that are covered under an extended warranty are going to be every mechanical and electrical components in your RV. And so those things do come with those different manufacturers' coverages, and it's tough to know specifically on each rig what is covered and what isn't and for how long.

With so many newcomers embracing the RV Lifestyle, this is a good time to go over 10 Unwritten Rules for Campers. For the fact is, there are too many inconsiderate campers these days, people who think it is all about them and that because they rented a space in a campground, they can do as they please with no regard to those who also rented their spaces and are camped nearby. They also need some etiquette suggestions about driving their campers and parking it in parking lots. I know this post will stir up some angry reactions. Whenever you suggest that people adjust their behavior in consideration of others, there are a few who will loudly push back. But in the interest of making it better for everyone, I'm going to share them anyway. We talked about this a lot in Episode 343 of our RV Podcast You can listen to the podcast in the player below. And scroll down this page for shownotes and a transcript of the interview, plus links and resources about all the things we talk about. We did a video version of the rules for our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube. Click below to see: Our 10 Unwritten Rules for Campers The reason these rules are unwritten is that there once was a time when people were polite and considerate. Some things didn't need to be said. Unfortunately, those days are gone and the same rudeness and incivility that we see in social media becomes evident in all aspects of life, including camping. Jennifer and I have been RVing for almost 10 years, We've covered at least 250,000 and crisscrossed the country numerous times staying in all sorts of campgrounds. And we know, there already are lots of rules you'll see posted along the way. Rules like: Don't burn trash in your fire pit. Clean up after your dog Make sure your TV antenna is down and the steps are in before you take off Don't drive fast in campgrounds Don't overload your RV You know all about those kinds of rules, or if you are a newbie, you'll soon find about them. But, there are also some unwritten rules we want to pass on, some things that we've learned probably through trial and error. A lot of error. On our part and the part of others. Ready? Take 'em or leave 'em, here they are: #1 - Try not to park right next to another camper Now, there are times you're going to have to break the first of our unwritten rules for camping if there is just no other room except next to somebody. People will understand that. But if you're in a campground and there are two empty spots on both sides of somebody who is already there, and there are other empty spots down the way, take one of those other empty spots. Let them enjoy that space, and you'll get some extra space too. Just because they have a good spot, don't think have to get right next to them. It's kind of like when somebody is in a fishing hole and you've come into your boat right next to them, it's just not good manners. That especially is true for when you're boondocking. I remember we were boondocking somewhere in Arizona, and we're in the middle of nowhere and when we woke up in the morning, we had somebody right next to us. It was crazy. There was room. It was a huge national forest, and they set up right next to us. #2 - Don't leave your porch and outside awning lights on all night long This makes our unwritten rules for campers list because, well, shining your lights all night long is just plain rude.  People want to be in the dark and quiet and see the stars. They don't want to see your porch light. No matter how cute the little flamingos or lanterns or whatever may be, all that illumination ruins the camping experience. If you want to leave them on right after dark for a little bit when everybody's still up, that's great. But at 2 AM it just causes light pollution BONUS: Lots of RVers have Pet Peeves and suggest different Rules for Campers. CLICK HERE to read a similar post from one of our friends on the blog: #3 - Don't smoke cigars if there are other campers within a hundred feet of you Nothing fouls the air like a cigar. Now, I know some of you guys, you love your cigars. But listen, honest, I used to smoke cigars. I'm telling you this. Trust me, brothers. They stink. So don't do that. Not in the campground near others. If there's nobody around, great. I actually saw in a KOA near Rocky Mountain National Park two guys almost get in a fistfight because one of them was smoking a cigar and the odor stunk up the whole campground. He ruined the experience for all those people around him and when somebody asked him to please stop, the guy became indignant and it got very out of hand. Please don't smoke cigars if you're within a hundred feet of anybody else. #4 - Try not to arrive and set up at a crowded campground late at night A lot of parks have that posted with their rules for campers. Or they'll lock the gate so that you can't do it. But it's quite rude to come in at midnight, 1:00 and pop open some adult beverages and start setting up your camp. Trust me. We've had those experiences. Typically, that happens on Friday nights when people leave the city to go camping and they don't get there until very late. Again, sometimes this is unavoidable. But for the sake of all the sleeping people near you, set up quietly. A campground is a community. It is not just you in the wild. To be frank. there's very little wild about a campground unless you're boondocking. So be considerate. #5: Don't drive in the left lane, unless you are actively passing another vehicle Now let's talk about some non-campground rules for campers. It's illegal to keep driving in the passing lane in many states now. You shouldn't get in that left lane and just stay there. I mean, unless you're passing. Then pass, and get over. But you see these guys, these white-knuckled guys. They seem to be saying "I'm going the speed limit. And I will do the speed limit in the left-hand lane. It's my right." Sorry, buddy. You are causing a traffic hazard out there. You're making people angry and you're giving all RVers a bad name. Please don't drive in the left lane unless you're actively passing somebody. Please remember that. Even if you think you have a perfect right because you're going the speed limit and others are violating the law. If you do that you're just an old curmudgeon. Stop it. Get over in the right-hand lane. #6 - When driving into a parking lot in your RV, always take the back rows This is a just really good policy to follow. It's considerate to everybody else. And it'll stop future laws prohibiting RV parking. If you're fit and able and able to camp, you are fit and able enough to park in the back row and walk to the store. It's good for you. Most RVs except the smaller Class B motorhomes take up a couple of spots. If you go to the back rows where it's always empty, no one will complain. Besides, those extra steps are good for you. It's good to walk. Chances are you've been driving a long time. Good to walk. Time to go back to unwritten rules for campers in the campground. #7 - Don't play music or watch TV outside unless the volume is really low, so it doesn't disturb other campers Almost all the bigger RVs now come with outside televisions. I just don't understand. That's really getting away from it, right? That's just not our style. But we know many others agree with this. Most people camp to sort of get somewhat close to nature. So if you're going to watch that TV or you're going to play music, please turn it down. Turn it way down. I think one of my biggest pet peeves happened when we were boondocking in the wilds of Montana. It was gorgeous and it was just totally wild. And some camper way back in the campground was playing bluegrass music really loud. Now I love bluegrass. But he was playing so loud it ruined the whole atmosphere of the whole place. If it's during the day, that's a bit more acceptable. But at night? No. Now let's turn to some other realities of the RV Lifestyle that warrant an unwritten rule. # 8 - If your RV breaks down do not expect immediate service from an RV dealer. RV dealers are almost always busy. Here's a better solution. Mobile RV repair techs are more responsive and usually can fix anything wrong with most RVs. We've learned that the hard way too, a couple of times. They're there. You call them. They come. It's great. It's a challenge for an RV dealer to get emergency repairs done. Usually, they will give first priority to their own customers. So if you're traveling and you need help, call a Mobile RV Tech. Most are ready to drop everything and tend to your problems. I have called them for help numerous times over the years and never been disappointed. #9 - If it's really, really hot, your RV air conditioner is not going to be able to cool the interior down much below 80 One of the myths many newbie RVers believe is that with solar and the extra battery capacity found on many newer RVs, air conditioners are going to be super more efficient. Truth is, they're not. An air conditioner presents the most intensive power drain in your RV. You are not going to be able to run it for hours and hours and hours and hours on end, and it is not going to cool you off much below 80 when it is really hot and humid outside. Think about what you're in with your RV. Studies show a vehicle heats up really quick, rising 30 degrees in just like 15 minutes in the sun. In an RV, it's like you're in a tin can. And even though you can do things like put ReflectX in your windows and keep the drapes closed and run your Fantastic Fan, if it is very hot and humid an AC is not going to get you down below 80. Not when it's in the nineties and the hundreds outside, as many of you experience in the Southwest during the summer. #10 - It's going to get harder and harder to find camping spots in traditional campgrounds Blame it on the incredible RV boom we've seen in the past few years, especially after to COVID pandemic.

Roger Golden is eBike boondocking his way across the United States, living, in his words, "home free, not homeless." He has a great story and some boondocking tips we can all take to heart. Out on the road I recently met into Roger, a "home-free" American with a dream to travel around the USA and raise awareness for Ostomates through his nomad lifestyle. I met Roger in a park off US 98 in Fort Walton Beach, FL a few weeks ago. When I checked in with him tonight as I wrote this post, he was in Texas, still headed west. Roger is on an eBike boondocking cross country trip, towing a customized trailer with two solar panels Roger rides a converted 26" mountain/eBike, pulling a trailer that houses his 200 Watts of solar power and a place to store his gear. He doesn't travel alone though... his cat Phideaux comes along on every trip. Roger's store of ebike boondocking is featured in Episode 342 of the RV Podcast. You can hear the whole podcast in the player below. Or scroll down for a video version of the interview, and a transcript of our conversation You can learn more about Roger, and follow him as he continues his mission here: https://www.facebook.com/diginomad3  Here's my video interview: Here's an edited transcript of our interview: Roger's story of eBike boondocking Mike Wendland:           Meet Roger. He is on an e-bike and he is on his way across the country from Florida to California, boondocking all the way. He wants you to know that he is not homeless, he's home-free. Having sold off his sticks and bricks home, he is towing a small homemade trailer with solar panels that charge the battery for his e-bike, his laptop, and cell phone. He is not alone. He travels with a very cool cat and he is the ultimate boondocker who's doing this for the adventure, despite some very serious health issues. Roger:              This will be my second trip across the country. My first trip was from Washington state to Florida, now I'm going from Florida to California. In 2019 we went from Jackson... That was the first trip my cat was with me, we went from Jacksonville, Florida to Calais, Maine at the border, turned around, and came back. I got about as far as Washington DC and started having problems. Roger is doing this eBike boondocking adventure despite a major health challenge Mike Wendland:           Chest problems? Roger:              No intestinal problems. I got as far as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and I couldn't do it anymore. I called a friend in Jacksonville to come pick me up. That's the first time I've ever had to give up on a trip. I got back down to Jacksonville and I had surgery and I woke up and there were intestines sticking out of my belly. They told me I had to give up my biking lifestyle.                         He said, "You can't do that anymore." I told him, "That's not an option. That's what I do." So here I am doing the impossible with a cat, 200 watts, a solar panel and electric bike. Mike Wendland:           I want to just look at this. I ask you because we see down here, in Florida, there's probably a lot of homeless people. I said, "Are you homeless?" You had a great phrase for it. Don't call him homeless! Roger:              I am home free. There's a difference between being homeless and home free. A lot of times homeless people are at the mercy of their environment. I'm experienced in my environment. For a lot of homeless people, they don't have a choice in the matter, it was something that happened to them. In my case, I gave it all up to get rid of all of the time that I waste to give money to somebody else. Mike Wendland:           What do you mean by that? Roger:              We spend most of the waking hours of our adult lives working so that we can give our money to somebody else. Mike Wendland:           Taxes. Roger:              Taxes. Mike Wendland:           Mortgages. Credit Cards? Roger:              Mortgages, your car insurance, your tires, your maintenance, the list goes on and on. Without that, I don't have to have as much money to live. With that I have to make a lot of money. It's also that I can support somebody else and I can't afford to support somebody else, I can afford to support me. Extra: Is boondocking right for you? Click Here for a frank and honest conversation about all that is involved with boondocking Roger's tows two 100-watt solar panels with his eBike Mike Wendland:           Well, I'm going to call this an RV. Roger:              It's definitely a recreational vehicle. Yes, sir. Mike Wendland:           Walk me through and let's tell me, show us what you have. Roger:              From Walmart, after lockdown started, I had just had my surgery, I ordered this bike. It took four months to get it because three of the four months, every single day, it was listed as out for delivery, but it never even showed up. I ordered the 500 watt electric motor off of eBay and I put the kit on this bike. The solar panels I got from a company out of Chattanooga off of eBay. Mike Wendland:           These are the solar panels. Roger:              This trailer is a Walmart Allen Sports two-child trailer that is doubled in size because I needed to be able to get some incline on my panel. So I extended the back end of the trailer, about 24 inches. Mike Wendland:           These are flexible panels? Roger:              These are flexible panels. Mike Wendland:           You can move them to get the angle of the sun. Roger:              This is actually a fixed pivot, but this opens all the way up and will fold up so that these panels can actually be extended into a straight line. His eBike boondocking travel with a cat  Phideaux the cat Mike Wendland:           I've got to meet your cat underneath there. I know he's sleeping. What's your cat's name?. What's your cat's name? Roger:              My cat's name is Phideaux. Phideaux was a feral barn cat four years ago. Mike Wendland:           Now, why do you call him Phideaux? Roger:              Cause that's her name. Mike Wendland:           That's a dog's name. Roger:              Yeah but she doesn't know that. Her name is spelled P H I D E A U X. Mike Wendland:           French... Phideaux. Roger:              Her name came from a stand-up comic routine by Justin Wilson. A lot of people know him today as a chef on the Food channel, but he was a stand-up comic for many years telling Cajun jokes. He had a couple of jokes about a bird dog named Phideaux. Mike Wendland:           You say this cat was a feral cat in a barn? Roger:              She was. She came up on my door and she smelled the Turkey cooking on Thanksgiving and she was ratty looking. I felt sorry for her and I tore up a Turkey wing and put it outside. The next day she wanted more. The next week she was coming in the house, and the next week she was sleeping in my bed. Mike Wendland:           Oh my goodness. She tamed quick, or maybe she tamed you.  Are you new to boondocking? Then get our guide – The Beginner's Guide to Boondocking, a 65-page guide chock full of suggested places to boondock that answers all your questions about this great way to enjoy the RV Lifestyle! Roger's eBike boondocking gear Roger:              I have clothes, I've got a tent. I have a single burner propane stove that... What I want to do is upgrade my inverter and just pick up an electric hotplate. Then I get rid of having to buy gas canisters and disposing of them. Mike Wendland:           So what did you do in your previous life? Roger:              Spent most of my previous life in construction. In 2008, I got tired of my occupation being dependent on everything else in the world. I had no say so in it. So I got to looking around online and I've always enjoyed writing. I started writing articles for people's webpages. I've been doing that now since 2008 until the pandemic. As of October of last year, I'm down to making maybe $350 a month. Mike Wendland:           That's what you live on? Roger:              I don't have any choice. I live on that and human kindness. I am hoping that things are going to turn around soon and I can start making some money again. Mike Wendland:           So do you have a computer? Roger:              I do. I charge it with the solar panels. Mike Wendland:           You're on your way where? Roger:              California. Mike Wendland:           So how can people get in touch with you and learn more about you? Roger:              I have a Facebook page at Diginomad3. I'm currently on the Opal tour. Called it the Opal tour because I have an ostomy. They had to remove a section of my intestine and now I have an ostomy. They tell me it's reversible but I don't have insurance and it is elective surgery so in my case it is likely permanent. Mike Wendland:           Has it been a safe trip for you? No problems with the... You know, it can be rough out there on the road when you're... Roger:              Pretty much. I have to be careful, I have to watch my surroundings. The difference between being homeless...                         I can't go where homeless people are. I've got too many things that are too easy to walk away. Mike Wendland:           Where do you spend the night? Roger:              On a road like 98 I will look for some track going out into the woods. Get away from the businesses, get away from houses. The rule is you don't sleep near businesses. You don't sleep near houses. You don't open a gate and you don't sleep on a place that's fenced in, or has a posted sign. Beyond that you can do it and if the police do show up on you they say, "Hey, you can't be here. You got to get." More often than not what they will say to me is, "Well, we were just checking to make sure you're okay. You're all right. Just leave in the morning." Which is what I do. Mike Wendland:           Roger you are the ultimate boondocker. Roger:              Yes. Very much so.

Across the country, officials are shutting down boondocking areas in many areas because of growing problems with vandalism, litter, and even human waste. Blame it on a combination of homeless encampments in some areas and inconsiderate campers who fail to clean up after themselves and keep clean campsites. But the result is the same, frustrated state, federal, and local officials in charge of public lands once open to dispersed camping, are closing them down rather than fight what they see as a losing battle. But the people who lose the most are those who like to boondock in wilderness areas, campers who do follow the rules but now find themselves with fewer and fewer places to enjoy off the grid camping on public land. For RV Podcast Episode 349, we talk with an expert in free camping spots, Kyle Brady, publisher of the Drivin and Vibin Website. Kyle has been closely tracking the growing list of closed boondocking locations and has lots to share. You can listen to the entire RV Podcast episode in the player below. Or keep scrolling down for an edited transcript of our interview. Why are authorities shutting down boondocking? This is a reason why authorities are shutting down boondocking For starters, consider these recent stories about the shutting down of boondocking areas: In Oregon, Trash, Human Waste, Forces Authorities on Oregon to Shut Down Dispersed Camping In Utah overnight camping has been banned in Middle Fork because of trash, vandalism and rowdyism Popular Colorado area closed to dispersed camping Those are just three examples. There are many more, from all over the US. We talk about the trend in-depth with Kyle Brady. Here is an edited transcript of our interview: Mike Wendland:          Kyle Brady joins us right now. Hey, Kyle. How are you doing? Kyle Brady:                  Very good, Mike. Thank you so much for having me on today. Mike Wendland:           Kyle, you are the guy when it comes to finding free camping spots and all these dispersed spots. You've been a specialist in that. And I know you are disturbed and have been keeping track. They're shutting down boondocking. What's going on. They are shutting down boondocking indefinitely Kyle Brady:                  We have seen so many reports over the last six months, and even the more specifically, in the last three months of these sites getting shut down indefinitely. And it's just becoming a problem because so many more people are out there on the road. And I guess these sites are seeing more usage than they've ever seen before. Mike Wendland:          I get email, and I bet you do too, from people saying, quit telling everybody where to go boondocking. Is that part of the problem? I don't know. Kyle Brady:                  Well, yeah. You know what? I get those same emails and nothing that we share isn't available on camping websites. So there are huge resources out there. And that is part of the problem, that everyone now knows about free camping. But to me, it is all of our land. They are shutting down boondocking on public land in many areas It's government land that's paid with tax dollars. And it's there for us to recreate on. So I don't, by no means, think we should keep it a secret to people because people should be encouraged to go out there and camp and connect with nature. But I feel like there are a few points that are being missed seriously, and that's teaching people proper etiquette, whether that's the manufacturers or the dealers teaching them what it is, what boondocking etiquette is. But then also we see this huge homelessness problem across America. That's a totally different issue when it comes to the sites being closed down, but that affected equally. Mike Wendland:          Where are the sites being shut down, and what are they shutting them down for? I've read all sorts of horror stories about what they find when some of these people leave. Reasons for shutting down boondocking Kyle Brady:                  Totally. We've seen a lot of these shutdown on the Western side of the U.S. In Utah, Nevada, Arizona. These are where we're seeing them happen at a much faster rate. They're getting shut down for misuse and basically littering, so that's one of the biggest things. You see mattresses. You see, in the worst-case scenario, human waste. The problem of shutting down boondocking is nationwide garbage abandoned in wilderness areas results in shutting down boondocking areas But also, just signs that no one cleaned up their campsite is one of the biggest reasons why people are or why the government's closing down these campsites. But even as eastern as Natchez, Mississippi is where we've seen some closures happen, most popularly at the Natchez Visitor Center, which is a huge spot for boondockers who are traveling across the country to stop at, because they were offering free water, free power. And you're sitting up on this bluff, overlooking the Mississippi River. It's beautiful, but now it's been shut down overnight camping just because of misuse, too much trash. Homeless encampments are resulting in shutting down boondocking areas Mike Wendland:          But now that problem in Natchez and some of the others around the country seem to be more tied to homelessness, people living in cars. We've seen at the Ocala National Forest in Florida, folks sleeping under tarps, on mattresses, long-term homeless encampments. How much of these are from that, do you think? Kyle Brady:                  Yeah. I mean, I would say at least 50%, if not more of the ones that we're seeing being shut down, it's because of this homelessness issue. Usually, these are areas that are located within one to three miles from a small town. This way, people without a home can camp out there, but they can still have access to a town. But obviously, this causes the boondocking sites to be shut down. So it's hard to address that issue because no RVer could fix that issue. But these sites are still being shut down because of homelessness issues. So rather than focusing on those, I'd like to focus on the ones that are out in the middle of the desert that are being shut down, because people are partying out there, and there's just broken glass everywhere. So that is the problem with homelessness, though. The actions of inconsiderate RVers are the cause for shutting down boondocking Mike Wendland:          It is, but at least half of the areas closing are because of people who are out there camping. We were up along the Lake, Michigan shoreline early this fall in one of the U.S. Forest Service camping sites. They've closed it up early because somebody had gone in and just trashed it, left their fire burning and just walked away. Fortunately, the Ranger saw it and was able to put it out. Obviously, let's assume that most RVers and most boondockers are pretty responsible people. It's like pet owners. Only a few pet owners cause a problem. But what can we do as RVers when we were in a boondocking area and we see this going on or evidence of it? How can the actions of RVers prevent the shutting down of boondocking areas? Kyle Brady:                  Yeah. So, I mean, a few things we can do, obviously, leave no trace. I imagine everyone listening to this podcast is leaving no trace because they are responsible campers. The next thing we can do is leave it better than we found it. So, that means bringing an extra trash bag in. And I know it's a crummy job sometimes to pick up someone else's trash, but it does do a lot for the camping community to keep these campsites open. And honestly, the third thing that we can do is report incidents when we see it happening. If we see an encampment that's been there for well over two weeks, it's important to at least make the Rangers aware of that. They probably already are, but if they hear enough people reporting that, they'll hopefully do something about it before a site gets closed down. Mike Wendland:          And the other issue that is out there is people overstaying the 14-day limits. Kyle Brady:                  Yes. Mike Wendland:          Is that showing up in some of these places as well? Are you hearing concerns about that? Kyle Brady:                  Some concerns about that. Usually, again, it goes back to the homelessness side of it. Most campers, most travelers don't want to stay anywhere longer than 14 days. So as far as RVers go, it's not a problem on that end of it. But just the homelessness side of it is where we see that. Mike Wendland:          Just kind of a slightly different aspect out there, but you must be seeing it at Drivin' & Vibin' as well. So many people say I'm going to go full time. I'm going to sell everything and go full time. Kyle Brady:                  Yeah. Mike Wendland:          And they haven't really. One of our concerns is they haven't really counted the cost of all of that. Kyle Brady:                  Yeah. New RVers and full-timers are finding it difficult to find a campsite Mike Wendland:          And they get out there, they encounter maybe a little frustration finding a campsite and they leave. Or they're out there, their money runs out and boondocking is all they have. How does the industry handle that? I mean, the industry is selling RVs, selling them like crazy. There's some responsibility there, I think, isn't there, to educate people about this? Kyle Brady:                  Totally. It is one of the most frustrating things. I mean, so on LinkedIn, I like to go on LinkedIn to see what the industry is up to. It's where we can see what the people at Winnebago Forest River, all the brands are doing. And all I see day after day is celebrating how many RVs they're selling. And I think that's great for their business, and it's awesome that people want to get out there and explore.

Frustrated about how to get a camping reservation this summer? We can help with some insider tips on using campground reservation technology. We know. There are a lot of people trying to book camping reservations this summer. Demand has never been higher. It seems like the entire country - frustrated after a long year of COVID-19 travel restrictions - is anxious to hit the road in their RV and find the perfect camping spot. But campgrounds across America are reporting record demand. In the most popular destinations - around national parks, for instance - finding an open spot will not be as easy as it was pre-COVID. Mark Koep, the CEO of CampgroundViews.com, is our special guest on Episode #339 of the RV Podcast. He offers up lots of insider tips for us on how to get a camping reservation this summer. You can listen to the podcast in the player below. Or keep scrolling down for a video version - in which he demonstrates just how to use the Internet to get a camping reservation. There's also a full transcript of the interview, so keep reading! How to Get a Camping Reservation: Tips from Mark Koep First, here's a video of the interview in which Mark demonstrates how to get a camping reservation this summer:  Here's an edited transcript of the Interview: Mike Wendland: To help us get into the right possible groove for finding those difficult-to-locate open campsites is our friend Mark Koep, of CampgroundViews.com. First of all. Hi Mark. How are ya? Mark Koep: Hey, Mike, doing good. How are you doing? Mike Wendland: The camping season is here. People are out moving about and I thought, there's no one better suited to help us learn how to navigate the challenges of finding open reservations than my friend Mark Koep. So Mark, let's talk about your site for starters. I know we have a big surprise that we'll have coming up in a few minutes, but first of all, a lot of people are in the planning mode right now and they hear all these stories, "We can't find a spot. We can't find a spot." How can we help them with finding a spot? And maybe we can actually bring up your site and show them. How to get a Camping Reservation: Get Creative Mark Koep: Yeah, Mike, it's going to be a busy camping season, flat out. We did a survey last week of 2000 campground owners. And 50% of them said that their advanced bookings are up significantly over average, everybody's just going camping. But Mike you've been camping long enough. I've been camping long enough to know that this is true. You can find a campsite anywhere you go as long as you're willing to travel a little bit to go do it. And the best example- Mike Wendland: And do a little research. Mark Koep: Exactly. Mike Wendland: I'm looking at your site.  Walk us through. We see a map, what are we looking at? How to get a Camping Reservation: Widen your search area Mark Koep of CampgroundViews.com tells us how to get a camping reservation this summer Mark Koep: The first example I'm going to pull up is Yosemite Valley. And the reason I do this is that there are only four or five campgrounds on the Valley floor in Yosemite. And everybody will say Yosemite is full. But if you notice my default radius is set to 50 miles and Mike, how many campgrounds are there within 50 miles of Yellowstone National or Yosemite national park? Mike Wendland: Probably 75, a hundred? Mark Koep: 107 campgrounds within 50 miles of Yosemite Valley floor. So within that, you can figure the average campground has 60 sites in it. That means there are 6,000 campsites within 50 miles of Yosemite National Park. I guarantee you can find a campsite any night of the year, as long as you're willing to do a little bit of research and go find them. How to get a Camping Reservation: Alter your expectations The first suggestion on how to get a camping reservation is to widen the search area So the trick, the first rule at finding a campsite, and it's going to be nutty all summer long, everything's to be full up, is to remove your expectations of staying in one designated campsite in one campground, and open your horizons to a little bit wider radius. If you want to find another cool trick on this, you can click on this big map button up at the top of the screen here. I'm going to click on that. It'll take a second to load. This is actually pulling our entire database within CampgroundViews.com, which has 16,000 campgrounds. You'll notice all these icons going, and you can actually zoom in on the icons and then drag the Google map around to see all the campgrounds. And as you can see, this opens up your entire opportunities. You click on the little icons and the icons will bring up whatever that state park or campground is. You click on the name and that takes you in to get more information to book that site or whatnot. And be able to go ahead and go camping, even though everything is "full." 50 miles around your destination is the radius you should search for campgrounds Mike Wendland: So the first rule is that set your radius to about 50 miles around the attraction that you're going to see be it a national park or maybe a certain city. 50 miles is not a bad commute these days, and look what we found around Yosemite, which was pretty amazing. I knew there were a bunch, but when I see it on the map like that, and again, the folks listening to the podcast, be sure you go back and look at the show notes and watch the video that we will embed. That's pretty impressive. Mark Koep: Yeah and if you notice all you have to do once you're on a search page is update the search terms to change your location. So I can quickly bounce around all over the country and see the different camping spots and campgrounds that are within a certain radius of all sorts of different locations. You want to go to Tampa, Florida, you just type it in and it'll automatically update the map over here. And if you want to look around even more, so you drag this map, once you drag it, simply click "search this location." That'll update your search result and be able to take you into that radius area to see the results. Mike Wendland: Let's talk about Yellowstone and let's see what we can find around Yellowstone. And we should pick a date, maybe. What do you think? We'll pick, yeah, I don't know. How about the second weekend of May? Something like that. Mark Koep: So we don't pull data because the problem you have with any date-specific searches is that the different reservation engines are different. So from recreation.gov we don't pull any data information, but we'll give you the park information. Mike a lot of people go to Yellowstone as their first camping trip for the summer. It's their big trip. They bought the new RV. They want to go there. How to get a Camping Reservation: Search a wider area for mega-popular camping locations like Yellowstone The color at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone's ar-northwestern Upper Geyser Basin is a photographer's delight. For help on how to find a camping reservation this summer, try searching a 100-mile radius of the park Some key things, if you've never been to Yellowstone is that Yellowstone is absolutely massive. If you want to drive the grand loop, it's like 150 miles just for that loop of driving, you are going to be driving in Yellowstone. So we actually encourage people to open the radius up to about a hundred miles around Yellowstone to really get a lot of campgrounds, such as the campgrounds in West Yellowstone, the Island Park area, over in Cody, to the East up North to Red Lodge. And as you see right now, most of the search results are the National Park campgrounds that are within Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. But this year there's been an important change for these campgrounds, all of the campgrounds are now on the reservation system, the recreation.gov reservation system in those two parks. How to get a Camping Reservation: Try Forest Service Camping Forest Service camping around popular destinations is almost always available, especially if you are a boondocker. So you have to book them in advance. There are, though, a lot of forest service campgrounds located around Yellowstone. So for example, up in the Northern part, up near Gardiner, Montana, there are a number of forest service campgrounds just outside the gate that people are unaware of. Also, our little hidden spot if you're coming from the West like from LA or California or something like that, there's a town called Island Park, Idaho. Most people have never heard of it. But it actually has the longest main street in America. It's a 25-mile long main street for Island Park. There are a ton of forest service campgrounds in this region. Absolutely beautiful. And you're only about a 45-minute drive from the entrance of Yellowstone of which you'll be driving 150 miles inside of it anyways. So that's our insider spot to go. Mike Wendland: And then there's also the north end. We always have gone around Silver Gate up on the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. Mark Koep: Nobody ever goes to that area, right? So that's always a nice, quiet camping area. Mike Wendland: We do, that's why we go there. Yeah. In the heat of summer, when everybody's there, we've always been able to find a pretty great spot within just a few minutes of the North Gate of Yellowstone by camping in this area, up in the North. Mark Koep: Plus you can go then out to Red Lodge, the Cooke City, Silver Gate area. You can also go back down the Beartooth Highway. Mike Wendland: It'll run from the North end over to Cody. It's a spectacular drive. I don't know if I'd take it in a Class A, but I would take it in a C and certainly a B. And I would do it in a small towable. You must be flexible on camping locations You can almost always find camping in and around the Shoshone National Forest. We're making the point here of not having such tunnel vision that we think we have to be in one location only because chances are,

If you were disappointed that RV Shows around the country were mostly canceled last year, I have bad news for you. There will be many that simply will not happen again. A leading RV industry expert says in-person RV shows may be a thing of the past. With RV sales booming like never before, RV dealers have discovered they can sell more units - and more efficiently - in their own showrooms. It's no secret that dealers have long complained about how much work RV shows are. But now, many feel they no longer need big shows. For despite the COVID shutdowns of 2020 that saw almost all in-person RV shows canceled,  RV sales were through the roof. And they are even stronger in 2021. As. result, Bob Zagami, the executive director of the New England RV Dealers Association, says in-person events at fairgrounds and convention centers may largely be a thing of the past, except for mega shows like Hershey every fall, and Tampa every January. Instead, look for more online-only shows, like the one Zagami is organizing for April 10-11 in place of the annual in-person Boston RV Show. It's a trend he suggests has already taken root in many places. Zagami is our interview of the week of Episode 338 of the RV Podcast. You can hear his interview in its entirety on your favorite podcast app or by clicking the arrow in the player below.' Keep scrolling for an edited transcript of our conversation. RV Shows are moving online Before we present the interview transcript, here are the details of the  New England RV and Camping Expo Event Name:  New England RV and Camping Expo Dates:  Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11 Register and buy tickets at:  www.newenglandrvandcampingexpo.com Discount tickets are available on the event Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/newenglandrvandcampingexpo Here's the edited transcript: Bob Zagami Mike Wendland: Well joining us right now to talk about RV Shows is our friend Bob Zagami from NERVDA, the New England RV Dealers Association. Hey Bob, how are you? Bob Zagami: Hey Mike. Great. Thank you. Very good to be back with you again. Mike Wendland: I'm really curious about how online RV shows work. Tell us about it. Yours will be April 10th and 11th, right?  Bob Zagami: Saturday, April 10th, Sunday, April 11th. Mike Wendland: How's it going to work? Bob Zagami: Well if we take a step back, we did manage to get the 2020 Boston show and then COVID hit. As we come to 2021, we had it scheduled for January, rescheduled it for April, then realized we were not going to be able to do it. RV Dealers don't miss RV Shows A lot of the dealers, quite honestly, do not miss the in-person shows. The consumers are missing it because they want to touch them and feel them and talk to people and see all the different units. But there are some shows that are not going to survive. We came up with a unique platform through an event manager here in Boston, He has a program called Hopin that comes in out of the UK, He studied all of these other programs and several things were missing. But the primary thing missing from most of the commercial programs was the interactivity, the connection with the customer. They could watch a presentation, but they couldn't communicate very effectively. Then they also lost the networking, walking down the hall and seeing an old friend, catching up or going to the bar and having a drink with your competitor that you haven't seen for a year, those types of things. This platform does that. Will online replace in-person RV shows? We were very careful from the beginning to make note that this does not replace the Boston RV show. It doesn't replace any RV show. At RV shows, you touch, you feel, and you spend a lot of time looking at units. Online is more educational and information But we have RV dealers and we have campgrounds as exhibitors, but we put a lot of emphasis on the online video presentations and gearing it towards the many first-time buyers that we all saw come into the marketplace last year, and the many that will come into the marketplace this year. But this is a good mix for them and for the veterans. We focus on the 18 main stage presentations in the online workshops that all of our exhibitors can do. Shopping for an RV at an online RV Show Mike Wendland: Now, can people shop for an RV at this virtual online RV show? Bob Zagami: That's a great question, Mike. It's the first thing the dealers would ask, "Well, how am I going to sell my units?" Well, you don't have a floor. You don't have a closing booth, but you can sell because the way their displays can be configured is to have show specials, is to have floor plans, is to have video walkthroughs and a link out to the dealership. While they're in their online display area, there's a camera feature. They can have a live open chat, just like you and I are doing now. I could be here talking to somebody at the dealership and getting information. Some of these dealers will sell, but we never promoted that as a reason for them to be in the expo. If they sell is going to be due to their creativity. Some dealers, quite honestly, are having an unattended display. They'll have some videos, they'll have some information about the dealership, but nobody's going to monitor it. Others are full board.  Mike Wendland: Why would a consumer then want to attend an online RV show if they can't buy? The limitations of online RV shows Bob Zagami: Well, they can buy, but it will be a creative buys. It's not like they're going to be able to go from one to the other. Again, even if it's floor plans or custom videos, they can still talk to the dealer through the chat function or through the networking functions. The same goes true for the campgrounds that will be exhibiting. People can see and visit with the campgrounds and do a lot of the prequalification. We expect that a lot of our dealers will have open houses the week after the expo. As we get into April, we always categorize April as RV month in New England. We push a lot of activities out to the consumers during that month. A lot of our dealers will be having open houses. The benefits of Online RV shows Mike Wendland: Now you mentioned education. How so? How would a consumer benefit from this? Bob Zagami: Well, there'll be workshops from the dealers that will talk to them about the buying process. They may do spring openings of their RV, what to do on RV maintenance. There may be teaching about the different types of RVs to pre-qualify them and learn. I'll be doing my introduction to RVs and the RV lifestyle presentation. Then we'll have people like you and Jennifer on there. You're talking to them about boondocking. You're talking to them about the RV travel guides that you have so they'll be able to learn other resources that are available to them. We'll have Mark and Julie Bennett, of RV Love talking about what it was like to full-time and things that they wish they knew about beforehand. Mark Polk will do some educational videos on training and courses, streamlined courses. We think that a lot of the material that we have is going to be new to those first-time buyers who are now coming into the market. Mike Wendland: That is what we are hearing over and over again, with so many first-time folks coming in. There's no onboard track for most of them anymore.  The lack of RV inventory has seen some RV Shows cancel Mike Wendland: One of the things I've noticed as we've traveled about the country, and as we've talked to others in the industry, is a lack of inventory. I noticed, for example, just this past week, the Fort Myers, Florida RV show was canceled because they don't have any inventory. The dealers don't have a lot of RVs on hand. Everything's been sold and it takes a long time to be resupplied. What are you finding up there in New England in terms of this unprecedented demand for RVs, the lack of used RVs coming on the marketplace and the delay in getting new RV's from the factory? RV dealers question the value of in-person RV shows  Bob Zagami: Well, you're right, and that is an issue. In fact, when we were still scheduled for the live show in April, I had several of my dealers lobbying me to not have the show. Their argument was, we don't need it. We don't have any inventory. Sales are great at the lot so we don't want to take our people away from the lot. Those are all valid reasons. That's why I mentioned before, there's going to be a lot of discussion between now and next January on consumer RV shows. Testimony to that is that we broke a record last year with 502,000 new RVs sold. That was a new record. That was a new record after the year of the pandemic and without shows. What value did the shows have? They're expensive. The move to online RV shows is strong nationwide Bob Zagami: Now, I think what we're going to see is a transition in the marketplace about shows. We're getting to a point now where we have, I would say, five mega dealers. If we look at Camping World, then we look at Campers Inn, we look at Lazy Days, RV retailers, General RV. Those five retailers in the next three years could own as much as 50% of the dealerships in the country. That's going to leave a lot of small and medium-sized dealers, which is good. There will always be a place for a small to medium-sized dealers that are a family business, that gives good service, that has multi-generations of customers that keep coming back to them. Those dealers are still going to want to have a show because that's going to help them promote their business and get more exposure. The big mega dealers don't need RV shows Bob Zagami: People like Camping World or Campers Inn, do they really need consumer shows? I've had this conversation with Jeff Hirsch, the CEO of Campers Inn. I've had it with the Camping World guys. There's a possibility that we may never see those large dealers in consumer shows again, minus, say, Tampa, Hershey,

Harvest Hosts just signed up its 2,000th location and it has plans to reach 3,000 by year's end. Here's how to find the best camping with the program. Harvest Hosts is nothing short of a phenomenon in the RV industry, a service that lets you camp free overnight at wineries, farms, distilleries, tourist attractions, and even golf courses all across North America. While you are expected to patronize and purchase some of the produce or products at the Harvest Hosts locations where you camp, your RV camping is free, covered in the membership fee you pay to belong to Harvest Hosts. With commercial campground fees of $50 a night pretty much commonplace now, Harvest Hosts is one of the best camping bargains available. Just a couple of stays more than pays your membership fee. Here's a video we did on one of our stays not long ago: The latest News from Harvest Hosts In Episode 337 of the RV Podcast, we interview Joel Holland, the CEO, about his plans for the service in the coming months. You can listen t the complete podcast interview in the player below or on your favorite podcast app. But keep scrolling down for a transcript and video version of our interview with Joel. And keep scrolling down for a  special offer to our community that will save you 15% off your membership fee. Here's the video of the interview: Here's an edited transcript of the interview with Joel Holland, Harvest Hosts' CEO: Mike Wendland: Joel Holland joins us right now, from Harvest Hosts. And Joel, it's time to go camping again. How are you? Joel Holland: I'm doing great. And I think like most of your viewers, I'm itching to get back on the road. We live out in Colorado. So, it's been our winter season, but the RV is winterized and I'm ready to de-winterize. So, it's exciting times. Mike Wendland: And you are going to be traveling with a new companion, a three-month-old baby girl, right? Joel Holland: That's right. Yeah, Waverley was born on December 8th. She's had all her baby vaccinations now, and it feels like she's going to be a good traveler. You never really know. But as far as driving her around in the car, she seems to like to look out the window and it's very... Really enjoys traveling. So, she got that from us, hopefully, that carries over to the RV. RVers are Traveling Again! Mike Wendland: Well, let's talk about this year that is just now really getting underway. In most places, COVID at least seems to be on the decline. There's a general feeling that we're going to be able to travel again. You guys did a pretty comprehensive study, in fact, I think it's one of the more in-depth studies that we've seen anywhere, about travel, RV travel in 2021. And can you give us a quick recap of what you learned from that study? People are hungry to find the best camping experiences Joel Holland: Yes, absolutely. So, we had 10,000 RV mainly owners respond to our survey. So, it's a lot of data. And it was very positive for the travel outlook, the high-level data points. 76% of respondents said they plan to travel more this year than last year, which was not hugely surprising. What was surprising was a full 60% said they plan to travel more this year than pre-COVID. There's a lot of people who are just like, "I'm itching to get out and on the road." So, we're going to see... 2021 is going to be a massive RV travel season And here's why it's going to be domestic, 81% of respondents said they do not plan to go internationally this year. 69% said they still don't feel safe getting on an airplane. And 56% said they don't feel safe staying in a hotel. No surprise, 99% said they do feel safe traveling in an RV. So, all this data, kind of, points to more travel, it's going to be domestic, and it's going to be in an RV. Mike Wendland: Now, you guys still had a lot of people that were out using Harvest Hosts locations in 2020. As not every venue, of course, was open, but lots of people were out there using it. So, I wonder how everyone just prepared for 2021. Now, you've been around long enough that everybody knows what Harvest Hosts is, and with campgrounds so full, how are you guys going to handle all that? All those spots that are Harvest Hosts locations, how are they going to handle this demand? Meeting the demand for more Harvest Hosts locations Harvest Host locations across North America Joel Holland: Well, that's what we focus most on, our host locations and increasing that number with high-quality hosts. And so, we added hundreds last year, where we just announced, this month, we passed 2000 hosts in our network, which is great, right? Great geographic coverage. There are 2,000 Harvest Hosts locations now And it's a really good compliment to the campground inventory. Because to your point, we're seeing already, some early signs that campgrounds are sold out, state parks are sold out, national parks are sold out. So, I think Harvest Hosts becomes a great tool in the toolkit for finding a location to stay, especially during these busy times when it might be difficult otherwise, but we're working to add hundreds of new campgrounds a month. The goal is 3,000 by the end of 2021 Our goal this year, in 2021, is to add 1000 new locations and end the year with over 3000 Harvest Hosts locations. Mike Wendland: Why so much interest in these Harvest Hosts locations? Besides the fact that they're free. They're free basically, except for whatever you purchase there. Joel Holland: Totally, You know what's interesting? I think that the free factor is the least compelling reason that Harvest Hosts has been so successful. I think what travelers are looking for are unique experiences. And campgrounds are super important, they provide a lot of utility and I use them hundreds of days a year, but Harvest Hosts locations are truly unique. And I've seen from some of your travels with Jennifer, an alligator farm, right? Alpaca farms, staying at wineries where you can both indulge in the tastings and not have to drive anywhere, parking among the vines, or parking in a lavender field. These are really memorable experiences. And I don't want to speak for everyone, but one of the reasons that we got into RVing was to see the country and come away with stories, and you really get this really unique experience and storytelling experience from Harvest Hosts. So, I think that's why it's been popular for members, for hosts. We have so many joining the program right now, and it's because they love our members. In fact, when we survey our hosts and we ask them, "Why are you in the Harvest Hosts program?" The number one response is that they enjoy meeting our members and sharing their lifestyle with them. I thought that was really touching because the number two answer was the additional revenue, which I expected, right? You expect a business to participate in a program to make more money, it's a business. But really, our hosts love our members because we have wonderful members. And I think that just translates, RVers are just typically wonderful people. Mike Wendland: I think about this alpaca farm that Jennifer and I visited in New Mexico a couple of years ago now, and it was about this time of year, and it was just truly a unique experience. We got up close with those alpacas. We got to learn about them. And the wonderful woman who runs that farm told us that she was so glad to be on Harvest Hosts. She said that she couldn't travel as much as she would like, at all, really, because she's caring for the animals, but through Harvest Hosts, she got to vicariously travel through all the people that she had met. And we've stayed in touch with her throughout the years, and I think that that's just been multiplied so many times. You hit the word experience. It's an experience, and I'd even use the word adventure, so many of those spots. Talk about your favorite places. And we mentioned a few, but you also are a participant, as the CEO of Harvest Hosts. What are your favorites? The CEO's favorite Harvest Hosts locations Joel Holland: That's a fun question. So, we, of course, love wineries because we love wine, and I love the setting. So, I'd say, on any and every trip we go on, we always sprinkle in wineries. More and more recently, breweries and distilleries have started joining our program, and we're up to a few hundred of them now. And they're really... That's a kind of, a lot of fun and a whole different experience. And then we like to add in, kind of, our museums and other attractions are what we call them. But I'll give you a couple of examples. So, when we drove across Kansas last year, we stayed at the underground salt museum, the Strataca Underground Salt Museum. And actually, you take an elevator 400 feet down into the ground and you see how salt is made, and you see them blasting it out of the walls. That's pretty cool. I had no idea how my table salt arrived at my table. Now I know. So, very educational. Driving through Nebraska, we went to the Golden Spike Tower, which is the world's largest train yard, and they have this huge observational tower. You can go up and sit in. Hundreds of thousands of trains couple and decouple every day. I mean, the scale of this operation is mind-boggling, and it, kind of, brought out my inner child. Everyone loves trains, seeing it was really cool. And the last one, I'll say, Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire, it's a railway that's been there since the 1800s. And this thing, at a certain point, is on almost a 45-degree angle, chugging up a hill using coal. I mean, it's cool. So, these are the unique experiences that I love talking about. Harvest Hosts just got $37 million in investment funding Mike Wendland: So, the big news for Harvest Hosts in the last couple of weeks though, I saw in all of the trade publications, was a $37 million investment. What was that all about? And what will you do with all of that? Joel Holland: Yes, it was a big announcement, and it's very exciting.