RV Lifestyle RV Podcast

The best way to make normally yucky-tasting campground water taste good and run clear is by using an RV water filter system that fits inline, right between the water spigot and tour RV's after intake connection.  But note this: All inline RV water filter system inline cartridges are not alike! Here's a player to listen to the full podcast. The interview of the week segment about the RV water filter system is about 29:08 in.  This week on the RV Podcast, we learn about the new RV water filter system we are now using when we fill our RV fresh water tanks or when we connect to a campground spigot. It's from a company called Clear20 and this week on the RV Podcast we interview the company's CEO about a two-stage RV water filter system they sell that consists of an inline water filter and a the Dirtguard pre-filter device that takes out the sediment and particulates before they go through the inline filter. Together this RV water filter system transforms your inline water filter into a two-stage filtration approach.  This makes the water taste good and ensures that you have the cleanest possible water.  How is the bright green RV water filter system by Clear2o different than than the normal blue or gray inline filters you pick up from Walmart or a camping store? Three ways: Flitration medium, filtration efficiency and price. First off, let me note that I have no financial interest or sponsorship relationship with this company. I sought out the interview with the Clear2o CEO  after being fed up with bad-tasting campground water and doing some research that led me to get both the Clear20 inline filter and the Dirtguard pre-filter.   Both units sell for $34.95.  The Camco inline filters we had been using cost $17 or so on Amazon, or two for $30. So the Cler2o inline filter is about twice as much. The DirtGuard pre filter is $39. That's the price difference. The filtration medium difference is the way the water is filtered. The cheaper and more common inline RV water filter uses powdered charcoal. The Clear2o RV water filter system uses solid charcoal.  And that leads to the efficiency of the filtering. The cheap carbon powder filters screen out particulates and sediment down to about 20 microns. The solid Clear2o inline RV water filter system screens those particulates down to 1 micron. It makes the star cleaner, clearer and it taste better. See why I got this Clear2o RV water filter system? Here's a link to the Clear2o inline filter- https://amzn.to/2YEZ1JX Here's a link to the Clear2o DirtGuard pre-filter - https://amzn.to/3fywywn Here's a transcript of the interview I did for Episode 299 of the RV Podcast with Keith Bernard, CEO of Clear2o on what to now about an RV water filter system:   Mike Wendland:           Well, to find out more about an RV water filter system to make that RV drinking water taste a little better and be a little healthier, I'm excited to have on the other end of the phone Keith Bernard, he is the CEO of Clear20, and I just came across this process, this product really this week. I should tell you we have no commercial relationship with these guys. This is just a really cool product that I think will benefit us and hence you guys, too, out there in the listening audience. So first of all, welcome to the program, Keith, thanks for making time for us. Keith Bernard:              Thanks very much. I'm glad to be here. Mike Wendland:           Let's talk in general about an RV water filter system. I mentioned at the top of this, on how hard it was for us to drink the water that was coming out of the campground spigot. Even though I use one of those little inline filters, I always have one of those, it just didn't taste very good. So maybe you could help us all understand it. What are some of the issues involved with campground water from that little spigot that they provided at the campsite? Keith Bernard:              Yeah, absolutely. Well, quite often everybody's more comfortable with the...

We love our RV air conditioner…except when it’s really hot and we’re boondocking or moochdocking and we don’t have enough RV battery power to run it. That's where SoftStartRV comes in. This week on the RV Podcast we dig deeply into RV battery and power management challenges faced by those who enjoy off-the-grid boondocking or moochdocking (camping in the driveways of friends and relatives) and want to run their RV air conditioner. Our guest in the RV Podcast interview segment is a top RV electrical expert who breaks down our power needs and tells us about a way we can run those RV air conditioners under low power with a device called SoftStartRV. Plus, we have RV news of the week… we answer a question on why we’re getting a new Rv in a couple of weeks ...and Tom and Patti Burkett stop by with a great off the beaten path report. RV PODCAST UPDATE ON WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Mike & Jennifer Wendland, hosts of the RV Podcast..this week we talk about RV battery issues, a product called SoftStartRV and boondocking and moochdocking This episode comes from the road… We’re in Jacksonville, FL, staying at Hanna Park on the Atlantic, just east of town. We share what we’re doing here and look forward to our travel to Michigan next week and, at the end of the month, our purchase of a new RV… the 2021 Wonder by Leisure Travel Vans, built on the new Ford Transit chassis. We’ll share the reasons we’re making the switch when we answer one of our listener questions coming up in a few minutes, RV PODCAST NEWS OF THE WEEK If traveling to Alaska, expect to take COVID-19 test If you are thinking of visiting Alaska this summer, the state now requires a COVID-19 test before t]raveling around the state. The new rules took effect Saturday. The COVID-19 test is required within 72 hours before flying into Alaska. But, if you are unable to do that for some reason, or you are driving there, you will need to quarantine at your own expense for 14 days once you arrive or take a COVID-19 test at the airport and quarantine until the results are back. You may not quarantine in an RV, and you may not go out for groceries or anything other than medical care during this time. We recently interviewed someone about ways to get your RV to Alaska while the Canadian border is closed (click here) and wanted to share this, too. For the complete list of Alaska rules, click here. President Trump and the first lady hitting the road in an RV? Well, that's what he said At a press conference last weekend about the economy starting to rebound after COVID-19, President Donald Trump said he might get an RV, and head to upstate NY with the first lady. While that off-the-cuff comment may have drawn the headlines, we have to reiterate it again - LOTS of newbies are buying and renting RVs right now. They are making travel plans to camp because of COVID-19 safety concerns about airplanes, cruises, and hotel rooms. To see more about why many say this is the year of the RV, click here.   Here is a new one: Man buys an Airstream trailer for studio office during quarantine Speaking of newbies, we saw a story last week out of California about a man in the Silicon Valley who bought a 22-foot Airstream trailer for his office. He parked it in his yard,and set it up to be his office with a souped up conference table. The trailer, on a 30-year-loan, costs $370 a month, is a deductible business expense, and he can sell it when he is done. This is the first time we have seen a story of someone buying a camper for zoom calls, but in these times, we see how it makes sense! More campgrounds continue to open, but check before you go  Again, more and more states are starting to permit camping. California is expected to start opening campgrounds June 12, Wisconsin state parks are open today, June 10, Oregon opened more campgrounds yesterday, June 9 ,while other states, like Michigan, remain closed for a few more weeks.  As always, if you are heading out,  check ahead.

Curious about Harvest Hosts? Here's our ultimate Harvest Host review featuring a podcast interview and videos of what you can expect at a Harvest Host location. By now, everyone's heard of Harvest Hosts, that awesome membership service that lets RVers stay overnight for free at leading wineries, farms, golf courses, and tourist attractions. But it's time for a Harvest Hosts Review in which we tell you - from our first-hand experience and an interview with Joel Holland, the CEO of Harvest Hosts - just what to expect. Click this link and use the code HHFriends15 for 15% off the $79 membership:  https://rvlifestyle.com/hh Joel was our special guest in Episode 294 or the RV Podcast. He gives us a Harvest Host Review from his perspective, talking about new locations, what hosts are open during the COVID-19 restrictions, and why Harvest Hosts has become so popular with RVers. RV Podcast Harvest Host Review from RV Podcast Episode 294 Here's the podcast episode with the  Harvest Host review featuring Joel... just click the arrow to listen right now on your computer or smartphone, or download it for later review. You can also hear it on your favorite podcast app or player like iTunes, Stitcher, TunedIn or Spotify. Joel's interview is about 17:24 in. But we invite you to listen to the entire podcast from start to finish. Then, Jennifer and I want to share our own Harvest Hosts review, showing you from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel videos exactly what to expect. Harvest Host Review videos Here's the first Harvest Host review video we did. Honestly, Harvest Hosts locations are our favorite place to stay.  It's a membership site that offers free overnight camping all across North America. How does it work? Check out this Harvest Host review video to see some of the unique places we visited.   0 Comments in moderatio Here is another Harvest Hosts review video we did that shows you three more spots.  Okay, now the good news. Of you listened to the podcast, you've heard the CEO and seen our videos of what to expect with our Harvest Host Review videos. Now here is the best part: We can save you money! If you join with our link - you get 15% off so you'll pay just $63/year for your annual membership.  Using this link and the discount code: HHFriends15 you save get 15% off Harvest Hosts annual membership of $79. This is a still photo from one of our Harvest Host review videos taken in the Finger Lakes region of New York. We were camping at the Heron Hill winery as Harvest Host guests Harvest Host locations across North America We covered much more in this podcast besides the Harvest Hosts review. Here's the rest of what we talked about: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK The RV Lifestyle can be quite daunting, especially when you are just starting out. We've heard from a lot of new RVers over these past several weeks during the lockdown, especially women who will be traveling with husbands of significant others, seeking some newbie advice. Some of those women aren't quite as enthusiastic about the RV Lifestyle as their traveling companion, It's not that they don't want to RV. They just have some basic questions and are seeking advice on how to adjust and handle things as they start traveling in their RV. So this week, Jennifer has put a lot of time and effort into writing a very detailed article on our RV Lifestyle blog, offering up helpful advice to RV women newbies. It's filled with lots of tips, links to how-to videos, and other resources. We think this free article will greatly ease those newbie jitters as it answers many of those basic beginning questions women have. Men will find helpful info in this article, too, But this one is clearly aimed at women. I plan to do a similar article aimed at men for next week.  To read Jennifer's article offering Helpful NewbIe RV Advice: Just for Women, CLICK HERE. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Oregon closes its state forests to boondockers because of health hazards ...

This week on the podcast, we talk about getting your RV ready for travel again. For most RVers, it’s been a long wait and their RVers have been just sitting there waiting for the 2020 RV travel season. We tell you what we do to prepare our RV and hear from Tim Marriott, our mechanic from LT Truck and Trailer in Pontiac, MI. Plus we have lots of RV news about what is open and what isn’t, where travel is allowed, plus your questions and a great off the beaten path report from the Burketts. Show Notes for Episode #293 May 6 2020 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK and Getting Your RV Ready for Travel Again It wasn't long and it wasn't far and we maintained social distancing the whole time but we did get out this weekend for a nice campout in the RV, making our way from NW Florida to SW Georgia. Both states have eased travel restrictions and the stay at home orders. Just being able to go for a drive and spend a beautiful weekend in the RV chased away those quarantine blues built up over the past two months.. By no means are we all out of the coronavirus woods and many other places remain locked down, but there are regions where restrictions are easing and people are starting to venture out again. And that is Good News! Speaking of Good News, we are very pleased to announce that our latest 7 Day Adventure Guide is now available for instant download!  It's on the Florida Keys and Key West and we are thrilled to release it.  CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY TODAY! The book is jam-packed with maps, photos, and helpful info on what to see and where to go and camp in the Keys. It joins our library of ebook guides and is the third one in Florida. The Keys guide as a standalone is just $7. But you can bundle it at a special price with our other two Florida guides - one for the Atlantic Coast and one for the Gulf Coast. The book is jam-packed with maps, photos, and helpful info on what to see and where to go and camp in the Keys. It joins our library of ebook guides and is the third one in Florida. The Keys guide as a standalone is just $7. But you can bundle it at a special price with our other two Florida guides - one for the Atlantic Coast and one for the Gulf Coast. All three Florida guides are available as a three-pack bundle for just $16.99! You can also get all eight of our 7 Day Adventure guides at a huge discount for just $39.99!    RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK RV industry prepares to gradually reopen manufacturing plants this week Much of the RV industry in northern Indiana is planning to restart operations this week. Gulf Stream, Thor, Airstream, CrossRoads, Cruiser, Dutchmen, Entegra Coach, Heartland, Jayco, Keystone RV, Starcraft, and others, along with most suppliers and parts manufacturers are now reopened. The restart will be slow, with employees at many factories receiving temperature checks before entering the building, plastic shields between work stations, sanitizing between shifts, personal protective equipment worn, and more. But the bottom line is the RV industry is back in business.   Man airlifted from Wyoming wildlife area after being attacked by a grizzly If you find yourself social distancing outdoors in bear country, be sure to bring bear spray and be stay alert. Bears are definitely out now, and a grizzly attacked a Wyoming man who was outdoors last weekend near the Sunlight Wildlife Habitat Management Area. Thankfully the man was able to send an SOS signal from a satellite communication device, rescuers found him and airlifted him to a hospital. He suffered severe injuries to his neck. A few years ago we interviewed an expert on bear spray. We always travel with it and recommend it. Here is a link to read more. Public campground closed? Family heads to a private campground in Michigan and practices social distancing in their RV  Many states, such as Michigan, are still under stay at home orders, and state parks in Michigan are closed to camping until June 21.

Worried about how you’re going to get healthcare when everything is closed? For many RVers during the recent lockdown, the answer was telemedicine. And what better way for RVers to learn about telemedicine than from. . . an RVer who does telemedicine. In this episode of our RV Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Tom Davis MD, a practicing Family Physician and full-time RVer who talks telemedicine; how to use it, how not to use it, and why telemedicine is the way of the future. Plus your RV Lifestyle questions, RV News of the week and a great off the beaten path report from the Burketts. Show Notes for Episode #292 April 29, 2020, of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK It's been seven weeks now since most of North America began to self isolate and practice social distancing under stay at home orders and travel restrictions. Finally, we're seeing many places starting to ease up on those restrictions as many parts of North America begin the process of reopening. Most of the big RV manufacturers and suppliers will be soon restarting production. State parks are taking reservations again in many parts of the country and it now looks like there will be a robust camping season this summer after all. We're not quite there yet, but optimism is running high that we will be able to get out there and enjoy the RV Lifestyle again within the next few weeks. We remain in Northwest Florida where the beaches will partially reopen later this week after a shutdown of more than a month. A full reopening is expected in two or three weeks. So there really is light at the end of this long tunnel. Hang on, stay home, and be safe a little longer. It will soon be better! This part of the podcast is brought to you by RadPower Bikes, America's #1 e-bike brand, offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Visit your favorite national park - virtually Are you wishing you were at your favorite national park during this stay-at-home time? If so, why not do the next best thing - and visit that special spot virtually? The National Park Service has a web spot (click here) where you can see web cameras of famous locations, join in live programs the various parks are offering online, or just enjoy some amazing photo and video tours. Animals in some closed national parks enjoying walking on roads and resting in parking lots as people are away Speaking of national parks, did you see the picture released last week of a lone coyote lying down, looking almost like he was enjoying the view from the parking lot at Yosemite National Park? As many of the national parks are closed, the animals are able to wander where they please without fear of running into people. And apparently, but the looks of this photo (click here) they are enjoying it. Will RV living be the preferred vacation mode when COVID-19 travel restrictions ease? For those who are joining our Friday night virtual campsite chats or Sunday night Ask Us Anythings, you know Jen and I have shared that we could see a greater interest in RV vacations when travel restrictions start to lift. Why? When you are in an RV you are outdoors and bring along your own bed, kitchen, bathroom, and living space, which may appeal to a lot of folks who want to go on a summer vacation but want to limit their interactions with others. Apparently we aren't the only ones speculating about this. An article in Forbes magazine was a Q and A from an RV industry spokesperson, sharing very similar thoughts. (Click here.) Some states starting to announce dates when campgrounds will reopen  We are getting word that more states are permitting campgrounds to open. While right now most are closed, some states are saying they'll allow campgrounds to re-open May 1, others May 15, others May 30. Some are open now for full-timers and medical or other essential workers seeking to isolate themselves from their families.

Campgrounds across North America are getting ready to open as we’re seeing many places in the US adopting a three-phased process to ease mandatory stay at home orders and travel prohibitions. The question is… when? Some campgrounds in a handful of states are planning to book new campers starting in May. Others have tentatively set reopening dates to a little later. Still, others say they have no idea. But whenever they do open, as we learn in our Interview of the Week segment, camping as we know it will be different, sometimes vastly different, with new procedures and policies that may be with us long into the future. We update the current open and closed list of campgrounds and hear from two industry experts, both of whom are voicing cautious optimism that the 2020 camping year will soon be starting – in one form or another. Plus, we have RV News of the week, your questions, and an off the beaten path report. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride… Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #291 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Like you, Jen and I have pretty much been staying at home during this pandemic and while we are not in as strict of a lockdown as other places, we are starting to feel the strain of no travel and closed businesses. While there is a strong glimmer of hope that things are starting to improve and some of those restrictions will be lifted, I think we all have at least a couple more weeks yet where unnecessary travel will be prohibited by health and governmental authorities. But I am very optimistic now that, come summer, we will all be able to get back on the road. To that end, while we're all hunkered down, we now are doing two YouTube live streams. Our regular Sunday evening "Ask Us Anything" show on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel has been joined with a Friday night Virtual Campfire. Both start at 7 PM Eastern time and are a great way to stay connected and interact with the online RV Lifestyle community. Join us at https://youtube.com/rvlifestyle We invite you to pull up a chair and join us for the live streams! Here’s hoping that soon we'll be able to have real campfires again! We’ve been watching the Super B RV Show online this past week Like all in person RV shows, this year’s annual Super B Show I Phoenix was canceled. So the event organizers – LaMesa RV -moved it online and have been featuring video tours of various small motorhome models, along with live Q&A on their Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. The online Super B Show will continue all week. Here are the ones we’ve watched so far. The Pleasureway Ascent TS  - https://youtu.be/_pOmtyH0sDI The Pleasureway Tofino - https://youtu.be/MFqmsBWZqE8 The Leisure Travel Unity - https://youtu.be/iye_CPe0Dqw LaMesa is doing a live broadcast each day of different Class B units at 10 AM PT at https://www.facebook.com/lamesarv RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Homeowners association refuses request by COVID-19 treating physician's assistant to live in RV in her driveway A New Jersey physician's assistant treating COVID-19 patients was denied the right to live in an RV in her driveway by her neighborhood homeowners association in Burlington County. The physician's assistant and her husband have a 6-year-old daughter, so the couple thought if she lived in an RV in the driveway she could see her daughter and husband and be close, but have the separation needed to protect their child. But apparently the homeowners association still denied the request.  Gary Bunzer, widely known as the RV doctor, dies after four-week fight against COVID-19 Last weekend we shared over our RV Lifestyle Facebook group, the very sad news that Gary Bunzer, known far and wide in the RV Community as "the RV Doctor," died in a Washington hospital after a four week battle with COVID-19. Gary was a frequent guest on our podcast and he made appearances in several of our videos. We last saw Gary in October in Elkhart,

RVs for MDs RVers are helping front line doctors and medical personnel fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by donating their RVs to those health care workers to give them a safe place to hang out without infecting their family. In our interview of the week you’ll learn about RV4MDs, an awesome Facebook group that is helping provide RVs for those health care workers. Show Notes for Episode #289 April 8, 2020 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK It's another week of being hunkered down for all of us. We have so much bad news it there that we want to remind everyone that this national crisis that so overshadows our lives right now will come to an end. We may not yet know when but we will be able to travel again and we choose to think of our many plans being delayed, not denied... postponed not canceled. We announced over the weekend that Bo, our Norwegian Elkhound, now has his own Instagram Page. You can follow his adventures @bothervelkhound on Instagram. Or go to his page directly at https://instagram.com/bothervelkhound. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram, too. We're sharing several times during the day and can be followed at https://instagram.com/rvlifestylemike. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Many current and 100 new hosts at Boondockers Welcome providing a place for full-timers, snowbirds, to stay One hundred new hosts joined Boondockers Welcome in March to help full-timers and snow birds find a safe place to stay. Many of the new and current hosts in the U.S. and Canada are also extending the amount of time campers can stay on their private property to help people hunker down during the pandemic. Boondockers Welcome is a web platform that lets members arrange overnight stays with hosts for typically one to five nights.  For more information check out our special link at rvlifestyle.com/boondockerswelcome. click here.  Tucson area sheriff deputies seeing a large increase in distress calls as more people hit the trails unprepared Everyone’s anxious to get outdoors for exercise during these days of social isolation but in Pima County near Tucson, emergency officials are seeing a huge spike in distress calls from hikers hitting the trails without taking basic safety measures. Search and Rescue deputies have answered 17 such calls in the last two weeks, a time frame in which they’d normally see half a dozen or so cases. That’s roughly a 100% increase in call volume, a strain on emergency responders. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says the increase may be due to more novice hikers venturing out at a time many are off work with limited recreation options during the COVID 19 pandemic. The best way to avoid trouble out there is to carry enough water, about one liter for each hour of hiking, bring along a fully charged cell phone. And be sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to return. Bears are starting to wake from hibernation in Georgia, Maryland, elsewhere Across North America, bears are waking up, coming out of hibernation, and looking for food. BearWise is an education program developed by bear biologists from each of the 15 state wildlife agencies that make up the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The program, anchored by the website www.bearwise.org, offers lots of tips. And we urge you if you plan to get some outdoor exercise in bear country, that you check out their advice. Most states close campgrounds, numbers constantly changing Most states have now closed their campgrounds, as COVID-19 continues to spread across the continent. Most recently this week… Texas. The Governor has closed all Texas State Parks effective April 7th. Most ocean beaches across the country are closed. Fewer and fewer national parks are open. Instead of listing every state here that may be out of date when you see it, We want to again direct you to the folks at Campendium. They have compiled a list of what RV parks and services are open that provides a goo...

In this episode, we meet a young couple ( The Adventurous Way,) who left lucrative jobs in the tech industry to travel in an RV and visit all 400 plus U.S. National Parks and Monuments in their own…unique way. Our guests are Matt & Dianna of  The Adventurous Way, bloggers, and YouTubers who share their life on the road as they visit America’s most beautiful locations. Plus, we have your comments, questions, and a fascinating off the beaten path report. Show Notes for Episode #288  April 1, 2020, of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK This week's podcast comes with our sincere hope that you are all healthy and hunkered down. It looks like we have another month or so in which we are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and practice social distancing. We've been doing a lot of live YouTube videos. Besides our regular Sunday night Ask Us Anything show at 7PM Eastern time, we've now added a Friday Night 7PM "Virtual Campfire" YouTube live stream in which we can connect, interact, answer questions and talk about the places we want to go once this crisis ends. You can find links to these live broadcasts on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel.  CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE. Then click the little bell icon to be notified when we have new broadcasts or are going on with an update. And don't forget to follow us n Instagram. We're sharing several times during the day on Instagram and can be followed at https://instagram.com/rvlifestylemike. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK More national parks close, as locals and park rangers urge visitors not to come amid Covid-19 Utah's Arches and Canyonlands national parks closed over the weekend because of COVID-19 (click here), and a push is on to close more of the national parks. Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks also closed last week, but others remain open. One ranger from Grand Canyon National Park - a park that is open - told a reporter that he had 600 close contacts with people on a single day. We expect the list of closed national parks to grow, and wouldn't be surprised to see them completely close nationally in the weeks ahead. More state parks, federal land, and private campgrounds close throughout the country Colorado was another state in the news last week after the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado along with Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced closures of campgrounds, trailheads, playgrounds, and bathrooms in an effort to keep people home. There are so many campground closures coming in daily, we again want to repeat our advice to stay at home. Think of it as not canceling your travel plans - rather think of it as postponing them. The folks at Campendium compile a list of what RV parks and services are open that provides a good overview. It is updated daily and you can access that list HERE. Some states that ban camping kept their state parks open for hikers- now thieves are stealing the toilet paper and hand sanitizer Meanwhile, several states, like Michigan, which canceled all camping but kept the state parks open for hikers and day users, are experiencing a new problem stolen toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Several parks in Michigan and elsewhere around the country report thieves taking the large rolls of toilet paper and draining all the hand sanitizer in park bathrooms - even those with only a vault toilet. Some RV rental companies now seeing business in helping government, essential services, vulnerable during COVID-19 Like much of the country, RV rental companies have seen their vacation rentals tank as Americans are hunkering down and staying home. But some RV rental companies say they are getting new business from government agencies, health services, and people trying to get loved ones home and need a safe way to do so. Because RVs have their own beds, bathrooms, and kitchens, some families are renting them to go pick up an elderly loved one instead of flying.

In an effort to give you the latest about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting RVers, we have up to date interviews with some key folks representing several different segments of the RV Industry. Show Notes for Episode #287 March 25, 2020 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER Like almost all of you, we're hunkered down, avoiding in-person social contact with others and staying off the road as we follow the recommendations of our national leaders during this unprecedented coronavirus emergency   MIKE Jennifer and I are still at our condo along the Emerald Coast of the Florida panhandle. We're unsure of our future travel plans right now and taking it day by day.  JENNIFER We prefer to say we have postponed, not canceled out travel plans. This will end. I wish I knew when. But I am convinced we will all get through this. MIKE We've been doing a lot of live YouTube videos. Besides our regular Sunday night Ask Us Anything show at 7PM Eastern time, we've added a Friday Night 7PM "Virtual Campfire" YouTube live stream in which we can connect, interact, answer questions and talk about the places we want to go once this crisis ends. You can find links to these live broadcasts on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel.  CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE. Then click the little bell icon to be notified when we have new broadcasts or are going on with an update. JENNIFER RV-related shows around the country have all be cancelled. In addition, the Escapees RV Club has cancelled or postponed all events currently scheduled through June 17. This includes Convergences, Hangouts, and Head-out Program (HOP) events as well as our RVers Boot Camps. MIKE The FMCA, which just cancelled its March Tucson Convention, has now cancelled its big summer rally and exhibition scheduled for Aug. 26-29 at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, Neb. The FMCA’s next national rally will now be March 10-13, 2021, at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry JENNIFER And also this week, Pleasure-Way, Thor, Winnebago, Grand Design RV, Newmar Corp. and numerous other RV Manufacturers have temporarily suspended production and closed their manufacturing plants because of the COVID-19 virus. This part of the podcast is brought to you by the Nimble Pet Monitor 4G, the surest way we know of to have peace of mind that the temperature for your pets back in the RV is not too high. More information and a discount for listeners ot the RV Podcast is available at https://rvlifestyle.com/nimble RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Entrance to national parks may be temporarily free, but many locals are urging visitors not to come amid Covid-19 Most national parks throughout the country are generally open, as of this writing, and entrance is free, but visitor centers, lodges, shuttles and restaurants are closed, and many surrounding communities are urging people not to come. Some national parks, such as Yosemite or Rocky Mountain, are closed. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt last week temporarily waived entrance fees at national parks to make it easier for people to get outdoors and practice social distancing. But hospital staffs near the national parks are urging people to stay away, saying they can not handle more patients. And even some park officials say if someone is injured, they may not be able to get rescued because resources are focused on fighting coronavirus. While some state parks are closed, others are open urging people to get outdoors while practicing social distancing As far as state parks go, we are also hearing reports of more people than ever heading outdoors to state parks as daily life as we have known it comes to a temporary stop around the country. Some states are encouraging people to get outdoors - as long as they practice social distancing and stay away from things like playgrounds - while other states are completely closing their state parks. Missouri (click here), Wisconsin,

Travel plans for RVers are being disrupted by fear of the coronavirus and state campground closures, interstate rest area closures and growing travel restrictions. But lost in the deluge of news is the fact that the vast majority of private campgrounds in North America are still open and still welcoming RVers. Many are seeing increased bookings from RVers who want to hunker down there during the crisis To get an idea of where RVers can still camp during this crisis, our guest is Mark Koep, of the website campgroundviews.com, which works very closely with more than 1,700 privately owned campgrounds in North America. Show Notes for Episode #286 March 18, 2020 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK   What a week it has been: Many State Parks – New Mexico, North Carolina, Illinois, all 175 Florida State Parks and state and local parks in many other parts of the country  - have been closed to camping. Schools, Bars, restaurants, movie theaters and businesses are shut down or have limited services pretty much nationwide. People are urged to stay home, indoors and practice social distancing. Some places have total lockdowns. Further restrictions are threatened and leaders are urging people to postpone all discretionary travel… which would obviously include RVing. There are hundreds of thousands of RVers already on the road. Where can they stay until the immediate crisis has passed? In our interview of the week, we’ll talk about that  but even though the information we are giving you is current as we record this podcast, everything is changing… daily…sometimes hourly. So… our best advice to you right now is… stay where you are. Or, if you must, try a private campground and then stay there. We are in our condo on Okaloosa Island along the Florida panhandle’s Emerald Coast. Like many of you, we had travel plans. This week, we were supposed to be speaking at the RV Entrepreneur Summit in Lake Gunterson, AL. Like all RV rallies, RV shows and other events, it has been cancelled but moved to online. You can attend virtually by going to https://therventrepreneur.com/. After that, we were planning to head to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. But all those plans, as with millions of others, have been put on hold. So we are hunkering down on the beach… not a bad place to be at all. So we don’t know where you are but we want you to know we are all in this together. We’ll try and stay in touch on social media as much as possible and we will use our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube to do live reports and updates about the coronavirus and its effect on RVing from time to time. But we will all get through this and it’s our hope that as we follow our government’s recommendation to lay low and practice social distancing this will all pass and life will quickly get back to normal. So hang in there everyone! Here is a link from our friends on Campendium that tacks the latest closings and openings of RV-related businesses, events, campgrounds and the like  This part of the podcast is brought to you by the Nimble Pet Monitor 4G, the surest way we know of to have peace of mind that the temperature for your pets back in the RV is not too high. More information and a discount for listeners ot the RV Podcast is available at https://rvlifestyle.com/nimble RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Some states close state run campgrounds because of coronavirus If you are planning to move into a new campground anytime soon, be sure to call ahead to make sure it is not closed because of coronavirus. State run campgrounds in New Mexico , Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania all have closed because of coronavirus concerns. Many tourist destinations are also closing. The changes are numerous. Hotel reservations may be down, but campground reservations are up in some places as people seek to escape the coronavirus Last week we told you how the coronavirus was the reason Japan was experiencing a surge in campground reservations.