RV Lifestyle RV Podcast

Many of us plan and dream about pulilng up roots, selling the sticks and bricks house and going fulltime in an RV. But what’s it like? A little scary, to be sure. But also very rewarding, as our guests this week share in an Episode we call… Livin’ the Dream. We met this couple last week up in the Adirondacks, John and K.C,, who have been fulltiming in a Class B Winnebago Travato for a year and a half now with their dog, Kai. As we heard their story we just knew we had to get them to share it with you, too. So we whipped out the recorder, gathered round the campsite picnic table and recorded the conversation. WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK This is where we are as this podcast is released, in the Finger Lakes region of New York, camping at The Heron Hill winery as Harvest Host guests MIKE We are in the Finger Lakes region of New York as we record this episode, staying at a beautiful winery, part of the Harvest Host service hat welcomes RVers for overnight stays. We’ve spent the past couple of weeks touring the Adirondacks and have had a ball. JENNIFER It's been an awesome couple of weeks of hiking, exploring and learning about this magnificent region of mountains, lakes, streams, brooks and jaw-dropping scenery. MIKE We’ve camped and boondocked our way across this state, even did some moochdocking at the summer home of a couple of our followers. JENNIFER Yes, we want to give a big shout out to Bill and Pam Roberts who welcomed us… and BO… with open arms, opening up a guest cottage for us on beautiful Lake George, considered the crown jewell lake of the Adirondacks. MIKE We have been thrilled at the response to our latest Seven Day Adventure Guide ebook- about Yellowstone National Park. Like our other guides, this is a curated guided tour that gives you seven days of adventure and exploration. We show you what route to follow to see all of the park's major attractions, with suggestions on where to camp and boondock in or near the park, what to see and what to do. Details are at https://rvlifestyle.com/yellowstone RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Potential safety issues uncovered in Roadtreks during purchase of company in Canadian bankruptcy court Erwin Hymer Group of North America was in the news again last week, this time over safety issues alleged in some Roadtreks. According to court documents, the second row seats in some Roadtreks may not have passed certain federal safety standards in Canada or the United States. As many as 1,900 units may be affected. Roadtrek is being purchased by the French company Rapido Group and the sale is expected to be completed July 5. Some details of how the company's assets are being divided was also made available last week and a story on that topic can be found here. Professional photographers offer useful tips in how to capture the Grand Canyon through a lens  Anyone heading to the Grand Canyon National Park may enjoy reading an article out last week from National Geographic offering tips on how to best photograph the amazing spot. From bringing a tripod, to lens suggestions and tips on how to frame a picture, I thought the article was helpful for those who - like me - enjoy photographing the amazing spots we visit in our RVs. We’ll link to that in the shownotes of this episode at rvlifestyle.com-slash-247. Mom and her son rescued from Zion National Park river after boy went wading and lost control A mom and her 12-year-old son had to be rescued at Zion National Park last week after the boy went wading into the Virgin River and was swept off his feet by the dangerously fast current caused by high water levels. The mom jumped in, safely got her son onto a boulder, and then held on to the rock herself until she could be rescued.  A second woman had also jumped in to help but was free before rescuers arrived. Park officials say lots of snow and spring rain have brought extremely high water levels to the park, and with it very powerful currents,

This week we talk about RV Clubs and why you may want to consider joining one. We talk about their many benefits, including their efforts to help us find and preserve free overnight places to camp by promoting a Good Neighbor policy. Our guests are the people who run one of the most popular and active such organizations, Travis and Melanie Carr of the Escapees and Xcapers RV Clubs. RV clubs serve as a network of like-minded folks, offering support, encouragement, adventure and fun, usually with special perks and discounts for its members.  I think you’ll enjoy meeting the Carrs in the interview of the week segment, coming up in just a few minutes. But also this week, we’ll update you on our activities, share the RV News if the weeks, answer some of your questions and get another great off the beaten oath report from our friends the Burketts. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride… Jennifer. WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Jennifer overlooking the Ausable River in the Adirondacks JENNIFER -We are in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains of New York, where we plan to spend a couple weeks taking photos and video and researching things to do and places to stay for another of our Seven Day Adventure Guides. MIKE - Look for it later this summer. We arrived here Sunday after spending the past several days near Montreal, Quebec, attending a rally put on by the French-speaking Leisure Travel Vans club of Quebec. Although neither of us speak French, club members made us feel very welcome and we had a wonderful time meeting folks and touring their RVs.  Jennifer and Mike peaking at the Quebec rally JENNIFER -Many of those attending spoke English as well and when Jen and I gave a little talk to the group they provided a translator. We've attended many rallies and gatherings over the years but this was one of the best organized such events e have ever seen. We had a ball! RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK MIKE Grand Canyon National Park set to receive designation for promoting dark sky  Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park has been working for years to reduce its light pollution and apparently it has paid off, as it is about to become an official International Dark Sky Park. The International Dark Sky Association promotes reducing light pollution so people can see the stars in all their glory, and recognizes certain spots throughout the country and even world  that do this. I highly recommend finding a Dark Sky spot near you. Jen and I had members of this organization on our podcast a while back. To learn more and hear that podcast, click here. JENNIFER Campers urged to stay below 4,000 feet in New York's Adirondacks to protect alpine zone If you are heading to the Adirondacks, where Mike and I are this week, be sure to keep all your boondocking below 4,000 feet elevation. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is advising people against camping above 4,000 feet in the High Peaks and is ticketing those who do not follow these guidelines. The agency is trying to keep campers out so plants in the fragile Alpine zone won't be trampled,. contributing to soil erosion. MIKE Writer describes his love affair with state parks, offering beautiful places to camp often inexpensively  When Jen and I are somewhere new to an area and hear there is a state or provincial (if we are in Canada) campground nearby, we often check it out. State campgrounds are usually in beautiful locations and are relatively inexpensive. So when I read an article recently in the New York Times by a writer who tells of traveling the country and searching out previously unknown gems in each state, we had to share. JENNIFER Stopping to view bears along a stretch of highway near Canada's Jasper National Park not allowed If you're heading to Canada's Jasper National Park anytime soon, there is now a no stopping rule along highway 16. The reason is so many bears feed along the highway this time of year,

If you are a regular listener, you know Jennifer and I love to boondock. We love to get away from the crowds and enjoy the peace and quiet. So do many RVers, of course, but this week we want to talk to the substantial segment of the boondocking community who are solo travelers. Being alone in the middle of nowhere is equally enjoyable as it is for couples or those who travel with a friend. But what happens if you are alone and an accident or emergency happens? If you’re traveling solo, you need to take some extra precautions. We’ll talk about that and get some advice in this week’s RV Lifestyle interview segment. Our friends at the Camp Addict website, Marshall Wendler and Kelly Beasley, will share their expertise and a harrowing story that illustrates just how bad things can go and how much worse they could be…if you are all alone. Plus, RV news, tips, your questions and an off the beaten path report from the Burketts. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride…Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #245 June 5, 2019 of The RV Podcast:  WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK MIKE Can you believe it's June? Camping season is in full swing, The roads are filled with RVs crisscrossing the country and summer fun is on everyone's schedule. JENNIFER We are heading north into Canada, camping our way through parts of Ontario, and then on to Montreal, Quebec, where we'll spend the weekend before turning south and visiting parts of New England and then New York for some exploration of the  Adirondacks.  MIKE We usually start the summer by heading to the Rockies and the west. This year, its the east and the Adirondacks for a few weeks. Then we'll see. We're trying to pick regions of the country that we haven't extensively toured yet JENNIFER We plan to resume our "Ask Us Anything" live stream on the RV Lifestyle Channel next Sunday at 7PM eastern time, from wherever we happen to be. MIKE We've taken the past couple of weeks off to catch up on some projects but we've missed our weekly visits and the excitement of a live audience so we're planning to be back this coming Sunday night.  RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK JENNIFER New York State Health Department warns all heading outside to protect themselves from ticks  The New York State Department of Health warned residents and visitors to protect themselves and their pets from ticks and the diseases they carry as the number of tick caused illnesses has been steadily rising. New York is averaging about 5,500 new cases of Lyme Disease each year. Mike and I are noticing more and more ticks as we travel the country making it more important than ever to wear protection and educate yourself on safety tips. To see a report we did on this subject not too long ago click here. MIKE Four-year-old boy attacked by mountain lion expected to recover   A mountain lion that attacked a 4-year-old boy walking with his family in California's Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve was shot and killed. DNA samples confirmed that last weekend. The boy was with about a dozen people in the area called Carson's Crossing on Memorial Day when the mountain lion attacked him. His father kicked and threw rocks at the animal to free his son who was flown to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to recover. Mountain lion attacks are rare, but it is important to watch young children when walking trails in mountain lion country. JENNIFER Millennial writer urges manufacturers to make smaller, more interesting RVs  A writer published an interesting read last week urging RV manufacturers to listen to what millennials want in an RV, as that age demographic becomes a bigger and bigger share of the RV market. Many of her suggestions Mike and I agree with, even though we are not in the millennial generation. Making smaller RVs, focus on quality and technology and improving designs are things we have been talking about for a long time. MIKE Woman injured by female elk protecting her baby at Yellowstone Nationa...

Our guests this week are Chris Dunphy and Cherie ve Ard from the Mobile Internet Resource Center, which is the best source I know of  unbiased mobile internet information for US based RVers and digital nomads who must have reliable Internet connections while on the road, whether for business, to keep in touch with friends and family or to stream they favorite movies. Chris and Cherie will join us in our interview of the week segment coming up in just a few minutes. Show Notes for Episode #244 May 29.1019 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK MIKE We hope you all have recovered from Memorial Day, which always marks the unofficial start of summer. The reports we have seen indicated lots of people were out there in their RVs. Most of the popular camping locations, state parks and commercial campgrounds were filled. I know the weather was iffy across much of North America during the weekend but, hey even a bad day camping is better than most good days anywhere else. JENNIFER At least that’s what we tell ourselves. We’ve spent the past week working feverishly on a bunch of videos, the first of which will be coming out tomorrow, Thursday May 30, on our RV Lifestyle Channel on You Tube. It’s about the redundant Internet systems we have installed in our RV.  You’ll get a bit of an idea what we have when you listen to our experts on the interview of the week coming up but Mike will be detailing the installation and configuration of the systems we will be using in our RV this summer as well as before and after tests on how they improve connectivity. MIKE We set off on the first leg of our extended travel for the season next week that will have us traveling through Ontario, Quebec and down into New York State and the Adirondack Mountains for the next several weeks and I’m excited to see how our upgraded electrical system modifications will perform as we do a lot of boondocking. We replaced the lead acid batteries on our RV with two Battleborn lithium batteries, an upgraded 2,000 watt inverter, a new solar controller and a bluetooth system that gives me total control over everything from a tablet or my smartphone. I know many of you have been asking about that and we should have a video ready to go on that next week so stay tuned. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK JENNIFER Social media making some secret spots major tourist sites, providing new challenges for the parks service  Boise State Public Radio had an interesting piece last week on the "Instagram Effect" on national and public owned land. As certain spots, such as Utah's Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park or Arizona's Horseshoe Bend have gone viral on social media, suddenly places just a few locals knew about are transformed into places where literally thousands arrive each day. These throngs are completely changing the feel of a location, and the article was an interesting look at how the parks service is trying to respond. MIKE Report shows national parks visitors contributed $40.1 billion to economy  Speaking of national parks, the 2018 National Park Visitor Spending Effects study was recently released, showing the national sparks contributed $40.1 billion to the economy last year, supporting 329,000 jobs. The report analyzes spending on such things as lodging, restaurants, grocery store sales in towns near the national parks. It looks to me like a good report to use to get Congress to continue to invest in maintaining the country's national treasures. JENNIFER Many Oklahoma campgrounds closed because of flooding  If you're planning to head to Oklahoma any time soon to camp, be sure to check whether your campground is open. Heavy rains in the area and bad storms has caused several popular stops to close. This is a trend we've seen in other states, ranging from Kansas to Minnesota this spring. Bottom line: Besure to check ahead. MIKE Heading to an Arizona state park? Pick up a free can of water  Those deciding to visit one of the 32 Arizona state p...

With the upcoming long Memorial Day weekend kicking off the 2019 camping season, a lot of RVers are going to be frustrated to discover no vacancy signs and if they do get a spot, overcrowded and expensive campgrounds that offer far from the idyllic getaway they hoped for. We can help. In this episode, you’ll hear how Jennifer and I prefer to camp as we present to you our complete guide of free or almost free camping, from overnight stays to full two-week vacations. And along the way you’ll hear from a variety of experts. We’ll have complete links to the places and services we describe in the shownotes on the rvlifestyle.com travel blog as well, so stay tuned… you’re going to get some great suggestions. Also this week, lots of RV News, your RV Lifestyle questions and a great off the beaten path report from the Burketts. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride… Jennifer. WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER These are sure busy times for RVers, with the Memorial Day weekend now upon us and the summer camping season well underway. We’ve been traveling somewhere every week since we returned to Michigan a month or so ago. We had a wonderful time last week in northern Indiana in Amish country. MIKE We were down there for meetings with some potential new sponsors and we took the time to explore a little. There are lots of fun shopping opportunities, one of the biggest flea markets you’ll find anywhere in the town of Shipshewana and down-home delicious food. I confess, my healthy eating plan went out the window when I found the bakery at the Essen Haus in Middlebury and, in particular, a raspberry cream pie. JENNIFER But you are back eating healthy again and I’m proud of you. Little break and occasional indulgences are okay. But the key word is occasional. And you’ve been working out every day.  Which makes it not quite as bad when you give in to that raspberry cream pie which, I agree, was worth it. MIKE Speaking of working out, we want to give a shout out to our new partner, Anytime Fitness. We’ve just become sort of traveling ambassadors for this chain of health clubs, which as regular listeners know we have been using for years. There are more than 4,000 Anytime Fitness locations around the globe and besides group exercise classes, well maintained equipment and a friendly welcoming atmosphere for visiting RVers, they all have clean, individual bathrooms with showers and privacy, which is great when you’re boondocking. Your membership gets you in any of their clubs and we always can find one as we travel across North America. JENNIFER We’re working on a video that shows you how we use Anytime Fitness when we’re on the road. We stopped by the Portage, MI club last week. I did one a group class as Mike ran the camera. Hey, come to think of it, I didn’t see you working out that day! MIKE Somebody had to run the camera! And I did. I got on a spinning bike. JENNIFER That’s right. You did. Anyway, we’re glad to be partnered with Anytime Fitness. Exercise is vitally important to good health, especially as we age and especially when sitting behind the wheel of the RV for a long time as a lot of us will be doing now with the summer camping season in full swing Our 330 Rule T-Shirt, available at https://rvlifestyle.com/rule330 MIKE For the summer of 2019, we have a fun promotion we want all us us to participate in: Telling the world about the 330 Rule! Here’s how: By wearing our very cool new 330 Rule T-shirts. They are now printed and available. They are very comfy T-shirts with Rule 330 printed across the back, celebrating our favorite way of RV travel, which is driving no more than 330 miles in a single day and/or stopping by 3:30 pm local time. We want to see a picture of as many of you as possible wearing those shirts taken in your summer adventures. Take the photo and then post it on Instagram, using the hashtag #rvlifestylemike . It will be fun to see where everyone goes and to evangeli...

Join Jeff and Deb Spencer, full-time RVers and endurance athletes from Dometic Corporation, as they share their thrilling journey of living on the road while pursuing their passion for endurance running. They discuss their bucket list adventures, inspiring listeners to turn dreams into reality regardless of their interests. The couple also offers practical tips on managing work while traveling and the importance of being responsible RV neighbors. Prepare to be motivated to embark on your own road adventures!

For most, an RV is the second biggest purchase they will ever make, next to their sticks and bricks house. So having a warranty to cover major repairs is an important consideration when purchasing an RV. But what happens when the manufacturer’s warranty runs out, or, worse yet, as happened to one major RV manufacturer this year, the company suddenly goes bankrupt and shuts down. What then? In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk about purchasing an extended warranty for your RV to provide peace of mind and Independent coverage regardless of when the manufacturer’s warranty or the warranties on major appliances expires. We’ll talk about how much an extended warranty costs, what it covers, what it doesn’t and whether it makes sense for you. That’s coming up in our interview of the week. But also this week, RV news of the week, lots of listener questions and a fascinating off the beaten path report from the Burketts. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride… Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #241 May 8,2019 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK MIKE We are very excited to announce the release of the latest in our Seven Day Adventure Guides for RVers... this one for Colorado. We know many of you are planning your summer travels and we wanted to get this one out to provide a handy resource for RVing across one of the most spectacular places on earth. You can learn more about this special ebook and be among the first to get it at https://rvlfestyle.com/colorado   Here's a link to a promotional video we did about it - https://youtu.be/N3dZT3KtyLo  JENNIFER We’re getting ready to hit the road, heading this week to Holland, Michigan, where the community holds a huge festival every spring celebrating Tulip Time. There are parades, concerts, wooden shoe dancing demonstrations and lots of cultural activities by the descendants of the Dutch immigrants who settled this Western Michigan town on the shores of Lake Michigan. But the main focus of the festival are the flowers. Holland boasts over 5 million tulips, all bursting forth in a dazzling display of color, pretty much peaking right now.  Tulips are located in City parks, at public attractions, and along City streets. It’s quite the sight and we’ll be camping there Thursday through Sunday and, naturally, we’ll have a video. We can’t wait to head out.  RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK MIKE Canada says you can smoke pot at campsites, while Florida sells booze in some state parks Things change and may never be quite the same in some campgrounds. Let’s start Up North: With recreational marijuana use now legal throughout Canada, Parks Canada is working to get the word out this camping season that smoking marijuana is now perfectly fine at campsites. But smoking at beaches, trails and other common areas it is not. We have no comment. Now let’s go down south, to Florida. There, the state is now selling beer and wine in 32 of its 175 state parks in an attempt to raise more money to pay for the parks. “I think it’s a sign of the times,” said Don Philpott, secretary of the Wekiva Wilderness Trust and former executive director of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “We are not unique in Florida. I visit parks all over the country, and increasingly alcohol is being permitted.”  Florida officials say rangers have recently been trained to spot tipsy visitors. Anyone caught drunk will be asked to leave the park. Again, we have no comment. We’re just reporting the news here. JENNIFER Authorities are searching for the owner of an off leash dog which killed endangered seal in a California national seashore  People sometimes complain about strict laws that require dogs to always be on a leash in national and state parks and often limit the areas they can visit. Most pet owners are responsible. But there are those who are not and a case in point happened in California last week that demonstrated just why those restrictions are needed.

It’s estimated that there are a million plus fulltime RVers out there, traveling North America and living pretty much fulltime in their RVs. And those ranks are growing more and more every day. Jennifer and I have noticed this in our travels. We are meeting more fulltimers on seemingly every trip and many of them are families. Mom and Dad work from the road, the kids are educated on the road and the families are thriving, seeing all the wonders of North America, together. Does this idea intrigue you? Then stick around. We talk to an expert who has helped hundreds of families discover the joy of fulltime RVing. She’ll tell you who this is for, who it is not for and how to test if out for you and your family. Also this week, your RV Lifestyle questions, RV news of the week and a great off-the-beaten-path report from the Burketts. Show Notes for Episode #240 May 1, 2019 of The RV Podcast WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER April showers bring May flowers. Well, now that it is May we're sure hoping the steady dose of cold, wet, soggy weather we've had in the Upper Midwest lately will indeed give way to May flowers soon. MIKE Especially Tulips as Holland, Michigan and its famed Tulip Time Festival is where we're headed next week.  JENNIFER This week, we're still outfitting and organizing our RV for the summer travel season. People can check out our Thursday video on the RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube for an update on just what we've been doing. MIKE What are we doing here? Catching up, mostly. I’m editing, writing and organizing all the video photos and stories we’ve collected in the road over the past four months. We have family to visit and some yard work to do to get our home up here ready for the warm weather. JENNIFER I’ve been trimming rose bushes. Mike’s been trimming trees… largely so they don’t scrape up against our new RV, which we just purchased a few weeks ago. We’re also hard at work in our next Seven Day Adventure Guide eBook, to join the ones we’ve already done on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the southern part of Utah. MIKE The next guide should be ready in the next two weeks. It’s about one of favorite places to explore by RV… Colorado. Like the others in the series, it will suggest seven must see attractions, tell you routes to follow to get there, where to stay and what to do in the area. We price these guides very low, at just $7 each and being eBooks, they not only give you a curated guide for the trip, but they link to all sorts if other resources that will help you in your RV journeys as you visit the area. Colorado will be the next one. And we have a whole bunch mire planned. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK  JENNIFER A woman at Grand Canyon National Park last week falls to death - fourth such death in a month Another visitor fell to death last week at the Grand Canyon National Park, bringing to four the number of deaths there since late March. Officials are warning visitors to stay on clearly marked trails and not get too close to the edge. MIKE Baby birds discovered living in a nest in the front of a Winnebago  RV after family stopped just 3 weeks to camp  A family making their way north from southern Florida had quite the surprise last week when they made a pit stop in Naples, heard sounds from the front of their RV and discovered three baby birds in a nest in their grill. The family spent three weeks camping around Homestead, which apparently was enough time for the parents to build a nest in there, lay eggs and the eggs to hatch. JENNIFER Man spends $10,000 on RV but never given title, says he was duped A man in Arizona says he paid $10,000 to an RV dealer and drove off the lot with his purchase, but never given the title. Now five months later, he still has no proof the RV is his. The dealership went out of business and without the title he can’t get the RV permanently registered. He’s hired an attorney but the owners of the now closed Scottsdale RV dealership in Phoenix are now...

Coming up in the interview of the week is Dan Miller, a New York Times best-selling author whose amazingly successful books and podcast about setting priorities and achieving your dreams has greatly influenced Jennifer and me and helped us find the way to make the RV Lifestyle a reality. For all those of you out there dreaming about doing the same thing…. “someday”… Dan Miller is going to inspire you and motivate you to also make that “someday”…today. You are going to love Dan Miller. Also this week, RV News, an update on what Jennifer and I are up to these days, an off the beaten path report from the Burketts and listener questions in which we tell you the three most important things to do before you take possession of a new RV. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride…Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #239 April 24, 2019 of The RV Podcast WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER We’re back home in Michigan after being on the road for most of the past four months. In all we have covered more than 8,000 miles since the first of the year in 16 states. Catching up with work around our sticks and bricks house up here for the next week or so and then we’re off again. MIKE It was quite a trip back… with non-stop rain for the better part of 36 hours as we traveled north from Florida. Our route coincided with the track of a storm front. There’s a post on our RV Lifestyle blog about that you can read. We just took our time and stuck to our 330 Rule of traveling no more than 330 Miles or stopping b 3:30 PM. JENNIFER By the way, while we say “our” rule we mean it in the sense of it’s a rule we follow as best we can, not something we claim to have originated. It’s been around in various forms… a 2/2 Rule…  3/3 rule… that sort of stuff…for years. So we have no idea who first came up with it but we gladly embrace it as a rule we follow. Our 330 Rule sticker pack MIKE And that resonates with a lot of you. So much so that we printed up a variety of fun Rule 330 stickers that we’re selling on our online shop. We have a four pack of the 330 Rule stickers that a lot of folks have been getting, as well as coffee mugs and T-shirts. Just fun stuff that reminds us all to slow down, that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. JENNIFER Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to our next RV … to take in the fun of the Tulip Time festival in Holland, MI in early May. It runs from May 4-12. It’s a big annual event, with more than 5 million tulips of every possible color and shade in bloom throughout the city, along with parades, Dutch wooden shoe dancers and lots of local entertainment. We’ll be hanging out May 9-12 with a group of Leisure Travel Van Owners there for a rally sponsored by the local dealer, Holland Motor Homes, and we’re looking forward to meeting other LTV owners and getting ideas from them on how we can personalize or new 2019 Unity FX. Holland, MI's Tulip Time MIKE We haven’t had much of a chance to add a lot of extras or install things like a cell phone booster yet. We’re looking at new cell boosters soon to come of the market that is engineered specifically for Class B and Class C RVs. We’re thinking we want to try this when it becomes available in a couple of weeks. And we’re also considering replacing our coach batteries with lithium batteries and an upgraded inverter. But we’re in no rush and as we have bought this new RV ourselves, we want to do things right and only install extras. To be frank, right now, it’s performed so well that I’m not sure what, if anything, we need to improve. JENNIFER I’m still finding a place for everything and putting everything in its place. There’s always an adjustment and discovery period with a new RV in which we figure out where things should go and how things should be organized. As we start our second month of ownership of our coach, I’m adding little things like a silverware holder, a wastebasket, putting shelf paper down,

In this episode, we talk about a couple of the challenges we face in living and camping in an RV - from using a CPAP machine to getting instant hot water. We’ll answer a listener question about the first and with the second, have an interview with an official from Truma Corp., who will explain to us how their popular lineup of RV water heaters work and why they have become the de facto standard for new RVs. Plus we have RV News if the week and anther great off the beaten path report from the Burketts. Show Notes for Episode #237 April 10, 2019 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK JENNIFER Mike and Jennifer As we always do, lets share some housekeeping notes. One, in this podcast we will mention a bunch of different resources, news stories and web links that will give you more information about the things we’re talking about. Whenever possible, we build in direct links to those topics on the shownotes page for this episode. You can find that at rvlifestyle.com/237 MIKE Also, you may have a question you’d like us to answer, or a comment on the things we’re discussing. If so, we invite you to leave us that question or comment on the special voicemail number we have for the podcast – it’s 586-372-6990.  If you are driving and can’t write it down right now, just go to the RV Lifestyle travel blog at rvlifestyle.com and scroll down the page. You’ll see that number prominently posted on the blog. JENNIFER We're traveling again this week, headed to Phoenix, AZ and the annual Super B RV Show that specializes in just small motorhomes - Class Bs and Cs. It will be in the State Farm stadium in suburban Glendale. MIKE The show runs Thursday through Sunday, but Jen and I will be there Friday and Saturday, meeting and greeting and doing live reports from the show for our RV Lifestyle Facebook followers Friday at 3PM Eastern time and for our YouTube RV Lifestyle followers Saturday at 4:30 PM Eastern. JENNIFER Also this week... look for a special announcement about our latest 7 Stop Adventure Guides, this one on Utah. It will be released this week! MIKE We're very excited about this new ebook as Utah is a simply awesome state and this practical travel guide will help you streamline your plans and find the perfect places to stay as you see the amazing geography of Utah. Meantime, here's the RV News of the week. RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK JENNIFER Visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park urged to keep a safe distance from edge  Officials at the Grand Canyon National Park issued a warning to visitors last week, urging them to stay a safe distance from the edge of cliffs after a 67-year-old visitor fell 400 feet to his death. This marked the third person to die in the park in eight days. MIKE Save the date: Lottery to see synchronous fireflies at Great Smoky Mountains National Park to open April 26 If you're interesting in viewing the synchronous fireflies at the Great Smoky Mountains, be sure to enter their lottery between April 26-29. The synchronous fireflies flash their lights in unison every night, attracting so much interest, you have to win a lottery to see them. Our friends Tom and Patti Burkett did find a few other places to go (click here) that do not require a lottery but you need to plan ahead. JENNIFER Who will buy what’s left of Roadtrek? What’s left of Roadtrek Motorhomes will soon be decided in a receivership courtroom in Canada. The deadline for bids by interested parties to purchase the assets of the Erwin Hymer Group of North America, the maker of Roadtrek, was yesterday. At last report, nearly two dozen parties signed confidentiality statements needed to officially do so. No word yet on when the court and the company will review bids and select a buyer. But bad news keeps coming out about the company. There was a story out last week that Hymer of North America apparently sold tow behind trailers without conducting required safety tests. MIKE