RV Lifestyle RV Podcast

We’ve all heard of the horrible devastation still affecting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Nearly a month after the storm, water and electricity are in scarce supply. Cellphone service ranges from spotty to nonexistent, landline telephones are out, banks and many businesses are shuttered, cars are damaged and roads blocked. For many, work and school still have not resumed and there’s been no outside communication with friends and family Helping out is he Erwin Hymer Group of North America and their special mobile research lab equipped with a Kymeta satellite antenna for the Internet, part of a humanitarian effort sponsored by Liberty Cablevision, the islands cable TV and broadband provider. We caught up with Joe Raetano, the director of advanced research and Development for the Hymer Group, who explains how valuable the Internet Satellite system on his Roadtrek advanced mobile Lab is in helping island residents reconnect. We interviewed Joe over a satellite phone connection made possible by that Kymeta antenna on his RV That’s coming up in the interview of the week segment in just a few minutes. But also in this episode, your questions and comments, RV tips and news and much more… but first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride…Jennifer. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #163 October 25, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="3:16"] We had a great spontaneous meet-up this past weekend with many of our listeners along Florida’s Emerald Coast in Navarre Beach. We will try and do this sort of thing again as we visit other parts of the country. Here’s a call we got from Gary, who was among those who showed up. As we begin the last week of October, we're starting to see the first signs of the great snowbird migration as tens of thousands of folks from northern states are starting to make their way south for the winter. For those who stay put during the winter, it's time to winterize their RVs, cleaning it out and putting it in storage for the next several months. Jennifer and I are spending a few more days in Florida but we'll soon be heading north to Michigan. We, too, will have to winterize while we're up north, but we are among the growing number of RVers who camp all year round. We love winter camping in the snow but we also plan to head back to Florida shortly after the first of the year. If you ever wonder where we are, there's a live map on the lower right had column of our roadtreking.com blog that shows where we are. There's one big camping weekend left! Most campgrounds are sold out this coming weekend for Halloween, with costume contests, trick or treating and decorated RVs. In fact, the whole month is busy as RVers try to squeeze as many outings as possible before the cold weather arrives. But that cold weather is not to be ignored. Out west, they are starting to close roads in some of our national parks....because of snow! This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="10:29"] Here’s a tip on what to do with your RV AFTER you return from a trip, after you’ve emptied your clothes and other items and after you’ve emptied the refrigerator and are ready to leave it for a long period of time, be it a week or a few months. And it has to do with the refrigerator. Specifically, how to avoid the sour smell that often happens when an RV is shut up tight when it’s not being used or is in storage. One, after the freezer had thawed, wipe it and the main compartment out. You want to put it away dry. Secondly, we put an open box of baking soda in one of the...

In this episode of the RV Podcast we’ll talk to an expert on how to fulltime RV on $1,500 a month, even less if you follow some of the tips you’ll hear on our interview of the week segment…coming up. Also in this episode, lots of practical, how-to RV tips and advice, your questions and our answers, RV news of the week and an off the beaten path report for your RV travels. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #162 October 18.2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="1:45"] Mike and Jennifer Wendland We’re still down on the beautiful Emerald Coast of Florida’s panhandle and because we’ve heard from a number of you who would like to meet us, we’re going to try something – a meet and greet afternoon next Sunday, October 22. We’re going to meet on Navarre Beach, at the entrance of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Now because of the recent Hurricane Nate, the national seashore drive is closed just west of Navarre Beach. But the meet spot we picked is just to the left, or east of the bridge leading from Highway 98 and the mainland to Navarre Beach. Jennifer and I will be there from 2PM on and whoever shows up, shows up. Bring some beach chairs and refreshments and we’ll hang out for the afternoon on one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Just look for our 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL 4X4 and come by and say hello. If there are any updates it, we’ll post a notice on our Roadtreking Facebook Group and Our Roadtreking Facebook Page so check there for the latest. We’re excited to see fuel prices dropping once again…especially east of the Mississippi. A new survey from AAA says that the national gas price average has dropped two cents on the week to $2.47, states east of the Mississippi are paying as much as eight cents less at the start of this week. While gas prices are more expensive than a year ago, the past five weeks of sustained weekly declines indicate that demand may be leveling out alongside refineries and pipelines returning to pre-hurricane operations. In September, Hurricane Harvey drove gas prices to the highest price of the year – $2.67. That was a 32-cent increase inside of 12 days. Now nearly seven weeks post hurricane, gas prices have shown steady decline dropping a total of 20 cents since September 11, 2017 We’re really excited about the phenomenal growth of our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel. We are now getting almost 1 million video views EACH month. We continue to put two videos up each week, as well as regular live reports, and we thank you for subscribing to the channel. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="11:45"] One of the reasons we so enjoy doing meet and greets like the one we’re planning for Florida this week, or attending RV gatherings and rallies around the country is the opportunity it presents to pick up valuable suggestions and tips from other RVers. In North Carolina a couple of weeks ago, we met the Emby family, who shared with us how they pack and organize for RV trips using Ikea bags. Thanks Embry family! We will definitely pick up some of those Ikea bags. And for all of you listening today, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you!

There are RV Clubs and then there are the Escapees. Ever heard of them before? If you’re an active RVer, if you dream of working from the road, or retiring to an RVing life of adventure, or packing the most fun you can into your weekend camping tips, you need to know about the Escapees. This week, in our interview segment, you’ll meet the young couple who are leading the Escapees community and discover just why this club may be the perfect fit for you. Also this week, lots of listener questions and answers, plenty of tips, RV news and an off-the-beaten path report about two great Georgia state parks that Jennifer and I visited last week. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #161 October 11, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK[spp-timestamp time="3:10"] We’re coming to you from Florida’s beautiful Emerald Coast after a very eventful trip down here, in which we were brushed by Hurricane Nate. You can see a video on that adventure at https://youtu.be/TXsAG7_aOKk This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="12:48"] Two weeks ago back in Episode 159, Mike interviewed veteran automobile sales consultant Gary Tilkin, who shared his expertise about the RV buying experience. Gary gave a lot of very helpful tips and if you are shopping for an RV, I urge you to go back and listen to episode 159. But we just heard back from Gary, who wanted us to know that he has just signed the bottom line to buy a new motorcoach. And Gary put into personal practice many of the tips he offered here in the RV Podcast. Gary called in with a follow up tip on buying an RV from a dealer located far away. Thanks, Gary. We are delighted to hear back from you. Congratulations on that new motorhome. And Mike and I look forward to taking you up on that kind invitation for a visit while we are here on the Florida Emerald Coast. And for all of you listening this week, please be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="18:00"] Brian asks if 80 years old is too old for he and his wife to start a life of RVing in a small motorhome – the Roadtrek Agile SS. Lisa asks Mike and Jennifer about the varying amounts of solar panels they have had in previous RVs they’ve owned. She wants to know the ideal setup. A caller with an older RV is frustrated that when he puts in gas, the pump keeps shutting off, unless he holds the handle down a tiny bit so the gas going through the nozzle flows out very slow. And a caller wants to know if she still needs to winterize the hot water heater even though it didn’t work last year. Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B’s from three locations. INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="33:47"] The Escapees RV Club has been around since 1978 and is a community that perhaps is more in tune with today’s RVer than any other organization out th...

Probably the top question motorhome owners are asked is “what do you get for mileage?” Although gas prices are dropping again, the big spike they had after the hurricanes this summer reminds all of us that one of the biggest expenses our RV lifestyle has to deal with is fuel prices. So, how can we lower those costs and get the best mileage possible? To help us with that our interview of the week features our friend Mark Polk of RVEducation101 who will share some very practical tips that are all but guaranteed to increase your mileage and save you money. Also this week, lots of your email questions, RV news, tips and an off the beaten path report. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #160 Oct 3, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:47"] Mike and Jennifer on the Vanderbilt House roof This episode is recorded from our camping spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina after a great four days attending the Overland East Expo held on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. We shared what we learned there, explaining what overlanding is and how it relates to boondocking. We also share the results of our first real world test of the Kymeta satellite Internet system we are testing out. Mike photographing a gargoyle We also talked about our tours of the Biltmore Estate and the Vanderbilt house, including a rooftop tour to look at the gargoyles. And we talk about what a great month October is for RVers. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="14:19"] One of the things many of us do when we’re stopped for the night is spin the front passenger’s seat around so that instead of facing forward, it faces the back part of the coach, making for a way to relax, to create a conversation area or to use the front table if we decide to set that up. Pam Bowen with her feet on the yoga block But for some of us, the way that seat is angled makes sitting there a bit uncomfortable. At the Overland East gathering this past weekend, we met Pam Bowen. Pam knew we would be there was on the alert to share her tip about dealing with the seat. It is so simple. What Pam does is use a Yoga Block – one of those foam square shaped little blocks that you find yoga practitioners use – as a foot rest. Presto! Instant comfort. You can find the Yoga blocks everywhere. Pam got hers at Walmart. You can also find it in on the master list of products and handy services that we talk about on the podcast at roadtreking.com/gear Since we just added it, you’ll need to scroll down to the end of the list to find it. Meanwhile,  be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="18:46"] We just bought a Roadtrek Zion SRT. Its small with very little counter space in the bathroom & kitchen. What do you use for hand wash & dispensers & how do you store them when you’re rolling? Leslie What is the name of the reflective bubble wrap you talked about? Terry

Don't buy an RV without listening to this episode and our interview of the week with renowned automotive expert Gary Tilkin,  a national sought after speaker, trainer, motivator and consultant for automobile dealerships and sales personel. When Gary started shopping to buy an RV and he and his wife, he was shocked to find an industry far removed from the consumer friendly auto dealerships he has worked with. In this interview, he reveals insider info from his years of experience in the automobile industry on how the consumer can insure they pick the right RV, the right dealership and get the right - or best - deal possible. Plus your RVquestions, Jennifer's tip of the week, RV news, a Traveling with Technology report, and an off the beaten path update from fire ravaged Waterton National Park in Alberta, Canada. Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #159 Sept. 27, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK  [spp-timestamp time="3:16"] Mike and Jennifer Wendland We’re hitting the road as soon as this podcast is recorded, heading first to Asheville, NC where we will be attending the Overland East Expo,  Sept. 29-October 1 on the grounds of the beautiful Biltmore Estate.  This is the premier overlanding event in the world—no other event offers the scope of classes taught by the world's leading experts, alongside a professional-level trade show that brings together in one place all the camping and vehicle equipment and services of interest to extreme RVers…overlanders, off the beaten path explorers who love rough terrain and rugged wilderness. We’ll have a Facebook Live report Saturday afternoon from the event. Bo is not going to be with us! He’s attending a six week off leash boarding school that will make him a very Smart Dog. We’ll be following his progress with photos posted on the training school’s Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/Smartdogllc/ This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="11:08"] In Montana this summer, we spent some delightful time with Marilyn Daniel, who showed us the best screens we have ever seen in an RV. Marilyn made them herself and they cover the driver and passenger windows of their Roadtrek Popular 210. Mike also shot a video of Marilyn’s do-it-yourself screens. See it at https://youtu.be/nNZZH1rSDQM And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="18:42"] Gerhard from Washington State called with information for the Florida caller least week who wanted to be able to use the generator in her RV to power her home refrigerator if they ever lose power again like they recently did with Hurricane Irma. Kathy wants a hands-free device for her cellphone so she can have access in the car. We like the kind that attach to the air vents. Here’s a link to a whole page of various mounts and cradles that will let you go hands free with your smartphone in your car http://amzn.to/2xsp8Z7  We like the Kenu Airframes - http://amzn.to/2ypDjuX Lynn wants to travel in her motorhome to Florida ...

Location Independence is a phrase you hear a lot about these days in the RV industry as more and more people take to a life on the road in their RV and do their work from anywhere, as long as they have a connection to the Internet. That connection is now a whole lot more reliable thanks to a company called Kymeta that has come up with a revolutionary satellite solution that provides broadband-speed Internet where it’s never been before. And this week in our interview section coming up, you’ll learn how this works and what it can mean to you. And I’m also excited to tell you that I am testing that solution right now in my RV. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #158 Sept. 20, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We’re back from Canada and the opening of the Erwin Hymer Group of North America’s brand new 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility – see https://youtu.be/CyLm5_3LrA8 We’re testing out that new Kymeta system we’ll be talking about in our interview section but we’ve also added the WiFi Ranger system to the RV, plus our Wilson WeBoost cell phone booster and a new VHF/UHF amateur radio transceiver that utilizes some cool new technology. We also have tested a new cargo box for the RV. We did a review on it and you can see why we won’t be recommending it for others by watching the video review we did. We’ll link to it in the shownotes for this episode at roadtreking,com/158 Our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel is rockin and rollin! One of our videos, a tour of our 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL RV, just reached a very huge milestone! It has been watched over 1 million times! We love doing RV videos and have been putting out two and sometimes three a week. You can subscribe by going to rvlifestylechannel.com and clicking the little red subscribe button. There’s also an option to be notified of when new videos go online. After subscribing, just click that little bell icon you at the top right of the channel page. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK With fall now upon us, the nights are getting colder and for those with forced air heaters, the air inside your RV can get mighty dry. We met fellow RVer Jan Mathews at a campground a while back and she had this suggestion for us. Get a small portable humidifier/moisturizer. Janet's Fresh Aire moisturizer Jan says these little humidifiers are available everywhere. We found them on Amazon. In fact, we found a whole page of them, some of them even offering aroma therapy as well. We even found one that works off the USB connectors in your RV. Here’s a link to the Amazon offerings - http://amzn.to/2w5jCHY And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast, YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel and here on the blog, go to https://rvlifestyle.com/gear LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Lynn is from Florida and recently lost power at her home as a result of Hurricane Irma. She wonders about the generator in her 17 year old Roadtrek Popular 200 RV is strong enough to power her house refrigerator of it happens again. The generators that Roadtrek uses are made by Cummins/Onan and the gas generator model that is installed w...

Boondocking just may be the biggest trend affecting the RV Lifestyle these days. For one thing, with so many new RVers coming on the scene, it’s getting more difficult each day to find an open site at a campground. But for another, new technology like solar power, engine generators and lithium batteries are making it much easier to camp in the wilderness, with no hookups, off the grid. So how do you find that perfect boondocking spot? In our interview segment coming up, we’ll hear from an expert – Nina Fussing, a fulltime RVer and the author of the popular WheelingIT  RV blog.  Nina, with husband Paul accompanied by a small a menagerie of pets, are boondocking experts and this week, she’ll share how to find the perfect boondocking spot. Plus we’ll answer your questions, share a bunch of travel and technology tips and some great off the beaten path RV stops in the American heartland. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #157 Sept. 13, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK  We’re in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada today, as this episode is being released, covering the Grand Opening of a new manufacturing facility for the Erwin Hymer Group of North America. It’s in the next town over from Kitchener, Ontario, where Hymer has its factory to manufacture Roadtrek motorhomes. This new building will be used to assemble Hymer’s new line of towable trailers. It will also have a couple of dedicated bays for warranty work for all their products. We’ll be doing a live video from the new factory and you’ll be able to see it on our You Tube RV Lifestyle Channel. We’ve heard from lots of friends from Florida who are in their RVs after evacuating their homes in the path or Hurricane Irma. With 5 million households out of power throughout the Sunshine State, having a self-contained RV has been a great convenience for so many. Hats off to the many state and local campgrounds in adjoining states that have welcomed the evacuees, many waiving their camping fees for the duration. We’re getting ready to head to northern Michigan over the next week or so to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and the early color we’re seeing on the trees. It’s been spectacular so far this month, with lows in the 40’s for good sleeping at night and highs in the upper 60’s or low 70’s. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Last week, a listener named Bill shared how he uses cleaning vinegar mixed 50-50 with water in a spray bottle to wash the dishes in his RV, thus saving use of fresh water when out boondocking. Mike and I were a little skeptical about the idea and Len, or “Vinegar Len” as he now calls himself, sent us in this follow up Tip. He swears there’s no after taste and…best of all… he says the vinegar cleaner is a great way to clean your dishes on winter camping trips! Thanks, Bill! You won us over with your suggestion on how cleaning vinegar will help during winter campouts, especially the one we have coming up in January at Michigan’s Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Peninsula. In winter camping, you don’t have running water. So we promise, we’ll try your idea and use cleaning vinegar – to clean the dishes we dirty during that event. We appreciate your tip! And for the rest of you, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast,

In this week’s podcast we catch up with our friend Campskunk, who shipped his RV to Europe and has been touring as many different countries as possible. He tells us what RVing is like over there, the differences he’s encountering and the surprises – both good and bad. If you’ve ever thought about RVing in Europe, his is a must listen. Also, if you want to see a video version of the interview, we’ll post that on our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel. Plus we have lots of listener questions to answer this week, RV news, RV tips and a great RV off the beaten path report… all coming up in Episode 156 of the RV Podcast [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #156 Sept. 6, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Mike and Jennifer First off, a new way to hear this podcast, especially for those of you who have the Amazon Echo or Alexa sysetm in your house. Besides, iTunes, the Google Play Store, Sticher and other streaming services, the RV Podcast is now available through Tune In, the service used by Amazon Echo and Alexa and a bunch of other devices. You can just tell your device to play the RV Podcast and it will start doing so with the most recent episode. Our direct link on Tune In is https://tunein.com/radio/The-RV-Podcast-p1026701/ Tune in also has an app you can download to your smartphone, like the Apple Podcast app, so you can listen anywhere. We’re back in Michigan for a few days. Keeping an anxious eye like many others on Hurricane Irma, which, as we speak, seems to be taking a direct bead on Florida sometime over the coming weekend. We just left the Emerald Isle area on the panhandle where we have a beachfront condo. So we’re a little apprehensive. To all of you in Florida and along the eastern seaboard, pay attention to the warnings. This is not a storm to take lightly. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer One of the things RVers need to conserve is the water they use. About the only time you don’t have to be concerned about water usage is when hooked up to city water and sewer in a big campground. But when boondocking or traveling, especially in a Class B or C motorhome, you can only carry so much in your fresh water tanks. And those grey tanks are also limited in how much dish or shower water. So how do you conserve? There are lots of ideas. We’ve talked about many of them here in the podcast over the years. But this week, a listener named Bill called in with a way to really cut back on water usage when washing dishes. Bill’s suggestion is to use cleaning vinegar, put in a spray bottle, mixed 50-50 with water. They spray it on the dishes and use a paper towel. Bill gives the details in an audio report. Thanks, Bill. And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Listener John shares how he has started a entire new life through RVing! Lee Ann from Sacramento asks for an RV Inspector in the Las Vegas area. We refer her to the National RV Inspectors Association, which certifies professional recreational vehicle inspectors across North America. There is a search box on the site at https://nrvia.org/locate/ that lets you find the nearest inspectors. We didn’t find any in Las Vegas. If you can’t find an NRVIA inspector,

Have you ever dreamed about fulltiming in an RV? Quitting your job, moving from a sticks and bricks house to an RV, taking your family on the road and becoming location independent? It’s happening every day. In fact, our guest in the interview segment this week estimates that 200,000 families are doing that across the country right now. Is this for you? What about school and the kids? What about earning a living? Stay tuned because in this episode, Kimberly Travaglino, author of the book How to Hit the Road, Making Your Family's Full-time RV Dreams a Reality, joins us to talk about how breaking free and hitting the road. Also, listener questions and answers, lots of RV tips, traveling technology you need to know about and the RV News of the week. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #155 August 30, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK The Labor Day weekend is almost here and this podcast comes to you from the heart of the Emerald Coast - Okaloosa Island, Florida where we’re catching some R&R time before jumping into a busy full travel schedule. Our 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL 4X4 is not with us on this trip as its being outfitted with some experimental communications gear that we’ll be talking about in a few weeks. We’re working on Facebook and YouTube Live videos. We’ve been doing two and three new videos a week. Best way to know about them is to subscribe to our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube at Over on our YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel, someone wrote a comment about not understanding why anyone would spend $100K for a "depreciating asset" like our Roadtrek. I wrote a reply there that I want to share here: "It’s much, much more than a "depreciating asset." In fact, it makes me APPRECIATE life more. It's a lifestyle. It's a freedom machine. It brings me joy every time I drive it, camp in it or look at it in the driveway. It reduces the stress in my life. It gives me wonderful vacations to look forward to and awesome memories to make me smile in remembrance of. It’s taken me to places and introduced me to people I would never had seen or met. It's enlarged my circle of friends, helped me learn history and geography, shown me the magnificence of nature up close and enriched my life, my marriage and my faith by giving me new perspectives and sensitivities. Add all that up and it's a terrific bargain in my book. :-) . " This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK   Jennifer One of the realities of RV Travel is that things have to be put away and not left out. Otherwise, they’ll slide off counters and tables. RVers are not the only ones who experience such problems. So do boaters. And this week, I received a tip from a listener named Melissa who is both an RVer and a boater and she shares a terrific suggestion on how to keep things in place…in our RV or boat. The product Melissa suggests is called coaster tacky. You can find it at the dollar store as she suggests. And Amazon has lots of coasters treated with that tacky surface that will keep it – and the things you place on it – from sliding around.  I’ll put a link on the shownotes for this episode to an Amazon search page with several different types of coaster tacky you can look at. And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox. I love hearing from you! For a complete list of all the products, gear and apps mentioned by Mike and Jennifer on their podcast, YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel and here on the blog,

Have you a story to tell, a book to write, a blog to do? This week, we are going to meet an on-the-road author, an RVer who likes to say she tells lies for a living. Writer Judy Howard will be our guest. Judy teaches creative writing to RVers at gatherings and rallies and workshops all across the country, at the same time writing her own novels while fulltiming on the road. You will enjoy our discussion. Plus we have lots of RV news this week, including a big political controversy involving Camping World that is resulting in calls for a boycott of the nation’s biggest RV retailer, tips on how to get more from your RV and next outing and a great off the beaten path report that belongs on your bucket list. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #154 Aug. 23, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We sure had a lot of fun with the Eclipse. Over on our RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube you can see a one hour Live Video special we did on RV gatherings from across the country formed to witness the event. We had video check ins from 10 different RV gatherings from Oregon to the Carolinas. It was a ball and we believe the largest single RV Travel weekend in history. Labor Day Weekend is right around the corner. And finding a spot in a campground may be harder than ever. Advanced reservations for the Labor Day Weekend at more than 500 Kampgrounds of America locations in North America are running more than 10 percent higher than those for the same period last year. The Labor Day numbers look to continue a string of record results for holiday weekends at KOA this year. In fact, the world's largest system of family-friendly campgrounds is on track to set yet another annual record for camping in 2017. KOA has set a new record for camping each of the past five years. October is also an amazingly busy month because of fall color, cooler weather and Halloween celebrations that go on every weekend at hundreds of campgrounds across the country. We’re still in Georgia, to catch a couple of grandsons playing football this week. For the weekend, we’ll scoot down to the Emerald Coast on Florida’s panhandle, and then, for Labor Day, head on up to Michigan to catch up on some chores around the house before we set off on another very ambitious fall travel schedule that will have us in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida again and Mississippi. This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 16 locations and growing  JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Last minute reminder: The price of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass increased for the first time since 1994. On Aug.28 it will go from $10 to $80. Those with current passes are lifetime passes and will remain valid. Jennifer US citizens or permanent residents 62 years or older are eligible for the Senior Pass. Annual and lifetime Senior Passes provide access to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by six federal agencies: National Park Service US Fish & Wildlife Service Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Reclamation US Forest Service US Army Corps of Engineers The passes cover entrance and standard amenity (day-use) recreation fees and provide discounts on some expanded amenity recreation fees. Traveling companions can also enter for free. The Senior Passes admit pass owner/s and passengers in a noncommercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas, not to exceed four adults, where per-person fees are charged. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.) Also, at many sites, the Senior Passes provide the pass owner (only) a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours). Senior Passes can be purchased at any federal recreation site, including national parks, that charges an entrance or standard amenity (day-use) fee.