RV Lifestyle RV Podcast

This week we are talking about THE outdoor and RV event of the year, and that is Monday’s total solar eclipse. We’ll tell you why this is so important, why it’s perfect for RVers, how to view it safely, how to find a place to watch it and why, even if you have to skip work or school, this is the one event of the year just made to be experienced by RV. Plus, your RV questions, RV news of the week, traveling tech tips and Jennifer will tell you how to once and for all solve the pesky problem of RV light pollution from those inside switches and LED lights. [spp-player] WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK…  We’re in Albany, GA…on the road, visiting our son, Scott, and his family for a couple of weeks, and catching our grandson’s Jacob and Matthew playing football. We also plan to watch the eclipse down here with them and then maybe head out for some exploring maybe down towards the Emerald Coast after Labor Day. In mid September, it’s our Blues and BBQ gathering in Tupelo MS and in late September, we’ll be heading to Ashevile NC to the Overland East Expo, a trade show for those go what’s called overlanding in extreme, off the grid, 4X4  adventure-type vehicles. We met an interesting RVer this week, a nurse named Tiffany. She’s a traveling nurse and apparently, part of a group of traveling medical professionals who journey around the country in an RV, taking on short and long term contract work. Tiffany, her husband and two young preschool children, are in a small RV at a RV park near here. We suspect this is more common that we realized. TIffany is on a 13 week contract with the hospital here in Albany. Last year, Mike met physician, a coronary surgeon, who did the same thing. He’s from Orlando and travels throughout Florida and the Gulf States as far as New Orleans in a big new Tiffin Class A motorhome. 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 It’s been an ongoing discussion here on the RV Podcast for the past several months about how to dim or block out all that bright LED light from the electronics and switches in our RVs so we’re able to sleep in the dark. Listen up… this tip from and RVer we met named Ken is probably that last idea you’ll need on How to finally solve the The Great LED Light issue. This IS the ultimate solution! Once again, the product Ken said is called LED Light Dims and we have built in direct links to them on our special site at kit-dot.com/rvlifestyle. There you will find a master list of every product we talk about on the podcast and the Light Dims are there. Amazon sells two types, one which dims the LED by about 50%, and another kind that dims by 100% - or completely blocking all light. They cost about $8 for a package that will let you cover up just about any offending light in your RV or your home. 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 Elaine is in a Class B Winnebago and she’s suffering with vertigo while fulltiming. They are missionaries and wants to find a solution to better ride Rich from California is upgrading to a Sprinter Based 2017 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL and is concerned about using 20% diesel bio He asks are take. Susan from Pennsylvania wants to know if a good quick grip solution for fresh water hose...

One activity every RVer loves to take part in is hiking. Whether it’s a long day trip, a short hour long loop or a half-day picnic hike, exploring the wilderness by foot is one of the joys of camping and our mobile lifestyle. But staying safe needs to be a top priority on any hike and in this week’s podcast, we’ll hear important advice from an expert hiker… coming up in our interview of the week. But we also have your questions, comments, RV News and lots of RV tips. Plus a great off the beaten path report. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #152 Aug.9 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO: ­We discuss the latest long range weather forecast, which predicts unseasonably chilly August temperatures for the eastern two-thirds of the US with 60F lows lasting up to TWO WEEKS. Experts say a southward dip in the jet stream is causing the cooling effect. This pattern will continue into the second week of August with below-average temperatures affecting much of the East Coast, Midwest, and some of the South. The Weather Channel reported that Sunday morning saw record breaking lows in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. School has begun across many parts of the country this week… the south… also far west. That means less crowded campgrounds and an ease in congestion around national parks. The August 21 total eclipse is coming fast. Listen to episode 132 of the podcast for detailed info. On August 21, 2017, millions of people across the United States will see nature's most wondrous spectacle — a total eclipse of the Sun. It is a scene of unimaginable beauty; the Moon completely blocks the Sun, daytime becomes a deep twilight, and the Sun’s corona shimmers in the darkened sky. You’ll be able to see stars! To learn where to see it best and how to safely view it, go to the Great American Eclipse website 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 Here’s a dilemma every RVer has… what to do with wet towels? One of the nice things about traveling and meeting so many of our listeners on the road is seeing how they solve such everyday problems. So it was with our friend Jeff Curry, who showed us his creative solution to the wet towel issue. Jeff Curry's DIY Towel Rack Jeff took bungee cords, two S hooks and a piece of PVC pipe to make a portable towel rack. 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 Josh is about to become a fulltime RVer and has a suggestion on Kayaks from a company called Oru Kayak https://www.orukayak.com/– foldable kayaks that are perfect for storing in a small RV Chris talks about what to expect when traveling between Canada and the US in an RV And a listener named Virgil sent us an email asking us to talk about how we select a route for our RV trips. 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 One activity every RVer loves to take part in is hiking. Whether it’s a long day trip, a short hour long loop or a half-day picnic hike, exploring the wilderness by foot is one of the joys of camping and our mobi...

There’s a new trend sweeping the RV industry: Downsizing. In involves trading in big Class A or Supersized Class C motorhomes for something smaller, most usually a Class B. Today we meet a couple who have done just that: Jim and Chris Guld, otherwise known as the Geeks on Tour as they’ve traveled the country teaching about technology tools to RVers at major shows and rallies. The Geeks share with us the factors that led to their downsizing and how they are adjusting to traveling the country in a smaller RV…. Plus we have lots of listener questions and feedback, RV tips, RV news and much more…all coming up in episode 151 of The RV Podcast. 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 #151 Aug. 2, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time="2:08"] Back from Grand Rapids and a fun day with Verizon showing traveling technology gadgets Waiting for grandchild #8 to be born Hoping to enjoy spectacular northern Michigan and the Great Lakes Catching the total eclipse on Aug. 21 Planning our next trip to Georgia for a grandson’s football games, to the Emerald Coast of Florida once peak tourist time passes, to our Roadtreking Blues ‘and BBQ Gathering near Tupelo, MS Sept. 14-18 After that to Ashville, NC and the Overland East Expo, which is perhaps the world's most unique event for do-it-yourself adventure travel enthusiasts and their rugged, 4-wheel-drive vehicles, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Biltmore Estate And making lots of new videos on our YouTube RV Lifestyle 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="10:18"] Maximizing space inside an RV is Job #1 for every RVer. No matter what size RV we have, we can all use more room. So we look for ways to make that happen, especially in the kitchen. Many of you are familiar with Mary Jane Curry. Mary Jane is our RV Recipes writer for the Roadtreking.com blog. You know her from the wonderful recipes she posts on the blog each week. Recently, I got a chance to visit her and husband, Jeff, in their RV and was most impressed by a way Mary Jane had extended the working space in her kitchen, or galley area. She uses dish mats! Here's how the Currys extend their RV counter space with dish mats Want to learn more about these dish mats? We keep a master list of all the products, gadgets, apps and services that we mention on the podcast at http://kit.com/rvlifestyle 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="15:02"] Jim has a lot of questions about maintenance, DEF fluid and the use of CB radios in an RV Joan is looking for tips on buying a used RV out of state, registering and paying for it. Listener Valerie heard me struggling to pronounce some Hawaiian words on a recent podcast and called in with a pronounciation guide…. With a little twist at the end. Let me share it with you. 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.

Snakes. They are out there. And RVers, campers and hikers are much more likely to encounter them than the average person, especially this time of the year, when warm weather has these cold blooded reptiles slithering around. And their territory is likely to be close to where you park your RV and do your exploring. How worried should you be about encountering venomous snakes? What’s the best way to deal with a snake encounter? Our guest is an expert on snakes, especially the five types of venomous snakes found in North America. He is David A. Steen Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor, Auburn University Museum of Natural History, Alabama Natural Heritage Program. If you are wondering what those five species are and where you are most likely to stumble on them, you’re going to want to hear the interview with Dr. Steen. Also this week, we have a lot of questions, tips and feedbacks from listeners, some great RV ideas and a fascinating off the beaten path report. And - in what soon may be a sign of the times - there is a proposal afoot to require reservations just to visit a national park. 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 #150 July 26, 2017 of The RV Podcast WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK: [spp-timestamp time="2:07"] If you are anywhere near Grand Rapids, MI, we invite you to come meet us at American RV there on Thursday, July 27. Jennifer and I (and Bo) will be joined by Steve VanDinter, our pal from Verizon Wireless, for a live, in-person demonstration of the traveling tech gear we talk about each week on the podcast. There will be free hot dogs, chips and refreshments. Don't worry, if you can't get there in person, we'll be doing a Live Report from there on our Facebook Group (http://facebook.com/roadtreking) 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 We’re always looking for great spots to overnight while we’re traveling. This week, a listener from California named Sharon called in with a great tip about where to find free overnight parking spots in where you can boondock out on the west coast. [spp-timestamp time="11:15"] Sharon’s specific info had to do with Sno-Parks, which are snow-cleared parking lots in California, Oregon and Idaho ski areas. From November 1 through May 30, you need a paid permit to use them but during the summer and fall months, when there is no snow, the permits are not required and overnight parking and sleeping in an RV is allowed, unless a sign notes it is specifically prohibited. God tip, Sharon! 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 Five comments and questions this week... A solo woman traveler has a new unit on order and wonders about electricity use while boondocking [spp-timestamp time="15:07"] A Pennsylvania man is considering buying a 20-year-old RV and wants to update it with a generator and a new refrigerator and wants to now if this is feasible and where it can be done. [spp-timestamp time="19:57"] A couple of listeners wonder about the music accompanying one of our RV Lifestyle videos on You Tube [spp-...

Camping in North America is changing rapidly. In this episode of the podcast, we’ll learn in our interview segment from the most comprehensive camping study ever done, from the industry’s most influential camping organization. Toby O’Rourke, the Chief Franchise Operations Offer for Kampgrounds of America, shares the results with us, telling us how its changing, who is driving that change and what it means to every RVer out there. Plus your listener questions and answers about RVing, RV tips, the RV news of the week and a great off-the beaten-path report, all coming up on Episode 149 of the RV Podcast, being released July 19,2017. 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] MIKE AND JENNIFER’S RV ACTIVITIES AND INSIGHTS FOR THE WEEK About the photo at the top - We took this at a great boondocking spot we found in northeastern Montana a couple of weeks ago. Only neighbors were some distant coyotes. You should have seen the stars at night. Mike and Jennifer's Update [spp-timestamp time="2:10"] Mike and Jennifer are just back from FMCA gathering in Indianapolis. The big news is the governing board has announced approval to bring to a full membership vote a change in membership requirements that would let those with non-motorized vehicles – like towable trailers and fifth wheels… to be members of what up until now has been a 50-plus year organization made up exclusively of motorhome owners. Ballots will be in the next three editions of Family Motor Coaching Magazine, with the results know in November. The best deal in the RV and camping world is coming to an end. The $10 for a lifetime of free entry into the nation’s national parks and public recreation lands. bout to change, the result of Congressional legislation approved last December. The price of the Senior Pass, the card that gives free entrance to those 62 years and older (as well as three accompanying adults) at all public lands and recreation areas operated by six different federal agencies, is increasing a whopping 700 percent, to $80 for the lifetime pass. The price increase takes effect on Aug. 28. But even at $80, it’s still a great deal. With the pass, you can visit roughly 2,000 public lands or recreation areas operated by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Board of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The pass can also give its holders up to 50 percent discounts on other fees, such as camping fees, at some of the sites. We’re a little over a week away now from our big Traveling Tech Live Demo in Grand Rapids, MI on July 28. We’ll be joined by Verizon’s Steve VanDinter, who regularly contributes to our Traveling Tech segment on the podcast. We will be in person from 3PM to 7PM Thursday, July 27 at American RV in Grand Rapids, MI. We’ll be showing many of the cool gadgets and gismos we talk about every week here on the podcast for all those who show up. And if you can’t attend in person, we’ll also have a Facebook Live report that can be watched online, in real time. Mike and Jennifer remind everyone the importance of having a weather radio, to be alerted to weather emergencies. The importance of that was made clear last weekend in Arizona when a heavy thunderstorm led to a flash flood that filled a number of children and adults at a popular Arizona swimming hole. Mike refers listeners to his master list of products, services and gadgets at http://kit.com/rvpodcast to see the weather apps and the weather radio he uses and recommends. 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 problem those of us who travel with dogs regularl...

Up in Kitchener Ontario at the factory where the Erwin Hymer Group of North America builds Roadtrek Motorhomes, they just celebrated a momentous event – the building of the 30,000th Roadtrek since the company’s founding more than 40 years ago. We were there, met the buyer and talked to officials who shared some what’s ahead for Roadtrek and the booming Class B RV market. All that is coming up in our interview section. Also this week, listener questions, some great TV tips, traveling tech and RV new and an off the beaten path report about an enchanted highway. 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 #148 July 10, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: Mike and Jennifer’s activities this week: [spp-timestamp time="2:12"] To Kitchener and Cambridge, Ontario to meet and tour Erwin Hymer facilities in Ontario Then to Indianapolis and the Family Motorcoach Association annual summer reunion rally… Mike and Jennifer will be doing seminars Wednesday and Thursday at the FMCA rally Mike confides he is coping with another case of Shingles. His second in two months. Doctors say he overdid it after his emergency gallbladder surgery, doing too much hiking and traveling on a whirlwind trip to three U.S. National parks and two Canadian National Parks immediately on his release from the hospital. Stress is a suspected cause of shingles outbreaks and Mike tells everyone the key to treatment is starting on a drug regimen within 72 hours after the outbreak. He missed that deadline and is now waiting for it to go away. He was keeping this all quiet but those who see him in Indianapolis will still see the sores, so he decided to come clean. The last time was on his left arm. this time its the left side of his neck. Building a master list of all the resources, products, gadgets and RV travel apps we use and talk about on the podcast, the Roadtreking blog and out RV Lifestyle Youtube Channel. You can access it all, organized by categories, at http://kit.com/rvlifestyle 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 When we travel, we often wonder what mail we’re getting back home, and if there is something important that we need to attend to. [spp-timestamp time="11:17"] Well, listener Tom called in this great tip about a new service from the United States Postal Service - USPS Informed Delivery . Once there, you first enter in your zip code to see if it’s available in your area. Most of the country is included. Mike and I just signed up thanks to Tom’s tip. The service allows customers to track incoming mail through an online dashboard and/or a daily email. Enrolled customers are able to see scanned images of the outside of their letters the morning before they are delivered to their physical mailbox. Again, while the Informed Delivery product is available for most addresses, it is not available for all. A few of you may need to be patient a bit as the program is rolled out. Meantime, 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 Sue and Bud want some help in cleaning their screens,

This week we meet “the RV guy.” That’s the nickname Jason Kimbrell has as the head of LaMesa RV, a chain of RV dealerships in Florida, New Mexico, Arizona and California. But Jason didn’t always live up to that name. In fact, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to continue in the family business. So he walked away from it for a while and went off to explore the west in an RV. In the process, he became the RV Guy. I think you’ll enjoy his story on how that happened, and his suggestions of the places across the Southwest that belong on your RVing bucket list. Jason is our interview guest of the week. Plus we have lots of listener questions this week, some great tips, RV News and an off the beaten path report… all in Episode 147 of the Podcast. 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 #147 July 5, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: Mike and Jennifer begin the show by discussing: [spp-timestamp time="2:16"] Their recent travel…. A long month on the road… 5,500 miles in nine states… and one Canadian Province…from Michigan to Montana to Alberta… three U.S. National Parks (Theodore Roosevelt, Glacier and Yellowstone) and two Canadian National Parks (Waterton and Banff) Highlights of their “serendipity” style of traveling… the 1880’s town in South Dakota, camping out on the Laura Ingalls Wilder family homestead as told on the Little House on the Prairie TV and book series, the Angel Museum in Wisconsin, Buffalo, WY and crossing Lake Michigan with their RV on the SS Badger. All the video stories they shot and are now editing which will soon be on Mike and Jennifer’s RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube Their visit next week - July 12-15,- to the Family Motorcoach Association’s annual summer reunion in Indianapolis 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 One accessory every RVer has to have – no matter what kind of vehicle they have – is a hose to fill your unit with fresh, clean water. But unless you take a lot of time and attention winding them up, they can develop a lot of kinks and turn into a tangled mess. [spp-timestamp time="11:38"] At our recent Roadtreking gathering in Montana, we met Ken Yoho who showed us a particular type of hose that solves that problem. The hose Ken had is called the Zero-G RV and Marine Water Hose. That’s the model you want. The company makes a lot of garden type hoses but for drinking water, you want to make sure it’s labeled for RV and Marine or Fresh Water use. We could not find it at Amazon but if you search for it online by that NAME - Zero-G RV and Marine Water Hose – you will find several sources. 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 Paul is dreaming about getting an RV and has a lot of questions. He asks for Mike and Jennifer’s input about boondocking and air-conditioning and how much he will need it. He also wonders about how much battery capacity he needs. He has financing questions and questions about using an RV as a second vehicle. [spp-timestamp time="15:45"] Darlene is about to be a fulltime RVer and is looking for a place to f...

We talk a lot about the RV Lifestyle? But what is it? This week, we hear from a whole bunch of different RVers, from all across North America. I bet the answers we got when we posed this question to a group of RVers we met up near Glacier National Park in Montana will resonate with you, too. Also in this episode, listener questions and feedback, RV News of the Week, Tips and a great pff 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 #146 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: This episode was recorded in Buffalo, WY… where Longmire Days later this month will brimg some 14,000 fans of author Craig Johnson, whose series of books about a modern Wyoming Sheriff has been the basis of the popular A&E and Netflix series, Longmire. [spp-timestamp time="2:00"] Mike and Jennifer share their travels over recent weeks to Glacier National Park in Montana, Waterton National Park across the border in Canada, Banff National Park and Lake Louise in Alberta and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK One of the nice things about the RV Lifestyle is meeting other RVers, hearing their stories, getting to know them and learning from their experience. One such RVer we recently met gives us some RF basic training on an issue involving awnings. Bottom line: Put it away at night! Linda explains why at [spp-timestamp time="11:22"] Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Peggy asks a question about a 4 x 4 RV and whether she should order one. Mike and Jennifer share their perspective. [spp-timestamp time="15:27"] And Maureen gave a message of encouragement about the RV community [spp-timestamp time="22:12"] 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. PET TIP OF THE WEEK Last week, we talked about how most – if not all – U.S. National Parks are not very dog friendly. This week, we can report that Canada’s National Parks ARE. [spp-timestamp time="26:08"] While there are a lot of restrictions that greatly limit where you can take your dog in the US National Parks, Canada welcomes dogs and only requires that they be on a six-foot leash. On our recent trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, we saw all sorts of people and their dogs enjoying all parts of the park and its many trails. Banff even had a fenced in off-leash area for you to let your dog run free ! We even saw one couple who were kayaking in Lake Louise…. With their poodle, no less! Mike took a photo of that kayaking pooch and will post it with the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-slash-146. We noticed the same dog-friendliness last year at the Bruce Peninsula National Park near Tobermore, Ontario. Lots of people and lots of dogs. Everyone is happy. This year is a particularly good time to visit a Canadian National Park. As Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary, entry into al of the national parks there is free – for everyone. So head on up north. You and your dog will enjoy Canada’s beautiful National Parks just as much as Mike and I – and Bo. This part of the podcast is brought to you by Dozers Dental Chews, an all natural and healthy treat your dog will love. Available direct through Amazon , Retailers and Pet Shops across the USA INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK What is the RV Lifestyle all about? Listen as a bunch of RVers share the things that they thunk characterize it the most. [spp-timestamp time="29:25"] This is part of the group of RVers we interviewed...

This week in our interview of the week, we meet Alicia Crabbe, a retired woman and solo traveler who is living her dream as a guide and naturalist, leading people on hikes and wilderness experiences for an organization known as Road Scholar, which is a not for profit group dedicated to providing educational travel. It offers 6,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. And while Alicia, who everyone calls “Lish,” has a dream job of working much of the year at Yellowstone National Park, her story is one about the power of a dream. In her case, it was a dream that involved traveling the country by RV and experiencing nature in all its marvelous beauty. She began living it at retirement, after leaving a long professional career. Lish’s story is one of inspiration and joy, all focused on the RV lifestyle. Plus Jennifer and I answer your RV questions, we have the RV news of the week, RV Tips and a great offf 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] MONOLOGUE Mike and Jennifer share their current location, near Glacier National Park and how much they love this area of the country. [spp-timestamp time="2:35"] We’re here on one of our Roadtreking gatherings, periodic get-togethers in awesome locations for photography and exploration. About 50 Roadtrekers in some 30 different RV’s and towables are with us, staying at the Chewing Blackbones Campground and RV Resort on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, right outside the park gates. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer The saga of making the interior of our RVs dark continues. Regular listeners know that we’ve been tossing around various ideas for covering up or reducing the light levels of the various LEDs, indicators and operational lights that shine from control panels while we are trying to sleep at night. We’ve talked about several solutions but a listener named Jan, who started the whole discussion a few weeks ago, has settled on a solution that works for her – and may very well also work for you. Liz explains how she uses small felt patches and sick-on Velcro to cover up the lights. [spp-timestamp time="7:00"] And for the rest of you out there in the audience, 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 (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Listener Dan knows Jennifer is an exercise nut and that finding a place for us (her especially) to work out is a very important part of our travel plans in any given day. So he asks for her advice in finding a solution to finding workout spots in different locations around the country. [spp-timestamp time="11:39"] Listener Tessa wants to know where to ride on a prairies schooner like the pioneers took out west Mike refers her to his post at https://rvlifestyle.com/rv-sidetrip-ride-covered-wagon-along-oregon-trail/ and a guy named Morris Carter in Casper, WY.  [spp-timestamp time="17:17"] 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. PET TIP OF THE WEEK Mike and Jennifer talk dogs talk about why most National Parks don’t allow dogs in most areas and trails,

Technology is changing the RV World and Lifestyle faster than any of us could imagine. Terms like electrical independence, Voltstart, Ecotrek and technologies like lithium ion batteries and solar power generation are revolutionizing the way we camp and experience the outdoors in our recreational vehicles. This week, we talk about the future of RV technical innovation with an RV engineer, our friend Yan Seiner from the Erwin Hymer Group of North America, the makers of Roadtrek motorhomes. Yan tells us how far technology has advanced and where it’s headed. That’s in our interview segment. But we have much more, including our regular RV tip segments, a traveling tech report, your questions and an off the beaten path destination… all coming up in this episode of the RV podcast. 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 #143 June 7, 2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: MONOLOGUE Mike and Jennifer chat about their multi-trip west and how they intend to keep Mike’s “330 Rule,” which is to stop for the day after traveling no more than 330 miles or by 3:30 PM local time, whichever is first.[spp-timestamp time="2:18"] To help keep their own rule, they need to be held accountable and the best way to do that is to be committed to keeping a live video report schedule. So, starting Thursday, June 8, they will go live on the Roadtreking Facebook Page at 4PM local time…which will be 5 or 6PM Eastern Time as they head through the various time zones. Also look for video report on Mike and Jennifer’s RV Lifestyle Channel on YouTube. JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK Jennifer You know those maps we all like to use that show all the states and provinces we visit? A lot of RVers use them but there’s one thing that many don’t like: They can sometimes leave an ugly residue on the paint because of the adhesive used to stick them on the RV. [spp-timestamp time="9:57"] Well, a listener named Sharon found a way to solve that and she sent us in this tip! Sharon bought a magnetic sheet and affixes the stocker to it, instead of the RV body. The magnetic sheet attaches without glue and can easily be removed. You can find those sheets in differing sizes at craft stores, office supply stores and, of course, Amazon. 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 (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping! LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: Listener Jim noticed our new RV has the roof mounted air conditioner, rather than the undermount that we used to have. He also wonders about solar and fuel mileage. We explain that the unit we have was bought off the lot, and to have waited for an undermount would have meant a new build and these days, that takes months. Besides, our new unit is a 4 x 4 and we were not keen on hanging stuff under the chassis because we plan to do a lot of back road boondocking. [spp-timestamp time="14:00"] Kathy from Hamiliton, ON, Canada is picking up a new Leisure Travel Van Unity in the fall. She asks if she needs a Canadian plan and a US cellular plan if she is traveling in both countries.  [spp-timestamp time="25:40"]As with Sprint and Verizon in the US have plans for US people traveling to Canada, nearly all Canadian carriers have all-inclusive roaming plans for visiting the US. The benefits are obvious: you get to keep your phon...