Girl Camper

On this weeks show our topic is “reducing the chances of trailer theft.” All too often I see on social media a request to share a picture from a heart broken trailer owner who’s beloved trailer has been stolen . Frequently a trailer owner will come out to their driveway in the morning and find their trailer has been taken. I’m going to discuss some ways which you can help deter these thieves.

Girl Camper Guide Catherine Goggia is pinch hitting for me for the next two weeks while I am on a little sabbatical. She is taking us through her purchase of new trailer tires and explaining trailer tires (ST) versus regular tires (LT). Catherine is our Northern California Girl Camper Guide. She is an R Pod owner who grew up camping and encourages others to get out there and do things. She is the editor of her own Girl Camper site. You can follow her here. Some of the topics Catherine discusses include: ST tires are built differently than LT tires Why the tread is more shallow on ST tires Why side walls on ST tires differ from LT tires C and D rated tires Tire maintenance Things that impact load capacity Open range tires Made in USA tire manufacturers Click the link below to hear the podcast and the full scoop on buying trailer tires.

Have you been wondering how an outdoor enthusiast with a top rated TV show became the host of the number one RV Show in the country? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a campground? On this week’s podcast, I turn the tables and interview my friend Alan Warren from the RV Show USA. Alan began his career in broadcasting by creating a TV show specializing in hunting and fishing. Three reincarnations later the respected expert was ready for a new challenge. He sold the ranch he lived and filmed on and pivoted to an old love – RVing. Although The RV Show USA is only three years old, it is the #1 RV Show in the country. Alan has a reputation for calling out bad practices in the industry but, also gives industry leaders a chance to be on the show and answer consumer questions. Alan jumped even deeper into the RV lifestyle by buying a campground on beautiful Lake Buchanan in Burnet, Texas. The Big Chief RV Resort is an ideal spot for the sportsman who wants to launch a boat straight from the campground as well as those who just want to enjoy stunning lake sunsets. The campground offers many amenities including a pool and spa that feel like a resort hotel. The sunsets at Big Chief are beautiful on Lake Buchanan. .

If you are one of those who dream the full time RVing dream, – in technicolor, black and white, on the job and off, you will enjoy meeting Sandy Ellingson, Executive Director of RVWA, the Recreation Vehicle Women’s Alliance. Sandy Ellingson is the Executive Director of the RV Women’s Alliance After achieving empty nest status, Sandy, still working full time, and her retired husband, began researching the possibility of full time RVing. There was so much to consider and to do. What type of RV? Travel trailer or motorhome? What travel style? RV Parks or boondocking? Keep a condo or sell it all and pack all of your worldly possessions in an RV? On today’s show Sandy shares the process of going from dreamer to doer and what she would do differently if she knew then, what she knows now. At Girl Camper we receive so many letters from full time wannabes and stories like Sandys help to shine some light in the dark places of those dreams and, let us see the realities we may be overlooking. I always enjoy an interview with someone who has gone from home on turf to home on wheels because each story is different and will speak to each of us in a different way. Sandy and Mark Ellingson, enjoying road life!

Mary Kirlin, Girl Camper Contributing Editor has posted her new spring Gear Guide with her favorite hiking essentials! Mary lives in Northern California and frequently travels the Pacific Northwest where she hikes and captures beautiful photos. I invited Mary to contribute gear guides to Girl Camper because she is a dedicated researcher, loves finding companies with a conscience, and is aware of the impact that a product leaves on the environment. Head on over to Mary’s “More Camper Than Glamper” page under Girl Camper Wisdom and read about the best hiking gear for the season ahead! https://girlcamper.com/wisdom/hiking-and-hydration-spring-gear-guide/

If you want to travel with all the comforts of home but not need a big tow vehicle to do it, this is the podcast for you. In Episode 190 I shared five RV’s under 3K pounds that you can stand in. I had to leave quite a few off the list though and this week I am filling in that list with the box trailers that fit that bill. My criteria was that it had to be under 3 K pounds, have a bathroom and be tall enough to stand up in. I decided to concentrate on the box style trailers with a length of 19″ to 21″10″. These RV’s have many similarities but each has a defining characteristic that sets it apart from its competitors. Working heaviest to to lightest the first is the Winnebago, Micro Minnie 1706FB. This RV weighs in at 2,980 pounds and is the only one with a dual axel. It also has the largest fresh water tank at 43 gallons. Another great feature setting it apart is the standard tankless hot water heater. It’s got a built in ladder and good outside storage. The negatives to me are not front window and limited kitchen counter space. The Micro Minnie has a MSRP of $21,464. The interior of the Micro Minnie 1706. The Jayco Hummingbird 16MRB weighs in at 2,890 pounds. It has a flexible floor plan with a Murphy bed that folds away to reveal a love seat for daytime leisure. It has a portable table that can be set up inside in front of the love seat or outside under the 10′ awning. Without a dedicated dining booth there is room for a bigger kitchen and more storage across from it. The rear bathroom on the Hummingbird is really spacious and has a lot of storage. The negatives in my mind are that it has no front window and some people may not like having a dedicated dining space. The MSRP for the Hummingbird is $25,440. The murphy bed hidden away with the love seat showing. The Forest River Wolf Pup has several models including one that is a toy hauler. The 14CC weighs in at 2,884 pounds and is 19′ long. It’s defining feature is the rear entry. The window over the dining booth is really large and the booth folds down to become a small sleep space or day bed. There is a lot of kitchen counter space and good storage underneath. The negative is the east/west bed and the separate toilet and shower which are on opposite sides of the rear entry. The MSRP on this unit is $14,380. The KZ Sportsmen Classic 160 QB is a great entry level model that weighs 2,860 pounds. It is 21′ 10″. The added two feet allows for this model to have a walk around Queen bed. It has a small dinette across from the kitchen. There is a three piece bath and a large wardrobe in the rear of the trailer. Outside there is pass through storage under the Queen bed. The MSRP for this model is $16,995. The Sportsmen Classic 160QB. Lastly, the Lance 1475 is the lightest of the five models I chose weighing in at just 2,600 pounds. They have another model with a small slide out but I am focusing on the non slide out model. It is 19′ 8″ long with an east/west facing Queen bed. It has many outstanding features but the main thing that separates it from other units in this field is the chairs and swivel table that replace the dining booth. Lance Manufacturing offers many standard features that are upgrades with other manufacturers. Aluminum framed ceilings, floors and sidewalls are standard features as is the Azdel exterior. The 1475 is a four season RV with wrapped and heated tanks. The windows are European style Radius Acrylic Tinted Thermopane. The MSRP is $39,000.

Have you wanted to have a truck but not something quite as big as a half ton? Are you wondering what light duty trucks out there will deliver on tow capacity, mileage and comfort? Mike Caudill is an auto expert, owner of Driven360, experienced RVer and my guest today as we go over the top four light duty trucks. You can check out Mike’s product reviews at Our Auto Expert! We have already covered the Ford Ranger in its own segment so, today we will be focusing on the Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado and the Jeep Gladiator. To listen to our show on the Ford Ranger, click here. 2020 Nissan Frontier The Nissan Frontier began production in Smyrna, Tennessee in 1997. When it first came out if offered a few cabin options but not many trim packages. Today the Frontier has five different trim packages to choose from – S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro04X and the SL. It is a great option for those that want a light duty truck with some substantial towing capacity but don’t want to pay the hefty price tag often accompanying these trucks. You can purchase a Frontier with a tow package of 3,500 #’s for a starting base price of $19,290. It’s a great vehicle for those who don’t need an off road vehicle and who will be driving on pavement. 2020 Nissan Frontier MPG: Up to 19 city / 23 highway Towing capacity: 3,500 to 6,500 lbs Max towing 6,720 lbs Payload is 1,460 lbs MSRP: From $19,290 Fuel tank capacity: 21.1 gal Engine: 2.5 L 4-cylinder, 4.0 L V6 The Chevy Colorado Chevy Colorado is another lightweight duty truck that makes a great alternative for those who don’t want a half ton. The Colorado came out in 2004 replacing the Chevy S-10. In many ways it was an improvement over the S-10 offering more space and power than it’s predecessor. The price of the Colorado, depending on trim packages, ranges from a starting point of just $21,300 to $43,000. MSRP: From $21,300 to $43,000 MPG: Up to 20 city / 30 highway Towing capacity: 3,500 to 7,000 lbs max towing is 7,700 lbs Payload: 1,578 Dimensions: 212-225″ L x 74-77″ W x 70-72″ H Engine: 2.5 L 4-cylinder, 2.8 L 4-cylinder diesel, 3.6 L V6 2020 Jeep Gladiator Photo Credit: Jeep The Jeep Gladiator is for the off road enthusiast. It will tow a recreation vehicle but once you get where you are going, the Jeep Gladiator is for those who love life off the beaten path. It is built for fun and has taken Best in Class for Towing – 7.650 pounds, and Best in Class for Payload at 1,700 pounds. There are several configurations available. The Sport starting at $33,500. The Overland from $40,395 and the MSRP: From $33,545 Towing capacity: 4,000 to 4,500 lbs Best in class towing at 7,650 lbs Best in class payload at 1,700 MPG: Up to 17 city / 22 highway Curb weight: 4,650 to 5,050 lbs Horsepower: 285 hp Check out Mike’s business partner Nik Miles comparing the Ford Ranger and the Jeep Gladiator. Click here to see!! Here’s Mike’s YouTube Channel – chock full of great auto reviews! Check it out here!! Our partners at Bankston Motor Homes is taking your calls and open for business. Do a little online shopping and dreaming while we are all waiting for camping season to get started!! The Girl Campers enjoying a Camper College at Bankston Motor Homes in Huntsville, Alabama.

Have you harbored a dream of buying an RV and taking off for parts unknown? Do you dream of a life where you can make money on the road and live your best life but don’t know how to get started? My guest today is Jody Duquette, Executive Director of Workamper News. She’s sharing their newest program for those wanting to learn about the RV lifestyle. Jody Duquette The Dreamers Journey is a new program offered on line for a monthly fee by Workamper News. It is a way to look realistically at the pros and cons of the Nomadic life. How would you get mail? Insure yourself? What would the actual costs be? What if I got sick on the road? What are people who are already doing it saying about what the down sides are? Can I get work easily? Should I sell my house, rent it or use it as an Air B and B? A lot of thought went in to developing this program that not only covers the practical side of RVing but the emotional side as well. The program is designed so that those considering the lifestyle can take a practical look at it and build confidence before making a decision. The classes are taught by experts in the field and available on line for study at your convenience. As long as you are a member, the classes are available. The monthly cost is $99 for the comprehensive classes. Classes are taught in a Live webinar on Tuesday afternoons and a bonus webinar on Thursdays. If you can’t participate in the Live, the webinars are saved for you to watch at your convenience. After looking at the whole program I feel it is money well spent. So many of the questions I receive at Girl Camper have to do with “How to get started full timing and workamping.” I am so pleased to see this program offered. You can check out the Dreamers Journey here and also Workamper News which is a great resource for those hitting the road and hoping to stay employed along the way.

We all have concerns when we head out and the best way to deal with fear is to acknowledge the possibilities and have a plan for if and when they happen. That is what we do here at Girl Camper, we educate new RVers and help them understand the principles of what may be happening and ways to counterbalance them. We have done many podcasts on safety from towing to tires to weight distribution hitches to weather tactics. It’s never fun having a breakdown on the road but having good insurance and roadside assistance takes a little bit of the sting away!! Some of my worst trips have resulted in my best lessons and made me a stronger and smarter RVer. I am sharing them today because I know that fear sometimes stops us from doing things we want to do. Sometimes fear is an alarm that common sense sets off in us and warns us to use caution. It’s a good thing that we should pay close attention to and not dismiss. There’s also a fear that is placed in us by other people who are worried about us. It’s really their fear being projected onto us. It’s a “What If?” and may be something that could happen but never will. What If’s can paralyze us and keep us from getting out there. You have to look at the situation and decide if there is real danger or if the FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. Some of the issues I cover in today’s podcast include: Driving in high winds Driving in dense fog Getting stuck for the night without a campsite Truck breakdowns Sway problems Middle of the night tornado warnings There’s a fun new thing from Camco that everyone will want to have. I think most of us can relate to the problem of needing a weight to secure the elbow of the sewer hose to the dump spot. If that thing is not weighted down and you pull the lever for the blank tank to dump, it can and will pop off and spew the contents of your blank tank all over the place!! The Camco Retro RV sewer hose fits on top of your hose and is weighted down by water or sand poured into the top. It keeps the sewer hose from popping off when the rush of fluids hits it!! Check it out here! Thank you to Bankston Motor Homes of Alabama and Tennessee for sponsoring Girl Camper. To visit one of their six locations, click here!

I can honestly say that I like every kind of camping. Resort RV Parks, State and National Parks, backyard camping and now I can add, dispersed camping to that list. On today’s show I am sharing my first experience camping on BLM land with no amenities at all, including roads! Last January I headed to Arizona to see what all the fuss was about. Hint -it’s the weather. Mid 70’s and sunny everyday and lows in the 40’s at night. In my mind, this is PERFECT camping weather. I muddle through the heat and humidity in New Jersey all summer long for a few weeks of this weather each fall, often accompanied by rain. In southern Arizona you can set your watch by this weather for weeks on end and RVers across the nation know it. They flock to Arizona each year after the Christmas holidays and camp for free on BLM land. For those new to all of this BLM stands for Bureau of Land Management. It is land managed by the US Department of the Interior and comprises over 245 million acres. Some of these lands have actual campgrounds with bathrooms and water and electric all on them. Most do not though and are just come and get it spots. No hook ups, water, bathhouses or for the most part, even roads. You locate these cost free campsites through word of mouth and by using the App, Campendium. Campendium is the most recommended source for off road camping by those actually doing it. I asked lots of people when I was out there how they find spots and Campendium was the answer 9 out of 10 times. With Campendium you will get a set of reviews and tips that are really useful when dispersed camping because Google Maps is often not available in the middle of nowhere and these old fashioned directions are a lifesaver. Once you find your spot, be prepared for everything. You must bring everything you need in and everything you use, out. Leave no trace. I was ready for my first stop, Craggy Wash outside of Lake Havasu with full water tanks and empty holding tanks. I had a 100 watt solar panel and an AGM battery along with a full propane tank. I was hardly roughing it since I could take hot showers and have heat whenever I wanted. The perk of these sites is the stillness. Although others were there, they are not on top of you. There is a solitude that is hard to find when camping any other way. I completely enjoyed opening my shade at dawn and watching the sunrise with unobstructed views. I loved the long walks and just waving at fellow travelers. I loved the dark night skies without the lights from other RVs ruining the sky views. I mostly loved feeling truly ‘checked out.’ After I left Lake Havasu I headed to Quartzsite Arizona to see what the Big RV Show there is all about. Each years thousands and thousands of RVers meet in groups to do this show. I don’t know how many go to the show as just gather for the community and camaraderie. There are miles of roads with signs indicating the groups – Airstream Owners, Class A groups, Escapees and even Vegan RVers. The RV Show itself was hot, dusty and nothing I haven’t seen a million times but the gatherings were incredible. So many people enjoying the lifestyle, each others company and the fantastic weather and incredible sunsets Arizona offers each night. There are a few rules, spoken and unspoken about this type of camping that everyone should know before they go. There are a few rules spoken and unspoken among the community of modern day homesteaders that I’d like to share. Don’t crowd each other. There are 245 million acres available and  people want their space! I was in an area with my friend and another friend texted that she was in my neck of the woods. I mentioned that someone was coming to join us and I was advised to ask my neighbors if it was okay for her to park in our little colony. There seemed like plenty of room to me but people want privacy, space and the feeling of being alone. When you are looking for a spot, it’s an unspoken rule that you leave at least 100 yards between you and your nearest neighbor. If someone has overstayed his welcome or not traveled the requested 25 miles between sites, you are quiet about this. No one rats another boondocker out. Don’t knock and introduce yourself to the guy next door. If people venture out and wave they will be giving you the signal that they are open to chatting. People were very friendly but they are there for privacy. Don’t take someone else’s space. Those who camp in Class B vans and motorhomes without towing a day vehicle leave their spot with a chair or two or something to mark the spot so that it won’t be taken by someone else. Never dump grey water (or any tanks) on a site. There is a temptation to dump grey water because you can actually use an outdoor shower and the water goes right onto the ground but dumping a grey tank is actually a ticketed offense but also, really frowned on by neighbors. Don’t play loud music. Keep campfires in a firepit or within a circle of r

It was my pleasure to head out into the Arizona desert in January to road test the Lance 650 truck camper. I have been fascinated with the idea of truck camping since I was a kid and my grandfather put a cap on his truck, two cots with a cooler between them in the bed and took off for Colorado. The whole idea of traveling around with your home on your back really appeals to a nester like me. A little known secret about me is that I hate being uncomfortable in any way. It seems like a contradictory trait for one who loves to camp but, camping today is not what it was in the 1970’s. There is no need to be too cold or too hot or too anything when the RV industry is making so many products to get us out there and protect us from the elements at the same time. The truck camper seemed like a great way to see the country with minimum hassle and still have all the comforts of home available any time I needed them. One of the things that made this adventure so enjoyable was the ability to pull in and out of parking spaces easily. I picked up the Lance 650 at their factory in Lancaster, California and had two weeks to roam around in it. Shout out to Lance for sponsoring my adventure. Some Girl Camper friends were staying on BLM land around Lake Havasu so I planned on visiting with them before I headed down to Quartzsite, Arizona to see what all the fuss was about there. I had no plans to camp in campgrounds so I would not only be checking out truck camping but, off the grid camping as well. A great sunrise my first morning in tbe 650! The Lance 650 is the smallest truck camper that Lance manufactures and can be placed on the bed of of a 1/2 ton truck. Caveat Emptor – not just any 1/2 ton truck. You will need to make sure that your particular 1/2 ton truck has the suspension system, axel ratio and beefed up build to hold the 1700 pound 650. Air bags can help increase the trucks ability to carry the load. A good way to see what your truck can carry is to do a VIN number analysis. That analysis will give you lots of information like what your actual axel ratio is because, the same truck can have different axel ratios. Check out your vehicles actual ratings at this VIN number analysis site here. The truck the 650 was set on was a Ford F-150 diesel with heavy duty leaf springs and bed air bags to cushion the RV. My first impression upon stepping into the Lance 650 was how small it was. This was a plus for me because it was my goal to be nimble and get in and out of sites without worrying about hitting things and jumping curbs. I have a Ford F150 as my daily ride and the 650 I was borrowing from Lance was placed on the bed of an F150 diesel truck. The good part for me was that I was accustomed to the size of this truck. It didn’t feel large to me. My first outing in it was to the grocery store to load up the fridge. I was thrilled to not have to look for a special space. I pulled right in as I would in my own F150. The 650 has the same footprint as the truck. It is designed to not hang over any part of the truck. It has no slide either. It did come equipped with a rear camera which is essential for backing out of spaces! My first stop was a BLM site called Craggy Wash outside of Lake Havasu. My goal was boondocking on BLM land in Arizona. I met up with a few Girl Campers already settled in on a quiet strip of land outside of Lake Havasu. I was operating solely on the 650’s solar panels, AGM battery and the available propane in the 3 gallon horizontally installed on board tank. The unit has a 22 gallon fresh water tank and a tankless hot water system. The grey tank holds 15 gallons and the black tank 16 gallons. It can sleep three, two on the overhead Queen sized bed and one on the booth that folds down into a twin. It’s got a 3 cubic foot three way refrigerator which was plenty for a solo traveler and an 18 BTU furnace which really did the job quickly. I was able to turn it on and get the chill off and then keep it off for a long time. I never had to run it at night even though it dropped into the 30’s. I am pleased to report that the boondocking abilities of this RV kept me warm, fed and fresh. The heater was really more than adequate and took the chill off in minutes. I ran the fridge off propane the whole time I was gone. I set it on 3 to maximize propane. I topped off the small tank once in Quartzsite when it was half empty and returned it about half empty. My guess is that I used a little over one tank (three gallons) during my 12 days on the road. Considering that the refrigerator ran all that time and the propane is needed to light the stove and heater, I was pleased with its efficiency. The 650 has a AGM battery installed which is a better option than the traditional deep cell battery. The AGM’s are able to deliver high currents on demand and have a longer life. When operating on solar, they have become the battery of choice for savvy consumers. This was my first experience

I have just returned from a visit with the good folks at Lance Manufacturing Company in Lancaster, California. I went out there to road test the Lance 650 truck camper. More on that in the coming weeks but, hint, hint… great way to enjoy road life and not tow. My full review of the 650 is coming out in the next two weeks. Lance started in California in 1965. They began as a manufacturer of truck campers producing the number one selling truck camper in the industry. For sixteen years running they have won the National RV Dealers Association’s Quality Circle Award. I had a great time testing the Lance 650 but they have many great options for those who want the freedom to roam and the possibility to tow a boat or toys behind them too. Lance spread to light weight towables after establishing a reputation for innovation and quality. This year they have unveiled the 2445 and 2075, two European inspired RV’s. We had the chance to show them off in a Live walk through on Go RVing’s Facebook page. You can check that out here. The 2445 has a great bunk bed system that is open and airy while also offering the flexibility to raise the lower bunk to store gear. It also offers a Master Bedroom with a walk around Queen bed, large windows and a ceiling window as well. The dining booth is in the slide out and offers the feature that I love in Lance units – the pull out drawer under the bench seats. The 2445 is a great option for families as well as those with gear. The bunks fold up to store kayaks or bikes and it has a large three piece bathroom. The 2075 has many great features but my favorite is the outdoor kitchen that would make any tailgater the envy of the trailerhood. It has a two burner stove, plumbed sink, refrigerated Dometic drawer and lots of prep space. It is all covered by an automatic awning to keep you shaded in the sunshine and dry in the rain. This outdoor kitchen was a favorite feature of mine because it gives you the option of making meals a family activity. I had the opportunity to tour the Lance factory in Lancaster, California and see the innovation they are well known for. In today’s interview Marketing Director, Bob Rogers and Marketing Manager, Jim Waters explain some of the unique practices that sets Lance apart from other manufacturers and justifies the higher price tag that Lance products command. Lance is known for their custom cabinetry all built on site, large European windows, ducted heat and U Shaped table with telescoping 360 degree adjustability. It was a pleasure to see the production from, what I call the “Geek Squad” office of engineers, hard at work on designs on their computers. From there a mock up happens just to see if it all fits as they had imagined. A full prototype is then built and everyone gets to weigh in on what is working and what needs to be tweaked. A second and third rendition happens and they actually get taken out on the road. When everyone is satisfied, the big production begins. I know you will enjoy this interview with the Marketing team at Lance. I learned so much there about the company and their commitment to their customers. Drop us a comment and let us know what you like better – the 2445 or the 2075!

We’re on sabbatical this week and highlighting some of the top rated podcast episodes with a quick review. You can check out the full episode from this highly rated show right here!! This weeks show is a quick refresher on reducing the possibility of RV theft. While I am on sabbatical from the podcast I will be out in the Southwest checking out the happenings at Quartzsite while road testing the Lance 650 truck camper. Our friends at Lance are known for their high quality truck trailers and I have always been intrigued by the possibility of having all of the bells and whistles, without towing anything. I am so excited to experience this form of camping and add truck campers to our list of RV’s that I have personally tried. The 650 is the smallest truck camper in the line up and can be placed on an F150 It’s hard to believe they fit all of this in this space with a bathroom! We will be bringing everyone a LIVE look at what Lance has in the shop at their factory in Lancaster, California on the Go RVing Facebook page at 2 PM EST on Friday, the 10th of January. Be sure to mark your calendar to get a peek at Lance’s new 2075 travel trailer. It has already garnered praise within the industry and took home the enviable Best of Show in RV Pro. This unit is a tailgaters dream! Oh, the windows in this unit!! We will also be touring the Lance Ultralight 2445, the family trailer with a master suite, double sized bunk beds and a kepad operated app that allows you to control the HVAC, awning, lights and holding tanks from your phone!! The Lance 2445 is a great family unit with tons of light and space. This kitchen is nicer than many home kitchens I have seen. It is compact but open to the dining table for extra counter space. I’m a huge fan of these bunks not just because they are big, but because they are so open.

Today we are celebrating our 200th podcast episode and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate that than to welcome Girl Boss, Joyce Shulman to the show. Joyce is an attorney, the founder of multiple businesses including Macaroni Kid and 99 Walks, a recent Ted Talk alumna and a constant advocate for women. I came to know Joyce through our mutual friends at Go RVing. Joyce gave RVing a try and wrote about it on her Macaroni Kid site. She discovered what so many of us already know, that RVing is good for our souls! Nature is also good for our souls, our spirits, our moods, and our health. A walk in nature is an old fashioned recipe for a lot of what ails us and that’s what lead Joyce to found another company, 99 Walks. Photo courtesy of 99 Walks Walking can release all kinds of good hormones – dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins elevating our moods and helping us adapt a positive outlook. It’s a great way to stay healthier longer because a regular walking habit helps reduce the risks of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and several types of cancer. Lastly, it’s really good for the brain! Forget the New York Times crossword puzzle! One study showed that regular walking increases executive function, fuels creativity and improves memory. I got so excited about 99 Walks that I joined, became a fan of the program and its benefits and reached out to Joyce to congratulate her. We had a great time talking about women – all the hats we wear, the energy we put into our families, homes, careers, volunteer projects and how we have never been busier. All that business comes at a cost and that cost is usually us. We tend to take care of everyone else first and put off our own self care. Joyce founded 99 Walks not just to facilitate good mental, emotional and physical health but to form communities with other women, something our mothers enjoyed but today’s women suffer from a lack of. Learning to Walk in the Rain! Girl Camper and 99 Walks are partnering to get women out there, walking, talking and sharing while getting in better shape, mentally, physically and emotionally! We’re making a commitment to being better! Click on the link to hear Joyce on the podcast and then join a Girl Camper 99 Walks team near you. There’s a drop down bar front and center on the Girl Camper home page. Walk at your own pace, set your own goals and celebrate your victory each month with a beautiful inspirational piece of jewelry. Everyone joining through Girl Camper will get a special, limited edition bracelet that says, “Going Places, Doing Things!” There’s a coupon code for a discount too!! Photo courtesy of 99 Walks

Each year I get lots of products sent to me to test and I also buy lots of things that I see and want to test out. This is a list of some of my favorite products from last year. First let’s start with a few simple things from Camco that make great stocking stuffers. A great stocking stuffer! Camco’s hitch ball cover will keep your hitch from rusting and maybe, just maybe, mitigate the pain just a bit if you walk into it!! Camco makes the cutest night lights and this little vintage style camper one is available in orange and aqua. The bamboo cutting board is bamboo and reversible. One side is for cutting and the other side for serving! Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt by LL Bean. They call it a shirt but I used it all fall as a jacket. It’s got a zipper front, hoodie, side pockets and is soooo soft. I’ve washed mine a few times and the color is still bright. The shirt retails for $59.00 but I got mine on sale for $29. The Land’s End Plaid Bag is what I chose to give the Girl Camper Guides for Christmas. I love that the plaid is all in the Girl Camper colors. The bag is such a heavy canvas that it will hold 500 pounds before the straps break. It has a extension with a zipper on it that opens up and extends the height of the bag. Inside the bag are two side pockets, one full length and one with compartments that make it easy to find things. The best part is that we were able to get them all monogrammed with the phrase – Girl Camper! $56 The Way Light Light by Sylvan Sport is a combination hiking stick with a light on the top that can be directed to the ground in front of you or to illuminate the surrounding area. It is rechargeable and has a USB port that you can use to charge things while hiking. It is adjustable for any height hiker and can be staked in the ground. It also has some basket slots on the bottom for bamboo stakes to roast marshmallows. $59 Wander Art is a company that creates art posters for bucket list destinations and achievements. It was created by the husband and wife team of, Nathan Downey and Kait Erickson as a stylish way of recording their “adventure related accomplishments.” The beautiful posters list the 61 National Parks, fifty states and the wonders of the world among other things. With each poster comes a diamond stamp and ink pad to mark off your latest successes. Not only are they inspirational, they are art. Kait and Nathan donated their National Parks piece to our Charity Raffle Trailer and it looks spectacular in their. I liked them so much I asked if we could carry them at Girl Camper. You can get 15% off by buying them through our Affiliates page. Starting at $59 The National Parks poster was donated by Wander Art to our Charity Raffle Trailer, the R Pod 196. The winner of the R Pod will get the pleasure of stamping all the parks they’ve visited. The Tire Table! A tailgaters dream. This product is made by The Tailgater Tire Table Company. I began using this in 2019 after I found it at the outdoor Retailer Show in Denver. I fell in love with it and take it along all the time now. I like having my cooler off the ground and also using it as a dining, serving table. or drink station if I need it. It takes up very little room and sets up in a few minutes. This handy table is so easy to set up, is very light weight and sturdy and takes up very little space in the back of my truck. A big winner for me. Cozee blankets were developed by a Dad whose wheel chair bound daughter was always cold. Paul and Carolynne LaRue wanted a way to take their daughter Brianna outside to enjoy all that nature had to offer,but keep her warm and comfortable without layers of clothing on her. Once they had figured out the technology of the battery rechargeable blanket, they needed to start and indiegogo fundraiser to get the capital to manufacture their Life Giving Warmth blanket. It took a while to come together but it is now available. I met Paul last year and enjoyed his story so much. I got to wrap myself up in this incredible blanket that is a portable power station and blanket in one. The charge will last five hours and has three different settings. Even after you turn it off, it will stay warm for a long time because of the mylar lining. The blanket is great for boondockers, tailgaters, stadium sitters and those with cold houses!! $249 I was like a kid in a candy store in the Golden Rabbit booth at the Outdoor Retailer Show. I chose the Highland Plaid mixed with the Forest Glen pattern for my camper. Golden Rabbit had me at “enamelware!” I have always loved the classic red spatterware that just screams “camp” so when I got an email saying that there was a new line of enamelware for Glampers I took the bait and clicked on the link. I fell in love immediately and made an appointment to meet the owners in person at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver. When I walked into their booth, I was so struck by the beauty, selection and qua

The whole RV world (okay, not everyone!) heads to Arizona each winter and it always looks like so much fun. I have always wanted to go and this year I am making that happen. I couldn’t go it alone though. I needed my friend Kelly Beasley from Camp Addict to help me. Kelly and her business partner, Marshall Wendler, co-founded Camp Addict, which is a great resource for gear reviews, RV use tips and travel know how. Kelly is on today’s show to talk about where to camp, what BLM land is and how to find it, what’s going on under the Big Tent and what you can do beside look at RV’s and their accessories. Kelly has created a fantastic guide with all you need to know to “arrive and thrive” in Quartzsite this year. Marshall Wendler and Kelly Beasley are business partners with a mutual love for RVing. They are co-founders of the Camp Addict and seasoned Quartzsite visitors. A few of Kelly’s tips Make sure you have enough of any medication you take on hand Try boondocking in your driveway before you get to Quartzsite Bring along solar lights for the outside of your RV The Quartzsite Post Office has limited hours but does General Delivery Once you find a parking space, pin your location on Google Maps

I had so much fun preparing our R Pod 196 Charity Raffle trailer for touring. We took it from factory to fabulous in just one short week. I felt a little like the Shoe makers kid passing the finished trailer to Ginny McKinney for road tripping. It was beautiful while my Max trailer sat in the driveway with all kinds of unfinished projects. The whole summer went by and I never did get around to doing much more than covering the cornices and finally installing a few kitchen items that I had purchased for the camper. Now the season is over and this week I will winterize my camper for its long nap. I may not be camping in it for the next few months but I plan to work on it and finish up a few projects I have had on my to do list. I have three practical tasks that need doing and three cosmetic jobs I want to complete. The first practical job I want to do is to install rolling baskets in my pantry . My pantry cabinet has five shelves and is very deep. I can’t get at what is in the back. I also look forward to the baskets keeping things in place. As it is right now, the canned good slide around and often cause the doors to open no matter how many different locks I have tried. This will help me reach things in my very deep pantry . The second practical thing I want to do is put hinges on the bench seats in my booth so I can get at the contents easier. One of the benches has a door but it is hard to get into and you can only see what is right upfront. I’d like to be able to easily open the lid and see everything inside. This school bus renovation from Pinterest shows the booth framed out with holes in the top to make it easy to open and hinges to flip it open and hold it in place. The last on my list of practical jobs is to replace the locks on my RV door and storage cubbies. Most RV storage compartment locks have a universal key called the CH751 that will open about 70% of RV storage units. It’s time to replace those. I also want to replace the main door lock with a keyless entry pad so I don’t have to worry about someone using a Master key on it or just forgetting the spare. There are several companies that make these and they range in price from $100 – $250, less than the deductible on an insurance claim. Keyless locks run on AA batteries but have a key that will override that if the battery runs out before you have replaced it. Photo: Courtesy of Campendium After I finish my practical to do list, I want to get a few aesthetic things accomplished before I hit the road next spring. It is often the finishing touches that don’t get done and those are usually the things that take a room, an RV, or a garden space from “ok” to polished. Recovering the cushions in my Mini Max made it so much homier. I added a thick layer of upholstery batting to give it a custom furniture feel. On the top of my list of cosmetic things to do is to recover the cushions in my Max. RV manufacturers choose fabrics that are “practical” and “durable.” Mine are a neutral grey with a white inset that reminds me of an upholstered auto seat from the 1950’s. I want a warm fabric with a complimentary pattern on the reverse so I can get a different look when I want it. I am going to make these box cushions, the most detailed and labor intensive version of slipcovers, myself. It’s a big project but worth it because the going rate in NJ for labor alone is about $125 per cushion. I have four cushions to cover so would be spending $500 on labor before I even buy the fabric. You can do a shortcut to cushion recovering by stapling fabric over the foam with a layer of batting between the fabric and foam. It’s good to cut the plywood a 1/2 inch smaller than the foam so that the wood won’t rub against the fabric and wear a hole in it. The other cosmetic project I have on my honey do list is to wallpaper my RV. I am a big fan of wallpaper and have it in my house. I tried wallpapering it with an inexpensive peel and stick that I bought on Amazon but I didn’t like the look or feel of it. I wallpapered the R Pod 196 Charity Raffle trailer in wallpaper from a company called Spoonflower and loved working with it. I want to choose two different complimentary patterns and use one on the “bedroom” ceiling which is huge and very white! I want to use the other to cover the wall across from the kitchen and the booth area. I won’t be going with anything too bold because it is a small space. I just want to warm it up. The Spoonflower wallpaper is actually made from fabric which has an adhesive added to it. It was very forgiving and easy to work with. The pattern I used in the “bedroom” of the R Pod is called Random Arrows and although it is heavily patterned because it is a solid color, it reads like a neutral and doesn’t look busy. I might try some kind of stencil project on my current table. The last project I have in mind is to do som

Each year I dread the task of closing up the RV. I never want the season to end and I hate that I can’t driveway camp in it when it’s all closed up. All my comfort items are removed and I have to just live without it all until spring. Because we have so many followers who are brand new to RVing and own their very first RV’s I thought I would walk you through my process of tucking in my RV for a long winters nap. Winterize it – When I say this I am referring to removing all of the liquid from the tanks and putting antifreeze in its place. If you don’t know how to do this, there are lots of YouTube videos on the subject. You can also pay a mobile RV company or take it in to a dealer and have it done. Thoroughly clean it – Wash the inside like your mother in law is going to use it. I remove all the clothing, bedding, linens, and food from the RV. I leave in the pots, pans, kitchen utensils and dishes. I bag the silverware and utensils, clean the drawers and leave them open. Refrigerator maintenance for winter storage involves a thorough cleaning. I vacuum the vents of the fridge, place an odor eater (baking soda or charcoal briquets) on the shelf and leave the door open all winter. I use this along with the Camco long handled flow through brush. Clean the exterior by scrubbing off all dead bugs, baked on bird poop, road dirt and dark streaks. I do this with Camco Wash and Wax RV Cleaner and a long handled flow through brush with hose attachment. I also check all of the window seams and seals on the storage compartments at this time. Awning clean up and maintenance is next. I made the mistake once of closing up my awning for winter when it was wet and had leaves on it. I release the awing and clean it making sure it is bone dry before rolling it back up for the winter. Trickle chargers can help maintain the life of your removed battery. I then remove the battery from the front holder and place it indoors on a trickle charger for the winter. Keep it in a cool, dry place and periodically check it to make sure it is staying charged. A trickle charger is an inexpensive investment that can save your having to buy a new battery in the Spring. I have used Grandpa Gus’s All Natural Pest Control in my house and this year I will use it in my RV Pest control management is one of those things that can save you big money. Mice can do a lot of damage in an RV from chewed wires to nesting in your oven. Plus, they’re just gross. Many RVers recommend Fresh Cab and I am using Grandpa Gus’s in my Max. I used it in my garage and shed last year with great success. Even though I have never had a mouse in my RV, I am not taking any chances. Maybe they are not there because I am not letting them!! Cover the RV and tires. It is recommended that covering RV can help prevent sun damage to the roof, window seals, caulked areas and exterior paint job. A breathable mesh cover is best so that moisture won’t be trapped beneath the fabric causing mold and mildew to form. Covering the tires is equally important because UV rays from the sun do the most damage to tires. Lock it up and when you place it in the storage space of your choice (RV rental space or your own property) make sure to take some measures to prevent theft. Use a hitch lock, drop all four stabilizing jacks, and place wheel locks on the tires. If thieves target your RV, these measures will slow them down and perhaps cause them to choose an easier target. A good close down and cleaning job at the end of the camping season makes the spring clean easier to do. We all know that the spring clean is more FUN to do because camping season is right around the corner.

When I hit the road, whether I am towing my trailer or road tripping in my truck and staying in hotels, there are certain things that I must take with me. Some are for safety purposes, some in the event of an emergency and some for comfort. Here’s my “Must Have Road Trip Essentials” list. Safety  Tire pressure tester and tire inflator.  Always check tires when they are cold.  Car Emergency Kit  Car Tool Kit  When buying a tire pressure tester and inflator, make sure that you buy one that runs on a battery. When you need to inflate the tires, you many be someplace where eclectic is not available. Make sure your car emergency kit has: Reflective Warning Triangle , Reflective Safety Vest, Tow rope, Gloves with Gripping Palm ( 1 pair) , Safety Hammer and Seatbelt Cutter,   (good for breaking windows if necessary) Hand Driven LED Flash Light , Adhesive Tape, Jumper Cables, Whistle Make sure that you buy a car tool kit and not a home repair tool kit. A home repair tool kit has items to help you hang pictures on the wall and change an outlet cover but won’t have adjustable wrenches and socket sets that you will likely need in the event that you have to make a repair or adjustment under the hood.   Emergency Items  WD40 – loosen things, keep things from squeaking, Electrical tape – to cover LED lights and to actually use on electrical fixes Duct tape – to keep anything together!! Wire cutting splicing tool – in case you need to fix your 7 way plug Phone charger – car battery may be dead Portable jumping kit – many on the market, can also charge your phone Spare tire – not just a spare but the tools and know how to get at it Old school Rand McNally Map – I’ve been in places too remote for GPS and also just like to study the map and see where the backroads are leading me Firs Aid Kit – VSSL Snow Supplies (scraper, shovel, lock de-icer, blanket, good gloves) Fix a Flat – at least two cans – keep them in the car and not in the trunk Zip ties – endless uses – not good for license plates though Back up Fluids – washer fluid and anti freeze Lighter – may need to start a camp fire or, God forbid, a signal fire Emergency flashers – More than just the triangle one that comes in Emergency kit. Several for highway. Luci Light Flashlight I have used almost all of the things I carry “just in case.” Over time, even if I don’t use it myself, I have had the occasion to loan it to someone in need. Most of the things in my Emergency list don’t take up very much room and are Comfort Items  Cauldryn hot water boiler  Tea, coffee, instant soup, Protein (nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter, crackers) Car pillow Two gallons of water Blanket Umbrella Rain coat  

  Have you ever been told not to park your RV on the grass when storing it for winter? Have you wondered what calamity would befall it if you disregarded this advice? Have you wondered if that advice was the Gospel truth or an old wives tale? Well, on today’s podcast I am answering Frequently Asked Questions sent in by the Girl Campers. Which comes first, choosing your camper or tow vehicle? Sent in by Vicki Tripplet.  This is such a great question. You will need to ask yourself a few questions to get the answer which, of course, is going to be different for everyone. Let’s start by approaching this as if we are speaking to recreating campers. Those weekend warriors and two week summer vacation RVers. In other words, not full timers or retired people. Most of us drive our car every day so it is important that we really like what we are driving. There are some people who have a vehicle that they use just for towing but most do not. Their tow vehicle is their everyday ride. The question I would be asking myself is: Do I have an RV in mind that I really love and am unwilling to change? If so, you may have to change tow vehicles to accomodate that . Walter Cannon gave a great explanation of matching tow vehicles to RV’s. The link for that very important topic is here.  Conversely if you own a car or have brand loyalty to a vehicle that you don’t want to stop using, you may have to compromise on the RV you choose in order to keep that tow vehicle. The good news is that there have never been more options for the lightweight towable world. Full timers need to be asking different questions.  Where do I plan to travel? Will I be boondocking on BLM land and need an off road model or larger tanks and solar options? Will I be in one place for a long time, like those who park in Maine all summer and Florida all winter but don’t really travel in their RV’s. Will I be outdoors a lot and just want a comfy bed? Will I be working remotely and requiring an office area, wifi capability and a floor plan that won’t make me stir crazy if I am in the RV for long periods? A good place to start is to listen to all of the Girl Camper Podcasts from last year where we covered the pros and cons of all the different RV types. Re-imagining the Toy Hauler  Pros and Cons of the Class C Motorhome The Pop Up Camper Explored  The Pros and Cons of Teardrop Trailers  The Pros and Cons of Class A Motorhomes  In the final analysis, it is such a personal decision and I recommend not signing on the bottom line, especially for full timers, without first renting the unit you are considering through RV Share or Outdoorsy. That’s a great way to get a realistic feel for the unit before you buy! What do people on the road do for full time health insurance? Sent in by Chiarrai O’Mathghamhana This is a tricky topic because most networks operate in a geographic zone so you’re signing up for doctors In Network in a prescribed area and some insurers require policy holders to live “in state.” You have to carefully search this out though and do your homework. Recently the Road Life Project, a member group of full time RVers, made a group health care policy available to members.  I encourage you to look into it. There are many benefits to belonging to this group of people who full time live on the road and one of them is the availability of a group health insurance plan. Other options for health insurance on the road include working with a broker like RVerinsurance.com for a plan or checking with websites like ehealthinsurance.com for rates. Should I park my RV on grass over the winter? sent in by Carol in North Carolina. “I’m getting ready to store my travel trailer on the grass in my side yard for the winter. My father in law says I should put it up on blocks so the tires keep their shape and don’t freeze. He said if I don’t do that I could lower all four jacks and raise the RV off the ground a few inches to take the weight off the tires. I am not sure what to do. Is this a real thing?” I went to Mark Polk with that question and here is what he had to say; “Not to change the topic, but a major problem with RV tires when stored outside is damage caused by the sun. To protect the tires, keep them covered with covers that block out the sunlight. Something else that damages tires is when the RV is stored on frozen ground or on surfaces like asphalt. To avoid this, place some type of blocking like Lynx Levelers or a piece of treated 2X wood between the ground and the tires. Make sure whatever you use is larger than the footprint of the tire. No portion of the tire should hang over the edge of the tire blocking. This can cause internal damage to the tire. I would not recommend using the jacks to raise the RV off of the ground.” Read this article for more tips on maintaining your RV tires rvonlinetraining.com It’s important that when storing y

  I am just back from the big Open House in Elkhart, Indiana where the RV manufacturers were displaying their new products and updated older ones. There are some new RV’s out there for the lightweight set and some older ones that deserve a second look. My criteria for this list was that they unit weigh less than 3K pounds and that the user be able to stand up in it. I am often asked, “What can I tow with my (insert midsize SUV or Crossover with a tow package around 5K pounds here)? The Chevy Traverse, Ford Flex and Toyota Highlander are a few that come to mind. Here are a few travel trailers that make the cut for those tow vehicles.   The Evasion by Prolite. This is the classic floorplan used in canned hams throughout the 50’s and 60’s. I have often wondered why they stopped using this floor plan. It’s perfect for a small family. This 1,900pound trailer can sleep five people, two in the rear convertible sofa, two on the front dinette once it is put down and one small child (weight limit 125 pounds) in the upper storage cabinet that can covert to a bunk. They even managed to get a bathroom in it. The unit is perfect for a Girl Camper who doesn’t want a vintage trailer, and the accompanying headaches, and for a family with small children. Prolite is a Canadian company moving into the US market. I think they will be successful because there is a growing need for the lightweight models that offer a lot. What this trailer lacks in interior material choices, it  makes up for with the practical layout. I’d love to see what a Girl Camper could do styling this trailer!!  US pricing around $20K. Perks  Old school flexible floor plan Sleeps five Dry weight of only 1900#’s Many nice standard features Lots of windows and light Negatives  AC is an option and not standard Small tanks (grey, black and fresh are each just 15 gallons) Bland interior   Great Ascape by Aliner. This unit  is made by Aliner, the folks that brought us the cute A frame pop up. The Great Ascape Plus weighs in at just 1850#’s. It has a rear entry and a big U-shaped dinette that can be made up as a two twin beds, one large bed or a single twin with the use of the table on the side of it. That’s a lot of options for such a small trailer. It’s got a wet bath,  kitchen with two burner stove, three way refrigerator, a standard rear awning, and nice windows. The interior finishes are also nice and it would not take much to make this a rolling She Shed. An added bonus in my mind is that the rear entry would allow you to store a bicycle in it and not have to do a bike rack. It’s a mini toy hauler! Perks has everything the larger models have ability to arrange sleeping quarters to fit taste has a wet bath could store a bicycle in it while traveling. light enough for midsize SUV Negatives  small inside limited interior storage , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMY-MweKMjk   In Tech RV’s Sol Dawn  is a new addition to the lightweight towable world. Last year In Tech RV made a big splash with their Luna model. These folks know how to design and choose finishes. The Dawn looks like a sleek European rail car. The windows are huge and like the Ascape, the front bed has options for how you want to use the space. You can create two twin beds or one large bed across the front while maintaining the option of keeping the table in place. I normally don’t like a floor plan where the booth becomes the bed and the table needs to be removed or lowered at night in order to make up the bed but, I would make an exception in this case. The area designated for the booth and sleeping area is very deep but there is still the feeling of plenty of floor space. The windows are just one of  the show stoppers in this RV. They are large and come with nice shades. The kitchen is in the rear and offers a two burner propane stove with steel grates and a glass cover for added counter space. It also has a beautiful, deep, stainless steel farm sink with an industrial looking beehive faucet. The wet bath is large with good hardware in it. From a design standpoint this RV was the standout to me. It has a big brother, the Horizon that didn’t make the list because it weighs in at between 3,290 and 3,375 pounds. It is a stunning trailer with beautiful features and finishes including a grill and refrigerator that roll out from an outside storage space. There are really too many features to mention here but, follow the link and don’t blame me if two hours passes by. Perks  Large windows and lots of light Sleek interior finishes Flexible sleeping options Good storage Seats 6 comfortably at the table Deep stainless kitchen farm sink Hidden propane tanks Exterior kitchen on roll out Negatives  Storage under booth hard to get to Awning is not electric     photo courtesy of RVUSA.com   Riverside Retro Silver Series 135 is a new

Are you part of the crowd that goes to RV Shows and comes away thinking that the designers of these units are enamored with brown and grey? Do you wonder if Elkhart, Indiana is actually the set of a 1950’s TV show and it’s all in black and white? Well, I’m here to tell you that the times they are a changing, even if it is slowly. I have just returned from the annual Manufacturers Open House in Elkhart, Indiana. This is the big kick off to the RV Show season and where all of the manufacturers show off what they have been working on all year. The new models are displayed for RV dealerships, media and industry insiders. The show is closed to the public but plenty of Press is there to report on what’s new. I am happy to report some design changes happening in the industry. There are literally thousands of units on display and I had to stay disciplined to cover what I think all of you are most interested in – the lightweight towable world. For so many years it seemed that all the bells and whistles that the RV industry had to offer were limited to the big Class A and Fifth Wheels out there. They were rolling residences with all the amenities of home while the lightweight world of travel trailers seemed to have the necessities with one or two luxury items thrown in for good measure. At this years Open House there was a trend toward more upscale features in small trailers, partly because there have never been more manufacturers making only small trailers. In Tech, Riverside Retro, Camp 365, Pro-Lite, A Liner and Extreme Outdoors are all vying for a larger slice of the light weight towable market and they have to compete for it. In additon to these small independent companies the big guys at Forest River an Thor are producing small units with everything the big guys offer. Within the small manufacturers, In Tech and Extreme Outdoors are leading in design and innovation, but the others are catching up. Better awnings, convection ovens, trending design choices and thoughtful layouts are showing up in small trailers. Some of the longtime standard features on large RV’s that are making their way into smaller units are: Outdoor Kitchen and Appliance Storage  The Outdoor Kitchen is something we are now seeing on even small trailers. In Tech had a great one on their Sol trailer. This solves the storage problem I struggle with when bringing my Camco Olympian grill and Dometic refrigerator with me. I love how these are secured and easily accessible. Electric Awnings  Even small units like this Riverside Retro 135 comes with an electric awning, an option normally reserved for larger RV’s. Farmhouse Chic Farmhouse Chic has made its way into RV design and one of the components of this style is shiplap paneling. The Riverside Retro 199FK has had the interior redesigned to include shiplap on the dining booth walls and behind the bed. Although I dislike the cushion fabric and window treatments, those are easy cosmetic changes. Residential Furniture Many smaller units now have more residential furniture in them now. The details and comfort in the RPod 196 jackknife sofa made reupholstering it worth the expense. If you are planning to keep a unit for a long time and spend a lot of time in it, going to the expense to make well constructed furniture feel even more homey is worth it! Lighter wood on the cabinets The dark, dark woods we are accustomed to seeing are giving way to lighter shades. Grey tones predominate following the national housing and home decor trend. There are lots of accent pieces available in home decor stores to compliment this color scheme. Sleek European Styling  NuCamp’s Avia and Barefoot, In Tech’s Sol and Winnebago’s Boldt  are just a few of the many RVs under the influence of the European market. The Avia and Barefoot  are European imports  but Winnebago and In Tech are homegrown brands mirroring the sophisticated and sleek design. Glossy cabinets, minimal hardware, large windows and stainless steel appliances make these models appeal to the minimalist in all of us. They’re very soothing to the mind and appealing to the “less is more” crowd. Outdoor Settings  Outdoor speakers, USB ports, television and cable outlets, lighted awnings, doorhandles, and steps all make even small RV’s an oasis for those who like to spend their down time enjoying the big game, tailgating with friends, or taking in a movie  with the kids. My Max trailer by Extreme Outdoors, while only weighing 3400 pounds, has  everything the big RVs offer when it comes to outdoor entertaining and lighting packages. Technology Photo courtesy of Colonial Airstream in Lakewood, New Jersey. Lastly, technology. There’s so much happening here. We are a society that is “wired“. That is not going to go away. RV manufactures are accommodating that. Airstream offers an app with their Classic model that allows you to use your phone to turn your lights on and off,  raise or lower the thermostat, open and

Fun with Ford! I recently had the opportunity to test drive the Ford Expedition for a week. I have been considering switching from my F150 truck to an SUV so I put the question out there to Girl Campers – do you prefer an SUV to a truck and, if so, why? There were those who would only drive a truck and others that only want an SUV. Here are some of the pros and cons from our Girl Camper Poll. PRO TRUCK The bed of the truck is a great place to dump dirty stuff you don’t want in your SUV. If you have a Crew Cab you will have extra interior storage space and added seating as well. You can keep often used items in the bed of the truck all the time making packing for a camping trip a lot easier. You can’t hear things in the bed of the truck that may be rubbing and squeaking. You can use the bed of your truck for other things beside camping gear – furniture, firewood and landscape materials can be loaded up without marring the interior. A truck is cheaper than an SUV with the same engine and chassis. The F150 weighs less than the Expedition so it will get better mileage. You can carry a generator without worrying about fumes. You can put a cap on the back and use it to camp in. Pro SUV You have easier access to the things in the rear of the vehicle. You don’t have to get out and uncover the bed to access your gear. It is easier to carry bicycles and kayaks than it is with a truck. Kayaks don’t fit in the rear of the truck bed while you are towing but bikes will fit in the rear of an SUV and kayaks will load easier on the top. You have more seats with the SUV. The crew cab will hold 5-6 people with no leg room or space for purses, backpacks or purchases. The SUV will hold 7-8 people with plenty of room behind the third row seats for gear. You can camp in an SUV really comfortably if you don’t want to tow. With the seats folded down you can fit a full size mattress in the rear or make up just one side as a twin and use the other space for gear. The rear of the SUV has more cubic feet of storage space than a truck. There is up to 120 cubic feet of cargo space in the Expedition Max. Your gear is more secure in the rear of an SUV than in the bed of a truck. The tailgate clears the tongue jack on a trailer (at least my Max trailer) when you open it with the trailer attached. The tailgate on the truck will not fully open when the trailer is attached. Ford Expedition Review This past week I had the opportunity to road test the Expedition. I was personally interested in this particular model because, as I said earlier, I have been considering switching from a truck to an SUV and the Expedition has the same engine as the F150 that I drive. They both have the 3.5 L V6 Eco Boost with the ten speed transmission. I knew that I would be happy with the engine performance but didn’t know if I would prefer the enclosed luxury model SUV to the Crew Cab Lariat short bed that I currently own. In 2018 the Expedition got a complete overhaul. The redesign included the 10 speed transmission, more horsepower, and better gas mileage. In addition to mechanics, the interior was completely re-imagined as well. Newly designed console with a large touch screen Voice activated navigation system Wireless phone charging pad, Connectivity package Adjustable pedal with memory Three zone auto climate control Three rows of seating with optional Captains Chairs in second row Heated and ventilated front and second row seats USB ports in each row for every passenger Heated wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls In addition to the beautiful interior, the exterior had many amenities. 360 degree camera (very helpful when backing into the campsite) Running boards that automatically appear when you open the car door and retract when you close it. Blind Spot Information System – a set of sensors that alert you to someone in your blind spot. Hands free lift gate Power mirrors auto fold Privacy glass on rear windows Windshield wiper de-icer 22″ Aluminum tires Towing Features Advance Trac – Roll Stability Control – senses sway and corrects it before it becomes a problem Pro trailer back up assist – allows you to program your vehicle to your trailer for easy backing up Slip differential – makes towing in slippery conditions easier The Expedition had lots of power and towed really well. I took it out on an overnight camping trip about fifty miles from home. I was towing a trailer that weighed about 4,500 pounds on a vehicle with a tow capacity of 9,300 pounds so I was well within the limit. I towed it without a weight distribution hitch or anti sway bar. I took the winding back roads to the campground and the highway home so I experienced its towing power in two different elements. I was impressed that when I was pulling up hill and needed power the Expedition responded. It changed gears seamlessly without feeling any loss of power or struggle. I did not have the opportunit

My guest today is Marlene Caraballo. She’s a wife of 30 years, mom to three almost grown sons, an avid blogger at Cheers 2 Chapter 2 and a long time RVer who is now looking Chapter Two straight in the eye and, guess what, it’s looking good for this almost empty nester. I invited Marlene on the show today to talk about her annual RV vacation to Myrtle Beach and how what started out as a cheap way to travel,  has turned into something that is keeping her family ties tight. Marlene was not born into RVing as so many of us were. She came to it through a friend who kept telling her about how affordable RV vacations could be. “You get to choose the cost of your site, whether to buy or make meals, how far away to travel.” To Marlene it seemed like a great way to take her three sons to Disney without having to stay on site at an expensive hotel. They could cook their meals and do the trip on a budget. She and her husband rented a Class C motor home and by the time they took their third RV trip, they did it in an RV they purchased and that they still own today. Somewhere along the way Marlene discovered a campground called Pirateland Family Campground. For over ten years now the Caraballo’s have made an annual pilgrimage there. Their now grown sons love it so much that they are willing to fly in from out of state, use some of the precious few vacation days allotted to freshmen in the workforce and, sleep in their old RV bunk beds under the Power Ranger blankets still stored there! What magic spell did Pirateland cast on them?  Pirateland, while big in size with over 1,000 sites, still manages to create a family feel. Paved streets allow kids to ride bikes through the RV neighborhoods, play in the pool or ride the lazy river, test their arcade skills or use one of the paddle boats on the man made water ways. This campground has it all and its all included in the price of the site. An added bonus is that it sits right on the ocean in beautiful Myrtle Beach. Location. Location. Location. When a family finds a sweet spot, a campground that they really love and use it annually for their family vacations, they have allowed the campground industry to foot the bill for their summer home. Whenever I open a magazine and see some gorgeous spread featuring someone’s multi generational summer home on a pristine lake, I think that anyone can have that if they own or even rent an RV. You can have a great gathering spot, fire pit, lake views or mountain top sunsets and all it takes is an annual reservation. Many families have enjoyed all of the aspects of a great family home without the insurance, maintenance, utilities or mortgage payments that go along. They have done it by revisiting their favorite place year after year, getting the same site, the same week and with the same friends.   I was so excited to have Marlene on the podcast today because I want young moms to know that what started out as an inexpensive way for her family  to vacation, turned into a family tradition that just keeps going. I can see Marlene pushing grand babies in strollers on those roads her sons once independently rode their bicycles on. I can see the future generations enjoying shovels and buckets on the beach again. I can see the Power Ranger blankets warming the next generation of Caraballo’s. I want everyone to know that they have that option even if they don’t own an RV because campgrounds offer so many rental options these days.  Everyone is welcome around the campfire. Check out Marlene’s blog here. Check out Marlene on Facebook. Check out Marlene’s Instagram.  Check out Pirateland Family Campground and book a site!      

On this week’s show I interview friends, travel companions and business partners Kelly Beasley and Marshall Wendler. Their paths crossing turned into a grand blessing for the RV world. Kelly is full of chutzpah and courage and made her dream of full time RVing a reality. Once in that world she met a “technical nerd” named Marshall Wendler. Marshall possessed all the qualities us non techies love in techno nerds, starting with a passion for research and an ability to simplify things that seem complicated to the technically challenged. When Kelly was new to RVing  she kept researching RV related topics looking for solutions to problems, recommendations for equipment and ways to improve the experience. More often than not she found the answers in her friend Marshall’s vast knowledge. They combined their skill sets and developed Camp Addict, a comprehensive site for all RVers, not just newcomers and not just full timers. They have over a dozen years of combined RVing experience yet, they are still learning. On this week’s show they share a scary incident that could have ended very badly. Limbs – okay, maybe just digits, were in serious peril. The scare taught them some new lessons and I love that they are not afraid to tell a story that some RVers may have wanted to keep to themselves. They also shared the realities of full timing. It’s not really a solo adventure for them, but more like a traveling troupe of like minded, good willed people who share an unconventional but, full and happy life. They have a lot to teach us and I really enjoyed meeting them and getting a peek into their lives on the road. To listen, click the link at the bottom of the page.   My favorite rabbit holes on Camp Addict!  The Ultimate Guide to the 27 Best RV Brands! Make yourself a cup of tea! RV Clubs and Discount Groups.  Follow the fun and information! Facebook!  Instagram  Pinterest 

Walter Cannon has dedicated his career to RV Saftey. He was a founding member of the RV Safety and Education Foundation, an organization created to increase awareness of RV saftey issues and create educational materials for that purpose. Over the years the Foundation has grown to be a comprehensive source for all things related to RV safety. I first met Walter when he and I were both speaking at the same RV show. I was fairly new to RVing and towing a little trailer with a big tow vehicle. That was my way of making certain that I was “covered.” Go big or go home. I was uneducated about how to match a tow vehicle to the RV. Walter was doing a talk on matching your tow vehicle to your RV. I sat in on all three presentations. https://www.rvsafety.com/ https://rvacademy.com/ https://www.rvsafety.com/courses https://www.rvsafety.com/registration Each year Walter hosts a hands on RV Safety Conference in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Last year several of the Girl Campers attended the conference and found the event to be so comprehensive and invaluable for new and experienced RVers. This event is taking place again this year from September 29 – October 3. The RVSEF is offering a coupon code for Girl Campers for $25 off registration. The code is Girlcamper2019. You can access the registration in the link below. For those who may not be able to make the Kentucky event, Girl Camper and the National RV Inspectors Association is offering a three day program in Athens, Texas from November 6-10, 2019. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/camp-in-camper-college-tickets-65575806001

Does the prospect of a camping trip sometimes become stressful? Are you tempted to just settle for an evening around your neighbors fire pit? You are not alone. Today I am giving you a set of tips that I have honed over the years that make camping trips, whether just a weekend or weeks away at a time, way easier to manage. The difference between a happy camper and an unhappy one often comes down to planning. Having a plan and working that plan can often make a trip Plan Ahead Plan Your Campsite Don’t leave this to chance. Peak season is no time to risk arriving to find no sites available. Research campground ahead of time Read all of the online reviews Study map of campground for proximity to things you want or don’t want to be near Call park and inquire about their most requested sites Plan Your Clothing Being prepared for whatever weather situation arises is just smart. I nearly froze on a late April camping trip in Texas because I just expected it to be hot. When my heater wouldn’t kick on I had to put every piece of clothing I had with me on to keep warm because I only had a light blanket in the RV. Here are some things I keep in the RV all the time now. Rain coat Rain boots Wool socks Hoodie Thermalware – long johns and shirt (Under Armor) Quick dry hiking clothes Extra jammies Bathing suit and cover up Campfire wrap Plan your budget Going over budget on vacation is one sure way to make you an unhappy camper. When it comes to vacation planning there are things you can control and things you cannot. Start by being realistic about what the actual costs are. Things to budget for are: The cost of getting there – gas and tolls (partially controllable) Check on Google Maps or other Apps to get an estimated cost for gas Fill your tank before you leave home and avoid paying inflated thruway prices Check the turnpike and tollroad websites of the states you will travel through for the fees with an RV The cost of staying there – the campground (your choice – some control) Campsites vary based on state, national, private or resort. Another option is to boondock, or mooch dock. Consider camping clubs like Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome. Food (controllable) Tourist things – kayak rental, fishing licenses, museum fees. (not controllable) Souvenirs (not controllable) Plan your route Don’t just consider the cost of gas and tolls when planning your route. Consider the volume of traffic, time of day, condition of the roads, look at construction zones you may want to avoid. All of these things can make you an unhappy camper if it is a big surprise. If there is no way around a congested area at peak traffic time, lean into it and accept it. So many of my friends that live in the Atlanta area just live with it! It seems to always be busy and congested there. Start the vacation when you pull out of your driveway by having the mindset that you are on your way to fun. With each mile you drive the weeks stressors are farther behind you. Use the travel time to begin unwinding. A catch up with a friend by making a long overdue phone call B listen to an Audible book that everyone is talking about and you have no time to read C download some new tunes to your playlist and tap your steering wheel to the rhythm all the way there.

I had a lot of fun last week answering listeners questions and this week I am wrapping up this installment of FAQ’s. There’s a lot of information out there and plenty of trusted resources. When I am unsure of something I pull in an expert which is why you will see links here to past podcasts with those “in the know.” Part Two – FAQ’s Submitted by: Ginny McKinney Can you be a Girl Camper if you have never camped before? I can’t say yes to this in enough ways! I am so glad to have the opportunity to answer this question because it really is at the top of the FAQ list! I want to go back a bit here and share a little story. When I started the podcast 3 1/2 years ago, I thought that the listeners would be Girl Campers, those already camping, towing, RVing etc…It shocked me then and still surprises now, that our audience is about half and half. There are so many Girl Camper wannabes. Over the years I have dedicated many podcast episodes to the topic of Becoming a Girl Camper and just a few months ago I gave these episodes a special spot on the Girl Camper website so that they would be easy to find. A few of the titles in that link are: I don’t have a trailer I don’t know how to tow I don’t have anyone to fix up a vintage trailer for me I live in an apartment and can’t store an RV Episode 68: Becoming a Girl Camper in 2017 Episode 38: Hope for The RVing Widow https://girlcamper.com/becoming-a-girl-camper/ Submitted by: Jeanne Gaffney How do you bake in your camper if you don’t have an oven? That depends on whether you have hook ups and how badly you want that baked item. If you don’t have hook ups, you can use a Coleman Cook Top oven that sits on top of a Coleman two burner portable stove. You can bake biscuits and small cakes in it. It folds flat, has a built in thermometer on the door so you can adjust the flame to maintain a desired temperature and then use it to keep food warm. If you have hook ups at the campground and don’t mind carrying around a portable oven, Camp Chef makes a great outdoor oven that is much nicer and more reliable than the Coleman. You can also use it much more safely inside. A last option is just a toaster oven. I have one that I paid $19 for at the grocery store and it heats up so quickly and also broils. I use it to heat up leftovers,to make toast, bake things and it is small enough to take in a camper without giving up storage or a whole lot of counter space. Both the Camp Chef and the toaster oven can be placed on a table outside and used there as well keeping the heat out of the RV. Camp Ovens https://www.amazon.com/Nostalgia-BSET300AQ-BSET300BLUE-Breakfast-Station/dp/B01F5D10TG/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=camp+oven&qid=1562940639&s=gateway&sr=8-8 https://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Deluxe-Outdoor-Oven/dp/B07H7T41KW/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=camp+oven&qid=1562941238&s=gateway&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000016462-Camp-Oven-13-5/dp/B0009PURJA/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=camp+oven&qid=1562941238&s=gateway&sr=8-3 Submitted by: Elizabeth Do most girl Campers travel solo? It depends on whether you are an experienced camper who is looking for friends to camp with or whether you are completely new to Girl Camping. Many newbies like the comfort and safety of being in the crowd and having help available in case they start to feel uncertain. Often what I observe is that once a Girl Camper has her sea legs, she wants to head out alone. Sometimes that will mean driving to an event without a caravan of friends with her. Other times it may mean a long road trip to places they have wanted to explore. For many years I camped solely with girlfriends but then I got the urge to use my camper on weekends for “me” time. I wanted to go it alone and recharge, write, read and rest!! I had the confidence to be on the road alone already but, at first, it was very strange being alone in a campground. I adjusted quickly though and love solo travel now. Submitted by: Diana Kamper How often do I run my generator to charge my battery when I am dry camping? You should have a monitor that tells you how much of a charge is left on your battery. It will all depend on what you are running and if you are being supplemented by solar. Each unit will be different. If you have a built in generator in a motor home, there is a switch that allows your to turn the generator on from inside the unit. The generator is being charged by the running of the engine on the motor home. In the Class C that we rented last spring we were told that one hour of generator use would consume one gallon of fuel. If you are carrying a generator with you for use while boondocking you will need to comply with the regulations at the campground you are at. If you are boondocking on BLM land you just need to be courteous of any people that might be around you. Submitted by: Jodi Hunt Please explain the different parts of the hitching equipment/tow package so I can speak

On this week’s podcast I am answering listeners questions! I think it is so important to remember that for many, this camping thing is all brand new and we definitely want to be the site that says, “There’s no such thing as a dumb question” so, here we go! Submitted by: Michelle Cole Travel Trailer vs motor home with toad behind – Which would have better gas mileage? Answer: This is so much a matter of personal preferences. In 2018 I did a podcast episode on the many different types of RV’s out there. In the list below you can listen to the pros and cons of all the different RV’s and see what resonates most with you. I will say that my preference was a travel trailer because I didn’t want to take down camp each time I left the campsite. I also like “coming home” to my RV after a day of sightseeing. I gave up the perk of having a bathroom, kitchen and bed with me everywhere I go, but the trade off of being more mobile in my tow vehicle rather than a larger motor home, was worth it to me. https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/02/06/episode-117-re-imagining-the-toy-hauler/ https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/12/04/episode-151-the-pop-up-trailer-explored-with-mary-ellen-arndorfer/ https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/06/05/exploring-the-class-b-motor-home/ https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/08/21/the-pros-and-cons-of-teardrop-trailers/ https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/03/06/episode-121-class-c-motorhome-pros-and-cons/ https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/11/06/episode-147-the-pros-and-cons-of-class-a-motorhomes/ Submitted by: Beth Jordan Is it okay to turn your propane fridge on the day before you leave so its cold in the morning? Answer: It’s not only ok, it’s highly recommended. RV refrigerators work best when they are prechilled and you put cold food in them. I did a mini podcast episode about this a few months ago. Here are a few of the tips to get you started but you can see all the tips for RV refrigerators in the blog post below! • Plug it in the night before so it is cold when you put food in it. • Make sure the food you put in it is already cold. • Use an RV refrigerator air circulator to keep cold air moving around. Camco makes several different kinds. • Set it on Auto and then it will run on electricity as soon as you plug it in. When you disconnect the electric it will go to propane automatically. • For the quick retrieval of foods organize the lunch foods or snacks in plastic, open weave baskets or bins that you can pull out with everything you need in one place. https://girlcamper.com/blog/2018/05/30/rv-refrigerator-tips/ Submitted by: Debra Allen I am using my Ford Transit Connect to car camp. What kind of extension cord or converter can I use to run my refrigerator, DVD or pressure cooker? Answer: Car Camping is a great option for many reasons. When you arrive you are really already set up. No tent to find level ground for. If it is raining you are bound to be drier in the car. You are off the ground. You can make camp before you leave home by setting up your bed and curtains ahead of time. One of the women I regularly car camp with has an extension cord in which the wire is flat as opposed to round. When she shuts the tail gate it doesn’t crush the cord. It also rotates once plugged in so that it does not block the other available outlet. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721TV97N/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_c_a9LiDbD3A0AYS Submitted by: Sandy Newkirk How often do you clean the fresh water tank and how do you do it? Answer: That is all going to depend on how often you use it. If you are a full timer, as Sandy is, twice a year will do the trick. You are changing out the water daily and not giving it much of a chance to sit and grow bacteria. If however you only use your RV every few weeks, chances are high that bacteria can grow in the tank. It’s easy to clean your RV water tank with regular household bleach. 1) Close all drains and make sure drain plugs are installed 2) Add ¼ cup of household bleach for every 15 gallons of water the tank holds 3) Mix the desired amount of bleach in a one gallon container with water and using a funnel, pour it into the fresh water tank. 4) Fill the fresh tank completely full 5) Turn on the pump and open all the valves, sink, shower, outdoor shower and toilet until you smell bleach. 6) Close all of the faucets and let the water and bleach sit for at least 12 hours 7) Drain all of the water and refill the tank with potable water. 8) Turn all the faucets on and run the water until you no longer smell bleach. You may have to completely empty and refill the tank to achieve this. You are now ready to go! Submitted by: Sheila Esson Why do SUV’s with 5K tow capacity and a tow package come with 4 pin connectors and no trailer brakes? Buyer has to do these mods to tow? Answer: If I had to venture a guess Sheila, it would be cost. Only a small percentage of people buying an SUV with towing ability of 5K or under will actually use it

On this week’s show returning guest Mary Ellen Arndorfer returns to gives us the 411 on how to start enjoying water sports. Kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and surfing are great ways to play in the water and get outdoors. I grew up in the midwest and spent time at our cousins summer home on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where we all learned to water ski. It was so much fun. I was pretty much off the water until one of the Girl Campers brought her kayak on a trip. We all took a turn around the lake in it and went out and bought kayaks. I also now own a inflatable pontoon boat that I really enjoy using on trips. I asked Mary Ellen to come on the show because she is a water safety expert with experience with all the different types of recreation water crafts. Here are a few of her suggestions. Safety Considerations: Check weather conditions – storm forecasts, wind advisories and water temperatures can affect your outing. Water temperature and water conditions (water levels, currents, contamination, flooding) Have a PFD – personal flotation device Helmets are a necessity in white water Clothing (quick dry, brightly colored, dress for conditions) Carry a whistle and flashlight Never go alone Beginners should stay close to shore Equipment Needed Kayaks and paddle boards come in hard shell and inflatable Avoid the flimsy inflatables sold at box stores and online You can borrow or rent before you buy to see which style you like best Consider buying used to save money How to Learn Group classes at outdoor retailers Watch YouTube videos Meet Up groups are a good resource Go with friends Other Gear Gloves (prevents blisters and sunburns) Sun Shirt (will prevent sun burn) Paddling jacket Dry bag for valuables (phone, car keys, lunch!) Hat with string or clip to stay on in wind Small soft sided cooler for drinks and snacks Binoculars PFD for dog More Resources Paddling.com Paddlingmag.com Canoe and Kayak Magazine Facebook groups Local outfitter groups

My guest this week is award winning radio and TV host Alan Taylor. Alan is a 30 + year veteran broadcaster and auto expert. He also hosts the popular Entrepreneur Weekly Podcast for Entrepreneur Magazine. He has worked with Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Inc. Magazine and Popular Science. He is a regular contributor to ABC’s “LIVE with Kelly & Ryan” as well as guest appearances on CBS, CNN, Fox News, NBC and the SPEED channel. I asked Alan to come on the show to talk about midsize SUV’s and lightweight trucks with a tow capacity of at least 5K pounds. I often see women who purchase an RV thinking that they can tow it with their existing vehicle. A lot of the times the numbers just don’t add up though. Perhaps it’s a 2000 pound trailer when empty and they want to tow it on their vehicle that has a tow rating of 2,500 pounds.I always encourage women to use no more than 80% of what their tow package allows for. I personally go much lower myself. Tune into the full podcast episode to hear Alan’s thoughts on what’s new in the automotive and towing world. You can listen to the podcast by clicking the arrow below. Ford Explorer has been redesigned and is coming out with a hybrid that will tow on battery power. It will be able to go 500 miles on a single tank of gas. It has three rows of seating, skylight roof and a towing capacity of 5.5K pounds. It boasts a 3.5 L engine with a V6 eco boost and 6 speed automatic transmission. Base price is 32K. https://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/models/“>https://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/models/ Toyota Highlander is also coming out with a Hybrid that will have a towing capacity of 5K pounds. I had the opportunity to see it at the NY Auto Show and it is sleek with a lot of technology upgrades including a 12.3 inch screen on the dashboard, built in Wifi, Sirius radio and Alexa. It has an incredible moon roof and beautiful exterior color choices. With that comes a 3.5 L V6 engine with an 8 speed automatic transmission. Starts at 35K. https://toyota.us/2WZvB6j The Dodge Durango was a favorite of mine. There was a lot of bang for your buck in this vehicle. It is larger than the mid size SUV’s and has over 130 cubic feet of storage on board. It has the 3.6 L V6 engine that many of them have but with an 8 speed automatic transmission. It had the lowest base price for the highest tow capacity starting at 29K. https://bit.ly/2RxWZHq Chevy Traverse had lots of great features. It towed 5K with a 3.6 L V6 engine. Was best in class for cargo capacity with 98.3 cubic feet. It gets 17 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway. It had three rows of seating and also a great roof skylight. Starting price of 34K. https://bit.ly/2FstNNm Alan was a big fan of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. For those with deep pockets it has a towing capacity of 7200 pounds. They offer a 5.7L V8 model that starts at 67K. https://bit.ly/2FtEzDa Lastly we chatted about the Volkswagon Atlas, a favorite of mine from the show. It had really impressive interior storage, a 3.6 L V6 engine with an 8 speed transmission, a tow package of 5K pounds and a starting price of 34K. It is a really attractive car with a lot of curb appeal. https://www.vw.com/models/atlas/section/overview/ Although so many of these sound like they have the same engine, same tow capacity and same overall styling, they offer many different features, colors, dashboards and exterior designs. The way a car feels when you are sitting in the drivers seat, the location of the radio dial, heat, fan button and phone are so important. I had my last truck for ten years and I bought it used. When I finally had to give it up I waited 5 months before I found one that “felt” right. I am including this link for more mid size SUV’s and hope you find one that not only feels right for you but gives you more than you need in towing power. https://www.tflcar.com/2018/06/best-midsize-suv-for-towing/

Did you know that a campground is a great place for non RV owners to learn about camping? Did you know that they are also a great place to host an event? Hip Homeschool Moms, Trish Corlew and Wendy Hilton recently took their followers on one of their Homeschool Road Trips to explore the World’s Longest Cave System at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Rather than the usual hotel arrangement they’ve used in the past for their HEART (Homeschool Enrichment Adventure Road Trips) trips, they chose Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park and Camp Resort near Mammoth Cave for their event. photo courtesy of NationalParks.gov On today’s show Hip Homeschool co-owner Wendy Hilton shares the experience her HEART group had on their trip to Mammoth Cave. They explored the caves and learned hands on about the geology and history of the World’s Largest Cave system which became a National Park in 1941. There are over 400 miles of explored caves at the Park including Crystal Onyx Cave, the Lost River Cave and the Diamond Caverns. In addition to the caves visitors can enjoy the American Cave Museum, The Corvette Museum which made headlines several years ago when a sink hole swallowed up eight collector Corvettes and The Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum. The HEART participants got to take in all of the sites and return each evening to compare notes with their fellow homeschool families all staying at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave. Photo courtesy of Jellystone Parks Campgrounds like Jellystone are a great place for non RVers to experience camping without renting an RV or buying any camping equipment. They are also a great place to host reunions, family gatherings, youth group conferences and group vacations. Jellystone offers many different cabin accommodations from simple cabins for two – four people to deluxe cabins with full kitchens, bathrooms and common living space to enjoy. There are many benefits for any group hosting a big event at a campground like Jelllystone: No need to rent an RV or even know how to camp Choose a cabin that fits your needs Control the budget by preparing your own meals Be part of the community but have a space of your own Bring your own linens and blankets and feel at home Enjoy all the activities at the park without having to leave the grounds Large gathering areas for group events Seasoned RVers and those new to camping can attend together While looking at the Jellystone site I realized that this park is not just for kids. Although it is geared toward family fun I thought it would make a great place to host a Girl Camper event. It looks like the perfect place to camp in September when the kids have gone back to school. I imagined a weekday trip where we could get our cardio in on the bouncy pillow, paddle the lake, and enjoy the water slides. We often say that Girl Camping is about “Making Girls Out of Women.” It’s about giving yourself permission to be a “girl” again and stop “adulting” for a few days. To lay on the grass and watch clouds roll by, to ride a bike with no hands, to dive into a pool without worrying about your hair, to walk to the camp store with your girlfriends and get ice cream! I think it’s time for me to revisit the National Park of Mammoth Cave where I spent my 12th birthday. This time though, rather than the no frills campground we stayed at, I think I’d like to stay at Jellystone and be 12 again.

On this weeks show I welcome returning guest, Sandy Newkirk. I first interviewed Sandy way back in Episode 12 of the podcast. Sandy and I met when she happened by my house on her way to a garage sale and saw me in my driveway working on my vintage camper. She pulled up and asked if it was for sale. I explained that I was a “Girl Camper” and used it to camp with other like minded women. She felt immediately that she was mysteriously led down my street to hear those words. I invited her over and indoctrinated her into our subculture of women going places and doing things in RV’s! I profiled her in a blog for Go RVing after she got established. Sandy took to RVing so thoroughly that she recently sold her home and 95% of her worldly possessions and purchased a 2019 Aktiv by Hymer. The Class B motor home would enable her to zip around much more easily than the Class C she had first imagined and it seemed like the easiest way to ease in to the life she had imagined. In March of 2019 Sandy left the driveways of her family and friends in New Jeresy and headed south. She has only been on the road for a few months but I wanted our campfire community here to take the journey with her so I invited her to come on the show and talk about life on the road “so far.” I was interested in hearing about the learning curve regarding the motor home, finding camping spaces, living in such a small space and being alone so much. Sandy shares all of that in today’s podcast! Shout out to Bankston Motor Homes today for sponsoring this episode! We always have a great time working with them. If you have not visited their Youtube channel, check it out here! Thanks as well to Camco! I want to share their bamboo table with all of you! I have lots of Camco goodies but this is one of my absolute favorite things!! I have two of them so I can put them together and make a table under the shade of my awning or I can separate them and use one as a coffee table between my chairs and the other as a bar or serving table. They only weigh eight pounds!!! Here are my two bamboo tables put together to create a dining space. I can seat six people at them together. I also use them separated and seat eight people.

Have you wondered if there’s a pecking order to setting up the RV once you arrive at the campground? Well, there is! Today I am going over the steps to help you make sure you don’t make a costly mistake but, before we cover that I want to chat for a minute about the whole backing in thing! If you’ve been at this for a while, please think back to your beginner days and remember the fear that once struck your heart at the mere thought of backing a trailer or motor home into a site. Bear with us for a minute while we encourage the newbies. For two years I only camped in pull through sites because I didn’t know what the he** I was doing! After several humiliating efforts at campgrounds I resolved to simply pay extra and stay in a pull through site. That all changed one day when my friend Salliane Brown offered, not to park it for me, but to walk me through the process using her method for backing in. Once I did it I was so proud of myself that I parked every Girl Campers trailer as she arrived for the weekend. I got it down and although I still have to pause at times and really think about what direction I want to turn the wheel, I very rarely need help getting backed in. I do make these few suggestions to those still on the learning curve though. Tips for overcoming the FOBI – Fear of Backing In Just give it the old college try. Each time we try, even if we don’t succeed, we have learned something. I joined a ladies golf team once and just couldn’t tee off straight to save my life. On the last week of play I stepped up to the tee box and for reasons I cannot understand, the swing all came together. Suddenly knees bent, elbows straight, head down, eye on the ball all came together at once and worked. The ball sailed straight down the green. It was a beautiful sight. It seems to happen this way with backing in too. Just keep trying. Get out of the tow vehicle and walk your site. Look for where the hook ups are; check for low hanging branches that might scrape your roof; see if the picnic table or fire ring are going to create a problem. When you are standing at the back of your site look at your rig and see if it is pulled up enough to make a tight turn into the space. Sometimes this is much clearer from the back of your site than it is from a side or rear view mirror. If you have tried and are getting frustrated and feeling low – ask for help. There’s no shame in that. What is a shame is staying home because you are not yet good at one aspect of RVing. Many times someone from the campground will help you and if that’s not the case, there is usually a Good Samaritan nearby to pitch in. Sometimes you don’t even have to ask, they will come out of the woods like woodland fairies and offer assistance. Only take direction from one person at a time. It seems that the fairies sometimes arrive in droves and they all want to assist together. There’s nothing helpful about three different people set up at three separate angles all chiming in together. Just concentrate on one persons directions and tune the others out. Once you have arrived at the site: First check to see where your hook ups are. It’s an awful feeling that I have personally experienced when you are all unhitched and stabilized and you go to plug in your water or electric and you are too far away from the hookups. The sewer hose is normally the shortest so check to make sure you will be able to reach it from the spot you have chosen to put your RV in. Check to see if your RV is level left to right. It can be off a little bit and not bother you but if it is higher on the door side that will could mean you are sleeping at a slight downward angle if your bed is set up with the head on the opposite wall. I use the Camco Leveling Blocks to raise mine when necessary. Put your wheel chocks in place. Even if your site seems level, even a small slope backwards can cause your trailer to roll when you lift it off the hitch. Because a trailer is so heavy, it can pick up momentum pretty quickly. I place a front and back chock on my tires as soon as I have finished leveling the RV from side to side. I use the Camco Chocks. Unhitch from the tow vehicle. Unhook the chains, disconnect the seven way switch and brake away switch, remove the safety pin from the coupler and unlatch the coupler. Raise the tongue jack until the coupler clears the hitch ball and then pull your tow vehicle forward. Level the trailer front to back by raising or lowering the tongue jack. Once it is level, drop the stabilizing jacks. I normally put my stabilizing jacks down on blocks of wood or the leveling blocks. Do not use the stabilizing jacks to level the trailer. They are not designed for that. Connect water, electric and sewer if you’re camping with full hook ups. I start with the electric by plugging in my Camco Power Defender which will protect my RV’s electrical system in case of a power surge but will a

Do you love the roar and crackle of a good campfire? Are you mesmerized by the flickering lights, glowing embers and radiating warmth? I’ve got some tips on building the perfect campfire! Ingredients  Tinder or fire starters Kindling Dry hardwoods Rake Ring Fan or bellows Fireplace gloves or tongs Lighter Start by preparing your ring or stone circle. Remove old debris and rake around the outside of your ring to make sure that any combustible materials are away from the ring. Good campfires get going by using three levels of materials that burn. Tinder is the fastest burning material and it is used to ignite the kindling. Kindling burns slower than tinder and long enough to get the hardwood larger logs started. Tinder – You can forage the forest floor for dried leaves, pine straw, pine cones and very small dry twigs. You need really dry material that will burn up quickly. I usually use balled up newspaper to which I add homemade fire starters that will burn longer than newspapers or twigs. A well made fire starter made with a wax base will burn for several minutes, long enough to get the kindling burning well. If you are not using fire starters you may want to invest in a set of bellows to fan the flames. Kindling – Kindling is the medium sized wood that is used to ignite the hard wood logs. It can be fallen branches found on the ground, scrap wood from home improvement projects or slices of hardwood cut off the larger logs with an axe. Hardwood logs – Most campgrounds sell seasoned, dried hardwood for campfires. Most states have restrictions on bringing wood in from out of state locations. These regulations have to do with an effort to control the spread of insects that ravage certain species of trees and should be strictly observed. Tinder is in the center of the fire surrounded by kindling and topped off with the hardwoods. There are a few ways to stack the hardwoods to get your fire going. The teepee style, the log cabin and the upside down. I prefer the log cabin to the teepee which collapses as soon as the kindling is burned up and can smother the fire out. Once the large logs are burning you can add more large logs without having to use additional kindling and tinder. A pair of fire gloves is handy to move wood around. Photo credit: Camping With Gus Fire starters are easy to make at home and I like to make them in big batches on a rainy day and give them as gifts. A new one I have recently begun making from paper bags basically eliminates the need for tinder. It’s tinder and a fire starter all in one. Cut lunch bags about 2/3 of the way down the bag. Open the bag and put it in an aluminum pan. Cut the paper into strips and make them into paper “nests.” I make the “nests” by opening the strips and placing them on my wrist like a bracelet. When I have a pile I slide them off and ball them up. Shaving old candles with a potato peeler allows me to work with wax that is not hot. I first place wax in the bottom of the bag and then add the paper nests. I top that with more curled ribbon wax and place them in the oven on 300 degrees for about ten minutes. When they come out the wax has melted into the paper and I tie them up with twine and store them in a plastic box. Collecting Wax I buy old candles at garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores. The Dollar Store has some great bargains on ten packs of wax candles. I ask the ‘church ladies’ who clean the church to save the candle stubs for me. It’s a higher quality wax that doesn’t smoke or smell. I save all the old birthday candles, gouda cheese wrappers and candle stubs from holiday table settings and use them for these projects. Melting the Wax You can use an old aluminum small sauce pan, preferably with two handles. You place it in the oven on 300 until it’s all melted. You can just let the leftovers solidify in the pan and reheat it the next time you make starters. Disposable aluminum pans are a great way to melt and remelt wax. Place them in the oven on 300 until the wax is melted. You will need to use two or even three pans together to get enough rigidity to keep the pan from twisting when you take it out of the oven. The downfall for this method and the old sauce pan is that once they are removed from the oven they begin to harden up and you need to keep placing them back in the oven. Buy an old crock pot at a flea market or thrift store and designate it for this purpose only. It’s best to buy a small one because you need a lot of wax to fill a large one. I melt the wax on high and then turn it on warm while dipping my starters. The wax stays melted on the warm setting. A smaller crock pot is best so that the wax can be deep in the pot and dipping is easier. Other household things you can use for fire starters.  Brown paper from packages. I cut it into strips, dip it in the wax and twist it into a bow. Corrugated cardboard from frozen pizzas, packing

Have you found the perfect trailer but are afraid to pull the trigger because it has a wet bath? Are you imagining sloppy pools of water on everything and mold incubating on the walls? Think again. RV’s with wet baths can keep a trailers weight down significantly and give you added floor space where you really want it. Here are a few of the tips I’ve employed in my RV wet bath. Keeping Towels Dry  Put towels up high by creating a shelf out of spring rods. You can create a shelf with two spring rods on the bottom and one across to hold towels and products in place. Hang your towels on spring rods and then use another spring rod for a shower curtain to go over them when showering. Hang wire baskets high on the wall and put shower supplies and rolled up towels in them. Keeping Other Things Dry Put toilet paper in plastic container Photo credit: Outdoorsoul.net Make spring rod shelf for shampoo, bath gel and shower items Use a bamboo mat to keep your drying off towel from dropping into any pooled water on shower floor   A bamboo mat let’s you dry off without standing in undrained water caused by an RV that’s not perfectly level. Consider an adjustable shower rod to store things   Image courtesy of Wayfair Solutions in a Wet Bath Hang a rod across shower wall and hang baskets or cans from it for storage. Mount a shower shampoo, conditioner and body gel dispenser.   A wall mounted shower dispenser lets you do away with bottles and is easy to refill. Keep cleaning supplies in a caddy between toilet and wall. Use large Command hooks to hang towels from after the shower. Have a squeegee in the shower and remove water from walls as soon as you are done showering. Use a microfiber towel to get any excess water left behind. Turn on overhead fan after each shower.      

My Favorite RV Kitchen Hacks  I want my RV kitchen to do everything my home kitchen does and I am always scouring for RV kitchen tips because it has to do all of that in 10% of the space. Here are a few of my favorites!! Magnetic Knife Holder – Chef style magnetic knife holders have so many uses in a camper. In the kitchen they can be used to store knives obviously but also to hang other things from. I love the idea of old soup cans on the kitchen magnet holding the potato peeler, wooden spoon and can opener. It would also make a nice place to stash a few wildflowers picked on your hike.   Baby Food Jar Spice Rack – courtesy of Coach Vaughn    Old school baby food jars are a great way to store spices in an easy to grab way. You will need a magnetic strip under the cabinet to hang them from. You can also buy empty food jars with metal lids on Amazon for this purpose.   Stackable Food Containers – are a great way to save space, keep food fresh and find what you are looking for in a hurry! They can be costly but are worth the investment. Stackable food containers can be purchased at Home Goods, The Container Store and through Amazon.   Tension Rods are a great way to create storage space in a cabinet for hard to store things. When installed vertically they can define a space for serving plates, cutting boards, and cookie sheets. Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart. Sink Basin – Camco makes a kitchen kit that has a small basin, drying rack and sink mat all in one set. I use the basin within my sink and fill it half way with hot soapy water in the morning. Rather than running the water each time I have an item to wash I drop knives, plates and coffee mugs in it all day. Before I start dinner I add some hot water to it and clean up the days dishes all at once. When I am boon docking this is a great way to conserve water. Shelf liner – Shelf liner has so many purposes in an RV. You can use it to keep your pots and pans from sliding around in a cabinet while you are driving. You can cut it into small squares and layer it between your stacked plates to keep them in place. You can use small squares on the counter top under a cutting board or mixing bowl to keep them from sliding around while you are preparing food. You can use the Gorilla Grip under your bench cushions to keep them from sliding off the bench seat each time you get up or down.  The   Cabinet door storage –  You can make good use of the inside of a cabinet door in an RV to maximize storage.  Here are some great ideas from One Crazy House on ways to organize with magazine racks. I use the inside of mine for a message center by placing an inexpensive white board there to record my tow vehicle and RV tire PSI. It’s easy to forget the number and then I don’t have to look it up each time. It’s also a great place to write down your grocery list. You can screenshot it to your phone when you go to the store. The back of the cabinet door can hold cutting boards, serving trays, foil, saran wrap and parchment paper in magazine holders fastened to the door back. You can apply hooks there for towels, grilling utensils and pot holders.   Refrigerator door – You can pull out the plastic on your RV fridge door by removing the top piece of trim and removing the face front. once it has been removed you can swap it out for a metal insert and use it as a magnetic message board. You can also paint it a different color or cover it in removable wallpaper or with stickers. Painting it with chalk board paint is a good way to use it as a message center and for RV art!! Here’ a great tutorial from Clover House Blog. Another way to add character and style is to apply a pretty vintage metal tray to the fridge door. You can also DIY a new cookie sheet with pretty paper and put that up for magnets and notes. I secured mine with Command strips.      

On this weeks show I am walking you through the basics of matching your tow vehicle to your RV. I am breaking down and defining the terms associated with towing safety.  I’m also laying out the formula used to determine what size RV can be safely towed by what sized tow vehicle. Some terms we hear discussed at RV dealerships and on social media groups dedicated to RVing are below. It’s a good idea for those new to towing to familiarize themselves with these terms. GVWR – Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This number indicates the maximum amount of weight that can be carried in that RV. This would be fully loaded. It is what the industry has determined through federal guidelines that the frame, and axle, and wheels can accommodate. It is a federal law that each RV or travel trailer that leaves a factory must have this number in the left front corner of the outside of the trailer on a non removable plate.  UVW – Unloaded Vehicle Weight. This is sometimes referred to as the dry weight. When a travel trailer leaves the factory it is individually weighed. The weight for that trailer is connected to its vin number and is specific to that individual trailer. You can have two trailers made the same day at the same plant that will have two different UVW ratings. It depends on the options that are put on them. An awning on a trailer can weigh a lot. An added 30 # propane tank can add another 25 pounds empty –  54#’s when it’s full. Also keep in mind that if you bring that trailer home and do modifications to it before you put one thing in it, every modification you make adds to your UVW. CCC- Cargo Carrying Capacity. This number is also on the label in the left front corner of your RV. It can also sometimes be found on the inside of the door. This number tells you how much weight you can add to your RV when you’re packing it. The CCC on my Liberty Outdoors Max is 660 pounds. The axle and the tires are not rated to carry more than this amount of added weight.  GVWR – UVW = CCC The GVWR on my Max trailer is 3800 pounds. When I deduct the 3,140 pound UVW (or the dry weight as some people like to say), I arrive at the number 660 which is my Cargo Carrying Capacity. This simply means I cannot put more than 660 pounds of stuff in my trailer. Tongue weight – the downward force that the tongue of the trailer exerts on the hitch that is connected to the vehicle. … Experts agree that an acceptable tongue weight for any trailer is somewhere between 9 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight.  Your tow vehicle also has ratings that you need to be aware of.  There are three numbers to concern yourself with in your tow vehicle.  Your tow vehicle also has a GVWR which can be found on the door jam or the door itself on your tow vehicle. This number reflects the maximum amount of weight that vehicle can have in total. It’s made up of the weight of the vehicle itself, what’s in it and the tongue weight of anything it’s pulling.  The Cargo Carrying Capacity number is also listed on the door. That’s how much stuff you put in your tow vehicle.  The UVR or dry weight, is what it weighs empty but with a small amount added for gas. This number is a little trickier to find. You can find it in your owners manual. You can also get that number by taking your gross vehicle weight rating and deducting your cargo carrying capacity. That will give you a number close to what your vehicle weighs dry. There is one last number to concern yourself with and it’s called the GCWR. This number reflects the total of the GVWR for your tow vehicle and the RV together. It is the maximum allowable combination of your tow vehicle, its passengers and cargo combined with the weight of the RV and its cargo. This rating is set by the vehicle manufacturer. I got this number from my owners manual but you can also get it from a website. At this website you put in your Vin number and all the details about your vehicle will come up including the gross combined weight rating.  It’s important to understand these terms and adhere to these guidelines. If you don’t have the power needed to get up to speed quickly or you’re overloaded on pin weight and start swaying, serious things can happen. I hope this gave you a good general overview of these terms and the importance of towing below the maximum ratings. On next weeks show I am going to be talking about SUVs with the towing capacity of 5000 pounds. These vehicles come in well below most trucks but a step above the 3500 pounds that have so many people towing right on the edge. A good resource for more detailed information on this subject is the RV Safety and Education Foundation.  

On today’s show I am sharing the results of my online survey asking Girl Campers for their favorite things they won’t camp without. There were so many things that I decided to just start with their favorite kitchen things. Whether you Camp Like a Girl with all the comforts of home or go with a simpler style you will probably find something here that you want to take with you. Ice Maker – An indulgence for sure but one that I have learned to love. It’s great having ice on demand and not worrying about whether the campground is out of it. I know I will always have it for a cool drink. I have the Igloo version but there are lots out there varying in price from $89 to $150. I set mine up as soon as I arrive and fill it with jug water. As the ice is made I put it in zip lock bags and store it in the freezer. I always have enough to share! Blackstone Grill – Everyone is talking about the Blackstone Grill and I have resisted this purchase so far but I see what the buzz is all about. These grills offer a lot of great options for outdoor enthusiasts and home BBQ enthusiasts. They come in many different sizes. You can adjust the temperature on different sides of the grill so you can have a lower temperature keeping food warm on one side while cooking something at a higher temperature on the other side. You can cook several different foods at one time so you can do pancakes, eggs and bacon all on one unit. Less pans to clean. You season them like a cast iron pan and like cast iron they get better with time. It has a grease collection system that makes cleaning up easy. I normally camp alone or in small groups but think this would be just the ticket for big Girl Camper events and parties at home. I like that it is available portable models and I could use it at home as well as the campground. French Press Coffee Maker – So many people brought up the French Press. It’s great for boon docking and camping with hooks ups as well. A French Press allows you to make coffee to your taste and can be used to steep loose tea and herbs as well. They can be a bit of a pain to clean because you don’t want those coffee grounds going down the RV plumbing system but when making coffee for one or two it’s just the ticket. French Presses are always available at thrift shops too so you can give them a try without making a big investment. Coffee Carafe – Those Grandma things that our mothers always used for company or to put the leftover coffee in on a Sunday morning are making a comeback with Girl Campers. I used one when I had my vintage trailer that did not have a hot water heater. I would heat up water in the morning for my French Press and then put the extra in the Urn to save for later when I wanted to have a cup of tea or an instant oatmeal. It was also handy to have to wash my hands in warm water or wash a few dishes. They are also always at thrift stores for a few bucks so you can see if you’d like it without busting the bank. Our Girl Camper friend, Yvonne Artis from Texas bought one and customized it to match her trailer by coloring over the 1990’s pattern with permanent Magic Markers!! Brilliant! Clever Dripper Coffee Maker – This is a great way to “brew” coffee in a drip system. This is a mug top funnel that you add a filter to and the amount of coffee grounds that you like to get the depth of flavor you like. The difference between this drip system and others is that the holes in the bottom of the funnel are small and that allows the water to steep the grounds longer. I have a Melita that the water runs through so quickly that I put it through twice to get a strong enough cup of coffee out of it. The clean up with these is a lot better than the French Press to because you just gather the ends of the filter and throw it and the grounds away and then just rinse the funnel. Costs about $25. Electric water kettle – A big favorite with Girl Campers is the electric water kettle. If you are camping in a vintage trailer without all of the upgrades or are a dedicated tent camper this is a great tool to have around. When I am rustic camping and using a shower bag at a state park I love not relying on catching the temps at just the right time for a warm shower. I fill my shower bag about 1/3 full with hot water and top it off with cold until it’s just right for a shower. It’s also great for filling a hot water bottle, washing dishes in warm water and making coffee in a French Press. Even if you have a camper with all the bells and whistles this is a great way to boil water quickly and not use your propane heating up water the slow way. Lots of the Girl Campers love this model made by Smeg, a European company that makes beautiful retro styled appliances. They make a great toaster too!! Kind of pricey but special. I’ve got a $20 one from Amazon. Does the trick but not nearly as pretty!! Jet Boil made the list with our tent cam

On this week’s show I am highlighting some of my favorite new gear. It’s time to clean out the camper and find a spot for all the new gear, gizmos and gadgets. Out of the Box Camping is a quarterly subscription box delivered to your door for campers, glampers and RV enthusiasts. If you buy the annual subscription you can get your box with shipping included for $46.25. I think this is a great gift to give yourself or a camping buddy. I love surprises and with this box you not only get a great RV gear but you get treated to a surprise 4 times a year. Anything you don’t love, you can regift to a friend. You can get a discount of $5 off your first order by using the coupon code: Girlcamper Haul Guage “measures tongue weight, pin weight, payload, and gross combined weight in real-time with an OBD-II connector that communicates wirelessly via Bluetooth with an app on your iPhone or Android device.” It’s a great way to get the information you want about your tow vehicle and trailer each time you use it. Most people take a different amount of geat depending on where they are going, how long they will be there and what they plan to do there. Adding a canoe, mountain bike or generators to your rig can really add a lot of weight. It’s also a great way to get a measurement if you don’t live near a scale. It costs $99 on Amazon and can be swithched from vehicle to vehicle. Smart Bottle Inc. introduced the Wolverine Collapsible Water Carrier for camping and outdoors. These new containers are compact, collapsible, BPA free and durable. They are cost effective and come in several different sizes. The one gallon jug sells for $6.95!! Last year when I traveled to Colorado to boondock I had a lot of one gallon hard shelled water bottles in the back of my truck that I kept refilling. What I like about these jugs is that once they are empty they fold flat. They also have upped the design on them offering handles on both ends for easier pouring and grommets on the top and bottom to hang and connect them. I got the one gallon and 2.5 gallon jugs with the pour spouts. Oxx Box is a heavy duty coffee maker made for those who drink coffee in the rugged outdoors at camps or construction sites. It’s a single serve pot that works will all K cups so each person can choose their own blend. The machine is designed for heavy duty use. It has a cruxh proof chassis with a 1500 pound load rating. It can accomodate 8, 10, and 12 oz cups as well as adjust to fill a thermos. It preheats in 30 seconds and brews a cup of coffee in 70 seconds. It’s weather and dust reisitant and has an 85 oz capacity water tank as well as a handle on the top for carrying it around. It also has an integrated carbon water filter and a three foot long retractable cord. When I consider that I just ditched my second Kurig I think this is a great value. I am usually the one serving breakfast at my site and I think this will really hold up! It sells for $229 and has an optional carrying bag for an additonal $69. Seed Geek Company is a Non GMO seed company started by a husband and wife duo that became interested in organic seeds when they started researching where their food came from. They started growing their own food and then began selling seeds to others. As they expanded their business they began offering organic non chemical solutions for health care products. Their Bug Off bar is not only beautiful but its made from mango butter, beeswax and sunflower oil with essential oils that repel insects. The bar is a nice size and comes in an easy to open tin container. They also sell other essential oil bars in little tins that are great for gifts, your pocketbook and your nightstand!! It sells for $5.95 and smells fantastic. Spot X is a two way satellite messenger that allows you to get and receive messages while you are in remote places. This has a lot of great features. It allows you to send an SOS in the event of an emergency which is recieved by a 24/7 search and rescue center. You would be able to message back and forth with the emergency resources and confirm that help is on the way. The device gives off a signal so you can be found. It also allows you to communicate with other hikers on the same trail as you. You can use it to check in and let your loved ones or hiking partners know that you have safely arrived at your destination. It’s also a social media tool that allows you to post to your accounts from your trip. There is an annual contract required with a service agreement. I wish they had this when my son was hiking the AT. He still would not have thought he needed it but I would have felt better. Spot X sells for $241 on Amazon. Country Archer Jerky was founded in 1977 and produces the best organic jerky out there (my opinion)! I met these folks at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver and loved their product. I think Jerky is a great source of protein to have in my RV or in my car on a road trip.

Are you ready to shake off winter and get that camper ready to roll? Mark Polk is here today to talk about projects you can do yourself to get the camper ready for this season’s camping adventures. Mark is the founder of RV Education 101 and an industry expert on safety, maintenance and RV repairs. There are a lot of RV maintenance projects you can do and Mark provides great tutorials and videos to encourage and instruct us. I asked Mark about five things that I normally do myself and he gave me his tips on doing them correctly. Mark has more Spring Checks below so be sure to check them out. Five Spring Rv checks to do before your first trip. Battery – Assuming that you properly stored your battery at the end of the season these tips will help you make it ready for the coming season. If you left it over the winter without a trickle charge on it and it dropped below fifty percent, it may need to be replaced. Be sure to watch Marks whole video on battery maintenance in the at the bottom of the page. Check to make sure it’s charged. Recharge it to capacity if you didn’t do so over the winter. Add water if necessary. Mark has a video for that below. Check all of the connections to make sure they’re secure and don’t have corrosion. Clean up any corrosion or dirt on the battery. When working around batteries be sure to wear safety gloves and goggles. Tires – Your tires are arguably the most important part of your RV. They carry you and your possessions safely to where you are going. If they are over or under inflated, have excessive wear or are not rated to carry the weight of your trailer you could cause a serious accident and injure yourself and others. Beheck for loss of air over the storage period. They could lose 3-10 percent per month. Check the tire pressure with an accurate gauge. Tires can lose air at a rate of 3-10 percent per month. Add air to the manufacturers specifications. Check the tire tread. Don’t forget the spare tire. Check the lug nuts. Vents – Be sure to check the appliance vents on the outside of your RV. Bugs are drawn to the odor of propane exhaust and sneak in the vent areas to build nests. Check the latches on your vents to make sure they are all working. Replace or repair as necessary. Remove any nesting or bugs you find inside by thoroughly vacuuming the area. Replace any broken panel covers. Some RVers suggest placing a pet flea and tick collar in the vent area to discourage bugs. RV Water System – After you have dewinterized your RV, there is a simple way to sanitize the tanks for the coming season. Check for leaks. Mark has some simple tips in his video for making sure your RV lines are not leaking. Sanitize the system with lots of fresh water and everyday bleach. Mark recommends a formula of 1/4 cup for every 15 gallons the tank holds. After the bleach is placed in the tanks, run the water until you smell bleach coming from each faucet including the shower, bathroom sink and outdoor faucet. Let the solution sit for at least 12 hours. Drain the bleach water and replace it with fresh water. Run all of the faucets again until you don’t smell bleach. Replace all of the water filters. Trailer Hitch and Components Start by familiarizing yourself with all of the components of the hitch again. Check all components for loose or rusted hardware or broken welds. Make sure all of the nuts, bolts and pins are in good condition. Inspect the hitch ball, the ball mount, the weight distribution bars and the sway control prior to towing the trailer. Inspect the hitch receiver on the tow vehicle for any loose hardware or broken welds. If you have a motor home and tow a touring vehicle, inspect the tow bar and all towing components. More great RV Tips from Mark https://rv101withmarkpolk.com/2019/03/22/diy-rv-spring-checks/ Check out and subscribe to Mark’s YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr07PuhvRdo Photos by Mark and Dawn Polk

On this weeks show I am sharing all the details of our Fly and Drive vacation to parts warm! We left cold and snowy New Jersey with temps in the 30’s and flew to warm and sunny LA. Once there we picked up a Class C Motorhome that we rented from El Monte RV in Van Nuys, California. We were in deep need of sun but also in need of a camping fix. Our trailer had been parked in the driveway for over four months and it would be at least another six weeks before it would be safe to de-winterize it. Our niece  was getting married in Palm Springs, California the first weekend in March and I had a big RV industry event in Salt Lake City, Utah the third week in March. I could fly home and go back 10 days later or, I could rent an RV, get a camping fix and get some sun. I’d never been in this part of the country before and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore it by RV without having to spend five days driving there. The 25’ Four Winds we rented had a great floor plan and was a 2018 with only 25k miles on it. I contacted El Monte in Van Nuys, California to ask if I could do a one way rental, picking it up in LA and dropping it off in Salt Lake City. Although it is not an option at all of their 20 locations across the country, it was available from Van Nuys to Salt Lake City for around $850 for ten days. I have never driven a Class C before so I decided I wanted the smallest and least complicated model available. I chose the 25′ Thor Four Winds without any slide outs. It had a rear bed with a cab over bunk for extra sleeping and a booth that folded down to create an additional bed. The swivel chair was a favorite spot for my husband. He claimed it as his official chair! When we first pulled into the Van Nuys location there were several motor homes parked up front. We noticed a sign hanging from the rear view mirror on one of them that read, “Vacation Ready – Pettit!!” and boy, were they correct! We were vacation ready! The pick up went very smoothly and we were at the location less than 90 minutes. We watched a 20 minute video on the motor homes systems which I recorded on my phone just in case we needed reminding. All of the systems were very similar to my travel trailer and we never needed to revisit the video. The staff was great and had all the paperwork ready ahead of time. We opted to take out an insurance policy with our agent from home before we got there and we saved a lot of money by doing that. The El Monte policy was $30 per day. We were planning a ten day trip so that would have added up. Our agent wrote us a policy for the ten days for $35.00. After all of the paperwork was done the El Monte rep took us out to our unit and walked us through all of the systems showing us how to operate everything! We left with total confidence. I thought the greeting on the rear view mirror was such a nice touch! El Monte offers a convenience kit for a small additional fee but we opted to bring our own sheets, pillowcases, towels, table cloth, dish towels and blanket along with dinner service for two with cutlery and minimal cooking utensils. We purchased a coffee pot, frying pan, some tupperware, plastic cups that we rewashed and used over and over and four pillows from Target. We spent less than $50 on those items and the items we brought from home were all in a carry on that we didn’t pay an additional airline fee for. I loved having my own sheets, blanket and pillow cases. It felt very homey and immediately made me feel like I was in “my” RV. Having our own linens really made us feel at home. I’ve had this checked table cloth at many camp outs. I was a little nervous about driving something so big but wasn’t on the road for more than five miles when I realized that it’s just a big truck. I drive an F150 as my daily ride and use it as my tow vehicle. It didn’t feel much different than my own truck. We thought that it might be a hassle to have to use it for everything since we were not towing a touring car behind us but it actually wasn’t. The opposite was true. It was very simple to unplug and hit the road with each morning. We were lucky enough to catch the Super Bloom at Joshua Tree National Park. You have to go to the south entrance to catch it. When we toured Joshua Tree National Park we loved being able to pull over at the rest stop and make lunch, use the rest room and take a power nap before continuing our tour of the park. Normally when I hit the wall halfway through a tourist day, I just want to get back to my campsite and be able to put my feet up. With the motor home I was able to take advantage of more things in one day. Taken at Keys View overlook in Joshua Tree National Park. You can see the whole valley from here including Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Coachella. Since our niece got married in Palm Springs we decided to stay there an explore that area first and then move on to Las Vegas. We left our Air B and B where

Most people think of the Ford Ranger as that old, small, white truck that service industries used for a fleet vehicle. The cable guys truck. The pest control guy. Your local plumber. The Ranger was everywhere you looked from it’s debut in 1987 until production stopped in 2011. The truck was small, practical and inexpensive. Ford has brought back the Ranger and it is NOT your light duty, clean up the back yard, truck anymore. This mid size truck has a EPA estimated MPG of 21/26 city and highway, seating for 4-5 and offers and a starting price of $24,300. Ford has also created an off road adventure version of the new Ranger that Girl Campers and any outdoor adventurer that wants a smaller truck with great MPG will be sure to love. It offers a 2.3 liter turbo charged four cylinder engine that will provide horsepower of 270. The Ranger has a gas engine that in testing has shown the best MPG of all the mid sized gas powered rivals. With an added tow package the Ranger can tow 7,500 pounds and has a payload of 1,860 pounds. To hear more about the new Ford Ranger tune into today’s podcast interview with Chad Collandar from Ford.

On this week’s show I am chatting with friends and co founders of the Road Trip Mojo site about the music festival scene and Rving. These two things go hand in hand and Jeff Zbar and Barry Bluth have a love for both. They’ve combined that love to create a website that helps fellow music and Rving aficionados find the festivals, navigate the best ways to get there and introduce us to those in the know. I first met Barry and Jeff at the Florida RV Show two years ago. They are both from Florida and follow the RV scene as closely as the music scene. They were at the show exploring the many new RV’s available and stopped by the Liberty Outdoors booth where I was showing off my Max trailer. I was hooked on their site the minute I logged on. First, I love their tag line, “camping with a better playlist,” and I am giving them the completely worthless “Best in Show” award from Girl Camper for the “Best RV Influencer Tag Line.” The line to me reveals their low key attitude about enjoying life, camping, music, people, and the journey. Exactly the kind of people I like to travel with. Jeff and his wife Robbie getting in the festival spirit!! Jeff is a writer, entrepreneur, and pioneer for the work from home movement. He just celebrated 30 years of employment from his office off the kitchen. He and his wife are almost empty nesters looking forward to that light at the end of the parenting tunnel that so many of us Rvers longing to travel more have focused on. Barry (r) with musician Shaw Davis at the Bacon and Blues Fest. Barry by contrast is a dentist in a busy practice with a few more years to go before he can dig in for more RV travel. He lives in south Florida in a beautiful home on the water, enjoys cooking, and camps in a BIG and beautiful Fifth Wheel. He’s come a long way from his and Jeff’s first music festival in a borrowed tent. Jeff and Robbie Zbar’s Freedom Express RV that has a great outdoor kitchen perfect for festival life. To hear more of Barry and Jeff’s story on today’s podcast, click on the arrow below. An epic picture from Lockn Festival 2018. Photo: Road Trip Mojo Check out Road Trip Mojo for great festivals, interviews and tips for navigating the best camp sites.

Have you ever dreamed a really big dream? A dream that wouldn’t make sense to most people? Have you ever thought of just chucking it?  Quitting your job, selling your house, retiring early and hitting the road for a year or two?  Leslie Abbott of southern California did and within one year of dreaming the dream, she made it happen. She retired early, sold her house and bought a Class C motor home and set out to see the country and connect with old friends. Leslie’s Minnie Winnie and her tow car at Yosemite. She’s on today’s podcast talking about what propelled the dream, the steps she took to make it happen, the obstacles along the way both and how she overcame them. Life is good for Leslie in her new home on wheels. Leslie has now been on the road for nine months. Long enough to have some wisdom about the full time RV lifestyle. She’s learning about her rig along the way and herself as well. Leslie chose her model because she wanted to be able to have company. Two weeks after setting out Leslie had her first guests. Her parents  flew from North Carolina to the southwest to meet her and fulfill their dream of seeing the Grand Canyon. It gave Leslie great pleasure to host her parents at the Grand Canyon and see her Dad fulfill a lifelong dream of seeing it. She ventured north from there enjoying time with her sister and one of her nephews in the Ice Fields of Canada. Leslie is not traveling with a strict itinerary but rather a general idea of when she’d like to be by a certain time. When she left California she knew she wanted to spend the fall in New England and she did. The Bay of Fundy at low tide.   In Central Park with her nephew Will. To hear Leslie’s interview you can click the arrow below.      

Are you stuck in analysis paralysis? Have you seen so many RV’s that you can no longer remember which one had the Murphy bed and which was the bunkhouse? There comes a time when you have to take all the spreadsheets, pros and cons and checklists and just PICK ONE before you miss out on another season of camping!! Here’s one more checklist to help you choose the right RV for you. . Tips for Choosing an RV Determine if you are going with a towable or a motor home. They each have their pros and cons and the decision will be different for everyone. A travel trailer allows you to have a touring vehicle available once you have unhitched and set up. A motor home will require you to break camp or tow a vehicle behind you to get around in once you have arrived but the travel itself is so luxurious. There’s also safety advantages to a motor home that are important to many solo women travelers. Being able to pull away without leaving your vehicle if you ever felt unsafe is a big plus to many women. The first step in pulling the trigger to your RV dream is to decide which type of RV best suits you. Decide which type of RVing you’re most likely to be doing. Do you want to boondock for long periods of time in remote places with no hook ups or access to water? If so you are going to want to be looking at units with large holding tanks, battery and generator power and solar panels to boost your ability to stay off the grid longer. If your plan is to resort camp at full hook up campgrounds for a few weekends a year, you may be happy with an entry level RV that keeps you cool in the heat and warm in the cold. What are your kitchen, sleeping and bathroom needs? Do you love to cook? You are going to want to pay close attention to the available prep space, cabinet storage and refrigerator size in the kitchen of the RV you are considering. It’s also important to think about how many you want your RV to sleep. Will you use it alone or as a couple? Do you want the ability to host guests? Do you want a walk around bed or are you okay with a bed against the wall? Lastly, think about the bathroom. Do you prefer a three piece unit with a separate shower or can you live with a wet bath? Pay attention to the ventilation and lighting in the bathroom too. Many units have skylights and ceiling fans that make the bathrooms easier to keep mold free. Pay attention to the kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area of the trailer and make sure it will meet your needs. Set a budget. Be sure to include the cost of annual maintenance, storage, insurance and purchase taxes in the price. Also include any upgrades you will need to make to your tow vehicle for weight distribution hitches, tow packages or lighting. Another budget component to add would be any after market products that you might want to purchase. Solar panels, tankless hot water heaters and keyless entries are a few common RV upgrades. Become an investigator. After you have narrowed down your choice, get online and start getting user feedback. Search the internet for user groups, chat rooms, and articles on the model that you are leaning toward. Check out the YouTube users for videos on the use and any problems the unit might have. It’s also a great place to see what modifications the owners are making. Consider renting one first from Outdoorsy or from a rental company. It could cost several hundred dollars to do this but could save you thousands if the weekend rental reveals that the bathroom, kitchen or floor plan is something that in realty is not practical for the style of camping you plan on doing. Go to RV shows and rallies and look at the different models in person. Lay on the bed, spin around in the kitchen and pretend you’re showering in the bathroom. Make sure you can use the unit comfortably. Choose a reputable dealer to buy from. Don’t let price be the sole factor in deciding where you will buy. Check out the online reviews of different dealerships and see what customers are saying. Look at their social media presence is like. If they have no online presence ask them why? Find out how many bays they have in their service department, what the wait is like to get a unit in for service and if they take their customers ahead of those with RV’s that were not purchased there. Ask what will be covered on pick up day. How long will the walk through take? Will you be allowed to video tape it? Pay attention to how you were treated when you first came in to browse? Were you greeted immediately? Before they showed you any units, did they listen to you and ask questions about what you wanted? Be aware that you can sometimes find a dealer that will sell you the unit at a lower price but they may not have the reputation or the ability to service it quickly. Decide on new or used. RV show season is a great time to get a great deal on a model you like but don’t discount the used RV either. Buying used from a reputable dealer allows the bu

On this weeks show we are talking about keeping those camping resolutions. I polled the Girl Campers on line to see if they had made any Camping Resolutions for the New Year. They sure did and here are the top six and a few tips for helping to keep them. So many people said that camping more often was a goal for 2019. Sitting around a campfire with friends, new and old, is always at the top of my list of favorite things to do. #6 – So many people want to attend more music festivals. That’s a good thing for sure and I have just the right people to help you out here. Follow along with my friends at Road Trip Mojo. Barry and Jeff are buddies whose families indulge their love of music and RVing and sometimes even join them. They combined their love of camping and their love of music and created an outlet for those who want to “camp with a better playlist!” They’ve got a great blog full of festivals, tips and their favorite venues. Check them out if you were one of the Girl Campers making music festivals a resolution for 2019. #5 Camp with Dogs – So many camp with dogs and it is a topic we’ve covered before. In Episode 39 of the podcast I covered Camping Etiquette with Your Dog. You can listen to that here. Also always travel with your dogs records, any medicine you may need, extra towels and blankets, a way to secure the dog at your site and always have an ID tag on your pet. Even if you have treated your dog for ticks, always check for ticks after a hike. #4 Boondock More. I covered the big Boondocking Experiment last season in Episode 135. I tricked my husband into camping without hook ups and told all about it! You can listen here. Other great boondocking outlets to check out are Boondock.org. – a great site created by Andrew Koransky a self professed frugal camper who shares his tips for free camping and much more. Also check out We’re the Russo’s. Kait and Joe Russo made their way to the nomadic life in 2015 by purchasing a Class B motorhome. Along the way they learned a lot and created some great YouTube content along the way. There are tons of APPs for boondocking including the All Stays App, FreeRoam and US Public Lands full of free places to camp. You can also check out the Visitors Centers in any town and ask where you can park for free. #3 Outfit the Trailer for Quick Get Aways – I have always thought that if I had everything in the camper all the time I could take off whenever I wanted without a hassle. After I combined three camping lists and outfitted the trailer with everything I could ever need I still had trouble getting out of Dodge on Friday afternoons. I discovered that I had to rearrange the way I unload on a Sunday when I get home. I clean it on Sunday nights now and bring the dirty towels and linens in then. I throw those sheets right in the washer and put them back on during the week. When I have leftovers during the week, I create a camp meal or foil pack dinner and put it in the freezer to have ready on Friday night to toss in the fridge. No stops for food or meals on Friday night traffic and the meal is a good one. Here is a link to my episode on Simplifying Weekend Getaways. One of the ways I make weekend getaways easier is by freezing weekday leftovers in servings for two. This allows me to enjoy good food and eliminates the necessity of a stop at the grocery store before I leave or along the route. It’s great to arrive at the campground and just heat up a precooked good meal. #2 Go on First Trip – You;ve got to just do it. Find a group, sign up for a trip. No trailer is necessary, Get a rented cabin. Rent a motorhome. Bunk with a friend. Stay in a tent or car camp. You have just got to make it happen. All the information has been given here and on so many sites. The problem may be you. Don’t let fear stop you. Join the Girl Campers at Setzers World of Camping for our Camper College or at our Wonderful Women in Waxahachie event April 25-28. Our annual Wonderful Women in Waxahachie trip is a great place to learn how to Camp Like a Girl. We host every kind of Girl Camper. Experienced RVers, tent campers, car or van campers as well as the “new kids” who rent an RV, stay with a friend or at a hotel. Its the perfect event to get your feet wet! #1 Camp More was the number one resolution. I had to ask, “what is stopping you from camping more?” There were a few things that I will cover here. Expense. It’s going to be costly if you are staying at full service campgrounds all the time. Consider state parks, Harvest Hosts, a seasonal site. If you join Harvest Hosts you can get 10% off by using the coupon code Girl Camper. Buy the book America’s Guide to Free and Low Cost Campgrounds.by Don Wright. Every site in the book is under $20. Join a membership club like Escapees, Thousand Trails, Sam’s Club. Caring for Aging Parents. Here’s a few ideas. If your parents are

Making a New Year’s resolution can be a little like setting a date to have lunch with a friend that always cancels. Sometimes we don’t really believe we are going to have to make good on it. In our series ‘Transforming in 2019’ we are taking a serious look at the things that keep us from doing the things we want to do. In week one we talked about The Mind Game. How to get in the right frame of mind for success? In week two our conversation focused on Dealing With Stumbling Blocks. What are those things that always trip us up? How can we identify them ahead of time and increase our chances of success? In week three we talked about Creating an Action Plan. They say if you want to succeed at anything you create a plan and work the plan. Bob gave us some of the elements every good action plan should include. On this weeks show we are talking about Dealing With Setbacks. They are going to happen. My dad used to look at all of the romantic endeavors of his children and say, “the course of true love never did run smooth.” That can be applied to just about anything we set our minds to do. It’s never Point A to Point B. When the setbacks happen, how can we deal with them so they do not derail our goals? Bob Thompson, founder and CEO of Legion Transformation Center’s has led thousands of people to better health and fitness. He specializes in helping those who want health and fitness but don’t particularly love exercise or eating right. Along the way he has learned a lot about human nature. Here is Bob‘s advice on dealing with setbacks. Doing the Next Right thing when you fall off your program is part of dealing with setbacks. If you ate fast food for lunch three days in a row, make a great meal and get back on program without beating yourself up. Understand from the onset that there will be setbacks. Enthusiasm will wain. You might become ill. You may be asked to work overtime at work and that will interfere with your action plan. There will be situations you can’t control that will trigger you to fall back into old behaviors. From the onset, identify ahead of time what things might be waiting in the wings to trip you up. Be ready for them when they happen and don’t let them become an excuse to quit. When the setback happens, focus on what you can control and let the rest go. Put your energy towards the things that will bring you back to your starting point. The food you are eating. The money you are spending. The people you are hanging out with. These are all things that you have control over. Hit the reset button as soon as possible. Do the next right thing. Take action that will turn you back toward your goal. Do not allow yourself to become comfortable in the “old self.“ Do not beat yourself up. Don’t allow yourself to become demoralized. Call a friend and ask for encouragement. Find a member of your tribe and share what you are dealing with. Try to think of the setback as a pause button. Press unpause and move forward. Go back to the action plan and work it. Remind yourself of what your “why“ is. Take the bigger picture here. Do not hyperfocus on the thing that is making you pause but instead pull back and look at the big picture. Focus on the finish line and not what it is taking to get there. Behave like a long-distance runner. Don’t think about how much your feet hurt. Think about how great it’s going to feel when you cross the finish line. Making lasting changes requires rethinking the systems we have in place. In our final installment we will be looking at staying in it for the long game.

According to Bob Thompson, transformation expert and founder of Legion Transformation Centers, in order to accomplish anything you need a strategic plan, You also have to do things that make you uncomfortable. You have to be willing to be radical. On today’s show we continue our series on transforming. In week one we talked about The Mind Game and how to create a belief in yourself. On week two’s show it was all about the stumbling blocks and how we have to create an environment for success. This week we are talking about creating an action plan. They say to succeed you need to have a plan and work the plan but, how do we know what goes in a plan? What makes one plan better from another? Is a good plan all action steps or are there other emotional quantifiers at play? In order to get real about weight loss I had to get radical about what I was actually taking in each day. I spent one month weighing my food and counting my calories. I knew that I was not going to succeed by “cutting back.” Radical behavior is what is required for radical change. Bob’s action plan components. Set the goal. Sounds simple right? Not so fast though. Most of us have an innate self protecting gene that doesn’t want to fail, be humiliated, look foolish or bite off more publicly than we are really willing to chew so we downsize our goals. I said my goal was to lose thirty pounds and Bob said, “What’s the real number?” Yikes! How did he know? I really want to lose fifty pounds but that seems daunting, unlikely, too big and more than I am willing to commit to. Bob says in order to reach our true goal, the one we only tell ourselves in our heads, we have to set a goal and then super size it. We have to make it BIG! Why make it big? Because setting an audacious goal makes us work harder. Even if we don’t reach 10K in savings, or fifty pounds or the whole marathon, the chances are higher that we will far surpass what our “play it safe” goal was. So… set a goal and blow it up! Put it Out There. Most of us keep our goals all tucked inside of us unwilling to risk ridicule, unsolicited advice and looking like a quitter if we drop the whole thing by month two. By putting it out there we make it real. We’re not playing it safe. We’ve created a scary situation and fear drives us with adrenaline and a higher level of motivation. We don’t want to look like a quitter and we are now more accountable to ourselves! Creating accountability increases our chances of succeeding. Say it out loud and show the world you are in it to win it. Be Willing to be Radical. I have to admit that I am the queen of Monday morning “cut backs.” I am not even out there enough to say diet. I start each week with the idea that this week I am going low carb and high protein and I will get a walk in at least three times after dinner. That is not exactly radical behavior and it is also exactly the kind of behavior that you fall away from by Wednesday when you worked late and your husband made pasta for dinner. Because I don’t put it out there, he doesn’t know I am “cutting back.” Bob says this is a recipe for disaster. If you want to do achieve a goal that has been alluding you, you are going to have to do things you have never done before. In the case of weight loss you may have to go old school and start weighing and measuring your food for a month. If you are getting out of credit card debt, it’s not enough to keep the plastic in the hard to reach zipper section of your pocket book. You are going to have to not just cut up the cards but call up and close the accounts. You have to take a radical approach because change requires changing habits and there’s no way to do that other than to rip the band aid off. Break down the Goal. You need to set the goal and then break down the steps needed (the actions) to make it happen. Ask yourself what has to take place to achieve the goal? Put a time frame on it. Once you set a goal and a time frame for doing it you can create a month by month and week by week and then day by day plan for doing it. If the goal is to lose 52 pounds in a year you can see that works out to a pound a week. That’s a 3500 calorie a week deficit. That’s a 500 calorie a day reduction from where you are now. That’s a loss of 2.28 ounces a day. That seems much more doable than fifty pounds. You can apply the same thing to the exercise aspect and say that a one mile walk will net you a calorie loss of between 65 and 100 depending on how much you weigh. Being aware of the actions you take and their net effect makes the goal measurable. You are not in some nebulous land where you can pretend that a donut is the equivalent of an apple. You’ve broken down the food, the daily intake, the minimum exercise needed to achieve it each day and in the process created personal responsibility. Change is not easy

Change is hard! Eighty percent of those that make a New Years resolution have dropped it before February first. If we are going to get serious about change we need more than a desire to change or a frustration with our current state of affairs. We need a plan and that’s what we are doing for our Mini Episodes in January. We’re breaking down the trip hazards of change and this week we are chatting with transformation expert, Bob Thompson about how to deal with the stumbling blocks that are inevitable when we set out to change. Find a tribe that inspires you and get together with them often. Surround yourself with hopeful people. Bob is the founder and CEO of Legion Transformation Centers. He has helped thousands of clients overcome inertia, stinking thinking and bad habits to reach their health and fitness goals. The techniques Bob talks about can be applied to any area in which we want to make a life change. What’s your goal? Traveling more? Getting a handle on your budget? Decluttering your house? Letting go of broken systems that create a cycle of failure, lost opportunities and low self esteem will require a change of mind first. We covered that in last week’s show. This week we are talking about how to deal with the friend that wants to go on a shopping day. The mother that tells you that your thick ankles are genetic and you can’t fight nature. The office buddy that keeps bringing you donuts from the employee lunch room even though she knows you’re trying to make better food choices. Bob’s tips for reducing stumbling blocks Create an environment for success. You have to shape the environment for the outcome that you want. If you are a couch potato and want to be more active, cancel cable. If you are trying to pay off credit cards, don’t just take them out of your wallet, close the accounts and start paying for things with cash. If you are serious about weight loss, empty the cupboards of all junk food and don’t have anything in the house that will trip you up in a weak moment. Surround yourself with five people that will inspire and support you. You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with so make sure they are people who are building you up, not tearing you down. Make sure they are people who are living life fully and their attitude reflects that. Who you spend your time with is something that you can control. Get a mentor. Having someone to help you navigate uncharted waters is really valuable. You can find a mentor in a group related to your goal. Much like a 12 step sponsor a mentor can help you pull back and look at the big picture when you might be tempted to hyper focus on the tasks or daily grind losing sight of the goal. A mentor helps you to keep your eye on the prize. If you don’t have a volunteer mentor you can hire a coach in the area you need help in. A nutritionist can help you meal plan and a business coach can analyze your business plan and help you set realistic goals. Be willing to pay for help. When you pay for advice you will take it more seriously and when someone is paid for their services, they will be more serious about what they are giving you. Find Your Tribe. Whatever you are trying to do, others are also trying to do. Find a group that can support you and that you can contribute to. Create a social media group for sharing tips, offering encouragement and venting frustrations. Having others who are traveling the same road will help you realize that “it’s not you.” Everyone feels like you do while change is happening. Eliminate people who bring you down. If you are going to seriously go after a goal you many need to eliminate people who don’t respect and encourage that. You don’t have to break up a family over it but you might just have to detach with kindness from people who are consciously or unconsciously sabotaging your efforts. If you have a girlfriend who is a shopping buddy and you are trying to cut back and she isn’t, maybe catch up with her over the phone? Don’t let old friends with entrenched habits lead you off your new path.