Volume 2. Issue 15
Welcome to the Full-Time RVer Newsletter, published every other Wednesday by RVtravel.com. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and full-time RV living tips from the pros, travel advice, and anything else of interest to full-timers or those who aspire to be. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.

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Quote of the day
“I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen.” ―John Steinbeck

RVers happier than others, say anthropologists

People who travel via RV claim to feel healthier, both physically and mentally, than they would be if they led more sedentary lives, according to the only known anthropological study of RV owners.

Dorothy and David Counts report: “The RVers we interviewed during our study feel they are healthier than they would be if they didn’t RV. While not overly strenuous, RVing is a physically active process with all of its accompanying chores and activities. RVs also allow people to go places and do things that are physically challenging, like hiking through a national forest,” says Dorothy Counts. “The constant exposure to new people, places and events and the act of driving from place to place all help to keep RVers mentally alert,” adds David Counts.

Continue reading.

Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletters?

If so, here is some of what you missed…
• Industry analysts warn of propane “Armageddon” this winter. Be prepared. 
• Big money investors pursue RV parks, but not without conflict
• Campground Crowding: “I never set out to ‘camp.’ I set out to travel.”
• Young nomads follow their dreams in homemade RV. What they can teach us

Features

Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter. 

App review: NOAA Weather Radar Live: Clime

By Tony Barthel
On a recent trip, I was reminded how important it is for us RVers to know what’s going on with the weather. As I sat in my desert oasis overlooking Death Valley, another individual who clearly enjoys his time in the desert asked if we were bugging out early due to the predicted winds. Predicted winds? He said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted high winds for the area. Interesting, my phone’s weather app had no such information. Continue reading and learn why this app is a good one to have.

Can I use my CPAP machine when I boondock? Yes, here’s how

One of RV Travel’s past surveys told us that 61 percent of readers use, or their partner uses, a CPAP machine. If you’re one of those people and struggle with where to keep your machine at night or while in transit, or don’t know how to use your machine when you boondock, this is for you.

Avoid trips to the store – Regrow veggies in your RV from scraps!

By Gail Marsh
Stop going to the grocery store so often to buy fresh produce! You can easily regrow veggies from scraps. Nope, it’s not science fiction. This is real. Real food that you can grow for free! In an RV! What could be better? You just need to rethink typical food scraps… Continue reading, then start regrowing some veggies!

Reader poll

Have you ever remodeled any part of your RV?

Tell us here, please!

Collapsible salad spinner is perfect for RV kitchen
Salad spinners tend to take up a lot of precious, limited RV kitchen space. This Prepworks spinner folds down almost flat, so you can keep it nice and organized. It’s got an easy-to-use crank handle, which quickly dries lettuce or other veggies. You can use the nicely designed outer bowl as a serving dish, so you’ve got two in one, and it’s dishwasher safe. No clean up! Learn more or order.

Quick tip

Use clear storage bins

We full-time in our fifth wheel and need to carry a lot of stuff with us, so our storage areas and cupboards are pretty packed. I’ve found the best way to organize things is in plastic totes and bins. The best ones to buy are the clear, see-through variety. This way at a glance you can see what’s inside the bin. Thanks to Ray Burr at loveyourrv.com.

Is it time to re-level your RV? Here are some signs to look for

By Gail Marsh
Here’s the scenario: It’s been several weeks since you parked your rig. … When your RV has been sitting in one spot for a while, it tends to settle. … You might be surprised to learn that your RV will often “tell” you when things are no longer level. It’s true! Here are some things to watch for. If you notice one or more of these phenomena, your RV might be telling you it’s time to level up. Read more.

OMG! These jaw-dropping vehicles will shock you. How can they drive?

OMG! Our jaw was open the entire time we watched this video! How do some of these vehicles even move? These will shock you! Just when you think you’ve seen it all… A backward truck? A mobile living room? A boat… or a car? A train? Some of these are ridiculous! And look at that cow!! Moooooove over for that guy! And wait until you get to the part with the dragging RV… Check ’em out!

RVSuperbag: A cozy solution for making those tricky RV beds

Making the bed in the RV usually stinks. You’re on vacation to start with (who wants to make their bed on vacation?) and most RV beds aren’t really in a place where they’re easy to make. We came across the RVSuperbag, which can be described as a fancy sleeping bag designed to replace the bedding in your RV. There are sheets that simply attach to the inside of the bag which can be easily removed and laundered. This is a nice feature and makes this feel much more like your bedding at home. Read more.

Don’t miss today’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter! Tons of good stuff inside! Read it here.

Your assignment

What advice would give an aspiring full-time RVer?

From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response: 

“First decide if you need access to a toilet while on the road. This will lead you to decide on an A, B, C class RV or trailer or fifth-wheel. Then decide what the shortest length you can live in and be comfortable. Some full-timers prefer a fifth wheel, which can have more room than a class A, but the truck needed to pull it might be something you would want to drive to the store or sightseeing. Hooking and unhooking looks like a pain. A class A coach works for us, and we tow a car (4 wheels down).” —Wayne Ramsay

Penetrating oil can save the day!
It can be a bad day on the road if you break down and need to loosen a screw or bolt and it won’t budge. Here’s help: This rust eater, deep penetrating oil will penetrate rust, scale and corrosion to free parts and assemblies instantly. It will free up rusted machine screws, bolts, nuts, clamps for mufflers and tailpipes, locks and more. You need this! Learn more.

Featured recipe

Banana Pudding Roll
by Pat Duran from Las Vegas, NV

This was a fun spin (roll?!) on banana pudding. The sponge is light and airy and the pudding is creamy. Placing the bananas along the edge and rolling the cake up makes for a picture-perfect slice. Next time we may add some whipped topping and crushed vanilla wafers to the top. Yum!

This is easier to make than it looks! Get the recipe.

If you want to have a wonderful day, send $10, $50 or $100 to a local food bank. There are millions of our fellow citizens, including little kids, who are going hungry because their parents lost their jobs. You will feel so good if you contribute — helping people less fortunate than you go to bed without the pain of an empty stomach. Here’s where to donate.

Contact information

Editor: Emily Woodbury.

CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): mikegast@rvtravel.com
Advertising: Advertising@rvtravel.com
Help desk: Contact us.

Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.

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