Volume 2. Issue 23
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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Page Contents
Quote of the day
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” ―
Full-time RVing – Plan ahead for “hanging up the keys”
Being a full-time RVer is great, with so many places to explore, people to meet, things to learn. Sadly, the clock continues to run during the adventure and, eventually, you may need to “hang up the full-time keys.” So how do you leave the full-time lifestyle and return to a non-nomadic life? You might think this information doesn’t apply to you, but beware! It’s never too early to think about it—”retiring” from the lifestyle could require some advance planning.
Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletter?
If so, here is some of what you missed…
- Utility workers taking over campgrounds, given priority over campers like us
- Questionable RVing features: What were they thinking?
- Campground Crowding: First-time campers with lofty expectations are tough on workers
- Should you tip campground workers?
Features
Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter.
Stay overnight on lava fields in Grants, New Mexico
By Nanci Dixon
A fun and informative stop on our recent travels was the lava fields in Grants, New Mexico. The huge rocks and slabs of lava that oozed out and blew out of volcanoes 3,000 – 5,000 years ago surround the interstate. We stopped for the night at the local KOA and, although the campground was not much different than any small town overnight-only spot, they were situated on a lava field. Read more about this very unique location.
Best places to camp by the water this spring
By Julie Chickery
One of the best ways to beat the heat when traveling in your RV is to camp by water. Luckily there are many waterfront campgrounds across the U.S. – from lakes and rivers to reservoirs and the ocean. Below are some budget, moderate, and luxury options for RV camping by the water. Continue reading. (Videos included.)
Military and military veteran RVers camp differently than others
By Louis Finkle
Veterans engaging in RVing tend to operate as “team members.” That is the conclusion of 15 years attending 200+ RV rallies, musters and meetings at campgrounds. Psycho-sociological factors play important parts in team dynamics. Those who served in military services were conditioned to work as a team. “We got each other’s back” is our refrain. It continues when we meet at campground events. Read more.
Reader poll
Quick tip
Two easier ways to install RV wheel covers
Tired of fussing with his Camco wheel covers, Alan F. got a chunk of 1/4″ lumber, three feet long and an inch wide. At the end of this stick he put a piece of Velcro that will stick to the Velcro on the wheel cover. Now he kneels on a carpet scrap, sticks the “push stick” to the wheel cover strap, and guides it easily around the back side of the tire to where he can reach it simply from the other side. No more tire hugging! Thanks, Alan!
Some tire covers have elastic bands with a loop at one end that fastens over a ball at the other end. I’ve been using my awning pull-down rod to reach back behind the tire, slip the hook of the rod into the loop of elastic and bring it toward me. I can then easily slip the loop over the ball and the cover is secured. Thanks to Tim S.
RVers ask: Our RV’s steps hurt our aching knees. What to do?
By Gail Marsh
Paula and Larry S. recently wrote to us with a concern. They wrote, “What do people with bad knees or legs do for better entry steps? The ones that come with campers nowadays are much better than the ones before 2019, but our camper is 2008. We need steps closer together and with a better handrail now that we are well over 65. I am sure others do too, as everyone seems to have bad knees in our age group!…” Read the rest of the letter and Gail’s suggestions here.
Dog is my co-pilot: Better places to stop for RVers with pets
“Dog is my co-pilot,” says the bumper sticker, and for RV travelers it’s literally true. They share our adventures, buoy our spirits and are best friends on this journey called life. Like ourselves, our four-footed traveling companions need to get out of the rig and stretch once in a while, for physical and mental health and, um, to “do their business.” But where? Scott Linden suggests many places from his 30 years of RVing long distances with dogs.
Video: “Five lessons I learned in 5 years of RVing”
Carolyn of the YouTube Channel Carolyn’s RV Life has lived on the road in an RV for five years. She’s traveled alone in 30 states and put 70,000 miles on her small Class C motorhome. In this video, she shares the top five lessons she’s learned in her travels. Watch it here.
Your assignment
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“1. You and your spouse should be used to spending lots of time together, talking, planning and working out problems together. You’ll need to work well together as a team, and that means driving, navigating and being able to fix the RV when it inevitably breaks down.
“2. Patience, patience, patience. There are going to be times you don’t get where you expected to get, the RV space you reserved isn’t what you thought, and whoever’s trying to park the rig screws up numerous times, aka me, and lots of other things that are going to irritate you.
“3. One of you will need to be handy, and hopefully both of you. No matter how much you spend on an RV you’re going to find that it’s been built with less quality than you might expect. Carry tools and don’t be afraid to use them. The RVers around you will be your greatest resource on how to fix things that go south. RVers are great people and they are always happy to help.” —Don and Mary Lou Whitacre
Featured recipe
Chicken Penne Pasta Casserole
by Teresa Horn from Memphis, TN
This is a really tasty and easy-to-throw-together casserole. It’s filled with Italian flavor. Red onion gives things a little bit of a sweet flavor and mixes well with the ingredients. A hearty and super cheesy casserole for tonight’s dinner.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury.
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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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This will be my first summer getting a seasonal and spending 3 months in Maine. Going to be interesting living out of an RV and not the house. I am looking at other places to do work and living out of the RV afterwards. We shall see.
Sorry, the thought for the day doesn’t resonate with me. To me, thriving means getting away from self-focus and reaching out to be of help to others. It’s easy to put oneself first, but I think it’s better to be missed when you go than to have lived to thrive for oneself, albeit with a little compassion thrown in.