Volume 2. Issue 32
Welcome to the Full-Time RVer Newsletter, published every other Wednesday (sorry we’re late this week) 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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This newsletter is sponsored by our friends at Wholesale Warranties
Quote of the day
“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” ―
An ode to weekend campers—the “weekend warriors”
This story ran last summer, but we think re-running it now is a perfect reminder to welcome those (perhaps seemingly annoying) “weekend warriors.” Nanci Dixon writes…
“Welcome the weekend warriors, those RVers and other campers who swarm our campgrounds on Saturdays and Sundays! I remember the excitement and the unmitigated joy that we had as weekend warriors. Sometimes if we were really lucky we could even squeeze in a Sunday night. I would spend all week happily getting ready for our mini trip – packing, loading the RV, starting the fridge, planning the meals…
We talk a lot about the negatives of the weekend warrior invasion in this newsletter, particularly in my Campground Crowding column: the noise, kids running all over, the campfire smoke, disrespect for the sites, overabundance of trash and most irritating of all, the total disruption of OUR peace. It helps to remember the joy and excitement we had as the campground crowds and the noise increases.”
Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletters?
If so, here is some of what you missed…
- Why you can’t get a campsite at a state park
- RV boo-boos: Day ruiner—Things you don’t want to happen to you
- A quick lube and oil for your motorhome? Valvoline says ‘Yes’
- SpaceX and Starlink RV hit with competitor regulatory and legal actions
Features
Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter.
Campground etiquette: PLEASE turn off that noisy generator!
By Nanci Dixon
As a campground host, after having camped next to three different campers this week who left their noisy generators running ALL day long and had to be told to turn them off at the quiet, no generator hours, I am hoping that these folks are all newbies and just don’t understand the etiquette of keeping the noise and the gas fumes to a minimum. As more and more people are camping and electric sites are harder to get, I have noticed a significant uptick in generator use. Read more.
Not wearing gloves while dumping? Big mistake!
In this day of fastidiousness and the injection of antibacterial chemicals in nearly every product, there’s a strange movement out there: Dumping holding tanks with your bare hands. A survey at RVtravel.com revealed that nearly one-third of our readers never or seldom use gloves. Our opinion: big mistake. Learn why.
What to do if you lose your pet. Everything you need to know
Every year approximately 10 million pets are lost or stolen in the United States. That is a startling statistic! What should an RVing pet owner do if their pet goes missing? What steps should be taken if you are traveling in your RV when your pet gets lost? Good questions! Here are some answers.
Get ALL your RV parts and accessories in one place, it’s fast and easy
At Dyers, you’ll find just about everything you need for your RV… and then some! Find replacement parts, maintenance parts, gadgets and accessories, and more. Products for all kinds of RVs and tow vehicles. Dyers offers the best prices and even tells you how many they have in stock, when each product will ship, and warranty and return information. You can’t beat it! Start shopping here.
Reader poll
Quick tip
Buy a good folding chair
You’ll be using them a ton around the campfire so get ones that are comfortable. Always get an extra chair or two. This serves two purposes. Makes a great backup if one gets broken and also, you can set out an extra chair to encourage new campground neighbors to stop and sit for a bit. –”From RV Living Full Time: 100+ Amazing Tips, Secrets, Hacks & Resources to Motorhome Living.” Available on Amazon.com.
Make sure you read today’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter. It’s a good one!
Got enough battery to power that inverter?
If you’re considering adding an inverter to your rig, or already have one, it’s important to keep in mind the battery power you have available. Nothing can ruin a spot of boondocking quicker than killing off your “house” batteries. Replacing deep-cycle batteries is an expensive proposition, and a bit of quick math can help you prevent the problem. Read more.
A praying GPS, a marinated possum, a few bad omens… and a wonderful story
By James Swickard
It was a day most any RVer who is worth his salt would recognize. Six hours on the road, assuming the word “road” is accepted as valid terminology for lanes, rutted trails and cow paths. We had reached the ends of our proverbial ropes, maybe even at the end of the earth as we know it. Our patience was worn to the quick and we were desperately in need of a campsite for the night. This day had started to go bad early on, apparently preparing to punish us for ALL of our past sins, with what appeared to be a simple construction detour. … Yes, this is a wonderful and very funny story. Y’all oughta read it here (and y’all will shorely end up with a Southern drawl).
Your assignment
What advice would give an aspiring full-time RVer?
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“Your life is not a dress rehearsal, it is the real show. Do not wait to learn everything about the lifestyle or own the nicest RV. RVers will help you up the learning curve. Your first RV can always be changed as you grow in your adventure.
“Just take the leap from sticks and bricks house before health issues become a factor. What’s the worst that can happen? RVing does not work out for you and you return to your prior world. I highly recommend an Escapees/Xscaper membership, which will provide you with an instant support network. My wife and I are on our 18th year of full-timing … absolutely no regrets.” —George Ruelens
Featured recipe
Easy Sausage and Peppers
by Ann Lombardi from Vestal, NY
We loved the combination of sausage in this easy sausage and peppers recipe. The sweet, mild, and hot Italian sausage all add different layers to the dish. Peppers and onions cook down with the sausage and absorb all the flavors. Don’t worry about not adding liquid while this simmers. There is plenty of oil and natural juices from the sausage. We served ours on a hoagie roll and really enjoyed the sandwich. This would be great for a large party (or even game day). Just put out a bowl of sausage and peppers and everyone can make their own sandwiches or enjoy the sausage and peppers alone.
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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I agree with comments about sticks and bricks.
We sold out and full timed 10 years totally enjoyed it. We made some excellent friends that did that 25 years until health reasons brought them off the road. They did not have a exit plan. Caused them real problems.
We have purchased a country place with room for Rv and has no stairs.
I feel everyone should have a exit strategy for when time says you cannot keep going.
Thank you
I’d like to offer a suggestion. It would be VERY HELPFUL if campgrounds (Public, Private, whatever) would include in their description if they offer a DUMP STATION and if not LIST THE NEAREST ONE THAT IS AVAILABLE. I’ve been (RV) camping for over 45 years and I have many resources to find dump stations, however when you look into boondocking or dispersed camping it’s nice to know where you can dump when and if needed. I don’t mind even a charge to do so. I recently booked at a stay at a U.S. Forest Service campground and then searched the area to see what is available…….Stores, Sporting Goods, Gas, and dump stations. I did find some RV parks that had everything listed they offer, but no mention of dump facilities. I called one to check and sure enough they did. I ask them why they listed everything they offer but no mention of the dump station. She said Hmmm that’s a good idea. I’d ask you folks to do an article on this subject that might get the word out.
“Just take the leap from sticks and bricks house before health issues become a factor. What’s the worst that can happen? RVing does not work out for you and you return to your prior world.”
I always wonder about this, you sell your house, buy a nice RV and go on the road. But RVs decrease in value and houses increase in cost, so how do you just ‘return to your prior world’?
That is a Wonderful question. We are in that thinking mind. We want to buy a RV, get rid of 2 homes and hit the open road. Except I read these articles and I wonder as you. How do you just go back or since you’ve aged more are we looking at a mobile home park?
You don’t have to travel in your RV……rent a spot u like……or buy some land…..loads of options….
How about renting the house out? You might have to hire a management company to take care of things but it would leave you an option if the road doesn’t work out.
Yes, it’s NOT a “fair exchange”. DON’T sell your house until you KNOW that RVing IS for YOU! That said, the only REAL way to see if the RV lifestyle “agrees” with you is to actually do it. I advise newbies to start small (I started with a new, 2010 17′ Casita fiberglass “egg” that I could SAFELY pull with the minivan I then owned. I quickly realized that I liked the RV lifestyle. Over the next 3 years, I spent more and more time on the road researching RVs in general. In year 4, I “graduated” to a Super-C motorhome and sold my Casita “egg” recouping most of what I had spent (common with small “egg” trailers). In 2018, I sold my Stick&Brick and became a Full Time RVer. 5 years later, I have NO regrets. The ONLY things I “miss” are the whirlpool tub & deluxe shower, NOTHING else! Even if you just rent for a few vacations, you’ll quickly know if RVing is for you. I DO have an “exit strategy” for when I’ll have to “hang up the keys”. It really ain’t rocket science.
That advice only applies if you’re a lottery winner, or you can do what we did, come to FL, find a nice resort park, buy a park model for less than the price of your RV and live happily ever after. It’s hot and humid this time of the year(we’re hibernating) but come October it’ll be great for 6 months. Lol