Volume 2. Issue 71
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
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide
The best tips to ensure a comfortable road trip
By Gail Marsh
Soon, we’ll begin our annual journey to warmer temperatures in the south. While I love escaping the cold Midwest winter, I dread the miles it will take to get away. Perhaps we can all use some tips for road trip comfort. And if you’re a full-time RVer, these will especially come in handy for you year-round.
Seat support
Let’s start with the basics—your throne. The first thing you’ll want to do is adjust the driver’s seat. This video provides a step-by-step tutorial about proper seat adjustment. Next, you may want to place a pillow or cushion behind your lower back to maintain that natural curve. If available, activate your vehicle’s lumbar seat support as an alternative. Here’s a lumbar support pillow to consider. Your spine will thank you later.
Stretch along the way
Make pit stops a two-in-one deal. As you refuel the tank, stretch your muscles. Take a brisk walk around the parking lot or try these stretches. A few minutes of stretching can work wonders for your stiff muscles. (I learned and practiced these exercises at home. When I had memorized the moves, I listed the name of each stretch on a 3” x 5” note card. I keep the note card in the glove compartment for quick and easy access.)
Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletters?
If so, here is some of what you missed…
- 5 additional taxes and fees added to campsite reservation costs. Can RVers afford to RV anymore?
- Tour the 2024 Grand Design Solitude 310GK luxury fifth wheel
- Northwood Arctic Fox Grande Ronde 27-5L is a 5er worth seeking out
- Don’t fall for a QR code scam
Features
Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter.
Linemen and other workers outnumbering snowbirds. RV parks are a-changin’
By Gail Marsh
What do you picture in your mind when you hear the words “RV park”? The RV park in your mind’s eye may not match today’s reality. That’s because RV parks are changing. Really changing! One change? Workers. More than ever before, RV campgrounds are seeing an increase in the number of workers who need a place to live. More and more, these workers are choosing campgrounds as “home.” Continue reading.
Why you need to be nice to your RV dealer
By Ron Burdge, RV Lemon Lawyer
When your new RV has box problems and you have a chassis problem, too, which should you fix first? That’s easy. Can you get them both fixed without having to run around yourself, when the RV dealer is just across town but the chassis dealer is halfway across the state? Well, maybe…. Get some tips from the nation’s leading expert on RV lemon law here.
Video: How to inspect your RV for water damage
In the six-minute video below from RV Education 101, veteran RV technician, author and video producer Mark Polk shows you how he inspects an RV for water intrusion and damage. There isn’t much worse you can do to damage your RV than expose it to water leaks, especially those you do not fix immediately. If the leak is not stopped it will destroy the RV, eventually making it unusable and practically worthless. Watch the important video.
Our favorite camping directories
At RVtravel.com we have worked closely with Roundabout Publications for two decades, our favorite publisher of campground directories. Here are some of their most recent titles:
Camping in America’s City & Town Parks • Camping in America’s County Parks • Camping in State Parks (Western USA) • Camping in State Parks (Eastern USA) • Corps of Engineers Camping • National Forest Camping • Bureau of Land Management Camping • Van and RV Camping at State Recreation Areas • Camping in America’s City & Town Parks
Reader poll
Quick tip
Got an emergency fund?
My advice to anyone living the RV lifestyle is to keep an emergency fund. Don’t buy the most expensive RV you can afford. Keep a little money back for emergencies. Also, make sure that you are not spending every penny that’s coming in each month. If you find yourself spending all the money that’s coming in, by all means, find a way to do some workamping or other ways to make a little extra money each month, or find a way to cut back on your spending, so you can put away some money for an emergency.
Things happen when you’re living on the road—just as they do when you’re living a traditional lifestyle. Below is a list of expenses that could come up at any time, and you need to be prepared for them. Eye glasses. Dental work. (I broke a tooth yesterday. I’m sure that will be expensive and it’s not covered by insurance.)
Tires—You may have a blowout at any time. Even if you don’t, you will need to replace all of your tires every five to seven years. If you have three years left on your tires, start putting money aside now for a new set. Saving $50 a month for three years would give you $1,800 towards a set of tires when the time comes. If you have an accident, your insurance will probably cover it, but is there a deductible amount that you would be required to pay? From “Secrets of RVing on Social Security: Enjoy Full-time RV and Motorhome Retirement on a Budget.” Available on Amazon.
Incredible art along the Enchanted Highway should not be missed
Driving the Enchanted Highway was a fabulous short stop on the way to Glacier National Park. The highway from Gladstone, North Dakota, to Regent, North Dakota, is a 32-mile stretch through richly rolling farm fields. Artist Gary Greff had a dream to help revitalize his hometown of Regent, North Dakota. He brought together local farmers and ranchers to use the skills they knew best—welding. They started creating the biggest metal sculptures in the world and hold the Guinness World Record for them! Continue reading.
Know Your RV: Everything about winterizing for newbies (or anyone)
Got a new-to-you RV? Live where the outside temperatures drop below freezing? Then you need to winterize your RV. Like you learned in science class, when water freezes it expands. If it expands inside your RV’s plumbing, you could be in for some serious damage. It doesn’t take long to winterize your RV, and it’s a whole lot cheaper than fixing broken pipes. Learn about winterizing here.
3-in-1 NOAA radio, flashlight and phone charger must-have for RVers
This emergency hand-crank radio is a necessity for RVers. Keep it somewhere safe; you never know when it will come in handy. The 3-in-1 radio is also a bright LED flashlight and a smartphone charger. The radio can be charged via solar charging, hand cranking or a USB plug. You’ll want to buy one here.
Don’t miss today’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter! Good stuff inside, including:
- Driving a Class A is not as scary as it looks
- Ask Dave: My trailer axle has a grease zerk fitting. Will that lubricate the bearings?
- RV Review: 2024 Cruiser RV MPG 2100RB—for better or worse
- Why fifth wheel frames crack, and how to prevent it from happening
- Cheap van conversion: Turn a rented van into an RV for $365!
- Around the Campfire: Should RVers be worried about nighttime theft in RV parks?
- and much, much more
Featured recipe
Christmas Bacon Crack
by Dave T. from Cades Cove, TN
Spicy, savory, sweet, and salty, it was hard to stop picking up one more piece. Once baked, it’s crunchy, light, and flaky. Enjoy this for breakfast or as an after-dinner treat. Wrap pieces of this Christmas Bacon Crack in a cellophane baggie for a hostess gift.
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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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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Thank you, Emily and Diane! Merry Christmas! 🙂
You missed a category in the survey. We neither drive nor tow our rv. We haul it because it sits in the bed of our truck. It’s a truck camper. I’ve noticed over the years that truck campers seem to get the short shrift in articles about rving, & on many websites where you can sort the available options by type of rv. There frequently is no truck camper category.
I started working in heavy construction in the 80’s. A lot of us lived in campers then . It was us and the weekenders that kept campgrounds going before the modern era.
I absolutely love reading this newsletter using DuckDuckGo as my browser. No Ads!!
Hi Diane, Merry Christmas. Don’t forget to put out a portion of cookies and milk for Santa.
Just an FYI, the comments are not loading completely. A single page only, no “LOAD MORE COMMENTS” link available at all and it seems like if an article has over 60 comments listed as the number, only 30+/- show up on page 1, but no LMC option.
Also, the oldest 1st option inop.
Just pointing it out, have a great evening.
Thanks, Cancel. I reported that issue to our IT dude previously and he was going to report it to the plugin developer. I’ll let him know it’s still not working. Sorry. Have a good night, and a very Merry Christmas! 😀 –Diane
I do a seasonal job in Maine for the last two summers. There is a campground that has more workers then campers. Most are kept in a certain location but some are scattered around the park. I love the site I have and plan to keep it even when I decide to return but not work. So yes this is a growing trend to live out of an RV and continue to do seasonal jobs. I just bought a real nice RV that is like a mini apartment but not that big. You also have to ask the campground if they do seasonal sites as well. I have one and an RV waiting on me next Memorial Day weekend. Now off to holiday ho ho ho.