On the Valentine’s Day episode of the Roadtreking RV Podcast, Mike and Jennifer answer your questions about their relationship, living for long periods in a 24-foot camper van and how two people so different can get along so well.
I’ve been saving all sorts of questions our audience has been sending Jennifer and me over the years – questions perhaps more personal than practical – and decided this Valentine’s Day week that we’ll use those questions to interview ourselves and answer some of the more revealing questions about us.
Plus we have tech and pet tips, RV travel advice and the most romantic RV memories from our Off-the-Beaten-Path reporters Tom and Patti Burkett.
Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast.
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Show Notes for Episode #127 Feb 15, 2017 of Roadtreking – The RV Lifestyle Podcast:
JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK
We love listening to audiobooks as we drive. [spp-timestamp time=”8:38″]
With CD players now a thing of the past for most new vehicles, downloading them and playing them back through a device is the most common way to get them.
But they cost a small fortune from the app stores. That’s where Hoopla (www.hoopladigital.com) comes in.
Hoopla is a free app for Android, iOS (Apple) or Kindle that lets you download audiobooks directly to your smartphone or tablet from your home public library. For free. Naturally, you have to belong to a public library and have a valid membership.
Besides audiobooks, Hoopla lets you check out movies and TV shows and, of course, ebooks. They download to your device for offline playback, meaning you’re not streaming and thus eating up your data plan, or dependent on wi-fi.
There are hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily and titles are automatically returned and removed from your device at the end of the lending period, typically after a month.
We love this app. It saves us money and makes those miles go by faster.
Do you have an RV tip you’d like to share? You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox.
I love hearing from you!
Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping!
LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:
We answer three email questions this week: [spp-timestamp time=”12:00″]
- We were hoping you might have experience with a product that does a good job of removing odor from the soft surfaces. Any ideas? Gary and Carol
- My sister and I are getting ready for a cross-country trip — (a straight shot across via I-80), in my 2014 Ranger RT. I was looking for a list of all your podcasts…..just the number and title, so we could select those of interest and listen to them while on the road. Do you have a Word/PDF document that I could print off giving just the number and title of all 120+ Thanks!!! – Joan
- I'm 85 and have some health issues (heart & arthritis). We live in Tampa,FL and hope to leave in April to drive around the country by taking the southern route to San Diego, coast road to Seattle, then east via the northern route. We travel with a cocker spaniel and a cat. I am nervous about lack of cellular service and MB service when we get “Out West”. I have the opportunity to buy a 2008 Honda Fit to use as a tow car for flat towing. In the event of problems we could use the Fit to drive for help. We could also use it for side trips into town, etc. The main objective is peace of mind. Earlier experience included losing our Alison transmission on a NJ Interstate. It was 5 hours before got towed even when there were services nearby.. I notice that you don't have a dinghy. How would you handle a problem where there is no cellular service? Do you have any suggestions? Thank you. Maurice
Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B’s from three locations.
PET TIP OF THE WEEK
As warm weather comes, and our dogs go exploring, we risk the chance of a skunk encounter! [spp-timestamp time=”22:07″]
Skunks live all over the place, and if your dog gets curious about one, they may end up with a face full of stink. If your pooch gets sprayed, there are ways you can rid them of the scent without having to buy up every can of tomato juice in the area. Over-the-counter products (such as Nature's Miracle Skunk Odor Remover) are a quick fix, but if you don't have that on hand, you can mix up your solution.
Here’s some advice from the Humane Society of the US:
Mix together:
- 1 quart of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide (available at any pharmacy)
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap
Wearing rubber gloves, wash your dog with this solution immediately after they've been sprayed. DO NOT get the solution in their eyes. (If you don't have peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap on hand, use vinegar diluted with water.)
Caution: Do NOT store this mixture or make it ahead of time, as the mixture could explode if left in a bottle.
Clean and rinse
- Rub the mixture through their fur, but don't leave it on too long (peroxide can bleach fur). Rinse them thoroughly.
- Next, wash your dog with pet shampoo and rinse thoroughly. By now, they should be de-skunked and smelling sweet. Thoroughly towel-dry your dog, and be sure to place them in a warm, sunny room for the next couple of hours so that they don't get chilled.
If your dog rubbed some of the stink onto you, you can rid your clothes of the smell by using regular laundry detergent mixed with a half-cup of baking soda.
Here’s hoping you won’t have to do any of this. But, if that skunk encounter does occur, we hope this advice comes in handy.
This part of the podcast is brought to you by Dozers Dental Chews, an all natural and healthy treat your dog will love. Available direct through Amazon
INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK
Mike and Jennifer interview themselves, answering the following questions sent in their listeners over the last year or so: [spp-timestamp time=”27:19″]
Audience Questions for Mike and Jennifer:
- How did you two meet?
- Did you grow up camping?
- Tell us about your family, grandkids and how Jennifer keeps in touch with them. I know you travel a lot? How do you keep Jennifer happy when she’s far from family and misses the grandkids?
- You two seem to really like each other. But be honest now: Don’t you sometimes get on each other’s nerves?
- Mike and Jennifer seem to be very different. It seems hard to imagine such different personalities meshing on long trips in confined quarters!
- How do you manage to “survive” on long trips in such a small motorhome?
- You guys are always gushing about how much you like the RV lifestyle. But tell us what you don’t like about it!
- How does Bo like all the traveling?
- How long do you two plan to keep living like this?
- How old are you and how is your health?
The interview of the week is brought to you by http://sunshinestatervs.com/, where every new or used Roadtrek motorhome is delivered to the customer free, anywhere in the country
RV NEWS OF THE WEEK:
We have some wildlife news of interest this week to RV travelers… [spp-timestamp time=”54:40″]
- Yellowstone National Park starts to slaughter bison amist Tribes objections.Read more
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission seeking public's help in reporting Florida panther sightings.Read more
- Gray Wolf is again a Political flashpoint in the Midwest. Read more
This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV
TRAVELING TECH TIP: Tech for a Healthier Heart
By Steve Van Dinter
Verizon Wireless
Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S.? That’s one of the reasons we devote the month of February to raising awareness and making heart healthy choices. [spp-timestamp time=”1:01:00″]
And believe it or not, technology can help your ticker as well.
For instance, the Fitbit Charge 2 is a fitness wristband, with heart health at its core. Equipped with wrist-based heart rate monitoring, the Fitbit Charge 2 provides simplified heart rate zones to make sure you’re pushing your heart when working out and it also keeps track of trends so you can see your fitness levels are improving.
Music not only touches your heart it can also inspire you to pump up your heart rate. The LG TONE Active+ features a built-in fitness tracker that counts calories, steps, distance, and your workout history. Plus, it’s water and sweat resistant and can be connected to external stereo speakers for a personal surround-sound experience.
Finally, if you’re needing motivation, the MOOV NOW™ 3D Fitness Tracker and Real Time Audio Coach may be just the ticket. This gadget provides real-time audio coaching to better heart health and more productive workouts. The fitness tracker actively monitors exact movement and analyzes it, then offers suggestions such as tips to improve your workout or correct your form.
Now that’s some information you’ll want to take to heart.
This part of the podcast is brought to you by Verizon, which operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH REPORT – The Burkett’s Favorite RV Memories [spp-timestamp time=”1:03:39″]
It’s Valentine’s Day, and we thought we’d tell a bit about what going off the beaten path means to us. We had our first night of camping together 40 years ago this month, and believe it or not it was in a Class B, a 1969 Volkswagen camper – a sink, an icebox, a stove, and a sofa in the back that folded down into a bed. Thinking back, it was a lot like our Roadtrek. Back then we had to avoid the highways because we weren’t fast enough to keep up with traffic, or because going fast created an uncomfortable draft from the leaky windows and doors.
Over the years we carve out our own beaten paths—professional and personal that make daily life efficient and productive. A couple weeks ago you interviewed Howard Payne about fulltiming. He related that a trip to Alaska had pointed out to him and his wife how they’d been living parallel lives without really noticing it. The trip brought them back together. Sort of like traveling on a multi-lane highway, don’t you think? Smooth flow of traffic, pass or get passed, focus on the destination and getting off at the right exit.
Some wise friends advised us about this way of traveling early on in our marriage. We learned to get off on each other’s beaten path frequently—to develop shared interests and be sure we knew what was going on in the other person’s life. Sort of like traveling the back roads, the slow roads, where whether you like it or not, you get the full experience. Potholes and farm tractors, yes, as well as sunsets over the hilltop and homemade ice cream by the side of the road.
We’ve spent plenty of time on the interstates—meeting a deadline, avoiding construction, bypassing icy, hilly alternatives. We’ve even had adventures on them, like the time the rack system loaded with kayaks and bicycles slid off the trailer at 65 miles an hour or the time we drove across Pennsylvania under a full moon because the headlights weren’t working. It seems our interstate highway experiences are inclined to be more hair-raising than relaxing. And as we zip along at the speed limit, we always know we’re missing something on that old road just over there, and we wonder what it might be.
So, for Valentine’s Day, here are a few of our favorite romantic memories:
- Strolling in the sunrise at the De-Nah-Zin wilderness of New Mexico
- Cooking pancakes by Jefferson Lake, in the Rockies, on a frosty morning
- Eating fresh seafood on the deck of The Wyld Restaurant on a tidal creek in Georgia
- Watching the sun shine on Capitol Reef from a swimming pool in Torrey, Utah after a long hot day
- Seeing the sun set on the Toronto skyline across the lake from Fourmile Creek campground
- Hiking the South Dakota badlands by moonlight
- Snuggling into our blankets on a zero-degree night in Michigan’s upper peninsula
- And falling asleep to the sound of the waves on the Oregon coast.
- We’re Patti & Tom Burkett, and if you watch, you’ll find us poking around out there, somewhere, off the beaten path.
RV CALENDAR
We’re still in the heart of the RV show calendar around North America. We have 10 big shows scheduled for this coming weekend: [spp-timestamp time=”1:07:35″]
Houston RV Show
February 15-19
NRG Center
Houston, TX
Austin RV Super Sale
February 16-19
Austin Convention Center
Austin, TX
Chicago RV & Camping Show
February 16-19
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
Palatine, IL
West Palm Beach RV Show
February 16-19
South Florida Fairgrounds
West Palm Beach, FL
Atlantic City RV & Camping Show
February 17-19
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, NJ
Maryland RV Show
February 17-19, 24-26
Maryland State Fairgrounds
Timonium, MD
Vermont State RV & Camping Show
February 17-19
Champlain Valley Expo
Essex Junction, VT
Northeast RV New Product Show
February 17-20
Rockland Community College Field House
Suffern, NY
Springfield RV Camping and Outdoor Show
February 17-20
Eastern States Exposition
West Springfield, MA
Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show
February 17-26
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianapolis, IN
For a complete list of RV shows this weekend and for the rest of the year, click here.
Please Subscribe and Give Us a Rating and Review!
Many listeners are asking how they can subscribe, review and rate the Roadtreking Podcast on iTunes. With a new podcast like this, those reviews and ratings are really important to be able to show well in the iTunes listings. So if you can, I’d sure appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave me your review.
Here’s how:
First, open up the iTunes app on your computer or mobile device. Click on Podcasts up on the top
> From the iTunes Podcasts page, use the “Search Store” field up at the top right corner of the page. Type in Mike Wendland or Roadtreking RV Podcast.
> Click on the logo image of the Roadtreking RV Podcast on the search return page
> From there (see photo above), you can…
1) Subscribe
2) Choose and Click on a star (1-5) that reflects your rating. Five stars means you really like it, one star not so much.
3) Leave a written review.
Thanks to all for the kind reviews we’ve received so far. That got us noticed by Apple/iTunes as “New and Noteworthy.” I appreciate every review!
And remember, you can appear in future episodes. Ask a question or voice your comments about RV topics by clicking the Leave Voicemail tab on the right side of this page here at Roadtreking.com. You can then use the microphone on your computer to record your words.
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