Livin’ the dream!

Many of us plan and dream about pulilng up roots, selling the sticks and bricks house and going fulltime in an RV. But what’s it like? A little scary, to be sure. But also very rewarding, as our guests this week share in an Episode we call… Livin’ the Dream.

We met this couple last week up in the Adirondacks, John and K.C,, who have been fulltiming in a Class B Winnebago Travato for a year and a half now with their dog, Kai. As we heard their story we just knew we had to get them to share it with you, too. So we whipped out the recorder, gathered round the campsite picnic table and recorded the conversation.

WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK

MIKE We are in the Finger Lakes region of New York as we record this episode, staying at a beautiful winery, part of the Harvest Host service hat welcomes RVers for overnight stays. We’ve spent the past couple of weeks touring the Adirondacks and have had a ball.

JENNIFER It's been an awesome couple of weeks of hiking, exploring and learning about this magnificent region of mountains, lakes, streams, brooks and jaw-dropping scenery.

MIKE We’ve camped and boondocked our way across this state, even did some moochdocking at the summer home of a couple of our followers.

JENNIFER Yes, we want to give a big shout out to Bill and Pam Roberts who welcomed us… and BO… with open arms, opening up a guest cottage for us on beautiful Lake George, considered the crown jewell lake of the Adirondacks.

MIKE We have been thrilled at the response to our latest Seven Day Adventure Guide ebook- about Yellowstone National Park. Like our other guides, this is a curated guided tour that gives you seven days of adventure and exploration. We show you what route to follow to see all of the park's major attractions, with suggestions on where to camp and boondock in or near the park, what to see and what to do. Details are at https://rvlifestyle.com/yellowstone

RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK

Potential safety issues uncovered in Roadtreks during purchase of company in Canadian bankruptcy court
Erwin Hymer Group of North America was in the news again last week, this time over safety issues alleged in some Roadtreks. According to court documents, the second row seats in some Roadtreks may not have passed certain federal safety standards in Canada or the United States. As many as 1,900 units may be affected. Roadtrek is being purchased by the French company Rapido Group and the sale is expected to be completed July 5. Some details of how the company's assets are being divided was also made available last week and a story on that topic can be found here.

Professional photographers offer useful tips in how to capture the Grand Canyon through a lens 
Anyone heading to the Grand Canyon National Park may enjoy reading an article out last week from National Geographic offering tips on how to best photograph the amazing spot. From bringing a tripod, to lens suggestions and tips on how to frame a picture, I thought the article was helpful for those who – like me – enjoy photographing the amazing spots we visit in our RVs. We’ll link to that in the shownotes of this episode at rvlifestyle.com-slash-247.

Mom and her son rescued from Zion National Park river after boy went wading and lost control
A mom and her 12-year-old son had to be rescued at Zion National Park last week after the boy went wading into the Virgin River and was swept off his feet by the dangerously fast current caused by high water levels. The mom jumped in, safely got her son onto a boulder, and then held on to the rock herself until she could be rescued.  A second woman had also jumped in to help but was free before rescuers arrived. Park officials say lots of snow and spring rain have brought extremely high water levels to the park, and with it very powerful currents, making it important to stay out of the water. This is a problem at parks throughout the west. To see pictures of Zion's Virgin River, from a trip Jen and I made there several years ago, click here.

Bears getting into campers food closes small section of Shenandoah National Park until further notice 
A small section of Shenandoah National Park is closed to camping after a black bear got into campers food twice in recent days. Hiking is still allowed in that section of the Appalachian Trail, but camping will be forbidden until further notice so bear in the area will not become accustomed to getting food from campers. This is a good reminder to always check park news before heading in to boondock or hike back trails, and always carry bear spray. For more information on bear spray check out our report form some time back here. 

Utah's Capitol Reef National Park seeking help finding vandals 
Officials at Utah's Capitol Reef National Park are seeking the public's help to find vandals who defaced a towering redrock in the park's Cathedral Valley. The carving of an eye is so deep in the sandstone, officials are not sure they can remove it. Graffiti is apparently a growing problem in some of the nation's iconic parks. 

 This part of the podcast is brought to you by RadPower Bikes,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping  Mention RVLifestyle at checkout for an additional $75 off. Plus free shipping on all their bike models  Use the coupon code rvlifestyle for an additional $75 off

LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

EMAIL FROM THIS WEEK:

If you always stay in parking lots that's not called RV lifestyle, it's called being homeless. How about an article telling people to clean up after then boondock somewhere and not leave all their garbage behind. It's getting worse every year. STEPHEN

Hi Mike Any suggestions on RV camping in the Upper Peninsula of MI? We are planning on pulling our 37′ fifth wheel up the first two weeks of September 2019 and we are looking for the best place to stay. We have never been to that part of the country with our camper and would like any feedback you can provide. -Mike Smith
(Naturally, we suggest our 7 Day Adventure Guide to the Up at https://rvlifestyle.com/up)

We have been watching your videos and enjoying them greatly. We currently have a class A gas engine (2004 Damon Intruder, 37 foot), and I am planning to retire next year so we can start traveling more and enjoying life. We have made a lot of trips in our RV so we have been able to make our list of things that we want in a new RV – and the Leisure Travel Wonder / Unity meet all our requirements. However I am really trying to understand how choosing the sprinter engine might affect us when it comes to the diesel MB5 requirements. Based on your experience, is it hard to find the right diesel gas when you are traveling, or should I assume that it usually won’t be a problem.  I would really appreciate your thoughts on the Ford Transit diesel vs Mercedes diesel fuel availability. -Tim in Arizona

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer, or a comment on the things we’re discussing. If so, we invite you to leave us that question or comment on the special voicemail number we have for the podcast – it’s 586-372-6990.  If you are driving and can’t write it down right now, just go to the RV Lifestyle travel blog at rvlifestyle.com and scroll down the page. You’ll see that number prominently posted on the blog.

This part of the RV Podcast is brought to you by Battle Born Batteries, maker of quality, safe and reliable lithium batteries that can be installed in just about every RV. Get in touch with Battle Born to find out what lithium batteries and an upgraded energy management system can add to your RV Lifestyle. Check them out at https://rvlifestyle.com/lithium

RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

So many people plan and dream about pulilng up roots, selling the sticks and bricks house and going fulltime in an RV. But what’s it like… a little scary, to be sure. But also very rewarding, as our guests this week share in an Episode we call… Livin’ the Dream.

We met this couple last week up in the Adirondacks, John and K.C, who have been fulltiming in a Class B Winnebago Travato for a year and a half now. As we heard their story we just knew we had to get them to share it with you, too. So we whipped out the recorder, gathered round the campsite picnic table and recorded the conversation.

Let’s pick it up as John describes just what it was like too leave their New Jersey home of more than three decades for a new life as fulltime RVers on the road.

The interview of the week is brought to you by SunshinestateRVs.com, where every new  motorhome is delivered to the customer free, anywhere in the country

OFF THE BEATEN PATH REPORT   

By Tom and Patti Burkett

For years we’ve had the City Museum of Saint Louis on our list of travel stops, so recently when we went to visit out park ranger daughter in the Ozarks we piled into the vehicle and drove the two hours north.  We were advised to arrive early, because the museum is a popular destination for school groups.  We’d echo that advice for anyone attending.  The museum is in downtown

St. Louis, just a few blocks from the Gateway Arch.  The adjacent parking lot will suit a class B or smallish class C RV.  Anything bigger, and you’d better look for parking elsewhere.

Bob and Gail Cassilly built the museum in 1997.  It’s housed in an old warehouse, and the structures inside are made from reclaimed parts of buildings, factories, and industrial demolition.  Everywhere you look is art, too, mostly sculptures by the Cassillys and other local talent.  Fanciful animals, objects morphing into other objects, tiny landscapes, and greatly magnified everyday things appear around every corner or above your head or below your feet as you move through the museum.  The walls and floor are riddled with holes that lead to ladders and slides connecting one level to another, or providing a way to get in between levels to special little surprises.

One section features large pieces of architectural facades—the ones you usually see ten stories above you from the street.  Here you can look at them close up and see how they’re constructed and applied.  Nearby is an exhibit of the work of Louis Sullivan, whose distinctive buildings can be found across the country.  He is a St. Louis ho metown boy.  The central core of the building contains a ten-story slide, and there are several others that will whisk you down two or three levels in a moment.  Visitor of any size can enjoy the sliding and climbing features, but knee pads are a distinct plus, and they’re for sale in the gift shop. 

MonstroCity, a multistory climbing apparatus including an airplane runs up the side of the building, and the roof features an amusement park.  There are ball pits, blacklight caves, giant pieces of industrial equipment you can operate, tubes that travel through waterscapes, a miniature railroad, and countless other things to discover among the levels.  And it’s always changing, with new things being added and connections between one place and another appearing and disappearing from one visit to the next.

When you come to visit, don’t miss the Gateway Arch if you haven’t already seen it.  The visitor center movie describing the construction process is fascinating.  A few miles east of the museum is the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, a stunning edifice built a hundred years ago.  Like the City Museum, it has been added to steadily since its original construction, and features many chapels, intricate mosaics, striking stained glass, and soaring architecture.

The city of Saint Louis is at the crossroads of North America, and sits on many roads heavily traveled.  It was the starting point for Oregon Trail journeys, as well as Lewis & Clark’s expedition, and continues to be a continental hub for river, rail, and communication systems.  In all likelihood, you’ve been through it or driven past it many times.  Even so, this historic and hardworking city will yield up some undiscovered gems to the traveler willing to poke around just a bit off the beaten path

This part of the podcast is brought to you by Harvest Hosts – https://rvlifestyle.com/harvesthosts a network of farms, wineries, museums and attractions where RVers can stay overnight, for free. 

When you become a Harvey Host member, you can visit and stay at any of more than 600 stunning locations completely free. Trade that boring and expensive $50/night campground for a unique experience and make lasting memories with your family and friends. The annual $79 membership fee pays for itself in just one night. But because you are a listener to the RV Podcast, we can save you 15% off that if you use the special coupon code HHFriends15 at check out. Go to our special Harvest Host information page at https://rvlifestyle.com/harvesthosts for details

 

 

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