“What’s on your bucket list?” is a question we all understand and perhaps have asked or had asked of us. As RVers, it’s important to dream about and plan the places we want to visit before, well, before we kick the bucket. You may be surprised to know that psychologists say having a bucket list is very healthy for your mental well being. Plus it’s a lot of fun. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to make your RV bucket list fit your desires and goals and we’ll learn some great tips from a very efficient bucket list-keeper.
Plus, also in this episode, your questions, RV tips and a great off the beaten path report.
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 #180 Feb. 21, 2018 of Roadtreking – The RV Podcast:
WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK [spp-timestamp time=”2:15″]
This podcast comes to you from Okaloosa Island, FL, our home away from home, where we will be hanging out and exploring Florida and the Gulf Coast at least through April. We will be making a trip to Phoenix Arizona to meet and greet folks at the annual Super B RV Show held at the University of Phoenix Stadium April 12th to the 15th.
We had a great time last week at the Manatee Springs State Park along the Suwannee You can read about it on the blog at https://rvlifestyle.com/way-upon-suwannee-river
This week, we’ll be out on the Gulf Islands National Seashore just east of Pensacola, putting the finishing touches on our video review of our new e-bikes.
Here’s what caught our attention in the news this week:
Plan to reorganize Interior Dept. causing concern
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's plan to reorganize his department by moving federal employees out of Washington, D.C. and into 13 newly created regions dominated national parks news last week. Zinke says he wants the federal employees to be located closer to the federal lands, rivers and ecosystems they manage. To do this he is proposing creating 13 regions that do not follow state boundaries. He says it will streamline federal government but not everyone is so sure. A few stories to follow can be found here or here.
Climbers may soon need to haul their excrement out of Alaska park
Denali National Park is considering proposing a poop carry-out rule, according to a story that caught my eye this week. About 1,000 people try to climb the Kahiltna Glacier annually, and because everything is frozen, this waste never breaks down. The result is about 150,000 pounds of human excrement in the glacier's crevices, by conservative estimates, frozen in time. Officials are discussing requiring climbers to carry their waste out in biodegradable bags. To read more click here.
Rare month for stargazers: No full moon to view
Excited to get out there and gaze at a full moon? Well, better wait for March. February 2018 is the very rare month (roughly once every 25 years) where there is NO full moon to view. After two full moons in January, one a super moon because it was so close, there will be none this month. Click here to learn more or here.
Canadian officials study how to legalize pot sales near national parks
The Canadian Government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to have marijuana available for legal purchase everywhere in the country by July, but officials are saying they may need more time. Canada is on tract to become the second country in the world to legalize marijuana sales everywhere. But figuring out how to do this is causing some headaches for its national park communities as leaders try to figure out the right way to legalize and regulate pot sales in heavy tourist areas. For more information read here or here.
If you read our RV Newsletter, you would have learned about these stories and more. It’s sent out absolutely free every Monday morning to our subscribers. Just go to http://archive.aweber.com/roadtreking
This portion of the Podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the RVer’s trusted resource for over 50 years, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 19 locations and growing
JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time=”12:08″]
As we travel across North America, we love meeting and visiting with those who follow us on the blog, podcast and our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel. Everyone, it seems, has a tip of suggestion that is very helpful.
At the recent Jacksonville RV Show in Florida, we ran into a listener of the podcast named Ron. He shared with us how a mouse that got into the front part of his RV caused a massive amount of damage.
And he passed along a great tip on how we can avoid having the same thing happen to us.
Ron made small containers that held peppermint oil that he fastened with a magnet around the RV
Ron says, they are doing a very effective job in keeping mice out of his RV.
Meanwhile, be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. 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!
LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time=”17:40″]
- A listener asks how much RV antifreeze do you pour into the toilet when camping in cold weather an RV that has been winterized.
- A listener named Bruce responded to our request last week to send us a voice message about how and where they are listening to the podcast.
- By e-mail: I recently received my senior lifetime pass to all National parks unfortunately I. Just discovered that the pass is not good for State Parks. Is there a similar pass for State Parks and if so how do I apply for one. If not, would it behoove us to start a united petition to get All States to get together and offer such a pass for Seniors, something like a Senior Lifetime State Park Passport, for Seniors and Veterans – Jesse, Camden, DE
Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B’ RVs with locations St. Louis, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; Kalispell, Montana and now… Colorado Springs, Colorado..
INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time=”27:42]
What’s on your bucket list is a question we all understand and perhaps have asked or had asked of us. “The Bucket List” is a phrase that’s been around awhile but entered the common vernacular in 2007 following a film of the same name, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two aging and terminally ill men who strike out together to cross accomplishments off their bucket lists – their term for those things they hope to achieve before kicking the bucket. The idea of reaching certain goals and milestones before crossing life’s finish line is nothing new, really, but now we have a name for it and countless people have embraced the idea since.
Having a bucket list is important because it will help keep your spirit of adventure going. Just having the list itself is great because through it, you are keeping your goals and dreams alive. Writing them down or making them vocal makes them more real and it will build your confidence and drive to fulfill them .Studies show that learning and seeing new things helps ward off dementia. Think of it this way: A mind that is growing is a mind that is young.
A bucket list is not about dying but about living, Life is all about making memories. Your bucket list certainly will give you plenty of them. They will be memories you will hold onto forever, and give you great stories to tell other people. It'll be nice to look back on the things you've experienced and seen, something to make you feel fulfilled and something you can share with other people.
The idea of making a bucket list to create a more meaningful life is certainly bolstered by anecdotal evidence. Just ask those who have one. But research also supports it. One study found that participants who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not. Other psychology research suggests that accomplishing goals that connect us to something larger than ourselves (say touring Alaska in an RV) is important for a fulfilled life.
And here’s the thing about a bucket list: A bucket list is never ending. You can always come up with new ideas, always try new things. It's not a list that's meant to be completed.
At our recent RV Lifestyle Roadtreking Gathering at Manatee Springs State Park in Florida, we spent some time with Theresa Corral, one of the most efficient bucket list keepers we’ve ever met and she shared just how she handles her list.
The interview of the week is brought to you by SunshinestateRVs.com, where every new or used Roadtrek motorhome is delivered to the customer free, anywhere in the country
TRAVELING TECH TIP [spp-timestamp time=”44:24″]
By Steve Van Dinter
Verizon Wireless
Parenting in the Digital Age Part 1
It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. You find out that your child has been put in danger after having a conversation with someone they met online. Unfortunately, stories like this one happen every day. So what can you as a parent do to protect them?
First things first: communicate. And often.
Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute says the number one thing to do is talk to your kids. Start as early as two or three years old and continue talking all the way until they get into college. Ask your child how they feel about social media. Create a social media contract outlining expectations and repercussions they may face if the contract is broken.
If you can’t beat them, join them! Follow your kids on all social media platforms and keep up with key trends. While you may not have time to be an active user across all platforms, it is important that you monitor their activity from a user’s standpoint. This will help you look for any red flags.
Unfortunately, what lands online today, stays online – forever. But your children may not think about the future consequences, so be sure to talk to them about this. Additionally, according to a recent Up to Speed podcast by Verizon, parents must learn to be digital role models. Children are far more likely to do what you do as opposed to what you say, so be sure your actions line up with your words.
This is just the first part of protecting your child online. Next week we’ll talk about important settings on your phone you’ll want to check and how to keep tabs on what your kids are doing online, even when you’re not around.
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 – Mermaids in Montana [spp-timestamp time=”46:43″]
By Tom and Patti Burkett
September was cold in the Montana mountains, and we’d just enjoyed an afternoon soak in the hot springs at White Sulphur Springs. We debated spending the night. After all, it was hunting season, and there was live music at the local hangout. There were a few other things to poke into around town, too, including a mansion built by one of the Ringling Brothers, of circus fame. On the other hand, there was enough light left to enjoy the King’s Hill Scenic Byway through the Lewis & Clark National Forest. Besides, it was Thursday night, and there were mermaids in Great Falls.
The byway was sprinkled with small national forest campgrounds, and as we pulled through a couple of them, mostly deserted and mostly strung along small mountain streams, we again considered just pulling off for the night. Frankly, I was for it, but Tom was determined to see the mermaids, even if it meant night driving in the mountains. Sure enough, it was plenty dark when we arrived in Great Falls, and the lights of the big refinery there lit up the horizon.
The O’Haire Motor Inn was built almost fifty years ago during the heyday of motor vacations. It features a casino, an enclosed parking garage, a restaurant called Clark & Lewie’s, and, most importantly, the Sip ’n’ Dip Lounge. There was a time in the fifties and sixties when tiki bars were all the rage. Some still survive, and as you travel around North America, we encourage you to visit one for a bit of kitschy nostalgia. The Sip ’n’ Dip is one of these. Things were buzzing when we arrived, and we counted ourselves lucky to find two seats at the bar.
A gregarious bartender immediately greeted us and informed us that we looked like we could use a fishbowl. The signature tropical drink was soon in front of us, yes, in a fishbowl (yours to take home) and sporting two straws. While we waited for fish tacos, we visited with our neighbors at the bar. On one side were two bikers from Jasper. Alberta making their way south on a long weekend fall ride. On the other was the morning news anchor from the public radio station in Valdez, Alaska.
I immediately chatted up the Canadians about the best route and things to see between here and Jasper, and Patti found out from Karen the news anchor just why there was so much excitement. Over in the corner, surrounded by a crowd of barroom singers, sat Pat Spoonheim at the keyboard. Piano Pat has been tickling the ivories in this room since the bar opened in 1969, and tonight the New York Times was in town for an interview and photos.
And let’s not forget the mermaids. Tonight there were two of them, swimming on the other side of tall glass windows behind the bar. Up and down they cruised, blowing bubbly kisses to patrons and posing for pictures. The bartender told us mermaids are surprisingly hard to find, and both of these would be graduating from high school soon and swimming off somewhere else. I wasn’t surprised. After all, these were the only ones I’d ever seen except the ones at Weeki Wachee Spring in Florida.
Going out to a bar is not one of our regular travel activities, but we agreed, as we settled down to sleep in a parking lot a few blocks away, that festive atmosphere and easy conversation had made this one of the absolute highlights in our years of traveling. So, you can click through to the New York Times article linked below and see us, sitting there with the mermaids, or just maybe you can find an empty bar stool yourself, somewhere off the beaten path.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
http://www.spahotsprings.com/index.html
https://ohairemotorinn.com/sip-n-dip/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/25/style/mermaid-tiki-bar-sip-n-dip.html
This part of the podcast is sponsored by Steinbring Motorcoach, Roadtrek’s newest dealer and a third generation family business in Minnesota’s beautiful Chain of Lakes region built on quality motorhomes and excellent pricing and service.
RV Shows this weekend
Here's he calendar [spp-timestamp time=”53:01″]
Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show
February 19-25
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianapolis, IN
February 19-25
Westerner Park
Red Deer, AB (Canada)
Billings RV & Boat Show & Sale
February 22-25
MetraPark
Billings, MT
February 22-25
Dallas Market Hall
Dallas, TX
February 22-25
PA Farm Show Complex & Expo Center
Harrisburg, PA
18th Annual Vermont State RV & Camping
February 23-25
Champlain Valley Expo
Essex Junction, VT
February 23-25
Belle-Clair Fairgrounds
Belleville, IL
February 23-25
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center
Birmingham, AL
February 23-25
Greater Columbus Convention Center
Columbus, OH
Great Rockies Sport, RV & Boat Show- Bozeman
February 23-25
Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Bozeman, MT
Hot Springs Boat, Tackle & RV Show
February 23-25
Hot Springs Convention Center
Hot Springs, AR
February 23-25
Maryland State Fairgrounds
Lutherville/Timonium, MD
February 23-25
Raleigh State Fairgrounds
Raleigh, NC
Pennsylvania Adventure RV Expo
February 23-25
Blair County Convention Center
Altoona, PA
February 23-25
EAA Grounds
Oshkosh, WI
February 23-25
DCU Center
Worcester, MA
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