RVers love to share the RV Upgrades they've made, and in Episode 469 of the RV podcast, we visited with several of those who attended our recent Music City Meetup in Nashville who shared their favorite DIY upgrades. All were easy to do.
You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.
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Links to the RV Upgrades featured this week
Here are links to some of the RV modifications and tips shared in this Episode.
If you buy something through our links, we may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our lights on so we can continue to provide helpful resources for RVers. Read our full affiliate disclosure here.
- Air Conditioning Mod – https://RVAirflow.com
- Old National Parks Postcards from Ranger of the Lost Art – https://RangerDoug.com
- Blackout Curtain – https://amzn.to/3QkVInt
- Adjustable Track for Blackout Curtain – https://amzn.to/3M4Sv8L
- Viva Paper Towels – https://amzn.to/3rYvJsk
- BOYO Vision VTM7012QFHD 4 Channel Monitor – https://amzn.to/3txAtG2
- Echomaster cameras- https://amzn.to/3ttEACK
- TST 770 Tire pressure Monitoring System – https://amzn.to/45x7E9R
- Magnetic Clip and Mount for TST remote – https://www.proclipusa.com/
SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer
Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group:
Karen recently asked the group if anyone has named their RV, and if so, what did you name it?
Boy, did she ever get a lot of responses and it was so much fun to read!
We had Big Bertha for a Keystone Cougar, Joy as in Joy on the Road, Monty for a new Montana Fifth Wheel, and Winifred the Winnebago.
Then there were names like Tootsie Roll, Daisy Mae, Gladys, Cousin Eddie, Big Blue, Miles, Lance, Chugs, Lucy, and on and on it went. More than 1,000 people shared what they named their rig, many with pictures, and it was so much fun to read.
We have many people share hacks that have helped them on the RVLifestyle Facebook group, and Jon shared just such a tip that got many people's attention. He bought a device that you put under the bottom stair going up to your RV to stabilize things. He said it really reduced the camper rocking when two people were going in and out so he took a picture and shared it with the group. Lippert made the device, many thanked him, and it turns out other members of the group also have them, also said it helped a lot and shared pictures as well.
Since this seemed to help so many, I had to share it with you.
Finally, the last post I'd like to share is on a topic that comes up fairly often because new people are entering the RV Lifestyle every day. And that topic is RV toilet paper.
Robin said she is a newbie, and asked the group if she could use regular toilet paper in her RV. She received hundreds and hundreds of responses and the resounding answer is no, you don't need that expensive RV toilet paper. Just make sure whatever you buy is septic-safe and easily dissolvable, and then use lots and lots of water!
RV NEWS OF THE WEEK
Grand Canyon National Park rangers urge visitors to stop leaving “love locks” on fences
A popular trend at Grand Canyon National Park and elsewhere is for couples to get a padlock, engrave their initials on it, attach the lock to a metal fence, and throw the key into a nearby body of water to symbolize their “unbroken love.”
The problem?
All those shiny keys are attractive to the endangered California condor. Many of these curious birds are eating the keys, which then get stuck in them. The birds then need surgery to have the key removed, further endangering them.
And there is the issue of the locks themselves. Hundreds of locks on a fence are littering, which requires someone to go out and cut them off for disposal.
Missing California woman was last seen camping solo in Arizona's Kaibab National Forest
Police are asking the public's help finding a 32-year-old San Diego woman who was last seen car-camping in northern Arizona with her bearded dragon.
The woman, Chelsea Grimm, was driving from California to Connecticut for a wedding and to visit her parents. Shortly into her trip she called her parents and said she would be a few days late and instead was going to spend a few days camping in Arizona.
But shortly after that her car was found with two flat tires northeast of Ash Fork in the Kaibab National Forest. Police said she is missing, along with her lizard, clothes, wallet, phone, and credit card.
No one has heard from her for a couple of weeks. To learn more or report anything you may have seen, click here.
To see our story on Women RVers sharing their secret tips for successful RV travel click here.
A bill is introduced to require security cameras at all New York state park entrances and exits in response to campground kidnapping
A New York legislator introduced a bill to require security cameras at all state park entrances and exits after a girl was kidnapped at New York's Moreau Lake State Park while camping with her family two weeks ago.
The security cameras would record the manufacturer, model and plate number of any vehicle entering or exiting a state park and campground.
Such cameras would have helped law enforcement in the recent kidnapping of 9-year-old Charlotte Sena.
Charlotte was riding her bike at the campground when she was kidnapped. Her kidnapper left a ransom note that enabled police to trace his fingerprints and rescue her.
We'll keep an eye on this to see if it becomes state law.
Death Valley National Park reopens after longest closure in park's history
Death Valley National Park partially reopened yesterday, ending the longest closure in the park's history.
The park closed in August after it received two inches of rain in one day, washing out roads and trails and causing massive flooding and damage. (Typically, the park receives two inches of rain annually.)
Not all of the roads are fully repaired. Visitors should expect gravel in spots and, at times, long delays.
RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK
QUESTION: We have heard so many ideas on how we should insulate for the winter. We have our RV in LaFollette TN. I was hopeful since you all are in TN you would have some really good insight on how we can leave our camper non-winterized so we can pop in and out over the winter months. We are also thinking of renting it out during the winter. – Sheila
ANSWER: Use blown air instead of antifreeze. The typical way to winterize a travel trailer is to pour RV antifreeze down all the lines. However, when you again want to use the RV, you have to get all that pink antifreeze out, and that requires you to fill the fresh water tank at least a couple of times. It's a real pain, especially if you want to use the RV for camping.
A much better solution is to blow out the lines with compressed air, alleviating the need for dumping gallons of antifreeze through your RV plumbing system.
You’ll need a blow-out plug. That's a simple adaptor that screws onto your outdoor water intake valve. You hook up an air compressor to push water out of any RV lines. RV blow-out plugs are easily found at any standard RV dealer locations.
One caution: Don't use too much pressure; about 30-40 psi is all you need to get all the water out. Any more and you could damage the pipes.
When you want to use water in your RV during a winter camping trip, you just hook up again. The heater in the RV will keep the pipes from freezing. If you have heated tanks, so much the better. Put some fresh water and use your water pump to draw from the tank rather than the spigot. That way the hose to the spigot won't freeze up.
When it's time to go, just make sure you drain and blow out the lines again after using the RV and leaving it in cold weather.
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