This week on the RV Podcast:
- Vital Gear for safe drinking water while camping
- The latest on the RV Camping Event of the year – Monday’s total eclipse of the sun
- How that collapsed bridge in Baltimore will alter travel routes for RVers this summer
- All this, plus the RV News of the Week and your questions coming up in Episode #491 of the RV Podcast
You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.
If you prefer an audio-only podcast, you can hear us through your favorite podcast app or listen now through the player below.
SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer
Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.
In our RVLifestyle Community Solo Travelers Space, Tina wrote that she is going on her first solo trip in her Aliner pop-up camper soon, a cross country trip to the Grand Canyon. Tina used to RV with her husband and kids years ago, but she is now divorced, kids are grown, she recently retired from her full time job and just has the travel bug. But as she made her plans her mom started telling her this sounded like a dangerous thing to do, and the result is she is starting to feel a little nervous. So she asked the solo community for some encouragement and safety tips.
Lois encouraged her to use good campgrounds that have high ratings from other people so she knows she is staying in a safe place.
Bob said to not make herself a target by wearing expensive clothes or jewelry and maybe take a class on how to use Mace for a sense of safety.
And many many women urged Tina to listen to her intuition, and not be afraid to leave any time day or night. And so many urged her to go for it, with Donna adding it will get easier each time.
Also in our community, we had a new conversation in the Mods & DIY Tweaks space where everyone shared their favorite modification to their rig.
Steve said he changed the blinds with strings that were in RV to black out blinds. Sounds like a great idea.
Tanya's addition was a Bluetooth leveler, which also sounds like a great suggestion while Don got a portable fire pit with a propane table top heater that sounds wonderful.
SO many great ideas in this thread!
Meanwhile, in our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group, Martha asked: How do people keep their house safe when they are gone for a long RV trip? Now Martha and her husband do not have family around, but said they do live in a pretty safe area, where there's not a lot of crime. But she wanted to know what others do.
Judith suggested setting timers to turn off and on the lights and maybe a radio. And she could get cameras that would alert them if something is around their home.
Brian said if you have good neighbors, you could ask them to park a car in your driveway, get your mail, and keep an eye on the place.
Ashley suggested hiring a house sitter.
And many many people suggested investing in a monitored alarm system.
For many RVers, spring means one thing—the summer camping season is almost here! But just as important as choosing this year's adventures is making sure your rig is ready to go. A key part of that preparation is maintaining your RV's water filtration system.
RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK – Gear for Safe Drinking Water While Camping
Summary:
In this conversation, Mike Wendland interviews Noah Cronan, marketing manager at Camco Manufacturing, about the importance of water filtration and maintaining the water system in RVs.
They discuss the quality of water at campgrounds and the need for water filters to remove impurities.
Noah explains the six-step filtration process to protect against bacteria growth. They also talk about the importance of replacing water filters regularly, typically every three months.
Additionally, they discuss the need for a water pressure regulator to prevent damage to RV pipes and the selection of a suitable water hose. They recommend replacing the water hose at the start of every camping season and coiling it for storage.
Note: Here are our Amazon affiliate links to the the products we recommend.
- The water filter we are recommending for RVers is the The Camco TastePure Water Filter. We just got two of them to use during the 2024 camping season. https://amzn.to/3U2UOO3
- The water hose we use and recommend is the Camco EvoFlex Water Hose. It does not kink like other hoses we have used. – https://amzn.to/4aCaOMt
- We have the Camco Adjustable Brass Water Pressure Regulator – https://amzn.to/3xkLrAz
- Camco’s products are made in the USA. Here’s a link to their Amazon Page that features their many RV and camping products – https://amzn.to/49jNJgB
Takeaways
- Water filtration is essential for RV camping to ensure the quality and safety of the water supply.
- Regularly replacing water filters every three months is recommended to maintain optimal filtration.
- Using a water pressure regulator is crucial to protect RV pipes from high water pressure at campgrounds.
- Choosing a drinking water safe hose and replacing it regularly helps maintain a clean water system in RVs.
Here is a Video we did on all three products discussed in the interview.
RV NEWS OF THE WEEK
Many RVers are preparing for what's becoming the RV event of the year – the Solar Eclipse!
Are you traveling this week to a campground to watch the Monday, April 8 Solar Eclipse? If yes, you aren't alone!
The eclipse is quickly becoming THE event not to miss for many RVers. Our RVLifestyle Community and our RVLifestyle Facebook group are full of folks taking pictures of themselves hitting the road and sharing their plans to catch the eclipse at a campground.
Many campgrounds, state parks and universities in the path of totality are planning special events. Stores, farmers and residents are charging for people to park on their property.
And some communities are expecting so many tourists, officials are issuing warnings for locals to stock up on groceries and fill their tanks because of massive crowds.
Most of the U.S. will see the eclipse, but the path of totality – where the moon will completely block the sun – is a 115-mile-wide region that stretches from southern Texas in a northeast line up through northern Maine.
To learn more about how to prepare and what to expect, check NASA's info page here.
Visitors to national monument urged stay on trail because of risk of explosives
If you are heading over to California's Fort Ord National Monument, the Bureau of Land Management has an important message: Hike only on designated paths for your own safety.
The risk? If you go off trail, you may stumble upon dangerous artillery projectiles, rockets, hand grenades, practice land mines, pyrotechnics, bombs, demolition materials, and more.
Fort Ord National Monument is a former U.S. Army base located in Monterey County. It was created as a park in 2012. Recently, illegal trails and jumps were discovered west of Barloy Canyon Road, which led to the warning because it IS dangerous.
The park has 86 miles of trails and is managed by both BLM and the U.S. Army. It is a beautiful location, but there is no camping.
RVers traveling in northeast will need alternative routes for after Baltimore Bridge collapse
In case you haven't heard about Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsing last week after a container ship crashed into it, we wanted to share it here because this is going to affect RVers' travel plans for a long time.
The bridge collapsed after a huge ship loaded with 4,700 containers crashed into it in the middle of the night after the pilot lost control of steering, killing and injuring construction workers who were doing routine road repairs on it.
RVers who have propane tanks that hold 10 pounds or more are prohibited from using the alternative suggestions of Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) or the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895).
Instead, RVers will need to use use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels. We're hearing this bridge will likely take years to rebuild.
Millions of sandhill cranes expected to descend on Nebraska's Platte River during annual migration
Hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes have descended on the Platte River in Nebraska as part of their annual migration, and the pictures we've seen are stunning.
The Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon is a popular viewing spot for the crane season, which runs through April 6. Millions of cranes are expected to pass through on their summer migration.
Some RVers come to the area to watch the crane migration as a bucket list item.
To see the Rowe Sanctuary's live crane cam, click here.
RV QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK
QUESTION: We’ve been snowboards down here in Florida all season and I swear the main slideout on our fifth wheel is sagging. What can I do about that? –Everett
ANSWER: This is a pretty common concern long-time campers have about their slides. The fact is extra strain is placed on your RV's slide-out mechanism anytime your RV's slide-out room is extended for prolonged periods. To relieve that strain, you may want to invest in support braces.
Camco makes one called the Eaz-Lift Slide-Out Support. They prevent this strain by providing additional support to your slide-out. They are adjustable to fit any height and come in a pair of two for around $75 or so.
Because of that sag, we always recommend that when storing your RV, do so with the slides in. And use the support braces when you are living in the RV for more than a month. They are a good investment to protect your major investment, which is your RV.
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