Episode 92: The Roads Less Traveled

It's a sad fact that so many RVers travel so fast that they miss so much. That's because they travel the interstates, where the country whizzes past in a blur. In this episode of Roadtreing: The RV Lifestyle Podcast, we suggest a better way, through the backroads, the two lane state and county highways. In the interview segment towards the end of the program, Mike interviews RVers Jerry Pavlat [spp-timestamp time="58:32"], who reveals how he makes sure he spends as little time as possible on the Interstate. Then, in an off-the-beaten-path report [spp-timestamp time="51:30"], Tom and Patti Burkett take us to Western Oklahoma and an event far from the Interstate that is worth traveling to just to getthe T-Shirt. Plus your comments, questions and lots of tips.Scroll down for show note details and resources and click the player below to start listening. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast. [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #92 June 15, 2016 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK [spp-timestamp time="5:10"] This week’s tip is a follow up to the suggestion I made last week about using Zip Lock bags to store all sorts of stuff, from food to spare parts to things like cereal which can be emptied out of those big bulky boxes and stored in much less space. A listener named Diane offers up an alternative suggestion. The system Diane suggested is called Thrifty Vac. It seals all kinds of foods in vacuum bags.. It is very inexpensive, less that $2 . The bags cost about 17-cents each. I’ll put a link on the shownotes page for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-forward slash-92. If you have a tip you’d like to share with our RVing audience, use the “Send Voicemail” link on the right side of the Roadtreking.com blog. You can use the built-in microphone on your computer or smartphone to record the tip and send it directly to me. You can also reach me at Jennifer@roadtreking com The tip of the week is brought to you by Good Sam, the world's most popular RV organization, now celebrating its 50th year. LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK: [spp-timestamp time="9:31"] ===Maribeth asks about hooking her RV up to the house current while its parked in her driveway. Mike recommends a 30 AMP system, especially if she wasn’t to run her air conditioning. For the fridge and to charge the house batteries, the normal house system of 20 Amps will work but you will not be able to run the same amount of appliances inside the RV as you could if you were getting power from a 30A or, for the bigger RVs, a 50 A system ===Ann asks about the proper tire pressure in her RV. She checked the door post panels but found a suggestion on the Internet that recommended different settings. The recommended maximum inflation pressures for your tires are indicated on the certification label or in your owner's manual. Since RVs can be loaded with many different configurations, the load on each tire will vary. For this reason, actual air pressure required should be determined based on the load on each individual tire. Inflation pressure should be adjusted to handle the tire carrying the heaviest load, and all tires on the axle should be adjusted to this standard. Each manufacturer provides load and inflation tables specific to their products to help you determine the correct tire inflation pressure for your vehicle's loading. Under inflation brings a higher risk of susceptibility to damage due to road hazards, reduces casing durability, and causes a loss in fuel economy, plus uneven or irregular tire wear. Severe or prolonged underinflation brings about an increased risk of tread It's a common practice for RV owners to lower tire pressure in their search for a smoother ride. This is not only dangerous, it's relatively ineffective, as the difference in ride quality is not significant. When minimum inflation pressure requirements are not met, tire durability and optimum operating conditions are compromised. Tire inflation pressure should always meet at least the minimum guidelines for vehicle weight. Check your tires' air pressures at least once a month, before each trip and each morning you drive during a trip. Tire pressure should be checked cold, or before you have driven that day, as tire pressure ratings have been designed with typical running heat/pressure build-up in mind. Remember to check the air pressures of the inside tires in dual fitments and make sure the valves and caps are free of dirt and moisture. Check http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/tire-inflation-loading.aspx for more info ===Craig asks about the best portable grill for his RV. Mike shares what he has, and news of a new one called the Volcano Grill… a three in one grill that can cook with propane, charcoal or wood…plus it converts into a small campfire. $149 on Amazon. Mike also uses a small Coleman Camp Propane Grill and Stove and the GoSun Solar cooker. 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. RV BASIC TRAINING [spp-timestamp time="30:53"] We’ve talked about Class A motorhomes, travel trailer and now, in this week’s edition of RV Basic Training, what you need to know about buying a Class B RV, or camper van, as they are typically called. Buying an RV is perhaps the second biggest purchase most of us will make next to our house. In some cases, with kids grown and newly retired from our jobs, it becomes our house as more and more people embrace the fulltiming style of a life on wheels. And these days, Type B RVs seem to be at the top of the motorhome popularity chart. Many who bought larger Type A or C motorhomes are downsizing, or “rightsizing,” as some call it, for the more mobile and maneuverable Type B RV style campervan motorhome. For one thing, new retirees are coming into the marketplace every day. And today’s retirees are generally healthier and more active than those who came before. The first baby boomers turned 65 three years ago. According to a Social Security agency report, over the next two decades, nearly 80 million Americans will become eligible for Social Security benefits, more than 10,000 per day. To find out, we crowdsourced the question, asking current Type B owners, members of our very active Roadtreking Facebook Group. They are the true experts, whose collective wisdom is more reliable and real world than any of the pie in the sky promises you’ll get from commission hungry RV salemen. Here’s a link to the questions you should ask - https://rvlifestyle.com/choosing-a-class-b-rv/ This part of the podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 15 locations on the East Coast This part of the podcast is brought to you by Campers Inn, the nation’s largest family-operated RV dealership with 15 locations on the East Coast Campers Inn RV is giving away The Ultimate Camping Package! The camping package includes a: propane grill, large cooler, 2 camping chairs, a two-person lazy river tube and more. A $500 value! Go to www.campersinn.com/roadtreking for your chance to win. Promo code: camping. Winner will be announced Aug 1, 2016. RV NEWS OF THE WEEK: [spp-timestamp time="38:15"] Man dies when wind microburst tosses his RV 40 feet – A man died in southern Colorado Sunday after a microburst apparently threw his RV trailer about 40 feet, according to the Otero County Sheriff's Office. The 50-year-old man was killed near Highway 194 on County Road 33, which is about 15 miles from La Junta. The man's name has not been released, pending an autopsy and notification of family. The Sheriff's Office said deputies and the National Weather Service are investigating the death. EverGreen RV shuts down - EverGreen Recreational Vehicles in Middlebury, at one time one of the fastest-growing RV companies in the nation, has closed its doors, leaving hundreds of employees out of work. Employees and county officials said EverGreen shut down its operations on Friday.The plant grounds at 10758 C.R. 2, just north of the Indiana Toll Road, were mostly empty Friday afternoon with almost no cars in the parking lot.The company employed about 400 people in Middlebury who are now out of a job. Woman Pleads Guilty to Defacing Rocks at National Parks - - A San Diego woman who painted and drew on treasured natural rock formations at national parks across the West and shared her work on social media pleaded guilty Monday to defacing government property. Casey Nocket, 23, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Fresno, California to seven misdemeanors for the autumn 2014 painting spree at seven national parks including Yosemite in California and Zion in Utah. She also admitted to defacing rocks at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. 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: [spp-timestamp time="44:35"] Verizon's Steve Van Dinter reports on Mobile Payments and why using this new way of paying for goods is safe, reliable and efficient. Mike’s Apps of the week… When it comes to summer fun, nothing beats a perfect meal from the grill – just as a cookout failure can be disastrous. RVers love cooking out and I have three apps to help you improve your chances of a successful barbecue. The Pit Pal BBQ App adds a bit of science to the barbecue process. Grillers log details about each cook like, temperature, wood type, charcoal, gas and weather. There are more variables from food type and weight sauce, rub and more. The benefit of having all this info is to allow for instant access to what works and what doesn’t. The app is free for iOS and Android with in-app purchases available to add more functions.