37 RV Hacks

Click HERE to view these very helpful hints.

Boondockers Welcome

So what are your options when all the campgrounds are full or closed for the season?

Many seek out Walmart stores, truck stops, and casinos for free overnight parking en route to their destinations.

Harvest Hosts

What a nice experience this has to be! Visit their website HERE

Harvest Hosts' goal is to provide new experiences for RVers. You will meet fascinating people, visit interesting locales and have the opportunity to purchase locally grown farm fresh products.

At the end of the day you'll have a unique and special location to spend the night for no overnight fee. There are no black-out dates and no limits or restrictions on the number of Hosts you can visit. All you need in order to participate is a self-contained RV.

Harvest Hosts is an online program. When you join, you receive a username and password that provides access to the Host Directory, interactive maps and an easy to use Find a Host app. You will also be able to print your own Membership Card and Vehicle Identification Badge.

Membership is $40.00 for twelve months and by joining, all members agree to abide by the Harvest Hosts Code of Conduct.

You'll enjoy wine tastings, farm tours, museums or picking your own produce. You'll enjoy knowing that you supported the local economy, and at the end of the day you'll enjoy a unique and rewarding overnight spot.

Meet Joe

Meet Jose Tiar, better known as Joe. Fed up with city chaos and noise, the constant stress and pressure of paying utility bills, and the feeling of being stuck in one spot, he decided to do something about it and followed his dream.

 

 No, he’s not selling hot dogs or cheese steak. He bought this truck in pursuit of happiness; to live his life the way he thought it ought to be.

Believe it or not, this is the interior of the very same truck.

It’s accommodating enough to house his 11-year-old daughter as well. Her room is just at the top of the stairs.

“True, I gave up a lot of stuff- books, clothing and other unnecessary things we all acquire. But gained freedom. Real freedom. Freedom of movement, that allows me to live near the beach, in a beautiful wooded area, or even in the city. Freedom from corporate taxes, electricity, and water corporations.”

Underneath the truck is an 800 liter tank which provides him with more than enough water and…

A roof full of solar panels supplies and stores enough power for a month.

Now he intends to recruit partners, to unite and to buy farmland- a sustainable village on wheels.

”Community awareness, commitment to environment and mutual aid, infrastructure-independence and not consuming and polluting,” are some of his moral initiatives for his dream of a mobile community.

If you enjoyed learning about Joe’s lifestyle and want to inspire others to think outside the box of conformity, share it by clicking below.

Sources: Tiny House Swoon, Contatolegal

Sing Along

Yeah, I'm Gonna Miss 'em

I guess those of us who make the transition from living in a sticks and bricks built home all have to give up things to get all those benefits of the RV lifestyle.  What we give up will depend on the type of rig we choose... the bigger and more luxurious the rig the fewer compromises one makes.  But, in the end, everything is a compromise isn't it?  There is no getting around it though, there are things I will miss.  Here are the top ten things on my list that are recorded here in no particular order.

THE TOP TEN THINGS I WILL MISS 

#1 - Luxurious showers that can last as long as I want them too with no concern about filling up a holding tank or running out of hot water.  All that space in a home shower will be missed too.












#2 - High pressure toilets that require no special attention, require no special toilet tissue that will foul the tank sensors and will not exceed a holding tank capacity.













#3 - Washers and dryers that work, do not require you to drive to them and then feed them coins.













#4 - High speed, dependable internet service where you can use all the bandwidth you want watching movies or uploading to a blog.

#5 - Home package and mail delivery 24/7.  Amazon and eBay deliveries... no problemo, just leave it at the front door if not at home!
















#6 - A garage and shop for all the things I like to build and/or repair.  A dry place for the car is not bad either.

#7 - A large refrigerator and freezer combo that holds all the food, drinks, ice and fresh cold water that I could want for.

#8 - A pantry that I can fill with all those food and household items that I find at those big box stores.
(Half of which that just waste away and become dated.)  OK, maybe I won't miss it so much.

#9 - Privacy!  I like lots of it!  It will be sorely missed.  

#10 - ... and of course, family and friends.  I'll miss the ones I have left behind but I will look forward to spending time with others while on the road.

Wanderin' Star

I guess man has always had the urge to wander and explore.  History is filled with those that did.  They travelled at great risk but I think there was also great reward.  Not necessarily monetary.  Can you imagine that first European that gazed out at the Grand Canyon?

We that love travel share some of those urges to travel in our RVs... and we share in some of those same rewards.  Maybe we don't even understand why we feel the way we do but, nevertheless, we do.  Lee Marvin sang a song about these feelings in the movie, "Paint Your Wagon".   In the song it attributes the necessity of travel to being born under a wanderin' star.

Does Size Matter

There are a lot of different types of RVs out there and it can get confusing as to what is right for you.  Go RVing has a really nice way of stepping you through the selection process.  Of course after you decide what type you want then you will have to go through the process of deciding if you want new or used.  Relax, take your time and everything should work out just fine.

Click HERE to compare the different Recreational RV types.

Hierarchy of Camping

Like the food chain, everyone who experience the outdoors has a place on the spectrum of roughing it.
Those that go “Camping", the purists near the top, are the people who take fewer comfort items with them, and further down are all those weenies who apparently can’t make it camping a single night without their down booties, extra-thick camping pad, butane-powered curling iron and their stuffed animal collection.
Still further down are those that  go "RVing" and find the need for vehicles and  more creature comforts.
Then there are those that go "Glamping" and are literally at home with all the creature comforts like auto-temp air conditioning, microwaves, ice makers, flat screen TVs  and surround sound systems.

So You Like RV Blogs

... well we do too!  There are a couple of great sites on the internet that have an extensive list of RV Blogs that they want you to know about. Check them out. You may want your blog listed there too.



Click HERE to visit their Blogger Directory


Click HERE to visit their list of RV Bloggers.




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Your Mileage May Vary

As the old man was standing at the pump filling up his RV a young man who was filling up his Honda Civic watched as the number of gallons pumped into the RV kept climbing - 40, 50, then 60.

The young man looked over at the old man and said, "I bet that thing doesn't get very good gas mileage does it?"   "Oh, not so good for a vehicle" the old man said, "but for a rolling condominium... not too bad."

Sometimes we have to keep things in the right perspective.  I here RV owners all the time that don't drive their RVs at all because of the price of fuel.  Others worry about the potential for increasing prices of fuel.  Well, nobody looks forward to the price of anything going up and most of us have to keep an eye on the budget.  But, at the same time, maybe we are blowing this issue out of perspective.

The current (April 2014) price per a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $3.63 per gallon.  If you travel 6000 miles a year (that is like driving from San Francisco to Miami and back) in your RV and you average 7 MPG then you will use 857 gallon of fuel a year / 71 gallons per month. Your annual fuel costs at the current price would total $3111 or $260 per month.

Now for the perspective.  If the price of fuel were to go up to $4.63 per gallon then your annual fuel costs based on that 857 gallons would then be $3968 or $330 per month, an increase of $857 per year or $71 per month.

You also have some degree of control over fuel costs.  You don't have to travel as many miles to enjoy good weather, good company and adventure.  You can adjust other expenses to lower your overall expenses too.  Maybe boondocking instead of staying at RV parks is an option.  Staying in Federal Parks with the senior discount saves a lot.  I also find that family members and friends offer parking where they live.  Another thing to remember is that many have an option of driving a fuel efficient tow vehicle.  Mine averages about 30 mpg.  The point is that RVing offers several different ways to adjust your budget if the need arises.  Ways that are generally not available to those living in a stick built home.

Wanna Play Hide and Seek

It is a big playground and there are tons of things to find.  You can do a little hiding yourself even.   Click Here if you want to learn more on how to play.

Traffic Info - No problem

Did you know that there is a ton of traffic and roads information that is as close as your phone and at no charge. There sure is.  Just dial 511on your phone.

Putting Them Together

Part automobile and part house.  How are these things made?

Well then why not take a factory tour?

Here is a guide to many of them provided for us by The Fun Times Guide to RVing.

RV Factory Tours  <<<< Click Here

Byways

Ever wonder where all the scenic highways are in the good old USA?
Well wonder no more.  Here is a site that will point them all out for you.

America's Scenic Byways Map  <<<< Click Here

Exciting Time For RV Community

RVillage <<<Click Here
Here is one of the most exciting RV projects that I have come across.  It is experiencing tremendous growth.  This Beta test version was introduced on 3/12/14 and I became a registered member on 3/14/14.  I was the 961st member. Today, 3/20/14, there are now 2955 members.

Becky, at InterstellarOrchard describes it so well.  By the way, I recommend you visit her blog.  www.interstellarorchard.com

The following is what Becky had to say:

I’ve spent the past three weeks poking around on it in private, and there is no doubt in my mind, RVillage has the potential to be a revolutionary new community building tool for RVers that is unlike any forum, club, or Facebook group out there. It has a simple and easy to learn layout that anyone can learn to navigate, and is completely free. Last Wednesday the project entered open beta, so now I can share it with all of you.

The feature I find most promising  is how easy it makes it to find other people who share similar interests to you. When you sign up, you fill out a profile that can be as brief or in-depth as you like and then sign in to the RV park you are currently staying at. The website uses the Allstays RV park directory, so most of them in the US are in there, and also many in Canada.

When you sign in to the campground, you get a list who else is signed in there, and you can view their profiles and see what you share in common and send a private message to them. It’s possible the RV park owners might also be on the site, giving you another line of communication if you’re have a question for them. Through that park’s public feed page you can create get togethers and ask questions of your neighbors, maybe you want to host a camp fire at your site starting at a certain time, are wondering if anyone has a ladder you can borrow for maintenance purposes, or are planning to go hiking at a nearby park and want to see if anyone else is interested in going with you. This is a great tool for introverts like me who like to get out and do things with people, but are too shy to ask near strangers in person if they’d like to come with.

And once you move on to the next campground, those friendships you’ve made aren’t forgotten. Besides being able to message them at any time, when you add a member as a friend, they get added to a map you can view that shows all of your friend’s locations, so no more near misses on the road. Anytime you notice a friend’s location is close by to yours, send them a line and arrange a meet up.

Besides being able to instantly learn about your neighbors in a campground you are staying at, you can also create and join interests groups that can have discussion forums. Have a love of knitting? Enjoy photography? Travel with pets? If there isn’t a group for it already, it only takes five minutes to start one. Interstellar Orchard has a community group on RVillage as of today, and it was the 359th group created in the five days since the site has gone live. Other membership perks include a listing of RV friendly businesses in the area you are staying.

It’s probably pretty obvious to see by now that I’m kind of in love with the idea of RVillage. I am not affiliated with the site in any way, I’m getting no commission for writing this. I’m writing it because I really think this project has the potential to change what it means to have a community on the road, but without people willing to give it a try it won’t get there. In five days, RVillage membership has grown to 2,300 people, and I invite all of you who have longed for an easier way to meet and make friends on the road to join up.

- See more at: http://www.interstellarorchard.com/2014/03/17/rvillage/#sthash.SWIpdOmT.dpuf

House of Their Dreams

One American Family's Journey away from the typical American Dream



"The other day I stumbled upon a song that played as I was cleaning up and organizing my kid’s room. It played once and the lyrics grabbed my attention. I knew it was a song about the state of today’s American Family and what it has become. And sadly enough, it was shockingly accurate – word for word.

I played the song over and over on repeat for the entire afternoon. Tears flowed at the sad realization that right along with million of other normal American families, we too were quickly becoming the family the song writer sang about.

Isolated lives, addictions, moral failure, chasing possessions and apathy were the things that were quickly defining us as a typical American family of four.

Our lives had subtly become so noisy, over-busy and scattered that by default we found ourselves living in the same house, but going our own separate ways.

But what I love most about the song and the story is that it didn’t end there.

As much as I found much comfort as I related our own story to the one of the song, my heart welled up with hope for the millions of other American families who don’t have to continue down the same road so many are on."

Rachel Rowell on February 4, 2014 in Counterculture, Family http://thelightlifeblog.com/

Do We Really Need All That...

Meet Nadise.   She wanted to live in a small and affordable home, but she doesn't like apartments (she grew up on the 20th floor and wants to be more grounded) and she doesn't like all the rules of trailer parks (especially concerning private gardens). So when she found a retro RV for rent in a backyard in her Northern California town she snapped it up. 
The trailer is just a couple hundred square feet, but it's not missing anything: there's a kitchen with double sink, a refrigerator (even a freezer), microwave, dining table, living room with 2 easy chairs, double bed and bathroom complete with flush toilet, shower and bathtub. It's wired for 12 volt so the AC is actually a swamp cooler, but it came installed with central heating (something Nadise doesn't use).
Squeezing into 192 square feet meant getting rid of stuff. Nadise admits she used to indulge in retail therapy, always hoping that next bowl might make her happy. Today, two years later, she has downsized her belongings and limits new purchases just to thrift shops and garage sales.

Could you do this?