RV Podcast #207: Before you buy an RV, have it inspected

RV Podcast : Before you buy an RV, have it inspected Show Notes for Episode august 29, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: OPEN Welcome to another edition of the RV Podcast. No matter what type of RV you have – a motorhome – a towable trailer – a tent – even if your are just dreaming about getting an RV someday – this show is for you. Here, we talk about getting out there, enjoying God’s amazing creation, meeting interesting people, boondocking, discovering interesting places and using the right gear and technology to enhance our RVing lifestyle. So welcome, we are honored that you chose to put us in your ears this week TEEZE COMING UP… Next to our house, buying an RV is probably the most expensive purchase you will make in a lifetime. When buying a house, it’s normal to have it checked out by a home inspector. Do you realize you can do the same thing with an RV? In this week’s RV interview of the week, we’ll introduce you to the RV Inspectors Association of America and tell you what needs to be checked out by a pro before you sign on the dotted line. Plus this week, some great RV tips, lots of RV news and a wonderful off the beaten path report from the Burketts. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride…Jennifer. WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Well here it is…it’s the big Labor Day Weekend. Summer’s last big hurrah and a major travel time for millions. JENNIFER I can’t believe how fast summer has gone by. It seems like we were just talking about Memorial Day and the start of summer and now Summer is coming to a close. I saw on our Roadtreking Facebook Group that our friend Campskunk awoke in the Beartooth Mountains out west to a pretty thick covering if snow the other day! Snow! Can you believe it? We’ve been sweating in the heat and humidity that has gripped most of North America these past couple of weeks but those snow pictures from Campskunk tell us what is coming. MIKE Seeing those snow pictures got me thinking about snow and winter and our annual campout in the snow that we do every January. So, Jennifer and I want you to know that we are once again taking Bo up camping at Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula January 11-13, 2019. If you want to come, you need to make reservations now. JENNIFER This is an informal gathering open to all. We have a tradition of five years of doing this and Bo insists on a snow vacation before we head south. Anyway, we have reserved site 177. If you also want to head up there, you need to reserve your own spot with the Michigan DNR at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, at the Lower Falls Hemlock campground . We’ll put a link to the Michigan DNR booking site in the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-slash-207 There are electric hookups at each site. MIKE If you do reserve a spot, then join our Facebook group for the winter campout . We’ll also put a link to that closed Facebook Group site in the shownotes for this episode at Roadtreking-dot-com-slash-207 Let us know there that you're coming and what spot you reserve. JENNIFER Depending on how many will also be there that weekend, we will make dinner reservations in Paradise. There will be snow shoeing, hiking and exploring. All kinds of RVs are welcome! Here’s the RV News of the week: Bear attacks boy, 10, hiking with family at Yellowstone A 10-year-old boy was attacked by a bear at Yellowstone National Park last week while hiking with his family up Divide Trail. The bear appeared out of the bush and charged the family, causing the boy to flee. The bear chased the boy, knocking him to the ground, while his parents got out their bear spray, sprayed the bear in the face, enabling them to grab their son and flee. The boy was taken to an area hospital and is expected to be ok. But the report got me thinking back to an interview we did on the podcast two years ago with an expert on Bear Spray. (Click here to listen.) Bear spray is something everyone should have when hiking in bear country. To learn more about the Yellowstone attack, click here . Man caught on video harassing a Yellowstone bison apologizes, sentenced to 130 days behind bars Speaking of Yellowstone, do you remember the report we shared with you recently about the man caught on video taunting a bison at Yellowstone National Park late last month? The man apologized in court last week, and pleaded guilty to four charges tied to drunken misbehavior at both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. His sentence included 130 days behind bars, banned from three national parks for five years, and other things. The man's charges included disorderly conduct, resisting/interfering with a law enforcement officer, storing open alcohol in a vehicle and, of course, disturbing wildlife. To learn more click here or here . Thieves break into 23 RVs stored at California storage and repair business Theft from RV repair and storage facilities is a growing problem we've discussed with you on the Podcast, and once again it made the news last week. This time thieves hurt a small business in California (click here ) breaking into 23 RVs stealing televisions, tools, propane tanks, and other miscellaneous items. The problem of RV thefts from storage lots is so bad, in northern Indiana, where RVs and travel trailers are made, police created a special crime investigation unit specializing in RV thefts. (To read more click here ). As the summer travel season is winding down, if you store your RV somewhere, be sure to ask what is done to guard against theft. National Parks sound tracks are just a click away One of my favorite things about visiting national parks, and getting away from everything, is the silence. An interesting article out last week pointed out that the national parks aren't really silent, rather they are lacking human noise -but full of animal and nature noise. And hearing those sounds is good for you. The National Park Service has a division that's been recording the sound of the national parks, and this week you can listen for free here . To read more about the story behind it, click here . Oregon offering discount to camp at select state parks in September and October Oregon Parks and Recreation is lowering the price of campsites offering electrical and full hook-ups by $7 per night in a special pilot program this fall. Parks officials want to see if discounted prices will lure more people outdoors, according to an article out last week. So anyone making a new reservation for Sunday-Thursday in September, or any night in October, can use a special code at select state parks and save . To learn more click here . This part of the program is brought to you by AllStays Pro , the best tool for RVers looking for places to camp; Harvest Hosts , a unique membership service that allows members to stay free overnight in wineries, farms and attractions across North America; and Overnight RV Parking , a subscription service that provides details for over 12,000 free or nearly free RV overnight parking locations. All three services offer greatly discounted rates to listeners of this podcast JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK This week's tip comes from a listener named Barbara, who lives in Arizona with her husband Ken. Barbara and Ken were RVers for about 12 years and had two motorhomes: First, a Class C, then a Class A. Barbara writes that she and Ken met Mike back in June 2013 at a seminar he taught for the FMCA Convention. Just six weeks after that convention Ken had a stroke and their RV days came to an end. Ken could no longer drive their RV, and Barbara writes she was a "total chicken" to drive the Class A, so they sold it. But, after several years of staying put, their house is on the market and Barbara and Ken hope to move to North Carolina and get a CS Adventurous XL. Barbara said she has already taken the CS XL for a test drive and was shocked how easy it was for her to drive. Barbara really wants to travel more, but does not like flying, so she says it is time to get back to RVing. Barbara wrote to share two quick tips she hopes will be helpful for others. Let me read Barbara's words to you: "On one of our RV trips, a plastic jug of milk leaked in the Class C refrigerator. The leaked milk puddled in the refrigerator bottom and dripped down onto the cabinet and heater vents below. What a smelly mess!! After that, I set all liquid containers on plastic trays to catch any leaks in the Class C and the Class A refrigerators. The trays I used are the same type one would use in a hotel to hold coffee makers, etc. I actually bought our trays at a hotel “going out of business” sale. But the same type of trays can be purchased at a restaurant supply store. Just make sure the trays have raised sides to hold leaks/spills." And the second tip? Writes Barbara: " I wanted a space saving way to keep the motorhome refrigerator and freezer odor free, when on the road and in storage. We have a cat, and it occurred to me to try a litter box filter. I used Petmate Zeolite/Charcoal filters, left the filters in the plastic packages and cut off the tops to expose the filters. The packages were thin enough to slip behind items in the refrigerator and freezer doors. Voila!! No more odors. I think it is Petmate’s combination of zeolite and charcoal that prevented odors." Barbara - I love both of these tips and appreciate you taking the time to write and share them. Sometimes it is the little things like this that make a huge difference while we're out there in our RVs! I had no trouble finding trays like you described on restaurant supply webpages. And of course looked at Amazon, and found many different sizes a types there. Amazon had a set of 12 blue plastic trays, 10 by 14 , selling for - $22.95 I also found one that was 12 by 16, made of black plastic and described as like a fast food tray , selling for just $2.72. Barbara's other trip, of putting the Petmate Zeolite/charcoal filters in the refrigerator to control odors was something that never occurred to me but it sounds like a space saving way to effectively control freezer odor. The filters can be found at pet stores, and of course Amazon has those too. On Amazon they sold for $4.79 I'll attach the two pictures that Barbara sent us and some links to the products in the show notes. Thank you so much Barbara for writing and sharing your knowledge and I hope we get to meet you and Ken out there on the road someday. And 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! Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes ,an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping To see our Rad Power Bikes in action, just click here . Visit LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK Questions we address this week: How to get our RV Packing List free – sign up for our RV Lifestyle newsletter How do you use an inverter and the Road5rek Voltstart System? – Easy. Turn the inverter on. Turn on Voltstart. If the battery gets low, Voltstart starts the engine and the engine generator to start charging it and give you power to keep doing whatever you were doing before the battery dipped. It’s all part if the Roadtrek Ecotrek system. Here’s a video that explains in great detail how it works and what you need to do. Why do Airstream trailers hold their value so well and have such a loyal following – Short answer: Quality 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 INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK Next to our house, buying an RV is probably the most expensive purchase you will make in a lifetime. When buying a house, it’s normal to have it checked out by a home inspector. Do you realize you can do the same thing with an RV? In this week’s RV interview of the week, we’ll introduce you to the RV Inspectors Association of America and tell you what needs to be checked out by a pro before you sign on the dotted line. Here’s a video of the interview: Here’s a transcript of the interview: 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 At Sunshine State RV’s you’ll find the largest selection of some of the rarest Class B RVs in the United States of America. If you are looking for a Class B RV, you need to make a trip to Sunny Florida. Our RVs range from 1990 to our current year and everything in between. They also carry the most popular brands like Roadtrek, Pleasure Way, Winnebago, Leisure Travel, and more. You will not find a wider selection anywhere else. Every RV they sell has been through a very thorough 172-point inspection in which the ensure that all the mechanical and manual systems are in top condition. Every RV is road tested to make sure it runs and drives the way that it should. They go over the interior components just as entirely as the outside, and every component is turned on and tested to make sure it works. All of their used RVs are thoroughly cleaned and detailed inside and out, and they even check the roof for cracks and replace any silicone caulking. TRAVELING TECH TIP: By Andy Choi Verizon Wireless If your RV is finding its way to a football stadium for the start of a new season, here are some game winning ideas to make sure your next gridiron adventure is a tech touchdown! First, make sure your phone lasts the tailgate, the game, and the post party celebration with the Belkin BoostUp Charge Power Ban . And no need to worry about losing your lightning cable, this battery pack has it built right in. Listen to the live play by play of the game or get an update on any other game you choose with the JBL Everest 110GA Wireless In Ear Headphones . And when it comes to instantly finding out scores around the league, just ask the built in Google Assistant and you won’t even need to pull out your phone. But if you do want that phone nearby, score big with the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 - With an all-day battery, water resistance, and a camera with auto flaw detection, this is your perfect game time companion for snapping a selfie in the stands, or posting that game winning catch. And don't forget to use that Galaxy Note 9 to download the Yahoo Fantasy Sports app so you can dominate your fantasy leagues on-the-go. Set up lineups, talk up those fantasy stats with your friends on chat, and check live fantasy scores. So whether your team's the favorite to win or the underdog looking for a Cinderella season, make sure your tech playbook sets you up for a winning drive. 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. When Verizon says better matters, they mean it. Only Verizon ranked highest in leading network studies, in multiple tests, year after year that measure Network quality performance in the United States by RootMetrics for the fifth consecutive testing period. Can your network say that? If you’re stuck on the wrong network, head over to Verizon and get unstuck. OFF THE BEATEN PATH REPORT By Tom and Patti Burkett We spent a lot of our early years driving back and forth on interstate 70--Philadelphia, Columbus, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Denver. It’s one of the unsexiest roads in America: ragged pavement, relentless trucks, miles of urban and industrial sprawl. Because the road is so disagreeable, we've blown through the stretch from Columbus to St. Louis more times than we can count. On a recent trip, we were driving US 40 (the National Road) instead, just to avoid the interstate, and passed through downtown Terre Haute, Indiana, a place we’ve skirted dozens of times. Sitting proudly on a corner was a nicely kept brick building with a big green awning that sported the distinctive red and white Clabber Girl logo. If you’ve ever been at a Roadtrek gathering with the Burketts, you’ll know that we are biscuit makers, and that box of baking powder with the picture of the curly-haired girl is always on our shelf. The sign in the window below the awning said bakery-café , and who could pass that up? To our great disappointment, the café had closed for the day, but the museum with which is shared the first floor was still open. We spent the better part of an hour wandering through the building. To be fair, the story should start with clabber. Early Scots immigrants brought this yogurt-like curdled milk dish with them when they came to Appalachia. Southern cooks soon realized that a couple of spoonsful, added to a batter, made biscuit, cake, and bread doughs rise quickly and reliably. Soon after, enterprising homemakers mixed dried clabber with a few other common kitchen ingredients and made the first baking powder. At the museum, we learned that Francis Hulman, a German immigrant, was a successful grocer in Terre Haute. In 1850 he convinced his brother Herman to join him, and they began a wholesale grocery enterprise that is still robust today, known mostly for kitchen basics like baking powder, cornstarch, gelatin, and pudding mixes. Their grandson Tony is a legendary figure in the town. He was a major donor in the campaign to build the Catholic church, a major donor to the first local hospital, and helped build the Rose-Hulman technical institute. The Hulman company installed the first telephone switchboard in town (you can see it in the museum), and were early adopters of electric lights and equipment. Tony spread the Clabber Girl brand far and wide with advertising campaigns. His branded horse-drawn delivery wagons traveled four states to promote and deliver Clabber Girl products to hundreds of mom and pop grocery stores in cities and little towns. After World War 2, Tony's friend Eddie Rickenbacker convinced him that the run-down Indianapolis Motor Speedway would be another great advertising gambit, and even today the Hulman Company owns The Brickyard. Hulman himself raced a bit, and his car, The Gray Ghost, is on display at the museum. Also at the museum a replica kitchens from different eras. In the 1850s kitchen, we learned that bakers tested the temperature of their coal or wood fired oven by sticking in a hand. A quick oven was one from which the hand was withdrawn in a hurry, and was best for cooking biscuits and such. A slow oven was just the opposite, and was the way to go with roasts and tough cuts of meat. Beyond the museum is the cafe, a display of the original electric generator for the factory, and a teaching kitchen, where bakers demonstrate their craft. A tray of danish pastries, clearly left over from a recent event, was on the counter. Tom didn't see why we shouldn't sample one, but I was adamant that he leave them alone. One door, a dozen stories. We literally had the place to ourselves. Next time our paths cross, we'll tell you about Rex Coffee and how it was resurrected. Or about Francis' letter to Herman that convinced him to emigrate. If you don't stop here, stop somewhere else. Just stop, and you'll find something worth looking at. Chances are good you might see us too, because we spend almost all our time hanging out here, far off (or just off) the beaten path. RV CALENDAR OF EVENTS September 6-9, The Real RV Show - Sacramento , Cal Expo Sacramento, CA September 12-16, Hershey - America's Largest RV Show , Giant Center Hershey, PA September 13-15, Great American RV Show Colorado Springs , Norris Penrose Event Center Colorado Springs, CO

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RV Podcast #207: Before you buy an RV, have it inspected is an episode from The RV Podcast by Mike Wendland.

This episode is 01:06:18 long.

This episode was published on Aug 28, 2018.

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