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Show Notes for Episode #485  of The RV Podcast This week on the RV Podcast: * One of the nation’s top Lemon Law Attorneys says RVers are Crazy to buy a new RV. He says it's because of an insidious legal provision many dealers make you sign. * There’s a lot of disappointment by RVers as the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta has decided to reduce the number of RV camping spots this year to make way for more car parking. * We have the dates for our spring/summer RV Lifestyle Meetup - June 11-14 - and will announce the details and ticket sales Thursday evening in a special livestream on our new RV Lifestyle Community * All this plus the RV News of the Week, the Social Media Buzz, and your questions coming up in Episode #485 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. Heads up! This is the week we open ticket sales for our Spring/Summer RV Lifestyle Gathering. The dates are June 11-14, and complete details will be announced in a special Livestream on our RV Lifestyle Community at 7 PM EST Thursday, Feb. 22. If you are already a member of the community, you will see it in the main feed and under the Events tab. If you are not yet a member, now's the time to join! Just go to https://community.rvlifestyle.com We are really excited about this and think it will be one of our most fun-filled meetups yet! Without giving away the details, I will share the theme: It's a "Groove and Gather!")   Tune in to the Livestream Thursday to learn why we are calling it that. It's going to be great! We’ve been back in Michigan for the past 10 days and you know what that means… it’s time to hit the road again. We’re off this week... Headed to Florida and the Gulf Coast, among other places. We’ll be doing lots of livestream videos and on-location reports. 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 RV Lifestyle Community, we've added several new Spaces for people with common interests to connect. Topics include digital nomads, RVs for sale, Crafters Corner, and the RV Cooking Exchange. In this last category, the RV Cooking Exchange, one conversation that caught my eye started with the question, "What are your must-have RV kitchen gadgets or appliances?" Lisa wrote that she was not sure how she ever lived without her Ninja Air Fryer! She has the version with the grill setting and said she can cook a perfect chicken breast or filet mignon and it is super easy to clean. Despina is a woman after my own heart because she said she can't live without her French Press to make her morning coffee. Ann mentioned her cocktail glass is her RV must-have, along with aluminum foil, because they like to do a lot of cooking on an outside grill over the campfire. Jean said her must-have is a griddle for pancakes.

This week on Episode 484 of the RV Podcast: * How to plan a truly epic RV trip - 5 tips from a couple who have road trip planning down to an art form. * The Buc-ee’s mega gas station chain is rapidly expanding… if only they were more RV-friendly! * Looking for a good excuse to get outside this month? The Great Backyard Bird Count is almost here, and it needs your help. * All this, plus the RV News of the Week and your questions coming up in Episode #484 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. Interview: How to Plan a Truly Epic RV Trip Liz and Jim Cahalan are planning to take a bucket list RV trip out West this summer and fall, starting from their home in Texas, heading north through Colorado, hitting Glacier National Park, then heading west to Mt. Rainier National Park, and down the coast of Washington, Oregon and California, then east through Arizona and New Mexico, returning to their home just outside San Antonio, Texas. This is a dream trip, a little more than 10 weeks long, 5,641 miles. They are bringing along their 3 boxers, pulling a 37-foot Fifth Wheel with their truck. So how did they plan it? That is our topic today in the RVLifestyle podcast. 5 RV Trip Planning Tips from the Cahalans: * Know Your Must-Sees  * Slow Down and Take your Time * Use a Route Planner * Check your Campgrounds Carefully * Google Nearby Activities & Adjust Nights Accordingly List or watch the podcast in the players above for all the details. 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, we recently had a post in the e-Bikes space from Joan. Joan wrote that she loves e-biking and is always looking for campgrounds that offer opportunities for good, safe, and fun bike trails. Her favorites so far are Tiger Fun Resort in Breckenridge, CO, Sun Outdoors Bay Harbor in Petoskey, MI, and Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, AL. So Joan asked for recommendations, and what I love about the community is this thread does not disappear, as it would on Facebook, but it stays up so people can continue to use it as a resource and add new suggestions.  Some recommendations that caught my eye include one from Lisa, who recommended a trail just outside the gates of the Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort in South Carolina. She said you can ride to the beach or anywhere on the island and do not need a car. Patty recommended trails on Jekyll Island, GA. She said you can ride all over the island on bike trails, and it is beautiful.  A couple of people recommended the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail outside the national park in Michigan - and there were many other helpful campground and trail suggestions. Also, in the community, in the Mods and DIY Tweaks space,

This week on Episode 483 of the RV Podcast: * What happens when you combine a Tiny Home and an RV? We’ll take you on a tour of one. * Famed Football Coach Jim Harbaugh wants to drive his RV out to California and live in it for a few months so he can be close to his team as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. * Why the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta has become a must-attend RV bucket list event * All this plus the Social Media Buzz, the RV News of the Week, and your RV questions coming up in Episode #483 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 RV Lifestyle Community, Christy wrote that she is going to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October, and she was able to get her RV spot upgraded to the Presidential Campground. Christy asked if anyone in the group had gone before and if they had tips. What I loved about this post was it was so friendly and helpful, with many others sharing they will be there! Roy was there last year and will be there this year but in a different campground. Same with Bud and Sue - this will be their second time going to the balloon fiesta. Another member, Wendi, is also going, as is Terry - who will also be in the presidential compound - the same one as Christy. Barbara, who used to live in Albuquerque and attended many times, urged everyone to be on the field for the morning launches and evening glows. She shared how unique this event is and gave tips about food vendors and restaurants to try.   I really loved the friendly, helpful conversation and connection that went on in this thread - it is one of the many things I really like about our new community. Also, in the community, we had Lynda, who is planning to head to either North or South Carolina, ask for campground recommendations. She is looking for something close to a town, with electric bike trails, full hook-up, and woods - and she's 34 feet long. Dennis suggested she check out PirateLand Camping Resort at Myrtle Beach. He said it is a great location, full hookups, can handle long rigs, and is a better price than the nearby state park.  Randall said a friend just recommended Falls Lake State Campground near Durham, NC. His rig is 45 feet, and he has a tow vehicle, and the park can accommodate him. He will be heading there soon and will let her know how it is. Meanwhile, over in our RVLifestyle Facebook group, not that long ago we had Jean ask: Can we talk alligators for a minute? I'm from the southwest, heading to Florida. I know about the behaviors of coyotes, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes, but I'm about to spend a significant amount of time in Florida, so what do I need to know about alligators to keep my dogs safe?

Greetings from sunny Florida, where we're spending a couple of weeks decompressing from the Florida RV Supershow and editing the videos we shot of all the new RVs. It's sunny this week, albeit a bit cool (60 degrees F). Last week was warmer - in the 70s - but foggy and cloudy. We'll take the sun any day. This week in Episode 482 of the RV Podcast: * Inside info on a new development in the Southwest where RVers can buy their own multi-acre RV property.  * A look at the RV company that started the whole van life movement - half a century ago! * News about an RV company that instituted a very successful 4-day work week for its employees with no change in productivity or their pay. * All this, plus the Social Media Buzz, the RV News of the Week, and your questions coming up in Episode #482 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. Update: Growth continues in our new RV Community! It's been a month and a half or so since we launched our new RV Lifestyle Community, and the growth has continued, averaging almost 200 new members every day! We've added new Spaces to talk about all the various RV Lifestyle interests and have been doing wonderfully interactive live stream videos for our members, often bringing in special guests to share their unique expertise. Most importantly, a real sense of community has developed, with members making friends, using the instant chat feature, and sharing trip ideas, campground recommendations, travel routes, and troubleshooting tips. And all of this with none of the mean-spirited negativity that is found on Facebook. We invite you to come check it all out. It's absolutely free and we're sure you will love it. It's very welcoming and unlike anything you've experienced in Big Tech Social Media. Join us by going to: https://community.rvlifestyle.com 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, in the space called Traveling with Pets, Bonnie had a great tip. She recommends buying booties for your dog if you are going to the Southwest because of goathead spurs. Goathead spurs look like little, well, goat heads, and they are nasty! Bonnie said they are common in inland lakes in the Southwest and Bonnie's poor dog had these painful, spiny spurs cut into its paws and it was terrible. So her solution was doggie booties! She put these on her pup's paws and it made a huge difference. (Bonnie even shared a picture of her dog in the booties to demonstrate). Kathi must have been in the same part of the country because she said recently her little dog hopped out of the truck, walked about two feet and laid down unable to keep going because these things had cut so badly into its paws. Kathi said she will be ordering some.

In Episode 481 of the RV Podcast, we look at the best innovation at the 2024 RV SuperShow in Tampa. 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. The Best Innovation we saw at this year's Florida RV SuperShow The 2024 Florida RV Supershow had more than 1,200 new RVs on display and over 400 parts and accessory dealers showing their wares. We can't say we visited EVERYTHING, but in seven days at the show, including the special industry and media events, we came away with a lot of content, which we’ll be sharing on our various social media and YouTube channels in the days ahead. But for this podcast, we want to share three of the most innovative things we saw at the show. Let's be very honest. There is NOT a lot of innovation in the industry. This year’s RVs look pretty much like last year's. And the year before, in fact. Oh, manufacturers changed some floorplans, spruced up the look with new paint colors and added some new features, but for the most part, only a few things made us go… wow. Three, to be precise. One is truly a big deal. We not only saw but were also able to experience a great safety feature firsthand. The other two were cool and innovative design tweaks that we think will have great interest to RVers. RV innovation: ABS for towables Two days before the 2024 RV Supershow in Tampa Fl opened to the public, I visited a racetrack a couple of miles from the show grounds to attend a hands-on briefing by Lippert - a leading RV parts supplier - and Keystone RV, makers of the Cougar brand of fifth wheels and travel trailers. The track had a special linoleum-like slippery material laid atop areas of the asphalt and to make sure it was super slippery, they brought in a tanker truck to wet it down. They wanted it slippery to prove how important a safety feature ABS Brakes are for towable RVs. Keystone is now making ABS standard on the Cougar line. They join Grand Design and Forest River models in incorporating the Lippert ABS technology. I took three spins around the track to experience firsthand what a difference ABS makes. I sat in the passenger seat. Lippert ABS Product Manager Briton Moffitt drove. I admit I was a bit nervous. That’s because an emergency stop is probably the most dangerous thing an RVer can do when towing. When you hit the brakes in an emergency, fast-stopping situation, if you are traveling at any significant speed, you’ll have a serious battle to keep the trailer from fishtailing off to one side and pulling the vehicle into a dangerous drift. We were hitting close to 50 miles an hour as we approached the slippery spot. Moffitt slammed on the brakes. And there was no fishtailing. The ABS system maintained traction and control. The Cougar tracked perfectly behind the truck, allowing Moffitt to bring it and the trailer safely to a stop. ABS brakes are mandated safety products for passenger vehicles. Not for trailers. After seeing the difference,

The RV Internet Trends for 2024 are being shaped by fast-moving technological advances in routers, seller upgrades, and a rapidly growing Starlink constellation of Internet-relaying satellites. This week in Episode 480 of the RV Podcast, we talk to a trip of mobile Internet experts who share their predictions of RV Internet Trends for 2024 as they answer questions posed by a live audience of our RV Lifestyle Community members. 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. Interview of the Week - RV Internet Trends for 2024 This week on the podcast, we look at the Top RV Internet Trends for 2024. Our expert guests are Chris and Cherie from the Mobile Internet Resource Center  (rvmobileinternet.com) and Erik McCauley, the CEO and founder of MobileMustHave.com, a leading provider of RV accessories and mobile internet. Erik is an IT Infrastructure Engineer by trade.   We recently had all three on for a live-streaming event on our RV Lifestyle Community and they had so many helpful tips and helpful inside information that we edited it down to make a special podcast interview segment. You may hear us referring to audience questions submitted by instant chat with those watching the livestream. You can hear the interview and the entire podcast by clicking on either the video or audio players above. Here are just a few highlights from a panel discussion FULL of gems. Mike: Let's talk about Starlink. And if you're going to get one system, is that the one you'd get?  Well, so there is no one size fits all solution for everybody. So first, you need to understand your unique needs. Are you working remotely? Are you changing locations often? Do you have high bandwidth needs? Are you in places in urban areas where you're going to encounter congestion and oversaturated satellites or towers? Starlink is an incredible addition to cellular because it can give you high bandwidth, it can give you 4K streaming in a lot of places. But Starlink needs a big view of the sky. So a lot of the places people want to camp, particularly on the eastern half of the country, have this thing called trees, which wreaks havoc on Starlink. And cellular has gotten really, really good in a whole lot of places as well. So cellular doesn't care about trees too much. So having, you know, cellular as a good foundation and then Starlink as the extra thing you take along. Mike:  Eric, have you ever seen a solar flare disrupt Starlink at all, or is that just media hype we're hearing this week?  I heavily relied on StarLink over the last five days because I was in rural New Hampshire and there's no cellular coverage, and I had very few issues with Starlink. Mike:  We are parked under trees, so Starlink wouldn't have been great here, but we're using a bonded connection with two Verizon lines and two T-Mobile lines all combined together. Those were the best connections here at this place. And Eric, how about you? What are you using?  I'm at my studio, so I'm in my sticks and bricks. So I have a cable modem of Starlink on the roof and then a T-Mobile backup that's plugged into my router. So any one of those fail and I stay on.

We have found the best weather app for RV travel. It takes the National Weather Service's weather forecast, showing RVers the weather along their route at the time they reach each point. It allows comparison of different routes, creating stops, interactively changing departure times, and other features that help RVers plan trips around the weather. You can easily switch between routes, adjust your leave time, and add stops - all so you can find the safest way with the best weather to get to your destination. Drive Weather is all about decision-making in regard to the weather. Like a pilot before taking off in an airplane and checking the expected weather en route, the app takes just a few seconds to get “briefed” on the safest route and safest time to leave. We interviewed the developer of this awesome app on Episode 350 of the RV Podcast and we're going to summarize the conversation in this post. Best weather app for RV travel? The Drive Weather app The Drive Weather app essentially shows you all the weather at each point of your route when you would get there. It presents the weather very clearly in a way that you can make quick decisions. The developer of the app spent a lot of time evaluating the weather as it relates to flights. And with aviation weather, there's a lot to look at. And it would take him about 15 to 20 minutes to do a full weather planning before he would fly. And that's a lot of time. And it wasn't particularly difficult, but it was very tedious and time-consuming, and a lot of mathematics and a lot of opportunities for errors. But he was a software developer and he saw this opportunity to put all the weather together in one app or one presentation. It basically took that 15-minute process down to literally seconds because he could just look at everything at once. And the app would calculate when he would be at each point in his trip. So he turned that process in a driving app that tracks the weather. The way it works is you put in where you are traveling to - then you'll click the - Show Drive Weather button. And it will show you the route and then all these dots along the route. At the bottom, you have a time slider that allows you to set your departure time or the time that you would leave. And so you could scroll back and forth on that time slider, and it will interactively update the weather. So this way you can tell if you will be ahead or right in the middle of the weather you are trying to avoid. This way, you can adjust your schedule to avoid rain, snow, fog, or high winds. The paid version will allow you to go out in time for seven days, and the free version gives you up to two days of weather. So you could, if you know you're leaving in a day or two, have a quick scan of what you can expect. And as you get closer and closer to that time, the app updates the forecast. The forecast is being updated every hour. And so you get more and more accurate the closer you are to leaving. But essentially, you could decide, if you know thunderstorms are coming, you might want to wait a few hours before you leave. Or if you know you have to leave at a certain time, it will tell you that. The weather information is courtesy of your tax dollars. The National Weather Service is the provider that this app uses.

The RV Lifestyle is filled with adventures. But most of us also experience some unexpected RV Dangers. In Episode 479 of the RV Podcast, we hear from 10 real RVers about the unsuspected scares they have encountered. And in each one, there's a valuable lesson learned. 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. The idea for this topic came from our new RV Lifestyle Community, where a post asks readers to share the most scary things that have happened to them on RV trips. The community had plenty of unexpected scares to recount, from road hazards to wildlife encounters to dangerous miscalculations. We collected ten stories on video and audio and featured them as our podcast Interview of the Week, which you can see and hear in the players above. But here are some of the many stories we collected: "Coming to a dead end road following GPS without a way to turn around." - Mary "The slide out started going out every time we turned a corner!" - Tony "Border police pounded on our camper asking if we were ok. Mind you this is in the middle of the night! They had a report of people being held at gunpoint in the park we were staying at!" - Penny Be sure to click one of the players above to hear the stories from our ten guests in their own words. Maybe hearing their tales of RV dangers will help you prevent something similar. As noted, all those stories were shared in our new RV Lifestyle Community group. So many have joined in the few brief weeks since we started this new RV Lifestyle group that we can hardly believe how warm, welcoming, and friendly it has become. But the big thing is how helpful it is. Someone asks for a suggested route in their travels. Right away, there are numerous responses with practical suggestions. Someone else asks for campground recommendations. There are numerous responses, often with photos. Others ask a troubleshooting question about something regarding their RV. Expert help is soon offered. Since the beginning of the year, Jen and I have been on numerous occasions each day. We love the instant private chat feature and have enjoyed meeting with many members. And we have already done several video live streams, interacting in real-time with different members.  If you are unaware of this new community, we quietly launched it right around the holidays as an alternative to all the drama over on Facebook. We still have the Facebook Group, which now has 280,000 members. But let's be honest. Something that big is pretty impersonal. There are a lot of problems with Facebook that I'm sure you are aware of if you've been a regular user, such as privacy issues, censorship policies, and growing nastiness on Facebook.  That's why we started the RV Lifestyle Community.  And that has created quite a buzz in the RV Industry. A leading industry publication headlined the story of our new group this way: "New RV Community Draws Thousands Fleeing Facebook."  We didn't start the group to protest Facebook.

Our 2024 RV Predictions have some good news and bad for those who love the RV Lifestyle. That's what we talk about this week in Episode 478 of the RV Podcast. Every year, we devote our first podcast of the year to what we think will be the trends and events that most influence the RV Lifestyle in the coming year. 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. Here are our Top 5 2024 RV Predictions 1. Campground Vacancies will be harder to find and more expensive in 2024 The demand for camping shows no signs of easing, and as it has been for the past few years. To get a spot during the height of the season, on holidays, or in popular areas, it is going to take reservations made long in advance. And they will cost more thanks to the growing practice of dynamic pricing that is sweeping the industry. The concept is nothing new. Hotels, airlines, and even restaurants have been doing this for years. Now, campgrounds are.  Dynamic pricing is the strategy of adjusting the nightly camping rates based on demand, preferences, and time.  If most of the spots are booked, the campground’s booking software will increase the price because they know there is strong demand and people will pay. If it is a holiday weekend, up will go the price. And the software can get pretty sophisticated. If most of the 50 amp sites are booked, those remaining will have a hefty price hike. Conversely, I suppose, if the weekend weather forecast is lousy, the software could conceivably lower the prices… though we seldom hear of that happening. But Dynamic Pricing makes campgrounds more money, just as it does in other segments of the hospitality industry.   Campers don’t like it, of course, but for lots and lots of campgrounds, profit takes precedence over people. That’s just the reality of our consumer economy. 2. Boondocking spots will be harder to find in 2024 And that's a direct result of #1 above. Because boondocking becomes the best alternative when commercial and government campground openings are hard to find We’ve sure seen this ourselves and we know from the email we get and campfire conversations we have, you are too. A boondocking spot in a national or state forest that you always had to yourselves, now may be filled when you make your way there. Or you will have neighbors close by. Another big factor for the pressure on boondocking spots is that across the country, dispersed camping areas are being shut down because they have been trashed by inconsiderate campers or, in many places, have become homeless encampments. We have been hearing of this happening with increased frequency. We went to one boondocking spot we knew of in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a while back only to find access to it chained. A sign out front said the state DNR closed it early for the rest of the season because of litter and trash left behind by irresponsible campers. 3. Private RV Land ownership will rapidly increase in popularity Because of the previous two reasons, a lot of RVers are doing what we did… buy a piece of property and make it our private RV retreat.

Our friends, Camp Hosts Erik and Jeanne Anderson, have written a children's book on their famous dog - Hershey Pup's RV Adventures. They also have some great tips for those interested in becoming camp hosts. 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. Meanwhile, the BIG NEWS! for us this week is the launch of our new RV Lifestyle Community, an alternative to our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group. We've apparently tapped into quite a chord of general dissatisfaction over the privacy issues, censorship policies, and general nastiness of Facebook. In the first few days of the launch, we've had 3,000 RV, Camping, and Outdoor Enthusiasts join our free community. We've even received some national press with a leading industry publication headlining the story of our new group this way: "New RV Community Draws Thousands Fleeing Facebook." We didn't start the group to protest Facebook. In fact, we're keeping our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group open for those who want to use it. But we did start this community because we wanted a friendlier, more helpful, and pleasant place to hang out online with those who shared our love of the RV Lifestyle. And already, the tone of the content being posted in our new community is remarkably helpful and friendly, almost as if people were just waiting for such a place. Most notably, there has been none of the Facebook drama and snarkiness. It's been so refreshing to see. How about you? Have you joined yet? Go to https://community.rvlifestyle.com and join. It's totally free. We promise never to sell or share your information with third parties and, unlike Facebook when you make a post, on our community it gets shown to everyone in the community. Facebook has some weird algorithm that only shows posts to a certain small percentage of the actual membership.  In the RV Lifestyle Community, we have discussion groups on just about every topic you can imagine of interest to RVers and Campers. There are livestreams and chat and so many great features and resources that I can't begin to list them all. Plus, as members suggest, we will always be adding new features. Please go check it out and if you see me on (which I am multiple times throughout the day), just chat me up. Same with Phyllis and Wendy and our team of great moderators. We're all there to welcome you and help however we can. SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ - Wendy Bowyer Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on our social media and our RV Lifestyle Community. It was a VERY BUSY week in the RVLifestyle social media world this past week. First, I'd like to tell you about a post Michelle shared in our RV Lifestyle Facebook group. Michelle is looking for the perfect Christmas present for her parents, who are planning an RV trip next year. Michelle said they have all the essentials, but she'd like to get them a unique gift that would still be...

The 2024 Tampa RV Show, officially known as the Florida RV Supershow, runs January 17-21, 2024 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa and is always one of the top RV shows in America. Many think it is the best. This week in Episode 476 of The RV Podcast, in the Interview of the Week, we talk to Dave Kelly, the show's executive director. 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. Interview of the Week - Dave Kelly, Florida RV Supershow Executive Director The Tampa, Florida RV Super Show is a popular event that attracts many people. It features a wide range of RVs, vendor booths, and educational seminars. The show also offers free entertainment and is a destination for snowbirds. There are rallies and new additions to the show each year. Attendees can even buy RVs at the show. If you follow along in the video or audio version, here are the key points according to time: 00:00 Introduction to the Tampa, Florida RV Super Show 01:11 Vendor Booths and RV Displays 02:00 Different Facets of RVing 04:00 Educational Seminars and Influencer Meetup Space 07:06 Free Entertainment at the Show 09:21 Rallies and Snowbirds 10:32 New Additions to the Show 11:17 Buying RVs at the Show SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ - Wendy Bowyer Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group: Renee is selling her 2019 Thor Four Winds on what appeared to be Facebook Marketplace and someone from New York offered to buy it unseen and said he would instruct his bank to put a $1,500 deposit into her bank account so she would hold it until he could get there. Renee said something seemed odd about this exchange and asked the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group if there was anything she should worry about. The resounding answer? Run! It is a scam. One clue was how he said, "I will instruct my bank" - regular people don't talk like this. Second and most importantly, this person wanted direct access to her bank account. This is a big red flag. Several of the 800-some commenters said they had been taken by similar schemes. And amazingly another member of the group named Will had someone with the same name make an offer on his 2017 Roadtrek earlier this year. The scammer sent Will a check for $3,850. When Will told this person he sent too much, the scammer wanted him to send the overpayment back. And when Will deposited the check, the money appeared to be in his account one day, but the next day the funds were gone. If Will had not been carefully monitoring the situation, he could have been taken for thousands. Lots of words of caution in this post about what scammers may do that could be very helpful to anyone selling your RV by yourself. Next I'd like to tell you about Paula. Paula and her husband recently bought a 37-foot bumper pull. Thinking ahead, she asked: "How friendly are the trucker ...

Call it a Rolling RV Renovation but we have some very affordable RV Interior Makeover Ideas to share that can really revitalize your camper's interior vibe. Our guest on Episode 475 of the RV Podcast is Cortni Armstrong, otherwise known as "The Flipping Nomad." Cortni is an RV makeover expert and our conversation is all about remodeling your RV interior on a budget. Now's the time to upgrade the look while waiting for the spring travel season. 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. Cortni's RV Interior Makeover Ideas We regularly hear from RVers who want to personalize their RV, freshen it up, and give it a new look without breaking the bank. Maybe you are in that category - you've had your RV for a couple of years and love it, but the interior could use a little updating. Or maybe your RV is brand new to you, and it just isn't quite your taste. To help us with several fun, easy, and inexpensive ways to give your RV a facelift, we have as our guest today Cortni Armstrong of The Flippin' Nomad. Cortni specializes in renovating RVs and has a wealth of ideas we think you will find very helpful.  Here's an edited transcript: Cortni Armstrong of The Flippin' Nomad. Mike and Jennifer Wendland Well, Cortni joins us right now. It's always good to see you. You have been a busy woman these past several months. Cortni I have been, it never ends around here. Mike and Jennifer Wendland Today I want to talk about the average RVer who wants to do a refresh or a makeover, an RV interior makeover. Is this possible for the average person to do at an affordable rate and does it affect the value of the RV? Give us some ideas of what's possible. Cortni Yeah, well, I've got a lot of experience doing this. You know, I started the business about six or seven years ago. And so I've coached hundreds of people through how to kind of DIY a refresh of their own rig. We're kind of most commonly known for these big over-the-top overhauls, but you don't have to do a big over-the-top, extremely expensive, very labor-intensive overhaul to get your rig feeling like your own. What I always tell students is there is a refresh for any type of budget that's out there. So even if you've got basically next to nothing, there's a few things that you can do to refresh your rig. Some things that are really easy to implement for low budget or even no budget would be things like, window valances that are in RVs. You know, they're kind of like the big boxes that trim out windows like this. And a lot of people think that those have to be there for the structural integrity of the roller shade that is mounted to them, but that's actually not the case. The only reason the manufacturers mount the roller shade to that valance is because it's an efficiency thing for when the rig is on the assembly line. That roller shade does not need the valance to operate. So you can take that valance box down and then just reattach that roller shade to your wall.