Rv Navigator

After a fire safety demonstration we realized how much we didn't know about RV fires & emergency procedures, so we share with you what we learned. We answer listener emails, new web sites, and great products for RVers as part of this episode.

This month we have camping ideas from around the globe as we talk with a listener in the MIddle East about camping. This plus the usual Rving new and events will round out an exciting show. We appreciate those who have voted for us at budgettravel.com.

After more than 4 months on the road, we arrived back in our stationary house late in April. We took a couple of extra days driving from SC to skirt the constant heavy storms that have plagued the southeast this spring. Without a fixed schedule we were able to avoid the storms with a few extra days in the warm. The Chicago area has been very rainy and cold both before and since our arrival. You ask why did we come home so early - that’s my question, too. We can now enjoy the hight gas prices of the Chicago area with all of our neighbors. Lots of interesting technology in this episode. How about rooting a B&N NOOK? Easily done. How did our Sensar work out? How about an extra lens for your phone camera? These plus lots of RV tips and ideas are in this episode. When you are finished, send us a comment, or write podcast review in iTunes about your friendly RV Navigators. navigator@rvnavigator.com is our email.

We do see signs of Spring, but it is still too cold to be at home so we continue to travel the mid south. Lots of new RV topics are discussed in this episode including the most popular RVs, Trucker GPSs, digital TV meter, and new websites.

A few miles from New Orleans is the Cajun country noted for seafood & music. We spent a nice couple of weeks enjoying both before heading to Natchez to travel the Trace north. We share tips and some new gadgets during this episode for our listeners.

Twelve days in New Orleans gave us a chance to really have the full Mardi Gras experience. Ending on Fat Tuesday, it was an extravaganza unlike anything we have experienced before. We bring you all of the details and our impressions of this event.

Leaving warm Sarasota we headed north to what turned out to be more great weather in the Florida panhandle. This area combines the best of old & new Florida with great camping and reasonable prices. We also share several email comments from listeners.

After a month in place, we start the engine to head northwest on the trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. This episode features an interview with Bob & Linda full timers who are making some big changes after several years on the road.

Our report on the differences between winter RVing in Florida compared with wintering in Texas. We have been in the RV bubble in Florida for over 2 weeks, so we have some interesting comparisons to make. This plus the latest RVing news.

After spending a week on the Atlantic coast we head to the Tampa Super show. Listeners, show highlights, and repairs have dominated our time at the show. What's happening and what are the trends in RVing is our main topic.

We begin our usual trip south for the winter as we celebrate episode 60, our 5th year of doing the podcast. This year takes us to Florida and several adventures in the southland this winter. Class A or 5th Wheel? What's with megapixels? Topics for #60.

We have yielded to listener request by adding a mid month version of the RV Navigator. We never thought this podcast would generate such interest, but if you want to hear our rantings, you'll now get them more often. The RVers Xmas list is our topic.

We always find it hard to believe that we have so many loyal listeners, but we hear from them regularly each month so it must be true. Based on the number of downloads the RV Navigator is reaching quite a large number of interested RVers and others hungry for information. With this in mind, we are going to succumb to listener suggestions that we take the podcast to a new level of frequency - bi monthly. Is this vanity or are we really filling a niche? The iTunes comments are great and your email feedback has been very positive so I can only assume that our RV experiences are valuable beyond our lives. We are glad to share and are rewarded by your listenership. However, a second month episode comes with the caveat that listeners help provide content and feedback for the mid-month edition. Our trial mid-month episode will feature Christmas presents appropriate for RVers (or Techies) so send us your suggestions and comments. This episode starts with our getting the RV Fridge repaired under the Norcold r

This months RVing adventure was a short 4 days in Parke County Indiana home of 32 covered bridges. Covered bridge may conjure up images of New England but Indiana's Parke County has more in a compact space than anywhere else. They have 5 driving routes of about 35 miles each that take visitors to all of the bridges. Some are still in use while others are just along the road side as tourist stops. Many are from the 1800s with other from the early 1900s and all are in fairly good shape. Visitors can at least walk over them all as well as photograph them in the rural settings. Each fall they have a huge outdoor festival that draws thousands of tourists. Our visit was a week after the festival so things were quite. It is worth a visit if you are in the vicinity with your RV. Turkey Run SP offers great camping for all types of RVs. Other topics this month include numerous topics presented by listeners via email including reports from Australia. This months feature is about the changing landscape of wire

Our cruise continued into September as we enjoyed the Crown Princess for almost a month of cruising on our way to New York City. After some difficulty uploading last months changes, we are back with good internet and easily able to make this months deadline. Sorry to those who were looking for the Rv Navigator on September 1, but although finished, it was just not possible to get it uploaded. This month we are back home ready to focus on the RVing lifesyle that we love so much. As regular listeners know, we purchased an iPad at its introduction on April 3, 2010. At this point, it has been part of our family for a little over 6 months. It has become a useful tool which we use almost daily. It has now traveled the world by RV and ship, so we have some interesting comments to make on its use. We also explore the competition as well as update its use for RVers. Finally, this episode is capped with a interesting interview with RV author, Ron Jones from the AboutRving.com website and several RVing books t

We come to your this month from the oceans around the British Isles several thousand miles from home. Once again we are doing "RVing on Steroids" on a cruise ship - no navigating, no cooking, no cleaning. Join us for some RV news at sea.

We headed south in July knowing that the temperatures would be on the rise as we hit Louisville, KY. This was the site of the largest RV show in the country this year so we felt compelled to see the show regardless of the summer heat. We did spend a couple of extra days on each end checking out Indiana State parks, but the main event was in Louisville, just across the Ohio River in Kentucky. Almost 2900 RVs parked in the lots of the Kentucky Expo Center made the place seemed jammed. Some paid extra for electric hookup, but this was very expensive due to the portable generators that were used to supply the power. We just fired up the genset and boondocked. It was Louisville's hottest days of the year, in the high 90s, so we had to use the generator all of the time we were in the motorhome including over night. Fortunately, the entire event was held under one air-conditioned roof within a couple of minutes walk of our parking spot. Seminars, vendors, dealers and RVs all housed inside for the show. Thi

RV manufactures generally do not build the entire RV because they buy the chassis with engine from chassis builder. Once the chassis leaves their factory, the RV manufacturer adds the body and interior. Responsibility for warranty and repair of the chassis and engine is Spartans (in our case). At a chassis rally we learned about how to maintain and use our motorhome under pinnings. Obviously it is important to keep all of these systems in good working order and maintained so that you will arrive at your destination. We had the 44 point check-up and most of the fluids and filters replaced. Many had not been touched since the vehicle was new so it was time. The Spartan factory has a complete repair facility near by the Rally headquarters. With over 50 coaches from many brands in attendance, we had lots of company and stories to hear. New in 2010 is the latest round of emission controls for diesel engines in the US. Cummins as well as many engine manufacturers has started using a DEF fluid sprayed in

After 4+ months of travel on the road, we headed back North to the Chicago area to visit our stick home. Having traveled about 7 months out of the last year, we wonder if having a home is really worth it. It is, however, nice to be "home" again. The Chicago summers are pleasant and the list of activities is extensive. So we'll be on the home front until mid-August when the wanderlust will catch up with us again. After detouring around Nashville and other flooded point of Tennessee, we made our way north in a leisurely fashion arriving early in May. Topic in this months podcast include an interview with friends who spend extended RVing time in Mexico. Mexico camping is of interest to many full timers and part timers alike so this topic is very relevant. They share first hand experience (having just returned from several months in Mexico) about the dos and don'ts of Mexico camping. Their experienced mirrored our experiences (more limited travel in Mexico) - once you get away from the boarder towns it i

We have been on the road most of the month, although for us that means staying for a week or so at a time in each campground. After the Texas coastal experience, we headed in land to check out the Texas Hill country near Austin. Spring in this area brings the Bluebonnets to life creating a blue tapestry on the side of the road. This is all courtsey of Lady Bird Johnson. She was a wild flower lover and had the seeds spread along the highways of the the area. The LBJ ranch is in the region so she spend alot of time in the area. It does give a splash of color to the landscape and give towns the excuse to have a festival. We attended the Burnet Bluebonnet festival and enjoyed its small town atmosphere. Even better for me was the discovery of real Texas BBQ for which this area is famous. It was a whole new experience in dining. From Texas we headed to rural Lousiana, 2 hours outside New Orlaens to sample the Cajun specialtiies. Once again we found much to love about the cuisine of the area, but not the