RT46: RV for One, Please! What to Know About Solo RV Travel

The great thing about living the RV lifestyle is the freedom it affords - and that includes the freedom to hit the open road alone. It's a trend that is growing. Take Sherry Targum, president, Roadtrek International chapter of the Family Motorcoach Association. She decided long ago to hit the road alone (well, she had some cats, too) and hasn't looked back. She joins Mike Wendland for episode 46 of the Roadtreking podcast to share what she has learned about successfully solo RVing. Among other things, they discuss: The joys of solo RVing If RVers need to do anything differently than when traveling with a partner How to get used to traveling alone How to travel safely when solo RVing The many ways to still be social while solo RVing Also in this episode, Jennifer's Tip of the Week on storage, listener questions about solar panels and other RV parts, RV news, an RV destination in Colorado you need on your bucket list, and a lot more! [spp-player] Show Notes for Episode #46 July 29, 2015, of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast: First Things First: Thank You For the Support Jennifer and Mike open the show by talking about the loss of Tai, their dog who died last week as a result of complications caused by a serious medical condition, and thanking everyone for the tremendously overwhelming support received in light of the sad news. [spp-timestamp time="2:59"] Jennifer's Tip of the Week: Simple Storage Solution In our RV, we have one simple rule. A place for everything, and everything has a place. So this week, I want to share that “place” with you, specifically, a very inexpensive and handy storage solution for miscellaneous things in form of a self-adhering mesh net storage organizer. http://amzn.to/1KvbPri We have several of these in our RV. They are made of nylon and about seven inches wide, by five inches high. They attach to any solid service with special double-sided adhesive tape, so you don’t have to drill a hole. They stretch and we use them to hold items such as cell phones, chargers, keys, medicines, maps, and notebooks. They only cost $5.89 on Amazon and we have three of them in various places in our Roadtrek RV. One by my side of the bed, one by Mike’s and one on the galley wall. [spp-timestamp time="5:23"] Listener Question: How Tough are Solar Panels? A listener who is considering buying an RV has several questions, but his main inquiry is with regards to solar panels and specifically, how durable they are and how they function when forced to deal with everything from hail and snow to rocks. Jennifer and Mike address the questions and provide details about how today's solar panels are able to withstand being pushed to extreme limits. [spp-timestamp time="6:42"] Listener Question: How Can I Find RV Parts for My Roadtrek? Another Roadtreking listener asks about finding a place to find RV parts for his Roadtrek near him in Houston. We share how to find Roadtrek dealers across North America at http://roadtrek.com/locators. In Houston, Mike recommends DeMontrond RV, 14101 North Freeway, Houston, Texas, or Camping World of Houston. [spp-timestamp time="14:32"] Listener Question: Can You Tell Me About Registering My RV in Another State? And listener Gwen Harris - who sings a special song she wrote just for Roadtreking - asks about the benefits of registering an RV in another state. Mike gives an explanation and refers to a story he did previously on the subject at https://rvlifestyle.com/montana-llc-titling-rv/ [spp-timestamp time="15:42"] Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, Mo. Van City RV only sells Class B. RVs. Owner Ray Dwyer has been in the RV business for 44 years and is considered the dean of Class B RVs. Nobody knows more about small motorhomes that Ray and his crew. They have new and used Class B motorhomes in stock from the major manufacturers. When you fly in to buy your RV from Van City, they'll arrange to have you picked up from the airport and will reimburse you $500 toward your airfare. Then, your RV will be fully prepared for travel, complete with full tanks of fuel and propane. After a complete orientation with their staff on your new RV, you can take delivery and set out for home. Dan the Van Man gives the week's specials on the podcast. [spp-player] RV News of the Week: Bison Flips Over Selfie, Glacier on Fire, RV Industry Boom Continues Bison Attacks at Yellowstone: A woman was attacked by a bison in Yellowstone as she tried to take a selfie with it. (Read more) [spp-timestamp time="29:26"] Glacier National Park Fire Disrupts: A wildfire at Glacier National Park disrupted a lot of tourist plans, among other things. (Read more) [spp-timestamp time="33:23"] RV Sales Boom Continues: RV shipments (the way the industry reports how healthy it is to the public) were once again up in June. (Read more) [spp-timestamp time="34:55"] This portion of the podcast is brought to you by Alde, the only name in heat that you need to know for your RV.