RV Podcast 221 – 5 Essential RV Kitchen Tips from Chef MJ

This week we hear from a favorite, Chef MJ… Mary Jane Curry, who has been writing up RV Recipes for our RV Lifestyle Blog for several years now and has just published a delightful cookbook aimed squarely at RVers called “Small Kitchen Big Flavors.” Chef MJ is our interview of the week and she has five great RV kitchen and cooking tips to share with us. Plus, you’ll get first notice here of an awesome event this spring where you can learn from Chef MJ in person. But also, in this episode, RV news, RV tips, a great off the beaten path report and much more. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride, Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #221 Dec. 5, 2018 of Roadtreking - The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK We’re working on videos We’re planning a break… to take the first time off in seven years… the last two weeks of the year. We talk about our free Christmas gift-buying guide… https://rvlifestyle.com/christmas And we also talk about the members-only benefits available free through our RV Community at https://rvlifestyle.com/community RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK MIKE Man and dog climb tree to escape angry herd of buffalo, and broadcast whole thing on Facebook live Have you ever been out west, out for a hike, and come across some wild buffalo that are not too happy to see you? Well, in a story I saw last week, apparently a man was hiking on Antelope Island near Salt Lake City, Utah, with his German Shepard when a herd of buffalo decided to go aggressively come toward him. The man did what many do these days, decided to record the whole thing on Facebook Live. As the buffalo started following him he noticed their tails were up - a sign of aggression - and they were grunting menacingly. He walked faster and faster and then tried to climb a tree as he called for help. His story has a happy ending, after a parks official came to help. Officials believe the herd mistook the dog as a predator. JENNIFER RV shipments to dealers down 11 percent, though sales are up 4.63 percent You may have heard that Elkhart, Indiana, home to the RV manufacturing industry, is closely watched for signs of how the economy is doing. Several stories out last week analyzed what the third slip in RV shipments in a row means not just for the RV industry, but for the whole country. The RV Industry Association reported wholesale shipments to dealers dropped 11 percent for its third period, yet RV sales in the U.S. and Canada are up 4.63 percent. What is not clear is if the third drop in shipments is because dealers had ordered too much inventory, or if rising interest rates, tariffs and the contentious the political climate is adding up to mean something else. MIKE Manatees ares heading to Florida's inland hot water springs The manatees are back! Florida's Blue Springs State Park report that the manatees are back in large numbers as cold temperatures have hit the Sunshine State driving the gentle giants inland to Florida's warm springs. A story out last week about this made me think of a camping trip Jennifer and I took at the Blue Springs State Park a few years back to see the manatees. (see our report here). We thoroughly enjoyed camping in the park and watching the gigantic creatures. If you can't make it to Florida, a webcam is also operating live footage here. To see the report that took me down memory lane click: http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/manatees-gather-at-blue-springs-state-park-to-stay-warm JENNIFER Man camping in at Idaho KOA campground dies in fire tied to space heater use A sad story caught my eye out of Idaho this week about a man dying after his camper at a KOA caught on fire. The man had apparently been using a space heater to help his vehicle stay warm, and fire officials said the blaze was caused by combustible materials getting too close to the space heater. The trailer also did not have working smoke alarms. A tragic story that serves as a reminder for all of us who camp in cold weather. MIKE Search continues for missing Rocky Mountain National Park hiker The search continued over the weekend for a missing 20-year-old hiker at Rocky Mountain National Park who hasn't been heard from for about a week. The man, 20, was a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet candidate who decided to go hiking in the popular park alone. The story highlights the dangers of hiking alone, and got me thinking back to an interview we did on the podcast some time back with an expert hiker discussing hiking safety, something that is always good to review. To listen to the our hiking safety expert interview click here JENNIFER'S RV TIP OF THE WEEK In a month Mike, Bo and I will head to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for one of my favorite trips of the season – our annual winter campout. We camp at Lower Falls campground in the Tahquamenon Falls State Park and always have so much fun. Sometimes we go snowshoeing, other times cross county skiing, but always we’re walking, being outside and enjoying the be