In this episode of Life on the Road, Crazy Family Adventure visits McArthur-Burney Falls, which is arguably the most beautiful waterfall in the whole state of California. From there, the family travels to Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lava Beds National Monument to see some volcanoes and explore caves. Then it’s back to the campsite for a relaxing evening.
You can watch the rest of Crazy Family Adventure’s Life on the Road series by clicking here.
In a change of pace, today we’re talking to Camping World’s product specialist, Ian Baker.
In this podcast, we talk about the future of RVs, Ian’s life-long love of camping, and answer some common questions from his series of RV Reviews on YouTube.
We’ll also learn his personal must-have RV features after doing in-depth reviews of thousands of RVs over the years.
Be sure to catch all of his RV Reviews on the Camping World YouTube Channel!
Some topics we cover:
The holidays are right around the corner and you should have probably finished all your shopping done already. What’s that? You haven’t! Well, we’re here to help. Right now is the time to find the best deals. Don’t let the avid camper or RV enthusiast go without a gift they’ll truly enjoy. Get them something they can use on their adventures.
Here are some gift ideas that will thrill the RVer in your life.
One of the best things about RVs is the full kitchen. However, that doesn’t mean RVers don’t like to grill out. Grilling might be far from your mind with the cold holiday weather present, but it’s a big part of camping, tailgating, and generally being outdoors when it’s warm. Portable grills can make an excellent gift for the RV enthusiast in your life.
One fantastic grill for any camper or RVer is the Coleman RoadTrip Classic Grill. This grill features a stand to use by itself or you can detach it and use it right on a table top. The versatility doesn’t end there. The two-burner grill comes with a die-cast aluminum grate and a griddle, meaning you can grill burgers on the grate in the evening and cook up some pancakes on the griddle in the morning.
If you have friends or family who love the outdoors, then they’re going to need some good camp chairs at some point. They can use these chairs at sporting events, tailgates, campgrounds, picnics, and much more. The best part about camp chairs is they are affordable items so you can get a couple of chairs at a reasonable price.
The Navy Director’s Chair is a great option for the outdoor lover who wants a small, portable chair with a small side table and cup holder. It’s lightweight and durable construction means it’ll last for years to come.
If you’re looking for something that’ll let you lounge, the Keep Calm and Camp Terracotta Recliner is the way to go. This chair makes it easy to kick back and relax at a campground, beach, or even in your own backyard.
Avid RVers know that they don’t always have access to shore power. That means a generator often comes in handy. With a good generator, you can get the electric power needed to camp comfortably. If you’re buying a gift for an RVer who loves to boondock, a generator could put a big smile on their face.
If you don’t mind spending more for quality around the holiday season on gifts, consider a Honda generator for your RV-lover. Honda’s EU2200i Portable Inverter Generator is one of the best on the market right now. It’s perfect for camping because it provides ample power and runs quietly. You can even pair two of them together for more power if needed.
If you’ve ever owned an RV, you know how important it is to keep the tires at the recommended air pressure. While some RVs, especially new models, will have tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) installed on them by the manufacturer, many are without this handy feature.
Luckily, it’s one that’s easy to add. Don’t just get any old TPMS, though, not all of them are designed for RV use. The TireMinder Wireless TPMS is a great choice for any RV. The system comes with a handy monitor that shows the exact tire pressure of each tire through a transmitter that you add to the tire valve.
The product comes with four transmitters, but you can get more. The TireMinder system can monitor up to 22 tires and will provide readings ranging from zero to 232 PSI. The person receiving this gift will never have to worry about their rig’s tire pressure again. They’ll know exactly what it is at all times.
Do you have an avid RVer who also loves to keep up on sports and watch TV shows? Get them a portable satellite antenna for the holidays and you’ll make trips in their RV even more enjoyable. A portable satellite antenna brings live HD programming to the TV in their RV.
The DISH Playmaker Portable Satellite Antenna is an excellent choice and its affordable price tag means you won’t break the bank giving the RV lover you care about a gift they will truly enjoy. The satellite antenna is powered by the DISH receiver, so there’s no extra power cord and it can be mounted to the roof of the RV. If your RVer doesn’t have a receiver in their RV already, the DISH Wally HD Receiver is an excellent choice.
What RV-related gift are you giving this holiday season? Leave a comment below.
I love to travel, but I also love my dog. Before I discovered RVing, these two facts were constantly at battle. I always had to find someone to watch my pup while I traveled and felt like I was constantly cutting trips short to get back to her.
RVing with pets is the best of both worlds. I get to travel often and have my furry companion with me at all times.
Of course, RVing also presents some challenges for both you and your pet. After almost two years of RVing, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for RVing with pets:
Trust me, you do not want to pull up to a campground and discover that your dog is sick and you don’t have your pet’s health records.
Keep your dog and cat up to date on their shots and always carry proof. We like to keep our dogs’ immunization records and rabies certificate in the door of the motorhome, right next to our registration and insurance. It’s just that important.
Last year, ticks were out in full force. When RVing with pets, regularly check them for ticks, and make sure to give them a flea and tick prevention treatment before heading back to the campground.
The US Forest Service recommends carrying certain first-aid items for our furry friends:
It’s also a great idea to look up the name, phone number, and location of a nearby vet clinic. You can call ahead to your RV park or campground to see if they have that information available.
Going camping is exciting. The fresh air, the fire-roasted hot dogs and the abundance of nature can really excite a person. Now imagine how your dog must feel with all their heightened senses.
The more training your dog has the better behaved they will be, meaning a less stressful RV vacation for all.
Now, don’t fret if your dog has never been to puppy boot camp. Basic commands should suffice for most camping situations:
You never know what you might find out on a nature walk. Scat, food droppings or roadkill aren’t something you want your dog to ingest—although they’re bound to disagree. Your dog should listen when you tell them to leave something alone. The better your dog is at listening to this command, the easier your camping trip will be.
Despite distractions like smells, children, and other dogs, your dog should always come to you when he is called.
Your dog must be comfortable on a leash. I’ve never been to a campground or RV park that didn’t require a pet to be on a leash at all times. If your dog is unfamiliar or rusty, I would recommend practicing before heading out on your RV trip.
As much as I love my dog and consider her my first kid, I know there are campers (and pets) out there that don’t see the appeal of my sweet pup. Be a considerate neighbor and follow a few simple etiquette rules.
Yes, this is important enough to mention twice in one article.
While your dog may be docile and very good at coming when called, it’s important to think about other dogs that may not be as friendly. Avoid a conflict (and breaking campground rules) and keep your dog leashed at camp.
To be honest, I made this mistake the very first day we went camping. Within just 20 minutes, I had the campground owner knocking on my door.
Although your pet may be the sweetest dog in the world, other campers may be afraid of dogs. Your dog may be like mine and think being on a lead outside the RV means she is on guard duty. No one wants to walk past your campsite and have your dog bark at them.
That isn’t to say your dog can never be outside. We carry a lead and stake with us and put it down in any camp that permits it. We love having our dog outside with us while we are cooking, playing or just soaking up the great weather.
If you have a relaxed cat, I’ve seen many people do this with their kitties. I’ve even seen them in a large kennel outside with their owners.
Whether you have a cat, dog, or other furry friends, it’s important to pet-proof the vehicle before your trip.
Place a piece of plexiglass on the bottom of the screen door if your dog is easily excitable. This will let you have the main door open and you won’t have to worry about your pup tearing the screen. This is also a great idea if you have a cat.
Bring along scratching posts for your cat. Chances are if you’re a cat owner, you already know why. You don’t want your sweet kitty tearing up the carpet, dinette, or window valances.
Use a gate to make some areas off-limits to your pet. Our dog was constantly trying to sit in the passenger seat of our motorhome. The thought of her nails and camp-dirty self all over my light-colored leather made me cringe. We made a gate and now the whole cab area is inaccessible to her.
Also, just like you don’t leave garbage on the ground outside for the animals to get to it, you need to contain your garbage inside your RV. I always put any garbage I have in a cabinet or cupboard so my dog isn’t tempted to go dumpster-diving when we are out of the house.
Remember, RVing with pets is supposed to be fun. Have fun by taking your pets to as many places as possible and letting them explore. They’ll be grateful for all the extra time they get to spend with you and are sure to love being on vacation as much as you do.
Do you bring your dog with you when you RV? What makes it great for you? Leave a comment below.
When choosing an RV, there are always trade-offs. The key is knowing what your priorities are before you go shopping. This allows you to evaluate features of a given RV when you’re walking through different rigs at the dealer. This list helps you know what must-haves to look for if easy boondocking is a priority for you.
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that boondocking is possible in almost any RV. Any RV can overnight at a Walmart without too much trouble.
This guide is for you, if you’re looking to boondock often or for extended periods. In those instances, you’ll want your RV to have features that make boondocking easier since you’ll be dry camping often.
Water is going to be a major concern when you’re boondocking, so make sure to think about the following things.
One of the main limiting factors when dry camping is your tank capacity. You don’t want to run out of water before you’re ready to leave. RVers in Class Bs typically have smaller tanks. RVers in Class As typically have larger tanks. Yet owners of both happily boondock.
When shopping, keep in mind how much water you personally consume to be comfortable. One RVer may be comfortable taking super short showers every other day and doing dishes for one meal a day.
Two of their meals may consist of sandwiches and energy bars. Another RVer may wish to be able to do dishes for all three meals and shower longer or more often.
Your tank capacity will be much less of a factor if you only boondock overnight, but if you plan to dry camp longer, you need bigger tanks.
The water heater in your rig can make or break your shower experience while boondocking. If you’re not a fan of cold showers, this should be on your list. There are dry-camping-friendly water heaters in many rigs like the Truma Combi and Truma AcquaGo systems.
Water heaters like the Truma AcquaGo circulate water through your pipes even when the water is not in use. This, in turn, keeps the water hot giving you hot water on-demand. For easiest boondocking, you’ll want to make sure your water heater doesn’t only give you your hot water when you’re plugged into shore power.
Depending on the climate you’re RVing in, this could be important even for overnight Walmart stays. You may be a very unhappy camper skipping a shower if the climate is a hot and humid one.
In order to use most of the equipment on your rig, you need to have access to a power source of some kind and think about the draws on that power source. Here are some things to think about.
You need your RV appliances. Let’s look at your refrigerator as an example. You need your RV fridge to keep your food cold when camping off-grid.
Luckily there are a few refrigerator options. The first is for your fridge to be able to run off of multiple power sources. Going this route, look for a three-way fridge that can run off of DC/AC/LP (LP is propane).
If your fridge will run off of LP when you’re boondocking, keep in mind your rig will need to be completely level. So you may also want to check out if your RV comes with leveling jacks or be prepared to use leveling blocks.
You can boondock with a residential-style, or compressor, fridge. In order to easily boondock with one of these, you must have a beefy battery bank that can keep the frige working properly.
Ultimately you’ll want to research how many watts or amp hours you personally need. Don’t forget to think about any other appliances you use in the RV, too. This is important even for overnight boondocking.
If you love an RV, but it’s battery bank leaves something to be desired, you can always upgrade. If you want to upgrade or fine-tune your battery power post-purchase, it’s much easier if the batteries are easily accessible for the user.
One RV may require you to climb underneath your rig and unscrew fasteners to access the batteries. Another may have an easy to open, very accessible panel in your RV stepwell on the inside.
The latter will be easier and more convenient for you, and accessible batteries should be a priority for all RVers.
With an inverter, you can do simple things like charging your laptop or making coffee without being connected to shore power.
You do always have the option of carrying a portable power bank. There are many portable power systems like the popular Goal Zero systems.
An onboard inverter makes both extended boondocking stays and overnight boondocking easier.
In the case of Motorhome RVs, an onboard generator will make boondocking easier, and you have to have it if you plan to run the AC while boondocking. Although an onboard generator comes with many RVs, not all RV manufacturers have made them a standard option.
An onboard generator will be most important to make boondocking easy for those of you free camping in hot or humid climates where running the AC is a must.
If the rig you’re falling in love with doesn’t have an onboard generator, it may have lithium power. Some systems, like the Pure 3 system in the Winnebago Travato or the EcoTrek system in Roadtrek RVs, make it possible to power your coach without a noisy generator.
These systems are popular among avid boondockers and replace the need for an onboard generator. You really need to have one or the other, though.
Don’t spend all your time thinking about water and power. The interior and exterior features of the RV are very important, too. The last thing you want is to buy an RV with a floorplan you hate.
For easier boondocking, you’ll want to have a bed that doesn’t rely on a slideout being popped out to be functional. This isn’t to say that you can’t boondock if you must pop out a slide to sleep in your bed.
This will be more important if you’re a full-timer or often frequent places in-season rather than shoulder season or off-season.
At almost any Walmart you can pop your slides out. However, if you find that you arrive late, or you plan on overnighting in rest stops, space may be limited. More parking options are available to you if you can sleep with your slides in. The same can happen with BLM land that has many trees or fills up (Sedona). You may be able to just squeeze into that last spot if you don’t need to pop slides out.
If you love a floorplan but the bed requires the slide to be out, you can usually get away with it if there are alternative sleeping areas (loft, convertible dinette, etc.).
This tends to be most important for full-timers, and RV travelers that need to overnight in a variety of places, particularly in-season.
If you have an outdoor activity you love (kayaking, climbing, backpacking) you might find yourself boondocking more than the average RVer. That means you should really take note of a rig’s storage area.
Ample interior and exterior storage will make it easier to pack gear, equipment, extra food, and coolers for boondocking trips.
Although everyone loves extra storage space, this is of extreme importance for those that plan to boondock for extended periods.
On the outside of the RVs, you’ll want to consider what’s underneath. Take a look underneath and think about the following:
Also, consider the departure angle and clearance of the RV. If the overhang past your rear wheels is long, your departure angle will be poor. A good departure angle makes it easier to boondock on certain BLM land and even helps you get in and out of certain parking lots easier. Most RVs will be fine in all but true off-road situations, but it’s worth noting.
Some RVs have air ride suspension which helps with clearance. If the rig you’re looking at lacks air ride suspension, what you see or measure at the dealer will be all you’ll have. Keep that in mind when going off the beaten path.
What are your must-have RV features for boondocking? Leave a comment below.
A must-see for Crazy Family Adventure was the redwoods in Northern California. In this episode of Life on the Road, the family visits Humboldt Redwoods State Park. They got to camp right in the park among the trees, hike some gorgeous trails, and explore the small towns north of the park. From there it was to Fern Canyon, Patrick’s Point State Park, and on up the scenic Highway One.
You can watch the rest of Crazy Family Adventure’s Life on the Road series by clicking here.
