With warmer weather, we are spending more and more time outdoors again and that means more exposure to a tiny creature that poses big problems. I’m talking about ticks, a biting, blood-sucking bug not much bigger than a pinhead. But they are nothing to take lightly. Ticks are everywhere, increasing in numbers, and spreading a serious illness called Lyme Disease.

You need to listen to our interview his week with a top expert on tick infestation and Lyme Disease, a very real threat to any RVer who spends a lot of time outdoors.

Also this weeks, lots of tips, listener questions, RV News of the Week, the RV Calendatr and an off the beaten path report

Click the player below to Listen Now or scroll down through the show note details. When you see a time code hyperlink, you can click it to jump directly to that segment of the podcast.

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Show Notes for Episode #128 2/22/17 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast:

JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK

We’ve talked before about a great product called Reflectix, an insulating product that comes in rolls and can be easily cut to fit inside and around your RV’s windows. Most recently, we used it on a winter camping trip in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and it did a great of keeping our Roadtrek motorhome warm by preventing the inside heat from escaping through the windows.

But you can also use Reflectix in the summer to keep your air-conditioned coolness in, and the outside heat…out!

A listener named Tom tells us the Reflectix should be applied on the outside of the window, not the inside. Don’t put inside the window because it would reflect too much heat onto the window and could damage the glass. Mount it outside, with stick on Velcro, just as Tom suggests! [spp-timestamp time="8:45"]

And be sure to send me your tips and suggestions for the RV lifestyle. You can use the “Leave Voicemail” link at Roadtreking.com. Just click it and then use the built-in microphone on your computer or mobile devise to record a message to me. You can do it over as many times as you want, until you are satisfied. And then you just click a button and it comes right to my email inbox.

I love hearing from you!

Jennifer's tip of the week is brought to you by RadPower Bikes (www.RadPowerBikes.com_… an electric bike manufacturer offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping!

LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:

Joyce has air in her water lines and wants to know how to get it out [spp-timestamp time="12:42"]

Bill saw our recent Videoblog about our trip south and through Nashville and wants to know how to beat rush hour traffic in big cities [spp-timestamp time="14:40"]

And Bob asks about amateur radio and RVing. [spp-timestamp time="18:05"]

Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas. Bringing You the largest Inventory of class B’s from three locations.

PET TIP OF THE WEEK

What could be worse than losing your pet while on an RV trip? [spp-timestamp time="23:26"]

Bo's collar with name and phone number engraved on it

It happens and it happens much too often. Our pets can be stressed and confused in new environments and be frightened by those unfamiliar surroundings.

Do you know that lack of identification means as few as 14% of pets ever find their way home after getting lost? So for starters, always have your pets wear a collar with ID. Our Bo has his name and our phone number engraved on his collar, We don’t have to worry about a metal tag getting snagged and falling off.

But there’s even a better way: Microchipping. About the size of a rice grain, a microchip is inserted under the skin in less than a second. It needs no battery and can be scanned by a vet or an animal control officer in seconds. If your pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic or animal shelter, your pet will be scanned for a microchip to reveal his unique ID ...