Girl Camper

On this week’s show I welcome Stephanie Puglisi, co host with her husband and business partner Jeremy Puglisi of the RV Family Travel Atlas Podcast and the Campground of the Week Podcast. Stephanie co founded the RVFTA Network and co-authored the Idiots Guide to RV Vacations with Jeremy. She is also the Producer of the Girl Camper Podcast, mom to three active boys and in her spare time, a Girl Camper. Stephanie shares some insights on this weeks show about her recent purchase of a used Pop Up trailer and how she plans to use it. She also delves into the topic of making your own choices for how you unwind, the atmosphere that can exist among women whose choices may be different than yours, and claiming your own person-hood without feeling guilty about it.

Girl Camping is not always as simple as knowing how to tow a trailer or pitch a tent. Sometimes there are dynamics involved on the home front with a husband who doesn’t ‘get it’. Sometimes women give up the dream because it’s takes too much energy to fight for it. I can say that across the board every woman I have met whose husband or partner didn’t get it and they did it anyway, came away happy they did. I can also say that the spouse who doesn’t get on board when he sees the benefits of it is the exception. Most end up pleading to have a turn.

The outside judgement can also come from a mother in law with a “I never left my children when they needed me. I was happy to be with them” attitude.  Discussing these things with Stephanie reminded me of my own start in the Girl Camping world. My husband was always on board and thought it was great. He was grateful he didn’t have to come with me. My mother in law had passed away the year before I resurrected this childhood pleasure but I can assure you she would not have liked it one bit. I would have done it anyway because there was an exceedingly immature part of me that needed to show her at every possible opportunity,  how marriage is ‘suppose’ to go. I delighted in making sure she knew that her son was completely capable of not losing any kids while I was gone.

Another source of judgement are the  “super hero” moms who gauge their own motherhood by the number of sacrifices they’re willing to make in order that everyone else’s lives run smoothly without realizing the toll it is taking on them. Sometimes these mothers are the ones to judge someone else’s need to recharge with a grown up time out. My own circle of friends thought I was crazy when I joined the sisters on the fly. I had just adopted a second grader. My two biological children, affectionately referred to as the “prototypes,” were in college and late high school. My mom friends judgments were across the board from the ridiculous, “How will your husband eat all weekend?” to “you’re joining a subculture. Are you sure you’re alright?”

Having this somewhat serious conversation with Stephanie brought me back to my own feelings at the time I jumped into the girl camping movement. I was at a place where I needed to do something for myself. I was running on empty and I am not afraid or ashamed to say that. I needed something fun to do that was just mine. I needed something to look forward to. I think the five camp outs a year that I did while I was still raising my youngest saved me. When I wasn’t camping I was playing with my trailer and chatting on line with new friends and looking forward to the next outing and testing camp recipes. It all saved me. Women don’t have the right to camp out with friends because they give so much and deserve a little time to themselves. They have that right because they are human beings who require self care. It’s okay to feed your body, mind and soul with whatever you need to keep moving. It’s okay.

On this weeks show my guest is Erin Theim of Nevada City, California. Erin and her husband Dan are the owners of Inn Town Campground in Nevada City, California. While living in New Zealand they had the opportunity to camp New Zealand style and they liked much of what they saw in how the campgrounds operate there. When the opportunity arose in their own town of Nevada City to buy a property only one mile from the historic downtown area, they took a leap of faith and bought it to build their dream campground.

 

I had the opportunity to stay there a few weeks ago and experience the glamping tents that draw in visitors from all over the country. The Girl Campers held a camp out there and we had a chance to camp like girls but also to enjoy the beautiful downtown Nevada City.

 

Our glamping tent came fully equipped with beautiful linens, towels, heated mattress pads and a covered rear porch with a stunning view of the woods and colorful trees. Since I flew in to the Sacramento Airport to meet up with local friends I appreciated that I could camp without having to bring any equipment other than my clothing. The tent was so comfortable and clean and each bed had its own plug for charging and reading light. Each glamping tent at Inn Town Campground has been beautifully curated with finds from local antiques shops.

The gathering space off the office is like a community center and has a communal kitchen with two stoves and a refrigerator and is stocked with pots, pans, cooking  utensils and dishes. We only had to bring our food and beverages. The gang all gathered there on Friday night for a pot luck meet and greet. The three rooms are very inviting and it was wonderful meeting the other people camping there. It’s a great place for tent campers who might not want to break out the camp stove to share meals.

Attached to the kitchen and dining room is a great room with wood stove, Foos Ball table and cozy reading nooks. I was the first one there each morning to get the coffee brewing. We used this room for our meals and as a meeting place to gather for hikes.

 

There’s a one mile trail that begins at the rear of the campground and leads into town. It was an easy hike and great exercise on a fall day. We all enjoyed a great day in town shopping at the Farmers Market, souvenir shops and local artisans wares. Nevada City is an old mining town with a rich history and beautifully restored buildings. It’s where old hippies and Gen Xers peacefully coexist. It’s inviting, friendly and full of an interesting cross section of smiling, dog walking locals and day tripping tourists.

 

Erin and Dan Theim have created an urban campground with a very state park feel. You have the best of both worlds there with the deeply wooded and peaceful campground with an historic town and all its offerings a short hike away. I’m alrea working out a way to make this an annual event!

 

 

On this week’s show I am talking gear with my favorite gear geek, Jeremy Puglisi from the RV Family Travel Atlas Podcast. It’s almost comical when Jeremy and I are camping together. Our poor spouses just sit on the sidelines while we compare our wish lists of the latest gear we saw at someone’s site, read about in a trade magazine or happened upon in the camping section of a store we went into to buy motor oil and we are now coveting.

This year it seems like I got a lot of new gear and with over 50 nights in the camper so far, it all got a thorough testing. Today I am naming my Top Five Gear additions of the 2017 season and Jeremy is chiming in with his. Warning: Gear Geeks on board – talk may be dangerous to your budget.

My Ryobi Air Compressor was a great addition to my tool kit and I used it daily on my National Parks Tour in the summer of 2017. It is lightweight and the lithium battery holds a charge for weeks.  It reads the tire pressure and the can be set to the desired PSI. It has two speeds for airflow.  The lower speed allows it to fill air mattresses and bicycle tires while the higher one allows for filling truck and trailer tires. It comes with adapters to inflate sporting gear and the hoses wrap and pack up tightly for storage. This retails for $39.95 and was the best bargain of the season in gear!

The Dometic Refrigerator/Freezer was a great addition to my summer gear. It can hold 60 12 oz cans and runs on AC/DC, 12V and off of solar panels. It has a USB port built into it and a WIFI app that allows you to raise and lower the temperature remotely. The interior is lighted when you open the lid and it has an adjustable storage bin for flexible use. It can be used as a refrigerator or a freezer. I found it to be very well built with reinforced corners and heavy duty metal hinges. The compressor was very quiet and I used it at home as well as for camping trips. We plugged it in to the 110 in our car although it could have been used off the cars battery as well. We loved having our lunch each day and cold drinks and fruit with us. When we got it back each night we plugged it in on the outside of the trailer and lowered the temperature to add ice from our ice machine to it. This turned out to be a great addition to our camping gear that we also have gotten a lot of use out of at home as well. It is the largest model and retails for $599.00.

 

The Luci Light by MPowered is not only a great way to support under served nations struggling to find solutions to  dirty energy issues but it is a great little light! I wrote an article about it a few weeks ago and find that I am using this product at each camping trip. The light makes a great nightlight in a camper bathroom and you don’t need to turn on the light in the middle of the night. I love using them on the dinner table at night because they allow you to see your food without having to ruin the mood with bright lights. I so love the companies mission that I have taken to giving these at baby showers. I gave it to my nephew for his new baby and his wife loves having it on the changing table where she can turn it on low in the middle of the night for a diaper change. The lights are inflatable, have three light settings and an emergency flashing light as well. The are sold at most retail outlets and are also available at Amazon for the best price.

My new bed linens for the Max trailer were a home run. Beddy’s Beds make this great bed set that makes making the bed in a trailer a piece of cake.

My guest today is a returning one, Holly Boros, personal safety expert and NRA Firearms and Safety Instructor. Holly was a guest on the show way back when on episode number 28 where we chatted about some strategies for personal safety in daily life and on the road. We are taking up that subject again today because…as my Mom is fond of saying, “You can’t be too careful.” Often women who travel alone and in groups ask the question of whether it is safe to sleep over night in a rest stop, at a Walmart parking lot or in an obscure place where they are unlikely to be seen. Holly brings her experience as an Army brat, military wife, solo woman traveler and safety expert to the podcast.

Holly discusses personal safety on a daily basis and defines “white alert” – a state of awareness of your surroundings at all times. She shares the posture, attitude and air we should possess when shopping, going to our cars and in our daily errands. She includes safety tips for getting from the store,  back into your car.

* Have keys out and in hand.

* Walk to car using the center  of the parking lot aisle.

* Pass your car and look between your car and the car next to it to make sure no one is there before going to drivers side door.

* Unlock the drivers side door only with one press of the key fob.

* Immediately lock the door and drive away.

* Do not sit in the car and check email or make phone calls.

Holly also shares her tips for resting on the road during long trips, using rest areas, and staying safe while traveling solo.

On this  weeks show returning guest Ginny McKinney shares the ups and downs of full time RVing. Many people share the dream of one day selling the house and packing up an RV to hit the road full time. Freedom from the cost of home ownership and the work of maintaining a home are two frequently sited reasons for wanting to make an RV your prime residence. Ginny shares her journey and what she liked and disliked about a life lived on the road.

To listen to Ginny’s interview, click here.

On this weeks show I am talking about ways to make more use of your RV. You dreamed the dream, you made the purchase but now it seems harder than you thought to use it as often as you hoped. I discovered that weekend get-aways sometimes feel as pressure filled as the big trips. Having the RV packed and ready is only half the battle. Having the right state of mind is key as well. How do you shut the negative loop that starts telling you to “just stay home and relax here this weekend”?

I have a new check list of things to do when the camper rolls in the driveway from the last trip that make the next trip less pressure. In addition to the usual things like emptying the trailer of food, garbage and laundry I have now added these time savers that make the next trip more likely to happen.

When You Get Home

Strip the bed of dirty linens. Even if you don’t wash them until Tuesday or Wednesday, at least they’re in the house and it’s more likely to get done before the weekend.

Clean the trailer when you get it home rather than when you are ready to use it again. Getting out there in the middle of a busy work week can feel like a chore and add to the loop that starts playing telling you to just stay home. I now wipe the floors, bathroom and surfaces after I strip the bed. Having it all clean just begs you to repack it and get out.

During The Week 

Think of food differently when planning quick trips. I always have this ideal for camp meals and I want to make them extra special. Ideal meals are a bit of a dream. I think I’d rather sit around the fire with a reheated leftover than be at home with probably the same leftover. Some ways to not overthink the food are to:

Cook an extra large meal during the week and freeze a portion for travel. When you get to the campground on Friday you can unwind with a heated up leftover rather than ramp up and start chopping and dicing.

If you plan a special meal for Saturday night,  buy the ingredients when you are doing your family shopping. Don’t make anything so special that you need to make a special trip to get ingredients. Freeze it if necessary but get what you want when you are already at the store.

Have a pantry with ‘go to’ meals that don’t require refrigerated food. Tuna casseroles with Ramen noodles make great camp comfort food in a pinch. Beans and Rice. Tomato soup and oyster crackers. White sliced potatoes and hash. Ask yourself if the meal is more important than the location and if the idea of food having to be “special” is stopping you from even going, you may need to rethink the food part.

The Night Before

Plug the trailer in so that the refrigerator is nice and cold and you can transfer the food items you need for the weekend to the trailer right before you leave. I cleared a shelf in the home refrigerator and I use it as my stash for trailer sized food. Mini sized condiments and things I like in the trailer and then I don’t have to search for them around the fridge. I put them on the bottom shelf on the door because no one will ever find them there!

Add the clothes items that you need for the trip and put them in the trailer the night before. I use packing cubes which I bring in when I get home and then I can add the clothes I will need during the week as I am watching what the weather forecast looks like. I have coats, rain gear and extra shoes in the trailer all the time so I just need the street clothes for the weekend ahead.

Gas up the tow vehicle. Having to make one less stop on the day of departure is a real stress reliever. It puts you closer to your goal of getting to the campground as soon as possible. Last minute errands on a Friday take longer than the rest of the week because of high traffic volume  and create tension when the goal is to start unwinding.

Hitch up the trailer the night before if you don’t ne...

On this weeks show I am answering FAQ’s ranging from “Is Girl Camper a group I can join?” to “Do I really need to use expensive  RV toilet paper?” I am also linking here to a few of  my “go to” experts in all things RV.

Walter Canon is the  Executive Director of the RVSEF,  (Recreation Vehicle Safety and Education Foundation). The RVSEF provides comprehensive information on all things RV safety related including towing ratings for vehicles. Walter is a frequent guest speaker at RV events but also produces great videos. One of the ones I highly recommend taking the time to watch is Walter’s video on matching your truck and trailer.  Arming yourself with expert advice will help make your RV travels safe and fun.

Another industry expert I rely on is Mark Polk from RV Education 101. Mark has perhaps the most comprehensive body of work compiled on RV Safety, Maintenance and Repairs. Mark also has the gift of being able to convey complicated subjects in a clear and concise manner. He has an extensive body of DVD’s, YouTube videos, Ebooks and articles on everything you need to know about your motor home, tow vehicle or travel trailer. Mark’s work on tire safety and tire inflation guides should be a must read for all RVers.

Click the arrow before to listen to the podcast.

Before we head into this week’s show I’m welcoming our newest Girl Camper friendly dealership and podcast sponsor,  Bankston Motor Homes of Alabama and Tennessee. Bankston’s is a Number One Best in Business Award Winner with five locations and over 500 new RV’s arriving each month.  They are a family owned dealership that “has been selling motor homes, and family dreams, since 1970.”  Mr. Bankston,  the President and owner of Bankston’s has plenty of experience RVing himself. He raised his own children doing it and still camps today in his Class A Motorhome. The fun part of a multi generational dealership is that its in their blood! Two of the Banskston grandsons run the dealership along with their Grandpa today. I’ve said it before and I will say it again – in my own experience it is the family owned dealerships that have the highest dedication to the customer and the industry. They are the dealerships that go the extra mile and I am so looking froward to bringing that dedication and enthusiasm to the Girl Camper Podcast listeners through our new association. Stay posted for upcoming events! We’ve got some great things planned.

I’m also sharing my RV Show Tips for those that are ready to buy. RV Shows can be daunting and you need a strategy for tackling them and making the best use of your time. For those who are ready to buy and have done your online research the RV Show itself is a great opportunity to see the models, different floor plans and compare prices.

Here’s my strategy for those who are ready to buy!

* Know your Tow! If you already own the tow vehicle you plan to use make sure you know its GVWR. I suggest going to the RV Safety and Education Foundations video on Matching Trucks to Trailers and make sure you are buying something that can handle all you plan to tow and haul in both your truck and trailer. You will also find many good articles and FAQ’s answered here. Lean heavily on this site for expert information. Walter Canon, the Executive Director has been a guest on the podcast and he is the top in his field.

* Before the show – get a notebook and write out the models you are looking at the old fashioned way. Keep that information handy so you can make additional notes at the show.

* Study the show map and mark out the dealers and models you plan to look at. The shows are often quite large and knowing ahead of time where your target spots are saves time and energy.

* Do online research about the dealers that are carrying the models you hope to look at. You might want to call the dealer and ask if they are bringing the model you are interested in. Take a look at their online reviews and read customer notes. Sometimes the best price is not the best deal. Sometimes paying a higher price for a dealership with a better reputation may be the better deal.

* Show Day Strategy – Start the day as early as possible. If you can be there when the doors open you can have the attention of sales people and floor space to really look at the models. Also, if you can take a day off work and go on a weekday you are always better off.

* Resist the urge to tire kick the 500K dollar Class A’s and stick to your notebook. Leave the dream machines for another day.

* Have your phone or camera and take pictures of all the models. Before you take a picture of the trailer itself, photograph the outside of it including the name of it and the poster of all the statistics and floor plans along with the show price. It is so easy to have the information bleed into each other after you have looked at two or three models.

* When viewing the trailers – pay close attention to the availab...

On this week’s show I’m talking about DIY projects for your RV. Whether you own a newer model RV that you would like to personalize or a vintage trailer that you want to refresh, there are simple and inexpensive ways to make your home away from home cozy and inviting. Here are a few of my favorite projects.

WALLS – You can bring light and a sense of space to your trailer by wallpapering, painting or using vinyl cut outs.

WINDOW TREATMENTS- A simple way to add a personal feel to your trailer is to change the window treatments. If the trailer is newer chances are it came with a cornice covered with an industrial styled fabric of brown swooshes with mini blinds behind it!! We can do better than that!

MESSAGE BOARDS – Adding a DIY message board is a good afternoon project that doesn’t take a lot of time or money. Chances are you probably have all you need to make one in your house. An old cookie sheet, a painted tray or a few Dollar Store metal serving trays can become great message boards. I hang mine with 3M Command strips.

CABINETS – Changing your trailer cabinets can help get rid of the cookie cutter look of most new RV’s and create a more “home” vibe. I painted the cabinets in almost every vintage trailer I’ve ever owned. New hardware also adds a personal touch.

BATHROOM UPGRADES – I recently ordered a teak bath mat for my Max wet bath. It will sit away from the drain an inch or two and allow me to drop the towel without getting it all wet. I also think I will love the warmth it adds to an all white bathroom. Another plus in wet bath design is a bunch of spring rods to hang towels, shower curtains and when doubled one in front of the other as a handy shelf for shampoo and conditioner.

 

On this week’s show I interview Danielle Howard – Girl Camper. Danielle grew up tent camping with her family primitive style! Each year they took their tents and equipment by boat to an island where they camped without running water, showers or bathrooms. They were her favorite vacations and even though her husband was not a camper, she knew she wanted to camp with her daughter. When Danielle’s young husband died suddenly from a heart attack she made a decision to give her daughter the life she had imagined before widowhood- road trips, adventures and camping. She bought an older trailer without any towing experience and made up her mind to renovate it and learn to tow.

While her daughter napped she took the baby monitor out to the driveway and started making her dream a reality. With help from her supportive dad she rewired and renovated her fiberglass Trillium.  This summer Danielle and her sister loaded up the car and set out with her daughter on a nearly five thousand mile adventure. From there home in Southern California they made there way to the Texas panhandle for a family reunion and then toured Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee and everything in between.

Tune in to hear this inspiring story from a woman who would not let the crushing loss of her husband take away her dreams for her family.