Girl Camper

My guest this week is my old friend Carol Thompson. Carol and I have been shopping and junkin’ together for decades. We have also been camping over the last ten years with the Queen’s of Glamping and we know what they are buying and where they are getting it as well as what they are paying for it. We are going to talk about how the Girl Campers are using their vintage finds to accent their trailers and provide needed storage solutions.

 

 

We also have a give away from Lawn Chairs USA to talk about. Lawn Chairs USA is donating a set of reproduction aluminum lawn chairs to a lucky winner. These chairs are made in Georgia and can be custom ordered to match your vintage trailer, bring some nostalgic charm to your new trailer or to promote your favorite sports team. Lawn Chairs USA started in 2010 with the  idea to bring back a classic piece of Americana. To be in the running to win a set of two chairs you can go to Instagram and tag a friend on the photo of the chairs and write, “I want to win” in the comments. You can also sign up for blog updates to be entered into the drawing.

 

I am sharing the details of my new to me 2014 Ford F150 Lariat and why I chose it. The most important feature is its 9200 pound towing capacity. That leaves me the option of a future trailer upgrade without having to replace my tow vehicle. The GVWR of my current trailer is 3300 pounds. The axle ratio allows for another 832 pounds of cargo. At a little over 4100 pounds the new truck can easily handle my trailer but it leaves me the option of upgrading in the future.

 

 

 

 

My guest this week is my old friend Carol Thompson. Carol and I have been shopping and junkin’ together for decades. We have also been camping over the last ten years with the Queen’s of Glamping and we know what they are buying and where they are getting it as well as what they are […]

On this weeks show we are catching up with Chris Baum. Chris is the Chief Branding Officer for Little Guy Worldwide . For ten years Little Guy was the marketing arm for Pleasant Valley - makers of the Tab and Tag line of trailers.  In April of 2017 when that partnership ends Little Guy is entering the manufacturing end of the RV industry and Chris is here today to share all the news about their new partnership with the makers of the Park Liner trailers as well as an update on their line of Serro Scotty trailers. The Park Liner was a big hit at the Florida RV Show and there is much talk about it in industry circles. I am excited to say that I will be road testing it this spring.

Making 2017 the year we become Girl Campers seemed to be the theme of quite a few letters at the first of the year and the Girl Camper Podcast is making it a mission to help in any way we can. On today’s show I am laying out an action plan for overcoming the stumbling blocks that so many heartfelt letters point to.

There is so much fun being had by so many that made the leap that it pains me to see those who are stalled in some way. Each person has a reason they cannot join the fun right now and I hope this show helps you find ways to eliminate some of what may seem like obstacles to you.

 

 

 

Making 2017 the year we become Girl Campers seemed to be the theme of quite a few letters at the first of the year and the Girl Camper Podcast is making it a mission to help in any way we can. On today’s show I am laying out an action plan for overcoming the stumbling […]

My guest today is wildlife photographer and conservationist  Dawn Wilson. Dawn is returning to the show to share her adventures in her first year of full time RVing. She talks about the reality of full time RVing versus the dream. This episode is full of stories of her months in Alaska, the pros and cons of making a living on the road and her assessment of the three different styles of trailers she used in her first year. Dawn’s photography  is a window into a world few of us will ever experience so closely.

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My guest today is wildlife photographer and conservationist  Dawn Wilson. Dawn is returning to the show to share her adventures in her first year of full time RVing. She talks about the reality of full time RVing versus the dream. This episode is full of stories of her months in Alaska, the pros and cons […]

 

My guest today is Heath Padgett from The RV Entrepreneur Podcast.  Heath and his wife Alyssa traveled the country in an aging Class C motorhome and along the way produced a documentary entitled “Hourly America.” The film chronicles Heath’s hourly job in each of the fifty states they traveled to.  Along the way Heath and Alyssa met many interesting people making their way in the full time RV world and Heath used those contacts to start his podcast.

You can download Heath and Alyssa’s documentary on their website  http://heathandalyssa.com/ .  You can also register for their RV Entrepreneur Summit in Fredericksburg, Texas February 24-26, 2017.

 

 

On this week’s show I welcome friend and colleague Kate Dunbar. Kate is an accomplished chef, food stylist, photographer and a glamour camper. She’s the hostess with the mostest who is sharing her philosophy on why the Girl Camping movement is so important to women in all stages of womanhood.

 

Visiting Waxahachie. This north central Texas town is my home away from home and I had the opportunity on this longer visit to do some of my favorite things “on the square” and on Main Street. If you are driving through Texas plan a day or two to take in the history of the Crepe Myrtle Capital of the USA.

 

 

My favorite way to travel when I can’t camp is via Bed and Breakfast Inns. Waxahachie has two of my all time favorite Inns. My family has been staying at the Chaska House on Main St for over ten years. When my moms house is full there is a rush to the phone to see what’s available at this beautiful Greek Revival building on the outside of town.

Hosts Linda and Louis Brown took on the restoration of this home as a labor of love. Each guest room is named for a famous author. I have had the pleasure of staying in the Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Mark Twain rooms. The Inn is elegant but inviting. The library is my favorite room and hosts Linda and Louis make you feel as if it is your own room, encouraging you to pull a book off the shelf and settle in for a good read.

The Chaska House is a great home base to day trip to Canton or Hillsboro, Texas for an antiques day or to Waco to visit the Magnolia Market at the Silos. You can also spend a day in Ft. Worth at the Cowgirl Museum!

 

Across the street is the newly opened English Merchant’s Inn. I can best describe its architecture as a brick four square with a huge inviting porch for tea sipping, newspaper reading and breeze catching. Classic Texas but with a nod to our Imperial forefathers.

The British inspired decor is an eclectic mix of classic furniture and flea market finds that somehow magically blend to create a  space that sets creative souls on fire. The Inn is the vision of well known Texas designer Mary Baskin whose day job is taking clients on antiquing jaunts to the French countryside and British hamlets. Mary can do to a blank room what Henri Matisse did to a blank canvas. Her design style is bold and colorful and the elements harmonize into inviting rooms that leave guests feeling as if they’re wrapped in a contemporary painting while sipping tea from fine china.

I loved reading the original newspaper pages from Queen Elizabeth’s 1937 wedding that wallpaper the staircase leading to the guest rooms. A large landing creates a welcoming lounge for reading, coffee, a cocktail or lazy board game. I can’t wait to get back to Texas and try out the guest rooms in this new Inn!!

 

 

On this week’s show Dave Boggs, General Manager from Venture RV talks about the Sonic Lite trailer. The Sonic Lite was a Girl Camper pick from the RVIA show. Dave talks about the design features and materials used in the construction of the Sonic Lite.