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Every day is an adventure... even the eight hours stuck on the shoulder of Highway 101 with a collapsed trailer tongue dragging metal on asphalt.

In this Community Spotlight, Jennifer sits down with Amy and Mike Morris of Today Is Our Adventure — a Navy-retiree couple who sold everything, hit the road during a cross-country PCS, and never looked back. 

They talk frame flex and why they landed on a Brinkley, the Dalmatian rescues that turned them away for being full-timers, the real "RV tax" hiding in your monthly budget, and the strangers who showed up out of nowhere to weld a new trailer tongue on the side of the road. If you've ever wondered what full-time RV life actually costs, in dollars, in gremlins, and in grace from strangers,  this one's for you.

That original travel trailer didn't survive the test: a bent tongue on Highway 101 left them dragging their rig down the Pacific Coast Highway until a park ranger flagged them down. The experience sent them deep into frame research, and they landed on a Brinkley for its reinforced frame construction and why they chose their Z3400 layout sight-unseen at a rally before the model had even been built.

The conversation moves into life on the road with their two rescue Dalmatians, Riley (profoundly deaf) and Morgan,  including the surprising discrimination they faced from rescues who stopped responding once they learned the couple lived full-time in an RV. Amy, a certified canine counselor, shares training philosophy (an open door isn't an invitation) and why "friendly off-leash dog" is a nightmare phrase in the RV world.

Mike,  now in RV tech school and running his own mobile repair business, Adventure Ready RV Repair talks shop on the most common, 100% preventable issues he sees: bent axles from overloaded "ultralight" rigs, neglected AC units, and the myth that weight-distribution bars solve an overweight tow vehicle problem. 

Amy and Mike also break down what they call the "RV life tax" and talk about some the hidden costs of full-time living, from prescription pickups to vet visits that can't be handled remotely as well as share two unforgettable stories of strangers who showed up with welding gear and axle connections exactly when they needed it most. Listen now. 

Topics Covered

• The accelerated path to full-time RVing after a surprise Navy reassignment
• Four cross-country moves in 18 months — lessons from a trial-by-fire start
• The Highway 101 tongue-failure story and what it taught them about frame construction
• Why they chose a Brinkley (Z3400) and the frame-flex research behind it
• Life with two rescue Dalmatians — one profoundly deaf — and dog-park etiquette on the road
• Getting turned down by rescues for being full-time RVers
• The flexibility full-time life offers once you let go of the plan
• The maintenance reality full-timers face vs. weekend/seasonal RVers
• Mike's transition from Navy electronics tech to certified RV technician
• The most common (and 100% preventable) RV repairs: bent axles, neglected AC units, overweight ultralights
• The "RV life tax" — hidden costs of full-time living most people don't talk about
• Two stories of RV community members showing up in a crisis
• Their "adventure list" (not a bucket list) and finishing all 50 states

Connect with This Is Our Adventure

• Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram: search TIOA
• Sunday vlogs + Thursday campground reviews (military fam camps, Thousand Trails, KOA)
• Mike's RV repair business: Adventure Ready RV Repair — You can find him on RVHelp.com or at adventurereadyrvrepair.com

Connect with Learn to RV

Learn to RV the Podcast is built around real stories from real people living the RV life. Keep the wheels turning.

More from Learn to RV:

Website: LearnToRV.com

Podcast: Learn to RV The Podcast Facebook Community

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Join us SOON on Substack! 

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It's back-to-school season, but for full-time RVing families, there's not always a first-day photo, no bell schedule, and no hallway pass. In this Not Back to School roadschooling panel, host Jennifer Schillaci of Learn to RV brings together three fellow full-time RV moms — Kristina Bram (Traveling with the Brams), Rhea Gibson (Wandering Rocks Family), and Ashliy Sutterfield (Wander About Full Time RV) — for an honest, funny, and practical conversation about educating kids of every age on the road.

Together they cover littles, middles, and high schoolers; deschooling and unschooling; what to do when "school becomes a fight"; screen time and Outschool electives; and a rapid-fire tour of the curriculum programs that have actually worked (and flopped) in their homes. If you're a roadschooling mom staring down another back-to-school season wondering if you're doing enough, this episode is your permission slip.

Who this episode is for: full-time RV families, roadschoolers, homeschool moms considering full-time travel, and anyone weighing curriculum options for littles, middles, or high schoolers.

Meet the Panel

• Jennifer Schillaci (host) — Owner of Learn to RV and Learn to RV The Podcast. Full-time RVer since 2013, roadschooling mom of seven (currently all high schoolers and one gap-year graduate).
• Kristina Bram — Traveling with the Brams. Former classroom teacher (early childhood education), homeschooling/roadschooling mom of three (ages 13, 12, and 10) for the past five years. Also runs the "Connect" inbox at LearnToRV.com.
• Rhea Gibson — Wandering Rocks Family. Mom of four littles (ages 2, 4, 6, and almost 7), on the road for nearly two years in their green truck (yes, it has eyes).
• Ashliy Sutterfield — Wander About Full Time RV. Stationary (for now) based full-time RV mom of two (14 and 8), homeschooling since COVID — this marks year seven for their family.

Curriculum & Resources Mentioned

• KONOS Unit Study Curriculum — the classic character-trait-based unit study program that started Jennifer's homeschooling journey
• Life of Fred — narrative-based math curriculum built around a five-year-old math professor
• The Good and the Beautiful — language arts, math, and science curriculum
• Math with Confidence by Kate Snow (Well-Trained Mind Press)
• Not Consumed — Bible-based homeschool curriculum, used for science and other subjects
• Notebooking Pages — printable notebooking pages for on-the-road learning
• Gather 'Round Homeschool — centralized, theme-based unit study curriculum for multiple ages
• Miacademy (grades K–8) and MiaPrep (grades 7–12) — online curriculum
• Prodigy Math — free gamified math practice
• Khan Academy Kids — used for littles on travel days. It's FREE!
• Outschool — live online elective classes (including a weekly Dungeons & Dragons class)
• Teach Your Monster to Read — phonics/reading game
• Russell Van Brocklen's Dyslexia Classes — custom story-based curriculum for dyslexic learners

Connect With the Panel

• Ashliy Sutterfield — Wander About Full Time RV: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
• Kristina Bram — Traveling with the Brams: all socials, and reachable through [email protected]
• Rhea Gibson — Wandering Rocks Family: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Join the Community

Road Schooling Resources is a free group inside Learn to RV — no membership required. Answer a few membership questions, agree to the group rules, and connect with other roadschooling families today, including ones who might be parked right down the road from you.

👉 LearnToRV.com 👉 Subscribe to Learn to RV on YouTube and follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok

Got a roadschooling story or an idea for a future episode? Reach out to Kristina at [email protected].

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Christmas in July: How Gathering of Nomads Is Making Holiday Magic for RV Families

Join us for a heartfelt conversation about how Gathering of Nomads is helping RV families experience the joy of Christmas, regardless of their financial or personal hardships. This episode highlights the power of community, faith, and giving, inspired by Kristina Bram’s personal story and Shane Boyd’s vision.

Key Topics:

• The origins of Gathering of Nomads and its mission to create Jesus-centered community in the RV lifestyle
• How the organization helps meet both physical and emotional needs in the nomadic community
• Kristina Bram shares her personal Christmas story from 2022 and how it inspired last year's Christmas outreach
• Practical ways to start planning for holiday giving early, including small, consistent donations
• The importance of vulnerability and honesty in seeking and offering help
• How the RV community bridges financial and social gaps, regardless of the size of your rig
• The role of Love Thy Nomad as a year-round benevolence fund that supports RVers in crisis
• How anyone can get involved—whether through financial support, volunteering, or simply reaching out to help neighbors
• The power of community connections and the importance of showing love without judgment

Resources:

• Gathering of Nomads
• Love Thy Nomad benevolence fund
• Gathering of Neighbors
• The Collective Thread Podcast
• Support email: [email protected]

Connect with Kristina

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Gathering of Nomads
• Newsletter subscription: available on the website

Let's start planning early this year—because every small act of kindness can change a life. Join us in making this Christmas brighter for RV families in need!

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There's a truck that shows up in Tampa every year before we even get the booth set up, and it's Jim's. Jim Shutt has been in our corner since before we owned RV Roofing Solutions, since before anyone called us the voice of Learn to RV. He was the very first technician who said "yes" to working with us, and years later, this show, Technically Speaking, was actually his idea.

So it's only right that the first chair in this new series belongs to him.

Meet Jim Shutt. A former Air Force military cop turned aeromedical evacuation technician, Jim spent years in aeromedical evacuation (including deployments overseas) before a corporate desk job with 11.5 years as a commodity buyer which ended the way a lot of full-time RV stories start: with a layoff, a wife who was already three steps ahead, and a decision to hit the road. After training at NRVTA in Athens, Texas, Jim launched SA Mobile RV Repair & Inspections in March 2018, starting with an unpaid job in a campground and building it into the trusted, full-time mobile repair and inspection business it is today.

In this first episode, we get into the technical side of RV ownership that too many owners find out about the hard way:

Why RV inspections matter, no matter your rig's age. An RV is a house on wheels — and unlike a stationary house, it gets shaken up every mile it travels. Jim breaks down what an inspection actually covers and why "it looked fine when I bought it" isn't the same as "it's fine."

Maintenance isn't one-size-fits-all. A full-time RVer isn't wearing out their rig the same way a weekender or a snowbird is. Jim lays out how usage type — full-time, snowbird, or occasional camper — changes how often you should be repacking bearings, cleaning your AC, and checking the systems most owners forget about until something breaks.

"YouTube University" — helpful, but buyer beware. Jim's take on RV repair videos: that five-minute tutorial took hours of outtakes to make look easy, and nobody's filming the mistakes. His advice? Watch multiple sources, compare what they're actually saying, and know when it's time to call a licensed tech instead.

Not every "RV tech" is actually trained. There are only three dedicated RV trade schools in the country — RVTI in Elkhart, IN, NRVTA in Athens, TX, and one in Clearwater, FL. Jim explains the real difference between someone who's trained and stays current with manufacturers versus a handyman with a screwdriver, and why knowing the difference can save you thousands.

This episode kicks off a new series for us — real conversations with the technicians who keep this lifestyle running, starting with the person who's been running alongside us the whole time.

 Have a question you wish a mobile RV tech would answer? Drop it in the comments — the more questions we get, the sooner we bring Jim back for round two. 

 Connect with Jim: SA Mobile RV Repair & Inspections

More from Learn to RV: 

Website: LearnToRV.com 

Podcast: Learn to RV The Podcast Facebook Community

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The RV Summer Slowdown Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

Emptier campgrounds. Last-minute reservations that used to be impossible. Rigs sitting in driveways instead of racking up miles. In this episode, Jennifer and Tasha get honest about why this summer feels different out on the road, from fuel prices and industry data to the comparison trap that convinces RVers they’re doing it wrong. They also open up about burnout behind the scenes of the podcast itself and what's changing for the show in season three.

Learn How:

•     Campgrounds & rallies feel noticeably emptier this summer

•     Industry data aligns with the slowdown

•     To just say no to the comparison trap that makes RVers feel like they're failing at living the dream

•     Jennifer & Tasha are choosing to slow down this season

•     To measure a good day on the road by more than just miles

•     Part-time & full-time RVers experience summer burnout differently

•     The Family RV Association's new Rolling Roots chapter, built for families on the road, can keep you connected

•     Changes look for the podcast in season three

Links & Resources:

🚐 rvroofingsolutions.com

👪 New Chapter, Same Mission — Family RV Association: learntorv.com | Rolling Roots on Facebook

🏁 Family RV Association: frva.com | Why Join FRVA

📸 FRVA on Instagram: @familyrvassociation

⛺ Mastering the Weekend Getaway — RVing Part-Time: learntorv.com

🏆 2026 Great American RV Scavenger Hunt: learntorv.com/2026-the-ultimate-summer-scavenger-hunt

👉 RV Resources: learntorv.com

🎤 learntorvthepodcast.com

👥 Free Facebook Community: Learn To RV: The Community

📸 Our Adventures: @LearnToRV

📺 YouTube: Learn To RV Channel

💛 Support the Pod:

•     Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew — first 7 days free! Early access + bonus content + swag)

•     Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

Support the show

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Community Spotlight Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

A used RV with ants crawling through it. A 27-foot Winnebago bought on the spot instead. And six years later they’re still rolling. Our Captain’s Logs are a Chicago-area family of four + three dogs who RV part-time around two full-time jobs, two teenage daughters, and a full school and activity calendar. Tasha sat down with the self-proclaimed Captain Pete and his Co-pilot Meghan to talk Disney strategy, packing systems, the RV breakdown that put them to the test, and why the RV community turned out to be the best part of the whole thing.

Learn How:

•        A canceled dance schedule & COVID lockdown finally got them into an RV 

•        The real math behind part-time RVing starts in November

•        They make the most of a family trip to Disney & if they’d choose the campground or the hotel

•        They pack their 40-foot Super C & the Captain’s logistics and operations for a family of four

•        A roadside scare ended in an overnight truck stop stay 

•        The community became the most unexpectedly rewarding part of the journey

•        To make this lifestyle work for you

Links & Resources:

🚐 rvroofingsolutions.com

🔗 Find Meghan & Pete (Our Captain’s Logs): ourcaptainslogs.com

📘 Facebook: Our Captain’s Logs

📸 Instagram: @ourcaptainslogs

🎵 TikTok: @ourcaptainslogs

📺 YouTube: Our Captain’s Logs

📅 RV Rallies: learntorv.com/rv-rally-calendar

🤝 RV Community & Groups: learntorv.com/rv-community

👥 Free Facebook Community: Learn To RV: The Community

📸 Our Adventures: @LearnToRV

👉 RV Resources: learntorv.com

📺 YouTube: Learn To RV Channel

🎙️ Podcast: learntorvthepodcast.com

💛 Support the Pod:

•        Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew for bonus content, early access, + swag)

•        Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

💬 Have an RV story about making part-time (or full-time) life on the road work for your family? Share it in our Facebook community or email [email protected] to be featured on a Campfire Confessions episode!

✨ If Meghan and Pete’s story got you thinking about your next trip, subscribe, share, and review at learntorvthepodcast.com!

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Tracking Weather on the Road Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

Weather isn’t just small talk when you travel in an RV — it’s a safety issue. Jennifer and Tasha discuss how they track weather on the road, the specific apps that have saved their trips (and maybe their rigs), and the hard lessons they’ve learned from brownouts, water spouts, tornadoes, and hail. From AQI (listen to learn what it is!) to evacuation strategies, they cover the weather topics RVers don’t talk about enough.

Learn How:

•        To tell the difference between a tornado watch & warning

•        To keep the AQI on your radar & your health top of mind

•        Weather apps can change the game for your route planning

•        To manage if your campground doesn’t have a storm shelter

•        To build a simple weather routine that protects your family & your rig

Links & Resources:

🚐 RV Roofing Solutions: rvroofingsolutions.com

🗺️ RV Weather (route-based forecasting): rvweather.com

⛈️ Weather Underground: wunderground.com

☀️ NOAA Weather: noaa.gov/weather

📱 WeatherWise App: weatherwise.app

🌪️ Ryan Hall Y’all: ryanhallyall.com

🐛 WeatherBug (lightning strike tracker): weatherbug.com

🌡️ AccuWeather: accuweather.com

👥 Join Our Free Facebook Community: Learn to RV: The Community

📸 Follow Our Adventures: @LearnToRV

👉 More RV Life Resources: learntorv.com

📺 Watch on YouTube: Learn To RV Channel

🎙️ Podcast Website: learntorvthepodcast.com

💛 Support the Podcast:

Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew for bonus content, early access, + swag)

Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

💬 What’s your most memorable weather lesson from the road? Share it in our Facebook community. Have a wild story to share around the campfire? Email [email protected] to submit it for Campfire Confessions. If yours is read on the air, we’ll send you a Campfire Confessions sticker!

✨ If this episode kept you safer, subscribe, share learntorvthepodcast.com, and leave a review. Your support keeps the stories coming!

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Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

What would you do if a breast cancer diagnosis landed in the middle of your full-time RV life? Jennifer Skinnell and her husband Mike have been living their don’t wait motto since 2019, and when life threw them the ultimate curveball, they didn’t stop rolling. Jennifer, a creative writer, quilter, and Learn To RV contributor, shares the raw, real story behind the Skinnell’s life on the road, their unforgettable Alaska and Baja California adventures, and the book she wrote to help others facing the unthinkable while chasing their dreams.

This episode is for anyone who keeps saying “someday” — because someday isn’t promised.

Learn How:

•        Waiting to start your RV journey could cost you more than you think

•        To manage routine medical care, mammograms, dental, and follow-ups as a full-time RVer

•        To navigate a serious health diagnosis while living on the road

•        RV tours like Fantasy RV Tours can unlock experiences you’d never plan on your own

•        To travel Alaska and Baja California by RV and survive the dust

•        Full-time RV life shapes your relationship and your resilience

Links & Resources:

✍️ Jennifer Skinnell — Author & RV Writer:

•        Author website & books: jenniferskinnell.com

•        Travel blog: theramblingquilter.com

•        Don’t Wait: Our Full-Time RV Journey Through Breast Cancer — available on Amazon

🚐 RV Resources:

•        Fantasy RV Tours — Guided group RV tours to Alaska, Baja, and more

•        Learn To RV Blog

•        Escapees RV Club

🎤 Visit Our Podcast Website: learntorvthepodcast.com

👥 Join Our Free Facebook Community: Learn to RV: The Podcast Community

📸 Follow Our Adventures: @LearnToRV

👉 More RV Life Resources: learntorv.com

📺 Watch on YouTube: Learn To RV Channel

💛 Support the Podcast:

•        Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew for bonus content, early access, exclusive episodes, + swag)

•        Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

💬 Have you dealt with a health challenge on the road, or are you still waiting to take that big trip? Share your story in our Facebook community!

✨ If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Your support helps!

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Slow Travel, New Horizons Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

Most RVers know how to dump their tanks and boondock overnight at Walmart, but taking that same adventurous spirit overseas can feel intimidating. Jennifer and Tasha sit down with Suzy May of Wander WorldSchool to map out how RVers can take slow, long-term travel global. Whether traveling with teens, as a couple, or solo, dig into the mindset shift, the money, and the logistics that make international travel more affordable and far less overwhelming than it looks from the driver’s seat.

Learn How:

•        Fast, packed itineraries can cost more than slow, long-term travel

•        The first question before crossing a border shapes everything after

•        The “Schengen shuffle” & the 90/180 rule really work for U.S. passport holders

•        To know if a digital nomad visa is worth the hassle or if a tourist visa is plenty

•        Some families cut their housing costs to almost nothing while traveling

•        To plan for the four budget buckets every international trip really comes down to

•        A points-&-miles approach stretches one set of flights across months

•        To prep kids & parents for culture shock, jet lag, & food allergies abroad with simple steps

Links & Resources:

🚐 rvroofingsolutions.com

🌍 Suzy May / Wander WorldSchool: suzymaywander.com

🎧 Wander WorldSchool Podcast: wanderworldschool.com

🌍 Suzy’s Tanzania Episode: Listen here

📘 Suzy’s eBook, Tracker & Resources: beacons.ai/suzymaywander

📱 Follow Suzy: TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Substack

🏡 House Sit to Travel for Less: trustedhousesitters.com

🏆 Great American RV Scavenger Hunt: learntorv.com

💰 Make Money on the Road: learntorv.com

👥 Roadschooling Facebook Group

👉 RV Resources: learntorv.com

🎤 learntorvthepodcast.com

📺 Watch: Learn To RV Channel

💛 Support the Pod:

•        Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew — first 7 days free! Early access + bonus content + swag)

•        Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

💬 Dreaming about taking your travels global? Have a Campfire Confession or a tip we missed? Email [email protected]. If it’s read on air, we’ll send you a sticker!

✨ Subscribe, share learntorvthepodcast.com, and leave a review. Your support keeps the stories and rigs rolling!

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Community Spotlight Is Sponsored by RV Roofing Solutions

An RV power inlet on fire, a wife yelling, and a fire extinguisher emptied. For Navy-trained electronics tech and master-technician’s son Matthew Putman, that night didn’t end the adventure. It sparked a mission. Jennifer visits with the veteran inventor behind Strain Guard to talk about the failure point most RVers never think about, the two-year search for a fix that didn’t exist, and how a challenge from his wife turned into a patent-pending product built to protect families and their rigs.

Learn How:

•        One in four RV electrical failures trace back to a single overlooked failure point

•        A power inlet caught fire & haunted Matthew afterward

•        Matthew’s first prototype failed his wife’s approval & what she demanded instead

•        Strain Guard delivers a surprise benefit that Matthew never anticipated

•        After-market solutions can help your power draw, heat, & peace of mind

•        Often you should really be swapping out that heavy power cord

•        A Navy tech chose slow, tested, & steady over cashing in fast

Links & Resources:

🔌 Strain Guard: strainguard.com

✉️ Email Matthew: [email protected]

⚡ RV Voltage Explained: learntorv.com/rv-voltage

🔧 RV Basics: learntorv.com/rv-basics

🚐 rvroofingsolutions.com

📅 RV Rallies: learntorv.com/rv-rally-calendar

🤝 RV Community & Groups: learntorv.com/rv-community

👥 Free Facebook Community: Learn To RV: The Community

📸 Our Adventures: @LearnToRV

👉 RV Resources: learntorv.com

📺 YouTube: Learn To RV Channel

🎙️ Podcast: learntorvthepodcast.com

💛 Support the Pod:

•        Patreon (Join the Campfire Crew for bonus content, early access, + swag)

•        Buy Me a Coffee (drop us a tip ☕)

💬 Do you have an RV story about resilience, a clever fix, or a product that protects your rig? Share it in our Facebook community or email [email protected] to be featured on a Campfire Confessions episode!

✨ If Matthew’s story sparked something, subscribe, share, and review at learntorvthepodcast.com!

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