Season 2 because this is our 2nd rig. Season 1 was recorded while we owned our 1st rig. Picked up the new to us rig and drove to a campground about an h away. On the way, I noted the gas gauge was at less than a quarter tank and there was no water in the fresh water tank not a fresh water hose.
The turn signal cameras and the radio weren't working. AND there was no heat coming from the dash.

We spent the 1st day getting gas, buying a 7pin to 4pin adapter for the toad, fixing the cameras and radio which was checking all the 12v fuses and finally resetting the radio with a paperclip.
Then we visited the Yankee Candle store in Deerfield Ma. Wow spent an hour. Then had dinner GiannaFig also in Deerfield. We walked around town a met a local guy and his wife and chit chatted for a good half hr. We went back to the campground and got the tow bar installed on the rig.
The next day we headed home and worked on a bunch of small fixes. Lubricated the slide, awning, front sliding windows, basement and front door locks, and engine lid. It seemed like none of these things were maintained at all.
We saw there was going to be a couple of nice days so we booked a site at Promised Land State Park in Pa. .
The list of modifications and things to fix continues to grow, but alas it is an RV. So when we got home, I dug in and started doing modifications. The big one was ripping out the jack knife sofa and putting in a Rec Pro reclining loveseat.
We changed the shower head to a higher pressure and low gpm. We also did the same for the bathroom faucet.
The next thing i did was took out the living room TV and put in a fire TV. And then we ripped out the TV on the outside, painted the compartment, out in some wood and polypropylene padding, some glass holders and viola... we now have an outdoor bar lol !
We have a gas grill connection on this rig. But the gas flow was minimal I made some modifications to the gas line and made a video explaining what I did and it's on YouTube on the relax RV page.
But as the list of things to do to the rig grows, we saw that in a couple of days the weather was going to warm up a bit so we planned a day to take a break from the rig fixes and take a hike.
I find that if I don't get a day to enjoy nature it affects my mood. Now taking a day off isn't easy for me. I also have to force myself to do it, but once I do my patience is higher, my sense of humor returns and I feel better about myself. We went to the Ashokan Reservoir and rode our bike for 9 miles then walked another 4 miles. This reservoir feeds NYC drinking water.
The following day it took out the small ineffectual entrance step light that Thor had mounted and replaced with a motion detector brighter light.
We put dimmer lights over the headboard of the bed for reading. Then I took the original Puck lights that were over the bed, which had not enough button on each light, and put them over the dinette in the living room. because Thor in their infinite wisdom put the on/off switch for those lights over in the kitchen.
Installed the backup camera for the Garmin GPS that we use.
We installed a privacy curtain behind the cockpit area so when you walk into the rig the curtain will be on the right providing a little bit more temperature control from the cab area and it really accentuates living area.
The one of the first things we noticed with the rig is the ceiling light switch is on the side of the cabinet as you come in the door so you have to stand on either the edge of the stairwell or in the stairwell and try to reach this light switch which is one of five switches period so I picked up some wire and another switch and moved it down a good four feet so when you enter the rig the switch is right there.
The next project was heated tanks. When we saw this rig advertised the brochures showed that the 2017-29.4 theories had heated tank pads and heated tanks. I...

You see we are now on season 2, this because we are now on RV #2. We decided to sell our rig and buy a newer one. The episodes numbers will continue the same sequence so this is episode 57, can you believe it??

We placed our ad on RV trader and cost $250. It was sold in 1 month. I've always heard how much RVs depreciate. When we sold this one we got back our purchase price plus the cost for all of the solar and the cost for the two ceiling vent fans etc. I think the big thing is stay on top of the problems as they arise with the ring then when you're ready to sell you don't have a list of things to fix.

Prior to selling it we got it detailed from National Detail Pros in Draper Utah, for almost $700. . They have contracts with local detailers and they sent a mobile guy to us here in New York. However there were a couple of issues with his service. He said he would be here for most of a day. It took him almost 2 days and he missed some areas. When I contacted the company they basically ignored my complaints. And not in a nice way. They also threatened to sue me for slander if I give any false reviews. Unreal !!!! So, I highly recommend you do not waste your money using this company.

We had it on the market for a month. We had a few offers and deposits but then it seemed like they got nervous and backed out. Then we got a solid offer and sealed the deal.

So now we are back to looking at newer rigs to buy. We found one at RCD RV Superstore in Sunbury, Ohio. We explained we wanted to see it and would be there in 2 days. They said it may be sold by then but if we put $1000 down they would hold it for us. So we did and drove over 8hrs to see it.

Now, this was the 1st time I did a 8hr drive in one day in almost 20yrs. Yuck NOT for me but we know many folks and you may be one of them who love to drive long distances in a day.
We arrived there Met George. Got the keys and .... saw a wet spot on the passenger side floor. Not a small one either. Carpet was soaked with water, from a leak. Then we tried to level it but the jacks wouldn't go down. Trish was outside and said there was Hydraulic fluid pouring out. And the slides wouldn’t operate.
It's a real shame what dealers will try to sell. When we told them we didn't want to buy this rig he said but we're going to bring it in the shop tomorrow and fix everything.
Imagine if somebody didn't know anything about RVs and was super eager to buy that one they would have jumped on band wagon and bought it.
So we explained to George that we wanted our deposit back. We then went to look for other rigs in the area but didn't find any that matched what we're looking for. We headed back to New York and back to square one. We were trying to figure out exactly what we wanted and didn’t want in our next rig. It seems like every time we found a rig it got sold quickly.

So we figured what we would do is find a bunch of RVs for sale in one area. Which meant we may have to fly down in Florida and look at a bunch. we were going to do this because there's a lot more RVs for sale in Florida than in Orange county New York LOL. We then went back on RV trader.com we found an RV that was a little bit above our highest price that we could go. But the floor plan matched exactly what we wanted. What we wanted was a living room with a sofa and a dinette and over the cab bed a self enclosed bathroom and a bedroom that was Private with a door not an accordion door and had enough wardrobe storage for our clothes. We found a rig up in Massachusetts. I sent the gentleman an email asking what would be the lowest price you could go period and his low price matched our upper end price exactly.
We received our $1,000 deposit from the dealer in Ohio. And then we received confirmation from Bank of the West that are loan application was approved for the rig in Ohio.

So we sent a $100 deposit for the rig...

So my back ache started in January. Turns out it's mainly arthritis with very minor bulging discs. So thinking back to when the pain had started and I think it was from being too inactive. We had started our 2019 southeast trip and it was cold, so we weren't very active and so I was sitting a lot more than I typically do. I do believe that's what caused the flare. I had been in PT for 6 weeks and it's feeling much better now.

So we decided to hit the road for a little bit. We drove out to Pennsylvania and we stayed at Starr Hill winery which is part of harvest hosts. When we went in, there were no other customers. We did a free tasting. Bought a bottle of their wine. Their Wines were very good and not expensive at all. And then headed over to town to take a walk on the river. But the pouring rain came in and that ended that. We went back to the winery and we took a walk for about an hour through the back country roads. For a harvest host location this winery is very unique and had 50-amp hook-ups albeit they charge $10 a night for it but considering it was in the mid-to-upper 80s we figured we would splurge LOL.
The Next day we had it over Mantua Ohio for a couple of nights at a BDW location. We met our hosts Pete and Karen and talked for awhile about life and travels. They offered us a 15amp extension cord which we accepted. Even though we have the solar and inverter if electricity is offered to us we always accept it, because you cant totally rely on bright sunny days. We then took a ride over to Barrel run crossing winery where we got a glass of wine delicious pizza and a cheese and meat board. we invited our hosts to join us, but they had other plans.

The next day we took a ride to Punderson State Park. We kayaked for about an hour and we reminisced how difficult it used to be getting our tandem kayak up on the Jeep where were take a half hour to get it up or off which really stopped us from kayaking a lot when we first started traveling 2 years ago. We had bought the Thule Hullavator
and we love it. https://amzn.to/3MJrt5C
After the kayaking we hiked some of their trails. we then packed up a sandwich and a glass of wine and we sat outside the Inn overlooking the lake and enjoyed our lunch then did more hiking and headed back to the rig.

We find it interesting how varied the pandemic rules are in each area as we travel. Some restaurants have indoor sitting some don't. Some stores "encourage face masks" others don't.

So with the limited available places to visit and increasing travel restrictions being put in place by New York State. We decided to head home and stay off the road for a while and see how all of this pans out.

Then for the next few weeks we had stayed home too much and I started going stir crazy.
You know .... Cabin Fever !

It seemed that the more I sat around, the MORE I wanted to sit around. Inertia had settled in.
A Sedentary lifestyle is that nice comfortable way of living that comes from doing nothing. Just sitting or lying on the sofa watching TV and not bothering with life that is happening outside.

So once I recognize this, I made a conscious decision to be more active it took the kayak out paddling a couple of days. We went on a few hikes and being the temps for super high these hikes included waterfalls. We took out our tandem bicycle and we paddled through a couple of towns and made a nice day of it. And 3 or 4 times a week, we walk 3,4 or 5 miles a day.

So now I feel better about myself and I am more eager to remain active.

My advice, get active. Find a hobby that includes activity. Remain in contact (wither on the phone or in person -6 feet apart) with friends and loved ones.

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress...

E 55
6/2020
We visited Trishs' daughter and grandson in Southern New Jersey. Then visited with with a friend in PA. Then went up to the Finger Lakes NY for a few days. We installed a Soft Start capacitor in the roof air conditioner and can now run the A/C off of the inverter. Here's a link to it https://amzn.to/327zChr

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at
https://relaxrv.org/videos/

Here’s a link to my RelaxRVPodcast Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Relax-RV-277623782811787/
I'm on Instagram as @relaxrvpodcast
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=hsxp0gjpugbz&utm_content=5h4872a
My podcast can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/show/relax-rv-podcast

If you would like to support my efforts to help others, please feel free to do so at:
https://relaxrv.org/support/

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our podcast running!

Here in New York restaurants are still closed down
we are hoping to travel at some point this summer but we are no rush to get somewhere where everything is closed. Our restaurants are just starting to open and they're packed with people. We're trying to use our best judgment in avoiding large crowds but still trying to enjoy ourselves.
We go on hikes but we pick places that are not popular heights. We live a little over 1 hour from the George Washington bridge so we get a lot of folks from the city in this area who won who enjoy the hiking also. We've done a pretty good job avoiding crowds on the trails. We've also taken our kayak and thrown it in local Marsh and reservoir without issue.

Now if you remember or towards the middle to latter part of our last trip to the southeast I was complaining of back pain and I thought it was from sitting too much and the bad couch and it turns out I have two bulged discs. When we returned home we started cutting a lot of firewood and my left elbow started hurting and it turns out I have tendonitis and fluid on the elbow.
so as it turns out being home during this. Is a good time to have everything addressed.
It's interesting us and probably the whole world is experiencing quite a lot of stress with the coronavirus. and at this time my website has its lowest number of visitors ever. I do know that people do not like to reach out for help with stress and stress Management. It's all very interesting , human nature that is. when we were returning home from our Southeast trip in March everything was beginning to shut down so I knew that I would be missing out on the opportunity of helping a lot of people at schools and clients in Hudson valley.

Been really busy working on the RV. I put in a divider curtain and and new shocks all the way around. a buddy of mine suggested new shocks when I was explaining to him how the wind affected the RV and the jarring pounding of the RV when we hit potholes I explained to him that are RV only has about 28,000 miles on it but he explained that it is 7 years old. he asked me if I was going to do the shocks myself and I said no I do not have a lift and he said that you don't need a lift for the shocks. I pulled up a video on YouTube and it's pretty straightforward so I bought for koni shocks which were a little bit more expensive but I figured if I'm going to do it let me do it right. So I swap them out man what a difference they make. So much smoother on bumps a lot less way going on and off of entrance and exits on highways. And a lot less jarring. I will post pictures of that soon also put a link in the show notes for it. However on spreaker I cannot put active hyperlinks in the show notes. but what I will do is I will put the link to my Facebook page with pictures be located and unfortunately you'll have to copy and paste them into a browser sorry about that. Perhaps I'll on my website relaxRV.Org I will put links to the photos on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/watch/Relax-RV-277623782811787/ ). I started using Instagram and I'm wondering if I should put photos on there or continue on my Facebook page. On Instagram my username is relax RV podcast (https://www.instagram.com/relaxrvpodcast/) ,

Me and Scott put into automatic switches the first switch controls generator and shore power if neither of them go on it'll kick over to the second switch which is the inverter. this way the inverter is isolated from the generator and shore power no more burning out inverters by plugging in or turning on the generator I've done it twice and I've done it for the last time LOL. Thanks Scott.

I put a new battery charger in the RV it was making odd noises and was charging the batteries intermittently the changeover was pretty...

E53
5/2020 How am I doing?
Improved our Solar. we tried 2 different battery monitors Bayite DC 6.5-100V 0-100A
Very accurate. No State of Charge (SOC). No indicator that showered level of charge. Cost was $16
I then bought the Victron Energy Battery Monitor, BMV-700
2 wires just plug in. SOC and battery level indicator. No bluetooth at this level but love it. $145

Then after I installed the battery monitor, we noticed sometimes the batteries were fully charged and other times they were not. At first I thought it was a solar charger that was the culprit. But then I talked to Scott and George Frey and they both said no it's the onboard battery charger converter. So I ordered a new one from Amazon and its supposed to be delivered today, we shall see. When i install it I will put together a video on the install. you can check out my videos on YouTube relax RV.

We will be heading to our friends Scott and Amy's in Pennsylvania so Scott could help put into automatic relay switches which will help protect on verdure from Knuckleheads like me who turned it on when we're the plugged in on the generator is running. These switches will operate automatically for Plugged In online generator or on a inverter and they will isolate each energy source. I may or may not do a video on the install if I do it'll be on YouTube


How am I? I'm ok, thanks for asking :) Ive noticed some people I've been talking with have had a shorter fuse and quick to anger. Do a self inventory and look at yourself. But sometimes we dont recognize stress symptoms in ourselves so ask a friend or family member if they see a change in you .... ask them "How Am I Doing"? If you see stress symptoms in loved ones share that information gently with them.
Go back and listen to episode 52 for a list of some of the symptoms.

I recommend going to the CDC or world health organization (w.h.o.) for health advice not the news or social media.

restrictions are starting to lift - be careful out there

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at
https://relaxrv.org/videos/

Here’s a link to my RelaxRVPodcast Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Relax-RV-277623782811787/
I'm on Instagram as @relaxrvpodcast
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=hsxp0gjpugbz&utm_content=5h4872a
My podcast can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/show/relax-rv-podcast

If you would like to support my efforts to help others, please feel free to do so at:
https://relaxrv.org/support/

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our podcast running!

E 52
How are you doing?
These are strange and trying times.
It seems that people who are "not essential" are experiencing new stressors at this time of change.
..lack of income
..frustrations of try to negotiate super inundated systems like unemployment
..kids and adults are stressed with isolation from their friends
..adults are dealing with working at home OR being an essential employee
..hard to get comfortable with the uncertainty of when their lives will go back to the routine they are comfortable with
..try to keep needed supplies in the household
"Essential " people may be feeling overwhelmed because of being overworked or fearful because of possible exposure to the virus.
Either way These ARE trying times.
Signs and symptoms of stress overload:
Anxiety or panic attacks, A feeling of being constantly pressured, hassled and hurried, Irritability and moodiness, Stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain, Allergic reactions, such as eczema, Acne  or asthma, Problems sleeping too much or too little, Over or under eating, Increased drinking, smoking or doing drugs, Sadness or depression, Feeling like you are losing control or need to take control, Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind, Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless, and depressed, Low energy, headaches, Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea, Aches, pains, and tense muscles, Chest pain and rapid heartbeat, Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet, Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing, Clenched jaw and grinding teeth, constant worrying, Racing thoughts, Forgetfulness and disorganization, Inability to focus, Poor judgment, Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side.

Things that will help you to relax:
..Find diversions
..start new or do old hobbies
..read
..jigsaw puzzles
..crafts
..clean
..paint
..fix or repair things that have been on the "honey do" list
..plan or explore options for your travel plans when the restrictions are lifted
..TALK on the phone
..play games with family or Solitaire
..work on the list of things broken in your rig or do modifications that you have wanting to do

Check out these free Stress Management Recordings and share as you want:
-episode 49 which is an introduction to stress  https://www.spreaker.com/user/relaxrv/relax-rv-podcast-episode-49-an-introduct    
-episode 50 is a progressive relaxation exercise   https://www.spreaker.com/user/relaxrv/relax-rv-podcast-episode-50-a-progressiv
-episode 51 is a way to take 7 minutes to relax https://www.spreaker.com/user/relaxrv/relax-rv-podcast-episode-51-take-7-minut

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at

E 51 Bonus
Take 7 Minutes to Relax I recorded this many years ago, I hope it helps you to relax. Do NOT listen to it while driving or operating heavy equipment. Find a safe comfortable location. Use headphones or earbuds if available. The free recording can be found at relaxrv.org/help

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at
https://relaxrv.org/videos/

Here’s a link to my RelaxRVPodcast Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Relax-RV-277623782811787/
I'm on Instagram as @relaxrvpodcast
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=hsxp0gjpugbz&utm_content=5h4872a
My podcast can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/show/relax-rv-podcast

If you would like to support my efforts to help others, please feel free to do so at:
https://relaxrv.org/support/

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our podcast running!

E 50 Bonus
Progressive Relaxation Exercise. I recorded this many years ago, I hope it helps you to relax. Do NOT listen to it while driving or operating heavy equipment. Find a safe comfortable location. Use headphones or earbuds if available. This recording can be found at relaxrv.org/help

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at
https://relaxrv.org/videos/

Here’s a link to my RelaxRVPodcast Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Relax-RV-277623782811787/
I'm on Instagram as @relaxrvpodcast
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=hsxp0gjpugbz&utm_content=5h4872a
My podcast can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/show/relax-rv-podcast

If you would like to support my efforts to help others, please feel free to do so at:
https://relaxrv.org/support/

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our podcast running!

An Introduction to Stress. I recorded this many years ago, I hope it helps you to relax. Do NOT listen to it while driving or operating heavy equipment. Find a safe comfortable location. Use headphones or earbuds if available.  Listen free at relaxrv.org/help

So what do you do to help MANAGE your STRESS? Perhaps you or someone you know would benefit from listening to Stress Management Exercises? I have 3 FREE Stress Management recordings at https://relaxrv.org/help/

If that ain't your thing, I have DISCOUNTS on my website to various RV related stuff.
https://relaxrv.org/discounts/

I’ve made some videos about improvements and fixes I’ve done to the RV. Here’s a link to them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzwH6GhSMBDJ7qKxsLng-TA
Or you can watch them on my website at
https://relaxrv.org/videos/

Here’s a link to my RelaxRVPodcast Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Relax-RV-277623782811787/
I'm on Instagram as @relaxrvpodcast
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=hsxp0gjpugbz&utm_content=5h4872a
My podcast can be found at https://www.spreaker.com/show/relax-rv-podcast

If you would like to support my efforts to help others, please feel free to do so at:
https://relaxrv.org/support/

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our podcast running!