Rolling Home

When it comes to entertainment while traveling commercially built RV's typically have you covered. Heck, even most folks who build out a van or other platform include a small TV in their plan, or at a minimum, plan to use their computer or tablet device for those times when they want to relax by watching a favorite TV show or catch a movie.

While our camper van has numerous options for occasional entertainment, it is our built-in over-the-air TV that perhaps gets the most usage. It's just so convenient. I've also added another TV to our bedroom area, which comes in handy to watch after settling in for the night or to catch the early-morning news before getting out of bed for the day.

But sometimes over-the-air TV doesn't cut it or just isn't available. That's when streaming services come in, but what if you don't have a strong enough signal to stream a movie or TV show? These days we're in luck because a lot of services allow temporary downloads. The trick to that is deciding before your trip to download a few movie or TV options for remote playback.

We'll discuss that in today's edition of Rolling Home!

Show notes and links

Recently, while returning to my office following a business appointment I witnessed a violent accident along the interstate.

A small SUV just ahead of me swerved ever so slightly to the left, resulting in the vehicle clipping a large concrete barrier placed along the roadside during construction.

The vehicle flipped two to three times, coming to rest in the center of the roadway.

I don’t know what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle and ultimately crash, but it was evident that the driver did not exercise enough attention while traveling close to the concrete wall along the congested stretch of roadway. A slight swerve to the left sent the vehicle sailing uncontrollably.

Nearly every day during my commute I see the same behavior, though thankfully it doesn’t usually result in a violent crash. People in their vehicles are talking and texting on cellphones, in a hurry weaving in and out of traffic and cutting other motorists off – generally not exhibiting prudent behavior required by civilized society.

I believe what I see during my commute and when I travel is a microcosm of what is happening in our society as a whole.

We'll talk about that in today's episode of Rolling Home.

Show notes

If you are still dreaming of jumping into van life but thought nothing was available to buy, you might just be in luck as newbie van lifers appear to be selling their custom COVID rigs as the pandemic dies down. We'll talk about it in today's edition of Rolling Home.

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I love solar power! I especially like the way the 200 watts of solar on the roof of my camper van maintains my onboard coach batteries and powers many of the low-power gadgets inside the van. It's kind of one of those "set it and forget it things" of life. However, when solar doesn't work it doesn't work. That's what we'll talk about on this edition of the Rolling Home podcast.

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Unless you have been living under a rock for the past several months you probably know there is a shortage of RVs for sale, and what's more, both new and used RVs are commanding premium prices. We'll discuss that and more in this edition of the Rolling Home Podcast.

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Did you know the Fourth of July holiday is one of the deadliest travel holidays of the year? Defensive driving, taking time to rest, and not getting into too much of a hurry are a few practices to keep in mind during what is shaping up to be one of the busiest post-pandemic holidays yet. We talk about this and more in this edition of the Rolling Home Podcast.

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Come along today as I do a pre-trip exterior and interior inspection of our Winnebago Travato 59G camper van. While it's always important to check fluid levels and tire inflation, an inspection of onboard supplies and other items can prevent you from having what you need down the road. That's the topic of today's edition of Rolling Home, and remember, "Home is where you park it."

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While your next road trip may not look like you originally thought (see Episode 25 for details), a little bit of advanced planning can make your trip not only more fun and enjoyable, it can also help you to stay safe on our country's increasingly crowded highways and interstates. In this episode of Rolling Home we'll discuss tips you need to consider as you travel for vacation or even a "workation" (as my wife and I often do).

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Sometimes your work doesn't stop for a vacation, weekend getaway or road trip. In this episode of Rolling Home, we'll discuss how we work from the road in our Class B Winnebago Travato camper van without the need for traditional hookups provided in an RV park. Being self-contained has its advantages and having 300 watts of solar and an extra AGM on board to store power doesn't hurt either. What's more, the Travato 59G is particularly well-suited for working from the road right from the factory. 

Show notes

RV Parks ain't my thing. Since buying my Class B camper van I have generally avoided camping at RV parks like the plague. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with most RV parks. I just try not to depend on them. When boondocking I don't mean that I am "stealth camping" as in being completely unseen, hunkered down in a van with no windows and a utility rack mounted on top – rather as simply blending into your surrounding environment. We'll talk about how you can do that too on this episode of Rolling Home.

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