Let's face it: RVs can be complicated. There are lots of things we need to know and do to not only protect our investment but to operate our RVs safely. In this episode, we give you valuable information you won't find in the manual that came with your RV. So don't set out on another trip without listening to these tips from Mike's special guest Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor.

In fact, this podcast is loaded with tips and suggestions, starting out with seven of Jennifer's Favorite RV Hacks, plus the Farmer's Almanac winter predictions, a fun off the beaten path report, some great apps to take on the road with you and, of course, the RV Doctor's very practical advice.

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Here are the complete shownotes from this episode:

First things first, Mike and Jennifer's Whereabouts and Travel Plans

Mike and Jennifer talk about the hazards of parking an RV near some kids who are playing football. Although they didn't see the deed, the side window on their Roadtrek was smashed out last week. Mike suspects it shattered when hit by a football. It's just part of the adventure, says Jennifer. The factory is sending glass replacement and they've found an auto glass dealer in Albany, GA who will repair it.

Next week, Mike and Jennifer head to Kissimmee, FL to attend the event featured in this week's RV Calendar, a little later in the podcast

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Jennifer's Tip of the Week - Seven of Jennifer's Life Hacks for RVers

This week I have a whole bunch of tips. She calls them Life Hacks for the RVer…. little things that can make a big difference. She has seven of them, life hacks she's’ either learned herself or been taught by others. [spp-timestamp time="4:50"]

1) Want to quickly freshen up the inside of your RV? Maybe theres a stale smell or it’s been sitting idle for a while? Tape a dryer sheet over the AC vents and turn it on for a few minutes.

2) We all have trash cans in our RVs. We also use a plastic bag in those trash receptacles. Put old newspaper at the bottom of your trash can - inside the plastic bag - to absorb food juices that may spill.

3) When you are on the road, where do you keep your dirty laundry? Try keeping a bar of scented soap in the same compartment as your dirty laundry. It will help the clothes smell a lot cleaner than they are.

4) Here’s one we learned from some photo classes. When you are taking a photo of someone - or someone is taking a picture of you - your smile will look a lot more genuine if, instead of just smiling, you also squint your eyes. Try this. It really works!

5) Here’s one Mike learned. If you can’t find any ready kindling wood to start your campfire, use a handful of Doritos. Really. They burn just like kindling and can get a blaze going very fast.

6) Here’s a good tip about rewarming leftover pizza. To keep the crust from getting chewy when you warm it up in the microwave, put a small amount of water in a glass and put it right in there on the carousel with the pizza.

7) When you are on the road and you buy some bananas, you usually need to buy a bunch of for or five of them. Then they all get ripe in a day or so and you end up throwing them away. Next time, wrap the stems where they all connect with plastic wrap. This will keep them fresh for a week or more. Then you just cut the bananas off as needed.

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LISTENER QUESTION - Finding Manuals for Roadtrek Motorhomes

A listener asks about getting a manual to her late model Roadtrek motorhome. Mike notes that all the manuals fro every Roadtrek model going back to 1987, can be found at https://rvlifestyle.com/manuals  [spp-timestamp time="8:10"]

Please tweet this: [spp-tweet tweet="How to find a manual for every Roadtrek since 1987"]

Sponsoring this part of the podcast is Van City RV in St. Louis, and their Partner Dealerships Creston RV in Kalispell, Montana, and Wagon Trail RV in Las Vegas.