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The Ups & Down of Boondock Scouting

The ongoing quest for boondocking spots in the Cascade Mountains is continued. With a pocket full of GPS coordinates, we put some boots on the ground and investigated these locations. Follow along on the journey as we experience, in real-time, this boondock scouting trip.

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Unlocking the Mystery of Lot F at Stevens Pass

The F lot at Stevens Pass ski area on Highway 2 in the Cascade Mountains is a mystery to me. We are a family of active skiers and snowboards who love to RV. The idea of ski-on-ski-out from our travel trailer is something that we want to try next season. Lot F is the only RV lot at Stevens Pass and it’s tricky to navigate getting into the lot and the process for securing an overnight pass is a bit elusive to me as well. In this episode we chat with Meg of norm_betty_adventures who have been accessing this family friendly RV lot just about every weekend during the ski season in their vintage Airstream. Meg shares with us about the scene in Lot F and what’s involved in both getting into the lot and how to get a reservation.

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How Geocaching Can Help Up Your RV Game

When the United States unlocked consumer access to the satellites for GPS, a new outdoor recreational activity sprung up — Geocaching. Members of this community place caches at locations marked by GPS coordinates all over the world for other Geocachers to locate. In this episode, we interview Chris Ronan, Senior Public Relations Manager of the Seattle based company. Our family loves to Geocache and it’s an activity that we also like to do on our RV adventures. Learn more about this fun activity in this episode.

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The Ultimate Hiking Resource for Washington State

If you are an experienced hiker, new to hiking, or just planning a visit to Washington State and are in search of great hikes, THE reference to use is WTA.org. Joining us in this episode is Anna Roth, a hiking content manager for the WTA. Now, she researches hikes and works with a team of correspondents who help her improve Washington Trails Association's online hiking guide. If you are an avid hiker or looking for great hikes to explore in Washington State this is a great episode.

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A Nomadic Chef: Eat Well on the Road

A. J. Forget is a chef, writer, photographer, traveler, and dilettante. He left a career as a wildland firefighter to pursue his lifelong passion of writing and his outlandish goal of a modern nomadic life. Currently, he is a carney and follows a circus around the United States. He lives in a converted school bus with his partner, a silversmith and dreamworker, and their eternally-sleepy dog, traveling the world in pursuit of natural beauty, grand adventure, and the tastiest food out there. He is an author of an upcoming cookbook, The Buslife Kitchen, and in this episode he sits down with us and discusses how we can eat well while on the road. In the Pit Stop, I share about a great state park in Northeast Washington State that my great grandmother used to travel to every summer all the way from Oxnard, Calif.

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Don’t Hold Back Your Inner Weekend Warrior

To the part timers, the some timers, the weekend warriors getting outdoors and maximizing your RV usage is paramount to happiness. Isn’t that why we all bought them? In this episode, I share successful tips on how we are able to spend 50+ nights in our travel trailer — most of them as weekend getaways. In the Pit stop I tackle the exciting topic of recreational vehicle tires and how to avoid rolling down the road with maypops. As they just may pop on you leaving you stranded.

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Cape Disappointment State Park: A Nugget in the Northwest

Cape Disappointment State Park is nestled between the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean in the southwest corner of Washington State. The name of this park is very deceiving, but I promise it does not disappoint. In this episode, I discuss the campground, the different sites, where I think some of the best sites are, and share about all the fun activities there are to do both in the park and in the surrounding area. In the Pitstop I had a conversation with a friend and we talked about generators. Specifically, we cover topics that you should consider if you are thinking about getting a generator.

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A Washingtonian's Guide to Exploring Seattle (EP026)

Seattle is the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest and there is something for everyone to do in the city. Rich with history, art & music events, museums to outdoor activities our family still enjoys heading into the City to play. In this episode, I share some of our favorite activities, places to eat and where we like to explore. If you are planning a trip to Seattle, be sure to give this episode a listen.

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Avoid The Madness of Road Trip Planning (EP025)

Planning a Cross Country road trip can be maddening or can it be fun and exciting? Dreaming about all the wonderful sites and experiences I find thrilling. In this episode we discuss the details with route planning, campground reservations, ways to make travel days enjoyable, how to manage laundry & food along the way. Plus, it’s important to prepare your RV and tow vehicle to make the journey. In the Pitstop, I share my tactics and processes for managing our black tank and I share a simple five word mantra about black tank sensors.

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The Most Secure Way to Avoid RV Battery Theft

It takes about 27 seconds for a thief to steal your batteries. Our first tent trailer didn’t come with a battery when we bought it as it had been stolen and the previous owner’s sold the trailer before replacing the battery. Surprisingly battery theft is pretty common. In this episode, I chat with Jason Tracy, owner of RV Lock Box based out of Spokane, Wash. RV Lock Box are manufacturers, in Washington State, of a diamond plated aluminum box solution to store your RV batteries on your trailer which allows you to secure them so you don’t become a victim of theft.

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The Two Best KOAs in the Pacific Northwest

Camping in the Pacific Northwest provides many different outlets for many different types of campers. For RVers looking for a destination that provides family friendly amenities, great sites and full hookups, with a lot to explore in the surrounding area, then these two KOAs should not be missed. In this episode I chat with the general managers of both the Astoria Warrenton Seaside (OR) and the Leavenworth (WA) Kampground of America.

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Tara’s Tiny Trailer: Balancing Life With a Bohemian Spirit

Tara of Tara’s Tiny Trailer is a born and raised Washingtonian who straddles the line between a life in sticks & bricks and wandering around the state as a nomad as many weekends as possible. Her bohemian spirit is strong and in this episode she shares with us what makes her tiny trailer work for her, and we dive into some of her favorite spots to camp in the Pacific Northwest.

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The Meyer's Family Great American Road Trip, Part 2 ( EP021)

We continue our conversation with The Meyer’s family as they share in their cross country adventure. In this episode we pick up where we left off as they were entering the American Southwest in Utah. From wheeling in a Hummer near Moab, spray painting on Cadillacs, bearing witness to where Dr King was assassinated and traveling the Trail of Tears this family created an American experience for themselves. In the Pitstop, I share one of my more nerdy sides of self and discuss what it means to be a licensed amateur radio operator otherwise known as a Ham.

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The Meyer's Family Great American Road Trip, Part 1 ( EP020)

Driving across the United States pulling a travel trailer can be an adventure in and of itself, but towing along a family of four and a dog will make it exciting. Join us as we interview The Meyer family (Tracker & Jiggles) as they share their tips for planning such a huge cross country road trip, from Seattle to Florida, as well as they share stories of the sites they saw and how they built such a great educational trip for their kids. In the Pitstop, I share my Top 4 Road books that have been such an inspiration for my desire to witness all that the Road has to offer.

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Geeking Out With Josh The RV Nerd (EP019)

YouTuber Josh the RV Nerd joins the show as he shares advice for newcomers to RVing, the state of the RV industry, and what has him surprised & inspired for 2022. His YouTube channel has over 144k subscribers and he produces great videos from walk-throughs to industry updates. With well over a decade of experience Josh knows towable trailers and motorhomes. In our Pitstop, I discuss mountain pass travel, what the differences are in travel advisories specifically when it comes to chaining up, and I provide some tips for winter travel.

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Top 3 Favorite Campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest ( EP018)

Camping in the Pacific Northwest is pretty amazing. I’m excited to share with you my Top three favorite campgrounds in the Pacific Northwest. The criteria for these campgrounds is that they are in great locations that highlight what makes the northwest so wonderful. If you are considering RV trips in and around Washington State or Oregon this is a great episode. In the Pitstop, I share the story of how I became a one ton diesel truck owner

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Top 10 RV Presents to Make You a World Champion Gift Giver (EP017)

From the extravagant, to the practical, to the ridiculous, our holiday gift guide episode has something for everyone. I count down my Top 10 most used items that would make for a great holiday gift for that special RV’er in your life. This gift guide covers the gamut on price from the inexpensive to things that are not necessary but add a little luxury to your camp life.

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The Search For Boondocking with RV Miles (EP016)

We’ve moochdocked, but we’ve never boondocked before. Free camping? Yes, please, but just how to find a place has always been elusive for us. In this episode, I chat with Jason & Abby Epperson of the RV Miles podcast and we dig into the nitty-gritty of how they choose their boondocking spots. They share a lot of info with us, especially because we’ve got so much open public lands here in the American West that are available to all of us. In the Pitstop, I dig into flashlights and explain why I have made the switch from a headlamp to a more tactical style handheld flashlight, the Fenix PD35.

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Unplanned Trip to Yellowstone National Park (EP015)

Sometimes being spontaneous is the key to a great adventure. This past summer we made a last minute call and with a little bit of lady luck we found ourselves in Yellowstone National Park. In this episode, we share our story of how we ended up in Yellowstone, what we saw, where we ate and where we stayed. If you’re thinking about a Yellowstone National Park trip, this is an episode for you. In the Pitstop, we talk with Bart Treece of Washington State Department of Transportation about the recent closures of the rest areas between Everett, Wash and the Canadian Border.

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The Unconventional Guide to Glacier National Park (EP14)

We spent a month on the road traveling the American West with Glacier National Park as one of our iconic stops on this trip. I share our experience navigating the new ticketed entry system in the park as well as I highlight things to see, to play, to eat and drink and where to stay. Plus, in the Pitstop I share my three phase approach to the planning and logistics for a trip of this length.

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