Behind The Scenes: Louisville RV Show

Dec11
, 32 Comments

When we were invited to the exclusive Industry Only RV Show in Louisville Kentucky we didn’t know what to expect.  Would this RV show be a whole lotta more of the same, or would it be like an auto show full of futuristic RV concepts?  To be perfectly honest it was neither…well…sort of…let me explain.

The RV show is loaded with vendors (lights, water pumps…), RV mfrs (looking to sell to dealers), pipe dreamers (great idea but no where near ready), and the occasional sales rep looking for a new job!

WynnsExcursion

First and foremost we had the opportunity to meet our new home, the Fleetwood Excursion 33D.  It’s going to be a little different from our Monaco Vesta!  Once we had that out of the way, we were able to focus on the rest of the show and there were a few surprises worth sharing.

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Our Next Adventure

Dec01
, 94 Comments

Your imaginations have been running wild with ideas of us becoming parents, sailors, downsizing or the worst…gasp…non-travelers.  Bad news is you are all wrong.  Good news is we have been having some very unexpected and interesting conversations over these past few weeks.

gone with the wynns

Here we were, in the midst of planning our next big adventure (this is where you may imagine open oceans), when we received a call from an RV company called Fleetwood.  Here is a non exact version of those conversations.

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RV Holiday Gift Giving Guide 2013

Nov26
, 15 Comments

I love the holidays!  I love the twinkle lights, the music, the gift giving, and of course receiving lots of gifts (wink wink)!  Holiday shopping on the other hand typically leaves me saying far worse things than BA HUMBUG (insert choice words here)!  Don’t get me wrong, the joy of giving that super awesome and perfectly appropriate (or inappropriate) gift leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside but the process of thinking, searching, bumping elbows and shopping carts just makes me want to poke my eyes out with candy canes.  And I have the sneaking suspicion I am not the only one who feels this way or who has impaled themselves with striped candy on occasion.

singa santa

So, we have put together some of our favorite finds of 2013 to help you avoid such behavior.  As for me, I am just going to try and stay away from the candy canes.

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Dear Windy, We are leaving you…Seriously

Nov19
, 83 Comments

Windy, we know we have been a little off and on again and we are really sorry about that.  We told you back in 2011 that we needed to downsize to an RV smaller than 30 feet, then we begged you to take us back.  We know we were a little indecisive but this time we are serious and we promise no take backs.  We are approaching 2014 and we have some major plans that unfortunately don’t include you.  I know that may seem a little ungrateful but please don’t take it personally, the time has come for us to move in another direction.  We all knew this relationship was temporary from the beginning and it’s been a really great ride with a lot of great memories.

camping at walmart

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2011 Monaco Vesta For Sale

Nov19
60 Comments

For Sale: 2011 Monaco Vesta 32 foot PBS Motorhome

We have listed our much loved Windy for Sale on RV Trader, you can get the VIN # and all the other details on the listing page: http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2011-Monaco-Vesta-32PBS-111343867

If you want to know why we are selling our beloved Windy, you can read all about it in our Dear Windy letter.

monaco vesta for sale

You all know our Windy, she is a 2011 Monaco Vesta 32 foot PBS model (if you don’t know her check out the Windy the RV Page for extra photos and videos).  She’s 32,000 miles young and just hitting her stride.  She has been a fantastic coach and most definitely unlike any other coach on the road.

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Best Inverter for an RV – Pure vs Modified and Watts

Nov12
, , , 207 Comments

When we first purchased an RV we didn’t really understand power inverters, we only knew what mattered: An inverter converts the battery power (12 Volt DC) into power that works with our electronics (110 Volt AC power).  After one year on the road the charger and battery on my laptop stopped working, and thus began the tireless research to find the best power inverter for our RV.  Below is my take after two years of research, conversations with dozens of service techs, and getting it straight from the “horse’s mouth” (RV mfrs. and inverter mfrs) on why we ended up with a 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter.

Let’s start where it all begins: The Factory.

When you talk to RV Manufacturers the saying goes something like this:  “if you want your RV built with all the highest quality products, fit, and finish…the rig would cost $5 million!”  There might be a little exaggeration there but you get the point:  in general RV manufacturers cut corners and install middle-of-the-road products to save you money on the MSRP.  Our Monaco Vesta came equipped with a basic 1500 watt Modified Sine Wave Inverter and charger (that’s right the charger is built into the inverter, which is not good, but I’ll save that for another post).  The factory installed inverter is pretty much the “go-to” for many RV mfrs, it works fine for many circumstances, but it’s not made to run all the expensive gadgets that typically end up in an RV.

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13 Must Have Road Trip Apps

Oct02
, , 29 Comments

Shopping used to be one of my favorite pass times and I was good at!  So good, I got paid to shop for other people.  And trust me; there is nothing more fun than spending someone else’s money!

These days however, I rarely get the chance to gaze in windows much less go shopping.  Which is fine by me, I prefer being too busy rifling through nature to rifle through stores.  Although, a little shopping at a local farmers market is good for the soul!

farmers market

But to tell you the truth, I think I have just shifted my shopping habits to online and specifically…apps, especially the free ones.  I’m always searching for that next time saver, experience enhancing or money saving app.

So, with all this time and research I have done, I thought it was high time I share my top 13 must have road trip apps!  Why 13, because sometimes, odd is just better.

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Boondocking – Wild and Free Camping

Sep25
, , , , , 70 Comments

“Just be out there. Just be out there in it. You know, big mountains, rivers, sky, game. Just be out there in it, you know?  In the Wild.”

This quote is from one of our favorite movies, Into the Wild, and was one source of inspiration that led us to sell everything and hit the road back in 2010.

boondocking

We love being out there, in the wild and so while staying in a campground with lots of amenities and full hookups has its allure; our absolute and favorite type of camping is Boondocking or as we like to say, Wild Camping!  There is nothing better than driving deep into the wild where the views are never ending and the sounds are au nat-ur-el!  Plus, it’s usually free (yep the free camping part is definitely a bonus)!  Sure there are no hook ups (water, electric, cable or sewer), but it doesn’t mean you have to live like a heathen.

Since we can’t take you all Wild Camping with us, we thought we would bring the Wild Camping experience to you.

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Boondocking Tips – the How to and Where to

Sep23
, , , , 47 Comments

Boondocking, Off the grid, Off the cord, Dry Camping or Wild Camping (if you’re European) are all names for camping or RV’ing without any hook ups (water, electric or sewer).  Boondocking is probably the most popular term but our personal favorite is Wild Camping, not just because it sounds cool but because it embodies what it is all about…out in the wild, camping.

This is the ultimate way to shrink your footprint, disconnect and truly surround yourself with nature.  For us Wild Camping is the ultimate reason to own an RV.

boondocking

Now, I already know what you’re thinking: Is it legal? safe? or sanitary?  How do you live? How do you find boondocking sites? How can it be free? …Whoaaaa Nelly!  You’re brain is on question overload!  Take a deep breath, in the next several paragraphs I’m going to try and answer all of your questions and give you some pearls (as my grandmother would say).

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Stay Connected on the Road – Phone, Internet, Free Wi-Fi

Aug12
, , 43 Comments

Staying connected on the road is one of the biggest campfire discussions and a deal breaker for many travelers.  Cell service and Internet are extremely fundamental to our personal livelihood (yes, we really do work) and for me (nikki) it’s vital to my existence.  Without a way to see my cousins latest haircut on Facebook (yes Keri, I’m talking about you), watch my sister’s baby roll over for the first time on YouTube and watch every episode of Downton Abbey; I would become void, turn to dust (kinda like vampires in the sun) and cease to exist.  Well obviously I haven’t tested this theory, but I am pretty sure I would.

mobile internet

In an effort to avoid such personal disaster, we try and maintain cell and internet connectivity at least 85% of the time.  Here is how we get more bars, stay connected to the ‘real’ world and some other options that are out there for road weary travelers like us.

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