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Installing an Automatic Generator Starter so the AC stays on when shore power goes off. One of the great joys of RVing is being able to bring our dogs with us wherever we go. But sometimes we need to leave our furry friends “at home” in the RV while we visit museums, eat out at wonderful restaurants, or head out for a hike or bike ride. If it’s a hot day, of course we leave the air conditioners running so that our puppies can remain cool and comfortable. But what if there’s a power failure at the campground? What if the circuit breaker on theRead More →

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After three years of RVing in a 2004 Class A motorhome, we’ve learned a lot about making RV campground reservations, emptying our tanks, conserving electricity and propane, and doing many of our own repairs. We’ve also learned to go with the flow without freaking out (at least not for too long!) when Plan A doesn’t work out for one reason or another. Jeff has pulled all that learning together for you in a timely new book called “The Complete Guide to Owning and Enjoying an RV.” In Section One, you’ll find chapters that explain the functioning of the electrical, septic, and fresh-water systems; lists ofRead More →

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In this blog we explain why we bought a Renogy 200 watt solar suitcase, and how to decide if portable solar power is right for you. You can see a great summary in our video! Although Kathy and I have camped almost exclusively in state, county, and private campgrounds, we know that some of the most beautiful campsites in the U.S. are free. Most of these are on state or federal land, often in remote locations with stunning views. Most allow two-weeks stays. But there’s a catch. No hookups! No running water. No electricity. No sewer connections. This is affectionately called boondocking. Now, in ourRead More →

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One of the top problems reported by RVers is waste tank monitors that just don’t work! In theory, with a simple push of a button on your RV’s control panel, you can see just how full your tanks are so that you know for sure when they need to be dumped. The problem is that most monitoring systems installed by RV manufacturers are simply, excuse the expression, “crap.” After a couple of uses the monitors typically read “full” all the time, which means that you really have no idea how much capacity you have left. THE CAUSE Factory tank monitors rely on a series ofRead More →

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You might think that those beautiful motorhomes you see driving down the road have a full paint job, just like your car or truck. But if the dominant color on a motorhome is white, off-white, or gray, chances are the white is plain fiberglass, and the graphics (swoops and swirls) are vinyl decals (not paint). Vinyl is cheaper than paint. And in the RV world, particularly with older rigs, “full paint” is a luxury for higher end coaches. The problem with decals is that while they look nice at first, they don’t tend to age well. The UV rays of the sun often cause themRead More →

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Now that we’ve been RVing for a while, we thought it would be fun to make a list of our ten favorite things that make RV living easier. It was hard to narrow the list down, and Jeff actually ended up adding three “Bonus” items in his list! We’ve included more details about each item below. Are any of these on your list of favorite things? Is there something you love that we missed? Please let us know in the comments. Tooletries Silicone Organizers We struggled with how to best describe these on our video. What it basically comes down to is that these areRead More →

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Several friends have asked us for information about our Thousand Trails membership. We bought our membership from https://www.campgroundmembershipoutlet.com and got a great price with all of the help and information we needed. If you call them, please mention you heard about them from Jeff and Kathy Wildrick. I’ll also attach a cost analysis we did at the time of our purchase! 1) Zone Pass. This is the “entry level” membership in TT. With a Zone Pass, you can stay for free at any TT park (Dark brown markers on the map below) in that zone for up to 14 nights. After that you must stay outRead More →

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It was cold – in the mid-40s – as we pulled off of the main highway to experience another slice of the “real Florida.” If you’ve never tasted oranges straight off of the tree, or savored orange juice fresh-squeezed on the farm where it was grown, this is a stop that you’ve got to visit if you ever get a chance. And did I mention homemade orange ice cream? That’s just part of what you’ll find on the latest episode of Miles and Smiles! As always, we eagerly look forward to your comments and questions. Next up: Tips on a Great Disney Experience.Read More →

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This week’s short video highlights some of our favorite stops while traveling around southern Florida. Whether it’s drinking a fresh, frozen pineapple drink in Fort Lauderdale, marveling at the lions, tigers, and other big cats at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, discovering a bridge to be defended “at all costs” from the Second Seminole Indian War, or savoring a delicious donut, hot out of the fryer, you’re invited to join us as we cover the miles with smiles!  Read More →