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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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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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It was a rainy, sleety day in late November when we bundled ourselves up and buckled in our three dogs and cat into “Windy” (our new nickname for the RV). This year, we told ourselves, would be different. We’d reset our expectations about the weather – yes, it gets cold in the winter, even down south. We’d fine-tuned our plans for travel, with shorter drives, longer stays, and better planning ahead for overnight stops. With prayers that this year the pets would stay healthy, the roads would be safe, and Windy would run smoothly, we began our journey south. Would you believe that someone hitRead 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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It’s always something in as we visit South Carolina and Virginia. We visit Misty Morning Ranch Ostrich Farm where we enjoy Ostriches dancing, but our friends’ RV gets stuck in the mud! In Virginia we visit the National D-day Memorial, then get dropped by a tow truck when our wheel bearings fail. It’s all part of the journey! Places visited in the video: Ebenezer Park – https://www.yorkcountygov.com/639/Camping-Information Misty Morning Ranch – http://mistymorningranchnc.com Harvest Hosts – http://www.harvesthosts.com National D-day Memorial – www.dday.orgRead More →

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DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS We finally caught up with some warmer weather last January as we headed into Texas, and we had a blast exploring the San Antonio and Houston areas. This video has some of the highlights as well as the embarrassing moment when we realized we’d traveled down mile after mile of twisting country roads to arrive at the wrong RV park! Want to learn more? Keep reading below. Finding our Campground Lake Medina RV Resort. Medina Lake RV Campground. Can you blame us for getting them mixed up? Or, more specifically, can you blame Jeff for navigating us to theRead 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 →

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Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park If you think of “Disney” when you think “Florida,” then you’re missing the REAL Florida. We hope you enjoy our latest video, which includes alligators, Homeland Security, a quick overview of different kinds of RV parks, cute dogs, a cat, and a swamp-buggy ride with our kids. It’s impossible to capture the beauty and diversity of Kissimmee Prairie in an eight-minute video, so here are a few additional things we think you might want to know. From the park website https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Kissimmee-Prairie This 54,000 acre preserve protects the largest remaining stretch of Florida dry prairie, home to an array of endangeredRead More →