Girl Camper

On this weeks show my guest Amy Parsons helps us understand the components of financing a travel trailer purchase. Amy is the Finance Manager at Setzer's World of Camping in Huntington, West Virginia. Amy talks about why an RV loan is not like a car loan and what kind of down payment and credit rating you need to get the best interest rates. If you think you need deep pockets or perfect credit rating  to buy a trailer, you will be happy to know that buying and financing a trailer is within most people's means.  Amy Parsons is the Finance Manager at Setzer's World of Camping in Huntington, West Virginia. She is pictured here with owner Lynn Butler, who happens to be her mother!   In our Campfire Chat on this week's show I am sharing ideas for foil packet dinners! This great camping meal option has endless possibilities. It's a great make ahead meal that can be taken out after the camper is set up and warmed to a perfect dinner in minutes. It's also a great way to use leftovers.   Two of my  favorite combination of foil packet dinners are below. Cowboy Stew: After putting a little olive oil in the bottom of the pan, add a layer of fresh green beans, precooked white sliced potatoes or thinly sliced fresh ones and a salisbury steak on top. Season with salt and pepper and seal pouch with an air pocket. Salmon Steak: Marinade a salmon steak in equal parts of soy sauce and fresh lime juice with fresh chopped garlic. When you place the salmon skin side down in the foil pouch, add a tablespoon of the marinade before sealing the packet. Cook veggies in a separate pouch.    

On this weeks show I am pleased to have my wonderful Ohio friend, Gina Corbin. Gina talks about how she overcame her fears and trepidation about solo towing to become the Girl Camper she is today. She also shares how camping helped move her from a dark place after a family tragedy to a place of hope and peace again. Gina has logged many, many miles under her belt in the short time she's been camping and it is not an exaggeration to say that camping has changed her life. We are kicking it up a notch and finishing off our campaign to raise 10K for the 501c3 organiztion, Tents for Troops. The RVFTA Podcast Network set a goal to raise $10K  for the purchase of a travel trailer to be used by active duty service people and their families. I can think of no better way to reconnect after a long deployment than to spend time around a campfire. We are nearly at our goal but I am offering an incentive.  I will send a Girl Camper decal to anyone who makes a donation of at least $10. You can make a donation at Go Fund Me. After you make a donation, send me your address at girlcamper528@gmail.com and I will get your decal out to you ASAP. Thank you to all who ordered from the Girl Camper Shop this week. We were blown away by all the love and are almost done filling all the orders. I have had to place a new mug order and will be picking them up when I visit Blackwater Falls State Park this week. I got the idea to have a spot for everyone to post their news and mugs and rigs and created the Facebook page "Girl Camper Podcast". Please join the fun and share your adventures, recipes, favorite campgrounds and Girl Camper mugs!        

On this week's show I'm talking about prepping the outside of your trailer for the coming season. From tires to outside storage solutions to maintaining your vinyl awning, there are things to be done before you hit the road in 2017. I'm also talking about my great fishing trip with guide Kai on the oyster beds of Hilton Head. We had a great day even without catching any fish! I learned so much about this regions natural habitats and the value of an experienced and knowledgeable guide. The Girl Camper mugs are back in stock! You can purchase one at Girlcamper.com.

On this week's show I am talking trailer preparedness. I have been sorting and sifting through my St. George trailer and fixing some issues that bothered me last year while also reevaluating my use of available space. I have also been finding space for those camping themed Christmas and Valentine's Day presents.  When the cold weather breaks and the camping season begins, I am going to be ready to roll. I grew up in the Midwest where Lake house vacations in  family cabins were the rule. I can still remember the feel of the old pine walls and kitchen items that were several generations old but still put to use.  The loved and worn furnishings and old wool blankets somehow made the cabins feel so safe and warm. I always find myself buying the things that remind me of those days and now I want to use them in my St. George trailer and recreate that vintage cabin feel. I have been collecting wool blankets for years. I love the old striped ones with the satin edges. I also love to collect knitted or crocheted blankets that are wool. It's not unusual to find them and see that someone has washed them in hot water and they have shrunk. This is a negative to most people but they make great camping blankets. The tightened stitches make them extra warm and they are usually less expensive. Spring Clean Tips It's a good idea to reevaluate your use of space and items at the beginning of each camping season. As you go through each cabinet, ask yourself how often you used that item and if it warrants the space its taking up. Decide if you really want to give space to a camping gift. When you have a passion people tend to give you gifts that surround it. If you don't have a need for a well intentioned gift, regift or use it in your home. The annual Spring clean is a great time to top off your first aid kit and make sure you have what you use most and that what you use least has not expired. Stock up on bandaids and don't forget the butterfly bandages. When getting ready for the new season give some thought to things that bothered you last year and come up with some resolutions. New reading lights by the bed and a refrigerator fan to even the cooling in my refrigerator are two problems I addressed this year. Use the space in your trailer in a way that is best for you. Just because the RV designer intended the closet for hanging clothes doesn't mean you have to use it that way. I am turning my closet into what will be more practical for me - shelves that will hold a lot more of what I need on trips. Prettify your trailer! It's a great time to work in some design aspects for your trailer that will make it feel like home. I ordered a National Parks map for the wall in my booth and am finally going to hang some pictures I have been meaning to get to. Think of your trailer like a second home because it is! Find the balance of things you love and make you feel at home but not too cluttered. The bed in your trailer should be as comfortable as your home bed. This year I will probably spend at least 75 nights in my trailer. I am making the investment in comfortable sheets and blankets and pillows. Don't forget good reading lights ! Being a happy camper is all about balance. By keeping your camper cleaned out and assessing your needs for it each year,  you will be more likely to enjoy using it. Having the camper comfortable but clutter free makes it easy to hitch up on a Friday night and head out in. Happy trails everyone.  

On this weeks show my guest is the co-founder of  Sisters on the Fly , Maurrie Sussman. The Sisters on the Fly is the largest outdoor women's adventure group in the country with over 8 thousand members. She and her sister Becky Clarke founded the group over 20 years ago and have been having "more fun than anyone" ever since. Maurrie is here today to talk about the groups beginnings, the coveted trailers, their bucket list trips and the women who join them.

My guest this week is my old friend Carol Thompson. Carol and I have been shopping and junkin' together for decades. We have also been camping over the last ten years with the Queen's of Glamping and we know what they are buying and where they are getting it as well as what they are paying for it. We are going to talk about how the Girl Campers are using their vintage finds to accent their trailers and provide needed storage solutions.     We also have a give away from Lawn Chairs USA to talk about. Lawn Chairs USA is donating a set of reproduction aluminum lawn chairs to a lucky winner. These chairs are made in Georgia and can be custom ordered to match your vintage trailer, bring some nostalgic charm to your new trailer or to promote your favorite sports team. Lawn Chairs USA started in 2010 with the  idea to bring back a classic piece of Americana. To be in the running to win a set of two chairs you can go to Instagram and tag a friend on the photo of the chairs and write, "I want to win" in the comments. You can also sign up for blog updates to be entered into the drawing.   I am sharing the details of my new to me 2014 Ford F150 Lariat and why I chose it. The most important feature is its 9200 pound towing capacity. That leaves me the option of a future trailer upgrade without having to replace my tow vehicle. The GVWR of my current trailer is 3300 pounds. The axle ratio allows for another 832 pounds of cargo. At a little over 4100 pounds the new truck can easily handle my trailer but it leaves me the option of upgrading in the future.        

Making 2017 the year we become Girl Campers seemed to be the theme of quite a few letters at the first of the year and the Girl Camper Podcast is making it a mission to help in any way we can. On today's show I am laying out an action plan for overcoming the stumbling blocks that so many heartfelt letters point to. There is so much fun being had by so many that made the leap that it pains me to see those who are stalled in some way. Each person has a reason they cannot join the fun right now and I hope this show helps you find ways to eliminate some of what may seem like obstacles to you.      

My guest today is wildlife photographer and conservationist  Dawn Wilson. Dawn is returning to the show to share her adventures in her first year of full time RVing. She talks about the reality of full time RVing versus the dream. This episode is full of stories of her months in Alaska, the pros and cons of making a living on the road and her assessment of the three different styles of trailers she used in her first year. Dawn's photography  is a window into a world few of us will ever experience so closely. s  

  My guest today is Heath Padgett from The RV Entrepreneur Podcast.  Heath and his wife Alyssa traveled the country in an aging Class C motorhome and along the way produced a documentary entitled "Hourly America." The film chronicles Heath's hourly job in each of the fifty states they traveled to.  Along the way Heath and Alyssa met many interesting people making their way in the full time RV world and Heath used those contacts to start his podcast. You can download Heath and Alyssa's documentary on their website  http://heathandalyssa.com/ .  You can also register for their RV Entrepreneur Summit in Fredericksburg, Texas February 24-26, 2017.  

  On this week's show I welcome friend and colleague Kate Dunbar. Kate is an accomplished chef, food stylist, photographer and a glamour camper. She's the hostess with the mostest who is sharing her philosophy on why the Girl Camping movement is so important to women in all stages of womanhood.   Visiting Waxahachie. This north central Texas town is my home away from home and I had the opportunity on this longer visit to do some of my favorite things "on the square" and on Main Street. If you are driving through Texas plan a day or two to take in the history of the Crepe Myrtle Capital of the USA.     My favorite way to travel when I can't camp is via Bed and Breakfast Inns. Waxahachie has two of my all time favorite Inns. My family has been staying at the Chaska House on Main St for over ten years. When my moms house is full there is a rush to the phone to see what's available at this beautiful Greek Revival building on the outside of town. Hosts Linda and Louis Brown took on the restoration of this home as a labor of love. Each guest room is named for a famous author. I have had the pleasure of staying in the Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Mark Twain rooms. The Inn is elegant but inviting. The library is my favorite room and hosts Linda and Louis make you feel as if it is your own room, encouraging you to pull a book off the shelf and settle in for a good read. The Chaska House is a great home base to day trip to Canton or Hillsboro, Texas for an antiques day or to Waco to visit the Magnolia Market at the Silos. You can also spend a day in Ft. Worth at the Cowgirl Museum!   Across the street is the newly opened English Merchant's Inn. I can best describe its architecture as a brick four square with a huge inviting porch for tea sipping, newspaper reading and breeze catching. Classic Texas but with a nod to our Imperial forefathers. The British inspired decor is an eclectic mix of classic furniture and flea market finds that somehow magically blend to create a  space that sets creative souls on fire. The Inn is the vision of well known Texas designer Mary Baskin whose day job is taking clients on antiquing jaunts to the French countryside and British hamlets. Mary can do to a blank room what Henri Matisse did to a blank canvas. Her design style is bold and colorful and the elements harmonize into inviting rooms that leave guests feeling as if they're wrapped in a contemporary painting while sipping tea from fine china. I loved reading the original newspaper pages from Queen Elizabeth's 1937 wedding that wallpaper the staircase leading to the guest rooms. A large landing creates a welcoming lounge for reading, coffee, a cocktail or lazy board game. I can't wait to get back to Texas and try out the guest rooms in this new Inn!!    

On this week's show Dave Boggs, General Manager from Venture RV talks about the Sonic Lite trailer. The Sonic Lite was a Girl Camper pick from the RVIA show. Dave talks about the design features and materials used in the construction of the Sonic Lite.  

On this week's show returning guest Ginny McKinney shares the lessons she learned while navigating her grief at the loss of her husband Dan; while learning to be an RVer and while opening her heart to new beginnings, new friendships and a new life she hadn't planned on. Whatever your personal situation Ginny's story is full of inspiration. She is an Ambassador of hope to those who are living a life altered by circumstances out of their control. Her journey of reconciliation to her circumstances is a must listen!

On this week's show my producer Stephanie Puglusi and I go over my Top Five picks for Girl Campers from the annual RVIA show. RV manufacturers are creating more lightweight towable trailers in smaller sizes that are an attractive alternative to renovating the vintage trailers that many people desire. http://www.lancecamper.com/truck-campers/650/                                

  On this week's show I welcome returning guest Mark Polk of www.RVEducation101.com. Mark talks trucks and towing, torque and horsepower, gross vehicle weights and towing capacity. I invited Mark on the show to help me navigate "truck language" and help me figure out if the Ford F-150 of my dreams has the capacity to tow my 3000 pound Riverside Retro with ease.  There's much to learn about engines, towing and safety in this episode.   New technology has enabled the V6 engines of today to be able to do the work of the V8 of ten years ago allowing for more horsepower and torque and better gas mileage.

On this week's show my husband Rick joins me as we share the details of our Christmas at Cabela's field trip. We had developed quite a wish list of camping items and we set out in search of new chairs for campfire sitting, a fire tending kit, the perfect hiking socks and a few other things. We shopped, we compared, we edited and came away with a few things we didn't even have on the list.