Hi Fellow Travelers! As this newsletter comes out, we're headed to Key West as we continue a circle tour photo shoot of Florida, taking some of the photos that will appear in our next two 7 Day Adventure Guides. We are planning a total of three guides for Florida - that's how popular a destination the Sunshine State is for RVers! The first was released just before Christmas and covers the Gulf Coast - see https://rvlifestyle.com/flgulfcoast for info. The next - coming very soon! - will cover the Atlantic coast and central Florida and shortly after that, we'll have a third Florida 7 Day Adventure Guide for RVers on the Keys. Those three will join our entire series, which you can see at https://rvlifestyle.com/books We will be doing several more guides this year and have even more in the planning and research stage. Eventually, as soon as we can research, write and illustrate them, our goal is to cover every major region of North America that is a popular destination for RVers. We have 20 in various stages of development already and Jennifer and I keep finding new destinations all the time. Thanks to all of you who have bought one of our guides (each one is just $7). And a special thanks to those who have taken the time to tell us how they are helping you as you travel North America. As we travel, we're scheduling meetups from the various spots. The next one will be this coming Sunday, March 8, in Naples, FL. We'll meet from 3-5pm on Sunday March 8th at Bone Hook Brewing Company, 1514 Immokalee Rd, Naples, FL 34110. We look forward to meeting our Florida followers and snowbird friends wintering down there. We're also posting videos, photos and lots of social media updates on our travels, meetups, adventures, and plans, especially on Instagram. You can follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rvlifestylemike One more thing I want to pass along. We have put together a handy partners page on our RV Lifestyle blog that has money-saving coupon codes and links to the products and services we personally use and rely on the most. Check it out at https://rvlifestyle.com/partners/ Meanwhile, here's the RV Lifestyle news of the week. | | Meantime, here's the RV Lifestyle news of the week. - João & JoAn Silva | | RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Drivers who stay in the left lane instead of using it to pass can now be ticketed in Arizona If you are planning on driving through Arizona on a freeway anytime soon, be sure to only use the passing line for, well, passing. A new state law that went into effect in January permits police to ticket drivers who stay in the fast lane instead of using it to pass. Increasingly states are enacting laws permitting police to ticket those who stay in the left lane since it not only is poor driving, but it can be dangerous, putting other drivers at risk. To read more about Arizona's law click here. Great Smoky Mountains National Park leads country with most visitors in 2019 Ever wonder which American national parks get the most visitors? The Great Smoky Mountains National park received the most visitors with 12.5 million in 2019, followed by the Grand Canyon National Park at 5.97 million and the Rocky Mountains National Park at 4.7 million. The figures were released last week and showed 327.5 million visitors to all of the national parks in 2019, up by 2.9 percent from 2018. Also, the 2019 visitors number was the third highest recorded since 1904. Volunteer RVers help repair Florida's Caverns State Park campground so site can soon reopen from Hurricane Micheal A team of RVers descended on Florida's Caverns State Park to help officials restore the campground devastated by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. Contractors did some repairs but much still needed to be done, and Florida state park staff were limited in how much time they could spend restoring the campground. So, the team of volunteers descended and completed almost all of the jobs, leaving just one - involving the campground's well- to be done before the site can reopen. Click here to see our visit to the state park before Hurricane Michael hit. Space heater, extension cords blamed for fire in Florida RV park that claimed two lives A very sad story out of Florida last week highlighted a couple, snowbirds, who died in their RV because of a fire at the Highbanks Marina Camp and resort on West Highbanks Road near the Central Florida town of Debary. While fire officials were still investigating, it appeared to be caused by a space heater. Apparently multiple space heaters, extension cords and power strips were in use in the RV. In a report on fire safety we did a few years back, we learned there are about 1,000 RV fires each year, and space heaters are a common cause. Our heart goes out to the loved ones of this RVing couple, and we thought it could be helpful to share this post, to remind us all on what we can do to reduce the likelihood of accidentally starting a fire while we camp. Article examines the true costs of RVing fulltime Readers Digest had a story last week examining how much it really costs to live fulltime in an RV. Long time readers know this is a subject we covered many times through the years (click here or here), and much of the costs depend on how you choose to travel. (RV parks or boondocking, eating out or or preparing your own meals, etc.) Still the article does include some important information about budgeting for RV maintenance, insurance, and such, so wanted to share it with those considering such a move. RV News Shorts, Tips, and Reviews | | Fun food to try in the different states! Click Here to see | | RV Podcast 283: Rapido's rebuilding of the Roadtrek brand This week we talk with the CEO of the new Roadtrek Inc. about how the company is counting on a new emphasis on quality to overturn the tarnished reputation left when the once iconic maker of Class B campervans was caught up in a massive financial scandal last year. We also update you on the recalls and investigations plaguing the old company as the new owners begin production at their Cambridge, Ontario, Canada factory. The old company was known as Roadtrek Motorhomes. The new one is Roadtrek Inc. This episode of the TV Podcast features a very candid interview with Dane Found, the new CEO of Roadtrek Inc, owned by the Rapido Group of France. Found talks about the challenges involved in restarting production and winning back business following the sudden collapse of the old Roadtrek, once the best-selling Class B manufacturer in North America. Plus, we have lots of RV news, tips and an off the beaten path report from the Burketts. LISTEN AND READ HERE Subscribe to The RV Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Android, Spotify, TuneIn or whatever podcast app you use. Or listen to it directly on the RV Lifestyle Blog. | | 11 Magical cave destinations in U.S. Even if you wouldn't consider yourself Indiana Jones, a trip to an ancient cave is worth considering. Some caves could even be among the country's most beautiful relics - hiding underground. READ MORE | | | RV Recipe: Stovetop asparagus with zest If you are looking for an easy dish that can come together in a matter of minutes while adventure camping, try this recipe. Chef Mary Jane Curry's recipe tastes great as a main dish, side dish or even a cold salad. READ MORE | | | 13 must visit lighthouses in U.S. Our nation's beautiful lighthouses along the east and west coasts - as well as the Great Lakes - are all great destinations for RV Lifestyle Fellow Travelers. It can be hard, however, to decide where to go. READ MORE HERE | | | 9 U.S. locations to see Northern Lights Curious about the Northern Lights? The science behind the phenomenon is fascinating, and for many seeing these magnificent lights while RVing is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. READ MORE | | | 10 mountain towns to visit in U.S. With peaceful vibes and serene natural beauty, just about any town can be enhanced by the presence of giant rocks (aka mountains) in the background. Some of those towns, however, stand out a bit above the rest. | | | RV CALENDAR OF EVENTS - March 5-8, Battle Creek RV & Camping Show, Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek, MI
- March 5-8, Colorado RV, Sports & Travel Show, National Western Complex, Denver, CO
- March 5-8, CNY RV and Camping Show and Sale, NY State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY
- March 5-8, Montreal RV Show, Palais de Congres, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- March 5-8, North Dakota Boat, Camping & Vacation Show, Fargodome, Fargo, ND
- March 6-8, Central Illinois RV Show - Peoria, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, IL
- March 6-8, Fredericksburg RV Show, Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center, Fredericksburg, VA
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