Julie Chickery - Chickery's Travels

6 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned

We can’t believe it has been over six years since we moved out of our 2,400+ square foot home and into a 44′ fifth wheel RV! In honor of this anniversary, we wanted to share our top 6 lessons learned and a couple of regrets.

We’ll share more lessons than regrets, because honestly the full-time RV life was really great. The few bumps in the road along the way made for good stories, and we were always able to correct course when needed.

Tune in below to watch this two part video series.

Don’t go yet!

Click one of the hyperlinks below to learn more about:

Why we’re traveling full-time in an RV.

How to find the means to live the life of your dreams with our book, Full-Time RV Finance.

Sean & Kenny’s podcast, Beyond the Wheel, highlighting the people & products that make RVing great.

We'll share our top lessons learned after six years of full-time RV living and traveling. These tips will help full-time RVers, as well as those who take extended trips or snowbird. They are applicable to all types of RVs from the largest motorhomes and fifth wheels to vans and tiny trailers.

10:39 pm by Julie Chickery

A Guide to Grilling Lobster Tails

Lobster makes the perfect summertime treat no matter how you make it. There’s nothing that quite matches the unique flavor and texture of meaty, fresh-caught lobster tail off the New England coast. And even if you live a thousand miles from the coast on all sides, there are plenty of fresh seafood solutions for lobster delivery anywhere in the United States.

Grilled seafood is a delicacy that mainlanders don’t often get to enjoy, and when they do, they rarely get the authentic experience. If you’ve never cooked a lobster tail on the barbecue before, then you haven’t seen just how easy it can be to mess up. Let’s make sure you know the perils and pitfalls to avoid so you can grill those expensive lobster tails to perfection every time.

Kill Humanely, Cook Fresh

Lobsters notoriously spoil faster than almost any other meat you’ve ever cooked. Once they die and begin to decompose, their meat quickly loses the rich flavor and tender texture that makes lobsters worth their high price. To properly and humanely kill your lobster, put it in your freezer for around five minutes. This will numb out your lobster. Alternatively, you can boil a pot of water and dunk your lobster for up to 3 minutes. Remove the lobster from the pot and immediately transfer to a freezing ice bath.

Separate the tail from the body by bending the body and the tail across the lobster’s back. This is the stage where you’re more likely to ruin your lobster tail, so proceed with caution but deliberation. Use some muscle and apply a twisting motion to help pull the tail free. You don’t want to crack and shatter the lobster, but don’t be gentle. Once you’ve separated the body, pull the fins off.

With a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, cut the shell cleanly down the middle, but not through the meat inside the tail. Then spread the tail open, a process called butterflying your lobster tail.

Prepping Your Grill and Lobster Tails

While some people like a “well-seasoned grill,” there’s nothing quite like the fresh, unadulterated flavor of grilled lobster from a clean grill surface. Before firing up your barbecue, clean the grate thoroughly with canola oil. You may also want to consult your barbecue’s owner’s manual for advice on the best methods of cleaning the grill top. For safety purposes, wipe it down and dry completely before you turn on the grill.

Turn on the flame to about medium to medium-high. Let the grill get good and hot. While it’s warming up, grease up your lobster! A delicious garlic butter glaze adds a rich flavor, but a little olive oil with salt and pepper will do just as nicely. Lobster tail is a delicacy that is uniquely flavorful without the need for much enhancement.

Grilling Your Lobster Tails

Now all you’ve got to do is keep your eye on the grill and cook up the lobster tails. But the hardest part isn’t behind you just yet. Remember that lobster is so fragile that it will spoil if left uncooked for even a few minutes too long. A similar principle applies to cooking your lobster tails, too. If you overcook the tails by even one or two minutes, the meat will get tough and dry, losing its delicate texture and most of the rich signature flavor.

For 8oz pieces, place the tails directly over the flame and grill with the flesh side down for about six minutes. Flip the tails over and allow them to cook for another five minutes.

Grill tails directly over a flame and grill with the flesh side down for about six minutes. Flip the tails over and allow them to cook for another five minutes.

You should take them off of the grill with the flesh side now pointing up, having cooked directly over the flame the entire time. You can be sure that your lobster tails are fully cooked when they reach an internal temperature of at least 140°F.

Serving Your Lobster Tails

Before they cool, you should drizzle your lobster tails with some more of the garlic butter glaze we recommended. Some recipes will call for a sprinkling of shallots, chives, minced garlic, or even red pepper flakes for a little kick. This is where you have the opportunity to get creative and find the perfect flair for your grilled lobster.

Garnish with a couple of lemon wedges, and you’ve got the perfect grilled lobster tails! They’re best paired with a light-bodied white wine and commonly served with other shellfish delights like steamed mussels, crab cakes, or clam chowder. Coming off of the barbecue, you could also pair with picnic favorites like handmade old-country coleslaw or Boston-style baked beans.

Grilling fresh lobster tails is hard to do the first time without any guidance. Follow the instructions closely, and don’t get discouraged if you bust a tail or two before you get it right. You can always purchase prepared lobster tails, but there’s nothing quite as delicious and satisfying as preparing the meal fresh with your own two hands from start to finish.

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There’s nothing that quite matches the unique flavor and texture of meaty, fresh-caught lobster tail off the New England coast. Follow this guide to grilling your lobster tails to perfection every time.

10:17 pm by Julie Chickery

All About Workamping

One thing that extended or full-time RV travelers are concerned about is making their money last. That is where workamping comes into play. It provides a way to reduce expenses or even earn extra money by working at the campground or a local business.

What is workamping?

The term “workamper” was trademarked by Workamper News in 1987. They define it as “individuals, couples and families who combine ANY kind of part-time or full-time work with RV camping.” Now at this point, you may be asking, “Why would I want to work while I’m camping?” The simple answer is that it allows you to stay out on the road longer. As a workamper, you can supplement retirement income, earn a full income, or even trade your services in exchange for a campsite.

Even better, you can do it in the location of your choosing. If you’ve always wanted to visit a particular area, you might be able to find a position that will provide a free or discounted site, as well as free or discounted activities.

What kind of jobs are available?

If you can imagine it, there is most likely a job for you. Our friends, Levi & Natalie have tried many of them too. In fact, they have been workamping year-round for almost six years now. They wrote a book about their experiences, Seasonal Workamping for a Living.

We recently interviewed them about the book and some of their jobs:

Here are some of the more common opportunities:

Amazon CamperForce

This is a common one for RVers to earn money over the holidays. It includes long days in a warehouse doing repetitive work but can be a good way to pile up some cash over just a couple of months.

Sugar Beet Harvest

This is another example of a way to earn money in a short period of time. In fact, it typically only lasts a couple of weeks. While you’ll work 12-hour shifts, you can earn up to $8,000 in that time period.

Holiday Lots

Another short-term seasonal workamping job is managing a holiday lot selling pumpkins in the fall, Christmas trees in the winter, or even fireworks in the summer. These positions typically require the RVer to park on the lot. Compensation can be in the form of a specific wage or commission. Levi and Natalie did a great video series on their experience running a Christmas tree lot.

Camp Host

Serving as a camp host is a very common workamping position. Both public and private campgrounds employ RVers to perform tasks such as taking reservations, checking in campers, cleaning the campground facilities, and various maintenance tasks.

Many of the public campgrounds like state and national parks provide a site in exchange for work, rather than pay an hourly wage. However, they typically require substantially fewer hours – often 15 to 20 hours per week. Private RV resorts and campgrounds may provide a site or discount one while also providing an hourly wage (averaging $10 per hour) but expect full-time employees.

If this is something you think you might be interested in, we recommend watching the video below where our friends Phil & Stacy share their experiences with camp hosting.

Visitor Information & Interpretation

We’re still working full-time (read more about that here), but when we retire this is the position that appeals to me the most: providing visitor information and interpretation at a National Park. As previously mentioned, these positions are typically considered “volunteer” and compensation includes a free full hook-up site and a good feeling in your heart for supporting the National Parks. Duties typically include staffing the visitor center, answering questions, and giving informal interpretive talks a few days a week.

How to get a workamping position

Review job listings on Workamper News and choose a few that best meet your travel schedule and work preferences.
Apply early. You won’t be the only one who wants to work at the bucket list destinations like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon.
Create a resume that highlights your experience. Once again, I highly recommend Workamper News resources for helping you create a resume that translates your previous work history to suit the needs of common workamping jobs.

Questions to ask during the interview

You should not take a position without an interview. These will typically occur via telephone or video call. In addition to answering the prospective employer’s questions, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions of your own. Here are a few things you may want to know.

How many hours per week are required per person/couple?
Will couples be on the same schedule?
How many days per week are required?
Will a full hookup site be provided? If so, will the value be deducted from any pay.
What is the pay structure (if any)?
Will you have access to Wifi and a cell signal?
What other amenities are available – laundry, bathhouse, etc.?
Are pets allowed?

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