RV Resources - Chickery's Travels

Can You Travel Sustainably by RV?

As travel by RV grows in popularity, especially in the face of a global pandemic where keeping your distance from others is advisable, the question is often posed as to exactly how environmentally conscious it is to travel the country via this mode.

A staple in many of our holiday plans, packing up the kids and some essentials, and loading everyone into the RV and seeing what happens is always going to be an appealing prospect. No fighting your way through the airport with tired kids. No need to find a suitable rest stop for bathroom breaks and no packing and unpacking as you move from destination to destination. An RV is a home away from home and a perfect way to see the world depending on where you are traveling.

Being able to maintain your eco-credentials when RVing within the US or abroad isn’t impossible. At first glance, RV travel may not appear to be sustainable; however, there are ways you can look to offset your carbon footprint when traveling via this mode.

Split Your Travels

Especially when traveling abroad, why not consider splitting your vacation time between a fixed base and RV travel around the country. We recently interviewed our friend Michelle of BenandMichelle.com about RV travel in Australia. See the video below.

You can rent vacation homes anywhere in the world to enjoy a more authentic visit–just look at these houses for rent in Kota Kinabalu. This method of travel can help you to reduce your carbon footprint and explore the area like a local. Spending money that is put back into the local economy, walking as much as possible and using local businesses are all legitimate ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and put back into the economy at a grassroots level.

Avoid Disposable Items

Another great thing about traveling by RV is that you can take all your own gear with you. Just having your own dinnerware and cutlery will save you money and save the environment by reducing the need to buy disposable items. Try to opt for more eco-friendly and sustainable items to reuse throughout your journey and avoid buying products you will need to replace.

When purchasing an RV consider the appliances that will make your life easier on long or frequent RV trips. For instance, a super compact portable washing machine can help you to save water and on costs of doing your laundry as you won’t need to visit laundromats on your travels.

Of course we always try to use cleaning supplies that are kinder to the environment to reduce the damage done from chemicals entering the ground or local water systems. Biodegradeable and plant-based cleaners are always better when boondocking as you don’t want to release harmful chemicals with your gray water. We always try to be aware that our actions have a direct impact on the world around us and remember to help preserve the land we are visiting.

RV Power Sources

One step further to reduce your carbon footprint is to convert your RV to more sustainable energy sources when parked and employ other tips for reducing emissions and saving on fuel efficiency when driving.

Our power upgrade included swapping our lead-acid house batteries to lithium and installing solar panels. When stationary, we consider it to be the epitome of sustainability.

When on the road, there is no denying that at around 8 miles per gallon RV’s are less than friendly to the environment. And with more than 1 in 12 households in the US owning an RV, that is a lot of RV’s on the road. So one thing we do is to play our part is reduce the total miles by taking longer duration trips so we can stay in one place longer, or take shorter trips closer to home.

Another tip for improving fuel efficiency and overall performance is preventative maintenance Before heading out on a long journey, make sure you have given your RV a fine-tuning. Making sure your lights are working correctly, tires are properly inflated – this can save you up to 20% on fuel efficiency, and your engine is working as it should do along with all the other components will help you to save on fuel bills and lessen the impact your RV will have on the environment.

Finally, pay close attention to how you drive too. Slow your acceleration and take your time as you drive keeping to speed limits to reduce emissions and maximize your fuel consumption. Avoid sudden braking and reduce your speed gradually.

A Final Note

As you can see traveling sustainably by RV isn’t impossible. It can take some effort and planning to change how you are used to traveling, but it is worth the rewards. Obviously any type of travel leaves a carbon footprint, but we see RV travel when done right, as a better alternative to flying. Just employing the subtle changes we mentioned her will help towards reducing your impact on the world around you.

8:30 am by Julie Chickery

Prepare to Travel Full-Time in an RV

So you’ve decided to take the leap into full-time RV living, and now you’re wondering what you need to do to get there. There are many reasons to live and travel full-time in a recreational vehicle from saving money to a desire to see more of our beautiful country. In this article, I’ll cover a few key steps you can follow to prepare yourself and your RV in a stress-free way!

The RV Purchase

Before you start looking at RVs, first consider your RV life. How you plan to live and travel in your RV should have a huge impact on what type of RV you choose. Consider these questions for a start:

How quickly do you plan to travel? Breaking down and moving often can be more cumbersome with some RVs than others.
Which room in your home is most important to you? If you enjoy cooking, you may want an RV with a large kitchen. If you work remotely, you will need to consider a comfortable workspace.
What type of activities do you enjoy? Will you want room for indoor activities or space outside the RV to carry bikes and kayaks?
Do you plan to stay mostly at privately owned campgrounds or would you like to frequent national parks? Most national park campgrounds have smaller sites and restrict larger RVs.
Would you like to dry camp or boondock often? If so, you’ll need to consider your power sources, water tanks, and

Here’s a video we created discussing some tips on choosing the right RV for you.

Download our free RV shopping tips here.

If you are in doubt about what type of RV to purchase, we recommend renting first. Peer-to-peer RV rental services have all makes and models of RVs. You can even rent a fifth wheel or travel trailer and have it delivered to a nearby campground if you don’t have a truck yet.

One great way to save money and yourself from a very costly mistake is to purchase used ones. Read this article to answer the question should I buy new or used?

RV Gear

Once you have your RV, there will still be work to get it ready for your full-time RV travels. This will include purchasing the essentials and completing any required modifications. This ranges from electrical and water systems to safety gear and comfort items.

Electrical Systems

There are a few key items you may need for your RV’s electrical systems.

The first and most important is a Surge Guard electrical management system. This is much more than a surge protector. It provides total electrical protection for your RV. Any surge or even low voltage issue can wreak havoc with your RV’s sensitive electrical components, so don’t try to cut costs by skipping this item.

If you are at a campsite with power, you’ll need a power cord. While your RV likely came with one, you’ll want to check and see how long it is and where it plugs into your RV. The last thing you want to do is arrive at a campsite after a long day of driving and realize the power post at the rear of the site is too far for your cord. If you have a 50 amp RV, you may also want to purchase a 50 to 30 amp adapter known as a dog bone. This will allow you to connect to the 30-amp power pedestals often found at state and national parks.

Another essential piece of equipment you’ll need if you want to do any off-grid camping is a generator. For RV’s, the type you specifically need is called an inverted generator. Not only are they quiet and compact, but they provide a more stable stream of power. With a generator, you can power your entire RV, from wall outlets to convection ovens and lights no matter where you are camping.

Water & Waste Systems

You’re going to need a few items to manage your RV water and waste systems. First, you’ll want a long potable water hose to connect to a water source at your site or at a potable water fill station. In between the water spigot and the hose, you’ll also need to add a water pressure regulator and a water filtration system.

You’ll also need a sewer hose to empty the black & gray water waste tanks either at your full hook-up site or a dump station. We’ve used the RhinoFlex hose for years. We are glad we got the 20′ because not every campsite and dump station is created equal. Some are placed quite far from where you’d expect. The clear elbow and 4-in-1 dump station fitting will make life much simpler too.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The most important piece of safety equipment you can buy is a tire pressure monitoring system or TPMS. It consists of a series of sensors systems that screw onto each tire’s valve stem to monitor tire air pressure and temperature. We have the sensors installed on the Fifth Wheel and truck tires. The TPMS alerts the driver if a tire gets too hot or has pressure outside the desired range (too high or too low). This gives you time to pull over safely before a blowout occurs. We personally recommend the TST 507.

Those are the basics, but see our list of essential items that every RVer needs for more recommendations.

RV Modifications & Renovations

No RV is perfect. You will likely want to make some changes to make it feel like home. Our two major projects were a solar and lithium power upgrade and interior decor renovations.

Watch our four-part series on our RV solar and lithium power upgrade:

See the costs associated with our RV remodel:

Take some time to think about how you plan to use your RV, then prioritize what projects you’ll want to undertake to make it your own.

RV Familiarization

Now you have your new RV home, you’ll want to get to know it well. If you are an experienced RV traveler, or you’ve had your RV for quite some time, this should be a fairly easy step. But if the RV is new to you, give yourself some time before you move into it full-time.

One thing to be aware of: an RV comes with stacks of user manuals, not just one. The reason for this is that your RV manufacturer makes the body of the RV, but all the components like the air conditioner, furnace, oven, microwave, stairs, leveling jacks, etc. are made by other manufacturers. You’ll want to test all of these components and make sure they are working well before you move into your RV. It is much easier to leave your RV at the shop for warranty work if you have another place to stay.

You’ll also want to get some practice driving and parking before you set out for a cross-country adventure. A great place to start is with an RV Driving School. Simply go to their website and find an instructor near you for a personalized training for parking and driving all types of RVs.

Downsizing

To state the obvious, an RV is considerably smaller than your average house. With a smaller space, it’s important to reduce the number of “things” lying around which can cause clutter.

Secondly, you can start to reduce the size of your closet. You may love clothes, but do you really need them all?

Lastly, the other extras such as books, cooking utensils, and extra bedding or towels. All of these extras can be sold in person, online, or even donated to charity shops.

A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn it or used it in the last month, you probably don’t need it.

The hardest items to part with for many are those with sentimental value. Check out my article on tips for overcoming common hurdles with downsizing.

The Take-Away

Now we have covered the major steps to prepare for full-time RV living: RV purchase, RV gear, RV modifications, and downsizing.

The steps can seem fairly basic, however, it’s easy to forget some of the most important things to check when you have so much to think about.

While it can feel like a huge change you should now hopefully feel more confident to tackle, and even enjoy, preparing for your new lifestyle!

11:49 am by Julie Chickery

Why It’s Important for Kids to Travel

Stop us if this sounds familiar. You like to travel. Maybe you take a couple of vacations to a sunny resort or campground every year or maybe even plan to travel full-time. Then, you have children and life gets really busy. Kids can be expensive, they need a lot of stuff and you may be afraid the experience of travel will be lost on them.

While there’s no doubt that traveling with kids poses a bigger logistical effort than your carefree couple’s vacations, there are huge benefits to traveling with children, for them and for you.

RV travel and camping with your kids and grandkids is a great way to expose them to new places and experiences.

We traveled often with our sons while they were growing up and can’t wait to have grandchildren to taken on adventures too. If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford to travel regularly, then you will be providing your children with a fantastic opportunity to learn about the world and develop helpful life skills.

Here are some of the lifelong benefits to children that traveling and camping as a family can provide.

How to make traveling with children easier

The key to successfully traveling with children is all about preparation. The more thoroughly you plan, the more in control you will feel. From the places you stay to the travel insurance you buy, you want to make sure that you are ticking all the boxes when it comes to preparedness and safety. Children tend to be accident-prone so make sure you have spares of new glasses, medications, and a first aid kit.

While planning is vital, it’s not realistic to expect everything to run smoothly. So if you are thrown off track by something, try not to stress about it too much, it’s not the end of the world. Retain a flexible attitude and the little challenges will just slide right off you.

There are so many terrific family travel bloggers out there sharing their top tips and ideas to help make traveling with children simpler and more fulfilling. One of my favorites is Crazy Outdoor Mama. She offers tons of great tips for camping with kids from infants to teens.

The world gets bigger for them

It’s very easy to get caught up in our own little corner of the world, thinking it is the be-all and end-all of everything. Learning about geography in school or seeing it on TV is no substitute for actually being there. You don’t have to go thousands of miles away, even a short road trip will expose them to different locations and types of people. Travel is invaluable for getting perspective on the world and your place in it.

It encourages independence

Kids can learn many life skills that they won’t at home. Getting your kids involved in the planning and packing for the trip will build their independence and critical thinking skills.

Traveling and camping give your children and grandchildren a sense of independence.

They develop respect for other cultures

Tensions in the press and on social media are a huge indicator that we are becoming less respectful of other cultures. Travelling lets children experience various cultures and traditions.

Camping with your children and grandchildren is a great way to help them become more social and make a diverse group of friends.

While it’s not possible to protect our kids from intolerance and stereotyping, we can raise them to know how to deal with this in an open-minded and tolerant way. They may also make some new friends along the way.

They learn about history

When you travel, you are exposing children to a rich history of the country you’re visiting. Young children are sponges for knowledge so take them to see historical buildings and artifacts and teach them (and you) the history behind them.

By igniting their interest in history, they will begin to grasp how cultures change and evolve.

Encourages adaptability

Travelling requires kids to leave their routine and get out of their comfort zone. Learning to cope with change, even embrace it, is a fantastic skill to develop in your children. It will serve them well as adults.

It sparks their imagination

It was Bruce Barton that said ‘if you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm’. Developing your child’s imagination and lust for knowledge is a great thing that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Curious and imaginative people get things done, they ask the right questions and they change the world.

It teaches them to appreciate experiences

When you have children, it’s hard to fight the consumerist culture that is all around us in the modern world. Children want things. Toys, clothes, electronics. It can feel like an uphill battle to get them to appreciate something that isn’t tangible.

Regular traveling, with positive experiences, will teach your children that life isn’t all about the things you buy them, but the experiences you give them in their lives. This is what they’ll remember when they are older and looking back on their childhood.

Allows you to spend quality time together as a family

Modern life is busy. Between work, school, homework, and camp, it can feel like you don’t get to spend much time together. Family time is vital for kids. It not only strengthens your relationships, but it helps them to become well-rounded, confident adults who can connect with people.

Travelling gives your family time that extra level of importance and excitement. You’re experiencing new things together for the first time. Connecting outside of your usual home life lets you focus on your kids rather than the distractions that we all have.

Conclusion

Your wanderlust doesn’t have to end when you have kids, in fact, you hardly even need to postpone it. Yes, the thought of traveling with kids can be expensive and daunting. After all, we’ve all been on a flight or a bus with the screaming kids. We worry that this is going to be us. Many people choose to stop traveling altogether while others choose to play it safe and head to kid-friendly resorts.

Whatever you decide to do, you need to remember that there a huge advantages to your children seeing and experiencing the world. Their personal and emotional development can benefit hugely and you will expand their view of the world and other cultures.

Though traveling at the moment is not easy due to the global restrictions around COVID-19, it will give you plenty of time to research your next trip and reignite your wanderlust. You could even get your kids involved too, and they can start learning about other places while you are waiting for your vacation to come around.

Traveling with kids is tough, but it can also be life-changing, for them and you.