Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

July 15, 2018 by Julie 4 Comments

Top RV Gadgets & Accessories

Over the last five years of full-time RV travel, we’ve tried our share of gadgets and accessories to make life easier. In honor of our 5 year Nomadiversary we decided to list the top 5 that we absolutely can’t do without.

Watch the video below as we discuss our top 5 RV accessories or read below for a more in-depth explanation of each one. 

Electrical Management System

The Surge Guard is much more than a surge protector. It provides total electrical protection for your RV. The Surge Guard is also the only device on the market to protect line and load side electrical, and we learned the hard way how valuable it is. We had a surge take out our power transfer switch, and it cost more than this to fix it. We have the external one, but they also make one that can be hard wired. They also make a 30 amp system.

Click here for a free Electrical Information Guide to help you decide which protection system is best for you or watch this terrific video below where Eric explains what the Surge Guard will do for you.

TST Tire Pressure Monitoring Solution

This TST Tire Pressure Monitoring System saved us twice within a year of purchase. It doesn’t stop flat tires, but it can save you from a lot of damage to your RV in the event of a blow out by early warning.  It monitors both  tire pressure and heat, which are the leading indicators of tire failure.

Watch our install and review video below or click here to read our full in depth assessment.

We purchased both of the items above through Techno RV, which is owned by Full-Time RVers who test all the products themselves.

 

Battle Born Lithium Batteries

This is an investment in your RV that you will be grateful for again and again. Before we upgraded from lead acid to lithium batteries we were constantly worried about keeping our residential refrigerator powered overnight without damaging the batteries or

We choose Battle Born Batteries after we met the founders and some of their team at a rally last year. They are terrific folks and really care about their product and their customers.

Want to learn more about us & how how well Battle Born Batteries work for us? Check out this cool video they made!

Want to see Sean’s total power upgrade and DIY install ? Start here. He even includes a parts list and all the costs.

When we downsized our toy hauler to a 30′ fifth wheel earlier this year, we took our lithium batteries with us and upgraded the existing solar. Learn more about that DIY solar project here. 

RV SnapPad® Permanent RV Jackpad Solution

We love our RV SnapPads so much that we took them with us when we purchased a new RV.  They are easily installed directly onto your RV’s jacks to provide increased stability and protect your jackpads.

Watch the video review below or read our full review here.

DIY Water Filtration System

We’ve used several single canister water filters on our RV in the past, but our water lines still managed to gather particles that would slow or stop the water flow to our faucets. The problem was especially noticeable in the kitchen sink and the shower. Restoring full water flow required finding where the particles were lodged in the lines, and then cleaning them out.

If you'd like to ensure you have clean drinking water and want to protect your RV water lines, but don't want to pay a lot of money for a water filtration system, consider this DIY RV Water Filter system. Follow our easy steps to create your own.In addition, we found that most of the single canister filters are made with carbon filters. These filters are really only good for the taste and smell of the water, but do nothing to keep the water lines clear of sand, silt, scale, or rust particles. We choose to create our own DIY water filtration system with a series of 3 high flow canisters.

Click here to read the instructions and watch a video on construction of this DIY Water System. 

If you prefer a ready-made solution, check out the RV Water Filter Store. Managed by full-time RVers they have several plug-and-play options. The one most similar to ours is called the South of the Border.

Internet Connectivity

We’ve struggled with having reliable internet for our needs as Full-Time remote employees. Many freelancers are able to manage with a bit of connectivity here and there, but we need to video conference every weekday. We tried several different options on our first year on the road, and now have it dialed in. We’ve been using a Pepwave router, which also serves as a cellular signal and wifi booster, for three years now and we love it! 

Need More? 

It was really hard to pick our top 5. Click here to see our longer list of the 19 Essential Items Every RV Needs. 

What are your top RV gadgets?

What are your favorite RV gadgets or must-have items? We’re always looking for ways to simplify our lives. Leave us a comment if you have any additions to this list!

See the top 4 RV gadgets and accessories that we can't live without. These products and DIY projects will make your camping experience more comfortable for the whole family. You can use them for any type of RV, motorhome, 5th wheel, travel trailer, or camper.

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These five items are so important for any RV that we can't believe they don't come with them. The list includes safety and comfort upgrades to make your next trip to the campground a success. Applicable to all motorhomes, fifth wheels and campers alike!

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August 9, 2017 by Julie 5 Comments

RV Kitchen Cooking Videos

I’ve made a few videos showing how I cook in my small RV kitchen using my top 3 “must have” appliances: a Cuisinart mini food processor, 3 Qt Instant Pot Duo Mini, and Vitamix blender. I cook daily on my three burner propane stove top and in a propane stove. I also have a microwave and Weber Q1000 propane grill, but I don’t use them very often. We’re actually considering converting the microwave to a convection oven/microwave combination.

 

For more videos on Cooking for Two and Experimenting with the Instant Pot, scroll to the bottom of the page.

In this first video, I make three recipes using potatoes as a central ingredient: a large batch of soup that we can have for a lunch a few days, potato salad for a side dish one day during the week, and a lentil shepherd’s pie for dinner that night.

Subscribe below to download the free recipes 

In episode 2, I make Potato Leek Soup and a Green Smoothie using my Vitamix blender.

In episode 3 I make Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles and a Coconut Cream Fruit Salad.

I love to follow this YouTube channel, Let’s Cook Y’all that have meal planning and cooking for two. She does a lot of experimenting with the Instant Pot too. Here’s an example:

For more on how we live in our tiny, traveling home click here.

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share the image below on Pinterest. 

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Campers, condos, and RVs are notorious for small kitchens. Watch these videos for ideas, recipes, and tips to make the most of your small space.

Filed Under: Cooking Videos, RV Resources, Small Kitchen Cooking Tagged With: cooking in an rv, easy rv meals, how to cook in an rv, how to cook on the road, instant pot, instant pot rv, little kitchen, preparing food in an rv, rv accessories, rv cooking, rv cooking gadgets, rv cooking ideas, rv cooking instant pot, rv cooking recipes, rv cooking tips, rv food, rv food storage, rv galley, RV kitchen, rv kitchen cooking, rv kitchen gadgets, rv kitchen layout, rv kitchen organization, rv kitchen products, rv kitchen storage, rv kitchen tips, rv kitchen tour, rv meals, shepherds pie, small kitchen cooking, small kitchen cooking videos, small space cooking, tiny cooking, tiny kitchen, vegan cooking, vegan dinner, vegan dinner meal prep, vegan dinner recipes, vegan dinner recipes for beginners, vegan food ideas, vegan food prep, vegan food recipes, vegan foods for beginners, vegan recipe, vegan recipes, what to cook in your rv

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