In this Pit Stop we chat with Fireman Ken, a veteran firefighter with decades of experience, and we tackle the age old question of leaving your propane on while you RV down the highway. Plus, he shares a few more tips to keep your trailer or motorhome safe from catching fire or even worse an explosion. Ken also divulges his most favorite place to camp in Washington State. We jump right into it, so buckle up.

A cast iron dutch oven has been in use since the early 1700’s. This camp cooking tool provides wonderful options from roasting, basting, searing, baking, and so much more. Joining us in this episode is Debra, with the Northwest Dutch Oven Society. What started in 1989 to help Boy Scouts earn their cast iron merit badge has turned into a Non-Profit Organization, that provides training seminars, demos, and workshops to re-introduce Dutch oven cooking as an alternative outdoor cooking method. In this episode Debra chats with us about how to get started, how to care for cast iron and why a dutch oven should be in everyone’s camp kitchen — this episode covers it all.

The town of Anacortes is located between Padilla Bay and the Salish Sea, and is known as the gateway to the San Juan Islands archipelago. The Pioneer Trails RV Resort is about 5 miles south of town. We stayed at this RV resort during the fall shoulder season, and in this episode I offer a few highlights on places to eat, and things to see in the small port town of Anacortes as well as provide a review of the campground.

The largest RV show in Washington State happens every year during President’s Day weekend.

The Seattle RV Show hosts over 20 local dealers and over 45 RV brands. In this episode, I spent the day with my son at the show, and we checked out so many different rvs. With my audio field recorder in hand, I walked the show talking with dealers about new product offerings, and about the state of the RV industry. We went, we saw and we’ve got a great show recap for you.

Plus, in the Pit Stop I brought along some campfire story prompts and had random dealers and attendees pick a card and share with us some of their greatest memories from their RV adventures.

We put our trailer to rest for three months out of the year. Where Bluejay just sits there waiting for our next adventure. The winters here on the west side of the Cascade Mountains are typically mild and wet. There are times the thermometer drops below freezing and the snow falls, but it’s not often and not for very long. During the three months of hibernation, I take some time to head out to our trailer for a mid-winter inspection. Just to see how it’s doing. In this Pit Stop I share my process and what it is that I look for when I’m checking on the trailer.

The reservation game for state and federal campgrounds is always a challenge. What if you could say goodbye to sold-out campgrounds? An emerging software solution allows you to set multiple alerts for your favorite campground(s) and get notified when there's a cancellation and a spot opens up. You can choose your campground or you can even drill down to your favorite site with a specific site number. Camper Alerts is the answer to finding a state or federal campground reservation. In this episode, we chat with the founder and developer, Thomas Vaughn to learn about his software, how it works, and provide you with all the details so you can easily set alerts for your future camping trips.

The annual Seattle RV Show is the biggest RV show in the Pacific Northwest. In this Pit Stop I share tips & tricks to help you navigate the show so not only can you have a great time checking everything out, but so you can also stay focused on what it is that you want to get out of the show. Whether attending for the full weekend, or hitting the show up for just a day. From your first show or to seasoned RVers — these tips will help you out.

The growing frustration for finding and reserving a campsite is real and you are not alone. While this may seem impossible, there is a solution. Joining us today is Terry Broussard, the CEO of an app called Spot2Nite that solves this problem. He is going to chat with us about how it works, and how their solution is different from other similar styles of apps. Plus, he even shares a few RV tips and tricks with us.

I like to check in with my kids, to ask them about the adventures that my wife and I have taken them on to see what has resonated for them, what struck them with awe. I posed this question to my kids, “Please share with me, a Place that we’ve RVed too that You Never Wanted to Leave. I recorded this audio at different times and with them both not in the room to hear what each other said so as to not influence an answer — Here what they had to say.

If you made Seattle a jumping off point for an RV trip, and only had 10 days of vacation to burn, then I’ve got a route for you that will maximize your experiences and include a lot of diverse landscapes here in Washington State. In this new Destination episode, I do a dive into places along the North Cascade Loop where you can camp, hike, paddle and explore. Along with some recommendations for a few of my favorites places to eat and enjoy a libation or two.

In the summer of 2022 we had a grand family trip planned, one for the memory banks of a lifetime. We hadn’t seen our East Coast family since before the pandemic and so we decided to drag our trailer across America from sea to shining sea. We learned a few lessons from the road on this trip, and I learned a few more about myself.

In 2035 all new vehicles sold in Washington State, California and now Oregon will need to be Zero Emission Vehicles in order to be legally registered. As RVers we typically drive full size pick-ups that can meet the demands for our towing needs. Or as those with Motorhomes have a need for diesel fuel while also perhaps pulling a toad or dinghy to have for their adventures once they get to a location. What does this new 2035 EV law mean to RVers?

As 2022 winds down, Brooks, your podcast host, is excited to share some news & updates about the show. He has big plans for 2023 for RV Out West and they just may involve you the listener. You will want to give this quick episode a listen to find out what is in store for the show in the new year.

From the fun, to the naughty, to the something handy we’ve got you covered with the best ideas for your next White Elephant Gift Exchange. White Elephant gift exchanges are fun, competitive and sometimes you can end up receiving a real treasure of a gift. The old expression that it is more fun to give than to receive I think rings especially true with this fun game & gift exchange. In this episode, I share 12 ideas for the perfect White Elephant Gift with those RVers in your life.

From Blackhawk missions in Afghanistan and Iraq to summiting mountains in Africa, Caleb, better known as Captain VD sits down with us at a campground picnic table and shares what he has learned about RVing in his first 6 camp set ups, what RV he now calls home to what his travel plans are for the next year or so. Captain VD now finds himself on the precipice of a great journey through the lower 48 celebrating the freedom of the open road in his brand new travel trailer.

Avoiding common safety check(s) can result in some frustrating travel days by leaving you stranded on the side of the road or worse it could even have the potential to be life threatening. In this episode, we chat with Tony Peterson of Outdoor Adventure Products, and we learn how to protect yourself and your family from these types of scenarios. This simple safety solution is easy to use and provides on-going monitoring so you can get in front of any potential issues.

Everett, Washington has never really been seen as a travel destination with Seattle just 25 miles to the south and the San Juan Islands or Vancouver, British Columbia a few hours to the north, this city gets passed by a lot. There are so many great things to see, outdoor activities to do, places to eat & drink, it’s worthy of its own stop. Find out all the Good Things that Happen Here.

Joining us on the show is Garret Hunt. The co-founder and CEO of Live In Everett. He spills the beans from a locals perspective on all things that are a local delight.

October is National Energy Awareness Month, and in this episode we chat with a renewable fuel expert out of Oregon, who shares the details with us about this great sustainable solution. The best part about this fuel is that it is pour and go, so you don’t need to make any modifications to your engine to use it.

If you are considering getting into the RV Life, and thinking of making the leap into a purchase of an RV, then this episode is for you. We discuss what you should consider when looking for an RV that is right for you.

The Oregon landscape showcases beautiful ecodiversity and is a pretty special place to RV. Joining us today is Kathy Belge of Solo Women RV. She spends her time solo traveling around the state for months at a time. While she is not full-time and does maintain a home in Portland, Oregon, she has found a balance of RV’ing and living in the city. In this episode she shares with us tips on solo travel, how she makes it work, and a great 10 day rv trip itinerary originating in Portland.