This podcast episode emphasizes the importance of making time for downtime while enjoying the RV lifestyle. Hosts Eric Stark and Alexis discuss how RVers often get caught up in the hustle of travel, forgetting to disconnect from work and technology. They highlight the significance of truly relaxing and recharging during trips, encouraging listeners to enjoy their vacations without the distractions of emails and social media. Additionally, Eric shares valuable insights on purchasing RV accessories wisely, advising against unnecessary upgrades and emphasizing the importance of buying local for warranty work. The episode also features a review of Glacier View Campground in Idaho, showcasing its stunning natural beauty and recreational opportunities.

The podcast embarks on an insightful journey into the heart of RV ownership, focusing on the intricacies of purchasing an RV and the importance of making informed decisions. Eric Stark opens the discussion with a critical examination of the risks associated with buying an RV from a distant dealer. He highlights the challenges that arise when warranty work is needed, emphasizing that consumers should carefully consider the geographical implications of their purchase. By sharing personal stories of customers who faced difficulties due to their choice of dealer, Eric paints a vivid picture of the potential pitfalls that savvy buyers must navigate. This discussion serves as an important reminder that the allure of a great deal should not overshadow the necessity of reliable service and support after the sale.

In a poignant segment, Alexis joins Eric to explore the often-overlooked aspect of downtime in the RV lifestyle. Together, they reflect on how the hustle and bustle of modern life can infiltrate our cherished vacations, leaving little room for relaxation. They emphasize the value of stepping away from screens and social obligations to immerse oneself in the natural beauty that RVing offers fully. By fostering a mindset that prioritizes genuine downtime, they encourage listeners to redefine their travel experiences as opportunities for rejuvenation and connection with nature, showcasing the true essence of RVing.

Additionally, the episode provides practical advice on money-saving strategies for RV travelers. Eric introduces listeners to tip number five, which focuses on utilizing apps to locate the best fuel prices on their journeys. His enthusiasm for tools like Mud Flap highlights the importance of being proactive about expenses, especially in an era of rising fuel costs. By combining practical tips with enriching discussions about lifestyle choices, the podcast offers a well-rounded perspective on the RV experience, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their travel adventures.

Takeaways:

• Choosing to buy an RV locally can significantly ease the warranty process later on.
• Disconnecting from technology while RVing allows you to truly enjoy your downtime and nature.
• Be cautious about unnecessary upgrades; sometimes, existing equipment is sufficient for your needs.
• Using fuel discount apps like Mud Flap can help you save money on gas during trips.
• Consider the actual need for RV accessories before making purchases, as many may be unnecessary.
• The freedom of the RV lifestyle is best enjoyed without the burden of constant connectivity.

Important Links for The Smart RVer

Enjoying the RV Life

Money Saving Tips

The Next Stop

Contact Eric or Alexis

Call or Text Us 406-961-8688

Saving  Cash for Fuel - Mud Flap Fuel App

Transparent RV Extended Warranties - Wholesale Warranties

Buy it now and how important that buy it now button seems to be. And enjoying the RV life. We're going to explore the idea of making time for downtime and how important it is.

And also we're going to hit money saving tip number five. And in the next stop, we're going to explore Glacier View campground in Idaho. And then in RV Envy, it's going to tie in with staying on the road.

The must have RV accessories. Which video or list do you trust? This is Eric Sark with the smart RV or podcast delivering the smarts.

You need to enjoy the freedom of the RV lifestyle without the fear of breaking down. Let's talk everything RV. And today is episode number 165. So let's dig right in. I'm here today. Alexis is here today. Say hi to everybody, Alexis.

Hello.

All right, so we're both sick. Everybody here is sick. So we're here in the early morning hours while it's still 20 degrees out, trying to do this podcast.

So it might be a little rough today. Mentally. I'm off big time. So we're not even gonna do technical stuff today. I can't even think, Okay, I don't even know what 12 volts is anymore.

Don't use a volt meter. Use a techno. I don't know. So anyway, so it might be a rough episode where we don't have any banks. So we're doing this one. It's going live.

Today's Thursday, going tomorrow, you know, so it's gonna be out there Friday morning. So we're sick. Everybody here sick. And. But the show goes on, as they say.

That's right.

It's speaking about the show going on if you buy a new rv. This was something just.

I've talked about it before, but it comes up again and again when you buy a new RV and you buy it out of the area where you live, maybe the dealer's there, the price is too much. You don't want to deal with them. You know, they have a horrible reputation. That's probably everywhere. I love those little things.

But, you know, when it comes time to do warranty work, sometimes it can be a total nightmare if you have to drag your RV or drive it someplace hundreds of miles away to get warranty work done because no one in the area will do the warranty work because you didn't buy it from them. And sometimes that boils down to, like a dematic warranty. Even though it's a new rv, the warranty is through Dometic, not the manufacturer of the rv.

But it's easier to take it back to the dealership, even if it's a Dometic or Suburban warranty, because it just makes it easier because there are generally other things you need done too, that would not be specific to Dometic or Suburban or Coleman, whoever it might be. If at all possible, try to buy your RV someplace where it's local, where they'll do the. Or, you know, where you can get the warranty work done.

And if you can't do it, if you can't, I mean, there are reasons why you should. There's some dealerships around us that, you know, heck, I drove hundreds of miles not to buy one from them, you know, and I can see that.

But remember, the warranty work might become a hassle. And so some warranty things might just be easier to pay to have it done right, Period.

And when a dealership tells you, like, maybe it's a local one, you know, buy the RV from them, they say, no, we don't do warranty work on that.

If it's a Dometic product, a Coleman product, a Furrion product, a Suburban product, whatever it might be, as long as it's not the rv, the brand itself, they do warranty work on it. They just don't want to do it. Warranty work doesn't pay very well. I mean, let's just be honest. It doesn't pay. It's a hassle.

Like Dometic, you know, they want you to check 28 different things and turn in a report on the most mundane, ridiculous thing. This is what it needs. Cut and dry. Oh, no. We need to have all these readings and sensors. It's like dealing with NASA.

You know, you're putting a part on the space shuttle or something. So just keep that in mind. Warranty work is not, you know, the warranty is there, but doesn't mean everybody's going to do it or even want to do it.

You know, to be really honest with you, most places don't like doing it. So that's just a little tip. Buy local if you can.

But if you know you just can't do it, then when you buy it someplace else, remember the warranty problems might become an issue. A bigger issue than what they already are. Okay, now as a reminder, our next episode is going to be 166.

At least we think is great. We hope you guys like it, but it's going to be. It's just going to be awesome. Right, Alexis? In fact, it ties in with that mug.

You can't see it, but Alexis. Well, unless you're watching the video version, it's about Route 66. That's what our mugs about. So. But it's beyond that. All right, so here we are.

Let's get into the show and get into enjoying the RV life section. So, Alexis, what made you choose make time for Downtime?

Well, I think as RVers, that sounds.

Like a song title. Make time for Dan Time.

I'm sure it is somewhere. Some K pop or something. No, not really. Well, that's kind of the point. I think as RVers, we get really busy.

We want to travel as much as we can, you know, especially in Montana. We have to fit it in where we can. So we're just go, go going.

And I think partly we lose a little bit of what arving is about, which is about getting away from society, getting away from your phone, getting away from social media and having that actual downtime that lets you recharge. And so that's what we're kind of talking about today is, is getting back to that just disconnect from what you're always on at work and just at home.

We do it to ourselves. We get into this habit of being so attached and connected to everyone and everything, and sometimes you just have to get away from that.

And that's what our being is about. If we can really train ourselves to do that and to just relax and not have to go, you know, somewhere crazy, we can.

We can pick a place that's close, go and just get away from everything and it be the nicest trip you've ever been on. So that's kind of what we're talking about today.

Well, that's very true. And you know, these. You make a trip and sometimes all you're doing is checking your emails, texting with your friends, family, social media.

Oh, look, an alert. So and so is online. Oh, my gosh. We got to drop what we're doing and see what they're doing. Who cares, man?

You're on your trip, you know, everybody, most everybody knows you're gone. Or probably, you know, most everybody just ignore it. Everything will hold till Monday.

Yep.

Or Sunday or whatever, you know, And I go on trips. I always check my email Once a day. If it's a weekend, once a day. If it's during the week, twice a day.

Just because I get so many emails, it doesn't mean I follow up on it. It was just getting my inbox clear.

I gotcha.

If I go for three days without checking my email, man, what a nightmare it is.

People think you're dead, but on trips.

Man, I have email on my phone. I don't pay attention to it.

Good for you.

And that's it. I just let it all go.

Good. That's the point.

Disconnect.

That's what follows, right?

For some people listening to a podcast, maybe they, maybe they don't really understand what that is. But there was a time when you left town, you didn't have email or anything. You had nothing, Nothing.

It would be a pay phone at the campground if you wanted to call somebody.

And that was it, you know, and then cell phones came on the scene, but you still have email, mobile, email and stuff like that, you know, so it's something that has never been a necessity. All of a sudden is becoming runs our life.

Yeah.

So disconnect. But for the rest of the article, which is a great article, it's on our website, the Smart RV or dot com and join the RV Life.

There's a link to it in the description, like always links to everything.

Which, speaking of links to everything, there's always going to be a link from here on out about how to contact us using our contact page on the Smart rver and our phone number. So you can call us with questions or whatever. You know, we're here to help.

If you guys got questions or you have an experience you want to share, share with. We want to hear about it. There's no bad experience that we don't want to know. You know, like, you know, they say there's no dumb question.

Well, there's no dumb experience. We want to hear it all. We want questions from you. If you guys are having issues with products.

You know, I put a call out a while back for mini Split AC systems and we want to hear from you guys. That's what we're here for. Until we get so many phone calls and messages we can't handle with it. Handle it, then we'll just keep asking for it.

So let us have it all right now.

Also, we're going to talk about money saving tip number five, which says, you know, saving money on gasoline, not necessarily mileage, which we talked about in the last episode, but just buying fuel, you know, using a card, a discount Card or something makes absolute sense. And there are some apps out there and one of them that we've recommended in the past and we still recommend it today is Mud Flap.

It's an app you can put on your phone and it helps you find lower priced fuel prices. It might not work for everybody in every area. It's still a growing app, but they seem to do pretty well. So you might check it out.

There's gonna be a link to it in the description of this podcast. Like I said, I'm sick. Hard to think here, you know, I don't even know what I'm doing right now.

But you know, with prices changing so much, where they go down or up, it doesn't matter. Even if it keeps going down, you still want to save money. It all adds up.

At the end of the trip, if you save 50 bucks, 100 bucks, 150, you know, 200, whatever, that's money that goes towards the trip or a repair or some sort of maintenance, you know, just saves you money overall. I mean, ideally it's just to save money anymore.

There's so many problems or so many things happening right now with inflation and prices going up and yeah, the list goes on and on. So when you think about this episode or this section here, it's, you know, take when you go on a trip, make it downtime.

Don't make it work time or anything else, just make it downtime. Enjoy your vacation, your one day, two day, three days, weeks, whatever it is, just flat out and enjoy it.

All right, so you can go to the smart rv.com and read more about this under RV Envy, the whole full articles there. Make time for downtime. Now moving on to staying on the road.

So this is a little bit different today because I'm not feeling so well and I can't think in technical terms. We're going to talk about something else that ties in with RV Envy. RV Envy is about buying things that you don't have to have.

And that came to me a couple weeks ago and I thought, well, that'd be a good one because I was watching some YouTube videos and then earlier this week, because I was at home sick, I was watching this show on documentary on Netflix about Buy It Now. Is Buy it Now the conspiracy behind, let me find it here, about the big brands, how big brands are trashing the planet. And you know, it's so true.

But I'm not going to get into the pollution side of it. I mean, that is an issue. You know, the planet is just getting destroyed with all the stuff that consumers buy, which is all of us, we all buy stuff.

So we're all guilty as charged. Right. But it's making sensible purchases. And, you know, going back in time, you know, thinking about when I was a kid, it was real simple.

You know, you needed a new pair of shoes. You go to the shoe store and, you know, there were shoe stores that weren't in malls. They were just on streets.

You know, there'd be a shoe store and next to it would be a house, you know, depending where you lived. Or maybe there's a downtown area where it had maybe two shoe stores, a sporting goods store.

But, you know, you didn't have a thousand or no, a thousand choices. It's probably a million. Yeah, a million choices today.

You know, you type in athletic footwear online and, you know, make your choice now what kind of shoe you're going to buy. Holy smokes. And every shoe is better than the other one. So, you know, shopping as a child for my parents is much easier.

Here's where you're going, you know, and if you wanted cats, you'd go to the store that sold cads.

Yep.

If you wanted, whatever, Vans, you know, they were popular when I was a kid, you'd go to the store that sold vans, you know, and gosh, getting vans was like a big deal, man, I was like a treat. Well, man, my parents are springing for vans this time, you know, so, you know, that's how life was. It was different.

You know, it wasn't like Mayberry with Andy and Opie, but it was, you know, not far from that. Go to the grocery store. There was just like one type of yogurt. You know, my mom would say, go get some yogurt.

And, you know, I think there was like maybe two flavors or three or something, but it was still. It was real yogurt, too. It had all the. This horrible sounding stuff in the bacteria. Streptococcal is and whatever, but it was the real deal.

And all you had to ask was what size. Basically, you know, oh, mom, can I get a tangerine flavored one? Maybe that was the only flavor they had, you know, or yellow or lemon yellow.

Yellow flavor. Eat the yellow yogurt. But, you know, it was so simple. And, you know, cereal, there was a lot of cereal, but not like today.

Yeah, that's.

And everything was easier.

There were so many less items, There were so many less stores, and there are so many less advertisements pushing all the garbage that everybody says we need, you know, so parents weren't Blowing their money on all this junk. They weren't regurgitating TVs every three years. They weren't buying their kids new iPhones every three years.

They were putting that money into putting those kids through college or keeping food on the table, depending on their financial circumstances. It was a different world. Now today, when a baby comes out of the womb, the first thing it says is iPhone. And the second thing is, where's mine?

That's true, you know.

Yeah.

I don't know if it says it in the Bible that it's a God given right, but it certainly seems that way, you know, that at birth you need an iPhone.

Yeah. Not even I had one.

Yeah. Alexis is not as old as me, so she's born in this millennial, that generation he's looking really.

But she's not like a lot of the younger people out there.

Try not to be.

Alexis is an older soul, as some might say for better or worse. But so, you know, it's in society changes. It changes all the time.

And, you know, it's like my parents told me things that, you know, I would never see in my lifetime. Like I'd never be able to buy a house. And, you know, I bought my first house when I was like 21 years old. It just worked out.

I had a good job, making good money. I was driven, you know. But their parents told them things that they would never be able to do in their lifetime.

And some of those things came true, some of them didn't. And that's the way it is. But today, you know, parents talk about things that were simpler.

And younger people think, oh, gosh, this guy's on heroin, man. What's he thinking, Right? But, you know, it wasn't that long ago.

You know, I remember in my 20s, I was remodeling a house, you know, I needed a nail gun and an air compressor. And, you know, it was really easy. I just went to M and W Electric. They're the only place in Torrance that sold that type of stuff.

Go in and they had like two brands, Senco and Bostitch and the air compressor, I forget what brand it is, are still in business today. In fact, my brother's a representative for their company, mglo. That's it. And you buy them and that's it. You go out the door and you're done.

It didn't matter what it costs, you know, that was it.

Yep.

And you got an okay deal. You know, it felt good anyways. And, you know, I looked at one, remodeling my house. Myself, I'm saving a ton of money.

Yeah.

And, you know, I saw that nail gun today, and I saw that air compressor today, and they work fine. And it's different. You go buy a new compressor today, it's going to last you for a few years. You'll be throwing it away. A nail gun, throw away.

You know, so things have changed. And, you know, we're not going to change the world. That's for darn sure. This world is going the way it's going, and there's no stopping it.

But the point I'm getting to, which is taken the long way around here, but you got a little backstory. Right. Make it fun, interesting.

See, what this knucklehead's talking about today is, you know, how many things do you buy that in a month or two months are outdated according to the companies?

Yep.

You know, like, I'm looking at some of our equipment in our studio now. We have some Panasonic cameras, which is amazing that they're still making the same model after at least eight, nine, ten years.

Yeah.

Maybe even longer. The same exact model.

We have multiple, and they're the same exact model, but yet I have some road equipment that you buy it, you use it, and now you get an email saying, oh, you got to get our new version of this. It's so much better. Well, what's so much better about it? The form factor, the shape of it. Yeah, it costs more. There you go. So you know what?

It not only costs more, it actually costs twice as much. And you know why I say that? Because you already have one that works. So you buy the second one that's supposedly better that just.

You just doubled your investment in that piece of equipment. And then you'll think, well, I'll sell the old one. Who wants to buy the old one? Man, everybody knows it's old now. God.

Thing's been out for a year and a half now. Who was that? You know, it's like an iPhone, you know, you can't have an iPhone9, man. Especially like a kid.

But so it just never ends, and we all fall victim to it.

And so when you're buying RV parts, in fact, we might not even be able to do RVing, because I'm just going to go right into it, you know, but when you're buying RV parts, and this is really what I'm getting at, the rest of the stuff in your life, you know, whatever this applies to it, but it's on you, what you do, you know, because I know you're probably not Buying RV parts like you are other stuff. I mean some people really invest in their rv. They have, you know, great products, they have a great rv.

Other people buy it, they treat it for what it is, something they use and they have all the right equipment, but they don't go beyond that. There's like, maybe not a physical budget, but there's a mental budget. Like, hey, you know what?

We're only going to stick with the basics, the things we really need and once we buy them, we're just going to let them wear out and that's it. And that's a lifestyle, you know, that's decisions you make. But I saw these videos. So now we're just throwing RV into the end of this.

There was these videos, this was a woman. I'm a full timer, I don't remember the name of the channel. It doesn't matter because I do these types of videos too, but I do them differently.

I mean, I want you to buy products. We have an RV store. I want everybody to buy new products, you know, throw your old stuff, buy new stuff, you know, but that's not really it.

We try to help people save money. That's probably one of the things that works against us financially is we try to help people save money.

We really do.

So they don't spend as much money. They come in, hey, I need to replace this. Oh no you don't. You've got plenty of life left in that. But they're ready to buy a new one.

But we tell them, no, you can wait, you got another year at least another year, two years, you know, just ride it out if you can. And sometimes now I just want to get, now I'm here and that's fine. Yeah, I get that.

But like in this video now this woman was a full time RVer, probably her and her husband and they were talking primarily about Camco products, which that's fine. I push Camco. I like the brand. They have a lot of different products and their products seem to be pretty darn good. They last.

I mean, I don't know they're going to last a lifetime, but they last as long as I think most stuff in the RV market is going to last. Well, not most. I mean they last longer than a lot of the absolute junk out there, especially the stuff you buy on the Jungle website, Amazon.

I'm going to say it by name because they helped to create this disaster of people buying stuff with the buy it now button. You know, one step shopping and all that garbage. You know, she has a water Pressure regulator.

Now, I don't know if this person ever listens to this podcast or someone knows who I'm talking about, but I'm not knocking her. I get it. You know, it's just selling a product. She's a full time RVer, selling what she believes you need to have.

But you know, with that being said, all of us have different needs and we have different financial backgrounds, different circumstances. We're full timers, we're part timers. You know, maybe we use our RV once a year, maybe we use it once a month. Whatever it is, we buy what we need.

I mean, there is no point in taking a $20 water pressure regulator. And like she says, just get rid of it.

And you gotta buy this other one, this Camco adjustable water pressure regulator, which is, you know, let's say 80 bucks. So you throw away 20, you spend 80. Now you're into a water pressure regulator for 100. Do you really need it?

And she explained the benefits of having an adjustable water pressure regulator on it. And I see that. But you know what it really boils down to is washing your hair. No, no, it's not even your hair. It's your wife's hair.

I gotta be careful how I say this. I don't want to piss everybody off, but. But here's what we hear in the store. A guy comes in, he's looking for a shower head.

Okay, they're right over here, sir, blah, blah, blah. And it always comes out. My wife can't wash her hair. She wants a different shower head. Never. Is it water pressure? It's a shower head.

So it made me think, are water pressure regulators really the issue that women can't wash their hair in an rv? It's probably just the shower heads not letting enough water out.

Now, it could be water pressure, but an adjustable water water pressure regulator is not going to change the pressure at the park. If the pressure at the park sucks, it's going to suck in your RV no matter what.

Yeah.

You know, and 50 psi or 55 psi generally is plenty for anybody to wash their hair. Unless your hair goes down to your ankles, that might be an issue.

And then in that case, you bring along one of those big steel troughs that like, you feed an animal with and just fill it with water and dunk your head in it.

Right, There you go.

All right, now everybody's mad. But then again, you see, now you're blowing my steel trough. Forget it. Get a plastic one. They're lighter and cheaper. Okay, so that's an example.

And it's exaggerated, but it's the reality. Is the water pressure at the park the problem? Or in your rv, if it's in your rv. Is it. Is it actually the water pressure regulator?

Because you buy one and you use it, it's yours. You can't return it.

Exactly.

Unless you bought it on the jungle and you go through their little hoops to return it and blame it on the seller or something. Because it's never your fault. It's always their fault.

Right.

And then it goes on to the next thing. It's a water hose. She picks up a water hose, and it's this big old coiled mess, which was a total exaggeration of the water hose. I mean, I get it.

Especially if you don't really roll them up. Right. You just kind of throw them in a compartment or whatever. It's like a snake. But you know what? We sell these things. I have.

I have tried every water hose on the market.

Yeah.

And there are some I like more than others. But RV hoses have a tendency of just kind of sucking no matter what.

You know, you buy a hose for your house, you don't buy one of those plasticky hoses you know is going to kink. That's throwing your money away.

But for an rv, if you buy a white water hose and it's working, all it does is provide water from the hose bib to the rv. That's it.

Yeah.

Nothing more, nothing less. If you have a blue water hose that supposedly doesn't kink, the water is the same. The pressure doesn't change. The flavor doesn't even change.

It doesn't come out any different. When it comes out, it doesn't like sparkle and glow or anything like that. It's a water hose.

And granted, some water hoses can be a pain, especially when it's a cooler climate. You know, they are going to kink easier. I completely understand that. But if your water hose kind of is hard to unravel, you're good.

Every hose you buy is going to be similar to that. And now I use the Camco Evo hoses, and I like them because they roll up real nice, but you still have to do a little untangling.

When you lay it out, you got to make sure there's no kinks in before you turn the water on. Even the hoses that are supposed to be kink proof will sometimes kink. But there are better quality hoses.

Some of the cheaper hoses don't last as long. Where the more expensive ones, like the Evo Flax and the.

Well, heck, any blue water hose Camco makes is going to last longer than any white hose on the market.

Yeah.

Period.

True.

You know, Technor, Apex are a good company. Their hoses are good, but they're not, I don't think, as good as Camco. And I'm not trying to push you on Camco.

So if you don't have a Camco hose, you don't have to go out and buy one.

Because Eric said looking at what you buy and how it works, don't fall into this trap that you have to replace it because someone tells you there's something better. There might be something better, but you really need it. You know, how many times do we buy something and just throw it away? And RV stuff is changing.

You know what else got me kind of on this thing is recently Lippert just came out with a new air conditioner designed for people that live in hotter climates like Arizona. And it's supposed to work 30% better, and it's, you know, 99% quieter. And it does this, it does that, it does all these things.

I'm thinking, okay, so now you're under the pressure. Oh, my gosh. Gosh, we're going to Arizona this summer. Oh, man. Do I. Do I get this air conditioner? Do I not get it?

You know, and it's an air conditioner. It's the ceiling assembly on the inside. It's probably a new thermostat or a kit to make it work with your thermostat.

And at the end of the day, the gain will probably be negligible. Now, I haven't tried this air conditioner, so I can't speak from 100% authoritative standing on that.

But the reality is these air conditioners sometimes are boasted as making all these changes, and they're not that much difference. If you talk to the manufacturers, you talk to the right person there, they're going to be honest with you.

You get them that person who's just going to lay it out online. Yeah, you know what? This one's not really any better than that one.

And we got a new one coming out, but it's pretty much the same as this one, except, you know, when it starts up, it's a little bit quieter or something. I mean, we're in the business. We know how this works. You know, all these air conditioners are pretty much the same.

They're all loud and annoying and consume power. That's it. We don't want to get caught up in all the frenzy of buying New stuff all the time. Really? That's the point I'm making.

Boy, I was a long road to get there.

It's trying to help you save money for enjoying your rv where the RV is not this big old burden like, oh, boy, we got to get, like, lithium batteries. Oh, my God. We got to get lithium batteries. You know, how come they look so good in there? Look how nice they are. Do you need lithium batteries?

That's the question you should ask yourself, not where can I get them and how much is. Do I need these things? So focus on that. Put your money towards something else. Whatever.

Putting your kids through school, put it towards something else. I mean, I'm not saying don't buy RV stuff when you need it, but buy what you need.

And if you need the better quality, if that suits your bill, then buy it. I'm not saying that either. I mean, I try.

Me and my wife both, and Alexis just brought this up, that her and her husband try to buy the better quality things all the time. And I feel that I've been that way forever because you buy the better stuff, it lasts longer.

And we're especially in a time now where things are cycling through every, you know, 30 days, you know, so you want to buy better stuff. Warrant, you know, refrigerators only last five years now. I know. So if you buy a really good one, you might get six out of it.

No, they last longer than that. But we, you know, I think you get what I'm saying. Buy the better quality stuff rather than buying it two or three times.

And don't get duped into videos, even if it's minds buying products you don't need.

So I'm going to take a sip of water and catch my breath, and I'm just going to turn it over to Alexis now as she covers the next stop, Glacier View Campground in Idaho.

Got it. In Idaho, we want to make that point because it is not close to Glacier park, if that's what you were thinking. So. Yeah.

But no, this place is really beautiful. I did a little research because I actually wanted to go to it myself. It's positioned on the north shore of Redfish Lake.

So if you all know where that is. It's a beautiful, beautiful lake. Lots of views. There's across the lake, there's this big mountain range. It's just incredible. Incredible.

Like you just can't get a better place. It is hard, however, to get a spot there, I found. So if you really want to, you should probably try to get a reservation long ahead of time.

Before you actually go. There's. However, there's a lot of campgrounds nearby. So if you want to go visit it during the day, you can do a lot on the lake.

You don't have to be staying there to enjoy it. So that is a good thing to know. There's a lot of campgrounds nearby. A lot of hiking, kayaking, fishing, swimming. Yeah, much to do.

So yesterday, when I was looking through this stuff, I looked up this Glacier View campground in Idaho because I was kind of curious. That sounded familiar. And I'm thinking Glacier. Glacier national park in Montana, but it's not. And then it hit me that I'd been there.

That's so cool.

That's on the 75, I believe, in Montana. So from Stanley down south to Ketchum, Idaho. I remember when I was a kid, my brother had a shirt from Ketchum. It said ketchum.

Hell, I can't even find them.

That's a good one.

But anyway. But that whole road is, like, going through a whole different. I don't know how to describe it. It is totally different.

It's not like the part of Idaho we were seeing prior to that. It's not like anything we've seen in Montana. Wow. The campground is unbelievable. That whole road is stunning. If you were to.

You could spend a week or two talking, driving down that road. So cool. And I think I've mentioned that in the past, but, yeah, it's one of those places you gotta go to. The campground is unbelievable.

That area is unbelievable. And there's a lot of camping in the area. Dry camping, you know, whatever you want to do, but you got to check that one out.

Yes.

All right, so that will be on the website as well. The smart rver.com under the next stop. And you want to look at that Glacier View campground in Idaho.

From that, we get the idea that, you know, there's all these places to go. So, you know, Idaho is one place. And sometimes making that trip more than just one spot, making it two or three spots.

You know, setting up and tearing down could be a hassle, but, heck, why not? So we've already gone through RV Envy, which is basically pretty much everything I talked about. And, yeah, I went on. On that.

Now I know why my wife and kids always dread when they say, hey, guys, come here. I gotta talk to you. You know. Oh, boy, here goes. So, hey, we've been making some great progress with our subscribers on YouTube.

So we want to ask everybody to keep subscribing to the channel recommending the Smart RVer on YouTube our channel there to others recommending the show, the podcast, the smart rver.com to others. Let people know about us.

If there's other podcasts you enjoy, let us know about those podcasts and maybe we can get together with those people and get them on our show. We can get on their show. We don't have a lot of guests. That's not really our format but heck, we're open to anything anymore, right? Why not?

All right, so that's going to bring us to the end of the show today. I want to thank everybody for listening and putting up with us coughing, hacking and sounding horrible. But you know the show most must go on, right?

So it was a good show regardless of our health. So this is Eric Stark with the Smart RVer podcast. It's been great hanging out with everybody today.

So if we don't see you on the road, let's connect at the Smart rver Combat.