Listen Now!
Sponsors for this episode:
nüCamp RV: nüCamp RV is the manufacturer of world-class teardrop trailers like the T@G and T@B series. They have also made an entry into the truck camper market with the incredible Cirrus line of truck campers. With innovative designs and forward-thinking technologies, like the Alde system, Azdel, welded aluminum frames, and more, nüCamp RV is building with an eye to the future of light-weight towable campers and truck campers.
Links from this week’s Podcast!
- nüCamp RV
- Princess Craft RV, in Round Rock, TX
- Walkthrough Tour videos on YouTube
- RVX
- Palmetto State Park
- Watermelon Thump Festival in Luling, TX
- http://www.intechrv.com/
- Palmetto State Park
- Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Info. from TXPWD
- Luling, TX
- Luling Oil Museum
- Lockhart, TX
- https://www.kreuzmarket.com/
- http://smittysmarket.com/
- https://www.blacksbbq.com/
- http://lockhartchisholmtrailbbq.com/
Show Notes:
Hi everybody and welcome to the first episode of the brand new RV Small Talk podcast. We’re just finding our way into podcasting, but if you’re into small camping trailers, truck campers, RV lifestyle, and more, we think you’ll find something of interest here!
Our view of the RV landscape is a little different than that of other RV podcasts because we… work at an RV dealership! (Princess Craft RV, in Round Rock, TX) Is it going to be strange that an RV dealership has a podcast? Maybe! But, what our vantage point gives us is a different kind of access to RVers, manufacturers, and customers who share the highs and lows of their travel and camping experiences. We listen, learn, and share!
Meet the RV Small Talk (pod)Cast!
PJ: PJ is the co-owner and fearless leader at Princess Craft RV with her husband, Richard. They focus on quality and lightweight trailers and truck campers, with an emphasis on customer service and a crew that feels like family!
Lindsay: Lindsay joined Princess Craft in 2015 and wears a few hats, including event coordinator and inventory manager. After teaching preschool for a decade, a growing family brought her to the dealership to try something new. Still learning the world of RV’s, and having fun along the way!
Clint: A tall goofball with dad jokes for days… Clint is a former middle school technology and social studies teacher who happened to stumble into friendship with the fine folks at Princess Craft RV. They invited him to join the fun in 2017 and he’s been lost in the production of neat things like YouTube videos and podcasts ever since! (check out our Walkthrough Tour videos on YouTube!)
In This Episode:
- Why do a podcast?!
- New products we’re excited about
- PJ going to RVX in Salt Lake City, UT
- Preparing your camping rig for the first trip of the season
- Lindsay interviews tiny trailer enthusiast Susan Moore
- Palmetto State Park
- Watermelon Thump Festival in Luling, TX
- World-class BBQ experience in Lockhart, TX
New Products:
The Sol by Intech RV
This is a new entrant to the hot small, light-weight, high-end trailer segment, and it will compete with the likes of the T@B 400 by nüCamp, and the MAX by Little Guy (Liberty Outdoors). Stand out features of this trailer are its huge front window, open-airy feel, contemporary and clean interior design, and fantastic build quality. It’s a trailer that will start all kinds of conversations, and it will generate a lot of requests for tours, too! The Sol is built by a company looking to bring top-tier products to their markets, and they stand behind their designs, work, and customers.
Does Princess Craft RV have any Sols at this time? Click here to find out!
The Cirrus 720 Truck Camper by nüCamp RV
Initially planned to be a truck camper for the half-ton, short-bed trucks out there, nüCamp RV realized that the features they were building into this beautiful camper were going to be just a bit over the hoped goals for weight and length. BUT, the camper turned out so very solid, stunning, and capable that it really needed to be brought to market for the ¾ ton crowd! The Cirrus 720 is a technological marvel in build and materials. Being so light for the typically stout ¾ ton trucks that will carry it, the drivability is wonderful, and no destination is beyond reach. What sticks out with this one? The design of the bathroom, the cassette toilet, and the beautiful interior and lighting.
Does Princess Craft RV have any Cirrus Truck Campers at this time? Click here to find out!
RVX
When the RV industry throws a party to show off their latest designs, prototypes, concepts, and production-ready models, as well as accessories… RVX is the place they all look to make a scene… and hopefully a splash! PJ is heading out to the big convention as soon as these mics are shut off. (She’ll be there when this episode is published.) Stay tuned to future episodes as she’ll likely see amazing things to share and talk about!
Preparing Your Camping Rig for 2019 Camping!
-
Start at the beginning and wash your rig! Washing not only gets all the dirt and grime off, but it gives you a chance to give it a look over. Find anything that might need more attention.
-
Inspect the roof and exterior seals. Caulking seals, slide out seals, seals around the door… Do whatever caulking is needed so you are ready to roll! Different caulk is used for different materials and areas, so make sure to check what you’re using!
-
This might be a no brainer, but remember to check your batteries! If you store them on the camper, it’s time to check the water in the batteries (unless they are maintenance free), plug in the camper (if you haven’t’ already) and be sure that they charge completely. Be sure to unhook from shore power, then check your monitor! If you are plugged in your battery will appear charged even if it is not. Try running a few appliances without plugging into shore power to see if it performs well. When in doubt, take it to a professional and let them check it out.
-
Fill the propane to be sure you are ready for testing, then camping!
-
Go inside and use your nose to spot anything ‘off’. Anything more than a normal ‘musty’ smell, and you need to find it. Rodents, mold, or old food left in the fridge can cause smell issues.
-
Run everything you possibly can before you travel. Turn on the refrigerator, a/c, furnace, lights, water pump, you get the idea. Camp in your driveway for a few hours to be everything is working well.
-
Check the tires. Look for dry rot (cracking on the sidewalls) and of course, be sure the tire pressure is up to specs. Tread is not a good indicator of bad tires. Tires get dangerous long before the tread wears down sometimes. If your tires are over 3 years old and you are heading for a long trip, you might consider replacing them!
-
Is it time to pack your wheel bearings? Again, mileage isn’t always the best gauge. Some folks say every year, some say every 10,000 miles, and well, if it has been a few years and you are going on a long trip, it’s worth the precaution!
-
Check the fire extinguisher, lp detector, CO detector, and smoke detector. Some will be connected to your trailer battery, some will have replaceable batteries, but either way, all should be up to date and functioning. We always suggest replacement after 5 years… safety is important!
-
Take a drive, double check the hitch, brake control, and any sway or weight distribution gear. If you’re missing a pin or the wiring has failed, best to find out before you all load in the truck to leave.
These are the basics, and we encourage you to contact your local RV shop with any questions!
Lindsay’s Interview with Susan
We are so lucky to sit down with Susan Moore and Bella, to talk about camping, Susan style! From being a tent camper who was nervous about towing to making all the friends and backing a trailer like a pro, Susan walks us through how she got started. Through some silly stories and mishaps, she hopes you can gain some confidence to do it too!
Start Making Travel Plans!
How do you do it?
Do you…
- Take random trips, but in between drag your camper to the local park just to enjoy the afternoon in nature?
- Have a general idea of where you want to go, the time frame you will be gone, but no definite plans of where you will stay or exactly what route you will take.
- Schedule every evening and map out the daily activities for the most part so you don’t miss a thing, and you always have a great place to camp!
Since the season is ramping up for most of the nation, it’s time to sit down and make plans.
Get out a calendar… decide how often and how long you could get away for the rest of the year, and mark it on the calendar. Next, just fill in the blanks with places you would love to go to and be sure they are the appropriate travel distance for the time you have. If it’s a weekend, check out adventures within 100 or 150 miles from you that you haven’t experienced. Do your research on the areas and make your reservations at the campground of your choice. Campgrounds fill up, so if you’re not into unscheduled boondocking, campground reservations are a pretty good idea. If you love the suspense, you can skip this part! Now that you have at least a few big adventures scheduled for the year, think about the quick trips that would keep your outdoor connection intact. Camp Friday night at the campground on the south side of town, walk to the baseball game down the street, then come home!
We want to share with you some great adventures that we think you might enjoy… because we would!
Palmetto State Park
(https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/palmetto)
-
Palmetto State Park – CCC Structure
A little over an hour from Austin!
- Not very big, only 1 site with full hookups, 17 RV sites with water and electricity, 19 tent sites with just water.
- Rent pedal boats, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and a fishing boat for use on the lake! On the water, you can swim, tube, fish and canoe. Besides the flowing river, the park also has an oxbow lake, an artesian well, and swamps.
- Host a gathering at our CCC-built picnic pavilion, which has an air-conditioned kitchen and can hold up to 100 people…. Only 25 parking spaces though!
- Civilian Conservation Corps: The men of the CCC built many facilities at this park, including the picnic pavilion and water tower (https://tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/programs/ccc/)
Area Attractions
- Palmetto State Park is a great weekend destination, with lots to do in nearby towns.
- Luling is home to the Luling Oil Museum and is renowned for watermelons, barbecue, and colorfully decorated pump jacks. Luling hosts the Watermelon Thump the last full weekend in June.
- If you’re hankering for barbecue, head north to Lockhart, the official Barbecue Capital of Texas.
- Kreuz bbq – New location, but same brick bbq pits used since they opened over 100 years ago! Traditional German bbq served on butcher paper with no sauce and no forks. (https://www.kreuzmarket.com/)
- Smitty’s Market – Originally Kreuz BBQ, but the brothers took the business down the street, turning this location into Smitty’s (owned by the sister). There is sauce here, but you have to bring cash! (http://smittysmarket.com/)
- Black’s BBQ – Black’s is the oldest barbecue restaurant run by one family in Texas. Third-generation pitmaster Kent Black and his son Barrett are running the show these days. Lunchtime can get pretty busy and is served cafeteria style. Order the dinosaur beef rib, brisket, both pork ribs, all three types of sausage (original, garlic and jalapeno cheddar), and for good measure: turkey. (https://www.blacksbbq.com/)
- Chisholm Trail BBQ – The favorite BBQ of the locals, this is a gem a little off the path you don’t want to miss. There is a convenient drive-through for quick BBQ needs, and check out the Texas Trinity plate. (http://lockhartchisholmtrailbbq.com/)
Now it’s time for a nap!
First Episode Wrap Up!
We’ve got a lot to learn about this podcasting thing, but we’re diving in! We’d like to thank nüCamp RV again for their generous sponsorship of a podcast that didn’t even exist yet! Bold move, nüCamp! May you be rewarded for your gumption!
We’ll be back soon with a new, SECOND episode of RV Small Talk! Find us on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, PodBean…. And all over!
We’re getting set up on Facebook, and Twitter!
RV Small Talk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rvsmalltalk/
RV Small Talk on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rvsmalltalk
Contact the RV Small Talk Podcast at info@rvsmalltalk.com
