Girl Camper

If creating memories, giving siblings, cousins and in-laws opportunities to bond, spending time outdoors with those you love the most all seem like worthy goals, this week’s show is for you. I am taking a look at three things you are going to want to get right in order to make multi generational camping a success.  The right rv  The right campground  The right attitude.  Stay t...

In Episode 219 of the Girl Camper podcast, co-host Janine Pettit delves into her personal journey and decision to embrace seasonal camping. Despite her initial reservations, Janine reflects on her extensive solo travels and the joy of discovering newfound independence in the great outdoors. However, life transitions, including becoming a grandmother and downsizing her living space, prompted her to...

We’re BACK! It’s the Girl Camper Podcast! With a new look, format, topics and so much more. Tune in to Camper in Chief Janine Pettit and Lesa McDermott to hear what Girl Camper has been up to these last few years and how you can be a Girl Camper too. Also available on YouTube! Please like our video and subscribe to the Girl Camper channel so you won’t miss any episode. https://yo...

When I see a vintage camper I am transported back to the camp outs of my youth! They hold so much in the way of charm and nostalgia for me. We did some tent camping and had a home made pop up that we rented from a neighbor each year. When we would walk around the campground I would always want to look inside the little trailers. When I returned to camping in 2006 I bought a 1959 Field and Stream w...

On this weeks show our topic is “reducing the chances of trailer theft.” All too often I see on social media a request to share a picture from a heart broken trailer owner who’s beloved trailer has been stolen . Frequently a trailer owner will come out to their driveway in the morning and find their trailer has been taken. I’m going to discuss some ways which you can help deter these thieves.

Girl Camper Guide Catherine Goggia is pinch hitting for me for the next two weeks while I am on a little sabbatical. She is taking us through her purchase of new trailer tires and explaining trailer tires (ST) versus regular tires (LT). Catherine is our Northern California Girl Camper Guide. She is an R Pod owner who grew up camping and encourages others to get out there and do things. She is the...

Have you been wondering how an outdoor enthusiast with a top rated TV show became the host of the number one RV Show in the country? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a campground? On this week’s podcast, I turn the tables and interview my friend Alan Warren from the RV Show USA. Alan began his career in broadcasting by creating a TV show specializing in hunting and fishing...

If you are one of those who dream the full time RVing dream, – in technicolor, black and white, on the job and off, you will enjoy meeting Sandy Ellingson, Executive Director of RVWA, the Recreation Vehicle Women’s Alliance. Sandy Ellingson is the Executive Director of the RV Women’s Alliance After achieving empty nest status, Sandy, still working full time, and her retired husba...

Mary Kirlin, Girl Camper Contributing Editor has posted her new spring Gear Guide with her favorite hiking essentials! Mary lives in Northern California and frequently travels the Pacific Northwest where she hikes and captures beautiful photos. I invited Mary to contribute gear guides to Girl Camper because she is a dedicated researcher, loves finding companies with a conscience, and is aware of t...

If you want to travel with all the comforts of home but not need a big tow vehicle to do it, this is the podcast for you. In Episode 190 I shared five RV’s under 3K pounds that you can stand in. I had to leave quite a few off the list though and this week I am filling in that list with the box trailers that fit that bill. My criteria was that it had to be under 3 K pounds, have a bathroom an...

Have you wanted to have a truck but not something quite as big as a half ton? Are you wondering what light duty trucks out there will deliver on tow capacity, mileage and comfort? Mike Caudill is an auto expert, owner of Driven360 , experienced RVer and my guest today as we go over the top four light duty trucks. You can check out Mike’s product reviews at Our Auto Expert ! We have already c...

Have you harbored a dream of buying an RV and taking off for parts unknown? Do you dream of a life where you can make money on the road and live your best life but don’t know how to get started? My guest today is Jody Duquette, Executive Director of Workamper News. She’s sharing their newest program for those wanting to learn about the RV lifestyle. Jody Duquette The Dreamers Journey is a new prog...

We all have concerns when we head out and the best way to deal with fear is to acknowledge the possibilities and have a plan for if and when they happen. That is what we do here at Girl Camper, we educate new RVers and help them understand the principles of what may be happening and ways to counterbalance them. We have done many podcasts on safety from towing to tires to weight distribution hitche...

I can honestly say that I like every kind of camping. Resort RV Parks, State and National Parks, backyard camping and now I can add, dispersed camping to that list. On today’s show I am sharing my first experience camping on BLM land with no amenities at all, including roads! Last January I headed to Arizona to see what all the fuss was about. Hint -it’s the weather. Mid 70’s and...

It was my pleasure to head out into the Arizona desert in January to road test the Lance 650 truck camper. I have been fascinated with the idea of truck camping since I was a kid and my grandfather put a cap on his truck, two cots with a cooler between them in the bed and took off for Colorado. The whole idea of traveling around with your home on your back really appeals to a nester like me. A lit...

I have just returned from a visit with the good folks at Lance Manufacturing Company in Lancaster, California. I went out there to road test the Lance 650 truck camper. More on that in the coming weeks but, hint, hint… great way to enjoy road life and not tow. My full review of the 650 is coming out in the next two weeks. Lance started in California in 1965. They began as a manufacturer of t...

We’re on sabbatical this week and highlighting some of the top rated podcast episodes with a quick review. You can check out the full episode from this highly rated show right here!! This weeks show is a quick refresher on reducing the possibility of RV theft. While I am on sabbatical from the podcast I will be out in the Southwest checking out the happenings at Quartzsite while road testing...

Today we are celebrating our 200th podcast episode and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate that than to welcome Girl Boss, Joyce Shulman to the show. Joyce is an attorney, the founder of multiple businesses including Macaroni Kid and 99 Walks, a recent Ted Talk alumna and a constant advocate for women. I came to know Joyce through our mutual friends at Go RVing. Joyce gave RVing a try...

Each year I get lots of products sent to me to test and I also buy lots of things that I see and want to test out. This is a list of some of my favorite products from last year. First let’s start with a few simple things from Camco that make great stocking stuffers. A great stocking stuffer! Camco’s hitch ball cover will keep your hitch from rusting and maybe, just maybe, mitigate the...

The whole RV world (okay, not everyone!) heads to Arizona each winter and it always looks like so much fun. I have always wanted to go and this year I am making that happen. I couldn’t go it alone though. I needed my friend Kelly Beasley from Camp Addict to help me. Kelly and her business partner, Marshall Wendler, co-founded Camp Addict, which is a great resource for gear reviews, RV use ti...

I had so much fun preparing our R Pod 196 Charity Raffle trailer for touring. We took it from factory to fabulous in just one short week. I felt a little like the Shoe makers kid passing the finished trailer to Ginny McKinney for road tripping. It was beautiful while my Max trailer sat in the driveway with all kinds of unfinished projects. The whole summer went by and I never did get around to doi...

Each year I dread the task of closing up the RV. I never want the season to end and I hate that I can’t driveway camp in it when it’s all closed up. All my comfort items are removed and I have to just live without it all until spring. Because we have so many followers who are brand new to RVing and own their very first RV’s I thought I would walk you through my process of tucking...

When I hit the road, whether I am towing my trailer or road tripping in my truck and staying in hotels, there are certain things that I must take with me. Some are for safety purposes, some in the event of an emergency and some for comfort. Here’s my “Must Have Road Trip Essentials” list. Safety  Tire pressure tester and tire inflator .  Always check tires when they are...

  Have you ever been told not to park your RV on the grass when storing it for winter? Have you wondered what calamity would befall it if you disregarded this advice? Have you wondered if that advice was the Gospel truth or an old wives tale? Well, on today’s podcast I am answering Frequently Asked Questions sent in by the Girl Campers. Which comes first, choosing your camper or tow veh...

  I am just back from the big Open House in Elkhart, Indiana where the RV manufacturers were displaying their new products and updated older ones. There are some new RV’s out there for the lightweight set and some older ones that deserve a second look. My criteria for this list was that they unit weigh less than 3K pounds and that the user be able to stand up in it. I am often asked, “W...