The Workamper Show Podcast

Today, I get to talk with the organizer of one of the largest RV shows in America, which starts this week in Tampa, Fla. Dave Kelly is the executive director of the Florida RV Trade Association and the organization behind one of the most talked-about RV events in the country, the Tampa RV SuperShow . It opens today at the Tampa Fairgrounds and runs through Sunday. If you can’t make this one, there...

During this week’s show, we are addressing an issue that has sometimes frustrated Workampers for the last several years, and that is limitations of the Workamper website. Fortunately, all that changed just a few weeks ago and we’ll show you what the enhanced website means for members. Today, I am featuring Luke Duquette, who is one of the owners behind Workamper News and the newly rebuilt Workampe...

For this week’s show, we are going to dive into a topic uniquely suited for Christmas, and that’s unity. The goal is to inspire more people to engage in Workamping and outdoor recreation regardless of their backgrounds. Today, I am joined by Earl B. Hunter Jr., the founder and president of The Unity Folks . It is an award-winning company focused on helping the outdoor and RV industries to invite a...

Today, I am speaking with two sisters who have been RVing and Workamping together.  They are having a great time on their adventures, and documenting it for others to enjoy as well. KC and Charlie Houston are sisters who decided to turn a shared sense of humor and curiosity into a full time RV and Workamping lifestyle. KC has been living full time in her travel trailer for three years. In Septembe...

Today, I am speaking with a rather new solo Workamper who followed her instincts, traded an apartment for an RV, and discovered a lifestyle that finally felt right for her. Shellie Schaffer caught the travel bug about 10 years ago, but it became real three years ago when she realized she was miserable living in apartments and needed a change. What started as a desire to be happier turned into a fu...

This week, I am interviewing a couple who has been RVing for nearly five years, and they have some great advice on ways people and companies can help make the RV lifestyle more inviting to all people. Vicky Childers and Lamont Landrum have been RVing for nearly five years after deciding they wanted to build a different kind of life together. When they first started dating, both felt the pull to tr...

On this week’s show, I will be talking with someone who has a solution for where to park your RV safely overnight when traveling between destinations. I am speaking with Jim Wheeler. He is the director of RV operations for Love’s Travel Stops. Jim oversees the nationwide rollout of Love’s fast-growing network of overnight RV sites connected to or adjacent to Love’s stores. In this interview, Jim e...

This week, I will be speaking with a solo RVer who has found tremendous purpose as a volunteer Workamper for seven years, while starting an online platform to share his adventures. My guest today is Sam Gennawey, an urban planner turned full-time RVer who has been living on the road for more than seven years. What began as a search for a more intentional future quickly became a lifestyle that allo...

This week I am speaking with two representatives from the Campground Owners Expo about a new opportunity for Workampers to get training. Attending the sessions can help improve their chances of getting a job working at a campground and have more success at those jobs. Today I am speaking with Lori Severson and Danielle Todd from the Campground Owners Expo . The expo is an annual gathering attended...

Today, we’re talking about an opportunity to spend a summer working at Yellowstone National Park, which is one of the most iconic tourist destinations in America. My guests are Kayla Clark and Linda Marquart. They recruit Workampers for Delaware North, the company that operates 11 Yellowstone General Stores throughout the park. The stores offer everything from groceries and souvenirs to camping su...

Today, I am privileged to interview a single father who is RVing around the country with his 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. Their journeys prompted him to start a platform called RV’ing Dad Adventures on Facebook. Brandon Bowles is the founder of RV’ing Dad Adventures . He has been traveling full-time with his two children, Wyatt and Everly, for the past six years. His journey into RV l...

On today’s episode, we head to the breathtaking Catskill Mountains of upstate New York to visit the Catskill Mountains Gilboa KOA to talk to one of its owners about the many opportunities to find Workamping jobs there. Owner Cathy Reinard purchased the campground just a few years ago and has transformed it into a scenic retreat where guests can relax beside the Schoharie Creek, surrounded by mount...

This week we will delve into the important topic of workers compensation insurance. It can be a big help for workers injured on the job, and a tricky requirement for employers to navigate. Today’s guest is Irene Jones. She is an insurance professional with more than 14 years of experience in the campground and hospitality industry. Irene helped develop a national campground insurance program with...

This week we are going to talk about one of the most revered highways in America, Route 66, and why you should make plans to travel along America’s Highway from Chicago to Santa Monica, Calif. Today’s guest is Jim Hinckley, one of America’s foremost historians on Route 66, and the creator of Jim Hinckley’s America travel network . It is a multimedia project dedicated to “telling people where to go...

Today we are going to talk about the important topic of retention and why it is critical for employers and Workampers alike. This week, I’m joined by Jody Anderson Duquette, the owner of Workamper News. Jody has been part of the Workamper community for many years. She has been helping employers and Workampers to build stronger relationships and create positive experiences in seasonal and part-time...

Whether you’re a weekend RVer or full-time Workamper, chances are you’ve captured thousands of photos during your travels. But, what happens if your phone gets lost or your hard drive fails? Unfortunately, many RVers have faced that exact heartbreak, losing years of irreplaceable memories in an instant. Today, I am speaking with someone who has an ideal solution to preserve and protect digit...

Today, we’re diving into a topic that has revolutionized RV travel and how Workampers live and work, that being solar power for RVs. My guests today are Justin Mowery and Nick Sauble, the co-founders of RV Solar Concepts , a mobile installation business based near Phoenix. What began as a weekend hobby for these Navy veterans has grown into a thriving enterprise helping RVers enjoy more freedom an...

Today we are diving into the world of digital marketing with a special focus on search engine optimization, or SEO. It is one of the most powerful and cost-effective ways to get more visibility for your business, whether it is online or a traditional company. My guest today is Alessia Silvestri, the founder and owner of Foretell Consulting , a digital marketing agency that helps small businesses g...

Today I will be speaking with a Workamper who is in her 70s and having the time of her life. She gets to visit places she has always wanted to see, and supports herself through a company she started. Connie Waddell is a 75-year-old solo traveler who proves that adventure has no age limit. Born and raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Connie grew up camping. But, three and a half years ago, s...

Today I am talking with a father of three who, along with his wife, enjoyed RVing full-time as a family for more than six years. He has lots of advice to share. Garrett Syfrett is a husband, father of three, video production specialist, and former full-time RV traveler. In 2018, Garrett and his wife made the bold decision to sell their home in Washington state and hit the road with their young fam...

In today’s episode, we’re heading to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to learn about volunteer opportunities with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at Oregon’s Willamette Valley Project. I am interviewing Ranger James Blakely, who describes his recreation system and the role Workampers play in supporting its mission. The Willamette Valley Project includes 13 dams, each creating scenic lakes...

Today we’re heading to the North Dakota Badlands to learn about a unique Workamping opportunity with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation . Located in the gateway town of Medora, just east of the Montana border, the foundation operates many of the attractions, businesses and recreational experiences in the area. That includes hotels, a campground, restaurants, retail shops and the iconic Medor...

If you’ve ever dreamed of spending a summer surrounded by mountain vistas, pristine lakes, scenic trails and friendly people, then volunteering with Idaho’s State Parks may be the perfect opportunity for you. You will find out why today. In this episode, we’ll explore the wide range of volunteer roles available throughout Idaho’s 30-plus state parks and recreation areas. Those include jobs as trad...

In this week’s episode, I will be speaking with the owner of an Idaho RV park that is undergoing significant renovations to recreate its former glory. He’s looking for Workampers right now as well as in 2026. Brandon Moore is the current owner of Rigby Air Village RV Park in scenic Rigby, Idaho. Originally built in the 1970s, the park had fallen into disrepair, but Brandon and his team are bringin...

Buying a new RV is exciting. It’s the first step toward hitting the open road to take endless adventures. It’s also the thrilling start of a new chapter in your life. But, before you hitch up and head out, there’s one critical step that many RV owners overlook: the shakedown cruise. Today, I will be talking with an RV inspector about how to conduct a successful shakedown cruise. Rob Wilhelm, owner...