There are a few things most of us in the RV lifestyle can agree to:
Freedom is a daily occurrence
Every window can be a picture window
If you don’t like your neighbors, move on
Experiences are worth more than possessions
Learning that who is more valuable than what
Travel is the best way to experience life
Boredom is optional
RVers learn from one another, and there’s no better and quicker way to learn than following the blogs.
Of of the best is The Wandering RV, a camping and travel magazine that shares the fun of the RV lifestyle from reviews to guides. Their blogs cover a little bit of everything from product reviews, financing, insurance, and to how to fix almost anything.
Free As Wheel Ever Be keeps you up to date on their adventures as well as opportunities to learn from their experiences and live a more intentional life.
Camp Addict comes from a couple of RVing friends, Marshall and Kelly, part-time, unmarried, young RVers who are big fans of boondocking. Their goal is to share “real, dependable” RV consumer information that is (and we quote) “not like some of the ‘misinformation’ you can get on the web”. They even take reader questions!
For laughs, if you haven’t yet met John and Mercedes, the RV Odd Couple, it’s not too late to laugh. Our favorites:
Who can forget the optics on President Biden’s first day in office with a stock of executive order folders on his left and a pen in his right hand?
One of those EOs issued a federal mask mandate for certain areas of the United States under which the President has authority to issue policies — and one of them is federal lands, i.e. all lands operated by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other agencies.
Since so much of this land is recreational and used often by RVers, it’s caused some confusion about when to use a mask while camping on federal land. Reading the actual text of the mandate is vague.
In a nutshell, while camping on Federal lands, follow CDC guidelines currently in place for social distancing when around people outside your family or RV-mates. The guidelines simply states: “Masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with other people who live in your household.”
You certainly don’t need a mask while hiking, fishing, biking, or taking a stroll under the stars…or doing anything else outside away from others. If we all use our common sense, camping on Federal lands should be no different than the CDC guidelines for anywhere else, including right here at Floridays RV Park.
First, a little background. Floridays was never a “brand new” park for us. We purchased what was know as the Angle Inn Mobile Court in the autumn of 2010 — and it was an eyesore! But our location in one of the last remaining “old Florida” small towns along US Federal Hwy 1 made it an easy decision. Right away we got to work tearing out invasive plants species and replacing it with young oak trees and native vegetation to create year-round shade for the RV pads. In 2017, we added the washhouse with separate bathrooms and showers for ladies and men and a laundry facility with brand new washers, dryers and folding tables. Our 2017 videos of the Washhouse buildout have great aerial shots of the park.
We erected birdhouses to attract Purple Martin swallows, updated our Wi-Fi and electrical boxes, added a secure covered mailroom, and much more. We aren’t fancy, just honest.
So how does Floridays stack up to Camper Report’s top 10 complaints?
Not enough space. We have 84 sites well spaced for privacy and all with pads.
Bad attitudes from staff and owners. We never discriminate and have an on-site full-time park manager with tons of experience.
Bad electric hookups. Our pedestals are correctly wired, have surge protectors, and are routinely checked.
Gross water. Florida water quality in Martin County is considered reliable with high standards for excellence. Check it out here.
Dirty bathhouses and common areas. Our bathhouses could be considered “fancy” because they are large and new. Common areas are well-maintained, but not “fancy.”
Neighbor problems. We’re not a permanent residence park; maximum stay is six months. Most of our guests return year after year, know one another, and enjoy campfires, cookouts, and leisure time together.
Un-level sites. Parking surfaces are designed to be flat.
Mud, sand, and dirt. The park has a moderate grade for good drainage, and seasonal Florida rains are quickly absorbed by our sandy soil. Most of our roadways are paved which helps maneuvering around the park and prevents erosion. Outdoor rugs are encouraged.
Bug issues. We routinely spray for ants and Martin County sprays for mosquito control.
Feeling unsafe. Both the Hobe Sound community at large, and the Floridays community specifically, are close-knit and look out for one another.
Have you stayed with us? Be sure to let us know how we are doing by leaving a review on our Facebook page.
If you are reading this, there’s a good chance you are doing so from an RV — perhaps right here at Floridays RV Park in Hobe Sound, Florida. But are you aware that, according to the the news, that ‘RV’ is now called a ‘COVID Camper?’
The “COVID Camper”
As reported, thousands of Americans are desperate for the open road after being cooped up for months of lockdown, so they are purchasing RVs. There are even some buyers that consider an RV to be insurance against a second wave of the coronavirus or if COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing become a way of life.
RV sales are booming! Combine the virus with historically low gasoline prices, and it’s a perfecta for a summer vacation with the kids. An RV is a safe space, will take you almost anywhere you want to go, and is far more exciting for families than staying home watching Netflix.
RV dealers are enjoying the financial benefits from an unprecedented increase in sales and rentals, and the people who service, repair and outfit RVs are benefitting as well. RV parks are faced with guests who either don’t want to leave at the end of their stay, or can’t leave because there’s no other place to go. Parks are at capacity, and even though campgrounds previously closed down during the pandemic are slowly reopening, they are flooded with reservation requests.
So with businesses contracting overall across the U.S., sales of all things RV are on the rise. If you’re an RVer now, it’s a good time to be one. If you’re thinking about becoming an RVer this summer, be prepared to pay a premium, but the price of independence is always affordable. Stay safe everyone!
The rules and advice for traveling the U.S.A. in your RV this spring are about as varied as a kitchen sink. Depending on where you are or where you want to be, the rules are ever-changing and it can be complicated.
Most RVers have found a safe place to hitch up and wait it out. If you are on the road traveling from state to state, the rules of “shelter in place” change depending on the State in which you are camping; and State park campgrounds (with their washrooms, toilets, and dump stations) are closed in many States.
We are finding that most RVers are simply “staying put” and if lucky, have done so in a State that is now opening up. Here’s the list of States as of May 4, 2020.
The CDC publishes a website with the latest information about Coronavirus and Travel in the United States. Because RV travelers have to make frequent stops for food, bathrooms, or overnight campsites that we become diligent about hand washing. They advise that everyone use soap and water and wash vigorously for at least 20 minutes after being in a public place.
Alternatively, use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. But do you know why we use soap for washing?
Germs are microbes, and they are everywhere. In the air, soil, water and every surface, including our own body. Most of these microbes are harmless, and some are even good for us. We have microbes in our stomach and intestines, and it’s these “good” microbes that break down the food that we eat and keep us healthy.
Soap is a simple concoction of fat, water, and salt. Recorded history of soap goes back to 2800 B.C. when people used animal fats, food ash and water to wash natural wool and cotton before weaving it into cloth. We think that the early Egyptians were first to use soap for treating disease and personal washing, and the early Romans made it part of their cleaning rituals.
Soap is still soap — the ingredients are basically the same, just refined and more pure.
Soap doesn’t kill germs, it removes them. Fat and water don’t mix (as I’m sure you’ve observed in your kitchen sink). But soap binds fat and water together and when you rinse, the soap carries away the muck, paint, grease, dirt, mud, germs, and yes, the coronavirus microbe with the water. The more lather you work up, the better the soap carries stuff away. The harder you rub your hands together, the more lather you work up, and the friction it creates leaves hands clean.
But you aren’t off the hook yet. After a good hand scrub, check your fingernails. Best to keep a fingernail cleaner near all RV sinks and use them to scrape any other dirt out from under them. Wish a wash and scrape, you can be certain you’ve had a successful cleansing.
Let’s Connect
Events and happenings at Floridays and elsewhere along the Treasure Coast, plus occasional news and updates from us. We don’t share your email address, and opt-outs are in real time.
