Episodes

We just kicked off the second annual Girl Camper Charity RV Raffle benefiting HoldYou Foundation. Forest River has partnered with Girl Camper by offering us their 2020 r pod 196 for our raffle. We’ve take it from factory to fabulous and our West Virginia Girl Camper Contributing Editor, Ginny McKinney is taking it on the road and giving us a full report on all its attributes. Full details on the raffle can be found here. We kicked off the raffle by taking our r pod and transforming it Girl Campe...

Are you part of the crowd that goes to RV Shows and comes away thinking that the designers of these units are enamored with brown and grey? Do you wonder if Elkhart, Indiana is actually the set of a 1950’s TV show and it’s all in black and white? Well, I’m here to tell you that the times they are a changing, even if it is slowly. I have just returned from the annual Manufacturers Open House in Elkhart, Indiana. This is the big kick off to the RV Show season and where all of the manufacturers sho...

On this week’s show Girl Camper Food Editor, Kate Dunbar takes us through her RV pantry. As someone whose spice cabinet consists of salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika I was excited to learn what an actual foodie keeps in her pantry and what she’s using it for. Kate is the founder of The Campground Gourmet and the author of The Campground Gourmet: Simple, Delicious Recipes for Dining in the Great Outdoors. She’s my favorite person to hang out and cook with and I always learn so much! Baking ...

On this weeks show Kate Dunbar walks us through her 4 ingredient Dutch Oven bread. You will feel like a Parisian baker when you pull this from the pot. I’ve been making it twice a week now since she shared it with me. There’s no need to knead this bread and it can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a few days. I love that because you can bring it to the campground ready to go. I did mine in a parchment paper lined enamel Dutch Oven at home but it can be done on a campfire as well in ...

On this week’s show, friend of the podcast, Kate Dunbar is sharing her campground Apple and Pear Crisp recipe. What a great way to take advantage of summers bounty. Kate is a food blogger who founded The Campground Gourmet, a former restaurant owner and author of The Campground Gourmet; Simple. Delicious Meals for Dining in the Outdoors. She literally wrote the book on simple, delicious campground meals that are just as good at home! Apple and Pear Crisp Topping * 3/4 cup old fashion rolled oats...

Kate Dunbar is in the house today and she is sharing her Girl Camper Chicken Fajita recipe. Food seems to taste better at the campground and Kate, founder of The Campground Gourmet, is the author of The Campground Gourmet; Simple, Delicious Recipes for Dining Outdoors. She is a recipe developer, food photographer, former restaurant owner and a happy resident of the Lone Star state. Girl Camper Fajita Chicken and Rice Fajita Seasoning * 2 teaspoons Chili Powder * 1 teaspoon Paprika * 1 1/2 teaspo...

Fun with Ford! I recently had the opportunity to test drive the Ford Expedition for a week. I have been considering switching from my F150 truck to an SUV so I put the question out there to Girl Campers – do you prefer an SUV to a truck and, if so, why? There were those who would only drive a truck and others that only want an SUV. Here are some of the pros and cons from our Girl Camper Poll. PRO TRUCK * The bed of the truck is a great place to dump dirty stuff you don’t want in your SUV. * If y...

My guest today is Marlene Caraballo. She’s a wife of 30 years, mom to three almost grown sons, an avid blogger at Cheers 2 Chapter 2 and a long time RVer who is now looking Chapter Two straight in the eye and, guess what, it’s looking good for this almost empty nester. I invited Marlene on the show today to talk about her annual RV vacation to Myrtle Beach and how what started out as a cheap way to travel, has turned into something that is keeping her family ties tight. Marlene was not born into...

On this week’s show I interview friends, travel companions and business partners Kelly Beasley and Marshall Wendler. Their paths crossing turned into a grand blessing for the RV world. Kelly is full of chutzpah and courage and made her dream of full time RVing a reality. Once in that world she met a “technical nerd” named Marshall Wendler. Marshall possessed all the qualities us non techies love in techno nerds, starting with a passion for research and an ability to simplify things that seem com...

Walter Cannon has dedicated his career to RV Saftey. He was a founding member of the RV Safety and Education Foundation, an organization created to increase awareness of RV saftey issues and create educational materials for that purpose. Over the years the Foundation has grown to be a comprehensive source for all things related to RV safety. I first met Walter when he and I were both speaking at the same RV show. I was fairly new to RVing and towing a little trailer with a big tow vehicle. That ...

Does the prospect of a camping trip sometimes become stressful? Are you tempted to just settle for an evening around your neighbors fire pit? You are not alone. Today I am giving you a set of tips that I have honed over the years that make camping trips, whether just a weekend or weeks away at a time, way easier to manage. The difference between a happy camper and an unhappy one often comes down to planning. Having a plan and working that plan can often make a trip Plan Ahead Plan Your Campsite ...

I had a lot of fun last week answering listeners questions and this week I am wrapping up this installment of FAQ’s. There’s a lot of information out there and plenty of trusted resources. When I am unsure of something I pull in an expert which is why you will see links here to past podcasts with those “in the know.” Part Two – FAQ’s Submitted by: Ginny McKinney Can you be a Girl Camper if you have never camped before? I can’t say yes to this in enough ways! I am so glad to have the opportunity ...

On this week’s podcast I am answering listeners questions! I think it is so important to remember that for many, this camping thing is all brand new and we definitely want to be the site that says, “There’s no such thing as a dumb question” so, here we go! Submitted by: Michelle Cole Travel Trailer vs motor home with toad behind – Which would have better gas mileage? Answer: This is so much a matter of personal preferences. In 2018 I did a podcast episode on the many different types of RV’s out ...

On this week’s show returning guest Mary Ellen Arndorfer returns to gives us the 411 on how to start enjoying water sports. Kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and surfing are great ways to play in the water and get outdoors. I grew up in the midwest and spent time at our cousins summer home on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where we all learned to water ski. It was so much fun. I was pretty much off the water until one of the Girl Campers brought her kayak on a trip. We all took a turn around the lake ...

My guest this week is award winning radio and TV host Alan Taylor. Alan is a 30 + year veteran broadcaster and auto expert. He also hosts the popular Entrepreneur Weekly Podcast for Entrepreneur Magazine. He has worked with Motor Trend,

On this week’s show I am excited to announce our first annual Camp-In Camper College. I developed Camper College when I first founded Girl Camper in 2014. I wanted to show women that owning, operating, and towing an RV is not complicated.

Did you know that a campground is a great place for non RV owners to learn about camping? Did you know that they are also a great place to host an event? Hip Homeschool Moms, Trish Corlew and Wendy Hilton recently took their followers on one of their Homeschool Road Trips to explore the World’s Longest Cave System at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Rather than the usual hotel arrangement they’ve used in the past for their HEART (Homeschool Enrichment Adventure Road Trips) trips, they chose Yogi Bear’s...

On this weeks show I welcome returning guest, Sandy Newkirk. I first interviewed Sandy way back in Episode 12 of the podcast. Sandy and I met when she happened by my house on her way to a garage sale and saw me in my driveway working on my vintage camp...

Have you wondered if there’s a pecking order to setting up the RV once you arrive at the campground? Well, there is! Today I am going over the steps to help you make sure you don’t make a costly mistake but,

Do you love the roar and crackle of a good campfire? Are you mesmerized by the flickering lights, glowing embers and radiating warmth? I’ve got some tips on building the perfect campfire! Ingredients Tinder or fire starters Kindling Dry hardwoods Rake...

Have you found the perfect trailer but are afraid to pull the trigger because it has a wet bath? Are you imagining sloppy pools of water on everything and mold incubating on the walls? Think again. RV’s with wet baths can keep a trailers weight down si...

My Favorite RV Kitchen Hacks I want my RV kitchen to do everything my home kitchen does and I am always scouring for RV kitchen tips because it has to do all of that in 10% of the space. Here are a few of my favorites!!

On this weeks show I am walking you through the basics of matching your tow vehicle to your RV. I am breaking down and defining the terms associated with towing safety. I’m also laying out the formula used to determine what size RV can be safely towed by what sized tow vehicle. Some terms we hear discussed at RV dealerships and on social media groups dedicated to RVing are below. It’s a good idea for those new to towing to familiarize themselves with these terms. GVWR – Gross Vehicle Weight Rati...

On today’s show I am sharing the results of my online survey asking Girl Campers for their favorite things they won’t camp without. There were so many things that I decided to just start with their favorite kitchen things. Whether you Camp Like a Girl with all the comforts of home or go with a simpler style you will probably find something here that you want to take with you. Ice Maker – An indulgence for sure but one that I have learned to love. It’s great having ice on demand and not worrying ...