Launching Life's Journeys - An RV Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

How do you stop a propane leak in its tracks? Martin Niezen, the founder of GasStop, has the answer. He’s developed a propane tank gauge that can identify minor invisible gas leaks, prevent major leaks completely, and let you see whether there’s enough gas in your tank to get you through the day. Developed in the Netherlands, GasStop has undergone more than a year of rigorous testing to earn a UL safety rating and an ISO standard certification so US customers can purchase this high-quality product with confidence. 

Martin sat down with Will to talk about: 

●      Why OPD valves do NOT protect you against propane leaks once the tank is hooked up to your RV – and how GasStop functions differently to shut down major leaks immediately

●      The simple detail that lets customers see testing data for every individual GasStop product 

●      How GasStop can help you “see” even a minor leak when you smell gas – not just in your own RV, but for anyone else nearby

●      The reason Martin made it a point to personally talk to real American RV campers one-on-one as he developed his flagship product 

●      Which products are compatible with RV trailers and which ones were designed for Class A and Class C RVs

Because GasStop tests every one of its products by hand, it can offer a generous five-year warranty. GasStop is the only product of its kind on the US market, offering RVers incredible peace of mind, value, and convenience when they travel with liquid propane. It retails for $69 and can be bought at major retailers like Amazon, Walmart Plus, Camping World, eTrailer, and GasStop’s website. Visit gasstopusa.com to learn more.

Click here to watch the podcast interview.

On a trip to the Texas Hill Country, Brandy Gleason stumbled across the picture-perfect town of Fredericksburg. She and Will are joined today by McKenzie Moellering, the Communications Manager for the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, to talk about what makes the town so special.

In this episode, they cover:
● Where to find this hidden gem that’s only an hour away from San Antonio and 90 minutes from Austin
● All the lodgings available in Fredericksburg, from 13 different RV parks to dozens of hotels, bed and breakfasts, short-term rentals, cabins, and more
● What you’ll find in town, including 150 shops, restaurants, tasting rooms, museums, and tons of outdoor activities
● The one-of-a-kind, Smithsonian-affiliated National Museum of the Pacific War that was recently recognized as one of the top five historical museums in the country by USA Today
● And where you can get pre-planned itineraries for Fredericksburg that cater to different trip lengths and themes to make planning your visit easy

You can learn more about Fredericksburg, Texas, and its amazing attractions at www.visitfredericksburgtx.com/. The website has tons of resources to help you plan your trip to take advantage of everything the town has to offer. If you’re traveling with a larger group and planning a family reunion or RV rally, the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau is happy to help you plan and coordinate your visit. Just contact Kelly Criddle, Destination Services Manager at kcriddle@fbgtx.org for personal assistance.

Click here to watch the full interview.

When Will met Lesa McDermott at the Elkhart RV Dealer Open House, he knew he wanted to interview her about her work at Girl Camper. As the VP of Operations and Contributing Editor, Lesa has helped Girl Camper become one of the US's largest women’s outdoor adventure groups. Girl Camper’s mission is to help women explore the great outdoors by pairing them with like-minded friends, and they have chapters across 30+ states and more than 500,000 followers on social media. They hold 300-400 events a year nationwide, hosted together by local women and Girl Camper organizers. 

In this podcast, they discuss: 

●      Why fall can be the best season for camping (weather cooperating) 

●      How to participate in Girl Camper even when there’s snow on the ground 

●      What’s inside their high-quality Girl Camper magazine – which took bronze just behind Travel + Leisure in a prestigious award show

●      The rebirth of the Girl Camper podcast in 2024, where real female campers will share their triumphs, tribulations, and travel wisdom

●      Why women deserve their own camping adventure group, whether they’re single, widowed, divorced, or just partnered with someone who doesn’t like to camp

Girl Camper is looking for women around the country to found local chapters or host one-off events. You can learn more about them at www.girlcamper.com, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Plus, they’re giving our podcast listeners an exclusive offer: a free one-year digital subscription to Girl Camper magazine with code HEARTLAND – just enter the code at checkout.

Click here to watch the full episode. 

Will Miller and Maris Brennan from MARVAC are joining forces again today to interview Jacob Brown of the Otsego Lake County Park in Otsego County, Michigan. It’s the first county-owned campground we’ve featured, nestled in northern (lower) Michigan, near Gaylord and Johannesburg, and within an easy drive to the Mackinac Bridge. The waterfront campground features 80 RV-friendly sites with either 50- or 30-amp electric hookups and has fill and dump stations available. There are also four onsite cabins for anyone who doesn’t own an RV. Otsego Lake County Park Campground also offers a handful of seasonal camping sites in 30-day increments for anyone who wants to settle in and explore the area. 

In this episode, they discuss: 

●      Why the relatively shallow Otsego Lake is great for swimming, watersports, and fishing

●      Which beautiful national forests and state lands you’ll find in the surrounding areas 

●      What “Wah Wah Soo,” “Irontone” and “Libke” refer to and why campers will want to remember their names

●      The kinds of incredible events Otsego Lake County Park plans during the year – and what types of food trucks you’ll find there 

●      Plus, the number one destination in the area for your dogs, large or small 

To learn more about Otsego Lake County Park’s picturesque 27 acres and its onsite campground, visit https://www.otsegocountymi.gov/. The camp is dog and boat-friendly, with an onsite boat launch into the five-mile-long Otsego Lake. You can also contact the park to make reservations at (989) 731-6448 from May through October, and at (989) 732-6521 from November through April. 

 
Click here to watch the full video podcast.

Our guest today is Justin Richards from Alice Springs RV Park in Ionia, Michigan. He’s chatting with Will Miller and Maris Brennan from MARVAC about this 178-acre property located in the center of Michigan, between Grand Rapids and Lansing and on the way up to the Mackinac Bridge. Although they currently have 128 RV pads with full hookups, Alice Springs has plans to expand to 400 sites, cabins, yurts, tree houses, and tent accommodations over the next few years. They’ve even hired an event coordinator to help plan a wide variety of onsite, family-friendly activities that kids and adults alike will love. 

In this episode, they also cover: 

 ●      The newest campground facility that will let campers play pool and watch sporting events together 

●      Which attraction will accompany the swimming pool for all-ages fun

●      What types of food trucks they invite to serve meals at Alice Springs events 

●      How many seasonal campsites they have, and the best time to book reservations to get ahead of the curve

●      And the surprising plans they have to build an onsite restaurant – plus what it will take to make it happen

 Alice Springs has a ton of amenities to serve all kinds of campers. They’ve recently installed fiber optic internet to support campers working from their rigs, and there are plenty of activities to keep kids of all ages engaged while parents kick back and relax. They’re open for camping in October for the first time ever this year, with Halloween activities planned for kids of all ages.

 You can learn more about Alice Springs RV Park at www.alicespringsrvpark.com/. Find them on Facebook or Instagram to get a sneak peek of their facilities. You can make reservations directly from their Campspot listing online or on the Campspot app, or give them a call at (616) 527-1608. 

 
View the full video podcast here.

If you’re in Ohio, you’ll love this episode. Will sat down with Brandy Gleason from Gleason Family Adventure and Adria Bergeron, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) to discuss some of Ohio's best campgrounds. The MWCD is a nearly 100-year-old organization that focuses on conservation, flood reduction, and recreation within an 8,000 sq. mi. area of Ohio – which covers about 20% of the state. Just before 2020, they invested $200 million into the public campgrounds on their land, updating the infrastructure, amenities, buildings, and more across the state.


Brandy Gleason, Ohio native and best-selling travel author, recently held a Heartland Owner’s Rally at one of the MWCD’s campgrounds – Pleasant Hill Lake Park. On today’s episode, Brandy, Will, and Adria discuss:


● The disaster 110 years ago that led to the formation of the MWCD, and how the organization’s mission has changed over the decades
● A quick, easy hack for finding out which lakes match your camping vibe, whether you’re looking for serene and peaceful or action-packed and energetic
● What new amenities MWCD campgrounds have, including one just for kids and another just for horse lovers
● How MWCD campgrounds contribute to protecting and preserving nature MORE with every booking
● And the incredible events happening at MWCD campgrounds state-wide, from moonlight kayaking tours to the big-name country music star who played an outdoor show in August


To learn more about the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, browse all its campgrounds, and see a list of upcoming events, visit www.mwcd.org. The website also lets you book campsite reservations online, up to 340 days in advance so you can plan the trip of your dreams. You can also find MWCD on social channels like Instagram or Facebook, and each MWCD lake/park has its own Instagram and Facebook page. To learn more about Brandy Gleason and her recommendations for things to do in Ohio, head over to her blog at gleasonfamilyadventure.com.

Click here to view the full podcast video. 

Do you read Woodall’s Campground Magazine? Founded in the 1930s, they’re coming up on 100 years of providing campground news to outdoor enthusiasts across the country. Today, we’re talking with Ben Quiggle, Editor of Woodall’s, about the publication that has nearly 15,000 subscribers – with more signing up every day. In this episode, Will and Ben discuss: 

●      What kinds of content Woodall’s covers in both their monthly print and digital editions, as well as in their daily newsfeed

●      How they manage to put out three different podcasts on a wide variety of RV-related subjects 

●      The powerhouse guests from all corners of the camping world who have been featured on Woodall’s podcasts recently 

●      How they aggregate outdoor hospitality-related news from other sources to give readers a 360-degree view of what’s going on in the industry 

●      And which recent news stories Ben is most excited about sharing with our listeners

You can find Woodall’s Campground Magazine at woodallscm.com and follow them on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Their podcasts, WCMs Park Update, Supplier Showcase and Mitten Minute are available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere podcasts can be found. 

 
Click here to watch the full podcast video.

From Dexter Axle, we’re joined today by Mark Nave, Product Manager, and Kary Royer, Midwest Director of Sales. As the largest axle manufacturer in the world, Dexter products are found not only in almost all RVs on the road today, but in tons of other towables as well. Will chats with them about the history of the company, founded as a family business in 1960, as well as: 

●      How they manage to operate “like family” even with 3,800+ employees worldwide

●      The newest gadgets they’ve developed to make drivers more comfortable, less anxious, and safer on the road 

●      Where RVers can access aftermarket Dexter products – from online shopping to the hundreds of Dexter-approved dealers across the country 

●      The incredible perks that come with downloading the Dexter App for your smartphone

●      And what developments Dexter fans can expect to see in the next 5-10 years 

You can find more information about Dexter Axle and their line of products at www.dexteraxle.com, and browse their extensive video library on YouTube at @DexterAxleCompany. They’re also on social media channels including Facebook and Instagram, and you can find the Dexter App on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Dexter will be present at this year’s Elkhart RV Dealers Open House, running from September 25-27, 2023. 

Click here to watch the full podcast.  

Want a Smoke-Free Campfire? Solo Stove to the Rescue.

Ryan Powell joins our podcast today, talking about Solo Stoves – a piece of equipment beloved by millions of campers. As the Head of Dealer Sales, he’s in charge of selling retailers the smokeless wood-burning fire pits, camping stoves, and fire pit accessories that have made the brand famous. Founded in 2010 with a Kickstarter campaign for a single product, they’ve grown into a beloved company with dozens of products that offer just about everything you could want for your next campfire.

 In this episode, Will and Ryan are also chatting about: 

 ●      The scientific reason traditional campfire smoke always blows into your face, no matter where you stand

●      How Solo Stove designs products for different kinds of campers and campgrounds, and how they navigate the long list of fire rules and regulations

●      Which fire pit products are great for 2, 4, 6 people or more, and which products are great for both lightweight travel trailer owners and campers with seasonal sites

●      The secret weapon for creating the perfect campfire pizza, every time 

●      What to buy when you want to make a teeny-tiny fire indoors, for roasting s’mores at a table

You can find Solo Stove products in big box stores, at outdoor retailers, or online at solostove.com. Visit the site to search for retailers in your geographical area, see their full product lineup, and find specialty accessories that let you take full advantage of your campfire. And for inspiration for your next trip, look up Solo Stove on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.

View the full video podcast here. 

Introducing A New TV Channel Just For RV Campers

Will sat down with Dan Dominski, Vice President of Content, Programming and Sponsorships at Cannella Media to chat about the all-new RVTV – a TV channel dedicated to covering RV-related topics. The channel will launch with 15 hours a day of programming from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. everyday, and you can watch through your cable provider, Roku, or Amazon Fire TV.

In this episode, they talk about: 

●      What kinds of content RVTV will air and what inspired the creation of the channel 

●      How one big pandemic failure led to the birth of RVTV from the ashes

●      The upcoming competition that offers a $2,500 prize to RV campers and van-lifers in the real world – and how you can enter

●      What campground owners can do to advertise on RVTV and get in front of 48 million TV households

●      And which popular RV content creators have already linked up with RVTV to create exciting new media together

You can check out RVTV at RVTV.tv and see a schedule of their shows, find out where you can watch it, and get in contact with Dan and other people at the network.

View the full video podcast.