Kyle and Renee, I'm sure it's been said before, but working with simple two-way radios for communications is the best solution. They can be purchased at any box store for a very cheap price, and needs no signal to effectively work in real time. The best way to utilize these radios would be to have Renee continuously (without letting go of the transmit button) telling Kyle to back up, along with the distance he should expect is left to back up. This will give Renee the control of not being interrupted, and the communication stays one-way. Anytime Kyle comes to a complete stop, is the only time Renee should release the talk button. This will give Kyle the opportunity to ask any questions about the situation. Additionally, this allows Renee to stand in the rear of the rig while Kyle is backing. This may seem counterintuitive, but this will allow Kyle to focus on both the mirrors for things that don't belong there, as well as the position of the rig while jackknifing the rig. Renee will have a greater viewing of the sides and rear, as well as top clearance. Finally, while Renee is giving instructions, it should be straightforward instructions, and not vague or chit-chat. This we call "sterile cockpit" Practice makes perfect, and the more you use the radios, the better you'll become and knowing how utilize the tool. Hope you find this helpful
Hey Tim! Thank you so much for this, we needed this great information. We had run into the problem of talking over one another while "keyed up". What you mentioned though would save us a lot of grief and miscommunication. Our previous radio recently ate the dust, so we need to invest in some new ones ASAP Love how you totally reference flight rules in an RV chat 😃🙌🏼sterile cockpit is an excellent way to think of this. Definitely going to be implementing these!
We have two sets of the two-way radios. One in the suburban and one in the RV, so we should always have a working set when we need it, or so we can have two spoters. They have prevented accidents many times over for us. We did a lot of RVing between 2012 and 2017. We bought an acre of wooded land, and the RV has been docked there since early 2017. So we can camp there whenever we want without much prep.
We use walkie talkies they work really well. I know it’s heartbreaking but at least no one was hurt♥️ It was such a beautiful day on the water and seeing the monkeys 🐵 wow!! We absolutely love Phil & Stacey that was for sure a treat ♥️👍Thanks so much for sharing sending love your way
You guys are brave. . I visited Silver Springs in 1957 as a kid with my parents. Glass bottom boat ride is beautiful and entertaining. In 2016 my wife and I went to Fla. to camp and explore. I took her there and we did the boat. Great. The next day we met a guy at our campground who offered us a ride in his bass boat up the Silver River to the State Park. All three visits there were monkeys and alligators. The boat owner ran into a log with 2 large gators sleeping. Wow, now that was exciting. He just laughed. I understand the monkeys are well taken care. They were left behind after a movie was shot there in the 50's. Movie props can also be seen below the water. It is beautiful.It was privately owned until the property was donated to the state and is now a state park.
Pro-tip: Walmart polarized fishing sunglasses, $5. You know the Murphy's Law Corallary, right? The chance of losing/breaking sunglasses is directly proportional to their price. With $150 sunglasses they will fall into the first body of water their presented with. With $5 sunglasses they can't even be thrown away.
Yeah, unfortunately I’m very familiar with that Murphy’s Law LOL Renee finally bought me a pair of Walmart sunglasses, they have been my go to while we are out on the water 😎🙌🏼 You have some awesome tips Brian, keep them coming!!
@@HappilyEverHanks I lose, break or scratch expensive glasses within a week of having them usually. I have a $5 pair still on the dash in the car that I use while driving. They slide back and forth across the dashboard and I just can't get them to fly out the open windows at either end. LOL. It's like I can't get rid of them on purpose, let alone have an accident.
LOL I totally hear you! It’s nice having a pair that you can just wreck havoc on and not have to cringe when they get scuffed up 🤣 It still hurts losing that pair of Oakley‘s in the river!!
Hey there, Hanks people.....Kathy and I are taking our maiden voyage tomorrow (you two are helping inspire us, btw). We’re hooked up (did it in the rain today, get that “rainy hook up” behind us) and we’re scheduled for some snow but we’re doing it, weather be damned. Slider hitch thought - we have one but we decided to use the Pivot Point on our GDRV which our dealer assured us gave us a tighter turning opportunity than the slider would. They say either slider OR pivot point, but not both so we went with the pivot point and can get right in there to almost 90 degrees. If your GD has the pivot point, it’s a thought. PS, the monkey experience looks pretty cool.
Hey Chris! We are so happy for you and Kathy!! 😃That's some amazing insight Chris, I hadn't thought of the pivot point. I will have to look into this. The slider hitch works great...when I actually use it (it was the first time having to engage the slider). It really helps provide the distance needed, but I am intrigued to hear about this pivot point. Sometimes our big truck tires can really take a toll on the "sharp turns" This truck just doesn't turn sharp at all! 😄
Engaging the Pivot Point requires removing and re-installing a blocky piece of steel that locks one point of movement and unlocks another. Too hard to describe but any dealer that sells Grand Design RVs should know it well. They could also confirm or contest the opinion I got up here. The best news of all would be the pivot point AND slide hitch could be used at once and you could get a turn radius of more than 90 degrees......although I think that’s only wishful thinking on my part. This is some of the challenges of the. 6’ 4” or shorter truck bed. I’d be curious what you learn. It is a bummer to damage the goods and you’re brave dude/dudette to share it out there in front of everybody. Rock on, though.
Oh interesting! The next time we are at a Grand Design rally, we will be sure to bring this up. You have peaked my curiosity and would love to know more about it! If I find out more information, I will be sure to reach out to you and keep you updated Chris! Thank you for getting back to us with more information...yes it's hard putting it out there, but we figured a lot of people could relate to some of the struggles. We just want to keep it real ya know? Best to you Chris! - Kyle and Renee
Ouch for your truck! We’re soon-to-be-retired-newbies, with a new truck and TT. We know scratches and dents are inevitable, but it still will crush our spirit when it happens! I really enjoy both of you! I admire your choice of career, too. I’ve had a few overnight stays in the hospital and said goodbye to my dad there. Nurses are people, but some go above and beyond their duties by showing extreme compassion to their patients and families. I’ve been fortunate to have those nurses when I needed it the most. You guys strike me as nurses like that. Like having the ability to “read” what a patient needs from you, then providing it. ❤️ Keep up the good work guys!
Thank you Kathy, that is so sweet! We appreciate you stopping by our channel again! Have you taken the new rig out on a trip yet?? Also forgot to ask before where y'all are from?? ~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks we’re Ohioans! We are doing a Michigan trip first... close enough, but far enough from home. I would love to do a 2 year trip around the country, or to go full-time, but I know we need to get some experience under our belts. I started out being enthralled by tiny houses, and this is how it manifested for us. One daughter lives in the FL panhandle and one son is car-camping at the moment around the west to see what area speaks to him for moving to. Our other two are yet to put down roots. We’ll be able to see places we want to see, along with visiting them! Win-win!
That is great, smart to get the experience first but we have faith in y'all! We are hoping to be in Michigan this summer! Northern area. Thanks for sharing Kathy! 😃
I "kissed" my shortbed with my 5th wheel too, and I even had a slider hitch, just didn't put it out. So, to fix the problem, I got a longbed dually! Lol
You would be safer towing with a Longbed truck anyway. And you wouldn't have a hitch with as many moving parts to wear out either like with a slider. Shortbox and a slider is ok for the Weekender but gets old fast for full-time.
@@HappilyEverHanks We are not quite yet. But I have towed about everything you can think of doing Hotshot. Less moving parts less problems in the long run. We are either going with a 3500-4500 Ram DRW 4×4 or Freightliner. Lol
We pull with a Chevy 2500 extended cab 6'7" bed and use the auto sliding PullRite Superslide that gives us 14" of rearward movement on a full turn. Performs perfectly for us. Gave $500 for it off of marketplace and it had made 2 short trips. Very thankful your little rub didn't pop the rear window.
Thank you so much for this, we really appreciate this sound advice that you just gave us 😊You are totally right, slowing it down and taking it at your own speed is key. Always breathe!! That's a plus for sure 🙂 It's great to meet you, what's your name by the way?
@@HappilyEverHanks your welcome. I have learned my hard head has made me have a very soft wallet, And that causes less outings. The frustration then causes a downward spiral to the outings we were already on. Keep on keeping on 👉you guys got this👈
Thank you Jeremy and Melissa! You guys rock for all of your support and encouragement. Cheers to you both, hope we can hear from y’all again soon - Kyle and Renee
Seriously, WHY are you guys NOT at 100,000,000 subscribers?? I never ever watch tv, but your channel is THEEE most fun reality show. And I also NEVER watched those either. BONUS: I am learning a LOT before I take the plunge and buy my first camper. SMALL camper. Old lady here, 68. Thank you!
Hey Michelle!! We can't thank you enough for your amazing support 😃We are trying our hardest to get there!! So happy that you enjoy our sense of humor and adventure..we hope that we can meet up with you sometime soon on the road! What kind of small camper do you think you will end up getting? What brand should I say! We are so excited to hear more about your journey!! 😊
HappilyEverHanks thank you for the response! Thinking about the Tab, E-Pro, or Bushwhacker. I have a 1/2 ton Ram 4x4 hemi so I’m not concerned with weight. Still looking and shopping, trying to educate myself on this unknown territory as much as possible. Keep on keepin on!
Oh my goodness Michelle of course!! We love talking with you about this, we are here for you! Yeah I think you half ton Ram can definitely handle those smaller campers! I have heard about the E-Pro before (good things). Understand where you are right now with things, it will definitely come! Feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions on here Michelle! We really appreciate your support, best to you! - Kyle and Renee
Dang! Two dings 😢. That’s rough. I felt it in the feels when I saw the after effects. 😰. We have two way radios, always keep our spotter in view with very definitive hand signals ( bigger motions are easier to pick up) so they don’t get misinterpreted as well as a camera on the RV and go slow. So far it has worked for us. But like you said. Damage is inevitable. I took a turn that had a steeper angle than expected and tore a hole in the overhang of the RV with my tonneau cover rail and broke the rail and had to replace it. Life’s challenges!
Ouch! Thanks for sharing that Nic! We've done walkie talkies, cell phones on speaker, big hand movements but guessing it was our time! We will maybe invest in a backup camera soon! Hope all is well up in Michigan! ~Renee & Kyle
My dad and I have always done backing up signals via showing distance with hands. The closer your hands are together, the closer your trailer is to whatever you don’t want to hit!
@@HappilyEverHanks My wife and I are currently looking at 5th wheel RVs and haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I’ve been trying to do my due diligence and research as much as possible. That’s when I ran into y’all’s channel and I’ve been on a Hanks binge lol
sorry for all the question - are the inflatable SUP easy to stand on? I tried over Memorial Weekend on the hard SUP and I could not stand, kneeling was easy but really want to stand if I can - so are the blow ups easier?
Great video!! We also love Phil and Stacy! I love how Dexter just looks at Karl (haha) aka Kyle. We also use our phones when backing up, it seems to work pretty well for us for now. We did have a run in with a telephone pole when turning the corner (OUCH) on our awning! Also when we were staying at a RV park, someone hit the corner of our RV when we were gone. So disheartened because they did not let us know. Accidents happen. Don’t let it ruin your day😊. Hope to see you soon!
Thanks Cathy! Phil and Stacy are so fun to chat with around a fire! Great times 😃 We normally use phones and I think I was on the phone when he turned the truck too hard but....too late! That's crazy someone ran into your RV and didn't say anything! It made our evening a little down but we realized accidents happen right away and moved on! Appreciate your wisdom and feedback ❤️~Renee & Kyle
I would like to make a suggestion to you.When using hand signals while backing or even forward. Look to the military for hand signals. yes I said it MILITARY. We trained on track vehicles and they steer by using a breaking method on the direction turning, The ground guid as you are normally at the back watching the RV. (thats you Nay Nay) With two hands both opened palm. When bringing Carl back to you your palms would be facing you with a front to back motion to get the vehicle to pull forward palms out pushing Carl away. This would be reversed if you are at the front of the tow vehicle. To turn close the appropriate hand into a fist. He would then turn the direction the fist is closed. Now for a stop close both fist for complete stop, I think if you would try this method you would find it is very intuitive and useful. I hope this helps you out. as you are normally at the back watching the RV.
Great video guys! Bummer about the dings, but we love that you made this video all about the amazing things that happened aside from that! And how cool you got to meet You Me & The RV! Safe travels... watch those angles!
Hey guys! Thank you so much for the kind words, definitely learned our lessons. It was super fun getting to meet up with Phil and Stacy! Hope all is well with you, cheers!! - Kyle and Renee
Yes! Pacing is getting even better. "That's why I married you!" I love those words of affirmation from my wife especially when I put the toilet seat down.
Do you have a certain type or brand of Walkie talkie that works? We've had no luck with them in the past. Fast dying batteries and hard to have two way communication. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and give feedback! ~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks Sorry to here that, but we've been there with cheap ones, batteries don't last.. There are so many out there. We ended up buying a set of Dewalt, there were on the pricey side around 100. But we love them, charge fast and last a long time... Good luck, and God bless...
We totally agree! Those batteries on the cheap ones just die so quickly! We will definitely check out Dewalt (love their products), definitely pricy but built to last. Thank you for this Lonny, we really appreciate the time and information you just provided us. Hope we can catch up more again soon! Cheers Lonny! - Kyle and Renee 😃
@@HappilyEverHanks we us the Motorola style FRS walkies from Cabelas, waterproof, bright colored hunter orange so they can easily be seen, they float and have weather alerting capabilities we use them for camping, directing while parking and when our little girl goes for bike rides within a campground. Oh, and they are rechargeable with a docking station, battery life is really good in between charging. I typically charge them once or twice during a 5 month camping season for us.
Thank you Keith!! I am so glad you mentioned this because we had no idea where to go to find some good walkie-talkies. It’s nice to know that Cabelas has some in stock that are worthwhile checking into! We definitely need something with long battery life with the amount of yapping we do over the radios 😂🙌🏼
Oh, man… I so endorse your “cheap sunglasses” comment! Last summer while floating down the canal in Penticton BC I did this AMAZING back-roll-dismount out of my tube, and by the time I realized I couldn’t feel my prescription Serengeti sunglasses on my face, it was too late. My wife was NOT impressed.
Walkie-talkies! We only went out once….our first time RV-ing EVER, and we realized we need walkie-talkies. So many things you have taught us! We had no idea how much we needed to learn! I keep a running list, now. Love you guys! Love your adventures! 💗 Hope to see you in the PNW!
For the backing up process, what about using orange flags or lit orange cones or light sticks like they do in the airlines?Pretty easy to see when the two sticks are crossed it means STOP. Also the two sticks are brought closer and closer together as the vehicle nears the stopping point. Just a thought:).
Thank you so much for this! It is really refreshing to hear your insight and tips for not only us but everyone who reads! That is a really great idea, having more visuals only helps the process! Tell us about yourself, what's your name? 🙂Do you currently own an RV?
Being a truck driver, I don’t always have a spotter. In fact, I can’t stand having a spotter and don’t think I have since school. What I do under very serious circumstances…. Use a marker… whether you drop a cloth or draw a line in the dirt….. pace out foot steps of space and then do the same distance of steps along your running board or whatever to create the same space…. You can get down to an inch. 😊
Thank you Chuck and Alli!! We had such a blast there...should we plan on another trip and meet up there sometime? Maybe some VR on the paddle boards? 🤔😂
I did that exact backup with the ladder on the gutter with our first TT. Wife was telling me to stop. I didn't. We now use our phones when backing. Much easier, I can back up and be talking to her on the phone via hands free.
Oh no way! Those ladders must be magnetic to roofs and gutters 😆 We usually use our phones but that little bit of delay would of probably caused the same problem! Thanks for the feedback and watching 😃~Renee & Kyle
Our truck was only HOURS old when it got its first ding. But we were days away from going full time and it didn’t bother us like it would have before. And since the hubs did it, I figure it is my “get out of jail” card in case I ding it up. Loved the scenery in this vid. ❤️❤️❤️Larry and Debbie
Larry and Debbie!! We miss ya'll!! So sorry to hear that you had a run-in with banging up your truck as well...these lessons are the hardest ones to learn 😣I like the way you coped with the incident though, especially the get out of jail card 🤣You two are such a hoot! Hope that we see you again soon, stay safe! - Kyle and Renee
Hey Lou and Angie!! It was such a pleasure meeting Phil and Stacy, we hope that we can meet you both as well in our travels! It's amazing how small this world is at time right? Hope ya'll are doing well 🙂- Kyle and Renee
I sure love following you guys. You have really gotten good with the videoing and storytelling. Glad to see your channel moving along. Oh and sorry to see/hear about the truck. BTW..get some walkie-talkies. No talking lag and you do not have to worry about cell signal either.
It’s so great hearing from you! Thank you so much for the kind words, it helps to “ice the wounds” a little after this episode lol Definitely would love to get some walkie talkies! Do you ever have communication issues when you use the walkie talkies? For example talking a lot, but the other person is “keyed up” at the same time and not hearing your words.. does that makes sense? Lol
@@HappilyEverHanks Well, honestly at first I didnt, quite get it lol.. The first video I saw must have been older, but as the skit went on I began to laugh, lol. Do you like your rig? How does it hold up against the elements?
It holds up really nicely 🙂 this past winter for super cold (forced us to have to skirt the RV for the first time). However, the additional insulation that was built into the unit has proved to be really effective against the elements How does your rig stand up against extremes of the weather?
@@HappilyEverHanks That's interesting that you say that. I had heard skirting is effective against that draft. So far Im impressed with the amount of heavy rain it can take. I dont have to many heat/ warmth issues being it's FL. My propane is great if the power goes out regarding heat. On the other hand-- The A/C started to smolder & nearly catch fire & the unit is a 2018 model. Anyway, we learned if youre cooking alot & using olive oil or any oils really, but olive oil tends to heat faster at low temps so if the A/C is going... Yep you should turn if off. The system is literally sucking in air, if the air has oil particles in it & it builds up in the electrical A/C panel... you guess it. Not good. Repair cost about $700! Otherwise little things always need attention, but hey! its a foam tiny house on wheels. The thing ppl dont seem to understand is, I can pack up & go anywhere I want! That kind of freedom is both rare & precious! So it really is sort of a life style. lol
Oh goodness, sorry to hear about you A/C 😣 Glad you are able to keep a positive mindset about it all, sometimes we can struggle with that if multiple things go wrong lol But hey, that's the RV life right? As far as the winter skirting, it totally cuts down on that draft. We were blowing through propane like no tomorrow, until we put some skirting around the RV. HUGE difference! YES! Love the freedom that the RV lifestyle provides, so happy that ya'll are part of this. We really look forward to meeting up one day soon 🙂 🙌🏼
*Boondockers Welcome bit.ly/3oxgHpj Save 10% with our code: HANKS21* Today we learned the hardest lessons that we have faced while full time RV living. What are your communication tools that you use to prevent situations like this happening? Do you have any suggestions or comments that can help us prepare for future situations such as this? Stay safe on the road!! *Items In This Episode* _‣Inflatable Stand-up Paddle Boards_ urlgeni.us/amzn/SUP2 _‣Renee's Baseball Cap_ urlgeni.us/amzn/redhat _‣Cat Harness_ urlgeni.us/amzn/catharness _‣B&W Companion Slider Hitch_ urlgeni.us/amzn/BWhitch HappilyEverHanks Amazon Page urlgeni.us/amazon/HanksStorefront If you like the way the Hanks do things, consider subscribing: urlgeni.us/youtube/channel/KVJA
@@Ournotsoperfectlife a lot of people have mentioned we should get them, so we are going to be looking as well 🙂 We had a pair before, but they ate the dust quickly because they were really cheap LOL
Best thing I can suggest is to get out and look. Take backing up as slow process each time. Many times my wife says “Can we at least move it 6 inches a time”. Get out and check often, if it takes 20 mins, then that’s what it takes. It can be done on your own, go slow, be OVERLY careful.
Great Video guys, I know that feeling of having things go wrong backing up except my trailer hit the window and the whole thing shattered. Mine could have definitely been avoided by keeping my cool but I'm the same as soon as I screw up my first attempt my stress levels go through the roof. Keep the great content coming!
Hey Matt! Oh my goodness, we are so sorry to hear that 😕it's the worst feeling having things like this go wrong. I am glad I am not the only one who has stress levels go through the roof...goodness it's hard to fight that feeling right?
@@HappilyEverHanks Yeh I can't say it's my favourite part of RVing but keeps things interesting! Worst part is my 9 year old nieces and 2 year old son were in the back seat and got covered in tempered glass! (No cuts luckily) You guys look like your having some really awesome adventures glad I found your channel!
😱no way!! That is so scary Matt, glad you guys are safe! We are so grateful to have you support Matt, all of your comments help our channel so much! Hope we can catch up more soon, stay safe! Cheers Matt!
So sorry about the truck. We use radios for our communication while parking, or maneuvering. Besides the stresses of the day, we love your channel, and always find ourselves laughing. Thank you.
Hey Stacy, thank you so much. It's nice to hear what works for you guys.. are you talking about walkie talkies? We are so appreciative of your time and support ❤️
Great video. Loved Devil’s Den and Silver Springs footage. I lost my iPhone on that River a few years ago when kayaking down. We feel so bad about your truck and RV! Please come back. You will Ace it next time! We can go on a River trip together too.
Hey Sherly! Thank you for having us, beautiful boondockers welcome location! We could of looked for your phone on the river that day 😆We will for sure do a river trip if we come back that way! Thanks for watching 😃We are just so glad your roof is ok! ~Renee & Kyle
Great video! We head out on our first "shakedown" weekend trip tomorrow...Of course it is supposed to rain all day and possibly snow! Anyhoo - so far we have no great communication system setup, but husband told me to SHOUT louder! Hahahaha! And I need to learn how to stand within view of the side mirrors, while keeping an eye on the hitch, and where is is backing up to... soooo, yeah. Looking forward to more comments ;)
Thank you Catlin! That's amazing 😃Hope that the weather holds out for you guys..be safe! Shouting louder can definitely do the trick! I'm sure Renee will get a kick out of yelling at me louder 😂LOVE these tips! Where are you guys heading tomorrow? Local or long distance?
Thanks for the well wishes!! Our marriage survived and we just returned from our weekend trial event and ROCKED it- thanks to you two! 😘❤️💪. Your videos helped us out so much, tips, tricks, and things to watch for...can’t thank you enough🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. As newbies- we really needed all the great tutoring. In this video the tip to drain the kitchen water before gray water!! Epic 🙌🏻 Getting all the clear angle parts for black water- likewise! And, just for the record I did shout louder and it helped!! 🤣 Keep up the great work- we love Thursday evenings now!! PS- Chris is my husband- he also comments on your videos. We have the Grand Design Reflection 260RD fifth wheel.
So awesome to hear!! Way to go guys! Hopefully we can both meet up in our travels 😃 Yay for Grand Design!!! Thanks so much for supporting our channel! Hopefully no more snow for you guys! We’re guessing you’re from the north somewhere then? Lol we couldn’t handle the cold any longer in PA, Florida is being good to us! Safe travels 😃 ~Renee & Kyle
So sorry that happened to Dee! We know how much you love Dee! We have a PullRite Superglide hitch. It slides up to 14 inches automatically. Thanks for sharing the good, the bad and the ugly! ~ Shion and Matthew
Shion and Matthew, thank you very much! We’ll have to look into the PullRite hitch, sounds nice! Dee took a little bruising, but going strong 💪🏼!! ~Renee & Kyle
💜💜💜 oh man that stinks...hard lesson! We communicate through the phones don't seem to have the same delay. But...I recommend good old dollar store air horn...STOP!!! 😁
Hey now that's the best idea I heard all night through the comments! Would love to wake the RV parks up with an airhorn! "Whoops sorry, we're just backing up" 😆Thanks for the information and watching! ~Renee & Kyle
Here is a backing-up tip. 1st. See how far you need to go to back up. 2nd. Go back to the truck, get 2 rocks or sticks. Put them on the ground next to the door where you can see looking out the window, look down at the ground pick a point. Only move that distance. Listen to your spotter.
Thank you so much Paul this is some amazing information! I think we just went a little too fast on this one, it helps not rushing through the backing up process and keeping clear and concise communication 😀🙌🏼 Do you currently own an RV?
@@HappilyEverHanks I drove cement trucks for 20 years. Learn a few things. Thank you for sharing your experiences. T-minus 7 months till the wife retires. See you on the road.
That’s awesome! We are so happy for you guys and your upcoming journey to hit the road. We look forward to meeting y’all out here one day. Take care 😊👋🏼 hope to hear from you again soon!!!
Yeah that's for sure Rob. To be honest we actually have a slider, but we never engaged it. We have never needed to engage the slider before. It was an unfortunate mistake that could have been prevented. Learning curves are no fun 😕live and learn right?
@@HappilyEverHanks We have a 26' KZ Travel Trailer with 1500w of Solar and 400Ah of Battleborn's. We pull it with a 2020 Sierra AT4. We are not full-time yet but that's our #1 Goal in 2021 is to take Cross Country RV Tech and Solar nationwide, check us out (www.ccrvtechndsolar.com)......love the videos you guys have definitely became one of my favorites.....
Ok seriously we can learn a lot from you guys! You have Battleborn's AND Solar?? Teach us your ways... We only have a 12 Volt battery that came stock with our fifth wheel when first purchasing it. That's amazing that you have a goal of going full time!! Will check out your Solar page for sure! What's your names by the way? 😃
I just love you guys! Great video. Glad you are loving Boondockers welcome! Such a beautiful trip on the river! And I'm sorry about your truck. It could have been worse. Lynn and Danny
Hey Lynn and Danny!! We love you guys, thank you so much ❤️We would have never known about Boondockers Welcome if it wasn't for you both. Honestly you both rock!!
Sorry hit the wrong button. Next, waving is fine and when you need to stop, the look out simply closes his or her hands in a fist. You can also use both arms/hands to show how close you’re getting to obstacle by moving them closer to each other and then making fist to signal immediate stop. Probably been mentioned before, I’m new to the channel but thought I’d mention it. Take care, be safe and Ride On.
So happy that you took the time to mention this! This is very valuable for not only us, but everyone else reading 😃Please keep these great comments, tips and feedback coming on other videos as you watch. We really enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your insight!! Stay safe Marco, talk to you again soon!!!
You are right Scott, those words should never be in the same sentence! Thanks for the feedback 😃We appreciate you watching and the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
I Love how when it's bad for you guys, IT'S STILL GOOD BETWEEN YOU GUYS! My wife & I use cheap walkie talkies from Wal Mart! We don't do the flapping bird wing motion signals anymore! LOL (THANKS FOR THE VIDEO - it makes me feel more Human when others mess up! LOL) BE SAFE!
Glad it helps people relate! We prefer the phones on speaker but because of the delay went with the bird flapping signals! Thanks for the feedback and comment! Really helps out our channel 😃~Renee & Kyle
So my wife and I use walkie talkies. When I am back, she is the only one allowed to talk so she just keeps the button pushed. If I want to say anything I get out of the truck and go talk to her. The phone delay was a big problem for us.
Oh this is awesome of you guys to share, so glad to hear we aren’t the only ones with the phone delay problem! Definitely want to look into getting walkie talkies ASAP! What kind of rig are y’all traveling in?
@@OurRollingVoyageORV oh nice! That was the Solitude we originally wanted (maybe one day) congrats on a beautiful rig! Hope to meet y’all on the road one day 😃 cheers! - Kyle and Renee #GrandDesignForTheWin
Another lovely video sharing thank you for sharing ❤️ giving another a big Big like thumbs up 👍👍 see you again take care 😊💐🎸🎵 hope you guys also stay connected 😊
Here’s an idea from an old truck driver. Get a bunch of cones (The orange ones) get permission out of business that’s closed on the weekends shut up your cones like 30 of them and practice backing around those cones into a parking spot that you have marked. When you are directing someone to back up, you hold your hand up and make a fist that is how they stop. But The driver has to have ultimate faith in the spotter so the spotter has to also be extremely focused. The driver cannot be checking the passenger side mirror period so that means that the spotter is responsible for both sides of the vehicle up high as well as ground level. Backing a large vehicle is a learnable skill. I did it for 20 years and never hit anything I didn’t want to. It takes practice and patience.
Hey Zalley! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out this information! Honestly, you sound like you a have a ton of experience. It's nice to have an inside tip like this from one of the pros. You are absolutely right, practice and patience is key. So we have to ask, are you currently retired now from the trucking business after 20 years? Do you currently hit the road with an RV?
@@HappilyEverHanks I am actually a traveling CNA now. I am buying a school bus that I will be converting and I will be towing a 4 x 4 behind that. So technically I guess I retired from trucking about 10 years ago maybe 15. Then I took some time off from work at all but that doesn’t work for me LOL. Now in my mid-50s I have zero debt and I can actually live life
That’s amazing!! Love that you are debt free and living the life that YOU choose to live! So happy for you 🙂🙌🏼 you are rocking it!! Nice work on the traveling CNA part, we had no idea that they offer that. What a great opportunity to get out and explore, plus make some decent money along the way 👍🏼
Really sorry about you guys bumping up the rig. To be completely honest my wife and I did the same exact thing to our travel trailer backing it into our driveway when we brought it home. That’s why we watch you guys because you share the funny and the real stuff too. The monkeys were brought to Silver Springs when they did a Tarzan movie way back in the day and they were never able to round them all up. They will drop out of the trees and swim over to peoples boats to get food 😳 Safe travels and take care!
Oh wow! Did your TT bump against the tow vehicle? Maybe we should dent the other side to make it symmetrical looking 😆Tarzan? What? Never knew that or are you messing with us? lol The monkeys did look like they were auditioning for a disney movie 😃Thanks for watching and the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
Thank you Chuck and Nan! We are so sorry to hear about you guys have a similar situation...isn't it the worst feeling? 😥 Is that a true story about the monkeys or are you pulling my chain? 😄That's amazing!
No I wasn’t pulling your leg it’s true. Tarzan was filmed there in the 50s or 60s as well as creature from the black lagoon. Quite a bit of history there. We were really lucky ended up with just small mark in the top edge of the TT and a small dent on the flashing of the our homes roof. It really was a great/lucky lesson early on. Don’t forget I have some good suggestions for my part of the state. Glad you guys got to see some springs. They are some of my favorite parts of Florida.
Wow that is awesome!! Love learning things like this 😃That's good to hear that you only had a small dent. These lessons are the hardest to learn...it took me awhile to come to grips with the truck. Definitely will keep you in mind! Ya'll are too great 😊
Hey guys, just wanted to give you a heads up on a rare manned launch 🚀 attempt on the 22nd @6:11am. Should be beautiful at that time of morning. Check with the Canaveral National Seashore website or call Titusville office to see if Playalinda beach will be open for launch. If so go early and watch the beach sunrise/launch. There is a small boat launch at that beach into the mosquito lagoon for some great paddle boarding. If y’all are in the area...
I just found you guys last week when we were on the road. Have started watching all your past videos. Then I saw you on Phil and Stacys channel and I said oh it’s those funny guys! Then the next day when I was watching Jason and Rae live stream I saw you guys commenting. I have subscribed and have added you guys to my weekly RV RUclipsrs watching. It’s nice seeing young people doing this. You guys are a hoot!
Thank you so much Jeffrey! All such great channels 😃Did you just hit the road or been doing the RV thing for a while? We really appreciate your support and look forward to your future comments ❤️~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks we are not full timers but to be precise we are 24.657534% timers (90 days a year). I have been doing the RV thing since I was a kid. I am carrying on my parents tradition. We are not far from retiring and we do we will be at least 75% timers. BTW love he Dad jokes! I just see a younger version of me! 😁
@@jeffreysmith3399 that’s so awesome to hear! You guys are making the most of it, I bet you have seen so much in your travels since you have been RV’ing most of your life! Thank you for the support on the dad jokes 😄🙌🏼 really appreciate your comments as well, they help our channel out so greatly Jeffrey! Cheers to you, hope to see y’all on the road one day 🙂 - Kyle and Renee
@@HappilyEverHanks Never been in the area. Even close for that matter. The wind direction reading busted me up. There is a "SE, WEST Xxxxxxxx rd. in my area. The funny part is, those directions don't even line up with ANYTHING. 🤪
Am I the only one who is fangirling that y’all went to Devils Den?! I want to see that place so bad! Have you ever heard of any of the horrible stories of people going past “the sign” and not making it out? So incredibly sad.
Hey there Emily! Thank you so much 😃It was a beautiful place, you should definitely go check it out if you ever have the chance!! No, we hadn't heard of that, it sounds like it could easily happen 😣 Tell us about yourself, do you currently own an RV?
@@HappilyEverHanks silver springs was the filming location for Tarzan in the 50's. Some of the monkeys escaped and have been there since. Many movies were filmed there back in the day. Next time you guys are near wellborn, fl holler. We have 5 acres and would love to host you here.
No way!! Really?? That's amazing! I guess they just created their territory out there 😄Wow thank you so much John! We will definitely do this, hope to stay in touch as we go along! Cheers John - Kyle and Renee
Great video guys. You got lucky on the truck mishap. I made the same turning mistake but in addition to denting the cab, I blew out the rear window.( Made for an interesting remainder of our trip home.) got the window replaced the following Monday. Continued safe travels.
Get the Reese sidewinder pin box it’s a hella better then a slider hitch. It’s Replaces your pin box with a rotating pin box eliminates the need for a slider. We replaced our pin box with the sidewinder and it’s amazing.
Lenin!! Thank you so much for this, it’s awesome to hear your perspective! We would love to eventually upgrade to this, it sounds really convenient 😃 What brand of fifth we are are you guys rocking out on the road?
Walkie-Talkie.....My better half hates that I love them so much, but we use them for communicating all the time. It's a long way from cab of truck to back of RV.
Hey Bruce! So glad you mentioned the Walkie Talkie, it really is a long distance between the two and need a good source of communication. Have ya'll ever had a problem with talking over one another while the other is "keyed up" on the walkie talkie?
@@HappilyEverHanks . That does happen, but again, (And why she hates them), it is fun for me to "TEACH" her the trucker way: "Shelley, you have to say OVER when you are done talking!" "Shelley, I have told you a thousand times, you must refer to me as Big Bopper B, when broadcasting!" "Shelley, turn it on!!!" :-)
LOL Bruce you need to teach us the Trucker ways as well! We need some call sign as well 😄 “that’s a big 10-4 Pig Pen” Convoy!! Hahaha I’m sure you have heard this song lol
We use the relatively inexpensive GMRS radios. We have HAM radio licenses, but these do not require licenses. You can get them from Walmart, or Amazon easily. Below are the ones we use. BAOFENG UV-5X GMRS Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable Two-Way Radio, with NOAA Weather Alerts & Scan, Long Range Rechargeable Handheld Radio, 1 Pair 3.5 out of 5 stars 31 $59.99
Stacy!! You pulled through so great for us! Thank you 😃 Renee and I are going to be looking into these ASAP. Are the HAM radio licenses hard to obtain? I'm not even sure if that is something that is valuable for us to obtain in the future?
@@HappilyEverHanks truthfully, my husband, Tad, loves any radio gadget that exists, so for him, getting the HAM radio license was a piece of cake. For me, it was the garbage in and garbage out approach to the test, but I passed it! After many years of using the HAM radios, I actually do have a much better knowledge. You two are so sharp, it would not take you much effort at all! But I don’t often use frequencies that need my certification.
@@stacytad7162 that’s so awesome that you both got it! Congrats to you Stacy, you kicked butt 😎🙌🏼 We appreciate the insight, it would be awesome to have that knowledge! Maybe one day we will look into it more. For now I am going to start looking at some cheaper walkie talkies to get some of our communication more refined lol Hopefully one day we can meet y’all on the road Stacy!
First time poster, love your videos! Retired Air Force, so to emphasize on your hand movements, agreed 100%!!!!! OVER exaggerate the hand movements, it's really hard when you are backing up a vehicle to see what your spotter is indicating with their hand movements. If you have comms through your cell phone or some other means, that's great, but that should be supplemental to actually seeing and communicating with each other. Keep up the great work and the videos, hope to see you on the road!
Thank you for your service Rich, this is incredible. Yes, you totally nailed it, big hand movements are key! It's so hard to see all the way back there from the driver point of view 😅Thank you for the wonderful comment, we hope that we can hear from you on other videos as well! You mean so much, stay safe friend ❤️
No fun at all!! Be thankful you didnt lose the rear glass in your truck . Its always easy to get frustrated, thats when you have to pay attention the most for sure. Sorry guys !!
Hi! My husband and I are considering buying a truck and 5th wheel and were wondering if you were to pick a certain hitch on a truck are you pigeon-holed in what RV you choose or can you pick the RV and have any hitch installed on it? Do you have any idea? Thanks!
Hey Wendy! As far as the hitch itself, you should be able to get the RV customized to fit that specific hitch. For example an "Andersen Hitch" requires a gooseneck adapter to the fifth wheel pin. We have met many people who tow their fifth wheels via gooseneck or traditional fifth wheel hitch. If in doubt, you can always contact the manufacturer and see if they would be compatible with the fifth wheel that you are looking at 😃 What kind of hitch and fifth wheel are you considering on getting?
I’m really liking the Avalanche 390DS. We have a teenager who needs her own bed and bath and the 390 DS has both. It’s not my favorite but it seems to be the beat fit. No clue what kind of hitch it has. Thanks for your help! 😃
That’s awesome!! 😃✌🏼 So glad that you guys were able to find a rig that can accommodate those things. Nicely done Wendy!! Keep in touch, we really enjoy reading your comments. We hope to hear from you again soon 🙂👋🏼
So, 1st things first.....slider hitch on a short bed isnt optional, it's a must. I see alot of people say that it's not...those people will someday in a bad spot because of this belief...simply put, y'all get a slider and stop the stresses of this and it will drastically improve your quality of life. 2nd off, we try really hard not to give hand signals from the passengers side, but because of the mentioned reasons with lag in the cell phones or even in walkie talkies, we simply dont get within 8inches of anything...build a buffer into our communication. Also, I ended up buying a furion rearview monitor for seeing directly behind me while driving (to help with changing lanes and such) but it really came as a double bonus for scenarios like this. It's worth the investment, and maybe something to look into. Dont take this as criticism, it's totally not intended that way, but I just see so many people who are stressing over the actual towing/maneuvering aspect of RVing, and I try to pass on the things that have really helped my family lower the stress level and make the trips more enjoyable. Hope you all keep enjoying the journey and I'll be watching more often!
Andrew, we can't thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to write such an insightful comment. This means so much to us! Yes, I believe we were guilty of this "slider hitch is optional" part that you mentioned. Having learned this lesson with the short bed truck, we will now be utilizing the slider to its full advantage. These live and learn scenarios are never easy, but at least we have great people like yourself that help to bring valuable knowledge to prevent this from happening again. I also like that you mentioned that you try your hardest not to give hand signals from the passenger side. These are all things we will start incorporating into our routine from now on 🙂It's all about keeping those stress levels low for sure 🙌🏼We appreciate you Andrew! Are ya'll full time on the road?
@@HappilyEverHanks no, not full time, but from march 1st to Thanksgiving we go almost every other weekend. We luckily both work 4- 10s so alot of times we pull out Thursday and return on Sunday evening. My comments come from my stressing over little things and using RVing as a means to unwind and use every tool to improve that ability. I'm glad yall found this useful. I've basically grown up in a camper and been 5th wheeling for 8 years now, and I see so many people burn out over the stresses of the tow. It should never be white knuckle and the equipment should build confidence....I just strongly believe the stress is the number 1 reason for burn out and usually leads to focus being on one thing while maneuvering...which leads to heartbreaking mistakes. Sincerely wish you all the best! And if you're ever in Northeast Tennessee, reach out and I'll be more than glad to point you in the right directions! Safe travels
Andrew that’s fantastic, it sounds like you have tons of experience. Thank you for sharing with us and everyone because it’s nice to know what works for everybody! Glad you guys get to do almost every weekend, sounds like you have the perfect schedule for it as well 🙂 be safe in your travels, hopefully we see you on the road one day soon Andrew! Cheers!! - Kyle and Renee
Hola Hanks! Not an RV’er yet, two more years to retire and hitting the road. Love your videos making the decision to hit the road an easier one. About the communication, a clear view between the driver and look out is number one for us at work,
Hi Marco!! So great to hear from you 😊That's wonderful you are so close to retirement! Thank you for the great feedback, we really appreciate this! We never stop learning, that's for sure 😅What kind of RV do you guys plan on traveling in come retirement??
Hey Francesca!!! 😊👋🏼 Isn't that crazy? We had no idea that this was a thing! Have you ever heard of this before?? Also have you ever been down into the Florida area at anytime? Such beautiful places to visit!
@@HappilyEverHanks Yes, crazy, and no I never realized there were areas in FL where they were wild!! Most of my husband's family lives just north of Jacksonville, so we travel down often (from MD) but have not brought our RV down there yet. We actually got married inside Fort Clinch on Amelia Island in 2016!! It's also a state park, so we're hoping to camp there sometime. We have a lot of work to do in our house this year before retirement Jan 2022, but after that we'll be campin' fools!! 😁
Right around the corner!!! Y’all will be rocking this RV life 😎🙌🏼 sounds like a beautiful area where y’all got married, we have never visited there Always great hearing from you Francesca!! Best to you and the hubby 🙂 talk again soon ❤️
@@HappilyEverHanks - if you're still in FL, then you'll pass Amelia Island on you way in/out! It's at the very northern part of FL passed Fernandina Beach! Take care and safe travels! Give Dexter a nose boop for me! 😻
Oh we must have missed it! We are out of Florida now! Definitely will check it out when we go back again soon 😊 Dexter sends loves and nose boops back 😻 Take care!!!
Glad I am not alone. I put a dent in my rig a couple weeks ago also. The tail swing caught a fence post after getting new tires on the rig and leaving the lot. Well it's going to happen eventually but it still hurts. Great video guys keep it up. Gordon & Alice
Ouch! Yes it’s always a bummer to have that happen, but always grateful no one got hurt. We always say it could be worse but for sure still hurts! Thanks for the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
What make & model is your pickup? Is it a diesel? I’m really debating going the Motorhome route & towing my Prius, which I love or selling my Prius 😩 & getting a pickup & 5th wheel combo. What mpg do you get when towing ? Do you think a solo person could easily handle a 5th wheel? Thanks! I would get walkie talkie because they are recommended on lots of channels.
Hey Nancy! We have a 6.6L 2500 GMC Diesel 🙂 You have some great options! That’s exciting for you! Honestly, I think a 5th wheel could be handled by a single person. We have never had experience with a class A, so I can’t give you honest feedback on which one would be easier. However, owning a fifth wheel is the best handling we have had with a pull behind Yes!! We definitely need to get some walkie talkies 😃 when do you plan on making the decision for your upcoming RV?
While maneuvering at the dealership service area, I had to circle the building. The side of my rv tagged a small building that housed their pneumatics machines. I got a hole knocked in my sidewall just below the roof. It was fixed at no charge because a previous person hit that building and knocked it off its foundation, reducing clearance. The repair of my RV was so good, I couldnt see where it was broken. Over the years, I busted a storage door with my lowered tail gate. And an open door was destroyed when I slid out my bedroom. Everything that got broken was fixed and that repair bill was over $4000, but that included a new refrigerator. Bottom line is rvs are not without future headaches.
Oh no! That is such a bummer!! We are happy that you were able to get it fixed, but YES! You are so right, there are plenty of headaches that come with the RV life. Also plenty of wonderful memories, it’s a ride for sure 😎👍🏼 strap in haha!
Great video...just subscribed! Not sure how long you guys have been together, but at some point in your "husband training", Kyle, you'll learn it's all about RENEE, especially when a yummy breakfast is in the making!! My wife and I have been camping for over 20 years and are going to start our full-time adventure this August 2021. After we progressed from the "one finger signalling" while backing up to walkie-talkies, things improved...as long as I had charged the batteries. Now with cell phones, things go pretty smooth and I'm looking forward to learning the Furrion cameras I just installed. Reality is a merciless teacher and communication is fragile at best. I've come to realize RV'ng is a lot like piloting an airplane...no matter how much advice and/or help you get, the stick and rudder are up to you, without (normally) the added risk of altitude and the sudden stop at the bottom!
Lol yes!! You got that right 🙂 How exciting for you both!! Congratulations! We can't wait to hear more about your past and future adventures It sounds like you have a lot of experience in the RV world, we could definitely learn some great things from you both! Nice job with the new camera system, would love to hear your thoughts on the Furrion cameras. We are wondering if we should be investing in these ourselves? Love how eloquently you put it haha! You are right though, communication is one of the most important skills that you must continue to mold and learn every day. There is no thresh hold of reaching the top with communication lol So tell us a little about yourselves! What are your names? It sounds like you are a pilot 😃 I could use your help for my upcoming drone FAA test 😅 Lots of information to know and learn!!
You make such a great point Steven! Sounds like you have a lot of experience. Love that acronym, we will keep that in the forefront from here on out! 🙂 Do you currently own an RV Steven?
@@HappilyEverHanks no we don’t own one now but want to get one, I used drive a semi OTR and when I watched the video of you guys smashing you’re RV I had to say something that might help, because I have been in some very tight places that I would have to get out and look several times, and a semi and trailer is 75 feet long and when loaded almost 80,000lbs.
Wow Steven, you must have a lot of experience with driving semi! You are going to be all set and well ahead of the game when you buy an RV 😃 sounds like you can teach us some great tips, thank you Steven! Hope to hear from you again, cheers! - Kyle and Renee
Oh gosh guys 😳 Dang! At least it tis but a scratch, it’s just a flesh wound 😉⚔️ For realsie though, so glad it didn’t crush your truck!!! On another note - we had NO IDEA there were monkeys in the US!! Whaaat, how cool is that. Great footage guys, you seriously crack us up. Hope we get to cross paths 🤙🏼
The b-pillar of my truck would say otherwise 😆Yeah isn't that crazy? The monkeys are left over from the old Tarzan movie that was filmed in the mid 90's. Did you know that?? They like escaped and made their territory this area lol
Totally never heard of the Tarzan/monkey bit. That’s super cool and crazy! Oh!! Meant to tell you guys a lil tip we learned... AFTER you dump your grey tank put 1/2 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of antibacterial dawn dish soap down your kitchen sink and fill it with about a gallon of water. This gets rid of the funk smell. Can do the same for black tank - after you empty it, put the borax and dawn down the toilet and run about a gallon of water in there. Works like a charm. We do it like every other dump 🤘🏽
Yeah pretty interesting eh? We were blown away to hear that as well lol Oh that's rad!! Thank you guys so much for this, sometimes we fail to do things like this (obviously we pay for it later by enduring the smell 😂) Ya'll rock for taking the time to write this, we really appreciate that!
I lived in Florida for a while back in the 80s. I used to SCUBA dive there as well. I would LOVE to go diving where you guys were at! What a total blast! I did some cave diving in Clearwater with the Manitees and that was a lot of fun too! I moved to Maine after that and there are hundreds and hundreds of sunken boats/ships to dive on off the coast of Maine! I love all the wildlife you saw too! How exciting! Thanks for sharing your life with us all! You guys rule!
Hey Mike that is so awesome!! You must have dove in some really beautiful places! You were brave enough to do the cave diving?? 😱So cool!! That sounds like such a beautiful area that you currently live! We hope to make it up to your neck of the woods one day soon 😃Thank you so much for your comments and wonderful support! Keep them coming Mike!! - Kyle and Renee
Great video, Kyle & Renee. Thanks for the cameo. It brought me back to that terrific day. You two are awesome. So sorry about the mishaps, a backup camera or walkie talkies might help. The diving and paddle board video are simply beautiful and funny, too.
Hey the man of the show made it!! 😃🙌🏼 Denny, it’s so great to hear from you. We are so thankful to have met you and hear your story of getting on the road. Yes, it was not a fun time going through this.. but we live and learn! Definitely will be checking out the walkie talkies. Did you guys make it back home safely? When is your next trip?
@@HappilyEverHanks We got home on Sunday. Went slow and took ten days to get back home. Stayed one night at a Harvest Host in Kentucky, one night at a campground to get full hookups for showers and the rest Boondockers Welcome and Cracker Barrel. Will be planning some local weekend trips with the family through the spring and summer. Hope you both well and safe travels. Looking forward to watching your upcoming videos.
So glad you made it home safely! That's awesome that you guys got to do a little bit over everything with over night stays. We have yet to try a Harvest Host (we don't have solar or a generator). Hope you have an amazing spring and summer, keep us updated with your travels and adventures! Stay safe Denny, talk soon!! - Kyle and Renee 😃
We use handheld radios to communicate. Works great for us. Yep, I smashed my cab, too. I even had a slider but didn’t get out to move it. Crap happens. I now have a 8ft bed with a Reese Goosebox.
Hey Terry! That's a bummer that you had a run in with your cab as well 😕Yeah you are totally right, gotta get up and brush off the dirt! How do you like the 8 foot bed? Have you had any problems since the upgrade to a long bed?
@@HappilyEverHanks I have a 2018 Ram dually with 8 ft bed. I have my truck back. Don’t have to mess with that old heavy hitch anymore. Ride is much better with the Goosebox and more stability with the dually. This is our second fifth wheel (2018 Reflection 303 RLB) so we’re not new to traveling. I can honestly say I would never go back to a six ft bed or pin box. I put a 60 gallon diesel auxiliary tank in the back to solve those fuel anxiety issues too.
That’s awesome!! So y’all are Grand Design as well 😁🙌🏼 maybe we can all meet up one day and hold a mini Grand Design rally lol That’s great! I always wanted to add an extra auxiliary tank, you must be able to go forever Terry!
Great video. Awesome to see you meet the others. I was watching video's from "You, Me and the RV" and thats what brought me to your channel back in the day. That RUclips algorithm works. Stay safe and have fun. Live on!
Cory!! So great to hear from you 😃 Thank you as always for taking the time to write an awesome comment, it helps us so much! Phil and Stacy are really down to earth people, we are so fortunate to have met them. It's like Deja Vu that you found us through You, Me & the RV...then we actually met them! Cory maybe you were the one to make it all happen 🤔lol How are things progressing with finding an RV? Are you guys still looking? I forgot when ya'll said you were heading up to Coeur D'Alene to be near your in-laws?
I had a 6.75 ft bed pickup and after tagging the cab while backing 5th wheel rv, I considered getting a slider. But opted for a sidewinder bar to extend the king pin by about 18 inches. Then I could jack knife my 5th wheel rv and still have plenty of room for 2 adult size mountain bikes to be secured on their wheels in bed of truck near my rear window.
Hey Drake! That is an awesome addition to have 😀🙌🏼 nicely done! You are doing it the right way, thank you so much for sharing 😎 Keep these great comments coming, we hope to hear from you again soon!!
We went to Devils Den while on a multi state trip. Loved the snorkeling. We took our own scuba masks. Campground at the spring was only $28.50 per night FHU. Well worth the stop
You guys should get a couple 2way radios for backing. The day I brought our first camper home, I backed the ladder into our house. It ripped the ladder bolts right out of the camper's roof. Thankfully it first camper wasn't new, it was a practice camper. I made my mistake with it, learned about campers with it.b it taught me a lot, like ladders can hit houses. Lol. I've put in a curb at our house for our new camper. Now I can't back in too far. Could have all been worse guys, these things simply happen, ebbed to the best of us.
Hey guys! Yeah we were definitely thinking we are long overdue for buying some walkie talkies! So sorry you guys have had your run ins with this situation as well. 😕 At least it was a practice camper like you mentioned! Definitely could have been worse, hopefully I can find some form of paintless dent removal to see if that will help! How have you guys been? Where are ya'll at on the road now?
Omg I thought you were kidding about the monkeys! How did I not see these during our 4 months in FL this winter?! Wish we would have overlapped at Barry’s boondockers site but am sure you were happy to connect with Phil & Stacy!
Hey Eileen!! No we weren't kidding!! Wasn't that incredible? I had no idea that they had wild monkeys in Florida 😱 That's a great question...I wonder if we just hit it at the right time? Had you ever heard of Silver Springs or Devils Den before watching?
a pair of cheap walkie - talkies, does the trick. the worst thing about 5th wheels is that people always buy a short bed in the truck, the short bed only gives you a 45 deg, turning radius, and most of the the trailer hits the rear of the cab. with a long bed the you gain 2 feet in turning radius and can rotate 90 degs. and never hit the cab. so with that said, short bed trucks, all trailers but a 5th wheel. most people hate the long bed , so far as a option a flat bed or utility flat bed, on a short bed.
Yes! We definitely need to invest in some walkie-talkies! We have been using the cell phones and sometimes they can have a delay. We have been putting on our due diligence to prevent us from ever happening again, but we all know that the RV life never stops surprising 😄✌🏼
Kyle and Renee, I'm sure it's been said before, but working with simple two-way radios for communications is the best solution. They can be purchased at any box store for a very cheap price, and needs no signal to effectively work in real time.
The best way to utilize these radios would be to have Renee continuously (without letting go of the transmit button) telling Kyle to back up, along with the distance he should expect is left to back up.
This will give Renee the control of not being interrupted, and the communication stays one-way. Anytime Kyle comes to a complete stop, is the only time Renee should release the talk button. This will give Kyle the opportunity to ask any questions about the situation.
Additionally, this allows Renee to stand in the rear of the rig while Kyle is backing. This may seem counterintuitive, but this will allow Kyle to focus on both the mirrors for things that don't belong there, as well as the position of the rig while jackknifing the rig.
Renee will have a greater viewing of the sides and rear, as well as top clearance.
Finally, while Renee is giving instructions, it should be straightforward instructions, and not vague or chit-chat. This we call "sterile cockpit"
Practice makes perfect, and the more you use the radios, the better you'll become and knowing how utilize the tool.
Hope you find this helpful
Hey Tim! Thank you so much for this, we needed this great information. We had run into the problem of talking over one another while "keyed up". What you mentioned though would save us a lot of grief and miscommunication. Our previous radio recently ate the dust, so we need to invest in some new ones ASAP
Love how you totally reference flight rules in an RV chat 😃🙌🏼sterile cockpit is an excellent way to think of this. Definitely going to be implementing these!
Absolutely love this info!
We have two sets of the two-way radios. One in the suburban and one in the RV, so we should always have a working set when we need it, or so we can have two spoters. They have prevented accidents many times over for us.
We did a lot of RVing between 2012 and 2017. We bought an acre of wooded land, and the RV has been docked there since early 2017. So we can camp there whenever we want without much prep.
It’s now 2024. Haven’t paid for a haircut since 2006. Been using a Remington haircut kit and 2 mirrors (vanity & handheld). 👍. Oh, the $ avoided.
That’s impressive! You must have saved a lot over the years. DIY haircuts for the win! Thanks for sharing
We use walkie talkies they work really well. I know it’s heartbreaking but at least no one was hurt♥️ It was such a beautiful day on the water and seeing the monkeys 🐵 wow!! We absolutely love Phil & Stacey that was for sure a treat ♥️👍Thanks so much for sharing sending love your way
Hey guys! Thanks for much for the love ❤️ So glad no one was hurt and we still use the RV and truck! Safe travels! ~Renee & Kyle
You guys are brave. . I visited Silver Springs in 1957 as a kid with my parents. Glass bottom boat ride is beautiful and entertaining. In 2016 my wife and I went to Fla. to camp and explore. I took her there and we did the boat. Great. The next day we met a guy at our campground who offered us a ride in his bass boat up the Silver River to the State Park. All three visits there were monkeys and alligators. The boat owner ran into a log with 2 large gators sleeping. Wow, now that was exciting. He just laughed. I understand the monkeys are well taken care. They were left behind after a movie was shot there in the 50's. Movie props can also be seen below the water. It is beautiful.It was privately owned until the property was donated to the state and is now a state park.
This is what insurance is for. I have the best coverage money can buy because simply put, I am new and want the best in case I wrap it around a pole.
Pro-tip: Walmart polarized fishing sunglasses, $5. You know the Murphy's Law Corallary, right? The chance of losing/breaking sunglasses is directly proportional to their price. With $150 sunglasses they will fall into the first body of water their presented with. With $5 sunglasses they can't even be thrown away.
Yeah, unfortunately I’m very familiar with that Murphy’s Law LOL Renee finally bought me a pair of Walmart sunglasses, they have been my go to while we are out on the water 😎🙌🏼
You have some awesome tips Brian, keep them coming!!
@@HappilyEverHanks I lose, break or scratch expensive glasses within a week of having them usually. I have a $5 pair still on the dash in the car that I use while driving. They slide back and forth across the dashboard and I just can't get them to fly out the open windows at either end. LOL. It's like I can't get rid of them on purpose, let alone have an accident.
LOL I totally hear you! It’s nice having a pair that you can just wreck havoc on and not have to cringe when they get scuffed up 🤣
It still hurts losing that pair of Oakley‘s in the river!!
Hey there, Hanks people.....Kathy and I are taking our maiden voyage tomorrow (you two are helping inspire us, btw). We’re hooked up (did it in the rain today, get that “rainy hook up” behind us) and we’re scheduled for some snow but we’re doing it, weather be damned. Slider hitch thought - we have one but we decided to use the Pivot Point on our GDRV which our dealer assured us gave us a tighter turning opportunity than the slider would. They say either slider OR pivot point, but not both so we went with the pivot point and can get right in there to almost 90 degrees. If your GD has the pivot point, it’s a thought. PS, the monkey experience looks pretty cool.
Hey Chris! We are so happy for you and Kathy!! 😃That's some amazing insight Chris, I hadn't thought of the pivot point. I will have to look into this. The slider hitch works great...when I actually use it (it was the first time having to engage the slider). It really helps provide the distance needed, but I am intrigued to hear about this pivot point. Sometimes our big truck tires can really take a toll on the "sharp turns" This truck just doesn't turn sharp at all! 😄
Engaging the Pivot Point requires removing and re-installing a blocky piece of steel that locks one point of movement and unlocks another. Too hard to describe but any dealer that sells Grand Design RVs should know it well. They could also confirm or contest the opinion I got up here. The best news of all would be the pivot point AND slide hitch could be used at once and you could get a turn radius of more than 90 degrees......although I think that’s only wishful thinking on my part. This is some of the challenges of the. 6’ 4” or shorter truck bed. I’d be curious what you learn. It is a bummer to damage the goods and you’re brave dude/dudette to share it out there in front of everybody. Rock on, though.
Oh interesting! The next time we are at a Grand Design rally, we will be sure to bring this up. You have peaked my curiosity and would love to know more about it!
If I find out more information, I will be sure to reach out to you and keep you updated Chris! Thank you for getting back to us with more information...yes it's hard putting it out there, but we figured a lot of people could relate to some of the struggles. We just want to keep it real ya know?
Best to you Chris! - Kyle and Renee
We have the pivot point on our GD 295rl. I would love it, hubby won't use it, though. Until he gouges the truck, I bet he tries it then, lol
Ouch for your truck! We’re soon-to-be-retired-newbies, with a new truck and TT. We know scratches and dents are inevitable, but it still will crush our spirit when it happens!
I really enjoy both of you! I admire your choice of career, too. I’ve had a few overnight stays in the hospital and said goodbye to my dad there. Nurses are people, but some go above and beyond their duties by showing extreme compassion to their patients and families. I’ve been fortunate to have those nurses when I needed it the most. You guys strike me as nurses like that. Like having the ability to “read” what a patient needs from you, then providing it. ❤️
Keep up the good work guys!
Thank you Kathy, that is so sweet! We appreciate you stopping by our channel again! Have you taken the new rig out on a trip yet?? Also forgot to ask before where y'all are from?? ~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks we’re Ohioans! We are doing a Michigan trip first... close enough, but far enough from home. I would love to do a 2 year trip around the country, or to go full-time, but I know we need to get some experience under our belts. I started out being enthralled by tiny houses, and this is how it manifested for us. One daughter lives in the FL panhandle and one son is car-camping at the moment around the west to see what area speaks to him for moving to. Our other two are yet to put down roots. We’ll be able to see places we want to see, along with visiting them! Win-win!
That is great, smart to get the experience first but we have faith in y'all! We are hoping to be in Michigan this summer! Northern area. Thanks for sharing Kathy! 😃
I "kissed" my shortbed with my 5th wheel too, and I even had a slider hitch, just didn't put it out. So, to fix the problem, I got a longbed dually! Lol
Problem solved right there! If we ever uprade our rig and truck, will probably be a long bed dually 👍🏼Thanks for the feedback! ~Renee & Kyle
You would be safer towing with a Longbed truck anyway.
And you wouldn't have a hitch with as many moving parts to wear out either like with a slider.
Shortbox and a slider is ok for the Weekender but gets old fast for full-time.
Maybe one day a long bed will be in our future 🤔 hopefully!! Great hearing from you James! Are you full time on the road?
@@HappilyEverHanks We are not quite yet. But I have towed about everything you can think of doing Hotshot. Less moving parts less problems in the long run.
We are either going with a 3500-4500 Ram DRW 4×4 or Freightliner. Lol
We pull with a Chevy 2500 extended cab 6'7" bed and use the auto sliding PullRite Superslide that gives us 14" of rearward movement on a full turn. Performs perfectly for us. Gave $500 for it off of marketplace and it had made 2 short trips. Very thankful your little rub didn't pop the rear window.
The moment 2:29 when Renee realizes ballcaps/braids/ponies = kryptonite to all guys, lol.
Radios, slow it down and breathe, your are living the life. It's at your speed and no one else's. Keep on keeping on 👍
Thank you so much for this, we really appreciate this sound advice that you just gave us 😊You are totally right, slowing it down and taking it at your own speed is key. Always breathe!! That's a plus for sure 🙂
It's great to meet you, what's your name by the way?
@@HappilyEverHanks your welcome. I have learned my hard head has made me have a very soft wallet, And that causes less outings. The frustration then causes a downward spiral to the outings we were already on. Keep on keeping on 👉you guys got this👈
@@HappilyEverHanks Jeremy & Melissa
Thank you Jeremy and Melissa! You guys rock for all of your support and encouragement. Cheers to you both, hope we can hear from y’all again soon - Kyle and Renee
"It's at your speed and no one else's." Excellent!!
Seriously, WHY are you guys NOT at 100,000,000 subscribers?? I never ever watch tv, but your channel is THEEE most fun reality show. And I also NEVER watched those either. BONUS: I am learning a LOT before I take the plunge and buy my first camper. SMALL camper. Old lady here, 68. Thank you!
Hey Michelle!! We can't thank you enough for your amazing support 😃We are trying our hardest to get there!! So happy that you enjoy our sense of humor and adventure..we hope that we can meet up with you sometime soon on the road!
What kind of small camper do you think you will end up getting? What brand should I say! We are so excited to hear more about your journey!! 😊
HappilyEverHanks thank you for the response! Thinking about the Tab, E-Pro, or Bushwhacker. I have a 1/2 ton Ram 4x4 hemi so I’m not concerned with weight. Still looking and shopping, trying to educate myself on this unknown territory as much as possible. Keep on keepin on!
Oh my goodness Michelle of course!! We love talking with you about this, we are here for you!
Yeah I think you half ton Ram can definitely handle those smaller campers! I have heard about the E-Pro before (good things). Understand where you are right now with things, it will definitely come!
Feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions on here Michelle! We really appreciate your support, best to you! - Kyle and Renee
Dang! Two dings 😢. That’s rough. I felt it in the feels when I saw the after effects. 😰. We have two way radios, always keep our spotter in view with very definitive hand signals ( bigger motions are easier to pick up) so they don’t get misinterpreted as well as a camera on the RV and go slow. So far it has worked for us. But like you said. Damage is inevitable. I took a turn that had a steeper angle than expected and tore a hole in the overhang of the RV with my tonneau cover rail and broke the rail and had to replace it. Life’s challenges!
Ouch! Thanks for sharing that Nic! We've done walkie talkies, cell phones on speaker, big hand movements but guessing it was our time! We will maybe invest in a backup camera soon! Hope all is well up in Michigan! ~Renee & Kyle
My dad and I have always done backing up signals via showing distance with hands. The closer your hands are together, the closer your trailer is to whatever you don’t want to hit!
This is a fantastic way of doing it! Thank you so much for sharing this with us 😃 what’s your name by the way? What kind of RV do you guys travel in?
@@HappilyEverHanks
My wife and I are currently looking at 5th wheel RVs and haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I’ve been trying to do my due diligence and research as much as possible. That’s when I ran into y’all’s channel and I’ve been on a Hanks binge lol
I don't swing the broom around like a band major, I swing it around like a lightsaber!
Boom, that is greatness! Love that comment 👍🏼~Renee & Kyle
sorry for all the question - are the inflatable SUP easy to stand on? I tried over Memorial Weekend on the hard SUP and I could not stand, kneeling was easy but really want to stand if I can - so are the blow ups easier?
They are probably just as difficult but make sure you are barefoot when doing it. It's easier to balance on the balls of your feet!
@@HappilyEverHanks thanks for the info, my balance is not so good maybe I will get an inflatable kayak instead
Great video!! We also love Phil and Stacy! I love how Dexter just looks at Karl (haha) aka Kyle. We also use our phones when backing up, it seems to work pretty well for us for now. We did have a run in with a telephone pole when turning the corner (OUCH) on our awning! Also when we were staying at a RV park, someone hit the corner of our RV when we were gone. So disheartened because they did not let us know. Accidents happen. Don’t let it ruin your day😊. Hope to see you soon!
Thanks Cathy! Phil and Stacy are so fun to chat with around a fire! Great times 😃 We normally use phones and I think I was on the phone when he turned the truck too hard but....too late! That's crazy someone ran into your RV and didn't say anything! It made our evening a little down but we realized accidents happen right away and moved on! Appreciate your wisdom and feedback ❤️~Renee & Kyle
I would like to make a suggestion to you.When using hand signals while backing or even forward. Look to the military for hand signals. yes I said it MILITARY. We trained on track vehicles and they steer by using a breaking method on the direction turning, The ground guid as you are normally at the back watching the RV. (thats you Nay Nay) With two hands both opened palm. When bringing Carl back to you your palms would be facing you with a front to back motion to get the vehicle to pull forward palms out pushing Carl away. This would be reversed if you are at the front of the tow vehicle. To turn close the appropriate hand into a fist. He would then turn the direction the fist is closed. Now for a stop close both fist for complete stop, I think if you would try this method you would find it is very intuitive and useful. I hope this helps you out. as you are normally at the back watching the RV.
Great video guys! Bummer about the dings, but we love that you made this video all about the amazing things that happened aside from that! And how cool you got to meet You Me & The RV! Safe travels... watch those angles!
Hey guys! Thank you so much for the kind words, definitely learned our lessons. It was super fun getting to meet up with Phil and Stacy! Hope all is well with you, cheers!! - Kyle and Renee
Yes! Pacing is getting even better.
"That's why I married you!" I love those words of affirmation from my wife especially when I put the toilet seat down.
😄 Love this!
Two words....
WALKIE TALKIES .
Hang in there guys..👍😀
Do you have a certain type or brand of Walkie talkie that works? We've had no luck with them in the past. Fast dying batteries and hard to have two way communication. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and give feedback! ~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks
Sorry to here that, but we've been there with cheap ones, batteries don't last..
There are so many out there.
We ended up buying a set of Dewalt, there were on the pricey side around
100. But we love them, charge fast and last a long time...
Good luck, and God bless...
We totally agree! Those batteries on the cheap ones just die so quickly!
We will definitely check out Dewalt (love their products), definitely pricy but built to last.
Thank you for this Lonny, we really appreciate the time and information you just provided us. Hope we can catch up more again soon! Cheers Lonny! - Kyle and Renee 😃
@@HappilyEverHanks we us the Motorola style FRS walkies from Cabelas, waterproof, bright colored hunter orange so they can easily be seen, they float and have weather alerting capabilities we use them for camping, directing while parking and when our little girl goes for bike rides within a campground. Oh, and they are rechargeable with a docking station, battery life is really good in between charging. I typically charge them once or twice during a 5 month camping season for us.
Thank you Keith!! I am so glad you mentioned this because we had no idea where to go to find some good walkie-talkies. It’s nice to know that Cabelas has some in stock that are worthwhile checking into!
We definitely need something with long battery life with the amount of yapping we do over the radios 😂🙌🏼
Oh, man… I so endorse your “cheap sunglasses” comment! Last summer while floating down the canal in Penticton BC I did this AMAZING back-roll-dismount out of my tube, and by the time I realized I couldn’t feel my prescription Serengeti sunglasses on my face, it was too late. My wife was NOT impressed.
You guys just crack me up!!!! Love you guys so much! Better than anything in TV!
Omgosh, you are so sweet! 😊
Walkie-talkies! We only went out once….our first time RV-ing EVER, and we realized we need walkie-talkies. So many things you have taught us! We had no idea how much we needed to learn! I keep a running list, now. Love you guys! Love your adventures! 💗 Hope to see you in the PNW!
For the backing up process, what about using orange flags or lit orange cones or light sticks like they do in the airlines?Pretty easy to see when the two sticks are crossed it means STOP. Also the two sticks are brought closer and closer together as the vehicle nears the stopping point. Just a thought:).
Thank you so much for this! It is really refreshing to hear your insight and tips for not only us but everyone who reads! That is a really great idea, having more visuals only helps the process!
Tell us about yourself, what's your name? 🙂Do you currently own an RV?
Being a truck driver, I don’t always have a spotter. In fact, I can’t stand having a spotter and don’t think I have since school. What I do under very serious circumstances…. Use a marker… whether you drop a cloth or draw a line in the dirt….. pace out foot steps of space and then do the same distance of steps along your running board or whatever to create the same space…. You can get down to an inch. 😊
Great tip! Thanks for sharing =)
Wow you got some great shots at silver springs!!! Another killer video! 😁 loved it!!! 😊
Thank you Chuck and Alli!! We had such a blast there...should we plan on another trip and meet up there sometime? Maybe some VR on the paddle boards? 🤔😂
I did that exact backup with the ladder on the gutter with our first TT. Wife was telling me to stop. I didn't. We now use our phones when backing. Much easier, I can back up and be talking to her on the phone via hands free.
Oh no way! Those ladders must be magnetic to roofs and gutters 😆 We usually use our phones but that little bit of delay would of probably caused the same problem! Thanks for the feedback and watching 😃~Renee & Kyle
FLOWBEE!!! that’s how I cut my hair before Alli lmao
LOL what?!?!? What is flowbee?
🤣
I feel like I am missing something important here... 😂is my youth getting the best of me?
I love you guys! It is awesome how you learn as you go along. "Experience is the best teacher."
So true!
It happens! Love that you guys also have a “going to the truck pile” 😂
LOL yes!! We also have a going to the truck pile 🤣 #relatable
Do you guys currently own an RV?
Our truck was only HOURS old when it got its first ding. But we were days away from going full time and it didn’t bother us like it would have before. And since the hubs did it, I figure it is my “get out of jail” card in case I ding it up.
Loved the scenery in this vid.
❤️❤️❤️Larry and Debbie
Larry and Debbie!! We miss ya'll!!
So sorry to hear that you had a run-in with banging up your truck as well...these lessons are the hardest ones to learn 😣I like the way you coped with the incident though, especially the get out of jail card 🤣You two are such a hoot! Hope that we see you again soon, stay safe! - Kyle and Renee
I love how Dexter was laying there looking at you with those ‘Pretty Blues’ when you were asking him to pack his bags. Lol! Love that stinker butt!
Such a stinker butt!! He misses you by the way! ❤️Thanks for the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
Cc TV
Yay! Phil & Stacy! The Broom Swing was everything.
Lou & Angie
Hey Lou and Angie!! It was such a pleasure meeting Phil and Stacy, we hope that we can meet you both as well in our travels! It's amazing how small this world is at time right? Hope ya'll are doing well 🙂- Kyle and Renee
I sure love following you guys. You have really gotten good with the videoing and storytelling. Glad to see your channel moving along. Oh and sorry to see/hear about the truck. BTW..get some walkie-talkies. No talking lag and you do not have to worry about cell signal either.
It’s so great hearing from you! Thank you so much for the kind words, it helps to “ice the wounds” a little after this episode lol
Definitely would love to get some walkie talkies! Do you ever have communication issues when you use the walkie talkies? For example talking a lot, but the other person is “keyed up” at the same time and not hearing your words.. does that makes sense? Lol
@@HappilyEverHanks yeah I saw what happen to your truck - I just got a small scratch in mine and it sucks - yours would make me cry :(
I'm glad you don't pull my fifth wheel. You are hard on the equipment.
Walkie talkies work great, and you can get a pair for around $25.00 at Walmart.
omg.. I dang near spewed my drink with, "Like a flying squirrel... coulda died.. mid flight", lol
LOL 🤣🙌🏼 so glad you understand our humor, you sound like you would get along with us great!! Haha
@@HappilyEverHanks Well, honestly at first I didnt, quite get it lol.. The first video I saw must have been older, but as the skit went on I began to laugh, lol. Do you like your rig? How does it hold up against the elements?
It holds up really nicely 🙂 this past winter for super cold (forced us to have to skirt the RV for the first time). However, the additional insulation that was built into the unit has proved to be really effective against the elements
How does your rig stand up against extremes of the weather?
@@HappilyEverHanks That's interesting that you say that. I had heard skirting is effective against that draft. So far Im impressed with the amount of heavy rain it can take. I dont have to many heat/ warmth issues being it's FL. My propane is great if the power goes out regarding heat. On the other hand-- The A/C started to smolder & nearly catch fire & the unit is a 2018 model. Anyway, we learned if youre cooking alot & using olive oil or any oils really, but olive oil tends to heat faster at low temps so if the A/C is going... Yep you should turn if off. The system is literally sucking in air, if the air has oil particles in it & it builds up in the electrical A/C panel... you guess it. Not good. Repair cost about $700! Otherwise little things always need attention, but hey! its a foam tiny house on wheels. The thing ppl dont seem to understand is, I can pack up & go anywhere I want! That kind of freedom is both rare & precious! So it really is sort of a life style. lol
Oh goodness, sorry to hear about you A/C 😣 Glad you are able to keep a positive mindset about it all, sometimes we can struggle with that if multiple things go wrong lol But hey, that's the RV life right? As far as the winter skirting, it totally cuts down on that draft. We were blowing through propane like no tomorrow, until we put some skirting around the RV. HUGE difference!
YES! Love the freedom that the RV lifestyle provides, so happy that ya'll are part of this. We really look forward to meeting up one day soon 🙂 🙌🏼
*Boondockers Welcome
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Today we learned the hardest lessons that we have faced while full time RV living.
What are your communication tools that you use to prevent situations like this happening? Do you have any suggestions or comments that can help us prepare for future situations such as this?
Stay safe on the road!!
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I’m pretty sure we’re gonna invest in walkie talkies... have you thought about getting those??
@@Ournotsoperfectlife a lot of people have mentioned we should get them, so we are going to be looking as well 🙂
We had a pair before, but they ate the dust quickly because they were really cheap LOL
Best thing I can suggest is to get out and look. Take backing up as slow process each time. Many times my wife says “Can we at least move it 6 inches a time”. Get out and check often, if it takes 20 mins, then that’s what it takes. It can be done on your own, go slow, be OVERLY careful.
@eyebthe1 great advice! Thank you so much 😃
General universal signing is hand waving and a closed fist to stop.
You guys are doing great. The wife and I use walkie talkies. No delay and easy to use and most of all no arguments. Happy RVing.
Lol, no arguments is def the way to go! Thanks for sharing Eric! Appreciate the feedback 😃Safe travels! ~Renee & Kyle
Great Video guys, I know that feeling of having things go wrong backing up except my trailer hit the window and the whole thing shattered. Mine could have definitely been avoided by keeping my cool but I'm the same as soon as I screw up my first attempt my stress levels go through the roof. Keep the great content coming!
Hey Matt! Oh my goodness, we are so sorry to hear that 😕it's the worst feeling having things like this go wrong. I am glad I am not the only one who has stress levels go through the roof...goodness it's hard to fight that feeling right?
@@HappilyEverHanks Yeh I can't say it's my favourite part of RVing but keeps things interesting! Worst part is my 9 year old nieces and 2 year old son were in the back seat and got covered in tempered glass! (No cuts luckily) You guys look like your having some really awesome adventures glad I found your channel!
😱no way!! That is so scary Matt, glad you guys are safe! We are so grateful to have you support Matt, all of your comments help our channel so much! Hope we can catch up more soon, stay safe! Cheers Matt!
So sorry about the truck. We use radios for our communication while parking, or maneuvering. Besides the stresses of the day, we love your channel, and always find ourselves laughing. Thank you.
Hey Stacy, thank you so much. It's nice to hear what works for you guys.. are you talking about walkie talkies?
We are so appreciative of your time and support ❤️
Great video. Loved Devil’s Den and Silver Springs footage. I lost my iPhone on that River a few years ago when kayaking down. We feel so bad about your truck and RV! Please come back. You will Ace it next time! We can go on a River trip together too.
Hey Sherly! Thank you for having us, beautiful boondockers welcome location! We could of looked for your phone on the river that day 😆We will for sure do a river trip if we come back that way! Thanks for watching 😃We are just so glad your roof is ok! ~Renee & Kyle
Great video! We head out on our first "shakedown" weekend trip tomorrow...Of course it is supposed to rain all day and possibly snow! Anyhoo - so far we have no great communication system setup, but husband told me to SHOUT louder! Hahahaha! And I need to learn how to stand within view of the side mirrors, while keeping an eye on the hitch, and where is is backing up to... soooo, yeah. Looking forward to more comments ;)
Thank you Catlin! That's amazing 😃Hope that the weather holds out for you guys..be safe!
Shouting louder can definitely do the trick! I'm sure Renee will get a kick out of yelling at me louder 😂LOVE these tips!
Where are you guys heading tomorrow? Local or long distance?
Thanks for the well wishes!! Our marriage survived and we just returned from our weekend trial event and ROCKED it- thanks to you two! 😘❤️💪. Your videos helped us out so much, tips, tricks, and things to watch for...can’t thank you enough🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. As newbies- we really needed all the great tutoring. In this video the tip to drain the kitchen water before gray water!! Epic 🙌🏻 Getting all the clear angle parts for black water- likewise! And, just for the record I did shout louder and it helped!! 🤣 Keep up the great work- we love Thursday evenings now!! PS- Chris is my husband- he also comments on your videos. We have the Grand Design Reflection 260RD fifth wheel.
So awesome to hear!! Way to go guys! Hopefully we can both meet up in our travels 😃 Yay for Grand Design!!! Thanks so much for supporting our channel! Hopefully no more snow for you guys! We’re guessing you’re from the north somewhere then? Lol we couldn’t handle the cold any longer in PA, Florida is being good to us! Safe travels 😃 ~Renee & Kyle
Talking over each other is something you’ll have to work out but so many people use them.
Ok that sounds good! Thank you Karl!! What kind of RV do ya'll have?
So sorry that happened to Dee! We know how much you love Dee! We have a PullRite Superglide hitch. It slides up to 14 inches automatically. Thanks for sharing the good, the bad and the ugly! ~ Shion and Matthew
Shion and Matthew, thank you very much! We’ll have to look into the PullRite hitch, sounds nice! Dee took a little bruising, but going strong 💪🏼!! ~Renee & Kyle
💜💜💜 oh man that stinks...hard lesson! We communicate through the phones don't seem to have the same delay. But...I recommend good old dollar store air horn...STOP!!! 😁
Hey now that's the best idea I heard all night through the comments! Would love to wake the RV parks up with an airhorn! "Whoops sorry, we're just backing up" 😆Thanks for the information and watching! ~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks right...I am sure you will find a way to humour them, you got that down to a fine art 😂
@@famleelife7533 lol 🤣🙌🏼 love this! You guys are too great
Here is a backing-up tip. 1st. See how far you need to go to back up. 2nd. Go back to the truck, get 2 rocks or sticks. Put them on the ground next to the door where you can see looking out the window, look down at the ground pick a point. Only move that distance. Listen to your spotter.
Thank you so much Paul this is some amazing information! I think we just went a little too fast on this one, it helps not rushing through the backing up process and keeping clear and concise communication 😀🙌🏼
Do you currently own an RV?
@@HappilyEverHanks I drove cement trucks for 20 years. Learn a few things. Thank you for sharing your experiences. T-minus 7 months till the wife retires. See you on the road.
That’s awesome! We are so happy for you guys and your upcoming journey to hit the road. We look forward to meeting y’all out here one day. Take care 😊👋🏼 hope to hear from you again soon!!!
Yep.....gotta have the slider for the short beds
Yeah that's for sure Rob. To be honest we actually have a slider, but we never engaged it. We have never needed to engage the slider before. It was an unfortunate mistake that could have been prevented. Learning curves are no fun 😕live and learn right?
We guys are like a marriage counselors dream
Thank you
Thank you for watching Jay!! 😃👋🏼
I spin every broom, rake, extension pole I pick up like it's required to use it.....
Yes!! Love this! 😃🙌🏼 What kind of RV do ya'll have? Are you full time?
@@HappilyEverHanks We have a 26' KZ Travel Trailer with 1500w of Solar and 400Ah of Battleborn's. We pull it with a 2020 Sierra AT4. We are not full-time yet but that's our #1 Goal in 2021 is to take Cross Country RV Tech and Solar nationwide, check us out (www.ccrvtechndsolar.com)......love the videos you guys have definitely became one of my favorites.....
Ok seriously we can learn a lot from you guys! You have Battleborn's AND Solar?? Teach us your ways...
We only have a 12 Volt battery that came stock with our fifth wheel when first purchasing it.
That's amazing that you have a goal of going full time!! Will check out your Solar page for sure! What's your names by the way? 😃
I just love you guys! Great video. Glad you are loving Boondockers welcome!
Such a beautiful trip on the river! And I'm sorry about your truck. It could have been worse. Lynn and Danny
Hey Lynn and Danny!! We love you guys, thank you so much ❤️We would have never known about Boondockers Welcome if it wasn't for you both. Honestly you both rock!!
Chuck and I definitely have to do Silver springs! Those monkeys are so cool! What a beautiful scenery!
Yeah, put Silver Springs on your list right away! The monkeys are hard to see on foot so def bring the kayak. Nicki will love it!! 😃
Sorry hit the wrong button.
Next, waving is fine and when you need to stop, the look out simply closes his or her hands in a fist. You can also use both arms/hands to show how close you’re getting to obstacle by moving them closer to each other and then making fist to signal immediate stop.
Probably been mentioned before, I’m new to the channel but thought I’d mention it.
Take care, be safe and Ride On.
So happy that you took the time to mention this! This is very valuable for not only us, but everyone else reading 😃Please keep these great comments, tips and feedback coming on other videos as you watch. We really enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your insight!! Stay safe Marco, talk to you again soon!!!
You guys make me laugh every time. Kyle’s ADD- so familiar- all 3 of my kids!
😆Yes, gotta love it! Thanks so much!
Sorry about the truck, don't feel too bad we have all made the same types of mistakes.
Thank you for the feedback! More common than we think and easy to do! ~Renee & Kyle
Hey tell Renee the is no such thing as too much bacon. Guys great video love the underwater shots really fun to watch. Sorry about the truck dent.
You are right Scott, those words should never be in the same sentence! Thanks for the feedback 😃We appreciate you watching and the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
I Love how when it's bad for you guys, IT'S STILL GOOD BETWEEN YOU GUYS! My wife & I use cheap walkie talkies from Wal Mart! We don't do the flapping bird wing motion signals anymore! LOL (THANKS FOR THE VIDEO - it makes me feel more Human when others mess up! LOL) BE SAFE!
Glad it helps people relate! We prefer the phones on speaker but because of the delay went with the bird flapping signals! Thanks for the feedback and comment! Really helps out our channel 😃~Renee & Kyle
So my wife and I use walkie talkies. When I am back, she is the only one allowed to talk so she just keeps the button pushed. If I want to say anything I get out of the truck and go talk to her. The phone delay was a big problem for us.
Oh this is awesome of you guys to share, so glad to hear we aren’t the only ones with the phone delay problem!
Definitely want to look into getting walkie talkies ASAP! What kind of rig are y’all traveling in?
@@HappilyEverHanks yeah, it helps listen better and get out more. We’re in a Solitude 375 RES-R
@@OurRollingVoyageORV oh nice! That was the Solitude we originally wanted (maybe one day) congrats on a beautiful rig! Hope to meet y’all on the road one day 😃 cheers! - Kyle and Renee #GrandDesignForTheWin
@@HappilyEverHanks Thank you. Safe travels.
Same to y’all!
If you have a drone, place the drone (non flying) behind the RV and use its camera. Drone feedback tends to have little lag.
Those we’re definitely different kind of monkeys! Dexter the ATTACK cat!!!
Yeah right!! Way different than what we saw on monkey island! Dex man is something else, he missed Nikki 😺
@@HappilyEverHanks Nikki says “see ya soon Dex man!”
Best friends for life! Nikki and Dex except Dexter doesn't agree 😆
you, me and the rv. One of my favs to watch. I am watching all your videos in couple days. Love yall even more.
Aww thank you Dawn!! They are such down to earth people ❤️ Much love to you from the Hanks family 😊👋🏼 Talk again soon!
Another lovely video sharing thank you for sharing ❤️ giving another a big Big like thumbs up 👍👍 see you again take care 😊💐🎸🎵 hope you guys also stay connected 😊
Thank you so much 😃🙌🏼What's your name??
Here’s an idea from an old truck driver. Get a bunch of cones (The orange ones) get permission out of business that’s closed on the weekends shut up your cones like 30 of them and practice backing around those cones into a parking spot that you have marked. When you are directing someone to back up, you hold your hand up and make a fist that is how they stop. But The driver has to have ultimate faith in the spotter so the spotter has to also be extremely focused. The driver cannot be checking the passenger side mirror period so that means that the spotter is responsible for both sides of the vehicle up high as well as ground level. Backing a large vehicle is a learnable skill. I did it for 20 years and never hit anything I didn’t want to. It takes practice and patience.
Hey Zalley! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out this information! Honestly, you sound like you a have a ton of experience. It's nice to have an inside tip like this from one of the pros. You are absolutely right, practice and patience is key.
So we have to ask, are you currently retired now from the trucking business after 20 years? Do you currently hit the road with an RV?
@@HappilyEverHanks I am actually a traveling CNA now. I am buying a school bus that I will be converting and I will be towing a 4 x 4 behind that. So technically I guess I retired from trucking about 10 years ago maybe 15. Then I took some time off from work at all but that doesn’t work for me LOL. Now in my mid-50s I have zero debt and I can actually live life
That’s amazing!! Love that you are debt free and living the life that YOU choose to live! So happy for you 🙂🙌🏼 you are rocking it!!
Nice work on the traveling CNA part, we had no idea that they offer that. What a great opportunity to get out and explore, plus make some decent money along the way 👍🏼
Really sorry about you guys bumping up the rig. To be completely honest my wife and I did the same exact thing to our travel trailer backing it into our driveway when we brought it home. That’s why we watch you guys because you share the funny and the real stuff too. The monkeys were brought to Silver Springs when they did a Tarzan movie way back in the day and they were never able to round them all up. They will drop out of the trees and swim over to peoples boats to get food 😳
Safe travels and take care!
Oh wow! Did your TT bump against the tow vehicle? Maybe we should dent the other side to make it symmetrical looking 😆Tarzan? What? Never knew that or are you messing with us? lol The monkeys did look like they were auditioning for a disney movie 😃Thanks for watching and the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
Thank you Chuck and Nan! We are so sorry to hear about you guys have a similar situation...isn't it the worst feeling? 😥 Is that a true story about the monkeys or are you pulling my chain? 😄That's amazing!
No I wasn’t pulling your leg it’s true. Tarzan was filmed there in the 50s or 60s as well as creature from the black lagoon. Quite a bit of history there. We were really lucky ended up with just small mark in the top edge of the TT and a small dent on the flashing of the our homes roof. It really was a great/lucky lesson early on. Don’t forget I have some good suggestions for my part of the state. Glad you guys got to see some springs. They are some of my favorite parts of Florida.
Wow that is awesome!! Love learning things like this 😃That's good to hear that you only had a small dent. These lessons are the hardest to learn...it took me awhile to come to grips with the truck. Definitely will keep you in mind! Ya'll are too great 😊
Hey guys, just wanted to give you a heads up on a rare manned launch 🚀 attempt on the 22nd @6:11am. Should be beautiful at that time of morning. Check with the Canaveral National Seashore website or call Titusville office to see if Playalinda beach will be open for launch. If so go early and watch the beach sunrise/launch. There is a small boat launch at that beach into the mosquito lagoon for some great paddle boarding. If y’all are in the area...
Slide toppers eliminate the need to sweep your slides. Highly recommend them.
I’m heeerrre!!!
Hey Adam! Still haven't got it fixed...come to the rescue with some PDR!
I did it a few times with a rounded off 2x4 and a big hammer... I can’t guarantee the paintless part though😁
LOL good enough, I will take it!
I just found you guys last week when we were on the road. Have started watching all your past videos. Then I saw you on Phil and Stacys channel and I said oh it’s those funny guys! Then the next day when I was watching Jason and Rae live stream I saw you guys commenting. I have subscribed and have added you guys to my weekly RV RUclipsrs watching. It’s nice seeing young people doing this. You guys are a hoot!
Thank you so much Jeffrey! All such great channels 😃Did you just hit the road or been doing the RV thing for a while? We really appreciate your support and look forward to your future comments ❤️~Renee & Kyle
@@HappilyEverHanks we are not full timers but to be precise we are 24.657534% timers (90 days a year). I have been doing the RV thing since I was a kid. I am carrying on my parents tradition. We are not far from retiring and we do we will be at least 75% timers. BTW love he Dad jokes! I just see a younger version of me! 😁
@@jeffreysmith3399 that’s so awesome to hear! You guys are making the most of it, I bet you have seen so much in your travels since you have been RV’ing most of your life!
Thank you for the support on the dad jokes 😄🙌🏼 really appreciate your comments as well, they help our channel out so greatly Jeffrey! Cheers to you, hope to see y’all on the road one day 🙂 - Kyle and Renee
😬
Could be worse...
Remember the alligators?
😁👍
Hey Bob!! 😃👋🏼
Yes I guess you could be right about that! LOL Those alligators are creepy 👀Still haven't encountered any! Have you seen any in the wild before?
@@HappilyEverHanks
Never been in the area.
Even close for that matter.
The wind direction reading busted me up. There is a "SE, WEST Xxxxxxxx rd. in my area.
The funny part is, those directions don't even line up with ANYTHING.
🤪
LOL I am so glad you understand our sense of humor Bob 😂🙌🏼I know right!? I am way off with my directions haha! #SendHelp
Am I the only one who is fangirling that y’all went to Devils Den?! I want to see that place so bad! Have you ever heard of any of the horrible stories of people going past “the sign” and not making it out? So incredibly sad.
Hey there Emily! Thank you so much 😃It was a beautiful place, you should definitely go check it out if you ever have the chance!! No, we hadn't heard of that, it sounds like it could easily happen 😣
Tell us about yourself, do you currently own an RV?
Do you know the history of the monkeys at silver spring?
Hey John! We actually don't have any idea about the history there. What is the history with the monkeys?
@@HappilyEverHanks silver springs was the filming location for Tarzan in the 50's. Some of the monkeys escaped and have been there since. Many movies were filmed there back in the day. Next time you guys are near wellborn, fl holler. We have 5 acres and would love to host you here.
No way!! Really?? That's amazing! I guess they just created their territory out there 😄Wow thank you so much John! We will definitely do this, hope to stay in touch as we go along! Cheers John - Kyle and Renee
Yep they from the Tarzan movies days.
@Karen R wow never knew that. At first we thought someone was messing with us! Gonna deep dive into this one!
Great video guys. You got lucky on the truck mishap. I made the same turning mistake but in addition to denting the cab, I blew out the rear window.( Made for an interesting remainder of our trip home.) got the window replaced the following Monday. Continued safe travels.
Did you say “and then I dump the bathroom in the shower”? That sounds messy. 🤭😁
Then I dump the bathroom....then the shower! Get your head out of the gutter Adam! 😂
Get the Reese sidewinder pin box it’s a hella better then a slider hitch. It’s Replaces your pin box with a rotating pin box eliminates the need for a slider. We replaced our pin box with the sidewinder and it’s amazing.
Lenin!! Thank you so much for this, it’s awesome to hear your perspective! We would love to eventually upgrade to this, it sounds really convenient 😃
What brand of fifth we are are you guys rocking out on the road?
Walkie-Talkie.....My better half hates that I love them so much, but we use them for communicating all the time. It's a long way from cab of truck to back of RV.
Hey Bruce! So glad you mentioned the Walkie Talkie, it really is a long distance between the two and need a good source of communication.
Have ya'll ever had a problem with talking over one another while the other is "keyed up" on the walkie talkie?
@@HappilyEverHanks . That does happen, but again, (And why she hates them), it is fun for me to "TEACH" her the trucker way: "Shelley, you have to say OVER when you are done talking!" "Shelley, I have told you a thousand times, you must refer to me as Big Bopper B, when broadcasting!" "Shelley, turn it on!!!" :-)
LOL Bruce you need to teach us the Trucker ways as well! We need some call sign as well 😄 “that’s a big 10-4 Pig Pen” Convoy!! Hahaha
I’m sure you have heard this song lol
We use the relatively inexpensive GMRS radios. We have HAM radio licenses, but these do not require licenses. You can get them from Walmart, or Amazon easily.
Below are the ones we use.
BAOFENG UV-5X GMRS Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable Two-Way Radio, with NOAA Weather Alerts & Scan, Long Range Rechargeable Handheld Radio, 1 Pair
3.5 out of 5 stars 31
$59.99
Stacy!! You pulled through so great for us! Thank you 😃
Renee and I are going to be looking into these ASAP. Are the HAM radio licenses hard to obtain? I'm not even sure if that is something that is valuable for us to obtain in the future?
@@HappilyEverHanks truthfully, my husband, Tad, loves any radio gadget that exists, so for him, getting the HAM radio license was a piece of cake. For me, it was the garbage in and garbage out approach to the test, but I passed it! After many years of using the HAM radios, I actually do have a much better knowledge. You two are so sharp, it would not take you much effort at all! But I don’t often use frequencies that need my certification.
@@stacytad7162 that’s so awesome that you both got it! Congrats to you Stacy, you kicked butt 😎🙌🏼
We appreciate the insight, it would be awesome to have that knowledge! Maybe one day we will look into it more. For now I am going to start looking at some cheaper walkie talkies to get some of our communication more refined lol
Hopefully one day we can meet y’all on the road Stacy!
First time poster, love your videos! Retired Air Force, so to emphasize on your hand movements, agreed 100%!!!!! OVER exaggerate the hand movements, it's really hard when you are backing up a vehicle to see what your spotter is indicating with their hand movements. If you have comms through your cell phone or some other means, that's great, but that should be supplemental to actually seeing and communicating with each other. Keep up the great work and the videos, hope to see you on the road!
Thank you for your service Rich, this is incredible. Yes, you totally nailed it, big hand movements are key! It's so hard to see all the way back there from the driver point of view 😅Thank you for the wonderful comment, we hope that we can hear from you on other videos as well! You mean so much, stay safe friend ❤️
No fun at all!! Be thankful you didnt lose the rear glass in your truck . Its always easy to get frustrated, thats when you have to pay attention the most for sure. Sorry guys !!
Yes, there is always a bright side for sure...thank you guys! This helps! It's always great hearing from ya'll! Cheers! - Kyle and Renee 😃
Hi! My husband and I are considering buying a truck and 5th wheel and were wondering if you were to pick a certain hitch on a truck are you pigeon-holed in what RV you choose or can you pick the RV and have any hitch installed on it? Do you have any idea? Thanks!
Hey Wendy! As far as the hitch itself, you should be able to get the RV customized to fit that specific hitch. For example an "Andersen Hitch" requires a gooseneck adapter to the fifth wheel pin. We have met many people who tow their fifth wheels via gooseneck or traditional fifth wheel hitch. If in doubt, you can always contact the manufacturer and see if they would be compatible with the fifth wheel that you are looking at 😃
What kind of hitch and fifth wheel are you considering on getting?
I’m really liking the Avalanche 390DS. We have a teenager who needs her own bed and bath and the 390 DS has both. It’s not my favorite but it seems to be the beat fit. No clue what kind of hitch it has. Thanks for your help! 😃
That’s awesome!! 😃✌🏼 So glad that you guys were able to find a rig that can accommodate those things. Nicely done Wendy!!
Keep in touch, we really enjoy reading your comments. We hope to hear from you again soon 🙂👋🏼
So, 1st things first.....slider hitch on a short bed isnt optional, it's a must. I see alot of people say that it's not...those people will someday in a bad spot because of this belief...simply put, y'all get a slider and stop the stresses of this and it will drastically improve your quality of life.
2nd off, we try really hard not to give hand signals from the passengers side, but because of the mentioned reasons with lag in the cell phones or even in walkie talkies, we simply dont get within 8inches of anything...build a buffer into our communication. Also, I ended up buying a furion rearview monitor for seeing directly behind me while driving (to help with changing lanes and such) but it really came as a double bonus for scenarios like this. It's worth the investment, and maybe something to look into.
Dont take this as criticism, it's totally not intended that way, but I just see so many people who are stressing over the actual towing/maneuvering aspect of RVing, and I try to pass on the things that have really helped my family lower the stress level and make the trips more enjoyable.
Hope you all keep enjoying the journey and I'll be watching more often!
Andrew, we can't thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to write such an insightful comment. This means so much to us!
Yes, I believe we were guilty of this "slider hitch is optional" part that you mentioned. Having learned this lesson with the short bed truck, we will now be utilizing the slider to its full advantage. These live and learn scenarios are never easy, but at least we have great people like yourself that help to bring valuable knowledge to prevent this from happening again.
I also like that you mentioned that you try your hardest not to give hand signals from the passenger side. These are all things we will start incorporating into our routine from now on 🙂It's all about keeping those stress levels low for sure 🙌🏼We appreciate you Andrew!
Are ya'll full time on the road?
@@HappilyEverHanks no, not full time, but from march 1st to Thanksgiving we go almost every other weekend. We luckily both work 4- 10s so alot of times we pull out Thursday and return on Sunday evening. My comments come from my stressing over little things and using RVing as a means to unwind and use every tool to improve that ability. I'm glad yall found this useful. I've basically grown up in a camper and been 5th wheeling for 8 years now, and I see so many people burn out over the stresses of the tow. It should never be white knuckle and the equipment should build confidence....I just strongly believe the stress is the number 1 reason for burn out and usually leads to focus being on one thing while maneuvering...which leads to heartbreaking mistakes.
Sincerely wish you all the best! And if you're ever in Northeast Tennessee, reach out and I'll be more than glad to point you in the right directions! Safe travels
Andrew that’s fantastic, it sounds like you have tons of experience. Thank you for sharing with us and everyone because it’s nice to know what works for everybody!
Glad you guys get to do almost every weekend, sounds like you have the perfect schedule for it as well 🙂 be safe in your travels, hopefully we see you on the road one day soon Andrew! Cheers!! - Kyle and Renee
@@andrewjonas5523 Hello
Hola Hanks!
Not an RV’er yet, two more years to retire and hitting the road. Love your videos making the decision to hit the road an easier one.
About the communication, a clear view between the driver and look out is number one for us at work,
Hi Marco!! So great to hear from you 😊That's wonderful you are so close to retirement! Thank you for the great feedback, we really appreciate this! We never stop learning, that's for sure 😅What kind of RV do you guys plan on traveling in come retirement??
"We saw monkeys running through the forest! I saw an orange, you know 'Hoo Hoo Hoo!" 😂 I totally thought you were just being funny! 😯 🐵 WHHAAATT??!!
Hey Francesca!!! 😊👋🏼 Isn't that crazy? We had no idea that this was a thing! Have you ever heard of this before?? Also have you ever been down into the Florida area at anytime? Such beautiful places to visit!
@@HappilyEverHanks Yes, crazy, and no I never realized there were areas in FL where they were wild!! Most of my husband's family lives just north of Jacksonville, so we travel down often (from MD) but have not brought our RV down there yet. We actually got married inside Fort Clinch on Amelia Island in 2016!! It's also a state park, so we're hoping to camp there sometime. We have a lot of work to do in our house this year before retirement Jan 2022, but after that we'll be campin' fools!! 😁
Right around the corner!!! Y’all will be rocking this RV life 😎🙌🏼 sounds like a beautiful area where y’all got married, we have never visited there
Always great hearing from you Francesca!! Best to you and the hubby 🙂 talk again soon ❤️
@@HappilyEverHanks - if you're still in FL, then you'll pass Amelia Island on you way in/out! It's at the very northern part of FL passed Fernandina Beach! Take care and safe travels! Give Dexter a nose boop for me! 😻
Oh we must have missed it! We are out of Florida now! Definitely will check it out when we go back again soon 😊 Dexter sends loves and nose boops back 😻 Take care!!!
Glad I am not alone. I put a dent in my rig a couple weeks ago also. The tail swing caught a fence post after getting new tires on the rig and leaving the lot. Well it's going to happen eventually but it still hurts. Great video guys keep it up. Gordon & Alice
Ouch! Yes it’s always a bummer to have that happen, but always grateful no one got hurt. We always say it could be worse but for sure still hurts! Thanks for the comment! ~Renee & Kyle
Walkie talkies are amazing!! No lag and no fights! Lol
That's so true, thanks for sharing!
It was you, Carl & Ney Ney that got us, Deborah & Bonnie, into full time RVing.
What make & model is your pickup? Is it a diesel? I’m really debating going the Motorhome route & towing my Prius, which I love or selling my Prius 😩 & getting a pickup & 5th wheel combo. What mpg do you get when towing ? Do you think a solo person could easily handle a 5th wheel? Thanks! I would get walkie talkie because they are recommended on lots of channels.
Hey Nancy! We have a 6.6L 2500 GMC Diesel 🙂
You have some great options! That’s exciting for you! Honestly, I think a 5th wheel could be handled by a single person. We have never had experience with a class A, so I can’t
give you honest feedback on which one would be easier. However, owning a fifth wheel is the best handling we have had with a pull behind
Yes!! We definitely need to get some walkie talkies 😃 when do you plan on making the decision for your upcoming RV?
While maneuvering at the dealership service area, I had to circle the building. The side of my rv tagged a small building that housed their pneumatics machines. I got a hole knocked in my sidewall just below the roof. It was fixed at no charge because a previous person hit that building and knocked it off its foundation, reducing clearance. The repair of my RV was so good, I couldnt see where it was broken. Over the years, I busted a storage door with my lowered tail gate. And an open door was destroyed when I slid out my bedroom. Everything that got broken was fixed and that repair bill was over $4000, but that included a new refrigerator. Bottom line is rvs are not without future headaches.
Oh no! That is such a bummer!! We are happy that you were able to get it fixed, but YES! You are so right, there are plenty of headaches that come with the RV life. Also plenty of wonderful memories, it’s a ride for sure 😎👍🏼 strap in haha!
Great video...just subscribed! Not sure how long you guys have been together, but at some point in your "husband training", Kyle, you'll learn it's all about RENEE, especially when a yummy breakfast is in the making!!
My wife and I have been camping for over 20 years and are going to start our full-time adventure this August 2021. After we progressed from the "one finger signalling" while backing up to walkie-talkies, things improved...as long as I had charged the batteries. Now with cell phones, things go pretty smooth and I'm looking forward to learning the Furrion cameras I just installed.
Reality is a merciless teacher and communication is fragile at best. I've come to realize RV'ng is a lot like piloting an airplane...no matter how much advice and/or help you get, the stick and rudder are up to you, without (normally) the added risk of altitude and the sudden stop at the bottom!
Lol yes!! You got that right 🙂 How exciting for you both!! Congratulations! We can't wait to hear more about your past and future adventures
It sounds like you have a lot of experience in the RV world, we could definitely learn some great things from you both! Nice job with the new camera system, would love to hear your thoughts on the Furrion cameras. We are wondering if we should be investing in these ourselves?
Love how eloquently you put it haha! You are right though, communication is one of the most important skills that you must continue to mold and learn every day. There is no thresh hold of reaching the top with communication lol
So tell us a little about yourselves! What are your names? It sounds like you are a pilot 😃 I could use your help for my upcoming drone FAA test 😅 Lots of information to know and learn!!
GOAL GET OUT AND LOOK, that is the best way to keep from hitting stuff, even truck drivers have to learn GOAL, get out and look, it works every time.
You make such a great point Steven! Sounds like you have a lot of experience. Love that acronym, we will keep that in the forefront from here on out! 🙂
Do you currently own an RV Steven?
@@HappilyEverHanks no we don’t own one now but want to get one, I used drive a semi OTR and when I watched the video of you guys smashing you’re RV I had to say something that might help, because I have been in some very tight places that I would have to get out and look several times, and a semi and trailer is 75 feet long and when loaded almost 80,000lbs.
Wow Steven, you must have a lot of experience with driving semi! You are going to be all set and well ahead of the game when you buy an RV 😃 sounds like you can teach us some great tips, thank you Steven!
Hope to hear from you again, cheers! - Kyle and Renee
I just received good news on my RV. My RV is the next to be built.. I will hear in the next few weeks about my build time and delivery date.
That is awesome Bryan!!
Walkie talkies! We use them when we park constantly! Such a life saver !
That's an awesome suggestion!! What kind of walkie talkies do ya'll use? Do we need to buy super expensive one's?
@@HappilyEverHanks we have the $30 ones from walmart! They seem to do the job!
Hey that sound GREAT to us! Glad that the cheaper ones do just as good of a job 😃Thank you guys for getting back to us!!
Oh gosh guys 😳 Dang! At least it tis but a scratch, it’s just a flesh wound 😉⚔️
For realsie though, so glad it didn’t crush your truck!!!
On another note - we had NO IDEA there were monkeys in the US!! Whaaat, how cool is that. Great footage guys, you seriously crack us up. Hope we get to cross paths 🤙🏼
The b-pillar of my truck would say otherwise 😆Yeah isn't that crazy? The monkeys are left over from the old Tarzan movie that was filmed in the mid 90's. Did you know that?? They like escaped and made their territory this area lol
Yes hopefully we get to cross paths soon! That would be a lot of fun 😃
Totally never heard of the Tarzan/monkey bit. That’s super cool and crazy!
Oh!! Meant to tell you guys a lil tip we learned... AFTER you dump your grey tank put 1/2 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of antibacterial dawn dish soap down your kitchen sink and fill it with about a gallon of water. This gets rid of the funk smell. Can do the same for black tank - after you empty it, put the borax and dawn down the toilet and run about a gallon of water in there. Works like a charm. We do it like every other dump 🤘🏽
Yeah pretty interesting eh? We were blown away to hear that as well lol
Oh that's rad!! Thank you guys so much for this, sometimes we fail to do things like this (obviously we pay for it later by enduring the smell 😂)
Ya'll rock for taking the time to write this, we really appreciate that!
Did our comment about Monty Python come through?? Didn’t see it in this thread... maybe I forgot to hit send!?! Ha
I lived in Florida for a while back in the 80s. I used to SCUBA dive there as well. I would LOVE to go diving where you guys were at! What a total blast! I did some cave diving in Clearwater with the Manitees and that was a lot of fun too! I moved to Maine after that and there are hundreds and hundreds of sunken boats/ships to dive on off the coast of Maine!
I love all the wildlife you saw too! How exciting! Thanks for sharing your life with us all! You guys rule!
Hey Mike that is so awesome!! You must have dove in some really beautiful places! You were brave enough to do the cave diving?? 😱So cool!!
That sounds like such a beautiful area that you currently live! We hope to make it up to your neck of the woods one day soon 😃Thank you so much for your comments and wonderful support! Keep them coming Mike!! - Kyle and Renee
Great video, Kyle & Renee. Thanks for the cameo. It brought me back to that terrific day. You two are awesome. So sorry about the mishaps, a backup camera or walkie talkies might help. The diving and paddle board video are simply beautiful and funny, too.
Hey the man of the show made it!! 😃🙌🏼 Denny, it’s so great to hear from you. We are so thankful to have met you and hear your story of getting on the road.
Yes, it was not a fun time going through this.. but we live and learn! Definitely will be checking out the walkie talkies.
Did you guys make it back home safely? When is your next trip?
@@HappilyEverHanks We got home on Sunday. Went slow and took ten days to get back home. Stayed one night at a Harvest Host in Kentucky, one night at a campground to get full hookups for showers and the rest Boondockers Welcome and Cracker Barrel. Will be planning some local weekend trips with the family through the spring and summer. Hope you both well and safe travels. Looking forward to watching your upcoming videos.
So glad you made it home safely! That's awesome that you guys got to do a little bit over everything with over night stays. We have yet to try a Harvest Host (we don't have solar or a generator). Hope you have an amazing spring and summer, keep us updated with your travels and adventures! Stay safe Denny, talk soon!! - Kyle and Renee 😃
We use handheld radios to communicate. Works great for us. Yep, I smashed my cab, too. I even had a slider but didn’t get out to move it. Crap happens. I now have a 8ft bed with a Reese Goosebox.
Hey Terry! That's a bummer that you had a run in with your cab as well 😕Yeah you are totally right, gotta get up and brush off the dirt!
How do you like the 8 foot bed? Have you had any problems since the upgrade to a long bed?
@@HappilyEverHanks I have a 2018 Ram dually with 8 ft bed. I have my truck back. Don’t have to mess with that old heavy hitch anymore. Ride is much better with the Goosebox and more stability with the dually. This is our second fifth wheel (2018 Reflection 303 RLB) so we’re not new to traveling. I can honestly say I would never go back to a six ft bed or pin box. I put a 60 gallon diesel auxiliary tank in the back to solve those fuel anxiety issues too.
That’s awesome!! So y’all are Grand Design as well 😁🙌🏼 maybe we can all meet up one day and hold a mini Grand Design rally lol
That’s great! I always wanted to add an extra auxiliary tank, you must be able to go forever Terry!
Great video. Awesome to see you meet the others. I was watching video's from "You, Me and the RV" and thats what brought me to your channel back in the day. That RUclips algorithm works. Stay safe and have fun. Live on!
Cory!! So great to hear from you 😃 Thank you as always for taking the time to write an awesome comment, it helps us so much! Phil and Stacy are really down to earth people, we are so fortunate to have met them. It's like Deja Vu that you found us through You, Me & the RV...then we actually met them! Cory maybe you were the one to make it all happen 🤔lol
How are things progressing with finding an RV? Are you guys still looking? I forgot when ya'll said you were heading up to Coeur D'Alene to be near your in-laws?
I had a 6.75 ft bed pickup and after tagging the cab while backing 5th wheel rv, I considered getting a slider. But opted for a sidewinder bar to extend the king pin by about 18 inches. Then I could jack knife my 5th wheel rv and still have plenty of room for 2 adult size mountain bikes to be secured on their wheels in bed of truck near my rear window.
Hey Drake! That is an awesome addition to have 😀🙌🏼 nicely done! You are doing it the right way, thank you so much for sharing 😎
Keep these great comments coming, we hope to hear from you again soon!!
Kyle, when you said you saw monkeys, I figured you'd show us kids running around LOL
🤣
We went to Devils Den while on a multi state trip. Loved the snorkeling. We took our own scuba masks. Campground at the spring was only $28.50 per night FHU. Well worth the stop
You guys should get a couple 2way radios for backing. The day I brought our first camper home, I backed the ladder into our house. It ripped the ladder bolts right out of the camper's roof. Thankfully it first camper wasn't new, it was a practice camper. I made my mistake with it, learned about campers with it.b it taught me a lot, like ladders can hit houses. Lol. I've put in a curb at our house for our new camper. Now I can't back in too far. Could have all been worse guys, these things simply happen, ebbed to the best of us.
Hey guys! Yeah we were definitely thinking we are long overdue for buying some walkie talkies! So sorry you guys have had your run ins with this situation as well. 😕 At least it was a practice camper like you mentioned! Definitely could have been worse, hopefully I can find some form of paintless dent removal to see if that will help!
How have you guys been? Where are ya'll at on the road now?
Thanks for sharing the great times as well as the mishaps. Happens to everyone.
For sure!! We almost didn't want to show it but realized so many need to see every part of the RV life! Thanks for the comment! 😃~Renee & Kyle
Omg I thought you were kidding about the monkeys! How did I not see these during our 4 months in FL this winter?!
Wish we would have overlapped at Barry’s boondockers site but am sure you were happy to connect with Phil & Stacy!
Hey Eileen!! No we weren't kidding!! Wasn't that incredible? I had no idea that they had wild monkeys in Florida 😱 That's a great question...I wonder if we just hit it at the right time?
Had you ever heard of Silver Springs or Devils Den before watching?
They are real! The monkeys are left over from the Tarzan movie days from 1930s
Hey Karen! We can’t believe this! Totally learned something new tonight and it was awesome! 😎 what neat history
a pair of cheap walkie - talkies, does the trick. the worst thing about 5th wheels is that people always buy a short bed in the truck, the short bed only gives you a 45 deg, turning radius, and most of the the trailer hits the rear of the cab. with a long bed the you gain 2 feet in turning radius and can rotate 90 degs. and never hit the cab. so with that said, short bed trucks, all trailers but a 5th wheel. most people hate the long bed , so far as a option a flat bed or utility flat bed, on a short bed.
Yes! We definitely need to invest in some walkie-talkies! We have been using the cell phones and sometimes they can have a delay.
We have been putting on our due diligence to prevent us from ever happening again, but we all know that the RV life never stops surprising 😄✌🏼
I would recommend that you get a battery operated blower for the roof, slides as well as your patio area. Much faster than a broom.
That sounds fantastic!! Thank you for giving me the excuse to buy more toys Dan 😃🙌🏼hahaha!
@@HappilyEverHanks We guys need to stick together.
Yes sir! 😁🙌🏼😂