Latest / Inspired Travels With Patti / Stop Waiting to Travel: Charlie Grace on RV Life, Hidden Gems & Adventure

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Stop Waiting to Travel: Charlie Grace on RV Life, Hidden Gems & Adventure · Inspired Travels With Patti

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Is RV travel still worth it?
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Charlie Grace and I answer the questions that you are all asking.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Charlie Grace, do people have a realistic view of RV travel or has social media created the wrong expectation?
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: Ooh, it's a great question.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's a great topic.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: So Instagram worthy pictures, the Instagram, you know, thought of RV travel and going out there and camping has really put some unrealistic expectations in people's minds.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: However, that doesn't mean you can't aspire to have those Instagram moments when you're RV traveling.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: So that's really important because I always look at like my camper band situation.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, oh, it's gorgeous.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: I made the bed, it's perfect, I got the view, and the next day it's just everything's exploded.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: So you've just got to get that realistic set of, you know, it might be like this today, but maybe not tomorrow.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to thank my listeners for listening to Inspire Travels with Patty.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: So whether you're listening on the podcast or you're on the YouTube channel, I created these channels to inspire you to live life more fully.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: And for me, that is through adventure, unique experiences, exploring new places, and certainly meeting incredible new people like I have met Charlie Grace.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: And we've known each other for I don't know years now.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: It's been years.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: And today we are going to talk about the questions that are trending.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: People are asking these questions over and over again.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: So Charlie Grace and I are going to answer as many of these questions for you, the listeners, as we possibly can.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm thinking this is going to be a two-parter because there is a lot to talk about.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, for those of you who don't know my guest, Charlie Grace, she has inspired thousands of people to stop waiting and start exploring through Charlie Grace adventures.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: She shares incredible destinations, helps people find the right RV for their travel style, and has built a community where adventure and friendship go hand in hand.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Charlie Grace, welcome to Inspire Travels with Patty.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you so much, and thank you for having me.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: It looks like we're gonna be two top travel gals talking about hot travel topics.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that sounds great.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: Let's have people get a little bit of your background, how you got into the RV fan life world.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Give us, give us who who you are.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: Where'd you come from?
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think most RVers have a similar story where they're like, I've never done it before.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: I want to try it, but I don't know why.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: And so my why was really initial, as with most people, I have a pet and I love to travel.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: And a lot of people with pets end up getting RBs, ironically.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: And uh so my dog sort of became the impetus on one side of the equation.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_01: The other side of the equation was my father that passed away, and I had to find something to go and travel with and stay outside in because unfortunately his residence was more of a hoarding situation.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: And I really got tired of spending hotel bills.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, this is ridiculous.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: I can do something much better, and then I can take this on what I really want to do, which was I really want to explore more of things in my country all around, and I hadn't had that opportunity.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: So I've been doing this for about 10 years now.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: It's hard to imagine.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, a long time.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_01: And it's been fun.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and as we're gonna talk about today, there is the fun, there is the downside of it, and we are not going to be afraid to share both sides, but that's just how life is.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: And for people who don't know my backstory, I've never, as a kid, RV'd or camped.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: That just was not something we did as a family.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: I never knew people who did that kind of thing, like tank camp and things like that.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: And five years ago, like a lot of people during COVID, my husband at the time said, let's sell it all and get in an RV and go full time.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: And while I thought he was crazy, I decided to do it without any experience.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I will say, even with the downside and the stuff you have to deal with, it was so well worth it.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so two girls who know something about RVing, camping, those kinds of things, let's jump in.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: One of the most highly searched question that people are asking.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: And this is the RV travel reality check.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it is RV travel, is it still worth it in 2026 or has it changed too much?
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Because even in the times both of us started RV, things have changed a lot.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Things have changed a lot.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: I think um the oh gosh, where do I even begin?
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: The RVs themselves have changed.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: That's one topic to put on that one.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: The campground situation has changed tremendously.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_01: So, as far as like the number of campgrounds, the amenities, um, they've just popped up all over the place.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, I keep feeling like there's more people.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like uh you talked about COVID.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_01: I think there was a huge boom of people who actually bought RVs, uh, motorhomes, travel trailers, whatever it was, and they realized it's a lot of fun.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: So um things have changed a lot.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: But which which which one of those topics do you want?
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about the whole camping, the campgrounds, the travel part of things, because I know I've seen a huge shift over the last five years.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: So, what have you seen in that respect?
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: So I love people who weekend camp.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: I love people who are just getting out there.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's not you don't have to be a full-time or a person full-time on the road to go and enjoy camping.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the majority of people who have an RV or motorhome are doing that.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: They might do an extended weekend, they might go for a couple couple weeks through the summer, but that's primarily how they travel.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so um I'm noticing a lot more campgrounds are a lot more busy.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: So getting those reservations well in advance and really planning has really become a big thing, especially for people like me on the road, who all of a sudden, especially during the holiday season too, 4th of July.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's the hardest weekend in the world, it seems to get reservations, labor days coming up, things like that.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a lot more planning involved.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I think uh companies that have created travel apps or apps that help you in your travel planning have really sort of found that little niche to help during that experience.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to chime in a little bit here because I've had different experiences.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: And again, whatever, you know, kind of things you and I have experienced, it's different based on the place you're in.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: So the state, the area you want to go to, whether you're right by a national park, those kinds of things are gonna impact, you know, the campground and how busy it is and certainly holiday weekends.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: I know during COVID, it didn't seem to be.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think I went out a year after COVID had started.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I had that whole you've got to book ahead of time, it's hard to get a place, and it stressed me out, honestly.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: But I found that I was able to manage to be able to get into places.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: Some places were booking up all the time.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen a trend over the last couple of years, and again, our experience based on where we're camping and the types of campgrounds are going to be different, but I've seen this trend over the last three plus years of campgrounds that because people thought they were gonna be booked up, now they have empty spaces because people are like, Well, I didn't make my reservation months in advance, so now I'm not gonna be able to.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: So this it's sort of different than what your experience has been, a little bit contradicting.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but that's kind of been a little bit of a shift in some of the things that I've seen, you know, certainly in Florida and the winter.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you have very specific campgrounds you want to be in, planning is going to be very, very helpful.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: But I was in Florida, my plans had changed, and I was able to get places to stay.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: They may not have been the exact places I wanted to stay.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: It was about being more flexible.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: I would also say there's an uptick in people who are boondocking in travel, you know, looking for things overnight as they go along.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: And more importantly, we call it the Florida shuffle, right?
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_01: So you're in campground for two weeks here, or campground for a month here, and you go around, you go throughout the state because you're trying to stay in the nice, wonderful, warm weather.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: But boondocking at businesses, boondocking at non-for-profits, boondocking at, you know, we talk about wineries and breweries and that sort of thing.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: That really made a huge boom.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I remember that started, honestly, in 2019.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: That's when that really started.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: And here we are seven years later, and now the map is maps are filled with places that we can stay, which we didn't used to have that kind of map for, you know, back then.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: So that's giving us some, we call those Instagram moments.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: But um I think people are now taking advantage of that more and more because of some of the prices of some of the very um big resorts and campgrounds.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about that.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Is RVing, and we're gonna use that as a catch-all phrase for right now, is that a cheaper way to travel?
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_01: That's a great topic.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, do we do you spend, you know,$150,$200 on a hotel and have all those amenities, or do you spend, you know, three or four hundred dollars a month on an RV payment plus$45 at$75 for a campsite?
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna say this right now.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna make a very bold statement.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: This is a preference.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: This is a very big preference situation on travel.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: I believe this is gonna sound even weirder, RV travel is sort of a luxury travel because you get to bring all your stuff, you have all those amenities and conveniences at home.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's not a lot of return on investment on the actual unit itself per se.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: So it really is what I call shower curtain money.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: So this is that's that's why I call it luxury travel.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: It is a luxury situation.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: So is it cheaper?
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna say no.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: But is the value better?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_01: Are the memories amazing?
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: Would I do it over again?
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: I bought four RVs in 10 years.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: And that is where that balance is when people would say, is it cheaper?
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, it's so arbitrary because it depends on where did you live.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: I was living in Las Vegas in a 3,500 square foot house with the pool and the hot tub, the walk-in closet that was as big as the whole RV.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, so was it cheaper?
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it it month after month, it may have been a little cheaper in the RV.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's so it depends on where you're coming from, the type of RV you're purchasing, and the type of travel.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Now, to your point of having everything with you, as some of my listeners may know, I am now part of a group of campgrounds called Happy Grounds, and they have 18 campgrounds in the Northeast.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I have been traveling to these campgrounds.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I've flown, I've stayed at hotels, I've stayed in some of the campgrounds in the cabins, and I will tell you that not having all my stuff with me has been a thing.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like having your stuff with you, and most importantly, my bed and my pillows with my sheets, my comforter.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: These are the things that are really important.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: The other thing I traveled with that I really miss is my espresso machine.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I can make my mocha every morning.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: You're laughing, but I am fearing.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: No, everybody, I think these these are the comforts.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: These are these travel comforts.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: So no matter where you go, no matter what your scenery changes to, no matter what city you're in, you have that morning routine or that comfort zone of going, this is my world, we'll call it in the RV.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: And then the exterior world around is just, wow, I woke up at the Badlands or wow, I woke up in Maine.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Your scenery changes.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's amazing.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: And in to me, it's like you said, it's worth it.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk a little bit about.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: I was in a class A RV.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that means it was drivable for people who aren't familiar.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about how the types of RVs that you've been in.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: I do not like to tow.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'll be the first to tell you this.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: I can tow and I really looked at getting an airstream, I looked at a bunch of different things.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: My comfort level, because of uh being a solo traveler for a very long time, was I wanted to go from the seat to my bed to my bathroom without having to go outside.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: Big things.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: So if I were boondocking, I'm gonna pick on, say, a cracker barrel or something like that, and I need to move in the middle of the night or something were happening, I wanted to be able to very easily get to my driver's seat.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: So that was a personal preference and a safety consideration for me.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I've had uh small class C's, I've had camper vans, I'm now what I call a box van.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: And for that reason alone, and even if I was with a partner, this sounds even weird because I know a lot of married couples out there, people who are solos and couples going out.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: I still think for me, I would I would feel more comfortable staying with the motorized.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, and for again, for people who don't know, there's motorized, like you said, you're in your your vehicle, everything's right there as opposed to towing with with me.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: I was in a motorized, so class A, 40 foot, and we towed a Jeep.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so let's so we're well, let me stay on that.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: I had five different thoughts all at the same time.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: So let me stay on that.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Choosing the right RV.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: And again, that is probably a whole nother conversation for another time, making that choice of what the right vehicle is, whether you're gonna tow, whether you're gonna, you know, have an extra vehicle with you, those kinds of things.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: And there are individual questions I believe people need to ask themselves, but let's talk, let's dive into that because you also help people kind of choose the van, the class.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: I know you and I have had conversation about it because while I was traveling with a partner, um, I am now traveling solo.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: So you were talking more about you were asking me questions to get me to that point so I can make a decision.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think it would be cool to have a van or a class C to have my bed, my pillow, my cupboard of home in that vehicle.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: So, what kinds of questions could people ask?
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: Would you ask to get people to that idea?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think the first thing you need to ask is what is the dream?
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: No, it sounds like a weird statement, but a lot of people are like, well, I've always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, or I'm you know, my dream tip is to go to Banff in in Canada.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, let's get that dream trip first.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: Let's talk about, you know, what are you going to need to get to that dream trip?
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_01: Because no matter what, there are rigs of all different shapes and sizes.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: And if you get a really large rig, you may not be able to get a parking space for that large rig at that place.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: So these are things to consider.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: So size does make a difference in this situation.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: So let's just talk about that.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, then let's talk about lifestyle.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: Are you a person who likes to be outside more than you like to be inside?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_01: That's important.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, maybe you don't need as big a rig if you are outside all the time, but maybe you do like, I want a fireplace.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I I'm looking thinking about those rainy days and I'm gonna stay inside.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: How does that work?
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: Are you a person who's on a budget?
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_01: And that's important too, because this is a big range of price points.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe you need um, you know, if you're under 40,000, these are your options.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: And let's take a look at that first.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: Let's not, you know, shoot for the moon and get a million dollar to something, something class A, especially if you've never driven one.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_01: So lifestyle, dream trip.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: And then I would say, this is a big, big kicker here.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: If you've never towed, take a towing class.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_01: See if it's something you like.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: If you've never driven an RV, go rent one.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: My best advice is always to go rent before you ever buy.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_01: And it may not be the exact type of unit, but take a look and see if this is something you're comfortable with doing.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna be surprised once you get in there and go, oh wow, I thought I had more room for this, or where am I gonna put my 10 pairs of shoes, or um, I where am I gonna put my espresso machine?
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Things that really matter.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: And that was a big thing.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: And it it was a joke that was told because when I was looking, I didn't know anything about RVs.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: I had been in one for seven total nights.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: We would borrow a friend's RV.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: I honestly don't know if I ever even dumped the tanks.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry about that.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: If I brought it back with the tanks full.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you know, we would take this to take this um RV to a campground, hang out at the campground with friends, and that was my experience.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: So when I was looking for the RV, I knew a couple of things.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: I knew I wanted the bed to always be set.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't want to have to pull something out to make my bed.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted it there all the time.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I wanted counter space for my espresso machine.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: So storage was important.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: That is something that was important.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted some separate space because it was two of us in the RV.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: We created a work area because that was important.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: We were working out of the RV.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so all of these were important, but now that I'm solo, it's kind of shifting.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so now I am looking more for that van, or you even suggested a class C, which I felt like was a little bigger than I wanted.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: How do you suggest?
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you gave some important tips.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: How do I narrow it down to come up with what's gonna be that RV?
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have something you could suggest, other than people reaching out to you to well, no, there's there are a few ideas of going out there, but I really think um go out.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_01: I know this sounds weird.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_01: Go find yourself a dealer, go walk in these RVs.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna look online, you're gonna watch a lot of YouTube videos, you're gonna see a lot of things.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: I want you physically in the space.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: I want you physically sitting in the space.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: I want you to feel um, how are you gonna sit when you eat?
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you talked about the bed.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: Is the bed comfortable?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: Am I going to replace the bed?
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: Many times a lot of people replace the bed system because it's not the most comfortable bed.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I want you to physically be in that because that's a toughie.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I know right now there's only a few.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm gonna pick on NIRVC that currently offer test drives.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: They have two big events each year and that that you can go and you can do a test drive.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that idea.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: You can test drive anything they they've got, big ones, little ones, you name it.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that's a that's a hard thing because I know many more people who go out there get sold on a floor plan, but they've never test driven it.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I was one of those people, and I can talk about that.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: I love my floor plan and my 30-foot class C.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_01: It was perfect.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_01: I had some teenagers at home, I had some stuff going on, it was awesome, but I really didn't want to drive as much.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: It really was uncomfortable driving for more than two hours.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, where am I gonna go?
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: That left me on such a small radius.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_01: I was never gonna take them to the Grand Canyon in it.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: Never gonna happen.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_01: So we had to make some really big decisions on that one.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, I think you got you got to get in them first and then really take a look and then you can narrow it down.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_01: Right now, something that's really hot in the market, just gonna put it out there.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's no such thing in the RV industry as a B plus, but I'm seeing a heck of a lot of B pluses out there.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_01: I'm seeing a lot of people who still want compact, but they want the back to be more of a box, so it gives them a little more room.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that's being like compromises.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_01: People are looking for these compromises of how can they still be nimble, stay within a budget, but still have all the amenities.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: So NIRVC is National Indoor RV Centers.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to be clear, they are not a sponsor of this show, but you and I are huge fans.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: We both know the owner and all of the people involved there.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: So we are big fans.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: And like you said, they put on two events a year.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: So I just want to give them a plug because it is a great way to find an RV that works for you because you can test drive.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I was actually at their original event two years ago, and I did my first test drive in an RV.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: So that was very cool.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, to just to put that out there, because also finding the right dealership is so important.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: And again, that's a big whole conversation in itself, looking for the right dealership.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk a little bit.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_00: So wait, I also want to go back and talk about a B.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: Explain a little more of what that is, because it is something newer that a lot of people aren't familiar with.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, well, let's let's let's just go through real quick for the listeners so they understand ABC.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: So A, think of it like a bus.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: And they're really big, they're motorized, they're fantastic, but that's that's the size we're looking at.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh C is more like a truck frame, like a Ford or Chevy, and they build a fiberglass um shell in the back, and they can be anywhere between 24 to sometimes 30 to 34 feet, depending on how big they go.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: But you're primarily driving, you know, it looks like a a truck or a small van and towing this uh towing bits attached to.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: A B is a van, is a van, is a van, is a van.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's a Ford transit, it's a dodge.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's a Dodge Ram Pro Master, it's a Mercedes Sprinter.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, those are primarily the vans that most people work with.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: But a B plus is a van, and they've probably taken a little more liberty with the shell of the van and they've made it into maybe our fiberglass shell.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: They've added, they've changed the walls a little bit, and they've added just a little bit more to it.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: So we're talking compact coaches, okay, is a good way of putting it.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: So they're very tiny, but they just add a little bit more.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_01: They normally don't have a bunk above the front cab, they typically don't.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_01: So it's it's a box of sorts.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: I know Chinook has a fantastic B.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, uh Winnebago has B pluses.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: They're a little different.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: And what was the one I was looking at?
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um I'm just watching them come out with more and more and more.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh Lineage just came out with one, Grand Design came out with one.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: So people are looking to get out there, but they just don't want all the space because they can't get in some of these camping spaces in national parks.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: Just to recap a little bit, we talked about what's the dream, where do you want to go, what kind of travel.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: You and I talked a little bit about solo and being with a partner that's going to play into the type of van.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: What do you see is the biggest mistake people make when choosing the vehicle for them that they choose?
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: You already said that you had that 31 foot that just didn't take you to the places you wanted to go.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: I would think most people get the RV for their lifestyle today and they don't think about their lifestyle tomorrow.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that's the biggest, if you want to call it a mistake or not projecting enough and understanding where you want to go and how long you want to own this RV.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: Typically, the typical owner will buy it and within three years will change their lifestyle or will change their RV because they decide to do something different.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: So from an from a financial situation, if you look at it as this is my budget for my RV travel every month, it's a mind shift.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_01: And if you don't use it every month, you know, you need are you able to eat that cost and and not have those events?
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_01: So that's what I would consider to be the biggest mistake is thinking a little more down the road if you're going to be keeping this more long term.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: And so we have so much more to cover.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: As I suspected, we are going to do a two-part here because we still have to talk about traveling solo, whether that's as women, you are a solar traveler and I or have been.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see what the story is there.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: I am now traveling solo.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: So there's safety, there's different things that we might want to look at doing or different types of vehicles, and it's what you're comfortable with.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I want to talk about social media versus reality.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: I want to talk about hidden gems versus those big destinations.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: We still have so much to cover.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: So before we break for our second part, tell my listeners how they could connect with you.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're on social media, YouTube.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: Tell us all about how to get to you.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_01: Well, you can find me on all the platforms on the Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, uh, Instagram, all those kind of wonderful things uh at Charlie Grace Adventures.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_01: You can find me there.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_01: You can also uh email me at contact at charliegraceadventures.com.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: I spend two hours a day going through comments and responding to comments.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: As long as I can, I'm gonna still continue to do this because I love feeling um like the videos that I put out and the subject matter I put out actually makes an impact and can inspire others.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: But if you have a question, just ask me.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: If you see me in public, come on over and say hi.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I get a lot of questions at fuel stations, and you'd be surprised how many those people have become really cool friends down the road.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: And we're not finished because I do want to talk about this episode, it will go out in July.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: And the adventure crew has an event coming up in Massachusetts.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe I should check on this.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: There may still be some space.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: So could you talk about that event?
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then in part two, we're gonna talk about community and events, which is another big trending topic.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so this is something that a lot of people that have been following me asked for for years and years and years.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I finally said, fine, I'm gonna do this.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_01: You know why?
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's really fun to do.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: I love to go camping with friends.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: I love to go camping and meet new friends.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_01: And we decided to start something called the Adventure Crew.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: And the Adventure Crew doesn't matter what kind of RV you have, that's the most important.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_01: It could be any kind of RV.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: You just have the spirit that you want to adventure and you want to learn something new.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_01: So my motto is every day is an adventure.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_01: And what I like to do is go cool places, meet cool people, and do cool things.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_01: And that's exactly what the adventure crew is about.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna go to the Circle CG Campground in Bellingham, Massachusetts.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: And we've got some things lined up for, you know, what's nice about it is we'll have some things to do, but you can jump in wherever you want.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to do everything.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we'll have a mix and mingle every afternoon.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we'll play some games.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we'll definitely do some campfires.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: We'll do all that fun stuff.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: But we're gonna give you opportunities to also ask questions about your RV.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: You know, how, you know, if you're embarrassed, if you've never dumped your black tank, we're gonna have a wealth of knowledge of people there to help you with those things.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: So that's what I'm excited about is just getting together, making new friends, and going to Massachusetts.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: And that is August 24th.
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: I should know.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: Through the 31st.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: Through the 31st.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I just want to say that I just booked a glamping tent because I don't have a vehicle right now.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I will be there.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_00: People who want to tent, they could do that as well.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I believe there is a cabin.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Circle CG is part of the Happy Grounds community of campgrounds.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I was part of uh getting this event put together.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I just want to be transparent here.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: It is one of our campgrounds, and I am so we appreciate that.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_00: We're very excited about that.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and I am as well.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I can't wait to hang out with you guys.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: And that's community, that's huge.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: And we're gonna talk about that when we come back for part two.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Charlie Grace, for being on Inspire Travels with Patty Part one.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_00: You'll stick with me for a part two, yes?
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: Great.