Me And My RV – New York Times RVing Article

I HAVE spent the night in a Walmart parking lot. I have driven through a national park with a trail of cars in my rearview mirror. I have learned how to dispose of my waste through a plastic hose, and I have filled my gas tank more times in one week than I thought was possible.

From the recently published New York Times  article, in which travel writer and photographer Andy Isaacson documents his eight-day trip in a rented RV.

Goodbye Google, Hello DuckDuckGo!

Nothing is forever. I’ve recently made a change I want to share. We all use search engines, mostly without much thought. We type something in, look through the results, and click on a promising link or three. Most of us have been using the same search engine for years, and it’s probably Google. We’re used to it, and it seems to do a pretty good job. Why change? Sometimes change is good.

Goodbye Google

No, I haven’t stopped using the internet, nor quit using search engines — I’ve just realized that Google is no longer the Good Thing and Good Netizen that it once was. I’m not sure if their motto is still “Don’t be evil” but if it is they need to change it to better reflect reality.

Learning that they will now be keeping a permanent and uniquely identifiable  record of all activities (linked across all Google properties, too)  took me aback. Not just what I search for, but which results I actually click on. I’m not comfortable with them amassing all that data, and not comfortable with the thought of what could happen to it. Even if they claim that it is only for their own use, who knows what might change down the road and who they might sell it to. Furthermore, if I should ever become a target of law enforcement or government, I doubt Google would hesitate for even a second before turning my records over to authorities.

Same Search, Different Results

Even if you don’t think you have anything to hide (and I’ll even spare you the “slippery slope” speech just this once), there’s another problem with Google and how it uses the data it collects about you.  If you and I were to simultaneously type the same search string into Google, we’d both get the same results, ranked in the same order, wouldn’t we? One might think so, but one would be wrong. Google tailors the results to the individual user, based on history of his or her prior searches and click-throughs. Creepy, huh? You aren’t getting the best results, but rather the results Google thinks you’d want.

Hello DuckDuckGo!

Time to find a new search engine. Yahoo? They’re OK as an email provider and news aggregator, but I wouldn’t trust them with search. Bing? Even if I could stop wincing at the the name long enough to actually use it, why bother – it’s been proven to be repackaged Google results, despite their denials. Then I found this:

Enter DuckDuckGo – a search engine that doesn’t track me and doesn’t filter my search results.  It’s actually pretty cool, too. Not just a front-end that adds a layer of privacy, but a real search engine with some pretty cool features. And if you like to get involved, you can even join the community or work on development.

Call Me Google Free

I’ve successfully managed to deGoogle my browser, removing all references to Google from its various nooks and crannies, and adding DDG where appropriate and useful. While I don’t expect many of you will jump off the Google bandwagon just on my say-so, I really think you should at the very least read this and this to get an idea of what Google really does, and then make your own decision.

Comments Are Open

What do you think? Are search engine tracking and the “filter bubble” real problems? Or do you think I’m just being paranoid? After reading the facts, do you think you’ll change your search habits?

Intersection of Naturism and Minimalism

As some of my readers may already know, I’m a naturist. If you aren’t quite sure what that means, think nudist. While some draw distinctions between naturism and nudism, for the purposes of this discussion we can consider them close enough to synonymous. While much can be said in favor of a nude lifestyle and naturist philosophy, my goal here today is to explore how not wearing clothing is consistent with minimalist values and a simple, frugal lifestyle.

Minimalist Wardrobe

A naturist’s wardrobe is the ultimate minimalist wardrobe. Ideally I’d not need to own any clothes at all. In reality, I have to go out in public from time to time, where society’s laws and norms compel me to cover my body. There are also times, even here in the desert, when it gets cold enough that clothing becomes necessary for one’s health and comfort.

My entire wardrobe consists of a pair of shorts, a pair of long pants, a few t-shirts, a couple polo shirts, a sweatshirt, and a winter jacket.

Saves Time

I do laundry about twice a year, and it all (aside from the winter coat) fits in one load. I save time by not washing, drying, ironing, folding and storing clothes, but it doesn’t stop there. How much time do you spend deciding what to wear each day? I don’t. How about time spent getting dressed and undressed, multiplied by how many times you change clothes each day? Not me. Taken separately, it may not seem like much, but it all adds up over the course of a day or week. I shop for clothes even less often than I wash them — even more time saved.

Saves Money

With my small and seldom-worn wardrobe, I spend very little money acquiring, maintaining, and replacing clothing. I can’t remember the last time I went clothes shopping, or even bought a bottle of laundry detergent for that matter. Without a layer of clothes insulating my body, I can be comfortable in room temperatures five to ten degrees warmer than a clothed person, allowing me to keep the thermostat higher in the summer – saving electricity saves money.

Saves Worry

When I wake up in the morning, I don’t worry about what I’ll wear today. I’m already wearing it! I don’t have to worry about ruining my clothes by getting them torn, worn, or dirty if I’m not wearing any. On the rare occasion I don clothes it isn’t a problem either because what little clothing I own is simple and inexpensive (and often from thrift stores). I’m not terribly concerned if something gets soiled or damaged.

Saves The Environment

Think of all the water I save by not washing clothes. Imagine if a whole city turned naturist how much water could be saved. And all the phosphates and chemicals from detergent I’m not using. Digging a little deeper, one could consider the environmental impact of clothing manufacture as well. All the water used to grow the cotton (or, worse, petroleum products used to manufacture synthetics). Energy to run the machines in the factory. And all the fuel consumed and pollution generated in transporting from field to factory to warehouse to store to home. As a bonus, by buying fewer clothes, I can afford to be choosier about what I buy and how it’s made, and hopefully avoid contributing to third-world sweatshops. Also, the electricity I save by needing less air conditioning in the summer doesn’t just save me money — it helps the environment, too!

Saves Space

How much space in your home is occupied by clothes? Closets, dressers, hampers. I’ve seen wardrobes bigger than my whole house. More space to store clothing care items – washing machine, detergent, softener, lint brushes, iron, ironing board.

Saves Distraction and Discomfort

It has been suggested that we avoid wearing labels and logos. What easier way to avoid those gratuitous marketing cues than avoiding clothes entirely?

Does your clothing irritate you? Does it ever itch? Restrict your movement? Make you uncomfortably warm in the summer? Not me.

But Wait, There’s More!

I’ve already mentioned how lack of clothing simplifies my daily routines, lightens my workload, saves me money, and reduces my environmental footprint. While I’ve been primarily pointing out the practical advantages of a nude lifestyle, there are other benefits to be had that cannot be measured in dollars, hours, or square feet. When looked at in a social context, nudity further simplifies my life by reinforcing my minimalist values while simplifying and enriching social activities.

Simplify Social Intercourse

Our opinion of other people is influenced at both a conscious and subconscious level by what they wear. That’s why there exist sayings like “Dress for Success” and “The Clothes Make the Man.” As much as most of us would like to think otherwise, our first impression of another person’s manner and style of dress as well as quality and cleanliness of their attire often makes a lasting impression, deserved or not. It can also have an profound effect on how (or even if) we choose to interact with that person.

When we all are nude, we all are equal. It is much easier to see the real person within when we don’t have the distraction and (often subconscious) prejudice created by their wardrobe. Likewise, other people see us for who we really are. Our preconceived notions are cast aside and we must engage in conversation to learn about our fellow humans, rather than drawing assumptions based on their choice of textiles used to cover their bodies.

Comments Are Open

Naturist or not, minimalist or not, I’d love to know what you think.

A Pie By Any Other Name

Just a quick note to remind you that today is Pi Day, and to call your attention to the fact that this blog is now located at homelessonwheels.com. Enjoy a yummy pie as you update your your bookmarks and links.

Exploring RV Living – Differences Between RVs And Other Dwellings

(This post is part of a series. If you’re new to my blog or this is the first you’ve seen of this series, you might look at the introduction first.)

An RV is an attempt to take all the comforts and conveniences of home and assemble them into a compact, mobile, and self contained package. This transformation results in some differences in form and function that affect liveability to varying degrees.

Size Matters

One significant difference between an RV and most other housing options is the size. Ranging is size from under 100 to about 400 square feet, all but the largest RVs are much smaller than most apartments, and sometimes smaller than  a hotel room. An RV certainly makes for a tiny house, available within the same size range as the recently popular “Tiny Houses.” If you are considering leaving your conventional house or apartment to go full-timing in an RV, be prepared for a major downsizing.

Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’

Unlike most houses and apartments, an RV has wheels. It is easily movable to suit your whim or need. Don’t like the weather? Move! Obnoxious neighbors? Move! New gig in another town? another state? Move!

Depending on the size of your rig and how lightly you travel, you could move in as little as a moment’s notice. In reality, unless you’re just at an overnight stop and haven’t really unpacked and settled, it might take anywhere from an hour to a day to be ready to roll.  I’ll admit I still have much more stuff than I should, but even I can be on the road within a few days of making the decision to travel.

Yeah, But…

I suppose those first two were pretty obvious differences. But let’s say you’re sitting still for a while — what’s different about day-to-day living between an RV and other similarly-sized homes?

Fixed Furniture

Some people like to rearrange the furniture in their rooms from time to time for a bit of variety. In an RV most, if not all, of the furniture is either built-in or bolted down so it doesn’t rearrange itself while you’re bouncing down the road. Sure, chairs might swivel and recline, and sofas and tables might convert to beds, but otherwise you’re stuck with everything where and how it is. That’s why one of the most important parts of RV shopping is making sure you will be happy with the floor plan. That’s not to say it’s impossible to make changes. Modifications can be made, but it’s a major remodeling project.

Blowin’ In The Wind

Unless you have leveling/stabilizing jacks, your whole house is sitting on a spring suspension. This suspension is necessary to absorb the shock of bumps, potholes, and irregular road surfaces while traveling. Once parked, it is subject to blowing winds as well as movement of the occupants within.

Limited Resources

This may or may not apply to some or all of your consumable resources, depending on how and where you are camping. If you are at a fancy RV park with full hookups, you might not have to worry about running out of water or electricity. On the other hand, your electrical service is delivered via a glorified extension cord, with about the same capacity as two regular household circuits. Your water service is delivered via a garden hose. Your propane isn’t limitless like a conventional home’s piped-in natural gas or huge propane tank.

You’ll  have to exercise conscious consumption of resources. Of course that’s a good habit to acquire, because even “limitless” resources are not really limitless in the bigger picture. You’ll be kinder to the earth and to your wallet if you try to use only what you really need instead of using as much as you can.

Extra Maintenance Chores

If you are camping with full hookups, you might be tempted to just hook up your sewer hose, open the dump valves, and forget about it. Not a good idea. While it’s OK to leave the hose connected, you really should leave the valves closed (at least the black one), and  periodically open to dump as needed.  Those of you who are RVers, especially full-timers, already know why. The rest of you can search RV Poop Pyramid for the gory details.

Batteries also require periodic maintenance, even (especially?) when you’re sitting still and connected to shore power. If they are traditional flooded(liquid electrolyte) batteries, water lost due to evaporation will need to be replaced. When the batteries are constantly under a float charge, as when continuously connected to commercial power, the rate of evaporation is accelerated.

With limited indoor space and close quarters, you’ll be taking the trash out at least daily, and sometimes several times per day.

Step On It!

Some fixtures in an RV don’t work the same as they do in a conventional home, most notably the toilet. Instead of the usual handle, an RV toilet is flushed with a foot pedal. Pressing the pedal opens a trap door in the bottom of the bowl, allowing the contents to fall into the holding tank below. The same or a second pedal regulates the flow of fresh water to rinse and refill the bowl. There may even be a hand-held sprayer for stubborn spots.

It’s The Little Things

You already know an RV is small, but so are many of the fixtures and components. Most traditional homes and apartments are built using standard materials to standard dimensions. Even in a small apartment, with less square footage and smaller closets, the kitchen and bath fixtures are still  normal sized.

In an RV you not only have fewer square feet — most everything is smaller. Doorways are shorter and narrower. Ceilings are lower. Sinks, lavatories, and toilets are smaller, and the shower is downright tiny. Beds are often smaller and may have thinner mattresses.

Cupboards and drawers are smaller. The cookstove is smaller and may have only 2 or 3 burners, and might lack a conventional oven. The largest RV refrigerators aren’t much bigger than a small apartment fridge, and the smallest ones are the size of the tiny cubes you’d find in a dorm room or hotel mini-bar.

Counter space is somewhere between little and none – covers for the stove and sink that transform them into additional counter space are popular accessories.

Comments Are Open

Have you vacationed in an RV? Live in one? Visited one? What stood out as something that made for a different experience than a conventional home?

Caution: Email BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) Not Always Blind

I’m Back!

I enjoyed a nice couple weeks in Quartzsite – a week of fun at Quartzfest followed by another week of peace and quiet on the desert to recover. Now it’s time to get back to blogging. Some of you are probably eagerly awaiting the next installment of Exploring RV Living. That will be coming soon, but today’s topic is very important and can’t wait.

Blind Carbon Copy

Many of us use BCC, or Blind Carbon Copy, when we send email. The BCC field is where we can add recipients that those in the TO and CC fields will not see. There are a few reasons it is commonly used. When sending an email to a large list of unrelated recipients, BCC protects the privacy of your list members, shields them from possible spam sources, and avoids cluttering up each recipient’s header with unnecessary addresses. It might be used to send an archive copy of a message to another email address you control. It is also used to send a surreptitious copy of a private email to a third party.

How BCC Works

When you compose and send an email, only one physical message is created and sent out from your computer, no matter how many recipients are listed in the TO, CC and even BCC fields. It is the job of the email server to parse the headers and send the individual copies to each listed recipient. The TO and CC fields should remain intact on each copy that is sent, so all recipients see the contents of those two fields. The BCC field should be stripped, so that no recipient sees the list of who gets a “blind” copy.

When BCC Fails

The process is not perfect. While it is rare, it is possible for the BCC field and its complete contents to be revealed to the parties which they were intended to be hidden from.  Unfortunately, there is not a strict protocol for handling BCC. Most sending servers will ether strip the BCC field completely, or will include it only in the copy to each BCC recipients, and then only containing that recipient’s address. Most receiving servers will provide additional filtering of the BCC field and strip or edit as necessary before delivering the message to the recipient’s mailbox.

Occasionally, however, header parsing fails and the BCC field appears. I recently experienced this. It involved mail sent FROM escapees.com, and recipients with yahoo.com, gmail.com, and mindspring.com addresses were able to see the complete BCC field. In fact, this was more than a freak error. Once discovered, a friend and I tried it repeatedly, with the same results each time.

This would suggest a bug or misconfiguration in the server at escapees.com — as the sending server, it should be primarily responsible for ensuring privacy of the BCC addressees. It also shows us that several popular email providers are happy to pass that field on to its clients unfiltered.

What You Can Do

BCC works as intended most of the time. If you are using it for cosmetic purposes to avoid header clutter or for sending yourself an archival copy, I wouldn’t worry about it.  In the instance of a failure, it’s doubtful it would cause anything more than mild embarrassment.

On the other hand, if you are using it to send surreptitious third-party copies, or in instances where one recipient seeing another’s email address would create a real security risk, then you are better off composing and sending individual copies to each person.

What About You?

Have you ever experienced BCC failure? Tell us what happened in the comments. What steps do you take to ensure the privacy of your email and its recipients?

Photos Of This Morning’s Lunar Eclipse

I got up way too early this morning, so I could witness the total eclipse of the moon. Despite my not-yet-caffeinated state, I managed to capture a few photos of the event to share with you.

In the first photo, taken at 6:48 Arizona time, the sky is still dark and the moon is about 40 percent eclipsed.

In the next photo, taken 25 minutes later at 7:13 the sky is already getting light and  Earth’s shadow is covering about 75 percent of the visible lunar surface.

In this last photo, taken only five minutes later at 7:18, coverage is almost full at about 90 percent.

Had I had a vantage point with an unobstructed view of the horizon, I’d have been able to see both the totally eclipsed moon to the west and the fully risen sun to the east a few minutes later.

Cool Holiday Music!

I’ve always loved Christmas music. Not just the traditional tunes, but also (especially?) the offbeat and non-mainstream variety. One of my favorite online radio sites, SomaFM, has a couple of fantastic holiday music channels this year.

SomaFM Christmas Lounge: Chilled holiday grooves and classic winter lounge tracks. Work, Kid and Parent safe!

SomaFM Xmas in Frisko: Irreverent, wacky and eclectic holiday mix. Not for the easily offended and often NSFW.

If you have any favorite streaming holiday music sites, please share them below in the comments.

Invisible Shoes: Minimalist Footwear Review And Comparison

Invisible Shoes vs. Vibram FiveFingers

When I first tried Vibram FiveFingers shoes a few years ago, I really liked them. They soon became my everyday shoes – at least when I’m not barefoot. One big drawback they have, especially in the summer, is the fact that they hug your foot like a glove. Despite the thin top and side fabric, they don’t breathe very well, and my feet get hot and sweaty. Maybe not so much compared to regular shoes, but for someone who prefers nothing, the Vibrams, while providing the barefoot ergonomics, still feel like wearing shoes.

I thought I would see what I could find that was open like a sandal while keeping a barefoot feel. I looked at the Teva Zilch, but I didn’t like the big toe loop nor the cross strap over the little toe.

Eureka!

Then I discovered Invisible Shoes. They are basically just a piece of sole material and a string to hold it onto your foot. Invisible Shoes are as close as you can get to barefoot while still offering the bottoms of your feet a bit of protection. My feet stay cooler and drier. No more white stripes from sandal straps or white toes from FiveFingers to mar my all-over tan. They also go great with my usual wardrobe, or, shall I say, my lack thereof.

Invisible Shoe

Okay, so I like the look and feel. How about the actual wearing? Well, once I got them tied right, which takes a bit of patience and careful following of directions, I took a test-walk.

Walk, Don’t Run

I should probably mention right here that I am not a runner. Minimalist footwear has created quite a stir in the running community, but it’s my opinion that going barefoot, or as close as possible, is best for everyone no matter their level of activity. While I can’t remember the last time I ran that I wasn’t being chased, I usually walk a mile or more each day. Most of that is on rocky desert terrain.

Been There, Done That

Since these are not my first minimalist footwear, and since much has already been written elsewhere about the advantages of barefoot walking and running, as well as transitioning to minimalist shoes, I’ll be noting what I have observed to be unique about the Invisible Shoes as well as how they compare, in my opinion, with the Vibram FiveFingers Classic for a walker and hiker.

Breaking The Habit

The first thing I had to learn to do was stop clenching my toes. Having worn flip-flops for years, the sensation of the lace between my toes make me reflexively clench, as is necessary with thong footwear to hold on to them. With the Invisible Shoe, however, this is not necessary, as the lace also goes around the back of the foot. They aren’t going  anywhere no matter how swiftly or vigorously I move my feet. Once I broke myself of the toe-clenching and let my foot relax, the walking was great.

Feel The Earth And Air

They felt comfortable and secure over most terrain. The open design means that the rare tiny pebble might get between the shoe and the sole of the foot, but is easily dislodged, usually by simply shaking the foot. I found the complete lack of anything, save for the thin lace, on top of my foot to result in a wonderfully free feeling. On most surfaces the tactile feedback was very similar to the Vibrams. The Invisible Shoes come in different sole thicknesses; I chose the thinnest, 4mm, which is, incidentally, the same thickness as the FiveFingers Classic soles. The Invisible Shoes are actually more flexible, however, as the result of two significant differences. First of all, the 4mm thickness includes the raised tread pattern, so the flexibility is actually equal to a 3mm sole. In spite of their razor-siped soles, the Vibrams retain the stiffer feel of their 4mm thickness. Also, the Invisible Shoes are essentially flat, while the Vibrams have raised edges, especially at the heel, toes, and balls of the feet, further reducing flexibility.

Bottoms Up!

While the Vibrams, with their mostly smooth soles, offer ever-so-slightly better feeling of tiny terrain details, it doesn’t make much noticeable difference in actual use. Possibly more significant is the lack of sides on the Invisible Shoes. This allows for better feeling near the edges of the foot. While I’d already learned the importance of careful foot placement wearing the FiveFingers, I found that with the Invisible Shoes I had to be even more careful because of the more flexible soles and unprotected sides and toes. Still, it becomes second nature and is mostly a subconscious attention that causes little distraction.

Nothing’s Perfect

If I had to find a fault with the Invisible Shoes, it would be that they are probably not well suited for especially steep terrain or climbing. They offer plenty of traction for normal walking and running, but they just don’t feel especially secure in situations involving extreme lateral forces.

Conclusion

I think I’ve found my new favorite footwear. I won’t be getting rid of my FiveFingers — they still have the edge for cold weather and steep terrain. Overall, though, I’ve found the Invisible Shoes to be closer to my ideal of being barefoot, and about as minimalist as a shoe can get. They never stink and are easy to keep clean. They are thin and light, making them easy to carry and store. Invisible Shoes are inexpensive at under $30 for a pair (even free, if you’re handy and resourceful – DIY instructions are on their website).

Do you have experience with minimalist footwear? Have questions about mine? Comments are open!

Exploring RV Living – That’s Entertainment!

(This post is part of a series. If you’re new to my blog or this is the first you’ve seen of this series, you might look at the introduction first.)

I’ll be mostly talking about in-home entertainment, and the options that exist for occupants of RVs and other small dwellings.  For outside-the-home entertainment, the options are the same as anybody else has, and depends on where you live and what is available. Living in an RV can arguably add to the options, though, because you can easily move your house to be near the entertainment.

Reading

The book is the original portable entertainment system. It’s compact, goes anywhere, uses no energy, and requires nothing more than enough light to read by. Its biggest drawback for RV living is size and weight. While a single book isn’t especially big nor especially heavy, things can quickly get out of control if you are an avid reader. Unlike a regular house, an RV doesn’t have enough space for a very big library so you will be limited in the number of books you can carry on board.

In And Out

You’ll have to decide how many books you can comfortably carry, and stick to a strict “one in, one out” plan. Each time you get a new book, you must gift or donate one. Friends, neighbors, and fellow campers might enjoy reading some of the books you are finished with. Some RV parks and campgrounds have informal exchange libraries where you can leave some extras and maybe find something new, too.  If you want to make a fun game out of giving away extra books, try Book Crossing.

Library

If you plan to stay long enough in one spot, find the local public library and see if you can get a library card, or if they will honor the card from your hometown. Even if you can’t do either, you can always sit and read right there in the library. Many libraries also lend CDs and DVDs – great for music and movie lovers.

E-Books

Some consider e-books to be the future of publishing. While blog readers are certainly familiar with self-published e-books written by bloggers and other independent authors, most mainstream “big-name” authors and publishers offer their works electronically, too. Amazon recently announced that e-books are outselling physical books on their site. E-books are ideal for RVers with space at a premium since they take up no physical space at all. Some people like to use an e-reader to mimic the ergonomics of reading a traditional book, but that’s not necessary. You can read e-books on many devices now, including whatever you are using to read this blog.

Music

Music was one of the earliest entertainment media to go digital. This is wonderful for the music lover and collector who wants to live small and portably. What would have once been a room-sized library of LPs, or a full-length bookcase full of CDs, now fits in the palm of your hand.  Your existing media can be “ripped” to digital files, and in the future you need never visit a record store again (if you can find one – I actually liked going to the record store back in the day). As long as you have internet access, you can get all your music digitally, either buying and downloading files or merely streaming the music.

Movies And More

Movies and other video content can also be digitized and stored on a hard drive, but there are potential legal issues. While many people rip their own DVDs that they have purchased, the DMCA has technically made that illegal. In spite of “fair use” allowances, the law is worded such that merely breaking the encryption on a DVD (necessary to copy it) is illegal, even if copying it would otherwise be permissible for personal use. My advice, and it’s worth what you’re paying for it, is to let your conscience be your guide. In reality, I doubt anybody is going to come beating down your door because you ripped your DVD to watch on your computer or streaming media server. They are interested in people pirating and distributing copyrighted material – not the average user doing format conversion for his or her own convenience.

That said, you can still easily store quite a large movie library on DVD or Blue-Ray discs in a small space if you are willing to give up the inefficient packaging they come in. One of the large binder-style disc albums, about a foot square and six inches thick, will hold 300 or more discs and can easily be tucked away in a corner somewhere.

Of course if you have fast internet, you can always download or stream movies and TV shows. If you are staying in one place long enough, you can do rent-by-mail, and if you are close enough to civilization, you can do Redbox or a video store (are they still around?) for rentals.

Making Music

Do you play an instrument? That’s a great way to entertain yourself as well as neighbors and friends. You might have to think a bit outside the box, and not all instruments are RV-friendly. You won’t likely be carrying a piano or organ, but a portable electronic keyboard instrument, why not? Guitars, violins, and similar stringed acoustic instruments as well as most brass and woodwinds are small and easy enough to carry on board, and, as a bonus, need no power to play. How about a harmonica? an accordion? Maybe you like to sing. Many DVD players will play karaoke discs – no special machine needed. Or, if you’re really good, you could sing a capella.

I’m sure I’ve just scratched the surface, but as you can see, there’s no want for entertainment when living in an RV. Feel free to share your own experience and ideas in the comments.