Subscribers RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, May 11, 2025

Issue 1208
Ads have been removed in this newsletter
for our much-appreciated volunteer paid subscribers.

Today’s thought 

“‘This is motherhood for you,’ said my own mother. ‘Going through life with your heart outside your body.'”—Jennifer Weiner

The future of the RV industry: Bracing for what’s to come

By Cheri Sicard
The RV industry is experiencing significant shifts, from Heartland RV’s production shutdown to rising uncertainty over tariffs and pricing. Josh the RV Nerd from Bish’s RV breaks down these changes, including how RV brands may merge and streamline production, and the potential impact on jobs and product options. With prices expected to rise and the industry facing tougher times ahead, Josh’s latest update offers a crucial look at what RVers can expect in the near future. Here are all the details on these developments.

Burned by the plug: A wake-up call on shore power safety

By Russ & Tiña De Maris
A conscientious RVer had a scary situation. His 30-amp RV was plugged into a 30-amp-rated outlet. The pedestal circuit breaker never tripped but, suddenly, his son reported the shore power plug was smoking! Not only was it smoking, but the plug was in a meltdown crisis! What happened to this RVing family has happened to other RVers. So what gives?

How to make sure thieves won’t steal your RV

By Gail Marsh
Occasionally, in our Saturday newsletter, we list stolen RVs (and only the ones we’re made aware of—we’re sure there are dozens, maybe hundreds, more). We’re hopeful that someone out there will spot a missing rig and call the authorities. A reader reached out and asked us to offer some tips about securing our RVs so that our rigs won’t end up on the “Stolen RV” column. So, let’s take a look…

UPDATE: Changes coming to our commenting system

We’re making some upgrades to how comments work on RVtravel.com. Starting this evening, Sunday, May 11, we’ll be switching to a new commenting system that’s faster, smarter, and more enjoyable to use. Our current software just isn’t cutting it anymore, so it’s time for a fresh start. The new system will include everything you already like, plus some great new features we think you’ll enjoy. Learn more.

Today’s RV review…
RV review: Flagstaff E-Pro E19DBH—Look, Ma. No slides!

Today’s RV review is of the Flagstaff E-Pro E19DBH. I looked into this RV because so many of you have asked about no-slide, high-quality travel trailers. Well, here is an example of one. When Flagstaff introduced the E-Pro line, what they did is simply make a small camper that was built to the standards of their larger campers. Continue reading.

A letter about my mother, Ruthie, on Mother’s Day

By Chuck Woodbury
I lost my mother 17 years ago, on July 5, 2008. It seems like yesterday. I think of her nearly every day. I miss her terribly. She was a happy, happy person. That was her nature.  I tell the story sometimes about driving her from Northern California after my father died to live with me in Seattle. Continue reading.

Yesterday’s top news for RVers

• National parks face devastating cuts, with majority in jeopardy
• RV product prices may soon skyrocket
• California’s gas prices could hit $8 gallon, more states could follow
• Major U.S. tire manufacturers warn tariffs will drive up tire prices
• Would you pay $995 for a VIP pass to test drive 125 motorhomes?

Read the rest of the news in yesterday’s newsletter here.

RANDOM RV THOUGHT: It’s a good idea to carry an extra length of water hose and a heavy-duty extension cord for those rare instances when hookups may be too far to reach otherwise. A 30- or 50-amp-rated cord is normally best.

Letter to the Editor: How RV salesmen will charge you double the price for an RV

For one reader, Stacey H., buying an RV turned into a frustrating encounter with high-pressure sales tactics and sticker shock. After years of enjoying their 2006 Coachmen Freelander, she and her husband began casually shopping for a smaller travel trailer that would better suit their camping needs. Armed with research and a clear floor plan in mind, they visited a few dealerships expecting straightforward pricing and honest conversations. But that is NOT what they got.

Help the National Park Service by volunteering your time

By Gail Marsh
If you love exploring our national parks, you’ve undoubtedly heard about funding pauses and hiring freezes. These issues are raising major concerns about park maintenance and visitor services. A reader recently contacted me to say, “Something HAS to be done about the growing national debt. It’s only when the cuts directly affect YOU that folks complain! We’re all in this together.” Continue reading and see what you can do to help.

Why Mother’s Day founder later regretted doing it

By Gail Marsh
It’s a day dedicated to moms everywhere. Cards. Flowers. Candy. Family time. What’s not to like? Why did Anna Jarvis, the founder of modern-day Mother’s Day, grow to despise the holiday that she helped create? It certainly didn’t start out that way. Learn more.

What’s on your bucket list?

Even if you don’t have an official bucket list, there are probably at least a few things you’d really like to do, see, or accomplish in your lifetime, right? Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit Antarctica or hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Maybe there’s a campground you’ve always dreamed of staying at. Maybe you’d like to visit every National Park in America… You get the point. Tell us what’s on your bucket list here. We can’t wait to see what you say.

Reader poll
Would you say you “visited a state” if you simply drove through it without stopping, or with minimal stopping?

Respond here.

TAKE A GUESS: Would more RVtravel.com readers prefer to camp by the ocean or in the mountains? Cast your own vote, then see if your guess was right.

Google Earth and Google Maps for RVers

Quick way to verify a campsite length from afar

By Dave Helgeson
Do you camp often in public campgrounds? Do you find the maximum length restrictions listed in campground directories unreliable? Do you wish there was a way to visit the campground to determine the length and width of the campsite before you drive the RV there? Well, there is a way!

Amazing Google Earth feature allows you to accurately measure campsites, parking spaces, more

Above, Dave explained an easy way to use Google Earth to measure a campsite before arriving—making sure your RV, car, toys, etc., will fit. Well, here’s an updated tip from reader Terry K., who wrote in with an additional tip that measures anything for your RV using Google Earth. Check it out.

Using Google Maps’ little-known features

By Gail Marsh
For RVers, Google Maps isn’t just about directions—it’s a toolkit that can help you plan routes, discover new pit stops, and even visualize campgrounds before you arrive. Here are some little-known features to enhance your road trips.

How to choose a cool campsite in the hot summer

By Nanci Dixon
If you think there’s no way to get cool in hot weather, think again. I’ll show you a quick, easy way to make sure your RV stays cool at the next campsite using Google Earth. Here’s how.

Sunday giveaway 

How would you like to win this “Queen of the Camper” can cooler?

How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today by 7 p.m. Pacific time. You can only enter once and after we notify you by email that you won, you have 24 hours to respond.

Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!

Word search

Can you find all the words that represent Mother’s Day in today’s word search? Print or complete the interactive word search here.

Travel destinations
Take an RV mini trip to Seligman, Arizona, for the best of Route 66

By Nanci Dixon
A couple of weeks ago, we took an RV mini vacation to Seligman, Arizona, the longest remaining stretch of Route 66. Although it is sometimes heralded as the “birthplace of historic Route 66,” it is really one of the longest intact stretches of the original Route 66. The main street has old-time cafes, motels, and an abundance of gift shops. Continue reading.

Brain teaser

If a hen and a half lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs will half a dozen hens lay in half a dozen days?

(Answer below.)

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• Improve the grip of your RV front door assist handle
• Real RVers share real good tips
• The top 10 things I’ve learned while RVing
• #1 tip on how to maximize the life of RV batteries
• Cleaning RV air vents: A simple, important task to breathe easy

YOU DO KNOW… that you’d be a much smarter RVer if you signed up for our RV Daily Tips newsletter, right? On average, our readers report they’ve quadrupled their knowledge about RVs and RVing after reading it for just two weeks! Okay, we made that up, but we’re pretty sure it’s true! Sign up here.

In the RV shop with Dustin
Concerns during RV LP safety inspection, and best LP safety gadget

Join me as I discuss some concerns I have during an RV LP safety inspection. In it, we are looking at a 2021 Alliance fifth wheel, and what I found and what I would do differently. Plus, I’ll share the best LP safety gadget you should have. Click here.

RV tire safety
877,000 vehicles recalled. Why? And why you need to have tires’ full DOT serial number

By Roger Marble
I saw mention of an 877,000 truck recall recently and the follow-up question of how could that happen? While this post is not about that vehicle recall, I can relate to having a large number of items being recalled. That is based on my personal experience when I initiated a recall of some 8,000 tires after my inspection of two tires. Just because there were 877,000 vehicles recalled does not mean there were that many vehicles made with some defect. Now, “the rest of the story.”

Ask Dave

This past week’s questions that Dave answered:

• Replaced RV’s FLA batteries with lithium. Why does power shut down every night?
• Dealer told me RV’s solar panels could run almost everything. Is that true?
• My slide room floor is rotten from water damage. How can I fix and waterproof it?
• How can I make my RV’s roof air conditioner quieter?
• RV roof leak damage estimated at more than rig is worth. How hard is it to repair?

Video of the day
Regional pizzas across the U.S.—How many have you tried?

By Cheri Sicard
Pizza can be made in so many ways—there is an overwhelming amount of styles to choose from, especially as you go across the United States. This video from the team at Weird History Food explores the many regional pizza styles across the U.S. How many have you tried?

Recipes of the day
Cook for Mom tonight

• Make your kitchen feel like a fancy restaurant with these upscale recipes
• 5 steak recipes to elevate your next meal
• 3 salmon recipes to make this weekend
• Winner, winner—chicken and pasta dinner recipes
• Five new, never-before-shared pasta recipes to try this weekend

GOOD NEWS: In addition to today being Mother’s Day, it’s also National Eat What You Want Day!

Readers’ pet of the day

“My Basenji, Mandi, would often climb higher for a better view. It was her idea to climb this downed dead tree in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, for a better view of her surroundings. She loved to travel, and we logged 120,000 miles together in her little van motorhome, with me as the chauffeur! She crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2021 and I miss her dearly!” —Sylvia Jordan

• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.

Want to see your pet in this newsletter? Please send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and please do not submit your photo more than once.

Trivia

After just two weeks of wear, a pair of jeans will have grown a 1,000-strong colony of bacteria on the front of them, about 1,500–2,000 on the back, and 10,000 on the crotch. If that doesn’t send you straight to the laundry room…

Sunday funny

A poodle and a collie are walking down the street when the poodle suddenly unloads on his friend. “My life is a mess,” he says. “My owner is mean, my girlfriend’s having an affair with a German shepherd, and I’m as nervous as a cat.” “Why don’t you go see a psychiatrist,” suggests the collie. “I can’t,” says the poodle. “I’m not allowed on the couch.”

Did you miss last week’s RVtravel.com newsletter?

Read it here | Back issues

Brain teaser answer:

Two dozen. If you increase both the number of hens and the amount of time available four-fold, the number of eggs increases 16 times. 16 x 1.5 = 24

Vintage postcard of the week

Postcards owned by Colleen and Ed Weum, Pacific Northwest Postcard Club. Read more about their 90,000 postcard collection here. 

Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY

Visit Current National Radar Weather Map

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