Subscribers RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, January 18, 2026

America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 1244
Ads have been removed in this newsletter
for our much-appreciated volunteer paid subscribers.

Today’s thought 

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” —Harry S. Truman

RV spare parts you should always carry

We all know we should carry spare parts like spare tires. But here, Jared from All About RVs says it’s important to keep some other RV spare parts on hand, as well, in order to ensure you never get stranded by the side of the road, or stuck somewhere far from home waiting on a spare part to arrive. So what’s on Jared’s RV spare parts list? Let’s explore.

RVers are prime targets for today’s smartest scams

RVers are perfect targets for scammers. We move between states, use public Wi-Fi, and answer cell phone calls all along the way. So how can RVers avoid even the savviest scammers? How can we stay safe when new fraud schemes are hatched daily, some even using the help of Artificial Intelligence? Hopefully, these tips can help!

Most RVers say quiet hours work—until they don’t

As an RVer, you already know that “quiet hours” can mean very different things depending on where you’re parked and who your neighbors are. In one of our recent polls, we asked: Do you think campground quiet hours are taken seriously enough? For many RVers, quiet hours usually work—but when they don’t, they really don’t. Here are the results and your comments.

Today’s RV review…
A look at the Winnebago Thrive: New line, big ideas

By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the new-for-2026 Winnebago Thrive line. Thrive is a new line from Winnebago, and I got invited to the factory to see them build these and learn how they’re built. The Thrive is a mainstream laminated line from Winnebago that brings their towable brand to the forefront of shoppers’ minds. Buyers should be paying more attention, as the build methodology is different. I was partially impressed, to say the least. What does that mean? Well, continue reading. 

WHAT IS YOUR WISH FOR 2026? “To be a better person tomorrow than I was today.” —Wil M.

Yesterday’s top news for RVers

• Costco enters RV sales through new Camping World partnership
• Honda makes cars and generators—now it’s testing the RV waters
• Starlink ends data cutoffs for RVers—but drops Roam users to slow speeds
• Warning: Two more deaths from defective airbags
• California opens farms and ranches to camping under new law
• Yosemite campground reservations sold out in minutes. Are you out of luck?

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

Air Force veteran builds incredible WWII airplane RV conversion

Since he was 8 years old, now-retired U.S. Air Force veteran Gino had one clear dream: Take an old airplane and turn it into a motorhome. In his family, as he puts it, “everybody built their motorhomes.” So building one from a fuselage felt oddly… normal? The aircraft had a long life. It flew for the Navy, then the FAA used it as a test plane. A tornado finally put it out of service and left it parked, slowly fading away, until the Lucci family showed up. This is an AMAZING RV conversion! 

Destination trailers: Are they really “all-season”?

Do you dream of living in a destination-style RV but worry about the temperatures in the dead of winter as well as summer’s suffocating heat? You’re not alone. Many RVers want the truth regarding destination RVs and what kind of weather they can really handle. If this includes you, read on!

Is flashing your headlights at oncoming traffic legal or illegal?

If you’ve ever flashed your high beams to warn someone about a radar car up ahead, you’re not alone. The “tap the lights” signal started as a neighborly heads-up. This simple, low-tech communication predated smartphones and map apps. So, is that friendly flick of the lights legal or not? Read on to find out.

FOOD SAFETY TIP: If a can containing food has a small dent, but is otherwise in good shape, the food should be safe to eat. Discard deeply dented cans—those you can lay your finger into. A sharp dent on either the top or side seam can damage the seam and allow bacteria to enter the can. —USDA

Tony’s tips
It’s true: RVers are encouraging bad-quality RVs

Why do so many RVs fall apart so quickly? This new column from Tony Barthel takes a hard look at how buying habits—not just manufacturers—are shaping RV quality. When cheap RVs sell fast, the industry responds. The good news: RVers have more power than they think, and it’s already starting to make a difference. Click here to read.

Visiting cemeteries as you travel is always fun and rewarding. We found this photo on the High’s Roadside Facebook page. In his day, S.G. Brinkley was famous for his beard, even touring with the Barnum and Bailey Circus. His grave is in Buladean, North Carolina, in the Garland-Parker Cemetery. RVtravel.com welcomes your photos of unusual headstones.

Reader poll
What was the nightly cost of the last RV park or campground you stayed at?

Respond here.

POLLS FROM THIS PAST WEEK

• Of these options, which would you prefer for a quick snack?
• What kind of coffee maker do you use most often?
• Do you eat sushi?
• When was the last time you saw a movie at a movie theater?
• Do you tend to gain or lose weight when you RV?

Quick tip:
Laundry-saving tip for solos

Reader Becky N. writes: “Here’s a money-saving hint for other single travelers. I live in my travel trailer in a warmer state during the winter, and in order to save having to wash sheets often, I turn the unused side around to my side of the bed. Turn the top sheet over, too. That way I can get more use out of a set before having to wash them. Since it’s just me, and I sleep on one side of the bed, this works. I’m sure it might for others who live on their own.” Thanks for the tip, Becky!

WHERE WERE YOU 25 YEARS AGO? The staff of RVtravel.com was right here, publishing this newsletter. Now, 12,000+ issues later, we’re still here. What’s the big deal? Why does that matter to you? Here’s why.

RV electricity
Do coiled extension cords heat up from inductive heating?

Dear Mike,
Our all-electric coach has a 36-foot-long 50-amp cable wound up on a motorized cable reel. Is it necessary to completely unwind it before plugging it into a power outlet? I’ve heard that practice recommended to prevent overheating from electromagnetic induction, but I wasn’t sure… Continue reading for Mike’s answer.

RANDOM RV THOUGHT: RVing is great no matter what the weather. If it’s pleasant outdoors, then you can hike, swim, fish, or just hang around camp and snooze in your lawn chair. If the weather is cold and dreary, or rainy, you can simply hole up inside your little house and be as comfy as can be.

Sunday giveaway
How would you like to win this portable, collapsible cornhole game set?

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.

WHAT IS YOUR WISH FOR 2026? “For continued reasonably good health for myself and my darling wife as we face our 70s together.” —Jim K.

Travel destinations

Napa Valley for RVers: It’s more than wine

California’s Napa Valley is known for its award-winning vineyards and wineries. You may be surprised to know that many other wonderful activities draw visitors to the valley, as well. Napa’s gentle scenery, small-town charm, and cultural spots make it a great place for slower, more relaxed sightseeing. Of course, you can definitely plan to tour some wineries, but check out these other visit-worthy things to do, too!

Like dinosaurs? Go to Utah!

For RV travelers with a sense of wonder, Vernal, Utah—known as Dinosaurland—isn’t just a scenic stop along your journey; it’s one of the richest windows into prehistory in the American West. Here, rugged red-rock landscapes conceal fossils that tell the story of life from the Jurassic and Cretaceous eras. Here’s where to see the dinosaurs.

DID YOU MISS YESTERDAY’S JAM-PACKED SATURDAY EDITION OF THIS NEWSLETTER? What a shame! It was super-duper, outrageously spectacular! But lucky you, it’s not too late. Read it here.

RVer health
Poor vision and unsafe RV living conditions increase risk of falls

A recent University of Michigan study found that vision problems combined with unsafe living environments sharply increase the risk of falls among older adults. That finding is especially important for RVers, where tight spaces, steps and uneven surfaces are part of daily life. Continue reading to learn more.

Brain teaser

Put a coin into an empty bottle and insert a cork into the neck. How can you remove the coin without removing the cork or breaking the bottle?

(Answer below.)

Remember this?
How to wear a cowboy hat

By Len Wilcox
One of my favorite writers published a piece that told the rules for wearing a cowboy hat. That writer is Bob Boze Bell, an Arizona cowboy who is also the publisher of “True West Magazine.” Now, I like wearing a cowboy hat; not only is there nothing better for shading your head and neck, it’s a statement about who I am and where I come from. Y’all best continue reading.

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• My 11 favorite RV cleaning products
• How aging affects our driving
• Cheers to repurposing six-pack containers
• Pinterest may be your gateway to building, redesigning, or fixing your own RV
• Getting sick, or worse, while RVing: Precautions to take

YOU CAN’T CALL YOURSELF A REAL FAN of RVtravel.com if you’re not signed up for our RV Daily Tips Newsletter! It’s one of the best newsletters in the entire galaxy! Read a few issues here, and if you like what you see, become a real fan and sign up! 

In the RV shop with Dustin
Improperly tightened grease zerk fittings can cause wheel hub failure

Join me “In The RV Shop” as I talk about wheel hub failure due to an improperly tightened grease zerk fitting. This can lead to a wheel coming off of the axle, increasing the chance of a crash and possible injury. You do not want that to happen!

WHAT IS YOUR WISH FOR 2026? “Leadership in our country and other countries does not do anything we will regret for 500 years.” —RV Travel reader Donald W.

RV tire safety
TPMS: Some history and basic information – Part 1

By Roger Marble
My first experience with a TPMS (tire pressuring monitoring system) was as a Tire Design and Forensic Engineer in 2001. I received some questions from a car company on some problems they were having with the proper installation of a system in some new 2002 model cars. Continue reading this fascinating information.

Ask Dave

This past week’s questions that Dave answered:

RV roof “chalking” question — It’s fiberglass. Now what? • Do ultrasonic mice deterrents work? • Why is my RV’s aluminum sidewall fading? How do I restore it? • RV generator shuts down; only starts with starting fluid. Fuel pump? • My RV water heater will run on LP most of the day then stops. Why?
**Today is the last day to catch Dave’s educational and entertaining seminars at the Ford Towing Bootcamp at the Florida RV SuperShow.

RV gadgets and gizmos
RV game night: Fun and fast Monopoly game variations

If you love a good game night but don’t love hauling a stack of bulky board games in your RV, there are two Monopoly spin-offs that are especially road-friendly: Monopoly Diced and Monopoly Deal. No, these Monopoly variants aren’t exactly the same as the classic original, but in many ways they are far better, especially for RVers. Learn more.

BUMPER SNICKER: “Ban bumper stickers.”

Video of the day
How to stay warm in an RV in winter: Insulate, heat, and protect

With winter here, a lot of folks may still be concerned about how to stay warm in an RV. If you’re one of them, you will definitely want to check out this video from RVstreet that has some great tips. Martin, the host, says staying warm in an RV boils down to three main components: insulating, heating, and protecting your RV.

Live webcam
NASA live Earth stream from the International Space Station

From the description: This is an ISS live Earth view happening right now from space at the International Space Station. The International Space Station is 260 miles (420 km) above the planet in a low Earth orbit. It takes 90 minutes for the ISS to complete one orbit around the Earth. It passes into the dark side of the earth for 1/2 the time. During the dark period, you’ll be able to view lightning storms and the light from towns and cities.

Readers’ pet of the day

“This is our girl, Sailor, age 5. She loves to travel in our motorhome. Whenever we stop for gas, she jumps in the driver’s seat to see what is going on in the world.” —Cathy Janu

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

HELP! WE ARE RUNNING VERY LOW ON PET PHOTOS! 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 pet more than once.

Trivia

Today, when a dentist pulls a tooth, it becomes regulated medical waste. But before modern materials, human teeth were used in dentures, valued for their natural look. Those teeth commonly came from the poor—or the dead. In major war battles, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, scavengers pulled teeth from fallen soldiers and sold them to dentists. These “Waterloo teeth” ended up in the mouths of wealthy Europeans. Also, poor people sometimes sold healthy teeth for cash.

Sunday funny

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

Read it here | Back issues

Brain teaser answer:

Push the cork down into the bottle. Then shake the coin out.

FREE IS GOOD! On its website, Pilot Travel Centers says it welcomes RVers to stay overnight in its stores’ parking lots. The company has more than 900 locations in 44 states and in five Canadian provinces.

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

Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.

And finally… A song from the past

Here, from March 1977, is John Denver singing his hit “Thank God I’m a Country Boy.” And check out his backup band—Johnny Cash, Roger Miller and Glen Campbell.

RVtravel.com All Star Team

Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.

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