RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, March 2, 2025

Issue 1198
This is the abbreviated, free edition of this newsletter. Help support RVtravel.com with a voluntary membership donation and receive the ad-free weekend editions.

Today’s thought

“Being negative only makes a journey more difficult. You may be given a cactus, but you don’t have to sit on it.” —Joyce Meyer

Essays and opinions

RVtravel.com in 2025: A year to celebrate, a year of the unknown

By Chuck Woodbury
FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER

It’s 2025 and I am still alive and healthy, moving steadily toward the senior ranks of the elderly. This year, 2025, will be one of celebration for me personally and for RVtravel.com, the “little website that could.” And that is good, very good. But, not everything is good… Read on and I will explain. 

RV inspector says some RV brands trying to do too much

By Cheri Sicard
Duane, our favorite RV inspector from the RV Inspection and Care YouTube channel, found some surprises after visiting this year’s Florida RV SuperShow in Tampa. This certified RV inspector’s recommended brands for consumers looking to buy a new RV have changed from past years and his reasons why are verrrrrry interesting…

The best (mostly) 55+ RV resorts from Michigan to Idaho

By Gail Marsh
Long-time reader Sue N. sent in this request: “My husband and I are full-time RVers… Our question: Are there 55+ RV resorts in the north? We’re particularly interested in the area from Michigan to Idaho, the upper Great Plains. Can you do an article on [it] if there are any 55+ RV resorts up north?” Of course we can!

Why doesn’t anybody paint their RV’s interior?

By Gail Marsh
Want to refresh your RV’s interior? A simple coat of paint can make a huge difference! This step-by-step guide covers everything from prep to the perfect finish. Click through to see how easy it is to transform your space. Why don’t more RVers do this?

Today’s RV review…
2025 inTech Aucta Sycamore—multipurpose room extraordinaire!

By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the inTech Aucta Sycamore. This is a flexible 30’ travel trailer that offers some really unique and usable features. Another point with inTech products is that they don’t have slide rooms, so all we slide skeptics can rejoice in that! This is an incredible trailer that is really well made and rather unusual. Honestly, if I were given the choice of an Airstream or this trailer, there would be zero hesitation on my part—I would be towing this thing. Check it out.

RV service centers and repairs report
RVer says this is the number one question you should ask before buying RV

This week Nanci Dixon relates more complaints about specific service centers and their lack of service (not to mention bad attitudes). But there are several recommendations for service centers and techs, including… wait for it… a rave review for a Camping World service department. Plus, what’s the #1 consideration Rick S. recommends before buying an RV? Find out here.

UPDATED WEEKLY: A list of RV dealers, service centers, and mobile techs as recommended by our readers. Click here.

Yesterday’s top news for RVers
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• 700 Park Service workers cash in on “quit now, get paid until later” deal
• Costco expands with 6 new U.S. locations next month
• Park Service wins legal battle over cashless payment policy
• Got Starlink? Scam alert for unsuspecting customers
• Don’t miss it! Camping World paying millions of dollars to RVers who were victims of unlawful sales practices

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

How to fix misaligned RV cabinet doors

Having trouble with a misaligned RV cabinet door? You’re not alone! A reader’s closet door won’t close properly, and RV expert Chris Dougherty shares step-by-step troubleshooting tips to fix the issue. This guide will help you get your cabinets closing smoothly again.

Your ice cube tray does a lot more than just make ice

By Gail Marsh
Ice cube trays aren’t just for ice—they can be a game-changer in your RV kitchen. From smart food storage to unexpected kitchen hacks, these simple trays have plenty of practical uses. You’ll save space, reduce waste, and make meal prep easier. Here’s how.

The risk outweighs the dream: How due diligence saved us from a big mistake

By Nanci Dixon
Recently I wrote an article about taking a big risk—a big step outside our comfort zone towards a new life and a new place to call home. So many readers sent encouraging comments and congratulations. We were excitedly throwing caution to the wind and purchasing acreage in northern Arizona. We made an offer and it was accepted. But things didn’t go quite as planned…

Travel destinations

Exploring California’s Highway 49 historic Gold Rush towns

By Gail Marsh
California’s Gold Rush is one of the most captivating chapters in American history. Highway 49—aptly named for the “49ers” who flocked west in 1849—offers RVers an unparalleled opportunity to step back in time at one of the many Gold Rush towns. Winding through the scenic Sierra Nevada foothills, this historic route is a treasure trove.

Why you should plan an RV adventure in Jackson, MS

Jackson, Mississippi, is affectionately known as the “City With Soul.” For a good reason—make that many good reasons! Jackson offers a rich tapestry of cultural, historical, and recreational experiences. Jackson has something special to offer for every RVer.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WRITE SOMETHING FOR RVTRAVEL.COM? Do you have a strong opinion about something going on in the RV industry? Do you have a story that you believe other RVers might find interesting? We invite you to submit an essay of 400-600 words that we can post. Just think, your name will have a place in RVtravel.com history! Send us an email here or email us at editor@rvtravel.com with either your essay/article attached or your essay/article ideas.

Reader poll
When staying in a luxury RV in a full hookup RV resort, are you camping?

Please respond here.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF RVTRAVEL.COM READERS HAVE…
Had a pizza delivered straight to their RV? 9 percent, 21 percent, 34 percent, or 55 percent? Find out here.

Sunday giveaway

How would you like to win these cool binoculars?

Is it a moose or an elk way out there in the distance in the Yellowstone meadow? You can argue with your RV mate about that or grab these binoculars and learn the answer.

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.

?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Get one of these and your mornings will instantly be improved! No way you’ll want to go back to how you were doing things before! Plus, we like these designs. Check it out.

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• 12 places and ways to use motion-sensing lights in your RV
• DC to DC charger: Does your RV need one?
• Off-grid RV kitchen tips to extend time away from hookups
• An RVing must: Follow RV dump station etiquette
• Tips for removing that musty smell from towels

In the RV shop with Dustin
Are Trailer SumoSprings worth it?

By Dustin Simpson
SumoSprings for trailers and fifth wheel suspension products are designed to enhance load-carrying capacity, stabilize sway, and improve overall driver control and ride comfort. They are maintenance-free, do not leak air, and do not require air lines or compressors. So are they worth it? Find out here.

HERE’S AN IDEA FOR YOU: Record your family history on your iPhone or video camera. If you want some inspiration, we recommend you get the book To Our Children’s Children. It will prompt many ideas of what to talk about. Your children and grandchildren will appreciate this when you are gone. Think about it – wouldn’t you love it if your parents had done this for you?

RV gadgets and gizmos
Maximizing space: 3 compact items for RVers

By Gail Marsh
Big, awkward, and impossible to store. Those words describe items I recently replaced in our RV. Yep, I traded the larger, clunky versions for similar, more compact items—because finding compact items for RVers makes all the difference. I’m so happy I did, too! Here are three compact versions of usually big, heavy items.

WANT EVEN MORE GADGET REVIEWS? Check out the latest and greatest issue of our RV Great Accessories newsletter. Click here to read.

RV tire safety
How close to “Max Load” is OK for RV tire inflation?

By Roger Marble
Many times people point to regulations for tire inflation and state that RV companies select the tire inflation. They conclude that is what we should run because they think that is the “optimum” or “best” inflation. Well, the reality is that the “Load & Inflation” tables actually are giving you… Continue reading.

Ask Dave

Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook”.

This past week’s questions that Dave answered:

• How to disable auto defrost on RV residential refrigerator
• Is there an RV battery monitor that works?
• RV absorption fridge fuse issues explained
• When sanitizing RV freshwater tank, will chlorine damage the water softener?
• Our rig fills with sewer smells and there’s a vacuum when dumping. Why?

If you’re in the area, be sure to attend Dave’s seminars at the New Hampshire RV Show in Bedford. Today’s the last day! You’ll be educated and entertained, guaranteed!

Recipes of the day
Extra special banana recipes for National Banana Cream Pie Day

It’s National Banana Cream Pie Day, but these recipes celebrate so much more than just pie. Although, we are drooling at the banana split pie recipe. Ohhhh, boy. There are also banana breakfast cookies, banana pudding cups, banana pudding pie squares and more. Check these out and get ready to drool!

RVing with dogs
Help! My dog constantly licks its paws!

By Gail Marsh
RVing with your pup can be so rewarding. However, if your furry friend starts excessively licking its paws, what should you do? Excessive paw licking isn’t just an odd habit. It might be a signal that your dog is experiencing discomfort, irritation, or even an underlying health issue. Let’s look into the paw-licking problem here.

Readers’ pet of the day

“Always up for a trip in the RV, Paddy (Border Collie) is also my right hand man on the ranch—as you can see, my co-pilot in the utility vehicle. He’ll put sheep wherever I need them—right, left, stop, go—he is bilingual, in that he understands whistles as well as voice commands—commonplace among trained sheepdogs.” —Sharon Northrup

• 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.

The RV that sank into the sewage bowels of Earth

RVtravel.com founder and publisher Chuck Woodbury wrote this on January 26, 2003, in issue 43 of this newsletter.

An item in the news caught my attention last week, and I bet you will find it interesting. It was about an RVing couple who ended up destroying their RV in a most unique and bizarre way. As Florida State Park volunteers Susan and Paul B. pulled their $180,000 motorhome into the park-provided campsite, something very strange happened. “I felt the ground tremble,” Susan told the Tallahassee Democrat. “You could hear the metal twisting. I told him [Paul] ‘Get out; you’re going to tip over.'” Soon, the RV’s windows and windshield cracked, the roof buckled and the rear axle and steel frame bent. “It sounded like the movie Titanic,” Susan explained.

Little could the couple have known that their campsite was directly above an unmarked septic tank! Apparently, its topside concrete slabs had failed, allowing the RV to literally sink into the last place on earth an RVer would ever expect to visit. A park service ranger commented later that there was no evidence that any other RV had ever sunk into such a place, perhaps earning Susan and Paul’s place in RV history as the only RVers to ever sink a recreational vehicle into a sewage system. The (somewhat) happy ending to this story is that the state of Florida agreed to reimburse Susan and Paul for their RV, which was totaled.

Trivia

What is the oldest company logo in continuous use? Twinings Tea! Twinings hasn’t changed its logo since the inception of the company all the way back in 1706. On top of that impressive record, its original tea shop in London has been in continuous operation ever since. That makes the shop the longest-standing property taxpayer in the history of London. Impressive!

Sunday funny

Q: Why do they call them “heated seats”?
A: Because “rear defroster” was already taken.

Thanks for the laugh, Russ De Maris!

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

Read it here | Back issues

Today’s weather forecast across the nation

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 to tickle your funny bone

Enjoy this classic (actually, we doubt that) Cry Of The Dying Duck In A Thunder-Storm

RVtravel.com All Star Team

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