Issue 1227
Free, shortened edition
Today’s thought
“Everything must be made as simple as possible. But not simpler.” ―
This story will make you rethink complaining at the campsite
Long-time RVtravel.com reader George Bliss emailed us earlier this week about a post by Becky Brawner he thought we should see. She wrote: “I see so many posts complaining about rude campers—cutting through sites, barking dogs, loud children, and noisy heaters. And they almost always end with: ‘Whatever happened to camping etiquette?’ But let me ask you this…“
The ‘World’s Deadliest Trees’ are native to the U.S. Beware, they can kill you
By J.R. Montigel
If ever a story sounded too incredible to be true, this might be among them. It’s about a nondescript-looking tree that, in the U.S., grows in the Florida Everglades. It is so dangerous to humans that to even momentarily stand beneath it and get dripped upon from it in a rainstorm can cause painful skin blisters. More exposure can prove deadly. Ditto eating its fruit. Stay away from this tree!
RVers face costly consequences from low bridges
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
An RVer passing through South Bend, Indiana, had a double-dose of misfortune. Shortly after changing a flat tire on his rig, he passed under a low bridge and tore off his roof air conditioner and two roof vents. He summed it up by saying, “Might be time to hang it up for 2025.” How likely are you to “trim your top” on a low-hanging bridge or building portico? What can you do to lessen the chances? Find out here.
Today’s RV review…
Updates to the Lance 2075—better is better
By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the 2026 Lance 2075 travel trailer. I’ve looked at this trailer in the past and have been a huge fan of it since I first saw it at an RV show. By coincidence, I got to see it again at the Hershey RV Show and speak with some of Lance’s decision makers about changes to the model. What you have here is a travel trailer that works well without the complication of a slide room, which makes me happy. Continue reading.
Publisher’s Roadside Journal
The day is coming when you can talk with dead parents using A.I.
By Chuck Woodbury
The day is coming where anyone can have a discussion with their parent or any other special person even though the person is dead. This is no joke. What I am about to tell you is as remarkable as it is scary. There is a way, right now, where for less than a couple thousand dollars, you and I can have an avatar created of our voices and appearance. Our kids and grandkids can use it to talk with us long after we are gone. Continue reading.
RVtravel.com RV reviewer can’t fit through a Class C motorhome’s bathroom door!
Did you read in a recent RV review by Tony Barthel about how he couldn’t fit through a Coachmen motorhome’s bathroom door? Tony’s a big guy, but many RVers are bigger.
Yesterday’s top news for RVers
- Insights from Camping World: Are RV prices going down?
- Campers Inn RV purchase of Lazydays’ dealerships will reshape industry
- How a government shutdown could affect your RV trip to national parks
- Yellowstone geologists fetch 300 hats, pizza, and koala doll from hot springs
- Camping World at center of RV storage zoning battle in Florida county
Read the rest of the news in yesterday’s newsletter here.
Great new book for boondockers
Hit the road using the ultimate 2025 boondocking guide by full-time RVers who’ve logged more than 500,000 miles. Packed with reviews of 1,000+ hand-picked free and low-cost campsites, GPS coordinates, cell coverage and Starlink visibility insights. Learn more or order.
Caution: Never start the RV engine until you hear these sounds!
By Gail Marsh
Thunk! Chunk! Snap! Click! These are the sounds you need to hear before you start your RV’s engine and hit the road. If you forget this “sound” advice, you probably won’t like what you see when you enter your RV upon arrival at the campground. Follow that sound and check out these tips for safer RV travel.
The art of socializing as an RVing introvert
By Sandi Sturm
There’s something comforting about sitting on the same couch every morning with my cup of tea, but having the view change out the window. Even if I venture outside, I still have my same outdoor chair and fluffy pillow at my back, tea sitting on the used and abused aluminum fold-up table. Same stuff, different view. This is my comfort zone. It is up to me to step out of it. Continue reading. (Can you relate?)
Stay in a trailer like Lucy and Desi’s in their movie ‘The Long, Long Trailer’
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
If you love the look and feel of classic RVs, the Starlite Vintage Resort in Cañon City, Colorado, is a destination worth visiting. The resort is designed to feel like a step back into the mid-20th century, when road trips were booming and trailers had their own unmistakable charm. Among the many eye-catching trailers on the property, one in particular draws plenty of attention. It’s a 1953 New Moon travel trailer called The Long, Long Trailer…
RV Service Centers & Repairs Report
Reader calls us out for posting positive service reviews
This week, we catch flak from a reader who states: “That article on RV repair and service was not good. You referenced one customer at one spot in time. You can’t say the best are based on one comment. One of the positive reviews had several horrible reviews on a Facebook page. Are all these articles about getting clicks? You need to do a deep dive on this topic as it’s near and dear to everyone.” Read Nanci Dixon‘s reply, plus several rave reviews from our readers about service centers around the country.
SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR RV? Good news! We have more than 3,500 articles in our “RV Maintenance and Repair” category, so we’re confident we can help you solve the problem. In addition, did you know you can search our website using the search bar at the top of every page for keywords or topics that interest you or that you need help with? Yep, we’ve got you covered!
Reader poll
How good a decision did you make buying your present RV?
TAKE A GUESS: Do more RVtravel.com readers own or not own a cowboy hat? Find out here, pardner.
Quick tip
Bag with basic tools can handle most jobs
You can make your RV life easier by keeping some basic fix-it tools handy in a canvas bag inside your rig. When you need to do a simple repair or task, it is easier to grab the bag than to search for tools in your outside tool compartment. Tools to include: screwdriver with two sizes of interchangeable Phillips and slot heads, wrench set with both standard and millimeter sizes, adjustable wrench, compact flashlight, duct tape, Allen wrench set, rag, WD40, knife, sandpaper or file, small scissors, and disposable latex gloves. With this small set of tools, you should be able to perform most small jobs without it becoming a major production.
Roadside history
How the Muffler Men keep watch on America’s highways
By Gail Marsh
If you’re an RVer who delights in offbeat pit stops, you’ve probably seen, or at least heard of, the towering fiberglass figures that once hawked mufflers, tires, food, and everything in between. These “Muffler Men” are classic mid-century roadside advertising brought to life. They make excellent travel breaks and very photogenic moments on long RV drives. And there are still plenty on the roads today!
Sunday giveaway
How would you like to win this keychain personal safety alarm?
Will scare away intruders, thieves, wild animals, and more.
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!
Do you leave restaurants without paying? Do you sneak out of campgrounds without paying?
Do you sneak into a movie theater without buying a ticket? Do you finish your restaurant meal then leave without paying? Do you refuse to pay the plumber after he unclogs your drain? Do you pull into an RV park, stay the night, then leave without paying? Do you? Do you read RVtravel.com week after week, month after month, year after year, and never consider that you might give something back in return? If so, would you please click here and make a voluntary donation, no matter how modest? We work hard to help improve your RVing lives, and we know we are worth a whole lot more than free. All donors get our ad-free weekend editions, too.
Travel destinations (Texas edition)
RVers flock to Lajitas, Texas, to meet the town’s mayor, a beer-drinking goat
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
In the remote stretches of West Texas, along the Rio Grande and just a short drive from Big Bend National Park, a town is famous for its unusual political tradition: the Lajitas, Texas, goat mayor. Not just any goat, but a lineage of beer-drinking goats named Clay Henry. Yes, a goat. A beer-drinking goat.
Find Europe in these charming Texas towns
By Gail Marsh
If you’re a “Winter Texan” heading south on I-35 to escape another northern winter, you might be surprised to find a little bit of Europe along your way. Between Dallas and San Antonio are tiny towns settled by immigrants from Central and Northern Europe. These towns proudly display their heritage and serve up plenty of local flavor for RVers rolling through.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
As the weather starts to turn, we’re all going to need more of these. And this is one we highly recommend. Not familiar with it? You’ll want to be. It’ll make you excited for a cozy night in.
Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter
- The surprising RV kitchen hack hiding in your… toaster?
- How to sell your RV for maximum profit
- Are slide awnings a necessity or a waste of money?
- Save money. Repair your power inverter yourself
- Tips and tricks for mastering your RV oven
Make sure you’re signed up to receive our Monday-Friday RV Daily Tips newsletter. It’s the best newsletter in the world about RVing! Well, after this one, of course… or maybe they’re both the best?
In tomorrow’s RV Daily Tips: Cougar fifth wheel gets nice improvements for 2026.
In the RV shop with Dustin
A guide to repairing travel trailer tire blowout damage
Damage caused by an RV tire blowout involves addressing both immediate safety concerns and restoring the affected components. Here’s a general guide for repairing travel trailer tire blowout damage.
RV tire safety
Balancing RV tires 101, and a reminder about ‘cold’ inflation
By Roger Marble
Can’t “balance” your tires? Bad ride? I can’t count the number of times I have seen someone post about the “bad ride” they had in their motorhome. They took the vehicle to their RV dealer but were told they could not “balance” the tires. Or they were told that the tires were balanced and the ride “is what it is.” Continue reading.
Ask Dave
This past week’s questions that Dave answered:
- RV furnace is 190 degrees at the vent. I’m afraid something will catch on fire!
- Some trailer lights do not work. What’s wrong?
- Is it safe to drive with propane on in RV?
- What to know when replacing your RV batteries
- What can a dinette cushion tell you about RV quality? Lots!
BUMPER SNICKER: “Goodbye tension. Hello pension!”
Jar, bottle, and can opener good for weak hands
This 6-in-1 jar and bottle opener has eight sizes of circular openings, making it convenient to open all-sized lids. The hooks on the top can be used to open the large-size lids by breaking the air tightness, and can also be used to open the ring pull cans. Learn more or order.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Maisie (Labradoodle, age 8) is a sweet girl who just wants to have fun! Here she is posing with the grands’ stuffies along the shore in Alaska. She loves everyone and other dogs as long as they’re nice to her! Maisie LOVES to travel whenever and wherever her people take her!” —Julie Ford
• 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
Next time your partner gives you a hard time about how long it takes you to get ready in the morning, snap back and tell them that cats spend about five hours per day grooming themselves, so they should be thankful you are not a cat!
Sunday funny
Q: What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?
A: “Supplies!”
Did you miss last week’s RVtravel.com newsletter?
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
Current fire and smoke map from AirNow
Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.
Search Google for the latest RV news from RVtravel.com.
And finally… A song from the past
James Taylor sings Sweet Baby James and explains how the song came to be.
RVtravel.com All Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Those jar openers are great. But for the price, order two. One for the lid and another to hold the jar!
Thanks for the note about tools. I have a small kit too. In almost 30 years of rv’ing I’ve put together frequently used items. In the suggested tools listed I’d eliminate duct tape, WD 40, allen wrenches, and disposable gloves ( they belong out in the wet bay or near the sewer pipe). I would then add a ratcheting screwdriver with the bits mentioned, a roll of Rescue Tape, a small or medium pair of Channel Locks, regular pliers, and wire cutters. In our time on the road I’ve used these things more often than anything else. Plumbing, hose related problems and electrical issues have been the most common. And that includes issues with fellow rv’ers as well.
Maisie is gorgeous and proud of all the stuffies.
I love the lead off story about being nice to fellow RVer’s. Putting others first is a very kind thing to do and it brings peace.