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Page Contents
February 22, 2020
Non-Members (advertising supported) edition
Editor’s corner
With Chuck Woodbury
I never have room in one issue to delve adequately into my thoughts about the evolution of RVing, and the many challenges you and I face today as RVers. But I had a lot of time last week. So I wrote like a crazy man. This is the first installment of a series that will continue every weekend until I have said everything I want to say.
The RV industry and you
For nearly 20 years I have written an essay in this space almost every week. For 15 years before that I wrote them for my quarterly “on the road newspaper” Out West and for newspapers worldwide via syndication by The New York Times.
I traveled by RV all those years, but until RVtravel.com came along in the late 1990s, I didn’t write much about RVing other than an occasional mention that I traveled in a motorhome. The late Charles Kuralt, CBS TV’s beloved on-the-road correspondent, did the same. He called his motorhome a “bus.” You see, back then travel with an RV was not cool, just the opposite. A recreational vehicle was “Grandma and Grandpa’s Playhouse.” My 30-something baby boomer friends wanted nothing to do with one; backpacking was the thing. RVing was for old people. I was an oddball, out there hanging out with people my parent’s age. The most popular RV bumper sticker of the day was “We’re Spending Our Children’s Inheritance.”
I got to know these older folks well. I was “the kid,” and was treated like a son. I enjoyed a lot of free dinners from senior citizens who felt sorry for me being alone. And then one day I woke up and time had passed and I was no longer the youngster, but the same age as those “grannies and grandpas” of yesteryear. You want to know something? Today’s older RVers are indistinguishable from those of 30 years ago, only the equipment has changed.
ONE BIG DIFFERENCE TODAY is that RVing is suddenly very trendy. Millennials are standing in line to buy one. Most buy cheap ones that will fall apart in five to ten years, if not sooner. Truth be told, some of those entry-level RVs are seriously defective right off the sales lot but need significant work that can take weeks or months. The RV industry announced just this week that the average repair at an RV dealership takes 21 days. That’s just the average.
The overall dependability of new RVs has never been worse. In a reader poll we conducted in 2017, 22 percent of our readers rated the workmanship on their RVs as poor or terrible. That’s one out of five. If that same percentage held true for manufacturers of cars, TVs, bicycles or furniture, the companies would go bust.
Today’s buyers, with stars in their eyes, get suckered by high pressure salespeople into financing their RVs for 15 or 20 years. Camping World has perfected the art of selling long-term loans. “Oh, we can afford $400 a month,” the would-be buyers say. They forget about taxes, insurance, registrations, maintenance, storage fees (53% of RVtravel readers pay to store their RV) and replacement parts (like new tires at least every seven years). Meanwhile RV industry flacks send out an annual news release citing statistics that “prove” that travel by RV is the cheapest way to take a vacation. That, my RVtravel friend, is a bald-faced lie! I took a class in college titled “Lying with Statistics,” where I learned you can make a case for anything by twisting the data.
Consider this: You buy a new RV, finance it, and use it a month a year, which is typical with Millennials and others who are still working (many, if not most, will use it even less). The rest of the time the RV sits, often at the mercy of the elements. All the while the owner makes monthly payments and pays other RV-related expenses.
Under those circumstances, get out your calculator and figure out the annual cost of owning the RV, and then apply that to the one month you used it. How much did that one month really cost you? Don’t forget to figure the RV’s depreciation of $500-$1,000 a month (conservative, ballpark figure that is often much higher).
Now compare that to taking a car trip, camping in a tent with an occasional motel stay, and otherwise being frugal. When you return home, your trip expenses are finished. I don’t think many people finance a tent for 15 years. Compare an RV vacation with renting an Airbnb cottage at the ocean. When you return home, no more payments until you take your next trip.
I suggest that if you travel three months or more a year with an RV and compare the cost to staying in hotels, the RV could be the less expensive way to take a “vacation” (and, of course, a whole lot more convenient and comfortable). But for the industry to boast that RV travel is the “least expensive way to take a vacation” is a joke. Sad to say, the advertising-dependent RV industry media prints this nonsense because it’s free copy and it makes their advertisers happy. Who cares about facts?
PART TWO IS NOW AVAILABLE: Is this just doom and gloom on my part? And up after that… If the RV industry were a sports team, it would never win a game.
P.S. If you’re not yet a subscriber to this newsletter, you can sign up here. We’d love to have you along for the ride!
My Roadside Journal
(about whatever is on my mind, not necessarily RV-related)
The “Charlie Bit Me” boys 10 years later.
See and hear the boys now. Learn how much money their family made from their hugely popular YouTube video. A million dollars? Heck, a lot more than that!- Travel News Alert.
- The joy of camping next to a neighbor’s electric palm tree.
- Archives
Stories in tomorrow’s newsletter
• Part Two of editor’s essay “The RV industry and you”
• You can buy Bret Michaels’ tricked-out RV and get free tickets to a show and meet-and-greet as a bonus!
• Jayco claims the Number 1 selling travel trailer is the Jay Flight – for the 15th year in a row.
PLUS: Campground updates • Latest fuel prices • Upcoming RV shows • Latest RV recalls • Free and bargain camping locations • Reader survey • and much more …
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Keep informed
• Current Wildfire Report.
• National Hurricane Center.
Spotted in Lake Havasu City. Quite a setup, huh?
Last week’s featured stories in RV Daily Tips
• Easy generator carrying for your travel trailer
• Does your RV have a “cool” roof? Color matters
• RV shopping? Some trends to be aware of
• Camping versus RVing: What’s the difference?
• Texting in traffic – Coping with a distracted driver
RV makers putting heat on buyers who don’t read their warranty
A lemon law attorney reports that RV manufacturers are filing motions against their customers for not reading their factory warranty at the time of sale. Some are voiding warranties of buyers who live in their RVs full time or use them for commercial purposes. Learn more.
What to do if your propane tank gets overfilled
By Heidi Bodette
Loving the RV Life
Has your RV propane tank ever been overfilled? Well, it happened to us in January. Here’s what we learned so you can help ensure it doesn’t happen to you. Read more.
Milestone reached for Harvest Hosts
We’re happy to announce that our hard-working friends at Harvest Hosts have reached a major milestone. On February 20, the company added its 1,000th host to its fast-growing list of unique free camping locations across the U.S. and Canada, including wineries, breweries, distilleries, farms, museums, etc. Read more.
Readers reveal their favorite RV mods or add-ons, Part 2
A few weeks ago we asked you about some of your favorite things you’ve done to modify your RV. We got dozens of emails and comments, so now we’re back with Part 2. These are great!
Brain Teaser
What question can you never answer “yes” to? (Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday News newsletter.)
Last year at this time, these were the most popular articles
• Couple confesses their RV buying mistakes. This video will make you mad
• Ever wish a road you traveled had a sign like this?
• You kidding? Deer reading deer crossing signs? (This is funny!)
• RV is toast, flames refuse to die
• Fire danger avoided in RV with questionable wiring
Reader Poll
For every 100 nights in your RV, how often do you have a wood campfire?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment. We’ll post the final results in next week’s newsletter. CLICK HERE.
Readers tell us (What we learned about you last week)
We analyze what we learned about you and fellow RVers from our reader polls and your comments.
• Do you use your RV mostly to camp, travel or live?
• Do you use cruise control in rain or bad weather?
• Have you ever replaced any of the furniture in your RV?
A sad day for snowbird capital Quartzsite
When you’re a kid, and your eyes are big and wide, taking it all in, there are some things that just won’t ever change. One of them is Grampa. Bigger than life, full of fun, and a good lap to cuddle on – there’s nobody like Grampa. Life without Grampa would just be unimaginable. And for a kid, Grampa will always be there. Until something happens – and Grampa, bless him, isn’t there. Now, that “something” looks to be happening in Quartzsite, Arizona. Read more in this quasi-obituary from Russ and Tiña De Maris.
Reader asks: What to do with nosy busybodies in RV parks?
Long-time RVer and RVtravel.com reader, and frequent commenter, Jeffrey Torsrud sent this to us, and we couldn’t help but chuckle. Ah, the pains of RVers. We do know those people, Jeffrey, and we know exactly what you’re talking about. Read Jeffrey’s complaint. Do you have any suggestions?
DO YOU POST VIDEOS ABOUT RVing on YOUTUBE OR FACEBOOK? If so, embed them at the RV Videos group on Facebook. Spread your fame.
Use handy silicone lids for cooking & storage
Use on the stove or to seal containers instead of using plastic wrap or foil. They’re BPA, Phthalate and PVC free and heat resistant to 440 degrees. Press down gently in the center of lid for an airtight seal. Use to replace missing or broken lids. Use on leftovers and to keep salads and fruits fresh! Learn more or order.
Full-timer explains “Why I miss a home base”
By Ingrid Hubbard
LiveLaughRV.net
The life of a nomad can appear glamorous. All you have to do is spend a little time on social media and the stunning images will have you longing to live a life of full-time travel. Yet those beautiful photographs don’t usually tell the whole story. I know I’m guilty of sharing predominantly the upside to RV living. Let’s face it, most people prefer to hear and see the positives of those living the nomadic life and ignore many of the realities. Continue reading.
How one RVer figured out how to never do laundry again
By Rick Cain
Most RVers do laundry. But not me. I don’t have to deal with laundry at all. Let me tell you why. Boredom and me have never been a good combo. Once my brain starts to wander it comes up with all kinds of fun stuff. Including this brilliant strategy. Guys, if you want to get out of laundry duties, pay attention. [Gals, you don’t want to miss this either!]
Another crazy RV paint job. Wow!
Last week we posted a photo of an RV which we thought had the coolest paint job of any RV we’d ever seen. But this one might be just as neat… The pictures were sent in by readers Doug and Linda (from Ohio) with the comment, “Here is a motorhome and toad with a matching paint job that we spotted last September in a KOA campground in Wells, Maine. …” Check them out.
Popular articles from last week
• KOA to open new park: RVs not welcome.
• Court rules in favor of owner of defective Newmar motorhome.
• Will your RV be banned from your neighborhood?
• The truth about Butt Wipes and RV holding tanks.
• Reader abandons plan to buy another RV.
• Is 11 a.m. too early a checkout time? (Poll with more than 100 comments)
• The award for the RV with the coolest paint job EVER goes to…
• Fifth wheel burns to the ground in 20 minutes. Totally destroyed!
• RVelectricity: Can reversed polarity alone cause hot-skin voltage?
• Building an RV park: See the envisioned campground – plus more updates.
• RV Tire Safety: Heat, high speed and the “magic” in ST tires.
• Good Sam gets a finger in the RV storage pie – and you may have helped.
NEW! 2020 edition is here!
Learn what’s along the Interstate
Never take a wrong exit off an Interstate. The brand-new 2020 Next Exit lists every exit along every Interstate and lists what you’ll find: gas stations (including those with diesel), campgrounds, truck stops, casinos, retail stores (by name), malls, factory outlets, drug stores, hospitals, rest areas & more. Very helpful even if you have a GPS. Learn more or order.
We recently asked you: Do you have a favorite campground or RV park? We published the results here, creating a guide for you of your fellow RVers’ favorite spots. We update this weekly, so please continue to tell us your favorite campground or RV park by commenting on this post.
New parks added this week in: Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington.
Resources
Our Facebook and RVillage Groups: RV Horror Stories • RV Advice • RV Electricity • RV Parks with Storm Shelters • RV Buying Advice • Northwest RV Camping • Southwest RV Camping • Free Campgrounds • NEW Budget RV Travel • NEWER RV Videos plus Texas RV Camping and Florida RV camping.
NEW: YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE FACEBOOK RV GROUPS
Nevada RV Camping • New York RV Camping • Oregon RV Camping • California RV Camping • Maryland RV Camping • Georgia RV Camping • Arkansas RV Camping
Where to complain about bad RVs, dealers, service, RV parks. This is an ever-expanding list of resources where you can report, share or discuss your problems with RV manufacturers or dealers.
Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.
The RV Show USA
Listen each Wednesday evening on Facebook or YouTube for the live taping of America’s only syndicated radio program about RVing.
The RV Death Spiral
Read the eight-part series of editorials by Greg Gerber that the RV industry never wanted written. Download the PDF.
RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.
Motorhomes on Fire
This is not pretty – dozens of videos of RVs burning up. But the point is to help viewers understand that RVs burn fast, and they need to practice good fire-prevention habits and practice an escape plan … just in case.
What does financing an RV for 20 years REALLY mean?
In case you missed this article the first time around, here it is again. Important! Click here.
Save bandwidth while watching YouTube videos
How to watch YouTube videos using very little bandwidth.
Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.
Ask the RV Shrink
Obnoxious “party animals” ruin state park stay
Dear RV Shrink:
We just spent a miserable night at Lost Dutchman State Park near Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a beautiful park, but obviously not well managed. It was a Saturday night. A party was raging in the site next to us. A family with young children and drunk adults screaming profanities at the top of their voices. You could hear them all over the park, but we were unfortunately right next door. … There is absolutely no way management could not have heard this band of obnoxious neighbors. Read the rest of the question and the RV Shrink’s advice.
Hold the door open, will ya?
Reader Cliff Thomson recommended this product and we think it’s a great idea. Here’s what he wrote: “We got tired of the hook breaking on our front door and on the front cargo door on our fifth wheel. So we bought two magnetic door holders from Amazon. Last week the door stayed open in a 35 mph wind. Since the magnet is spring-loaded a push will release it.”
Ask the RV Doctor
RV levelers raising tires off the ground – occupants queasy!
Dear Gary:
Our motorhome has Power Gear brand levelers. The front two float side to side on the same hydraulic circuit while the rear two jacks are independent. The coach seems to ride high on certain grades with the front wheels often off the ground. When this happens the coach rocks enough to trigger motion sickness…. —Dean G. Read the rest of the question(s) and Gary’s response.
RV Electricity
Did the campground industry association save RV park owners millions of dollars by nixing electrical upgrade?
I received dozens of emails about the ARVC announcement last week concerning the NEC rolling back the 2020 required GFCI protection on 30- and 50-amp pedestal outlets as was originally planned. According to the news report this was due to ARVC fighting off the NEC’s attempt to saddle campgrounds with millions of dollars spent in retrofitting all pedestals with GFCI breakers. So how and why did this happen, and is it a safety thing or just a way to save money? Read Mike’s interesting report.
This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session:
Combination voltage and 3-light tester. Mike recommends a new product that functions both as a 3-light tester and a plug-in digital voltage tester.
Sign up for Mike’s popular and informative RV Electricity group on Facebook.
RV Tire Safety
Why inflate your tires to their max when parking for a long time?
Roger had a question about what inflation to run when parking your RV or other vehicle for a long time, and explains interply shear on a parked RV. Learn all about it here.
Easily check the tire pressure on your inner dual tires
Do you have trouble reading the tire pressure on your RV’s inner duals? This dual head tire pressure gauge with an extension steel shaft will reach where a standard gauge won’t. Be sure you know the pressure of all your tires, or risk a potentially dangerous blowout. No batteries required. Learn more or order at a discount.
RV Short Stop
Curious low-cost RV short stops in Yuma
The Camel Farm is an unpretentious, highly enjoyable discovery tucked away in agricultural land south of Yuma, Arizona. … In addition to camels, there are more than 25 species to see (many you can pet), including zeedonks (zebra-donkey mix), donkeys, baby goats, water buffalo, an ostrich or two. … Also check out The Peanut Patch and the giant Yuma Swap Meet. Read more.
Do you subscribe to our RV Daily Tips Newsletter?
Every Monday through Friday you get a short, informational email from us delivered straight to your inbox. Inside each issue you’ll find: quick RV tips, popular articles, reader polls, RV thoughts, helpful resources, a website of the day, RV clubs and organizations, trivia, jokes and more! If you don’t like it, you can easily unsubscribe, but we doubt you’ll want to. Read the latest issue here and then sign up here.
For peace of mind, use a backflow preventer
Backflow happens when a fresh water system gets “cross-connected” with a source of bad water or other contaminants. You don’t want that! Prevent this from happening by using a backflow preventer. Here’s an affordable one. Use it and rest easier. (You can read more about backflow prevention here.)
RV Fire Safety
Prevent spontaneous combustion of charcoal or dirty rags
Spontaneous combustion can occur in damp charcoal. Buy charcoal fresh, keep it dry, and store it in a covered metal container. Rags soiled with auto wax or cleaners that contain petroleum products or other oil-based cleaning materials can also spontaneously combust if disposed of in a combustible container. Put dirty cleaning rags in a metal container with a lid.
Reader letters
Dear editor,
My husband and I have been RVing for 22 years. We went full-time two years ago. We are currently staying in a dumpy RV park because it’s February in Tucson and regular parks are full. Yes, it’s cheap, but residents appear to be poverty-stricken. There are mental health sufferers and homeless in and out all hours of the day or night. As a retired law enforcement officer I also suspect dealing. One resident was actually evicted but the process is lengthy and he’s still here. We will be able to move to a proper RV park at the end of the month. —Dennis G.
Dear Dennis,
Unfortunately, there are too many parks like what you describer these days. It’s a problem for recreational vehicle enthusiasts – those who use their RVs for traveling, not living on the cheap year round. —Chuck
Dear editor:
This newsletter has lamented for years that just taking off and finding a campground is getting harder or in some cases impossible. It is sad that you can’t just wander the country and see what you find. These days you just have to make a reservation and plan your trip. But that brings another problem.
What if you make a reservation and think everything is fine and then you get a call that says someone wants your site for three months and your deposit is being returned. This has happened to me and is happening to more people I talk to. My current neighbors are here now only because they thought they had a reservation for a month at another place. But they got a call that said someone wanted their site for three months, so “sorry.” The response from the campground was that the RVers were offered another site but turned it down. That’s a lie!
I would bet these are not isolated incidents. Both mentioned here happened at corporate parks – Zelman and Encore, respectively. It might be a good topic for the newsletter and start some lively and informative discussions. —Dave Gobel
We appreciate your letters. Send to editor@rvtravel.com
Never struggle with opening jars again!
This jar-gripper is a favorite tool for many cooks and kitchen-dwellers. Never struggle to open a jar again! Simply place the gripper around the lid of the jar, lock into place and twist. Your jar will open with ease, and your hands won’t hurt afterward. This handy little gadget works on smooth and grooved lids and will adjust to fit just about every jar out there. It’s great for those of us with weak hands. Learn more or order here.
Museum of the Week
Historic Auto Attractions
Roscoe, Illinois
Other states might portray this as a car museum, but not Historic Auto Attractions. Inside this 36,000-square-foot museum, you’ll find everything from historic automobiles, Old West-style stagecoaches, and the world’s largest collection of presidential and world leaders’ limousines. You’ll also see famous cars from movies (such as the Batmobile, the car from “Back to the Future,” and more!), Elvis Presley’s personal car, and John Dillinger’s getaway car. Park yourself at the museum website and plan your visit. (*Note: They reopen for the season in May, so take the back roads there for now.)
Trivia
During the Civil War, the U.S. military helped bring dental care to Americans. Soldiers needed to bite the thick paper wrapping off bullets as well as eat the dry military rations. The military thus required they have six teeth so they could chew. Source: National Geographic
Bumper sticker of the week
“I’m lost but making good time.”
Have you seen a funny bumper sticker? Send it to diane(at)RVtravel.com
Joke of the Week
Ever wonder …
• Why they sterilize the needle for a lethal injection?
• Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
• Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
• Why are they called apartments when they’re all stuck together?
Worth Pondering
“There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and to shame the devil.” —Walter Lippmann
Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?
RV Travel staff
CONTACT US at editor@RVtravel.com
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris, Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Mike Sokol, Bob Difley, Richard Mallery, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Machelle James, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Circulation director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
Honorary Correspondents: Loyal readers who regularly email us leads about news stories and other information and resources that aid our own news-gathering efforts.
• Mike Sherman • George Bliss • Tom and Lois Speirs • Alan Warren • Steve Barnes + others who we will add later.
Are you interested in advertising with us? Email advertising@rvtravel.com
REGIONAL AND LOCAL ADVERTISING: We can now run banners on RVtravel.com in your town or in a designated area near you, for example to readers within 100, 200, etc., miles of your business. Learn more here.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2020 by RVtravel.com.
Thanks for highlighting the ridiculous RV industry “study” on vacation costs. As a retired Budget and Cost Analyst, it’s easy to see right through that kind of garbage. Infuriating too. Just shows the character of the folks working there.
Well Chuck, as my friend the car salesman always said, “I love monthly payments buyers, I’ll put ’em away every time”
I just bought a car last month, and it was shocking how HARD it was getting dealers to just name a cash (final) price… over and over and over they insisted on quoting monthly payments (without even mentioning how many months/years… just the monthly!). I don’t know if buyers are getting more gullible or what, but I ALWAYS negotiate the bottom line and then financing OF that amount starting with the term and working backwards to whatever monthly would then be (take it or walk away)… If you have to finance a car for 7 years (as some dealers offered) or an RV for 20, you REALLY can’t afford that car…
On the flipside, I DO think in terms of use-term vs. payment term. My car will run for about 7 years at my milage, so it had better be paid for quite a while before then. I try for 2:1 or better on daily-driver-cars — my creampuff truck made 20 years, 16 of it paid off. I only really expect 5 more years out of my RV, so I better finish paying for that soon (hopefully in the next few months). If “X best price, paid for by Y year” isn’t a palatable monthly number, then WALK AWAY.
I absolutely loved the do laundry no more joke. With more RV’ers on the road now Cities should allow those who want to open RV parks to, instead of inpeading them. It is getting hard yes, to cruise around then pull in for a spell.
Great information! Thanks for this newsletter.
The Urban Myth re: storing wet charcoal
Lots of stimulating stuff this week Chuck- thanks.
For the past three weeks I have been unable to click on the newsletter polls and leave an answer. I am able to read other’s comments and leave my own comment., but unable to participate in the poll. Is anyone else having this problem? Has the newsletter limited the polls to paying subscribers?
I have often had the same problem replying to polls – nothing shows up.
I have the same problem while using my I phone but can view it on my I Pad.
I want to thank Chuck Woodbury for all his fine work on the weekly RV Travel email magazine. We have been RVing about the United States since 1985. Our first trips were with the kids. It gave them a great education as we traveled through almost every state every summer. I managed to get 6 weeks off work for vacation and my wife was a school teacher and had the summers off.
We are retired now and sold our travel trailer because our new home was short on level storage space…cost of storage was too high to even consider that option (good idea for a future article). The plan now is to buy a lightly used class B or C motorhome small enough to park in our driveway. (Our Smoky Mountain property is mostly vertical)
Problem is there is a shortage of quality used smaller motor homes for sale. We have been looking for about two years with no luck. We refuse to shop at “Camping World”…can’t tolerate those people…rude pushy sales crew that want to show only bigger units than we want. We prefer to. Up from current owners and not dealers.
Can’t wait to get back on the road again…thanks Chuck for keeping us current on the RV Travel Life. Keep up the good work.