From RVtravel.com: The common sense resource for RVers since 2001 • Issue 2789
Today’s thought
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness. It’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” —Brené Brown
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Cookie Day!
On this day in history: 1791 – The first edition of The Observer, the world’s first Sunday newspaper, is published.
Tip of the day
How you can prevent an RV accident
By Gail Marsh
Ask any RVer if they’re a good driver and the answer is usually, “Yes, I’m a good RV driver.” That confidence is healthy. However, it’s good to remember that RVs behave very differently from the family car.
RVs have more mass, higher centers of gravity, wider blind spots, longer stopping distances, and often a trailer or tow load that changes handling. Those traits make everyday mistakes much more likely to turn into serious incidents.
Last weekend, I wrote about what to do if you get into an accident with your RV. Now I want to tell you how not to get into an accident in the first place! Continue reading.
RV review
The 2026 Coachmen Chaparral Lite 218SE: Small but mighty weekender RV
Weekenders and short-tripping RVers should take a look at the 2026 Coachmen Chaparral Lite 218SE. This fifth wheel measures just under 29 feet in length and can be towed with a half-ton truck. Could it be the right camper for you? Let’s find out.
Article and video
An off-the-charts, must-see bus conversion
By Cheri Sicard
Amber and Bryant wanted a home on wheels that felt like a real house, not a compromise. When they pulled around a corner in Georgia and saw a 2002 Thomas MVP EF school bus with a 20-inch roof raise, the shock hit. They bought it, parked it, worried about it, then slowly turned that fear into late-night research and hands-on work. Three years later, they live full-time in that bus with their dog, and it feels more like a custom condo than an RV. Check it out. [And check out the amazing attention to detail.]
BEWARE: Fake RV websites are spewing lies, doom-and-gloom messages. Stay away!
Air fryers are great, but…
What about an air fryer, toaster oven, and a broiler in ONE? Yep! This compact Cuisinart is just that—all those things in one small, countertop gadget. Get rid of all those other gadgets and just keep this one. It does everything!
Featured article
Readers reveal how they feel about tipping campground workers
By Gail Marsh
I recently asked RVtravel.com readers, “Should you tip campground workers if they help you?” The poll results and the comments that followed sparked considerable debate within our RVing community. Here’s what our readers said.
Ask Dave
Where is the best place to install a bubble level on an RV?
BUMPER SNICKER: “Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver”
Reader poll
Do you read in bed when you retire for the night?
Quick tip
When shopping for an RV, do a “livability test”
Shopping for a new RV? Don’t forget the “livability” factor. It’s best to do a walk-through of an RV without the salesman present. That way, you should feel free to sit on the pot to check leg clearance, lay on the bed to determine comfort, walk into the shower to confirm you have room for your elbows and shoulders. Have one person stand in the kitchen in front of the sink or the stove—can the partner get by without imitating a fertility dance? Open the fridge—you’d be surprised how many times the door swings the wrong way! Can’t shake the salesman? Do all the aforementioned tests and whatever else you can anyway.
Take an extra 10% off a GhostBed luxury RV mattress!
The GhostBed RV mattress is 10” deep, crafted with gel memory foam for coolness, has 3 layers of luxurious comfort and is perfectly sized for your RV! Ahhhh… Wake up relaxed and rejuvenated. RVtravel.com readers now get an EXTRA 10% OFF a GhostBed Luxury RV Mattress! CLICK HERE and use code RVTRAVEL10. Watch RVtravel.com’s Tony Barthel’s RV mattress review here.
On this day last year…
- Tip: 10 easy tips every RVer should know
- Article & video: Easy to make DIY emergency candle burns for 72 days
- Featured article: The sneaky white lies and tricks some RV salesmen use when selling an RV
Website of the day
The Ultimate East Coast National Parks Road Trip
This list from Outside guides you up and down the East Coast and tells you what National Parks to stop at, and what to see in them, along the way. (If it says to create an account to continue but you don’t want to, just click on the X box in the upper right corner.)
And the survey says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers close to 5,000 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• It’s a tie! 50 percent say they have feared for their safety in their RV because of an approaching threat of nature, but the other 50 percent say they have never feared for their safety.
• The highest percentage of voters, 35 percent, say a pop-up trailer was the first type of RV they ever owned.
• 36 percent say they cook more simply in their RV than they would in a normal sticks-and-bricks home.
Recent poll: How confident are you in your ability to troubleshoot RV repairs on the road?
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Every year we try to find a new favorite one of these. This just might have to be our pick for this year. We love it and you will too!
RV recipes
Get in the holiday spirit on National Cookie Day with these cookie recipes
Yep, it’s National Cookie Day, so we thought we’d point you in the direction of some delicious cookies. How could you say no to that?
Trivia
Falls account for nearly one-third of all non-fatal injuries in the U.S., according to Injury Facts. Falls among adults 65 and older caused more than 38,000 deaths in 2021, and many more are injured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than one in four older adults falls every year. Here are a bunch of fall-prevention aids.
Readers’ pet of the day
“We rescued Raven (Australian Shepherd) when she was 3 years old. At first, she didn’t like to travel due to car sickness. We slowly conquered the car sickness, and she fell in love with traveling in the motorhome. Raven perches on the dash and keeps an eye on the campground.” —Mike Tucker
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.
FREE IS GOOD! Got a new puppy? Get a free dog pad from PooPeePads™. Many types/sizes to choose from.
Leave here with a laugh
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Raven has a great vantage point. She can see most of the campground from that position. She is a beautiful Aussie.
Raven is a cutie, and definitely has the best seat in the campgrounds, and to make sure everything is going as it should. Thank you for rescuing! Keep on camping
The cooking gadget draws between 1500 and 1800 watts. You won’t be using much else in a 30a. rig while it’s on…..
Raven is a pretty dog. Glad she’s used to traveling now.