America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2883 • New issue every weekday
If you find this newsletter helpful, please consider supporting our work with a donation of your choice. Thank you!
Today’s thought
Journalists should pursue “As impartial an investigation of the facts as humanly possible.” —Walter Lippmann
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is Tax Day and National Laundry Day. So go throw in a load of laundry and file those taxes! (Hopefully tomorrow is National Doughnut Day, or something, since you deserve a treat after all those chores!)
On this day in history: 1912 – The British passenger liner RMS Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic at 2:20 a.m., two hours and forty minutes after hitting an iceberg. Only 710 of 2,224 passengers and crew on board survive.
Tip of the day
Headlight glare is getting worse. Here’s what to do when you’re blinded
You’re rolling along after dark, minding your own business, and then it hits—an oncoming set of headlights so bright it feels like someone flipped a spotlight straight into your eyes. For a moment, the road disappears. You squint, ease off the gas, and wait for it to pass.
If that feels more common than it used to, you’re not imagining it. A new survey from AAA (American Automobile Association) finds that about six in ten drivers say headlight glare is a real problem, and many say it’s getting worse.
For RVers, headlight glare isn’t just what’s coming at you—it can also be what you’re putting out. Continue reading.
RV review
Forest River’s 2026 Vibe 2500FIK Extreme Lite—for TV and movie lovers
The 2026 Forest River Vibe 2500FIK Extreme Lite is a strong fit for a couple looking for a lighter towable trailer. This RV features three slide-outs, including a roomy front kitchen, and a comfortable layout that does not feel cramped. The 2500FIK makes a good first impression. [Gail Marsh] was pleasantly surprised at how large the interior feels. The front-kitchen design creates a natural flow through the coach, and the slide-out helps keep the center of the RV open and spacious. And wait until you see the TV…
Water check valve prevents your fresh water from draining
Nanci Dixon recently discovered an empty freshwater tank upon arriving at a campground. The culprit was a small part she never even knew existed—the water check valve. Learn more about this small, inexpensive gadget and why it is so essential here.
In the RV shop with Dustin
What should I look for when inspecting my RV roof?
Whether you own a million-dollar unit or you have an entry-level RV, my message to you will be the same: It needs to be maintained! One of the best ways to maintain your RV is by consistently inspecting the unit, including inspecting the RV roof. I am often asked, “What should I look for when inspecting my RV roof?” I’ll walk you through it.
Article and video
Evaluating RV sewer hoses and putting the best one to the test
Here, Jared Gillis of All About RVs puts an RV sewer hose to the test to see if it can live up to its advertisement claims. It started after watching a video about RV products, and one caught his eye. It showed a sewer hose that seemed indestructible. Then it was dragged behind a car, stepped on, and driven over. So, could it live up to the hype? Jared wanted to know, so he put it to the test. Is it the best sewer hose? Find out here.
IT’S TRUE! Your brain “shrinks” on long drives—temporarily. After about 2 hours of continuous driving, your reaction time and focus can dip significantly. Translation? That “quick stretch break” actually matters more than you think.
Featured article
The definitive guide to free BLM land camping
By Cheri Sicard
One of our all-time favorite vloggers, Robin Barrett from Creativity RV, is back with the definitive guide to free BLM camping. Anyone who follows Robin’s RV adventures knows that free camping on Bureau of Land Management land is her preferred way to RV. Robin likes being by herself in the middle of nowhere. With BLM camping, not only can you have your own virtually private campground, but you can also usually stay there for as long as two weeks, 100% free. Here’s her guide.
THINKING ABOUT CAMPING ON BLM LAND THIS YEAR? You need this!
Ask Dave
Blue parking spots are for disabled drivers. What are purple spaces?
Reader poll
How many countries have you visited outside the North American continent?
IT’S AMAZING AND TRUE! View and participate in more than 2,000 of our previous polls!
Quick tip
Money-saving tips on the road
By Bob “BoondockBob” Difley
Here are some ways to save money on the road:
• Stay longer in campgrounds with low rates. Stay a week for an even better rate.
• Drive 55 for better gas mileage.
• Use a gas app for the cheapest service stations.
• Avoid jack-rabbit starts and sudden stops. It’s all about torque and kinetic energy.
• Keep tires properly inflated—your mileage will suffer otherwise.
• Lighten your load. Do not carry extra weight—it will cost you in mileage.
• Take advantage of tail winds to improve fuel mileage. Avoid head winds.
• Avoid ATM fees by getting cash with store purchases.
• Install CFL or LED interior lights. They last much longer and use less energy.
• Boondock more often.
• Install a solar or wind turbine system for renewable free power.
More money-saving tips tomorrow.
You can find Bob Difley’s e-books on Amazon Kindle.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Tips for windshield wipers plus special tips for motorhome wipers
- Ask Dave: Readers’ comments on refillable LP cylinders and legality of transporting them
- Featured article: Strict campground rules force RVer to lie about pets
Website of the day
20 Hilarious One-Star Yelp Reviews of National Parks
This should really be under our “Leave here with a laugh” section. You’ll laugh out loud at these! Some people just don’t get it…
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
This could so easily save your life or that of a loved one! This is no joke! We are dead serious. (Oh, bad pun. Sorry.) Get this for yourself or give it as a gift.
Trivia
What even is Pickleball, anyway?
Pickleball is the sport that increased in popularity from 3.4 million participants in 2019 to a whopping 24.3 million pickleball players in the United States alone in 2025, according to data by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Pickleball’s unprecedented rise in popularity makes it the fastest-growing sport in the country. And no wonder! Pickleball is played and enjoyed by folks of every age and competency level. Read all about it here.
Readers’ pet of the day
“‘OutandAbout’ (age 10) is our co-pilot and will be seen on the new ‘Out & About TV—Travel, Adventure & RVs‘ show on YouTube!” —Tom McAuliffe
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!
Leave here with a laugh
How do you console an English teacher?
There, their, they’re.
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the Latest News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
If you shop at Amazon.com we’d appreciate you using this link. We get an itty bitty commission if you buy something, but they add up and help us pay our bills (most importantly our hard-working writers!).
RVtravel.com All-Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
THESE POP UPS ARE OVERWHELMING!! It’s getting worse and worse
3 words: Duck Duck Go
Amen!
The pop ups are one thing, but the PG rated advertising is another. I know RVT can’t control the ads, but a little dignity goes a long way.
I hate to point this out Dan but ads are based on your browsing history….
Vince, that is very often true, not always, as it generally is around the internet these days. I plan to write about this very soon. The general quality of the ads that are showing up on RVtravel.com in the last year has declined. We provide guidelines to our ad placement agency, but we are finding increasingly that they are not always followed as we would like. It’s no longer acceptable and we’re considering ways we can go forward with less ad revenue. — Chuck Woodbury/publisher
You can easily block popups in your browser. I don’t see any of the ads that people complain about.
me too!
Neither do I.
a lot of sites make you disable popup blockers before letting you read their content, that’s even more of a PIA.
I wish all you people complaining about ads would just make a donation, and then the ads would be gone, and you wouldn’t have to fill the Comments section with complaints.
What he said.
What Chris said.
NOT TRUE!
I have no ads – I use Fire Fox and Ad Block also. Duck Duck Go works too on my laptop. I also have Ad Block on my fone. (You may have to turn the ad blocker off to use YouTube or else pay them).
Joe, we agree. They are not supposed to be showing. We are working with our advertising placement agency to minimize them. They are supposed to limit pop ups to only essential matters. I apologize. — Chuck Woodbury/publisher
I already subscribe to the newsletter yet it pops up every single time I go to any article from it! Annoying!
On the headlight issue, the jerks who jack up their oversized pick-ups and oversized tires puts the headlights right in your line of sight. Their “pick-ups” never do any work as $70k
+ hurts too much to damage.
The real problem is they will spend $$$ to jack up the truck and install oversized tires but not spend ¢¢ to get the headlights adjusted. It should be mandatory that the shop doing the work adjust the lights.
We have a local independent tire shop that installs lift kits and ‘BIG’ tires and they automatically adjust the lights.
Also, more vehicles driving with brights on all the time – even in daylight!
Well, I have a paid version and I still get pop-ups. Let’s face it letting these pop-ups in the newsletter makes them money. But if they wanted to have a true newsletter, they could do it like newspaper and send it to me as a PDF file. Absolutely no Pop-up ads in a PDF file!!
OutandAbout is gorgeous and you can’t get a better name than that, and I’m sure a terrific co-pilot. We will definitely be watching for more adventures. Keep on camping.