America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2895 • New issue every weekday
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Today’s thought
“Reading is a means of thinking with another person’s mind; it forces you to stretch your own.” —Charles Scribner, Jr.
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is May Day!
On this day in history: 1971 – Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) takes over operation of U.S. passenger rail service.
Tip of the day
Deadly “RV hot-skin condition” can spread from your neighbor’s RV
By Mike Sokol
Time for a reminder about a miswiring condition I found in campgrounds years ago. It’s a hot-skin voltage that can be “reflected” to multiple RVs in the same area of a campground. And it’s caused by two separate failures at the same time: a lost ground/bond conductor in a campground electrical system and a fault current in an RV. First things first. A hot-skin voltage is when the electrical potential of your RV skin (and chassis) is a significant voltage level above the earth ground around it. Continue reading this very important article.
RV review
First look at the 2026 27North TR27 Trekker on Ram 5500
Million-dollar expedition rigs have owned this space for years, so anything new gets judged fast. At the 2026 Florida RV SuperShow, Patrick Botticelli of New Jersey Outdoor Adventures found a truck camper that looks ready for that test, and he gives us a tour in the video at the end of this post. The 27North TR27 Trekker is a Ram 5500 camper conversion with real off-grid hardware, heavy-duty running gear, and a cabin that feels far more custom than basic. Check it out.
THE MORE YOU KNOW… The average person spends about six months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green.
In the RV shop with Dustin
When do I release my RV slide-out button?
“Dustin, when extending or retracting slide-outs, when should I release the button? I usually count three seconds after the slides are fully extended or retracted before releasing the button. Am I damaging the hydraulic motor holding for that long?” Click here for Dustin’s answer.
National Geographic Road Atlas 2027: Scenic Drives Edition
National Geographic’s Road Atlas: Scenic Drives Edition, is the ideal travel companion. Includes up-to-date road maps for all 50 U.S. States, plus Canada and Mexico. Cities are shown in detail with inset maps that include popular attractions and points of interest. It includes scenic drives, maps, and guides for 20 national parks. Learn more or order.
Article and video
20 rare vintage RVs most people have never seen
Homes on wheels feel modern, but the idea started more than a century ago. Long before interstates and packed campgrounds, early travelers dealt with dirt roads, scarce fuel, and few places to stay, so some builders turned cars and trucks into tiny rolling homes. That idea grew fast. By the early 1900s, some rigs already had beds, sinks, storage, and even toilets. This article and video highlight 20 rare vintage RVs that most travelers today have never seen.
Featured article
7 advantages of a solar generator over installing solar on your RV
By Cheri Sicard
Did you know there’s more than one way to add solar capabilities to your RV? I am continually amazed at the number of campers and RVers I have encountered who have never heard of a solar generator or know what it can do. I’ve lost count of times neighbors asked “What’s that?” or came over to check out my portable solar panels, not knowing that such a thing was possible. Read all about their advantages here.
Ask Dave
Do RV codes require licensed technicians on assembly lines to install electrical and plumbing components?
Good question! Read Dave’s answer.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- Why your RV keeps breaking—and what repair techs say most owners get wrong
- Explore the 10 best 2026 fifth wheels under 30’
- A cheap slideout trick that can keep leaves and debris out of your RV
- RV inspector debunks the top 3 RV myths and lies
- Charlie Sheen’s old tour bus could be your new RV for ‘cheap’
- How to fix drill batteries that won’t charge
- RV review: 2026 inTech Black Wing 826-X—Built how I’d build an RV
Keep insects and bird nests out of your RV vents
Wasps, mud daubers, birds and rodents pose a serious threat to the furnace on your RV. They can enter through the furnace vents. Their nests can interfere with air flow and cause serious damage. This pack comes with a few different screens so check which one will fit your vent. Here’s more info on these screens, and why they’re important.
Reader poll
Have you ever stayed overnight in a Cabela’s parking lot with your RV?
DID YOU ENJOY THIS NEWSLETTER? Our tiny staff works incredibly hard to bring you seven, sometimes eight, newsletters each week! We work around the clock for you! If you are entertained, learn something new, or just enjoy spending time with us, would you consider a donation to say thank you? We would really, really, really appreciate it! Thank you!
Quick tip
It wasn’t me; I have proof!
“When arriving at an RV park, you should consider taking a cell phone photo of your site before you pull in. Take another cell phone photo when you leave the site. This will prevent unscrupulous RV park owners and managers from trying to say you damaged something on the site and they want you to pay for it! Believe me, they are out there!” —Thanks for the tip, Jeffrey T.!
On this day last year…
- Tip: RV DIY: How to replace RV vinyl trim
- Ask Dave: Can I use silicone to seal the gap under my Class A windshield?
- Article & video: Don’t sign an RV contract until you see this
- Featured article: Improve RV driving days with these 5 helpful travel gadgets
Website of the day
Travel British Columbia: Camping
If you’ve been to British Columbia, you know how gorgeous it is. If you’ve never been, well, hop on this website, find a campground, and plan your trip. You certainly won’t regret it!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
If you used this, it would certainly make working on your computer so much more fun! Plus, it’s the truth! Wait… do you even still need one of these?
Trivia
The word “tabloid” when referring to newspaper sizes comes from the style of journalism known as “tabloid journalism,” which compacted stories into short, easy-to-read articles with exaggerated or sensational content. Tabloid journalism itself got its name from the “tabloid pills” marketed in the 1880s, which were the first highly compacted and easy-to-swallow pills commonly available. An example of a tabloid newspaper, in size and content, would be the National Enquirer.
Readers’ pet of the day
“We acquired Weezie as a two-week-old kitten in May 2022. Since she needed to be bottle-fed, we took her camping with us within a week after we got her. She went camping all that summer and fall. Weezie just loved camping, and as she grew, she became more curious about the outdoors. She was very mischievous and adventurous. After many attempted escapes by the time she was five months old, we decided that she should join our other house cats at home. She’s still full of mischief.” —Barbara Stanley
HELP! WE’RE RUNNING LOW ON PET PHOTOS! Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and please do not submit your pet more than once. Thanks!
Leave here with a laugh
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RVtravel.com All-Star Staff
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Weezie’s eyes are mesmerizing. So cute! I’m sorry that she was too mischievous and needed to stay home. Better safe than sorry.
The article about having licensed installers assemble the wiring and plumbing in a new RV was interesting.
In some areas you can do the work yourself, using a licensed pro to do a ‘pre-inspection’ and final hook up. Depending on the project (and the owner’s skills) you can save some money for your sweat equity.
In our county, you need a plumbers license to replace a water heater, but not to replace a receptacle or run a gas line. In other words, I can burn my house down, but not get it wet.
The store selling the WH in my county contacts the county with your address.
No problem, I just buy mine in another county.
Some rules are just plain stupid.
Weezie is just so cute. I’m sorry she needs to stay at home now but we wouldn’t want her to go missing either. Keep on camping.
Buy Weezie a full body harness with a 6 foot lead and take her with you.
All our 3 cats are equipped so when in RV.
Yes, we walked our two cats around our acre property with a harness and leash. They really liked walking the property. Both are gone now, but we would do it again if we ever had cats again.
In regards to traffic lights, there’s also the fact that drivers running the lights can cause injury or fatal accidents. This is why DOTs are going to roundabouts wherever feasible. They’re considered traffic calming, they keep traffic flowing and accidents are relatively minor (typically sideswipes or rear end collisions). Injury/fatal accidents are rare, in fact I haven’t heard of a fatal collision accident in a roundabout, although it could be possible.
Another thing that would help is timing the lights. Even back in the 1950s, way before computers, a main thoroughfare in Queens NYC had the lights timed for the 35 MPH speed limit. If you did the speed limit, you would get green lights for the full length of the road. It not only saved time (waiting at stop lights with the engine idling and wasting gas), but saved the environment a bit. So this is something that IS possible.
That’s generally true, however a few years ago there was a new roundabout installed just north of Nappanee, Indiana (where the Newmar factory is in Elkhart County.) The formerly straight roads had slight curves installed approaching the roundabout, which is normal to align the roads with the circle, and also helps with traffic calming. However, shortly after the roundabout was completed, a car carrying, I think, an Indiana congresswoman and some of her staffers approached the roundabout without taking the curve and hit another car head-on. I think the congresswoman and her staffers were killed.
RV Hot Skin Shared – I witnessed this in a small campground, 30 spots, in Mexico. We were all doing fine until a newly manufactured RV showed up, plugged in, and gave everybody hot skin. Luckily I recognized what was happening, and found the problem within the new arrival. I give credit to this newsletter for the knowledge.
Scary story, Richard. I’m glad you were aware of what was happening and were able to take care of the situation before anything bad happened. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com