Table of contents for 002 Apr/May 2022 in RV TODAY

I was 46 years old the first time I hooked up an RV and hit the road. I had no experience, no one influenced me to do it, and I had zero clue what I was doing. I made plenty of mistakes along the way, but I’ve also had some of the greatest experiences. My only regret is not starting earlier. Fast forward almost five years and I have now lived and worked in 48 states and probably logged more than 70,000 miles traveling. Though I’ve done more RVing than most people do in 20 years, even with all this experience, I’m still no expert. I’m just a guy who fell in love with the lifestyle and freedom that comes with owning an RV, and I want to spread that…

Before & After: It’s no secret that renovations of any kind usually come with a number of challenges, and we had our fair share of them tackling a 50-year-old travel trailer renovation. Initially, the camper came with all original fixtures, including a full stove/oven, propane heater, and light fixtures, even the original black tar linoleum floor, so to say we were in for a challenge would be an understatement. With needing to replace all of that, we were able to make every inch of the space our own and with our unique style and taste which included up-to-date appliances, light fixtures, new flooring, and upholstery. Paint: You may not be gutting a camper and doing a complete overhaul as we did but there are some simple things you can do…

Olympic National Park is a great place to stop for a few days or a few weeks to cap off a road trip up the west coast along U.S. Route 101. The Olympic Peninsula is a place with tremendous natural diversity, a rich history, and more roadside coffee stands (I call them coffee sheds) than your caffeine craving can handle. My wife, Amy, and I are full-time RVers who work seasonally in and around national parks. We worked in Olympic National Park at Hurricane Ridge for the summer of 2021 and had a summer full of awe-inspiring views and awesome adventures. These are our tips for planning a trip to Olympic National Park. HOW TO GET THERE Getting to Olympic requires a drive up U.S. Route 101 from the south,…

Upcoming RV Events and Rallies Stay connected with fellow RVers at these 2022 events MAY Mount Saint Helens Vintage Trailer Rally May 5–8 Centralia, WA Fulltime Families RV Family Summit May 9–13 Virtual Event Wyoming Outdoor Weekend and Expo May 20–21 Lander, WY JUNE Missouri Loves Company Vintage Camper Rally June 2–5 Leasburg, MS Tampa Bay Summer RV Show June 9–12 Tampa, FL Country Thunder Music Festival June 10–12 Forest City, IA JULY Overland Expo Pacific Northwest July 8–10 Redmond, OR Open Roads Festival July 15–18 McCall, ID Silver Avion Fellowship Rally July 21–24 Elkhart, IN AUGUST Rootless Living Magazine Digital Nomad Meetup August 5–7 Elkhart, IN Loners On Wheels Border Low Meetup August 10–14 Marshall, TX Midwest RV Super Show and Sale August 11–14 Elkhart, IN SEPTEMBER Rainbow RV…

Improved Roof Seals While not the most fun project, it is very rewarding to enhance the roof seals on your RV. Anyone who has had a roof leak can tell you trying to find and patch a leak during a torrential downpour is an absolutely terrible experience. Get ahead of the potential problem by adding an easy-to-apply roof tape to all of your roof seals for extra peace of mind. Durable Storage Bins Keeping your camping gear organized and easily accessible makes your camping adventures so much more enjoyable. Find durable storage bins that maximize the storage lockers under your RV, and try to find bins that aren’t so big they get too heavy to lift when full. Label your bins so you know what’s in each one, and try…

″As a Junior Ranger, I promise to protect, preserve, and respect the desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. While at home, I will learn about the natural world and I will share what I learn with my friends and family. I will teach others how to enjoy national parks responsibly.″– Ranger Pledge, Joshua Tree National Park Over the last two years, our family visited more than 30 parks managed by the National Park Service (NPS). We visited everything from national monuments to some of the most well-known national parks in the country, and took advantage of the Junior Ranger Program at many of these parks during our adventures. If you’re not familiar with the Junior Ranger Program, it is an activity-based program offered at practically every NPS-operated park. Children…

If you haven’t participated in an RV rally, meetup, or gathering, you are missing out on perhaps one of the most entertaining and beneficial parts of RV travel. Whether you travel full time, part time, or some of the time, RV rallies have something for you. Many RV clubs have a huge annual rally, plus multiple smaller ones in various locations throughout the year. Big annual rallies can have 1,000 or more rigs, while smaller meetups might be limited to just 20 or 25. There are events at full-hookup sites and boondocking sites; meetups for solo travelers, families, and vanlifers; and even some based on the brand of RV you have. Grand Design and Winnebago have huge rallies for owners of their coaches each year. So, what’s in it for…

Karla Locke Kimberly Crossland Kevin Skelton Katherine Williams Derek and Lacey Green Josh Sipma Jack Huber Adam and Kathryn Frazer Beth Cronin Matthew Fry Todd and Julie Bonner Stuart Takehara Josh Fuss Amy Rupp Contributor Spotlight Kevin Skelton – All Things Solar Kevin and his wife Christine have been traveling with their two young kids in a fifth wheel for the past four years. He designed and installed their 2,625-watt solar system and shares what he learned in the process, along with their travels and other RV tips, on their Never Stop Adventuring YouTube channel and website, neverstopadventuring.com Matthew Fry – The Junior Ranger Program Matthew and Jacklynn hit the road full time in December 2019 with their three kids. They traveled to 49 states before settling back down in Nashville, Tennessee…

Something funny happens when I tell people I love to camp. They raise their eyebrows, they get a little sparkle in their eyes, and you can almost see the images streaming through their mind. As soon as the word “camp” comes out of my mouth, the person on the other side of the conversation is imagining sleeping in a hammock off the side of a cliff, or backpacking for weeks along the Appalachian Trail. While I’m sure those experiences are spectacular, they’re not the type of adventure my family seeks. When I almost apologetically explain that we camp in our RV—an RV we don’t even live in full time—that’s when the disappointment sets in. RVing isn’t a real adventure, is it? It’s just traveling with a home on wheels to…

As we considered a possible RV or campervan purchase in 2021, my thoughts were all over the map. Some days, I felt certain the campervan option was the best one for this “nearly-empty nest” phase of life we have entered. Other days, my more analytical self would rule the internal conversation, pointing out that the price per square foot was outrageous for campervans and arguing a travel trailer or small fifth wheel would be the more practical, responsible decision. With the total cost being approximately the same when factoring in a truck purchase for the towable, it was a constant mental tug of war. In the end, five factors helped us make a confident decision. 1 SIMPLICITY The last five years have seen several monumental shifts in our life. This…

Not sure which gizmos and gadgets are a necessity for your RV and which ones are just nice to have? Start here! When it comes to water, fire, and electricity, be prepared and stay safe on the road with some of the product recommendations on this list. More concerned about comfort? Don’t worry, we’ve included a few “nice to haves” too. https://amzn.to/3LI2Plh Latch.it Keyless RV Door Lock Just stepping out really quick? Heading out for the day and wanting to pack light? If so, the last thing you want to do is carry a bulky keyring with you. This keyless lock kit comes ready to install and includes two key fobs. It even has an option to silence the beeping, which we know your campground neighbors will appreciate. Solo Stove…