Where To RV For 70-degree Weather All Year

Above, Ashurst Lake dispersed campground in Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel has posted an interesting article on where to RV for 70-degree weather every month of the year. 

Since we're almost in autumn (that arrives on September 22) and one's wanderlust is still spurring them along despite changing seasons, the article may be useful.  

It begins with:

Wouldn’t it be nice if every stop on your RV journey came with mild days, cool nights, and little need for the A/C or furnace? That’s the goal of chasing 70 degrees—a seasonal travel strategy to stay in the comfort zone year-round.

Traveling this way helps you avoid wild weather swings, reduce energy use, and enjoy nature at its best. Here’s how to follow the 70-degree sweet spot around the U.S.—with tips on beauty, weather quirks, and what to watch out for in each region.

To read more, go here. 

Starting RV Life As A Senior

Above, Ely, Nevada KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People who are retiring and are entering "the golden years" who are interested in joining the RV lifestyle should check out an article and video posted in RV Travel with some useful tips.

The article is titled, "Starting RV Life As A Senior - What You Need To Know." 

While becoming an RVer during one's senior years may sound appealing, but there are things they should be prepared to face.

The article begins with:

Starting RV life as a senior can feel both thrilling and overwhelming. Many people imagine endless adventure, but the early days often bring unexpected aches, exhaustion, and sometimes even regret. Finding solutions to common problems quickly can turn things around, leading to a more enjoyable, sustainable lifestyle.

In the video at the end of this post, John, of Gone With John, offers some useful advice and perspectives.

 To see the video and read more, go here.

13 Essential RV Tips For Seniors

Above, yours truly at Mustang Sally's in Deadwood,
 South Dakota last summer. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Now that I am at the ripe old age of 72, I guess that puts me into the senior (some say geezer) category. While that's the case for me, I still enjoy hitting the road in my motorhome. 

Last summer, a friend and I took a long trip to Cody, Wyoming, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Devil's Tower and the Black Hills of South Dakota. I surprised myself that I was able to do all the driving with no problems. 

RV Travel has posted an article and video with 13 essential tips for seniors to make the journeys more comfortable and enjoyable.

They begin it with:

In the video below, Mike and Jennifer Wendland from RV Lifestyle share their most important RV tips for seniors. Spoiler alert: Many of these tips apply to everyone, not just seniors.

Our hosts, seniors themselves, firmly believe that with proper preparation and expectations, seniors can live their best lives ever in an RV!

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Red Rock Balloon Rally December 4 To December 6

Above, balloons at the Red Rock Balloon Rally near Gallup. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

September is only days away and before we know it, it will be December soon.

This means that the Red Rock Balloon Rally will be coming in early December at Red Rock Park near Gallup, New Mexico.

The rally will be held December 4, 2026 to December 6, 2026.

Above, a campground is near the balloon launch area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are RVers, there is a campground right next to the balloon launch area. I have stayed there and it is a nice campground with water and electric hook-ups. There is also a dump station available. 

Why Some RVs Last 30 Years and Others Are Money Pits

Above, camping at the West Yellowstone KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Until I had to replace the toilet in my motorhome a few months ago, my 2016 Winnebago Minnie Winnie has been the most reliable vehicle I've owned. 

It still is. It is an eleven-year-old vehicle and until the toilet needed replacing, I've only had very minor repairs to tend to, such as a stuck roof vent cover (still under warranty) and the house door lock that was busted by being slammed by wind. The awning fabric had to be replaced due to it being torn by a leaning telephone pole that I didn't see. Sooner or later, something will go bad. I've been lucky that it took eleven years for a major replacement job had to be done.

RV Travel posted an article on why some RVs last 30 years while others are money pits. 

They begin it with:

A 20-year-old RV can remain dependable, while a newer one can turn into a repair burden soon after its warranty ends. Age and price matter less than construction, care, use, and storage. The RVs that hold up for decades usually receive attention long before a small problem becomes an expensive project.

In the video at the end of the post, certified RV inspector Duane from the RV Inspection And Care channel goes into greater detail.

To read more and see the video, go here. 

Camping With A Dog In Bear Country

Above, a mother bear and cub in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following doesn't apply to me (I have two cats), but I have relatives with RVs who camp with their dogs.

That is camping with the family dog in bear country. RV Travel posted an article on the fact that dogs can, and do, initiate conflicts with bears in campgrounds.

They begin with:

If you camp in bear country with a dog, you might figure Fido gives you an early-warning system. After all, he’ll probably smell or hear a bear long before you do.

A new study suggests you might not want to count on that.

Researchers examined 326 human-bear conflicts involving domestic dogs across North America. Dogs initiated 54% of those conflicts, according to the study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management.

And don’t count on your dog to sound the alarm. Dogs warned their owners about a bear in only 9.2% of the conflicts studied.

This isn’t just a backcountry-hiking problem, either. While 45.1% of the conflicts occurred while people were hiking in wilderness areas, 35.3% happened in front-country settings.

For RVers traveling with dogs, that’s an important distinction.

To read more, go here. 

How The Federal Government Fueled The Growth of Commercial RV Parks

Above, camping at a commercial RV park near Crater Lake National Park in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once upon a time, it was cheap to camp and the necessity for making reservations was rare. The only place we had problems in getting a campsite was in the late-1950s to early-1960s was at the state park at Morro Bay. Only one out of three times did we get a campsite (it was in 1959, I think). That was a trip with my maternal grandfather, paternal grandparents and my parents. The other trips we ended up at a motel.

State and national parks charged very little for someone to pitch a tent or pull into a campsite with a trailer or truck camper. 

Nowadays, it has gotten more expensive to camp in state or national parks and reservations are necessary. It is easier to obtain a campsite at a commercial campground near a national park than it is to get one at that national park.

Now, people have choices on where they camp in their tent or RV. Thanks to the federal government, commercial campgrounds and RV parks have sprung up.

This is the topic of an article in RV Travel by Chuck Woodbury.

He begins it with:

Suddenly, it seems to me, I am an elder citizen. This isn’t something I anticipated happening so soon 30 or 40 years ago. Back when I began traveling with an RV, when I was in my early 30s, the idea of me reaching retirement age was an abstract idea. “Growing old” and “forever” were easily spoken in the same breath.

Surprise: Time flew!

Now, as an older member of the RVing community, I know a few things that today’s content creators don’t know. They can’t. They haven’t been around long enough. They’re not old and wise like me. (I write that with a smile.)

When I began RVing, thousands upon thousands of campgrounds were free or just a few dollars a night. They were mostly public campgrounds—Forest Service, National Park, State Park, and community parks. For anyone who had an inkling to build an RV park as a business, it was hard to justify: How do you compete with “free” or “almost free?”

Back then, services in public parks, including campgrounds, were mostly funded by our tax dollars.

Then one day, with tax dollars not so plentiful, to balance their budgets, parks began to set fees for services, or raise existing ones. I remember when I worked my college summers for the Forest Service, installing little cash boxes at campsites in the Tahoe National Forest. Campers selected a site and deposited a dollar bill into the box for each night.

To read more, go here. 

Some RVers Don't Always Take The "Scenic Route"

Above, driving to Ouray on the "Million Dollar Highway." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the most scenic roads is the Million Dollar Highway just south of Ouray, Colorado. I have been on it several times during the past few years.

It is a narrow one-lane road (one lane in each direction) with no guard rails. My Minnie Winnie takes the road just fine. 

There are some roads that aren't quite friendly to RVers. RV Travel posted an article on why some folks driving RVs don't drive the "scenic route." 

They begin with:

We all love a good scenic drive, right? Discovering an ideal RV scenic route can make for an unforgettable experience. For some of us, scenic drives might be our favorite part of RVing. Twisty coastal roads, winding mountain passes, red rock canyons—the views can be hard to beat. But seasoned RVers know something many newbies don’t:

The most beautiful RV scenic route isn’t always the best one when you’re hauling a big, heavy, slow, home on wheels.

In fact, the smartest RVers often intentionally avoid the scenic road in favor of the safe, stress-free, and equipment-friendly one.

Here’s why—and how to make the call when planning your own trip.

To read more, go here. 

The Most Outdoorsy State In America

Above, Wyoming's Devil's Tower National Monument. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is one state in the lower 48 states that has been deemed the most "outdoorsy" state in the U.S. Based upon my experience with it, I have to agree. It is a fun place to travel in and with plenty to see and do.

Above, whitewater rafting the Snake River near Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

That state is Wyoming. My most recent visit was last summer.

Travel + Leisure took a look at different states and posted which ones are the most "outdoorsy" states to enjoy.

They begin with:

It’s easy to picture coastal states like California, Florida, or Maine when thinking about the best of America’s great outdoors. And while those destinations are undoubtedly stunning and offer tons of water-based activity options, what if we told you the most outdoorsy state in the country is actually completely landlocked?

A new study by RV rental company RVezy analyzed all 48 states in the continental U.S. for which there was available data using five sources—AllTrails, Google Maps, Campsite Tonight, Summit Post, and the National Park Service. It evaluated 12 metrics measuring access to outdoor recreation, with applicable factors calculated per 100,000 residents. Walking trails, campgrounds, and percentage of public land carried the most weight at 10 percent each, followed by hiking trails and state parks at 9 percent; mountain biking, road biking, horseback riding trails, and water sports access at 8 percent; waterfalls and national parks at 7 percent; and ski resorts at 6 percent.

“It’s one thing to have beautiful landscapes, but another to have the infrastructure that allows people to explore them safely and easily,” said RVezy founder Michael McNaught, in a press release. “From my experience, the best destinations are the ones that offer flexibility. You might go for a hike in the morning, paddle in the afternoon, and camp under the stars at night. States that rank highly in this study tend to offer that kind of all-in-one experience, which is exactly what travelers are looking for.”

Wyoming ranked No. 1, taking the top spot in three of the 12 metrics: hiking trails, horseback riding trails, and access to national parks. With the second-lowest population density of any other U.S. state (only Alaska has fewer residents and more land), Wyoming’s population of roughly 590,784 leaves a lot of nature to explore, with not nearly as many crowds.

Above, Grand Teton National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

Wildfire Ahead, Free RVer Tools

Above, smoke surrounds Wizard Island at Crater Lake National Park in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Considering the fire in nearby Cibola National Forest near our subdivision, this is a bit timely.

It is on free tools that warn RVers that a wildfire is up ahead which may cause road closures and other problems. It was posted yesterday by RV Travel. 

The only wildfire I had to contend with while traveling took place in 2017 during my Great American Eclipse trip. The fires were near Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Smoke settled in Crater Lake's crater and surrounding areas. 

The article begins with:

Wildfires can scramble an RV trip in a hurry. Your campground may be open, but buried in smoke. The fire may be miles away, but the highway you planned to use could be closed. And the official detour that works fine for a car may look considerably less inviting when you’re towing a 30-foot trailer.

Fortunately, you don’t have to guess.

Several free tools can make RV wildfire planning much easier and give travelers a surprisingly good picture of what lies ahead. The key is knowing what each tool tells you. Fire potential, an active wildfire, smoke and road closures aren’t the same thing, and no single map answers every question.

To read more, go here. 

RV Breakdowns: Reality or Myths?

Above, the Minnie Winner in Quartzsite, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following RV Travel article poll is a bit timely.

I've had my 2015 Winnebago Minnie Winnie for 11 years. I bought it new at La Mesa RV in San Diego in February 2015. 

During the years since then, I've only had a few minor problems with it. The bathroom vent cover was "glued" shut. That was taken care of while the RV was still under warranty. Then, in 2018, a roof vent cover broke due to weather-related brittleness. The next problem was about three years ago when the house door lock mechanism broke due to the wind slamming the door shut multiple times in Lake Havasu. I got a mobile repairer I knew to fix it.  

Then, this year, the toilet shut-off valve started acting up along with flushing problems. The toilet had to be replaced. That was the most expensive repair item since I bought the motorhome. I still consider myself lucky. 

I still consider the motorhome the most reliable vehicle I've ever bought. It has provided great service for 11 years. 

It looks like others have not been so lucky from what I am reading in RV Travel. They posted an article explaining that many RV issues fall into the "myth" category and many do not. 

They begin it with:

If you spend time in RV Facebook groups or online forums, you might come away convinced that every RV is falling apart.

Scroll through the comments and you’ll find stories about failed refrigerators, leaking roofs, slide problems, and endless trips back to the dealership.

 To read the full article, go here.

Protect Your RV Every Time You Plug In

RVs (trailers and motorhomes) are loaded with electronics that could get damaged during a sudden power surge. This is especially so of they are plugged into an outlet that may get a sudden surge from a lightning strike.

That is why surge protectors are necessary to protect one's RV electrical system and appliances when plugged in. I use mine when I store my RV in its garage and it is plugged in.

RV Life has posted an article on protecting RVs every time they are plugged in.  

They begin with:

Plugging into shorepower is one of the most routine parts of setting up camp, but the power at the pedestal is not always predictable. An RV electrical protection device should be used every time the rig connects to outside power. That includes campgrounds, a home outlet, an RV storage facility, and yes, even a generator (if compatible).

The reason is simple. Every connection introduces a new power source, and electrical conditions can change after the RV is plugged in. A pedestal that worked during a previous stay may now have a worn receptacle, loose wire, missing ground, or damaged neutral. Voltage that looks normal in the morning can drop when campground demand rises, or it may climb when a utility problem develops.

A surge protector or electrical management system (EMS) provides a layer of protection between those conditions and the RV’s converter, inverter/charger, refrigerator, A/C equipment, microwave, TVs, and electronic control boards. The two product types do not always provide the same protection, but either must be connected to do its job.

 To read more, go here.

We Are Hanging Up The Keys and Aging Out of Our RV

Above, at Arches National Park in Utah last summer. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Sooner or later, each of us will be so old that we can no longer do the things that were once easy to do.

Fortunately, I have not reached that point... yet! But there will come a time that I may not be able to drive my motorhome for long road trips. I managed to do a long trip last summer with a friend to Utah, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and Colorado at age 71. Taking one's time with more days to do so is a big help.

But there are some RV enthusiasts that have reached that are "aging out" of the RV game. 

Nanci Dixon posted an article on this at RV Travel.

She begins with:

A few weeks ago, I wrote about our RV seemingly falling apart on our trip to Minnesota and lamented all the work and maintenance it required. I even said that I was at the point of selling it in Minnesota and renting a small U-Haul trailer to take our too-much-stuff back to Arizona.

Aging out

It is not just the maintenance and massive costs of gas, insurance, and license; we are getting older. My husband just doesn’t have the stamina, eyesight, or reaction time to drive “Miss Ruth Brown” thousands of miles each year anymore. I never thought we would age out; I thought it was other people that aged out. I should be glad he is aware of his limitations, but still wish it wasn’t so. I am faced with the ultimatum of downsizing our rig, or I agree to drive it.

Above, camping at the Moab, Utah KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read the full article, go here. 

Camper Left Food and Trash Outside, A Black Bear Paid The Price

Above, a black bear at Yellowstone Bear World in Idaho. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Just as stupid people shouldn't be allowed to vote, stupid people shouldn't be allowed to camp either. 

Neither of which will ever happen, but one has to wonder how some campers in Montana left food and garbage outside that attracted a black bear. Sadly, the bear had to euthanized. Incredibly, there was a bear-resistant storage box at the campsite for them to use.

Above, a bear-resistant storage container at a campsite in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel posted an article on the aforementioned incident and why it is important to properly store food and garbage.

They begin it with:

Wildlife officials in Montana euthanized a black bear after it repeatedly raided campgrounds near Red Lodge. One of its last stops was an unattended campsite where food, cooking grease, dog food and garbage had reportedly been left outside, even though a bear-resistant storage box was available.

The incident is a sobering reminder that leaving food and trash unsecured in bear country isn’t simply untidy. It can teach bears that campgrounds are easy places to find meals, increasing the risk to everyone camping nearby.

To read the full article, go here. 

Your GPS Could Be Leading You Into Trouble

Above, on the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whenever I am on an RV road trip, I take routes that are easily mapped.

I keep a RV road atlas in my motorhome and check routes with it before even leaving the driveway. After doing that, I use the free Google Maps app on my phone. I have never encountered any problems of any major consequence. One gitch was that a friend and I were using Google Maps to go to a restaurant but the directions were goofed up and we ended up circling around a Houston airport parking lot. We never found the restaurant.

There are some people who have encountered major glitch errors with the GPS system they're using. 

That is the topic of an article in RV Travel. 

They begin with:

Most RVers trust their RV GPS navigation. They also have at least one story about it being spectacularly wrong. Maybe it routed you toward a low bridge, down a dead-end road or to the back gate of a campground instead of the office. Chances are you caught the mistake before it became an expensive lesson. Not everyone does.

A recent highway closure involving a commercial truck that apparently followed GPS directions onto an unsuitable route is another reminder that navigation apps are remarkably helpful—but they aren’t perfect. While truck drivers have wrestled with bad GPS routing for years, RVers face many of the same challenges.

To read more, go here. 

RV Travel Guide To Petrified Forest National Park

Above, a couple of petrified logs in the park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona is the closest national park to my home in New Mexico. It is around 90 miles from home off Interstate 40.

It have visited it several times, mainly for a coffee or snack stop at the visitor center. The first extensive tour was just to the Painted Desert section of the park. The second extensiver tour was to the Petrified Forest. 

Above, the Painted Desert of Petrified Forest National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Travel posted a guide to visiting Petrified Forest National Park. In their posting, they mentioned a couple of campgrounds in nearby Holbrook. There's a third one to consider: the Holbrook KOA Kampground. I have stayed there twice and have enjoyed it both times. There are no campground in the national park.

The RV Travel post begins with:

For RVers rolling through Northeastern Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park is one of those easy-to-reach, big-payoff stops.

Getting there

Petrified Forest National Park sits off Interstate 40 near Holbrook. The north entrance is at Exit 311, and the south entrance is reached from Highway 180.

Eastbound I-40 travelers should take Exit 285 into Holbrook and then follow Highway 180 South to the south entrance.

There is no public transportation to or within the park, so driving your own rig is the normal way in.

To read more, go here. 

How RVers Can Avoid Surprise Campground Electric Charges

Above, Route 66 RV Resort in Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Here's something that I haven't run into (yet!) while camping at an RV park.

It is (surprise) campground electric charges on top of the nightly camping fee.

According to RV Life:

Booking a full-hookup campsite used to guarantee unlimited power, water, and sewer for a single, flat nightly rate. But that guarantee is quickly fading. As more campgrounds quietly transition to smart meters for short-term reservations, the way we calculate the cost of a road trip is fundamentally changing.

But you don’t have to wait until a surprise bill busts your travel budget to take action. Taking control of your rig’s energy consumption and knowing exactly what to look for on booking pages can help offset these new fees. A few simple adjustments will keep your next vacation predictable and wallet-friendly.

To read more, go here. 

How To Mount A Flag On Your RV

Above, flying my Gadsden flag at the Lava Hot Springs KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I am camping at a campground for more than one night, I usually put my flag up on the rear RV ladder bracket.

There are many ways to displaying a flag while camping. Do It Yourself RV shows the many ways of doing so.

They begin with:

A flag can make an RV campsite easier to spot, more personal, or just a little more fun. But once you move beyond a tiny garden flag, the question gets trickier: where do you safely mount the pole?

RV walls are not house walls, rear ladders vary in strength, and a tall pole with a full-size flag can catch more wind than people expect. That is why RVers have come up with so many different mounting solutions, from ladder brackets and hitch receivers to under-tire bases, pin box mounts, and homemade PVC setups.

To read more, go here.

RV Travel's Top Summer Tips and Articles

Above, camping at Lake Havasu, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A week has gone by since summer solstice arrived on June 21.

For those who are fellow RVers, RV Travel has gathered links to summer tips and articles in one spot. As they said, they've posted over 25,000 articles over the years. 

They begin with:

We’ve published about 25,000 articles over the years—and no, that’s not a typo. 25,000 and counting! That means we’ve covered many topics more than once, so we like to gather related articles in one place to make them easier for you to find and enjoy.

So, with that said, here are our (RVtravel.com’s) top articles about summer RVing. We’re sure you’ll find something useful here, and we bet you’ll learn a thing or two, too!

To read more, go here. 

Taking A Road Trip and States To Avoid

Above, camping next to the Colorado River near Moab, Utah. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is planning a summer vacation road trip, some states are better than others.

That is the crux of a new article posted by KRQE (originated from KTLA in Los Angeles), an Albuquerque-based station. Minnesota came in first and Utah came in second for best states for road trips.

The article looks at cost as well as other factors the article was being researched.

They begin with:

(KTLA) – Going on a summer road trip is always a “fun” time – but new research suggests that some places may be better than others when it comes to packing up the car and hitting the road. 

WalletHub, a personal finance company, recently released its 2026 Best and Worst States for Summer Road Trips report, which compared costs (including gas, car repairs, average hotel costs and others), safety and activity options to determine its ranking.  

And what did those findings reveal? You may want to target the lakes and not the oceans.

To read more, go here.