RV Miles Podcast

The future of gas-powered Class A motorhomes just got a whole lot clearer — and the company stepping in to save the segment probably isn’t one you would have guessed.

Plus, while the RV industry continues to struggle overall, one manufacturer just posted its three best sales months ever, used RV values are actually up double digits, and campground owners are fighting back over the credit card fees you pay every time you book a campsite.

And Hershey is less than a month away, where we’re expecting a radically different new travel trailer from Forest River — and it looks like the show may have accidentally revealed a brand-new Brinkley fifth wheel before Brinkley did.

All that and more in this week’s RV Miles news.

Get 20% off Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com with code RVMILES

Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

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Connect with RV Miles: 
RV Miles Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvmiles
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00:00 Headlines Preview
00:48 Gas Class A Chassis Saved
03:45 Sponsor Message
04:40 Campground Card Fee Fight
08:34 Homecoming Rally Invite
09:12 Alliance Defies Downturn
11:35 Used RV Values Rise
12:26 Hershey Show Sneak Peeks
12:42 Forest River Teleos Debut
15:33 Brinkley Model R Rumors
17:00 Wrap Up And Thanks

Is the traditional summer camping season starting to shift?

New travel data shows growing interest in September and October trips as travelers look to escape extreme summer heat, peak-season crowds, and higher prices. In this episode, we dig into why fall and shoulder-season camping may be becoming a bigger part of the RV travel calendar — and what that could mean for campgrounds that traditionally close their gates in October.

Plus, we follow up on the FCC's new rules affecting foreign-made connected inverters and what they could mean for RV solar, batteries, portable power stations, and other connected power equipment. We also debate campgrounds charging separately for electricity, share the wild story of a hiker who walked 10 miles after being impaled by a trekking pole, and look at an incredibly detailed experiment showing what really happens inside your RV black tank when you use the flush system.

All that and more on this week's RV Miles Podcast.

The black tank video from  @RVTIPSANDTRAVELS : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZfzZTONwho&t=3s

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/421
*Support RV Miles and independent RV journalism 👉 https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers
*Curated, not regurgitated. Sign up for the RV Miles Newsletter: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/
*HOMECOMING tickets are on sale: https://rvmiles.com/homecoming

Support our Sponsors:
*Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com
*Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001
*Get 30% off your next mattress from Brooklyn Bedding at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES
*Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ and get 20% off with code RVMILES

Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID  437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE00:00 

00:00 Intro
00:47 Welcome Back
05:47 Are Foreign-Made RV Inverters Being Banned?
18:13 Campgrounds Are Starting to Charge for Electricity
27:26 Why RVers Are Moving Their Trips to Fall
43:05 Hiker Walks 10 Miles After Being Impaled
47:49 Do RV Black Tank Flushes Really Work?
51:57 Are We Still “Real” RVers?
55:27 The New Little House on the Prairie
58:08 RV Miles Homecoming & Closing

The federal government has declared foreign-made power inverters a national security threat — and the new restrictions could eventually affect some of the biggest names in RV solar and portable power.

Plus, Battle Born’s parent company has purchased competitor Dakota Lithium at a pretty interesting moment for the brand.

Ram is making some major changes to its trucks, including more payload for the 2500 and the end of automatic stop/start on the Hemi.

We’ve also got an RV toilet conversion that lets you basically abandon your black tank, an all-electric furnace that can run through your existing ductwork, and one of the old-school satellite internet companies that RVers used before Starlink has filed for bankruptcy.

And somehow, none of that is the craziest story this week — because a Montana hiker impaled himself completely through the torso with a trekking pole…and then hiked ten miles out of the mountains with the pole still sticking out of him.

Get a free quote for an RV extended warranty at https://wholesalewarranties.com

*Support RV Miles and the weekly news videos: https://RVMiles.com/milemarkers

*Get the latest news, National Park updates, happenings around RV Miles, and more when you sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://RVMiles.com/mailinglist

*It's our only in-person event this year! Join us at HOMECOMING October 7 - 11 in Amana, IA. Seminars, a Rig Crawl, Trivia, Giveaways, Nightly catered meals, time to explore historic Amana, and so much more! https://RVMiles.com/HOMECOMING

00:00 Headlines Preview
01:01 FCC Inverter Crackdown
04:10 Battle Born Owner Buys Rival
05:53 Impaled Hiker Survival
07:25 Sponsor Break
08:14 Ram Recall and Upgrades
10:47 GM CarPlay Reversal
12:26 Membership Pitch
12:53 Electric Furnace Upgrade
14:37 Dry Flush Toilet Kit
16:27 HughesNet Bankruptcy
17:35 Camping History Documentary
18:46 Homecoming Rally and Farewell

With smart meters more available and power rates rising, are campgrounds going to stop including the cost of electricity in your nightly stay? Jason takes a look at the issues involved. Plus misconceptions about RV manufacturers eliminating propane, and debunking some misleading headlines. In the interview portion, Remote Vans CEO Daryn Hillhouse joins us, along with new President Andrew Cooley, to talk about RV quality, pricing pressures, dealer relationships, and improving the customer buying and service experience.

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/420
*Support RV Miles and independent RV journalism 👉 https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers
*Curated, not regurgitated. Sign up for the RV Miles Newsletter: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/
*HOMECOMING tickets are on sale: https://rvmiles.com/homecoming

Support our Sponsors:
*Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com
*Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001
*Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ and get 20% off with code RVMILES

Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID  437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE

00:00 Intro
03:49 Campground Power Fees
08:48 Sponsor
09:34 Propane Removal Trend
15:33 Tank Check
17:52 Remote Vans Interview
52:32 Wrap Up And Thanks

Get 30% off your new RV mattress at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout. 

Abby fills in for Jason and covers major RV and camping headlines: two U.S. Forest Service employees were held at gunpoint for nearly 15 hours in California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest; catastrophic flooding again hit the Texas Hill Country; a new Elkhart County manufacturer launches with The RV Hunter and That RV Tech advising; Remote Vans names Storyteller Overland co-founder Andrew Cooley as president; and Starlink rolls out a more efficient V5 dish while also changing Roam rules, including a 30-day limit abroad and treating the U.S. and Canada as one region.

00:00 Abby Takes Over
00:37 Forest Service Hostages
02:15 Texas Hill Country Flooding
03:17 RV Mattress Sponsor
04:02 Boundless Recreation Debut
05:47 Remote Vans New President
07:29 Starlink V5 Dish
08:40 Starlink Roam Changes
10:01 Wrap Up And Support

In this episode, a candid conversation with Ben Hirsch, COO of Campers Inn RV, about RV industry overstocking driven by the “bullwhip effect,” how volatile pricing can hurt trade-in values, and how inconsistent production schedules and frequent floorplan changes can impact build quality, and the challenge of balancing affordability with quality. Plus, Starlink updates, including a new dish, simplified US/Canada residency rules, and a new one-month international limit affecting Mexico. 

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/418
*Support RV Miles and independent RV journalism 👉 https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers
*Curated, not regurgitated. Sign up for the RV Miles Newsletter: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/
*HOMECOMING tickets are on sale: https://rvmiles.com/homecoming

Support our Sponsors:
*Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com
*Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001
*Get 30% off your next RV Matress from Brooklyn Bedding at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout
*Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ and get 20% off with code RVMILES

Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID  437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE

00:00 Intro
01:33 Starlink Updates
06:30 Mile Markers Plug
08:40 Sponsor Break
10:13 Ben Hirsch Interview
45:33 Tank Check
45:59 Weather Impacts Camping
47:34 Pause Trailer in Death Valley
53:07 Board Game Price Shock
01:04:46 Handheld Fan
01:07:05 Episode Wrap

This week, catastrophic flooding in Missouri forced hundreds of campers to be rescued, including more than 200 young campers and counselors airlifted out by Black Hawk helicopters after the Black River rose to record levels in the middle of the night.

We’ve also got a scary rockfall incident on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, gas prices ticking back up, and new RV sales continuing their long slide.

Plus, campground planning tools are seeing record traffic, KOA has been named one of the most profitable franchise brands in the country, and major hotel companies are moving even deeper into glamping and outdoor hospitality.

Camping may still be about getting outside, but more than ever, it’s also big business — and sometimes, a serious safety story.

Get 20% off Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com with code RVMILES

******************************
Connect with RV Miles: 
RV Miles Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvmiles
Shop the RV Miles Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/rvmiles
RV Miles Mailing List: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist
Mile Marker Membership: https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers

Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

00:00 Flooding Rescue
02:47 Glacier Rockfall Scare
03:26 Sponsor
04:35 Fuel Prices Rise
04:57 New RV Sales Slump
06:01 Campground Views Boom
06:48 Homecoming Rally Invite
07:23 KOA Franchises
08:54 Hotels Enter Glamping
10:01 Wrap Up

In this episode, we turn to your comments to cover three polarizing issues and try to find some common ground. Should campers be penalized for reserving public campground sites they don’t use? Should RV parks let long-term transient workers for AI data centers take over? Should RVers leave lights on all night?

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/418
*Support RV Miles and independent RV journalism 👉 https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers
*Curated, not regurgitated. Sign up for the RV Miles Newsletter: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/
*HOMECOMING tickets are on sale: https://rvmiles.com/homecoming

Support our Sponsors:
*Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com
*Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001
*Get a free quote on an extended service plan at https://wholesalewarranties.com
*Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ and get 20% off with code RVMILES

Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID  437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE

00:00 Intro
02:56 Homecoming Rally Plug
06:09 Empty Reserved Sites Debate
25:51 Sponsor Break
27:32 Workers Filling RV Parks
37:46 Docking Lights
44:34 Tank Check 
44:58 Flash Flooding
47:37 AI for Live Captions
52:03 Sexist RV Marketing Rant
01:05:54 Wrap Up

*Get 30% off your next RV Mattress from Brooklyn Bedding at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout*

This week, some new RV debuts from  @WinnebagoRVs ,  @GrandDesignRVTeam , and @alinercamping  show us where things may be headed next — smaller motorhomes, fewer propane systems, more electric appliances, new materials, and some very different ideas about what buyers actually want.

Plus, a major dealer says the industry keeps overbuilding RVs and then liquidating them in peak season, data center workers are filling up campgrounds, and more.

The RV Business article from Ben Hirsch at  @CampersInnRV : https://rvbusiness.com/ben-hirsch-were-liquidating-new-rvs-in-peak-season-again/

The  @MattsRVReviews  video on the Grand Design Lineage Series E: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2Tc-cl2GI&t=1s

The RV Industry history of RVing documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGJQejdpetg&t=7s

******************************
Connect with RV Miles: 
RV Miles Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvmiles
Shop the RV Miles Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/rvmiles
RV Miles Mailing List: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist
Mile Marker Membership: https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers

Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

00:00 Headlines

00:37 Dealers vs Overproduction

02:59 Winnebago Elora & Resa

05:44 Sponsor

06:35 Grand Design Lineage

08:19 Aliner Scout 15

09:38 Coachmen Composite Floors

11:09 Dometic Electric Heater

12:15 Data Center Campers

13:32 RVIA America 250 Film

14:48 Wrap Up

In this final summer mini-episode of the RV Miles Podcast, we share how bringing meals into national parks can help RVers stay later, avoid crowds, and enjoy sunsets and the blue hour. We suggest easy, flexible meal ideas, including tacos, one-pan sausage and veggie skillet meals; make-ahead soup or chili; no-cook “adult Lunchables" and more.

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/417
*Support RV Miles and independent RV journalism 👉 https://rvmiles.com/milemarkers
*Curated, not regurgitated. Sign up for the RV Miles Newsletter: https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/
*HOMECOMING tickets are on sale: https://rvmiles.com/homecoming

Support our Sponsors:
*Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com
*Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001
*Get 30% off your next RV mattress from Brooklyn Bedding at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout. 
*Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ and get 20% off with code RVMILES

Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID  437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE

00:00 Intro
01:45 Stay Late Strategy
02:57 Fourth Of July Banter
05:16 Easy Meal Mindset
06:01 Taco Bar Dinner
10:23 Skillet Meal Favorite
14:18 Sponsor Break
15:52 Soup And Chili
18:44 No Cook Options
18:54 Charcuterie Picnic
22:04 Salads And Pasta
26:21 Sponsor Break
27:22 Picnic Setup Tips
30:51 Lights, Water, and Fire
36:30 Coolers And Food Safety
37:48 Leave No Trace Cleanup
40:15 Final Thoughts And Farewell