RV TODAY Aug/Sept 2022

One of the biggest goals of any magazine publisher is to get their magazine sold in bookstores across the country. As of this issue of RV Today, we’ve accomplished just that. I have been publishing magazines since the 1990s, and out of the four I’ve published, RV Today is the first to make its way into Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million locations. If magazine publishing was a sport, this is the equivalent of making it to the big leagues. I’ve seen a big change in the magazine industry in the last 30 years—there’s been a shift from independent journalism to some sort of guerilla marketing for companies that own and control the publications. For example, if I owned 50 campgrounds in Oregon and decided to create a magazine called Oregon…

Kevin & Denise Fears Ryan and Tiffany McHone Joel & Deb Brettingen Shion & Matthew Jones Dan Sanchez Fred Wehmeyer Sarah Sanville Bradley and Irene Lincoln Fabian Archibold Eli Ojeda Javier Fuentes Angel Thomas Ari Adler Kristin Kellie Brenda and Jeff Michniewicz Tammy and Greg Cash Tyler O’Neil Jim and Sarah Sanville Melissa Crosby Coker Anne Klumpp Brooks Smothers Gretchen Watson Holly Gale Kestra Bronneke Kristin Halls Nancy Walters Patty Gill Reagan Ray Shannon Murray Andrew Woodmansey Contribute to RV Today Do you have a story idea, product you love or campground to highlight? Reach out to us at collab@rvtoday.com Contributor Spotlight Nathan Stanton @stanton7wanders A Black Man’s RV Journey Nathan and His wife Liz traveled with their 5 beautiful children to hold Forgive Us events aimed at healing racial…

Buying an RV, whether new or used, is an exciting experience. But it can also be exhausting! Anyone who has gone through the process can tell you about the time spent researching brands, floor plans, prices, and dealerships. Once you’ve picked the RV you want, you’re facing the actual shopping process, which includes touring RVs, securing financing, navigating warranty programs, and scheduling walkthroughs. A few of our readers who have purchased multiple RVs have shared their top questions to ask when buying so you can have a better experience from the start. What kind of deals and financing is the dealership offering? Financing terms and customer perks vary among RV dealerships. Some offer campground memberships or accessories that can add up to several hundred dollars. Most RV dealerships offer financing…

Many RV owners have a deep-cycle battery to power the living quarters of their vehicle. At a developed campsite, we mostly plug into the electrical outlets and don’t think about how much power we’re using. But when we venture to primitive campsites or take boondocking trips to areas without power, keeping these batteries in top condition is essential. Deep-cycle RV batteries are made to provide long-lasting power, but it’s important to make sure they’re not drained beyond the manufacturer’s recommended depth of discharge (DOD). The DOD is the total amount of power drain on your deep-cycle battery versus its rated capacity at that rate. In general, battery manufacturers do not recommend draining your battery beyond 50 percent of its rated capacity (50% DOD), or it will deliver shorter cycle life.…

In 2018, my husband, Jim, and I purchased a 24-foot expandable travel trailer for weekend camping trips with our kids. We took it on several trips and really enjoyed it, but about six months later, we realized we needed to upgrade because we wanted to be able to live in it for five months while we finished construction on our house. This led us to purchase a 2014 KZ Spree Bunkhouse. While the trailer’s layout was functional, the drab interior really didn’t do much for us. So after our house construction was complete, I convinced Jim that we should renovate the KZ Spree. I had seen gorgeous renovations online, and I knew we had the construction skills to make it happen. Though my husband thought I was crazy, he finally…

Bradley and Irene Lincoln started traveling full time with their two kids and husky in August of 2018. They started off in a 2002 Winnebago Brave that they had remodeled, but after about six months of travel, they realized they needed more space, as well as a separate area for the kids. They sold the Class A to purchase a truck and their 2008 Keystone Raptor fifth wheel toy hauler. Brad works remotely as an online college instructor, so their travel is only limited by where they can get a cell signal. The family enjoys traveling at a slower pace, so they usually stay in new places for about two weeks. This allows them to really experience the locations, as well as keep their normal day-to-day schedules of work and…