Welcome to the Good Sam camping news spotlight, where we cover some of the month’s notable trends, events, news stories, and information helpful to campers and RVers. This month we’re taking a look at the pricing changes for Starlink customers, an ambitious new trail connecting two national parks, BLM updates to the beloved Alabam Hills, and more.

 

Starlink adjusts their prices 

In a recent email to Starlink customers, SpaceX revealed that they will be adjusting their prices for residential users based on capacity. 

The message noted that residential users finding themselves in a “limited capacity” area can expect to pay $120 a month ($10 higher than the previous cost), while those in excess areas will actually be paying $20 less at a total of $90 a month. With that, RV customers can expect a $15 increase to $150 a month.

Additionally, they announced that plans with portability (allowing you to move back and forth from a home address) will no longer be available; and you will essentially need two different plans in order to maintain that level of flexibility.

Tent campers (also called pop-up tent campers and tent trailers) are a nice go-between for those that still love tent camping but want to be off the ground when they sleep. The thing is, all kinds of critters also love pop-up tent campers. 

Because many folding tent campers feature screens and fewer hard materials, they’re easier for pests to invade – and they love chewing through the screens. That said, some of these tips apply to keeping critters out of all types of RVs. 

How to Critter Proof a Pop-Up Tent Camper

Here are a few tips to help you critter proof your pop-up tent camper, whether you’re putting it away for the winter or getting it ready for a trip.

Store Food Properly

Photo by Camping World

Food is the biggest reason critters make their way into your camper. Be it insects, mice, or something larger, the aroma of something delicious will bring them out in droves. 

Spring in North America officially arrives when the Earth’s angle to the sun appears directly over the equator. This is the equinox and happens on March 20 this year. Also, Around this time, snowbirds heading north start their long treks home.

For lovers of the outdoors, spring engenders feelings of delight as the temperatures slowly increase and trees and plants start budding. The spring thaw slowly sweeps north as each day passes. But even as the weather improves, some potential snags may stand in the way for travelers.

Spring Forward (With Caution)

The spring thaw can present certain challenges to road travelers. Northern-bound snowbirds traditionally encounter much heavier traffic as they make the long trip home. This higher volume of RV traffic fills many of the available campgrounds relatively early as dark falls. RV owners that forge on into the night hoping to gain a couple of extra hours often have trouble getting a campsite.

Additionally, most RV owners are used to arriving at their destination RV park well before sunset. This is probably due to the night falling dark later during most of the summer season. However, for those traveling a long journey, as many snowbirds heading north, keeping such arrival habits may be difficult. This leaves the challenge of backing onto an unfamiliar campsite in the dark. Here, the driver and parking spotter should agree on a communication signal, with a flashlight or similar device, to ensure safe docking.

Packing your RV trip-by-trip is a good habit. You bring only what you need and stay organized. In this way, you ensure food isn’t wasted by creating a meal list with needed ingredients. You plan out your activities to know what supplies and equipment to bring. And you pack appropriate clothing for the expected climate. But what do you bring for unexpected emergencies? An emergency supply kit is what you pack to ensure you have essential supplies for an emergency, and it’s important to include one on every RVing trip.

So as you prep for spring and summer RVing this year, carefully consider the items you should carry if for any reason your trip goes awry. There’s a difference between having sufficient backup supplies and overkill, and building an emergency supply kit is a good way to decide the difference.

So what do you include in your emergency supply kit? Here is your step-by-step approach to building out an emergency supply kit to keep in your RV with just the right amount of gear and supplies to be at-the-ready for the unexpected.

When would I need an emergency supply kit?

 

Things go wrong: breakdowns, bad weather, acts of God, strandings. In these emergencies, we might end up somewhere unfamiliar with fewer resources than we expected and with fellow travelers and family members relying on us for basic necessities.

RVing Gateway Arch National Park is easier and more accessible than in more remote national parks. In fact, this park is located in an urban setting, giving visitors unique opportunities to discover the important role St. Louis played in the Westward Expansion of the United States in the 19th century. 

Why Visit Gateway Arch National Park in an RV?

Photo by Hendrickson Photography via Shutterstock

Gateway Arch National Park is located along the banks of the Mississippi River in the heart of St. Louis. Because it’s in the city, parking can be a challenge at any time, regardless of your vehicle’s size. This makes setting up at a nearby RV park a great option, allowing travelers to visit the park using the bus or light rail. 

The park’s main draw lies in its collection of US history – from Thomas Jefferson’s involvement in America’s push westward to the story of the Dred Scott trial, one of the most important court cases ever tried in the early history of the United States. 

There’s also plenty to do in Missouri and Illinois, as this park is located right along the border of those two states. From riverboat cruises to museum tours, this region is brimming with the potential for urban exploration. 

Nathan Fluellen of World Wide Nate is an adventure traveler-turned-TV-host who’s visited 50 countries and six continents while bringing an entertaining and joyful perspective along the way. Now he’s finished an important bucket list goal of visiting all 50 states in the US.

Visiting His 50th State in a Rented RV

To complete Nate’s bucket list item to visit all 50 states, he rented a Class C RV through Good Sam Rentals and made his way through South Dakota to wrap up one incredible experience.

On this trip, Nate experiences the open road, an underground cave, goes ATVing on some trails, visits Mount Rushmore—one of America’s greatest National Memorials—and even takes to the sky in a hot air balloon while explaining the importance of living life without regret and checking off items from your bucket list.

Learn how to plan a bucket list road trip from World Wide Nate

RV water systems supply potable water to various fixtures – kitchen and bathroom sinks, toilets, indoor and outdoor showers, etc. In this article, we’ll focus on the design and function of your RV’s water distribution system and provide tips for using and maintaining it properly. 

How Do RV Water Systems Work?

Most RV water systems can operate as self-contained systems – meaning you draw from a tank of potable water on board. This tank is usually called your freshwater holding tank. This must be sanitized regularly to ensure safe water for drinking, dishes, and more. 

Potable: (adj.) safe to drink

Your RV water system pumps water throughout your coach using a water pump – a device that pressurizes the plumbing lines to drive water from the freshwater tank out through your faucets, fixtures, and hot water heater. The water heater must be turned on to heat water, which the pump distributes to hot water lines. 

Locals in the Upper South welcome spring with fun-filled events that dazzle even the most jaded travelers. Go where the air is filled with the scent of blossoming flowers, succulent barbecue and the sound Southern-fried rock. RV travelers can experience Southern spring with great hospitality to boot.

The following are just a few of the big events unfolding in the Upper South during spring.

Arkansas

Arkansas Roots Festival, April 1, Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, Dyes. Ready to Walk the Line? Celebrate the Man in Black as top musical acts showcase their talents a the small town of Dyes.

Good Sam Campgrounds in the Dyes area:

Tom Sawyer’s RV Park, West Memphis	Hollywood Casino Hotel RV Park, Tunica, MS
EZ Daze RV Park, Southaven, MS	Cooks Lake RV Resort Campground, Memphis, TN
Southaven RV Park, Southaven, MS	Memphis Graceland RV Park, Memphis, TN

Subscribe to the Camping World YouTube channel for the latest RV service and maintenance tutorials.

Camping World’s RV product specialist Ian Baker and Camping World Service Technician Sean Harless provide helpful tips on maintaining your RV, including DIY maintenance tasks and frequently asked RV maintenance questions.

Guides to Maintaining Your RV

Make sure you download Camping World’s RV ownership and maintenance booklet to track your RV’s seasonal maintenance needs. Then you’re ready to learn more about the ins and outs of maintaining your RV.

For any task on this RV maintenance checklist, you can always schedule service at your local Camping World.

“Conventional” has never been part of this RV traveler’s vernacular. After selling all her personal belongings and hitting the road in a 1978 Dodge Commander, Jessy Mueller set off on a solo RV journey that doesn’t seem to be losing any steam. Since 2017, her approach to deliberate living has slowly taken her around the country, living in the moment while sharing the joy, humor, and unfiltered moments of nomadic life along the way on her blog and on Instagram.

Before her great escape, Jessy was a 30-something single from Minnesota who was looking for a change. After 14 years working pizza delivery and later in marketing and branding, she began saving money for her future rolling digs. Following a solo vacation to Colorado, she came home inspired to make her daily life more centered around nature, travel, and living with less. For her, RV life was the answer.

Renovation Rejuvenation

Without experience in renovations or even RV travel, she scoured Craigslist until coming across her vintage Dodge Commander motorhome. With extensive water damage in the back, she spent over a year rebuilding the walls and ceiling, while also remodeling the rest of the RV. With intentions of mostly boondocking, she installed solar panels and ditched the original toilet for a compost toilet. For many, this kind of a project would seem overwhelming, but Jessy doesn’t shy away from challenges.

Water is essential when RV camping – dishes, showering, and, perhaps most importantly, staying hydrated. As a new RVer, be sure you know how to make clean drinking water. 

For those who always camp in RV resorts with full hookups, you might never worry about filling your fresh water tank. But, if you’re interested in boondocking and camping off-grid or just need water for travel days between campgrounds, all RVers should know how to fill an RV fresh water tank.

Where is my RV Fresh Water Tank Fill?

Photo by Camping World

On most motorhomes and travel trailers, you’ll find the fresh water tank fill on the off-camp side – opposite the main entry door. This is the same side you’ll find the city water inlet and sewer outlet more often than not. Some, however, have the fill location on the camp side or in the back of the RV.

On new RVs, the fill location should be clearly labeled on the exterior. However, that label sometimes falls off or is accidentally removed on used RVs. Consult your owner’s manual if you’re having trouble locating your RV’s fresh water tank fill.

If you are looking for the best way to start your RVing life, these pop-up campers with outdoor kitchens are an excellent option. You’ll love that these units offer plenty of space for your family and give you the ability to make food around the campfire with ease. Learn more in this pop-up campers with outdoor kitchens review.

This folding pop-up camper is the ideal size for a family of five.

Forest River RV Flagstaff High Wall HW27KS

One of the most popular options for families just starting their RVing journey is the Forest River Flagstaff High Wall HW27KS pop-up camper. This unit offers a set of bed tents to give you sleeping for up to five and features an outdoor kitchen and a 13′ awning. You’ll enjoy having a slide-out U-shaped dinette that gives you plenty of space to have meals together or enjoy a game of cards.

Additional Features:

Tent End BedsU-Shaped DinetteOutside Kitchen w/ GriddleExterior StorageA spacious kitchen for making quick lunches for your crew.

Opus Camper OPUS OP4

If you’re looking for a compact solution that offers sleeping for up to six, this Opus Camper OPUS OP4 folding pop-up camper is the perfect fit. The two double-sized bed tents provide plenty of space for your family. Additionally, there’s a kitchen slide-out to help you make incredible meals with ease and a slide-out refrigerator to keep your cold drinks within easy reach.

Additional Features:

RVing has transformed the way my family experiences fishing. Gone are the days of booking mediocre hotel rooms so that we can be near our fishing spot when we wake up. And when hotels weren’t an option, I certainly haven’t missed the body aches from sleeping on a hard surface while tent camping.

Instead, we can park our camper just steps from our fishing hole for days or even weeks at a time. We can fish the early morning bite, have lunch, take a cat nap and head back out for the evening bite. We can clean our catch in the kitchen and store fresh walleye fillets in the fridge or freezer – or better yet, cook it on the spot. RVing is how we make fishing a family activity, because our kids now have a place to nap and play comfortably.

Our Fishing RVs

Our family fishes year-round and we have a few different pull-behind campers to make that possible. One is a retro camper from the 1970s that we primarily use for ice fishing and the second is a newer camper for regular camping. Currently, I’m researching how to convert our newest camper into an ice fish house too. What can I say? We love fishing.

While neither camper has everything I like, they’ve allowed me to figure out what features make the perfect fishing RV. I’ll break down these features below.

Off-Grid Living

Most RVs these days come with battery and propane hookups. But if you bought an old converted camper like us, you’ll want to know the basic power sources for off-grid living.

Take the “highway that’s the best” to USA RV Park in Gallup, New Mexico. The highly rated campground lies on Route 66 (following Interstate 40) and offers a host of amenities to guests. From the Gallup campground, visitors are just a short drive to iconic Desert Southwest attractions, from Native American trading posts to world-famous archeological sites. 

If the name, Gallup, sounds familiar, you may have heard the town mentioned in the iconic tune, “Route 66.” A half-century since Nat King Cole’s version of the hit song first started spinning on turntables, Gallup still gets plenty of love from travelers looking for “kicks” along the fabled Mother Road. The John Mayer version played on the hit 2006 Disney movie, “Cars.”

Enchanted Park

The 136-space USA RV Park has sites as long as 80 feet and most sites are full hookups. Several pull-through sites accommodate guests, with ample shade trees and room for slideouts. Most sites in the four-season campground offer WiFi and almost all are all-weather sites. Dog owners can turn their pooches loose in the enclosed dog run, although there are some restrictions for canines. 

Guests have lots of amenities at their fingertips, including a restaurant, groceries, and RV supplies. Also entertaining visitors are a heated pool, putting green, and playground. A game room keeps the fun going. Guests can take advantage of the laundry facilities, restrooms, and showers. With a 10/10*/9 Good Sam rating, the campground meets high qualities of cleanliness. 

Two weeks ago, we looked at repairs related to recreational vehicles with a focus on those items that pertained to the house portion of the unit. But problems can also occur to components and systems that make up the vehicle chassis.

What to Look For

Many RV repair issues start with the chassis, which supports all the vehicle’s accessories, components, and rolling ground equipment. This includes a frame, towing tongue, axle(s), suspension assembly, leveling jacks, and possible battery and propane tank mount for a simple tent trailer rig. At the extreme end of the spectrum, a motorhome’s chassis may support multi-axles, a prime mover, transmission, complex suspension assemblies, vehicle braking systems, steering configuration equipment, and much, much more.

Needless to say, there can be a lot of components and complexity, depending on the RV type and model. When it comes to chassis repair, a simple trailer or smaller motorhome chassis can generally be serviced by most RV dealer service shops. However, some of the larger vehicles use custom-manufactured chassis such as Freightliner, Spartan, or Roadmaster. These may have specific warranties and services in addition to those of the coach builder.

Mind the Chassis (and Related Components)

So, what are some of the more common chassis-related issues that occur within the first five years of ownership?

You don’t realize the urgency of having the best RV insurance you can afford until things go sideways. This fact became clear to us on a cold night in Texas, when a mysterious cracking noise woke us up. We stayed there in silence for a few minutes, listening and wondering what it could be. The noise grew louder, almost like the crackling sound of hot flames leaping up from a roaring campfire. “FIRE!” I yelled while jumping out of bed. But when I ran into the living area, there was no orange glow or heat to be found. That’s when I saw the cause. The tempered glass on our dinette window was shattering into a mosaic of tiny pebbles, and falling all over the cushions and table.

RV Insurance Comes Through When You Need It

Most of us accept RV insurance as a necessity. Anything can happen when moving from place to place. But as my husband covered our window with cardboard and I cleaned up the mess, we were flummoxed. Our fifth-wheel had been stationary for a month, sheltered from the effects of potholes, bad drivers, and icy roads. At least we thought it was safe. At breakfast, we remembered seeing a campground worker wrestling with his weed whacker near our gravel site. At one point we thought we heard a rock hit our window, but shrugged it off.

Later, when the claims adjuster visited, he found a tiny hole in the glass. Upon inspection, he surmised that our fiver had been hit by a flying rock. When hot afternoon temperatures gave way to a steep, unexpected hard freeze at night, he deduced that the weakened window lost its integrity and shattered to pieces. We will never really know if that was the real cause. But what we do know is that getting the best RV insurance coverage we could afford is why we had a new window installed in less than 72 hours.

Your Lifestyle, Your RV Insurance

Insurance is something you never want to use. But the peace of mind that RV insurance can provide in a bad situation is priceless. Our shattered window was a minor incident, but now I know that if we ever had a bigger problem, our policy will help us get our life back in order. But just don’t ask me what kind of plan we have, because, after all, my RV is not your RV. I can’t guarantee that the coverage we selected for our RV is the best protection for yours. We all have different RV insurance needs, but we can learn how to shop for RV insurance from each other. Here are some of the things I considered when I was looking around for a policy.

 

RV owners typically have a lot of questions surrounding RV insurance. It can be an overwhelming topic, and it’s not always clear whether you need it for your type of RV, how you’re covered under a given policy, and what you need to have covered.

Here we’ll break down each of those issues and more. Because the more you understand the options and legality — and price — the more informed your decision-making will be.

Legal requirements exist for having RV insurance, and most states require a minimum form of liability insurance for RVs to travel legally. But there’s more to the issue than legality. Your RV is an investment. And you should have a broad understanding of how to protect your investment with products like roadside assistance, extended warranties, tire protection, or even RV insurance.

And as RV rentals have gained in popularity, owners now have additional questions about RV insurance and what’s covered for those renting their RVs out.

Standing 14,410 feet in height, Mount Rainier is one of the most iconic and imposing sites in the entire Pacific Northwest. The mountain’s snowcapped peak looms large on the horizon, even 70 miles away in the city of Seattle.

The breathtakingly beautiful mountain sits at the center of a vast wilderness expanse that is Mount Rainer National Park, a place where visitors can find glacier-fed waterfalls and lakes, miles of Douglas fir forests, and vibrant flowering meadows.

This wild and untamed place is a vast, spectacular playground for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Adventurous travelers will find the national park holds an undeniable allure that is hard to ignore. The mountain is calling, and you must go.

Why Visit Mount Rainier National Park in Your RV?

Photo Credit: arshad ullah/Getty

Despite its remote and wild nature, Mount Rainier National Park is actually very accessible by RV. Located just an hour outside Seattle, this wilderness setting is perfect for day trips or extended camping excursions.

One of the greatest perks to camping in an RV instead of a tent is reliable cooling and heating. It’s much more comfortable to wake up and prep your coffee in a heated recreational vehicle than climbing out of a wet tent to light your camp stove and try to get a fire going. 

Just like residential units, RV heating systems require regular maintenance. But how can you service or repair an RV furnace if you don’t know how it works? To maintain an RV furnace, you’ll need to know how it works.

An RV furnace heats air and then circulates it through your RV using a fan. Most RV furnaces operate on DC power even when your RV is plugged into shore power, allowing them to work at a campground or when camping off-grid.

But there’s much more to it. So let’s dive into everything you need to know about operating, servicing, and troubleshooting RV furnaces.  

If you’re looking to go camping for the first time this year, you’re in for a great experience. And you’re certainly not alone, considering camping accounted for about 40% of recreational trips last year. Camping continues to be one of the most affordable and enjoyable ways to unplug and reconnect with the people and things that matter most.

 

But if this is your first time getting out there, it might be a little daunting knowing where to begin. Do you need to make a reservation, and if so, what’s the best way? What’s the proper etiquette when staying at a campground? What kind of camping gear will you need?

 

To guarantee a great first experience, here’s a first-time camper’s toolkit to keep in mind.