Black Tank Revelations, RV Industry Tariff Relief & Mike & Jen’s Nail-Biting Crawl

This week on the RV Podcast:

• We have black tank revelations for you, busting some myths and learning the best way to maintain, empty and clean them
• The changing tariff landscape has the RV industry in state of confusion, but consumers are hoping it's now a buyer’s market
• In Mike and Jen's storytime, the tale of our white-knuckled Ten-Mile-an-Hour Journey
• All this plus RV ideas and your questions coming up in Episode 547 of the RV Podcast.

You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.

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RV News of the Week

The big announcement about a trade deal and tariff reduction by the Trump administration has brought a lot of sighs of relief from the RV Industry, but there’s still plenty of uncertainty. The industry got together for a big Power Breakfast last week in Ekhart that served as both a pep talk for an industry battered by a growing sales slump and a networking event for industry leaders seeking inspiration and encouragement.

It's an RV Buyer's Market

Personally, and based on our direct contact through our daily contact with our followers, we see consumers tightening their belts, making less elaborate camping plans, but still very excited about the RV Lifestyle. And they are also looking for deals. A constant question we can get has to do with whether this is an RV Buyer’s market and if dealers are more willing to work on prices. Our answer is… yes.

But there was some interesting data that came out last week from the camping industry. Campspot, one of the nation's largest booking platforms, spoke to campground owners in Florida and Alabama, and learned that campers were shortening their booking reservations, something that happens when people hold off on plans because of economic concerns.

Canadians staying home

Also, Campspot found a 40% reduction in Canadians making reservations at American parks. Canadian campers are definitely staying away from the U.S., most dramatically in the traditional sunbelt states where they snowbird in. That’s because, of course, there are the trade tensions and political bickering between the Trump administration and Canadian politicians.

There is a lot of false information being circulated in Canada that Canadian campers are being treated rudely in the US or given a rough time at the border. That’s not happening, of course, but all that negativity is clearly having an adverse effect and keeping Canadian RVers from coming here. 

Can we be blunt here: We hate the way politics of late seems to be souring everything. We love the RV Lifestyle because it offers us an escape from the nastiness out there. It lets us visit other places, meet other people, and do it all unfiltered by the constant negativity we are exposed to by the media.

Around a campfire, we see people clearly. We’re all friends and we have much more in common than what politicians and the media would have us believe.

So… just keep being nice. What's that silly sign? Keep Calm and Camp On. Go, find camping adventures. If you meet some Canadians along the way, welcome them. If you’re shopping for an RV, know that you have a little more leverage these days. Check out those hard-to-get campgrounds. More of them have open spots this summer. Book a spot. Tune out the politics and enjoy this summer. Camp ON!

But… watch out for wildlife!

Wildlife Encounters Spiked Last Week

Every spring, we see these stories about dangerous wildlife encounters. Last week at Yellowstone, a tourist got too close to a bison and was gored. Yellowstone workers cause those who try to get selfies with wild animals “tourons.” The man wasn’t seriously hurt, but this was all on him.

Woman Killed By Alligator

In Florida last week, there was a horrible wildlife encounter that saw a 61-year-old woman killed by an alligator. She was canoeing with her husband in Lake Kissimmee. The couple were in a 14-foot canoe. She was in the bow. He was paddling.

They were in water about 2 1/2 feet deep, when they unknowingly passed over a gator that became startled, started thrashing and turned their canoe over, spilling both of them into the water. The gator grabbed the wife and although her husband tried to fight it off, it took her under and out into the lake. After a search, a helicopter spotted her body floating some distance away.

This was just a terrible story. The couple did absolutely nothing wrong. We report it here as a tragic reminder that when we are out in the wild, we share that space with wild animals. And in Florida and much of the south, anywhere there is fresh water, there is probably an alligator. 

Bear Kills Florida Man

 And also last week in Florida, a man who lived in one of the big state forests there was killed by a black bear. He lived in a cabin and he and his dog were killed. The bear apparently broke into the cabin and dragged him out.

This is a terrible story. That's the first time there's been a fatal bear encounter in Florida. But again, it's the wild. The wilderness is wild and people are certainly out there. But it's the wild animals that live there and we need to be aware of it. I don't think there's anything that guy could have done differently.

We don't know all the details on it, but it's pretty sad that in Florida two, in one state, there were two deaths in horrible wildlife attacks.

Record Memorial Day Weekend Travel Predicted

Last, as a circle back to what we shared earlier about how RVers – despite all the politics and economic confusion the media keeps focusing on – RVers just want to…. RV.

As proof, look at the Memorial Day travel forecast from AAA. This year, 45.1 million Americans say they will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day holiday period. A whole, whole lot of RVers are in those stats.

This year will set a record for Memorial Day travel. A record. The previous record was set back TEN YEARS AGO, in 2005 with 44 million people. 

So, despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans are choosing to get out there with friends and families, to enjoy nature, and decompress. They’re Keeping Calm and RVing On… apparently in record numbers this coming Memorial Day.

RV Conversation of the Week

Of all the email we get, the single topic that seems to draw more questions than any other is how to deal with the black tank on an RV. Black tanks are universally the least favorite part of the RV Lifestyle and all sorts of misinformation and myths about them have cropped up.

Things  like… You don't need to dump any chemicals in there, all you need is lots of water.

Or you can use any kind of toilet paper you want. 

Or empty the black tank every day if you can. 

So at the start of the season, we thought we should do some myth-busting. Get some real expertise. Learn how new technologies and science can help with managing and maintaining our RV back tanks.

Our guest is a true expert on this, a chemist who has devoted most of his career to learning how to manage black tank odors, deal with organic wastes, and help RVers have fewer headaches emptying and cleaning their black tank.

He is Thomas Vinson, who has used the American Society for Testing and Materials methods, industry standards, and sophisticated testing methods on this subject for close to 20 years. 

He is currently the Compliance Manager and Chemist for Camco and brings his decades of experience to our Conversation of the Week: Listen or watch the interview in one of the players at the top of this post.

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.

In our RVLifestyle Community, many of us are getting ready to head to our second rally of the year in northwest Michigan, so lots of excitement surrounding that as we make plans to kayak, visit wineries, hike in the national park, and explore cute towns.

And in our RVLifestyle Facebook Group, several posts created a lot of buzz this past week, but the one I'd like to share with you was from Kyler and it had to do with odors.

Kyler bought a “new to us” trailer from an elderly couple two years ago that was in immaculate shape, but had a smell to it. 

Kyler wrote:  “For lack of a better term, and with the utmost respect possible, it smells like old people. It’s in all the fabrics and wood and everywhere. Looking for any remedy to freshen it up.”

Kyler and his wife have tried to eliminate the smell by:

– leaving the windows open for long periods of time with or without fans circulating air

– air fresheners

– left coffee grounds dispersed throughout the unit

– air purifier

– Febreze fabric (which comes in a spray bottle)

He said when they opened it for the first time this spring, it still had a smell and they are desperate to get rid of it. Any help would be appreciated.

So this post sparked two very interesting conversations. First was about an odor that can happen when people age that has nothing to do with cleanliness, and the second conversation, which is what I'd like to focus on, is what can be done to remove an odor from your RV, whatever the source.

And with nearly 700 responses, there are some excellent odor-reducing suggestions, so let's cover them.

First, make sure there are no leaks, no mold issues in your RV.

Second, clean everything. Wash the walls, the floors, the cabinets, the upholstery, the carpets, everything.

Some said they had great luck sprinkling baking soda in a fine dust over all upholstery, like that on a sofa or chairs. Leave the baking soda on for several hours, then vacuum up.

Others have had good luck purchasing charcoal (with no additives like starter fluid on it), and placing the charcoal throughout the RV. This can be purchased at a lot of various places, including Amazon.

Odoban was also suggested by many. This is a disinfectant product, sold at many stores, that comes in a spray bottle and is good at removing smells.

And if these things do not work, Kyler and his wife may need to replace all things made with cloth or fabric. So the couch, chairs, carpet if there is one, even the mattress needs to go in case there is an odor trapped in the fibers.

And finally, the last suggestion made by many was to purchase or rent an ozone machine and try that. Many folks said this is a game changer, will definitely eliminate odor. But you also need to be careful because it could damage any rubber in the rig, and you need to remove any plants because it could also hurt them.

RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: I'm new to RV'ing, purchasing a used one this week, starting out local camping just me and my 13 year old kiddo, wondering if your RV breaks down and you aren't towing a car, what do you do?  – from Klayne

ANSWER: Well, the same thing if you were driving a car and it broke down. Get it to a repair facility. 

Now I’m sure you’re thinking about a major breakdown that means your RV will be at the service shop for some time, overnight or longer. But it’s the same thing, if you were far from home and had to leave your car at a dealership, you’d have to find a hotel.

We think your anxiety is because you are just starting out and this whole RV lifestyle thing is a bit scary. It can be overwhelming when you just start out and your mind keeps going to all these different scenarios, what if this happens, what if that.

Experience will give you lots of confidence. You are so right in starting out local. It won't take more than a few times to get used to how it works, setting up and breaking camp, managing all the systems and appliances.

When it’s time, pick a spot a little farther from home. And keep expanding your radius as you gain that experience.

Now all this, of course, is dependent on having a reliable and well-maintained RV. If you don't have that, it’s a whole other story. Read all the manuals. Ask questions. Learn how the various systems work. And have a mechanic or RV inspector go over that used RV with a fine-tooth comb so you have confidence in its ability to transport you and your 13-year-old.

MIKE & JEN’S STORYTIME

“The Ten-Mile-an-Hour Journey”

Mike: Let me tell you about the day our Class C motorhome decided it just didn't want to hurry. There we were, all packed up and ready for our spring adventure, maps loaded into the GPS, fridge full of food, and enough excitement to power the whole trip!

Jen: We had everything perfectly arranged inside too! The clothes were packed, the cabinets were stocked, and I'd even brought along a nice frozen meal for our dinner that night. But when Mike turned the key and tried to pull out of the driveway…

Mike: The engine started up just fine—that familiar rumble that usually meant adventure was ahead. But when I pressed the gas pedal? Nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. We could move, but only at a crawl. Ten miles an hour was our new top speed. I couldn't believe it!

Jen: I watched as Mike's face went from excitement to confusion to concern all in about ten seconds flat. He jumped out and popped the hood like he suddenly had mechanic superpowers, but everything looked normal to our untrained eyes.

Mike: After fiddling around under there for fifteen minutes and getting absolutely nowhere, we had to face facts. Our camping trip was looking pretty doubtful. We needed a tow truck, but not just any tow truck—this was a 25-foot motorhome. Almost 11 feet high, motorhome we're talking about!

Jen: So we called for a flatbed, and while we waited, we sadly started unpacking some of our perishables. I was already mentally canceling our reservation at the campground when the tow truck driver arrived with news that made our situation even more complicated.

Mike: “I've got bad news, folks. I can get the RV on the flatbed, but then it'll be almost 16 feet high. Those tree limbs on your road would scrape your roof clean off!” There went that option. The service center was 11 miles away, and apparently, our only choice was to drive there… at 10 miles per hour.

Jen: I volunteered to follow behind in my car with my flashers on, creating a little two-vehicle parade of caution. The only route to the dealer was on a busy four-lane highway with a 55 mph speed limit. I was already imagining the angry honks, the rude gestures, maybe even some colorful language as people zoomed around us.

Mike: Let me tell you, white-knuckled doesn't begin to describe it. Every minute felt like an hour. I kept checking the mirrors, watching cars approach at what seemed like lightning speed compared to our turtle pace, then slow down and carefully maneuver around us.

Jen: What happened next surprised us both. Not a single person honked at us! No one rolled down their windows to yell or give us nasty looks. Instead, people patiently waited their turn to pass, sometimes even giving a little wave of understanding.

Mike: One hour and fifteen minutes of driving at 10 miles per hour. We hit a couple of red lights too, which was actually a relief because it meant I could take my foot off the gas for a minute and shake out my leg!

Jen: When we finally pulled into the service center, I felt like we should get a trophy or something. We dropped off the RV and drove back home in my car—a trip that took only 15 minutes at normal speed! And then, just a couple hours later, the phone rang.

Mike: “Found your problem! Mice got in and clogged up your air filter. They built a nest in there. Fortunately, they didn't chew anything up. They just made a little cozy house.” Can you believe it? All that drama because some mice decided our air filter would make a perfect spring home!

Jen: The shop cleaned everything up, we called the campground to un-cancel our reservation, and our trip was back on. But you know what stuck with us even more than the mouse story?

Mike: It was the kindness of all those drivers on the highway. We had just moved to Southwestern Michigan a few months before, and we'd already noticed how people seemed friendlier here than where we came from. But seeing dozens of people show patience and understanding when they had every reason to be annoyed? That really made an impression.

Jen: So here's the moral of our story: Life will sometimes slow you down to 10 miles an hour, and there's not much you can do about it. But the journey is made so much better by kind strangers who understand that everyone faces unexpected obstacles on the road.

Mike: And maybe check your air filter for mice before a big trip. That's probably important too

Here's a video we did on the Mouse issue.