Retired and Loving RV Life: How They Did It!

So your kids are grown. You’ve done the 9-to-5. It’s Your Time Now. This week we’ll meet two couples who have made the RV Lifestyle a huge part of their retirement and hear how they are now living the Best Chapter Yet – Retired and Loving RV Life. Plus the RV Industry News, the Social Media Buzz, and a great question from one of our readers on where to get his rig washed. You can read, listen to, or WATCH the podcast right here…

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RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK

​As Federal Government Shutdown Continues Squatters Move In Yosemite campground, Thrill Seekers Run Wild​

As the federal government shutdown continues, reports are starting to surface of illegal activities at the nation's national parks – which largely remain open with very few staff. At Yosemite National Park, squatters are taking over the campgrounds and thrill seekers are doing illegal jumps from El Capitan because there is no one to enforce the rules, according to a recent story in SFGate. Nationally, confusion remains. Entrance fees are not being collected, staff remains minimal. ​Here​ is a story by USA Today with the status of the 10 most visited parks.

​New RV Retail Sales Slow, But Industry Shows Signs of Stabilizing​

The RV Industry experienced a 4.67% decline in year-over-year new unit retail sales in August, as reported by our friends at RVBusiness. Sales in all classes – A's, B's, C's, Fifth Wheels, Travel trailers – were down. But the bright spot for the industry is that the decline was less than the negative 8.12% drop in August 2024.

​How about those gas prices?!​

Gas prices are continuing to fall across the country, with the national price of a gallon of gas $3.09 over the weekend, down from $3.21 at the same date last year. California has the highest gas price at $4.66 per gallon, and the lowest is $2.58 per gallon in Oklahoma. AAA is reporting prices are expected to drop more in the weeks ahead.  

RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK – Retired and Loving RV Life

So your kids are grown. You've done the 9-to-5. It's Your Time Now. This week we'll meet two couples who have made the RV Lifestyle a huge part of their retirement and hear how they're now living the Best Chapter Yet.

We’re very happy to introduce you to some of our dear friends…Jack and Pam Partain and Jeff and Rita Newmann. We met them both through our RVCommunity.com and just finished traveling through nine states with them for 34 days on a Fantasy RV Tour of the Mississippi River.

These two adventurous couples have traded in the daily grind for the open road, and they're here to share their stories about embracing full-time RV living in retirement.

Whether you're dreaming about your own retirement adventures or just curious about what it's really like to live on wheels, Jack, Pam, Jeff, and Rita are going to give us the inside scoop. They'll talk about how they made the leap, what surprised them along the way, and why they believe this chapter of their lives is truly the best one yet.

So buckle up and get ready to be inspired. This is a conversation about freedom, adventure, and making the most of the years you've earned. Let's dive in!

Watch or listen in the players above.

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 private RV Lifestyle Community, many of us are currently in Texas for our third and final rally of the year. Meanwhile, others who couldn't join us are out exploring their own adventures, often sharing inspiring photos of their experiences. Suzanne, for instance, recently saw monarch butterflies!

Last week, Mike and Jen shared how these fascinating creatures are on the move, heading across North America to their warm-weather winter destinations.  Suzanne captured her pictures in central Nebraska and they were absolutely stunning.

But butterflies aren't the only ones preparing for colder temperatures.

In our RV Lifestyle Facebook Group, we are starting to see lots of posts and questions from RVers about various cold-weather scenarios.

One topic coming up several times is heated hoses. 

David, who was in Rhode Island, asked: “At what temp do you start using your heated hose?”

It sounds like David was in a place where forecasters predicted the temperature to drop to 32 degrees F one evening, and he was concerned.

Many offered excellent advice, pointing out if it is a brief temperature drop for a short amount of time, his tanks should be fine but he should use the heated hose. Because the volume of water in a hose is small, it is more susceptible to freezing during those short drops so the heated hose would be wise.

Others, like Kathy, had winter storage questions. Kathy wrote: “When you close up your RV for the winter, do you pull down your blinds on all the windows?”

Answer: The majority (nearly 200 replies)  say yes, pull down the shades because less light means less sun damage on your furniture and cabinets.

But perhaps the post that got the most interaction was from Mike who wrote:

“Sadly at the end of this month my hotel room on wheels is going to get winterized and put in storage till probably April. I live in the Midwest.”

So many who live in northern climates said they know the feeling, they had just done the same thing, and they sympathized.

But of course, there were some comments from those lucky people who live in warm climates, like Amy, who wrote: “People talk a lot of smack about California, but we don’t have to winterize, and if we wanted to, we could camp all year round!!!”

That is so true, Amy! What about you? How are you preparing for winter? Let us know in the comments.

RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: From P.J. – Where can you wash your rig while on the road?

ANSWER: The most reliable spots are truck washes. These are the go-to for RVers, often at major truck stops along interstates and major highways. They handle large vehicles like RVs with automated or hand-wash systems, typically taking 15-30 minutes.

There are over 110 Blue Beacon Truck Washes, open 24/7. They offer hand-washing with warm soapy water (no stiff brushes to damage paint), including towed vehicles for an extra fee. Prices start at $40.50 for RVs up to 30 feet, up to $50.80 for larger double-axle models (plus tax; protectants like Rain-X available for $7.50+). Roofs are rinsed but not washed for safety. Use their locator tool at bluebeacon.com/locations.

Many Love's Travel Stops also have Truck Washes at some – but not all –  locations (e.g., Columbia, TN; Gary, IN; West Memphis, AR; Pauls Valley, OK; Harrisonville, MO; Sidney, OH). These have big drive-thru service bays with high-pressure sprayers and brushes. They are priced at $37.99 for RVs up to 30 feet and $45.99 for larger ones. Add-ons like undercarriage wash ($7.99) or wax ($17.99) are available. No appointment needed; check loves.com/truck-services/truck-wash for the full list.

And chains like Pilot Flying J or independent stops often have washes that accommodate RVs. Look for billboards advertising them. Expect $50-75 for a basic wash.

Finally, ask at the RV park where you’re staying. Many campgrounds do not allow RV or tow vehicle washing, but others do and can recommend mobile wash crews that will come to your site and wash by hand. These are expensive. Typically $100 or more. You can often negotiate to have them include your tow vehicle.