We’ve all seen RVs that are between 5 and 10 years in age.  The paint color or graphics have faded or become cracked.  The fiberglass exterior has a chalky milky look to it that makes it appear old and unappealing. 

Upon closer inspection, the tires are all cracked; even the cords are visible.  This can’t be safe.

Those sun-baked tires will fail in no time once you get up to highway speeds.  Obviously, that's a very dangerous situation.  The worst part is you may not see any damage on the tire when you start out.  You see, continuous sunny days will let ultraviolet rays do the damage, taking the flexibility out of the rubber compounds.

If your RV spends its life in the southwest, the sun there is even more severe and damaging.  Window shades and interior fabrics will fade rapidly, then become brittle, and finally they will literally fall apart.  Sitting on a sun-damaged sofa may even split the material wide open.

There are a number of products on the market to help you protect your valuable RV from sun-related damage.  Some are better than others.

Of course the best idea would be to store your RV in a garage, completely protected from the elements.  But for many, this isn’t an option.  The next best solution is an RV cover.

Here in Minnesota, RV season is officially underway. Finally the snow is gone, the trees are leafing out nicely, and the spring air is starting to warm up.  The time has come to unveil the travel trailer for yet another season of RVing. 

If you prepared your RV properly last fall at the end of the RV season, then it’s probably covered with one of those big blue plastic tarps, at the very least. Or, you might have a quality RV cover instead.

I keep our 24-foot Dutchman RV trailer stored in a fenced storage facility.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a garage to keep it in, so mine gets the blue tarp treatment.  Minnesota summers are short, so it spends more of the year protected by the tarp then it does in a state of readiness for the road.

Here's how I prepare our RV each year for a summer of fun on the road...

Well, it looks like we're going to be driving an RV for the first time in the winter snow.

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about it. I mean it's hard enough keeping a regular car on the road... let alone a long & skinny motorhome!

Here are some winter driving tips that we found helpful...

Spending the holidays on the road this year?... You're not alone.

There are a number of good resources for RV checklists out there.

I've spent some time researching them and I've compiled "the best of the best" below.

Need an RV checklist? Start here...