404. RV Driving Tips, Crackdown on Dealer Fees, and a Winterizing Fail

April 5, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Jason and Abby share a winterizing mistake that derailed their spring shakedown trip: Jason overlooked the exterior spray port on their fifth wheel, causing a leak when de-winterizing. Water sprayed uncontrollably with no shutoff, rendering the system unusable until repaired—likely by accessing the port directly, avoiding the underbelly. Severe weather, including tornado warnings and high winds, further scrapped Easter camping plans. Jason heads to the Outdoorsy summit in Austin, moderating a panel with RV brands Nuvo, Lightship, and Grounded (which pivoted to hybrids after GM discontinued the BrightDrop chassis). High flight costs prompted driving to Chicago for cheaper fares, highlighting broader travel expenses.

RV Driving Tips for New and Seasoned Owners

The hosts refresh beginner-friendly advice applicable to most rigs, emphasizing safety and comfort amid high fuel costs. Key points include knowing your RV's exact height, width, length, and weight—post a note on the dash, as mental recall errs, and input into RV GPS like Garmin (though not infallible). Review routes using multiple apps (Garmin primary, plus RV Life, Apple, Google) and the annual Motor Carrier's Atlas for truck routes, noting exits and final roads to avoid dead ends.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:31) **Winterizing Fail** - Hosts recount missing spray port during winterizing, causing leak during de-winterizing
2 (04:42) **Outdoorsy Summit Trip** - Jason heads to Chicago then Austin for Outdoorsy host summit and panel
3 (07:31) **Rising Fuel and Flight Costs** - Discussion on expensive flights pushing travel decisions toward RVing and camping
4 (14:28) **Fuel Impact on RVing** - High fuel reduces distances but not participation; RVers adapt creatively
5 (18:57) **RV Driving Tips Intro** - Refresher for new and seasoned RVers on safe driving basics across rig types
6 (20:19) **Know Your RV Dimensions** - Post-it specs for height, width, length, weight; use RV GPS like Garmin
7 (24:32) **Review Routes Ahead** - Cross-check Garmin, RV Life, Google, Motor Carriers Atlas for safe paths

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

In RV Miles episode 404, Jason and Abby share spring shakedown updates after discovering a leak caused by a missed winterization step, forcing them to postpone their first trip of the season amid severe weather. They take a look at practical RV driving tips for safety and confidence, including knowing your rig’s dimensions, reviewing routes, going slower, lane strategy, following distances, and more. In Fresh Tank / Black Tank, the FTC’s increased enforcement against deceptive dealer fees and advertising, a new Zion park-and-ride shuttle option, and a cookbook recommendation.

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Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID 437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE

00:00 Intro
01:26 Winterizing Leak
04:42 Austin Outdoorsy Summit
07:18 Flight Prices Rant
11:32 Fuel Costs And Camping
18:57 Driving Tips Kickoff
20:24 Know Your RV Size
24:32 Plan Your Route
28:56 Go Slow Stay Right
36:59 Safe Distance Timing
37:47 Tail Swing
42:00 Courtesy On The Road
43:48 Take More Breaks
46:24 Skip Night Driving
49:50 Steep Grade Basics
54:40 Parking Without Stress
01:04:51 FTC Dealer Fee Crackdown
01:12:34 Zion Park and Ride
01:15:55 Protein Salad Fail
01:20:25 Midwest Made Cookbook
01:23:06 Final Thanks