Tony Barthel

Lakeport

Writer at Lake County Record-Bee

Writer at RVtravel.com

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Articles

The Kids Are Gone ... and So Are We! RVs for Empty Nesters

1 month ago | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

Spring is coming and with it all those graduations. It’s a time when lots of nests get empty. But instead of getting all teary-bleary-eyed, you could distract yourself with a more joyful question. What are the best RVs for empty nesters looking to get away? We’re going to look at a few ideas for this, but first, think about where you’re going. Every RVer has a priority in how and where they camp. Some RVers want to get away from it all and be far off the grid.
FRVA/FMCA Concludes ’25 Convention with ‘Great Vibes’

1 month ago | rvbusiness.com | Tony Barthel

PERRY, Ga. – The Family RV Association (FRVA) concluded its 2025 convention in Perry, Ga., with just under 1,500 RVs – of which 352 were brought by first-time attendees. As usual, feedback was mixed by some but the overall vibe and feeling by many was overwhelmingly positive. FRVA is the new name for the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), which started in 1963 to serve members with motor coaches and has grown to some 55,000 members at present.
Family RV Association Convention is Underway in Georgia

2 months ago | rvbusiness.com | Tony Barthel

PERRY, Ga. – With the debut of its new name, the Family RV Association (FRVA) – formerly Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) – opened its 110th International Convention this week in Perry, Ga. The membership organization, which serves RV owners with a variety of services and benefits, announced the name and logo change amid efforts to appeal to a wider variety of RVers. “While you won’t necessarily see the change yet here, we do hope to bring in a bigger variety of RVers moving forward.
2025 Jayco Jay Feather Micro 199MBS Review

2 months ago | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

If you have a family, it’s common — and awesome — to want to share the RV experience together. But it’s also common for families to have a smaller tow vehicle, such as an SUV. And there are not that many great RV choices with these parameters. Fortunately, Jayco has a trailer for those families: the 2025 Jayco Jay Feather Micro 199MBS. This model sleeps up to eight, features a very usable outdoor kitchen, and comes in around 4,500 pounds (dry weight).
Picking Up These Clues? It's Time to Sell Your RV

Feb 4, 2025 | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

Ever wonder how you know when it’s time to sell your RV? I mean, really the right time — when it’s more than a feeling. There are many reasons to finally jump into the world RV commerce. The thousands of people are doing it right now on RV Trader, and all of them have specific reasons for deciding to sell. As someone who recently did just this, here’s a little insight — and some clear clues — about when it might be time to sell your RV.
2025 Jayco Redhawk SE 22CF Review

Jan 28, 2025 | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

A lot of people who want to get into van life seek out Class Bs. But here’s something they keep in mind: For the same money (or less), smaller Class Cs — like the 2025 Jayco Redhawk SE 22CF — are often a much better choice. With more power, space and usable features, the Redhawk SE 22CF gives it owners a great RV for life’s adventures. All with larger, more usable interiors than vans. So, with all that upside, you might be wondering if there’s any downsides.
Numbers Off, But Vendors Pleased with Quartzsite Show

Jan 27, 2025 | rvbusiness.com | Tony Barthel

The 2025 Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show, the annual gathering of an untold number of RVers in the Arizona desert, is a wrap and the event was an interesting mixture of perceptions. That comes in the form of guessing the number of attendees to gauging perspectives on the show. If the measure of success is the number of RVs that were sold, then it was a success. Once again Curt Curtis was on hand from RV Country which is the sole retailer of RVs at the event and Curtis reported strong sales.
Mostly Positive Quartzsite RV Show Wrapping Up for 2025

Jan 24, 2025 | rvbusiness.com | Tony Barthel

QUARTZSITE, Ariz. – The Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show is a unique experience held every January under an enormous tent in the tiny desert town of Quartzsite, Ariz. While the town’s normal population is only a few thousand people, that number swells to what some estimate as over a half million as RVers descend on the area for the typically warmer temperatures, free camping on Bureau of Land Management land and plentiful RV services.
5 Tell-Tale Signs You're Ready to Buy Your Next RV

Jan 13, 2025 | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

There’s nothing wrong with, and we all do it. Daydreaming about buying a new rig is as natural as breathing. But beyond fantasy Class As and hot new RV reviews, how do you really know you’re ready to buy your next RV? Are there any tells that give away the fact that it’s time for a trade? Well, I’ve sleuthed this out for you. I have five signs that you’re ready to buy your next RV. How do I know, you ask? (Hmm… you already sound like a savvy buyer.)Let’s just say I have some experience in this area.
2024 Forest River Rockwood A213HW Review

Oct 4, 2024 | brnw.ch | Tony Barthel

The Rockwood A213HW trailer is a folding, hard-sided trailer that offers a full complement of amenities in a compact and foldable package. But first, before I say more, let me share a little about Rockwood trailers in general. (It’s relevant, I promise.)Both Forest River and Thor offer a variety of choices and a variety of levels of features and build quality. These companies want to appeal to buyers where those buyers want to be. So, they make some models that are built for price.