Episodes

In 2026, Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary! We’re hitting the Mother Road to celebrate a century of American road trips! Established on November 11, 1926, Route 66 stretched approximately 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California. Although the highway was officially decommissioned in 1985, its legacy lives on through historic towns, quirky roadside attractions, classic diners, and the travelers who continue to explore it. In this episode of Beyond the Wheel, we ta...

RV camping is changing, and this week we’re looking at three stories that could have an impact on how and where we travel. First, we dig into the rising cost of camping. We’ve all seen RV resorts charging $100, $150, and even $200 or more per night—but are those prices really becoming the new normal? We look beyond the headlines at what RVers are actually paying, the difference between traditional campgrounds and destination resorts, and when the price of a campsite starts becoming difficult to...

In this episode of Beyond the Wheel – Drivers Edition, Kenny and Sean catch up on RV news. They discuss changes reshaping the RV industry and their impact on drivers. Kenny begins the show by sharing his Overland Expo Mountain West experience. He helped with Winnebago’s Drive and Ride event. Attendees had the opportunity to get behind the wheel and experience the capabilities of Winnebago’s Backcountry Series firsthand. One thing stood out. Most attendees returned with a smile and seemed surpri...

In this episode of Beyond The Wheel, we sit down with Tony and Peggy Barthel, the team behind StressLess Camping. Tony and Peggy share how StressLess Camping began, what they’ve learned from producing their weekly RV podcast, and how they help RVers make their adventures more enjoyable and less stressful. We also discuss their honest approach to RV reviews, the importance of educating new RV owners, and some of the changes they’ve witnessed throughout the RV industry. As fellow podcasters and ...

What if your rental vehicle wasn’t just a way to get to the adventure, but was part of the adventure itself? In this episode of Beyond The Wheel, we sit down with Ryan Koss of Skybreaker Overland to talk about a different approach to exploring Western Canada. Skybreaker Overland rents fully equipped expedition trucks designed to take travelers beyond traditional campgrounds and into some incredible off-grid destinations. Ryan shares how his own experiences traveling the world helped inspire Sk...

What if the biggest safety upgrade for your RV wasn’t a new braking system or backup camera, but your cookware? Eric Leblanc, founder of Angel Guard Cookware, joins us on this episode of Beyond The Wheel to discuss an innovation that challenges something we’ve all taken for granted for generations: cookware that sits on a burner and relies on gravity to stay in place. Eric responded to preventable kitchen-burn emergencies when children pulled hot liquids from a stove and sustained injuries. Th...

The RV industry may be experiencing a slowdown in sales, but that doesn’t mean companies are standing still. In this Driver’s Edition of Beyond the Wheel, Kenny and Sean take a closer look at the biggest RV industry stories from the past month and explains what they could mean for RV owners, shoppers, manufacturers, dealers, and the future of RVing. In This Episode • Retail RV sales continue to decline. Is this simply a market correction, and could it actually be a great time to buy? • Patrick...

What happens when you combine the maneuverability of a camper van with the interior space and flexibility of a Class C motorhome? In this episode of Beyond The Wheel Podcast, we welcome Amelia Sheckler from Winnebago to discuss one of the company’s newest innovations, the all-new Winnebago Elora/Resa. Amelia takes us behind the scenes of the vehicle’s development, explaining the design philosophy behind the Elora/Resa and how Winnebago created a motorhome that blends the compact footprint of a...

In this episode of Beyond The Wheel, we sit down with Stephanie Whittington, Senior Product Manager at Winnebago, to discuss one of the most anticipated adventure vehicles to hit the market: the all-new Winnebago ARKA. Stephanie shares the story behind the ARKA’s development, the growing adventure truck segment, and how Winnebago designed a vehicle capable of taking travelers farther off the grid while still delivering the comfort and convenience RV owners expect. From heated floors and hydron...

What if the future of RV construction isn’t wood at all? In this episode of Beyond The Wheel Podcast, we sit down with Sean Petterson, Co-Founder and CEO of Supersede. We discuss a material that could change the way RVs, trailers, boats, and even homes are built. Sean shares how his experience building innovative products led to the creation of Supersede, a structural panel made from recycled plastic designed to replace traditional plywood. We discuss the challenges of water damage, weight red...

This week on Beyond The Wheel, Kenny and Sean dive into what they’re seeing across the RV industry as the 2026 travel season ramps up. From shifting buyer behavior and changing campground trends to the rise of off-grid adventure rigs, this episode explores where the RV market stands right now and where it may be headed next. The conversation covers everything from dealer inventory and financing pressures to reservation fatigue, dry camping growth, and whether RVs are becoming too complicated wi...

Overlanding has exploded in popularity over the last few years, but is it just another social media trend or is it changing the future of RV travel for good? In this episode of Beyond The Wheel, Kenny and Sean take a deep dive into the rapid growth of overlanding, why so many travelers are being drawn to it, and how the RV industry is responding. The guys discuss how overlanding has evolved from a niche off-road hobby into a broader lifestyle focused on self-reliant travel, off-grid camping, an...

Camping isn’t slowing down—but it is changing. In this episode, Kenny and Sean break down the latest findings from the 2026 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report by Kampgrounds of America and talk through what these shifts actually mean for RVers, campground trends, and the future of the industry. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about how—and why—people are choosing to camp today. Read the Full KOA Report http://koa.uberflip.com/i/1544394-2026-koa-camping-and-outdoor-hospitality-report/57?...

RV service is one of those topics every RVer deals with, but few feel fully prepared for. In this episode, we break down the real-world options available when something goes wrong, or when it is time for routine maintenance. From traditional service centers to mobile techs, DIY repairs, and new players entering the space, this is a practical, no-nonsense look at what works, what does not, and how to make the right call when it matters most. What Sparked This Episode The conversation starts with...

If you’ve been watching the RV market lately, you’ve probably noticed things feel a little different. Inventory is shifting. Prices are stabilizing. And there’s a lot of mixed messaging about whether now is a good time to buy, sell, or wait. But before we even hit the main topic, this episode starts with a couple of real-world conversations from the road and the campground that set the stage for everything happening in the industry right now. Pre-Show Conversations Disney’s Fort Wilderness Ch...

There’s a lot of noise out there about RV life, and not all of it is true. In this episode of Beyond The Wheel Podcast, we’re busting some of the most common RV myths and sharing what life on the road actually looks like. From where you stay, to who you meet, to the real costs involved, this is a reality check for anyone curious about RVing. Whether you’re RV-curious or already rolling down the highway, this episode separates fact from fiction. What We Cover in This Episode Why RV myths exist...

Thinking about becoming an RVer? Already on the road and wondering why it still feels harder than expected? This episode is for you. RV life looks simple from the outside, but the reality hits fast once plans change, weather turns, budgets stretch, and things break. In this episode of Beyond The Wheel, we break down what it actually takes to become an RVer and stay sane doing it. This isn’t about what RV to buy or which gadgets to install. It’s about mindset, flexibility, planning, and budgeti...

Everyone keeps asking us when we’re upgrading. The truth is… we already did. In this episode, Kenny and Sean get real about why they are both still traveling in RVs that are years old and why, for most RVers, keeping what you already own and upgrading it smartly is often a better move than buying brand new. Kenny’s Class A just turned ten years old. Sean’s rig is over five. Between the two of them, they’ve logged thousands of miles, countless repairs, upgrades, and lessons that no sales brochu...

Steady Sales, Strategic Moves, and a Market Growing Up In this Driver’s Edition episode of Beyond the Wheel, Kenny takes listeners behind the scenes of the RV industry to unpack what’s really happening right now. Using recent shipment numbers, dealer dynamics, and major industry moves, this episode cuts through the noise to explain where the market stands and what it means for buyers, owners, and anyone watching the RV space. This isn’t a boom-and-bust story. It’s a look at an industry maturin...

In this special episode of Beyond the Wheel, Sean flips the mic and interviews Kenny about the creation of his first children’s book, Belle’s RV Adventures. What started as life on the road with a dog named Belle turned into a children’s book designed to spark curiosity, imagination, and a love for travel. Kenny shares why he decided to turn Belle’s real RV travels into a story for kids, what the self-publishing process actually looks like, and what surprised him most about becoming a first-tim...

Episode Summary: In this episode we sit down with Doug Uhlenbrock and Meagan Butler from the newly renamed FRVA. If you have known FMCA for years and wondered why the name changed or what it means for RV owners, this conversation clears it up. We talk about the thought process behind the rebrand, the challenges of changing a long-standing identity, and how FRVA plans to shape the future of RV community support, events, and member benefits. Doug and Meagan share what the organization has learned...

Even the most seasoned RVers know — things will go wrong eventually. In this episode, Kenny and Sean share their personal stories of roadside disasters, mechanical failures, and how they handled them without losing their cool (well, mostly). Kenny recounts his recent breakdown that left his RV immobile after a locked brake caliper destroyed his rear axle. Sean chimes in with his own tales of mishaps and misadventures from the road. Together, they dive into what it really takes to stay calm, saf...

In this episode of Beyond the Wheel, Kenny and Sean dive into a growing trend that’s reshaping RV life: people living full-time in RVs without traveling. The image of the open road is what we all think of when we picture RV life, but for hundreds of thousands of people, that’s not the reality anymore. Since 2021, the number of Americans living full-time in RVs has nearly doubled — climbing from about 240,000 to close to half a million. For some, it’s a smart financial move in a housing market t...

In this episode of Beyond the Wheel: Drivers Edition, Kenny and Sean dive into the 2025 Hershey RV Show attendance numbers and talk with you about what those numbers really say about the RV industry right now. We break down: Why attendance dipped slightly from 2024 but still beat 2023. What dealers and manufacturers are saying about sales and consumer confidence. Which RVs sold well at Hershey—and which ones didn’t move as quickly. A full Market Watch segment on the state of RVing in 2025—i...