Wandering Gypsy RV Life

NASCAR veteran Mike Skinner and his wife Angie of Skinner Roundup pull up a chair to talk real RV life: how a dinner with the Tiffin folks put them in a Tiffin Zephyr, why Mountain Falls Luxury RV Resort feels like home, and how they travel with a whole caravan of friends without anybody getting bossed around.

Plus the great shoe-count debate, a wrecker that clipped their mirror seven miles from home, a lightning round of road food and favorite race-track campsites, and why honesty matters more than follower counts.

In this episode:

- The "crisis averted" back-in and Mike's take on driving anything with a steering wheel

- Mountain Falls Luxury RV Resort in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina

- From Newells and Prevosts to an Entegra, then a Tiffin Zephyr

- Red Bay service and how the Freightliner chassis drives

- Shoes, clothes, toys and the trailer that hauls them

- Planning travel days: leave by nine, parked by four

- Traveling with friends without bossing anybody around

- Honest reviews, organic growth and why it isn't a commercial

- Lightning round: road food, race track campsites and handsome Harry Gant

Correction: In the episode, I said Harry Gant won four straight in September of 1992. It was actually 1991. At 51, Gant won all four September Cup races (Darlington, Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville) and earned the nickname "Mr. September." He was dominating at North Wilkesboro the next race when his brakes failed, ending his shot at five in a row.

Find Mike and Angie:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SkinnerRoundup

Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: @skinnerroundup

Partners Mike and Angie mentioned on the show: Tiffin Motorhomes; Campers Inn RV (mobile service at NASCAR races, https://campersinn.com); Viper chairs (the Low Pro); Toyota; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants and Cometic Gasket (Bob Gorman).

Tiffin event at Mountain Falls Luxury RV Resort, Lake Toxaway, NC: May 13-15, 2027. Call the office and mention Skinner Roundup, and you might get a discount.

Family RV Association (RV education): https://frva.com

I'll be teaching seminars at the FRVA convention in Perry, Georgia, March 17-20, 2027.

Website: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WanderingGypsyRVLife

Rolling Smooth books: https://bit.ly/rollingsmooth

Beyond the Chutes with Doug Simcox: https://beyondthechutes.show

Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Gear I use (Amazon Store): https://www.amazon.com/shop/stanc

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

TechnoRV: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

I'm a TechnoRV affiliate and may earn a commission if you use my link.

Safe travels, my friends, and remember: not all who wander are lost.

2025 PRCA Clown of the Year Matt Merritt spent five months on the road this year in a truck and horse trailer, and his last run home from Pendleton, Oregon to North Carolina cost him $3,000 in diesel. Stan and Matt talk about what life on the rodeo road really costs, and what it teaches.

Matt has owned just about every kind of rig: a bus, a 48-foot race car trailer with living quarters, a stock trailer, a travel trailer, and now a four-horse Bloomer behind a Ford F-350. He's honest about the years he never checked hubs or bearings, the leaf spring that broke near Coeur d'Alene and took a tire with it, and why he's ready to run a TPMS again.

They also cover how a barrelman and rodeo clown works the arena, the Texas swing from Fort Worth to San Antonio, how contestants decide which rodeos are worth the drive, fighting fatigue behind the wheel, and Matt's one lesson every RVer can learn from rodeo travel: practice with your rig, because those things are dangerous.

And when the diesel bill is huge and the check may not cover it, Matt explains why he prays for joy to be spread through him.

Guest: Matt Merritt, 2025 PRCA Clown of the Year and host of Mic Drop at the NFR

Matt on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MattMerritt8

Matt's sponsors: Wrangler, Resistol, Lane Frost Brand, Justin Boots, American Jerky Company, Boot Barn, Premium Tire and Lube (Pendleton, Oregon), American Bonfire sunglasses, and Buggy Barn.

Stan first heard Matt on Jordan Jo Hollabaugh's "In the Loop" podcast: https://jordanjohollabaugh.com

Stan's TPMS is the RoadTech system from TechnoRV: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

I'm a TechnoRV affiliate and may earn a commission if you use my link.

Rolling Smooth RV book series: https://bit.ly/rollingsmooth

Beyond the Chutes podcast: https://beyondthechutes.show

Wandering Gypsy RV Life: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Support our journey: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Safe travels, my friends, and remember: not all who wander are lost.

Seventy episodes. When I sat down to record the first one back in March of 2025, I honestly didn't know if there would be a second. This week I went back through all 69 episodes and pulled some of my favorite moments: the stories that made me laugh, the lessons that stuck, and a couple that still hit me right in the heart.

In this episode:

- Doug Simcox of Beyond the Chutes on why you better be a little bit handy

- Luke Branquinho's hardest haul, from Lovington, New Mexico to Belgrade, Montana

- PRCA announcer Garrett Yerigan on beating Jack Frost in a freeze

- Tilden Hooper, two blowouts, a bent axle, and what his dad said about his tools

- The day Bertie Bea's water pump quit mid-shower in Kearney, Nebraska

- One small step when everything feels heavy

- The $308 safety decision in the Wyoming wind

- The awning that met the exit gate

- A windshield moment passing the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds

Chapters

0:00 Welcome

0:55 70 Episodes

1:57 Doug Simcox: You Better Be Handy

3:56 Luke Branquinho: The Hardest Haul

5:55 Garrett Yerigan: Beating Jack Frost

8:20 Tilden Hooper: Blowouts, a Bent Axle, and Dad

11:58 Caught With My Pants Down in Kearney

13:24 When It Feels Heavy

15:10 The $308 Safety Decision

16:56 Why I Keep Building

18:29 The Dreams I Didn't Give Up On

19:37 Thank You for 70 Episodes

20:20 Outro

Thank you for riding along with me.

More stories, photos, and adventures: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Podcast: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com/podcast/

Rolling Smooth RV book series: https://rvrollingsmooth.com

Beyond the Chutes with Doug Simcox: https://beyondthechutes.show

TechnoRV: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

I'm a TechnoRV affiliate and may earn a commission if you use my link.

Buy me a cup of coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

My Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/stanc

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Safe travels, my friends. Not all who wander are lost.

PRCA music director Kye Todd spends his summers going rodeo to rodeo, and this year he traded motel rooms for a used travel trailer. Sitting outside at Kick Back Ranch and Event Center, Kye and Stan talk about what that switch really looked like: a blowout on the maiden voyage, fiberglass issues, soft spots in the floor, and a bed lift that quit. They also talk about the best part, his wife Haylee riding along all summer and working from the road.

Kye shares hard-won lessons for anyone buying a used RV. Make the dealer put new tires on it. Push back when something isn't right, because when you say "see you later," they start dealing. And remember that tires can look decent and still be dry rotted from sitting in the sun, so check their age, not just the tread.

They also cover why Kye now trusts a TPMS that actually works, why he keeps his fresh tank full instead of trusting campground water pressure, and how a handful of motel nights can add up to a camper payment.

Plus, how Kye got into rodeo music, his fall run through Florida, and his advice for young rodeo hands: go learn from somebody who has been doing it.

Guest: Kye Todd, PRCA music director

Recorded at Kick Back Ranch and Event Center, Ramer, Alabama

TechnoRV, home of the RoadTech TPMS. Kye now runs: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

I'm a TechnoRV affiliate and may earn a commission if you use my link.

Rolling Smooth RV book series: https://rvrollingsmooth.com

Beyond the Chutes podcast: https://beyondthechutes.show

Kick Back Ranch and Event Center: https://kickbackranch.net

Wandering Gypsy RV Life: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Support our journey: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Safe travels, my friends, and remember: not all who wander are lost.

Three RV rallies, a pantry makeover, some mighty good salsa, and plenty of people worth remembering. As Bertie Bea, Rosie, and I head out of Goshen, Indiana, toward Dayton, Ohio, come along for a windshield conversation to close out the trip.

I’m looking back at the Forest River Owners Group, Grand Design, and Montana Owners Group rallies at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds—and the RV community that made the stay memorable.

Along the way, I revisit conversations with Michael Kilbourne of TechnoRV, Jered Burnett of Cool RV Everything, and Jennifer Schillaci. There’s a visit to the RV and Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame, more usable pantry space thanks to Dave at Custom RV Furniture, a replacement part from Bontrager’s, and a tank-cleaning story involving a buddy who shall remain nameless.

And yes, we’re talking E&S Market salsa, Yoder’s Meats, and the entertainment that comes with watching a campground fill up for the weekend.

Grab a cup of coffee and ride along for one last look back at Goshen.

Explore more and support the show:

• Wandering Gypsy RV Life
• Rolling Smooth RV Book Series
• Rolling Smooth Mindset
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Amazon Storefront
• Shop TechnoRV
• Beyond the Chutes

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn a commission when you purchase through my TechnoRV affiliate link, at no additional cost to you.

Safe travels, my friends, and remember: not all who wander are lost.

Nine years of full-time RV living—and an estimated 200,000 miles on his current rig—have taught Jeret Burnett that experience comes from using your RV, learning how it handles, and asking for help when you need it.

Stan sits down with Jeret of Cool RV Everything for a candid conversation about life as a traveling RV vendor, 500-to-700-mile driving days, Stan’s 300-mile rule, campground entertainment, backing into difficult sites, boondocking, minor repairs, and the routines that keep life on the road moving.

They also discuss why practical RV education matters, especially for travelers who may only take their rigs out a few times each year. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s gaining enough knowledge and confidence to make the next good decision.

Real RV life. Real lessons. Real adventures.

Learn more: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Explore the Rolling Smooth books: https://bit.ly/rollingsmooth

Support Our Journey: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Safe travels, my friends, and remember: not all who wander are lost.

What makes the RV community special—and how can better education help travelers make safer decisions?

In this episode of the Wandering Gypsy RV Life Podcast, I sit down with Michael Kilbourne, owner of TechnoRV, during the Grand Design RV Rally in Goshen, Indiana.

Michael and I talk about:

• Why RVers continue pursuing meaningful trips despite rising travel costs • The importance of businesses remaining present in the communities they serve • How customer service and education distinguish TechnoRV • What RV travelers and the equine community can learn from each other • Tire-pressure monitoring, RV-aware navigation, propane safety, and trip planning • Why technology supports good decisions but never replaces the human element • How the journey often becomes a bigger story than the destination

We also discuss the growing connection between RV travel, rodeo, and the equine world—and why helping people understand the risks, equipment, and lifestyle matters.

My True North remains simple: Keep People Educated and Safe.

Michael and TechnoRV have supported my work as I’ve shared RV lessons, safety information, and life on the road. I’m proud to serve as a TechnoRV brand ambassador.

LINKS

Wandering Gypsy RV Life https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

TechnoRV https://technorv.com?Click=12127

Rolling Smooth RV books https://bit.ly/rollingsmooth

Support Our Journey https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

Beyond the Chutes https://beyondthechutes.show

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

I am a TechnoRV brand ambassador. The TechnoRV link above is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. As always, my opinions and editorial decisions remain my own.

#WanderingGypsyRVLife #TechnoRV #RVLife #RVTravel #RVCommunity #RVSafety #RVPodcast #GrandDesignRally #RollingSmooth

A safe entrance means very little if your RV cannot safely get back out.

After an Airstream trailer was destroyed in a collision with a train in Minot, North Dakota—while its occupants thankfully escaped safely—Stan reflects on the importance of situational awareness before committing an RV to a railroad crossing, fuel lane, narrow road, crowded parking lot, or difficult campground entrance.

Traveling with 36-foot Bertie Bea, a four-foot towbar, and 20-foot Rosie means Stan cannot simply back out when a route becomes blocked or a turn proves too tight. Every fuel stop requires looking beyond the pump: Is the canopy high enough? Can the motorhome complete the turn? Will the tow car track safely? Is there another exit if the planned one becomes blocked?

This episode explores why RV travelers should:

• Wait until the entire rig can clear railroad tracks
• Know the complete path before entering a confined space
• Understand their rig’s height, length, turning radius, and tail swing
• Refuse to let another driver’s impatience control a safety decision
• Investigate the situation before surrendering their options
• Preserve an off-ramp whenever possible
• Remember that an uneventful outcome does not make an unsafe decision safe

Margin is more than extra time. It is room to observe, stop, think, and change the plan before a difficult situation becomes an emergency.

Before you commit the rig, ask one simple question:

Do I know how I’m getting out?

Keep people educated and safe.

LINKS

Wandering Gypsy RV Life: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Rolling Smooth RV Books: https://bit.ly/rollingsmooth

Support Our Journey: https://buymeacoffee.com/wanderinggypsyrvlife

TechnoRV — Adventure More. Worry Less: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

Disclosure: The TechnoRV link is an affiliate link. Wandering Gypsy RV Life may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

Beyond the Chutes: https://beyondthechutes.show

#WanderingGypsyRVLife #RVLife #RVSafety #KnowYourOuts #RollingSmooth #MarginPreservesChoices #SituationalAwareness #RailroadSafety #MotorhomeLife #RVTravel #RVPodcast #KeepPeopleEducatedAndSafe

How did RV travel evolve from covered wagons and early roadside campers into the modern motorhomes we know today?

In this episode of the Wandering Gypsy RV Life Podcast, I’m joined by my friend Jennifer Schillaci of Learn to RV for a conversation recorded at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana.

Jennifer and I talk about the history preserved inside the museum, the surprising connections that hold the RV community together, factory tours, RV manufacturing, quality versus production speed, and the stories that can disappear when nobody takes the time to preserve them.

We also discuss life as traveling content creators, the friendships built at rallies and industry events, and why adventures are usually better when shared with a friend—even if I still travel with my three favorite people: me, myself, and I.

Come along as we connect the covered wagons of America’s westward migration with the modern RV lifestyle and explore the people, vehicles, and stories that helped shape life on the road.

FEATURED GUEST

Jennifer Schillaci Learn to RV https://learntorv.com

EXPLORE MORE

Wandering Gypsy RV Life https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Rolling Smooth RV book series https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com/rollingsmooth

RV/MH Hall of Fame https://www.rvmhhalloffame.org

TechnoRV https://technorv.com?Click=12127

Beyond the Chutes Podcast with Doug Simcox https://beyondthechutes.show

If you enjoyed the episode, follow or subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow traveler.

Real RV life. Real lessons. Real adventures.

Some links may be affiliate links. If you purchase through an affiliate link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Episode summary

One broken anti-billow mechanism changed Stan’s travel plans—and created a genuine GO/NO-GO decision.

After arriving in Milton, West Virginia, Stan discovered that the vanity-slide topper on Bertie Bea had lost its only positive anti-billow restraint. Rather than normalize the risk or let the itinerary dictate the answer, he stopped for the night, consulted Precision RV Repair, and waited for daylight.

The next morning added severe weather, route decisions, a temporary non-destructive mitigation, a human-factors reminder, and an unexpected leveling-jack warning during the rainy drive to Elkhart.

This episode shows the Rolling Smooth Mindset in practice: separate mitigation from repair, investigate alarms without inventing diagnoses, preserve off-ramps, and make the next good decision as the evidence changes.

Resources

Wandering Gypsy RV Life: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com

Rolling Smooth RV Book Series: https://wanderinggypsyrvlife.com/rollingsmooth

TechnoRV: https://technorv.com?Click=12127

Beyond the Chutes: https://beyondthechutes.show

Disclosure

The TechnoRV link is an affiliate link. Wandering Gypsy RV Life may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.