Flats, Fans, and Fancy RVs: Our Week of Two Wheels, Four Wheels, and a Few Curveballs

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Week four at Wekiva Falls proved that RV life is a delicate balance of plans… and the universe laughing gently at those plans.

But honestly? It made for a pretty great week.

The Great Bike Tire Saga of 2026

Sunday started with a noble mission: bike into town and gather supplies for another round of Holiday Ham: The Sequel.

We rolled the bikes out… and immediately discovered Darren had a flat tire.

Not just any flat tire.

A rear wheel flat.

If you know e-bikes, you know the rear wheel is the one that requires mechanical patience, yoga flexibility, and about six extra hands.

So instead of a peaceful ride into town, we loaded Darren’s wounded bike into the truck, and I quickly searched for the closest bike shop open on a Sunday.

Success! Or so I thought.

We pulled into the parking lot only to discover my “bike shop” search had actually led us to a motorcycle shop.

Close… but not exactly helpful.

After a few phone calls from the parking lot like two mildly desperate cyclists, we ended up driving down to Winter Park to drop the bike at Adventure Cycling.

Another small hiccup: they didn’t have the right size tube for Darren’s wheel.

Translation:

They had to order it Monday, wait for it to arrive, then fix it — and we were leaving town Thursday.

I could already see the early signs of Bike Withdrawal Syndrome setting in.

So, being the generous and supportive wife that I am, I told him he could ride my bike until his was fixed.

Heroic? Yes.

Self-sacrificing? Absolutely.

Also slightly terrifying, because Darren rides like a man who assumes all bikes are indestructible and need extra miles.

And guess what happened the next day...Darren got a flat while riding my bike - the front tire this time. So, we had both bikes in the shop at the same time! Definitely Bike Withdrawal Syndrome in effect!!

Resort Days and Project Mode

With Darren unable to escape on a bike, we slowed things down a bit and spent a few days just enjoying Wekiva Falls Resort.

This place has become a little oasis for us.

Wekiva Falls sits near the Wekiva River basin, an area known for its lush Florida landscape, springs, wildlife, and that classic Old Florida vibe. It's the kind of place where you can actually relax without feeling like you're missing something.

Since our biking routine was temporarily on pause, we also used the downtime to run a few errands over in Sanford. While driving around town, we stumbled across something that made us do a double-take — Eslinger Way.

Now, if that name rings a bell, it’s because it's so similar to our name. Apparently, the road was named for longtime former sheriff Don Eslinger of Seminole County. Seeing Eslinger Way gave us a good laugh and made the errand run feel oddly like a tiny sightseeing tour.

We wrapped up the rest of our projects back at the resort and saved our energy for the big event coming up:

The Tampa RV SuperShow.

Tampa RV SuperShow Adventure

Thursday, we hit the road for Tampa and checked into a hotel that required what I’d describe as a slightly adventurous navigation experience to reach.

But let me tell you something.

After weeks of water-saving RV showers… an uninterrupted hotel shower felt like a five-star spa experience.

Refreshed and squeaky clean, we headed to the legendary Florida RV SuperShow at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

For RV enthusiasts, this show is basically Disney World for people who get way too excited about slide-outs, solar panels, and clever storage solutions.

Hundreds of rigs.

Thousands of gadgets.

More accessories than you knew could exist.

We spent the day wandering the show with our friends Charlie Grace and (her roadie) Paul. Side Note: Paul was wearing a gifted shirt that references a pretty funny inside joke (IYKYK). AND you may or may not know that Charlie is basically an RV industry guru, which meant we’d stop every five minutes so she could introduce us to another influencer, brand rep, or industry insider.

It was like being backstage at the RV world.

Charlie and I even got our caricatures drawn at the Lippert booth, which was equal parts hilarious and slightly alarming.

And yes… we took a selfie with the Lippert mascot dogs, because obviously.

Thanks to my bestie Alex’s intel, we also tracked down some of her favorite YouTube channel celebs — The VanCaskeys. They were incredibly sweet and gracious when we asked for a photo.

Charlie also hosted a really informative session for RV Queens Podcast, which was packed with helpful RV knowledge.

The vendor section was fascinating, too. Two things that really caught my eye:

Rivet Supply Co. Adventure Boards — gorgeous modular cutting boards designed specifically for RV kitchens. Fellow Brinkley enthusiasts…keep these guys on your radar – something promising may be in the works!

Silwy magnetic dishes and glassware use magnets to stay put while traveling. Genius. Charlie picked some up for her Winnebago EKKO, but for us, they’re probably a little overkill. Still… ridiculously clever.

Brinkley Friends Reunion

Friday, we returned to the show and met up with our friends Ken & Melissa and George & Tammy.

We originally met this crazy crew at the Brinkley Takes Over the Smokies Rally 2025 in Sevierville, near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

RV rallies are funny like that — you show up not knowing anyone and leave with friends scattered across the country.

We spent most of the day hanging around the Brinkley owners’ section, where the Brinkley RV crew had set up a special owner’s lounge with free snacks and drinks.

Honestly, they treat their owners like family.

That evening, Brinkley hosted a private owners' appreciation party after the show closed, where we heard the company leaders speak and introduce their teams. It was actually really cool hearing the story behind the company.

Then came the passed heavy appetizers and open bar, which always improves networking opportunities.

We also hung out with fellow Brinkley YouTubers Real Trailer Life, Pat & Wendy — another pair we first met at the Smokies rally.

We were really hoping to meet Craig & Victoria from Wild RV Life and Craigin Around, but their seminar wasn’t until Saturday — the day we had to head back to Wekiva Falls.

We later heard their talk had the largest attendance of the entire show.

So clearly… we missed a good one.

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