"Great American Road Trip" winner entertains audience in Louisville

The winner of NBC's "Great American Road Trip" reality progam entertained attendees at a presentation at the National RV Trade Show with stories of his family's adventures and his newfound love of RVing.

Silvio DiSalvatore from Yonkers, New York, said driving cross-country in a motorhome with his family this summer brought them closer together.

"I spent 32 days traveling nine states with my family in an RV," he said. "My kids' eyes were wide open the whole time. And let me tell you, the United States is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. I was mind-boggled."

DiSalvatore and his family won $100,000 in the show's competition. "Great American Road Trip" followed seven families as they competed against each other at different landmarks in and around the famed Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles.

The program helped boost the image and bring greater understanding of the RV lifestyle for families across the nation, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

"The competing families all found the experience of RVing to be rewarding and fun, with many families who were sent home saying that the trip itself brought them closer together, and that family bonding was the real prize," said RVIA Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Gary LaBella. "That's a great message for the show's viewers."