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June 5, 2021
Cover story
RV park owner discusses reality of electric vehicles and charging stations in parks and what it means to RVers
By Mike Gast
T
wo weeks ago, I wrote an essay regarding the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and discussed what the future might hold for campgrounds. RV parks, with a plethora of 50-amp pedestals, are often seen as last-ditch filling stations for the current EV crowd.
The topic certainly is a popular (or unpopular) one among RVers, judging from the number of comments the article received. We’ll continue to look at the future for electric vehicles and other “green” options in coming weeks, including reviews of new vehicles and other new energy-saving devices for the RVing lifestyle.
Today, I thought it would be informative to visit with a campground owner in California (always the epicenter of green technology) who happens to own a traditional Chevron fuel station that also offers EV charging stations for Tesla vehicles.
(Photo by Jessica Caimi, BenitoLink.com)
Meet Gene Zanger, whose family has owned and operated the Casa de Fruta complex in Hollister, California, since the family planted its first fruit orchard there in 1908. The complex now includes not just a fruit stand, carousel, narrow-gauge railroad, mining sluice, wine store, and huge restaurant, but also a large Chevron station and the 250-site Casa de Fruta RV Park, which is affiliated with Good Sam.
It was Gene who last week provided me with the photo of the Tesla towing the Airstream Bambi.
Gene’s business is unique in that he has the RV park, the fruit stand/restaurant and the Chevron station that also has 20 charging stations for Tesla EVs.
Click here to continue reading for Gene’s interview, where he answers questions about the future of electric vehicles in RV parks. You will find this fascinating.
Help wanted
TECHNICAL EDITOR WANTED: RVtravel.com is looking for an expert on RV repair and maintenance to join our editorial team on a freelance basis. Must be a good writer, RVIA certified, and be comfortable in front of a video camera. The pay could be excellent for the right person. We’ll turn you into a celebrity in the RV world. If interested, contact publisher Chuck Woodbury at chuck@rvtravel.com.
We are also looking for someone to review books about RVing and Camping. Email Chuck at the address above.
CHUCK WOODBURY’S ROADSIDE JOURNAL
How we waste our time
RVtravel.com founder and publisher Chuck Woodbury shows you how he and RVtravel.com editors waste their time every day!
Headline stories in tomorrow’s newsletter
• RV park owner sells his park. Are Mom and Pop campgrounds dying?
• Harvest Hosts buys Boondockers Welcome
• New chain of RV parks coming, will offer “deluxe camping”
• KOA website now searches multiple campgrounds for open sites
• Used car prices soar, up 16.8 percent. Sell now, buy later
And all the latest news that affects RVers.
PLUS: Campground updates • Latest fuel prices • Stolen RV Report • Latest RV recalls • AARP Scam Report • Reader survey • and much more…
Last week’s Tip of the Day highlights in RV Daily Tips Newsletters
• Trailer loses tire; driver doesn’t know. Moral: Check those lug nuts!
• Easy tips to make sure your RV’s fridge stays cool all summer long
• Reader explains the best driving-to-camping ratio rule
• Listen to the most recent RV Travel Podcast. “RV Talk Radio for the 21st Century.”
• Sign up for our Podcast Insider to receive an email alert for each weekly program. Hear each weekly episode two days before everyone else!
2nd edition now available!
New free directory lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE
How many different makes and models of RVs are there in America? RVtravel.com has the answer in a new, free, comprehensive 105-page directory that lists every U.S. manufacturer and every brand and model they make. We just added 32 pages of new information, including better ways to search quickly for details on particular models. “RVs: Who Makes What” is available free as a public service from RVtravel.com in PDF form. Learn more and/or download a free copy.
Today’s RV review…
Today, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the Minimaliste Tiny House: Sequoia. He writes, “In some ways a tiny house is a fifth wheel or travel trailer, but more suited to be parked in one place for a long time. That also makes it much like a park model, which also is designed to stay where it was last towed. While all of these can be towed to a new location as they have wheels under them, they’re also not designed to be towed frequently nor often.” Could a tiny house be a perfect solution for those who are thinking of buying a park model or permanent RV spot? You’ll have to decide for yourself. Read more.
Last week’s reviews:
• 2021 Surveyor Legend 203RKLE Travel Trailer • 2021 Airstream Caravel 22FB Travel Trailer • 2021 nuCamp T@B CS-S Teardrop Hybrid • 2021 Winnebago Voyage 3538BR Travel Trailer • Scout Olympic Truck Camper
Clintoons • By Clint Norrell
The story behind this Clintoon:
Boondocking critters: Unwelcome guests like the RV life too!
By Clint Norrell
Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park is halfway between Libby and Kalispell, Montana. The Peninsula Campground is primitive. The roads are full of roots and ruts and potholes. The campsites slope irregularly toward the lake. They are numbered and that is their most developed feature. There are no leveled RV pads. No water and no electrical, but we had the whole campground to ourselves.
Continue reading this hilarious story of a chipmunk who just wanted to make himself right at home!
MORE OF CLINT
See some of Clint’s recent cartoons. They’re wonderful!
Featured article
Why saying “Black” matters: A reflection on last week’s article
By Nanci Dixon
Last week I wrote an article about a Black couple that is building an RV park in Alabama and received a myriad of comments. These comments ranged from “Congratulations!”, “Great job!”, “I wish them the best!” – to questioning why “Black” even belonged in the article. I was also told never to go to Alabama, I am not welcome. Several people indicated it was race-baiting, media-promoted and disgusting to bring up race. Continue reading Nanci’s thoughtful and heartfelt response.
Campground Crowding: “I empathize with those who didn’t get to camp the way we did”
More people than ever are taking up RVing. The result is campground crowding like never before. In this weekly blog, RV Travel readers discuss their experiences. This week there are more readers reporting that they’ve had no problems getting a reservation at a campground. A reader has a great idea to ease the strain on public campgrounds from temporary workers taking up the spots. And a reader reminisces about the good ol’ days of camping. Plus much more, here.
Bird nest blues: It’s illegal to move a bird’s nest – even if it’s on your RV!
By Gail Marsh
An RV neighbor of ours has been engaged in a bird battle for more than a week. It seems a robin has its sights set on the perfect nesting spot: under our friends’ Class A slide out. Somehow the little guy found a hollow corner that looked perfect for a nest. So, he and his mate have been working tirelessly to find straw bits, dried grass, and other suitable building material for their home. It’s been fun to watch. Well, from my perspective, that is. My neighbor isn’t enjoying the show! The kicker: In the United States, it is illegal to remove or destroy an active bird’s nest. Read more.
Why we wander: New column reminisces on road trip culture and why it’s still so important
By Chris Epting
As “normal” life begins to creep back, we wanderers keep our secret safe. The pandemic didn’t completely rob us of our ability to move around. For certain, there were changes and there still are situations that have yet to return to the way they were. But, as wanderers, we knew that no matter what, the open space and especially the open road was the safest place to be. As a travel writer, my life was affected but what we have all been through. But it also pushed me to look harder for little places that cast big shadows. I’ve written many books with you, the wanderer, in mind. Continue reading.
Where, exactly, did Cary Grant dodge a crop duster in the Hitchcock film classic “North by Northwest”? Read Chris’ columns here at RVtravel.com and you’ll find answers to questions like that so you can visit!
Finding the “perfect” RV requires a shift in perspective
“There is no perfect RV.” That’s the advice a salesman-friend gave to our writer Gail Marsh and her husband. Over the years they have realized he was right. At the time, they were looking for the impossible: an RV that offered plenty of sleeping space for their extended family, comfortable seating for all, a large basement, towable with their truck and priced within their budget. That RV didn’t exist. Read how they resolved the issue so their present RV is nearly perfect for them.
10 trails were just added to the National Trails System. You’ll want to hike them all
In celebration of National Trails Day on June 5, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced 10 new national recreation trails in eight states, adding more than 160 miles to the National Trails System. The newly designated trails join a network of more than 1,300 existing national recreation trails across every U.S. state. Continue reading.
Last year at this time, these were the most popular articles
• Oops! Big rock loaded on little truck. Watch and weep!
• Hilarious video of a granddad who won’t drink water, only wine!
• Peek inside the top luxury RV resort in the U.S. Would you pay $800,000 to live here?
• Lose the shake with a 5th wheel or goose neck tripod
Reader Poll
Do you plan to spend more time RVing this summer than last?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment. CLICK HERE.
The most popular poll in this past week’s RV Daily Tips newsletters:
Have you ever been stuck in your RV during a storm so violent you feared for your safety? See how nearly 1,700 other RVers responded, and read some of their comments – yikes!
Brain Teaser
I am a seed with three letters in my name. Take away the last two and I still sound the same. What am I?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday news newsletter. And please don’t spoil it for other readers by posting the answer in the comments.)
Thanks to Chuck Bonelli for submitting! Do you have a brain teaser you think we should use? Send it to us here.
You can prevent RV-caused wildfires
Wildfire. It’s a scary, deadly enemy. In 2020, nearly 59,000 wildfires burned across the United States, chewing up 10.1 million acres. Could RVers be responsible for wildfires? Our minds may immediately leap to an unwatched campfire lighting off the forest. But 2018’s deadly Northern California wildfire, the Carr Fire, was set off, not by an untended campfire, but rather by an RVer, unaware their trailer had suffered a blow out. The wheel rim, in contact with pavement, set off showers of sparks, catching roadside brush on fire. How can you prevent RV-caused wildfires? Get some important tips here.
Shameful vandalism, trash, human waste at all-time high in recreation areas
According to a TIME magazine article published last July, one mounting reason the National Park Service closed a significant percentage of its parks in spring of 2020, coinciding with the onset of mass closures following the onset of COVID-19, was the accumulation of trash and human waste and decimation of plant life off-trail. The author reports the behavior of folks new to hiking forced the decision to close specific parks and sections of trails early. COVID-19 and its after-effects further kept many parks closed for as much as a year. Continue reading, then please participate in the poll.
Is this your RV?
If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific time today, June 5, 2021. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.
Last week one reader claimed their $25 Amazon gift card: Gregg Brown of El Paso, Texas.
We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.
Popular articles from last week
MOST POPULAR:
→ The future of RVing as many know it is doomed
PLUS:
• 6 stories of RVers who got kicked out of campgrounds. Was it fair?
• Black couple follows their dreams, build brand-new RV resort
• Campground Crowding: “We hate crowds; that’s why we RV!” Is that a quote of the past?
• Big recall of Grand Design 2016-2021 trailers for potential fire hazard
• Traveler warning: Dangerous squirrels rampant in Grand Canyon
• Rig trouble? Beware the roadside rip-off
• Want to buy an RV? Buyer beware!
• Reader says this popular TP caused problems in RV. Which brand is best?
• National Park Service encourages visitors to “Plan like a park ranger”
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win a Byakov Dash Cam?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (June 5, 2021) by 7 p.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email via RVcontests@gmail.com that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner! Congratulations to Herb Sands of Longmont, Colorado, who won a SoftStartRV. Herb will be staying cool this summer when other RVers near him will be wiping the sweat from their brow!
Resources
UPDATED MAY 20 (2nd edition): “RVs: Who Makes What” – This is a new free directory from RVtravel.com which lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models. Learn more and/or download a free PDF copy.
NEW: AAA Map of COVID-19 Travel Restrictions (U.S. and Canada)
Stolen RVs — Help us recover these stolen RVs. The more eyes we have searching for them, the better chance of getting them back to their rightful owners, and maybe putting the crooks who stole them in the slammer! See the stolen RVs.
Great websites. Check out our favorite websites of the day! We compiled a list of (almost) all the websites we’ve ever posted, and we update it weekly.
Where to complain about bad RVs, dealers, service, RV parks. This is an ever-expanding list of resources where you can report, share or discuss your problems with RV manufacturers or dealers.
Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.
Directory of RV parks with storm shelters
In case you’re on the road with your RV and the weather report is showing a tornado headed your way, have this list handy.
RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.
What does financing an RV for 20 years REALLY mean?
In case you missed this article the first time around, here it is again. Important! Click here.
Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.
RVs for sale at eBay. Click here.
As seen on the Florida RV Camping Facebook group… Thanks for sending, Jim Dresser!
RV Repair and Maintenance
with Mark Polk, RV Education 101
These tips ran in our weekday RV Daily Tips Newsletter this past week, but for those of you who don’t subscribe (what is wrong with you??), here they are again!
• Prepare early for your RV trips – You’ll be glad you did
• Is your tire pressure gauge accurate? How can you tell?
RV education you can trust from RV Education 101: Get instant access to RV Online Training.
Phone Photography Tips
Tip #5: Avoid your digital zoom
By Mike Gast
The lack of ability to change lenses can lead to the overuse of the digital zoom function on smartphones. All you have to do is put your finger on the magic zoom slider and sweep to the right, and you can digitally zoom into any scene. On the new iPhone 12, you can zoom up to 12 times the normal view. But there is danger in the maximum zoom zone. Some older model smartphones still have a slide bar that changes from green to yellow to red as you push the slide to the right. That was their way to warn you that you were entering a photo quality “danger zone” with an extreme zoom. Read more and stay away from that zoom!
NEW! YES, Vacancy!
Each week head to a new campground with Scott Linden. Scott will take you across the country to show you campgrounds with vacancies! (Can you believe it?!)
Here’s a new RV park in Pigeon Forge, TN
With Scott Linden
Searching out the nooks and crannies, finding a decent campground and comfy site in an RV park is a contact sport these days. The good spots are snapped up quickly, so if you read about it here, contact the park soon. Here’s this week’s pick: Pigeon Forge Landing RV Resort, Sevierville, TN. Click here to read more or book a stay at this lovely resort.
RV Gadgets and Gizmos: Product reviews
With Tony Barthel
A bright gadget review: Luci Core lights come in handy all around the RV
By Tony Barthel
“It’s a light. It’s just a light.” That was what someone told me as I excitedly told them about a gift I was given, a Luci Core LED light. You see, in addition to writing stories here, I also give workshops on RV Basic Training and some other stuff. An attendee was so happy with the RV Basic Training class that she gave my wife and me each a Luci Core light.
What was the big deal about this light? Two primary things, actually. Continue reading to find out.
RVelectricity
Pros and cons of the big three brands of EMS surge protectors
Dear Mike,
Do you know anyone who has tried out the EMS surge protectors from the big three manufacturers? —Fabian
Dear Fabian,
Indeed I do, and that would be me. I have sample Advanced/EMS surge protectors from Hughes, Progressive Industries and Surge Guard in my shop and I’ve experimented with all of them. Continue reading for my pros and cons for each brand.
This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Electric space heater tragedy in an RV
Time for another reminder about the dangers of portable electric space heaters and extension cords. Read this sad story from last Sunday’s News for RVers newsletter, then let’s discuss what likely happened and how to avoid a similar tragedy. Read more.
RV Tire Safety
Does tire over-inflation cause so-called “blowouts”?
By Roger Marble
Are “blowouts” the result of running a tire inflated to more than the tire sidewall number? I think people are over-thinking tire over-inflation. Roger explains why he thinks that here.
The Digital RVer
Google Maps can find your next rest stop
By Chris Guld, Geeks on Tour
There are lots of apps that can tell you where the rest stops are, but they don’t know where you’re going. It can be a pain to check the rest stop app, then go back and check your GPS, then go back to the rest stop app, etc. Since Google Maps, on my iPhone, is doing my navigating, it knows the route I’m going to follow. I can ask Google Maps to search for Rest Areas along that route, and it can add one as a stop, giving me the directions. Everything you need, all in one app. Watch this 1-minute video to see exactly how to do it.
Recipe of the Day
Crock Pot Cheeseburger Mac
by Leena Corral from La Mirada, CA
This is an easy dinner that the whole family will love. It’s cheesy, meaty and full of flavor. Kids will love the creamy, hearty meal and the “chef” will love how easy it is to make. Once everything is in the Crock Pot, you only have to give it an occasional stir while it’s cooking, fold in cooked macaroni and, voila, dinner is ready.
Mmm mmm mmm! Get the recipe here.
Other recipes featured in this week’s Daily Tips Newsletters:
• Apricot Barbeque Sauce for Grilling • Salmon Club Sandwich With Dill Caper Aioli • Crunchy Cheddar & Onion Chicken Breast • Southwest Breakfast Frittata Quesadilla • Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“This is Moe (named for our momentary lapse of reasoning) our Doberdork, enjoying a sunset at Nebraska Tail Waters of the Missouri River on our trip to Montana last year. He is a seasoned traveler and a TDI-certified therapy dog. Moe was rescued through the Doberman Rescue of the Triad and one couldn’t ask for a better companion. People often ask what kind of dog he is. Our reply is ‘He’s a good dog.'” —G. White
Pets featured in this past week’s RV Daily Tips:
• Chloe, Trini, Sam & Missy • Nuisance & Jack • Pyewacket • Macy • Ginger
Vintage Postcard of the Week
Postcards owned by Colleen and Ed Weum, Pacific Northwest Postcard Club. Read more about their 90,000 postcard collection here.
Trivia
The sun’s core is so hot that a piece the size of a pinhead would give off enough heat to kill a person 99 miles away.
Word and Phrase Origins
From the book, Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson:
money. “In Roman mythology, Juno was the wife of Jupiter and queen of the heavens, the goddess whose prime responsibility, among many, was to warn people of dangers. The Romans were so grateful that she had warned them of the Gallic invasion in 344 B.C. that Lucius Furius built a temple to Juno Moneta, as she was called (her last name deriving from the Latin word moneo, ‘warn’), on the Capitoline Hill. Later, the first Roman mint was attached to the temple and Juno Moneta became the goddess and guardian of finance. The coins minted there were called moneta, after the goddess, and the word became moneai in French, which later became our money. The word mint, a place where money is made, also derives from moneta via the old English mynot.”
Laugh of the Week
An older man walks into a bar and the bartender asks for ID. “You’ve got to be kidding,” he said. “I’m almost 60 years old.” The bartender apologized, but said he had to see the license. The guy showed his ID, then paid and told the bartender to keep the change. “The tip is for carding me,” he said. The bartender put the change in the tip cup. “Thanks,” he said. “Works every time.”
Leave with a song from the past
Oh, what a great time it was when the Fab Four invaded our lives. Here, remastered, is one of the group’s first HUGE hits!
Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?
If you have not contributed to RVtravel.com for some time and would like to do so again, you may do so here. Thank you.
RV Travel staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. News editor: Mike Gast. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Tony Barthel. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Machelle James, James Raia, Kate Doherty, Gail Marsh, J.R. Montigel, Clint Norrell, Scott Linden, Randall Brink, Chris Epting and Andrew Robinson. Social media and special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Linda Brady. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES — OUR STAFF MEMBER IN HEAVEN, Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor, who was taken from us by the coronavirus.
Honorary Correspondents: Loyal readers who regularly email us leads about news stories and other information and resources that aid our own news-gathering efforts.
• Mike Sherman • George Bliss • Tom and Lois Speirs • Steve Barnes • Tom Hart + others who we will add later.
ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Contact advertising@rvtravel.com .
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
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This newsletter is copyright 2021 by RVtravel.com
Last week’s Tip of the Day highlights in RV Daily Tips Newsletters
• Trailer loses tire; driver doesn’t know. Moral: Check those lug nuts!
This is not true. There is no relationship between a tire and lug nuts !!!!!!!!!
A wheel yes, a tire no.
Picky, picky, picky! 🙂
It is not a common occurrence, but loose lug nuts can result in wheel wobble that can cause tire damage.
So are you of the mindset that believes there is no relationship between the person pulling the trigger and the bullet leaving the same gun?
So remember the time when the Beatles came out. Thank you for bringing back memories
I remember watching them on the Ed Sullivan show, he introduced them to the world!!!!!! I think our TV was like 16″ & where we lived the voltage was down & our pic was a bit undersize. My Sister Joan was all over them, I think she was like 16 or so!
Snoopy
Per your requests for articles, I submitted one in April. I then asked the status in May and still have gotten no response. So now I’m trying this public venue for getting a response. I’m perfectly okay if you don’t want to publish it. But I do think it would be appropriate to respond.