Welcome to RVtravel.com, America’s longest continuously published RVing newsletter. Be sure to check out all our other RV-related newsletters.
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Members edition
Featured articles
Nomad Internet customers confess how they got “taken”
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Late last month we reported that the Texas Attorney General had filed suit against Nomad Internet and several of its principals. We commented that Nomad promises to deliver high speed wireless internet service with no limits, no throttling, to RVers and other customers. And with the promise of “no contract, no cancellation fees,” apparently thousands have signed up. We asked our readers to share their Nomad Internet experience. Many of them are revealing.
Florida RVers now get priority reserving campsites
Florida residents will now have priority when reserving time in state parks following the signing of HB 109 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The legislation was introduced in response to complaints that third parties were taking up campsites that were reservable by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Continue reading.
iPhone SOS feature saves trapped hikers
By Dave Helgeson
As a trained Search and Rescue volunteer and someone that spends much of his free time in the back country, this headline recently caught my attention: “10 missing hikers rescued from California canyon thanks to Apple SOS feature.” Of special interest was the part where the hikers summoned help using the Apple SOS feature. Learn more here.
New RV aims to save you from doomsday
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Man’s fascination with—or dread of—the destruction of human civilization is growing. In the decade of the 1990s there were 39 movies based on the theme of apocalypse. In the first decade of this century, it ballooned to 67. Are you fearful of the future? This amazing RV could save your life one day. But there’s one shortcoming that really stinks! You have never seen an RV like this!
FCC rejects Dish Network 5G plan that would interfere with Starlink service
The latest ruling from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has effectively scuttled Dish Network’s ambitious 5G plan over concerns that it could significantly interfere with the operations of Starlink’s broadband services. Starlink, the pioneering project launched by SpaceX, provides global broadband service through a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites. Continue reading.
New RV weighs a mere 634 pounds. No kidding!
This new RV from Adventurer Manufacturing weighs in at 634 pounds and is, according to the manufacturer, a “minimalist’s dream.” It’s no frills, for sure, and the price tag is not exactly “pocketbook-friendly”, but it may appeal to some RVers. Learn more and see pics.
One reason mosquitoes attack you and not your companions
Summer is on the way, and in many parts of North America that means dealing with annoying mosquitoes at home and in campgrounds. Why some people are so attractive to the tiny blood suckers could be because of a product they use. Continue reading.
Our pets are more dear to us than we ever imagined, new study suggests
According to our polls at RVtravel, as many as half, or even more, of our readers travel with a pet, most of them a dog. Those who do would not leave home without their little pal (or pals). Now, a new poll of 2,000 U.S. pet owners provides some insight into the popularity of our little furry friends. This is interesting. What do you think about the results?
Video catches bear breaking into pickup truck
Here’s a reminder to always lock the door of your car or RV when you are away. … Check out this bear caught on video breaking into an unlocked pickup truck. It doesn’t take him long to make off with some goodies. This video is from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which posted it on its Facebook page.
Campground Crowding
Yes, dear reader, ‘crowded’ campgrounds ARE different from ‘fully booked’ campgrounds
RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs than has been the recent trend. Has that changed campground crowding? This week, Nanci Dixon shares more stories from our readers regarding their difficulties in finding campground reservations at reasonable rates. And Billie lambasts us for using the term “crowded” campgrounds when they are just fully booked. Oh, and he slams Nanci for her “lazy journalism.” Say what?!
Click here to read, then feel free to weigh in
TRUE OR FALSE?
A woman won $1.7 million from Winnebago after putting her RV on cruise control at 70 mph, and then walking back to the kitchen to make a sandwich. She claimed Winnebago should have warned her that she couldn’t leave the driver’s seat after activating cruise control. Is this true or an urban myth? See below above the staff box.
RV Video Tour
Tour the Wildwood Grand Lodge 42VIEW Destination Trailer: A 2-story RV!
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below the team from Big Truck Big RV (voted one of our readers’ favorite RV YouTube channels) gives us a tour of a unique 2-story RV, the Grand Lodge 42VIEW.
I have to confess that before watching this video, I never got the appeal of such RVs, but my opinion has definitely changed.
That was the RV week that was
May 13–19, 2023
A small explosion inside an RV at a Texas dealership sent three people to the hospital last weekend. Police said the incident happened as the RV was being shown off Sunday at Fun Town RV. Management believes the gas stove was accidentally left on and it exploded when a customer tried to work with it. The customer may have also been attempting to turn the gas off, police said. Three people suffered what are believed to be first- and second-degree burns.
A new study commissioned by Go RVing and the RV Industry Association has found that RV vacations cost much less than other types of vacation travel, even, they claim, when factoring in fuel prices and the cost of RV ownership. The survey, which has been repeated for years on a regular basis, did not take into account that most traditional vacation expenses end when returning home, while the cost of RV ownership continues year round, most of the time while the RV sits idle. A tent camping trip by car would cost far less, but that is not included for comparison purposes in the study.
A West Virginia couple has initiated a lawsuit against Thor Motor Coach, alleging violations of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act. They claim they have experienced serious and repeated problems with the motorhome including defective and inoperable slides, misalignment, discolored and cut linoleum, broken interior windows and other issues. Read more.
Jayco, Inc. is recalling certain 2021-2024 Ethos, Expanse, Solstice and Swift Class B recreational vehicles equipped with certain Cummins Onan QG 2800i and Onan QG 2800i EVAP generator sets. The fuel hose between the inline fuel filter and the Injection Pump Module (IPM) may not have adequate clamp force which could result in a gasoline leak. Learn more.
Airstream is recalling certain 2023 Atlas motorhomes. The 16-gauge branch wires may be under-protected by a 20-amp fuse, which could allow the wiring to overheat in the event of a short circuit. Read more.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced publication of a Public Land Order that supports its management of the Rhyolite ghost town for the next 20 years. The popular ghost town (one of the best in the West) is just outside Death Valley National Park near Beatty, Nevada. It has attracted more than 1.7 million visitors since 2022.
Harvest Hosts has debuted a new service – CampScanner. Members can now access CampScanner’s database of more than 12,500 campgrounds at nearly 5,000 parks to search for available sites at sold-out campgrounds and receive notifications when something becomes available.
AAA projects 42.3 million Americans, 2.7 million more than last year, will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. Road trips are projected to be up 6% over last year as 37.1 million Americans drive to their destinations, an increase of more than 2 million.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking the public to avoid burning due to critical fire danger across northern Wisconsin. The sandy pines areas of northern Wisconsin are always the slowest to green up. Additionally, tree growth in this part of the state is at a volatile stage. Combined with very low humidity and the potential for winds, fires could spread out of control rapidly.
LAST WEEK’S BIG HIT WITH READERS
Our article in last Sunday’s issue titled Homeless people living in RVs stretch for miles in wealthy county has been read more than 263,000 times. If you missed it, read it here (and don’t miss the video).
A 1,000-acre patch of forestlands in Virginia has been added to Shenandoah National Park thanks to the efforts of the Shenandoah National Park Trust and the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. The land includes waterfalls and sweeping views of the Shenandoah Valley.
Headed to Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park? Keep your eyes open for bears — and keep your distance. The grizzly bears have just recently emerged from their dens from hibernation and are on the lookout for food. Don’t make it easy for them to get to yours.
The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) has released an Occupant Protection Traffic Safety report that shows pickup truck drivers and passengers have had the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities across all vehicle types for nearly 20 years. Read more including stats comparing daytime vs. nighttime fatalities.
More than half a million new Canadian households tried camping for the first time in 2022. The report, commissioned by KOA, also revealed a shift towards younger campers, with Gen Z and Millennials making up a larger percentage of campers than in 2021. While 38% of all campers cited their love for the outdoors as their reason for camping, younger campers said their interest came from family vacations.
The Dyrt, the #1 camping app, has announced the winners for their 2023 Best Places To Camp Regional Awards. By region, the winners were as follows: Central Region: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas. Midwest: Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Mountain: Goblin Valley State Park, Utah. Northeast: Cathedral Pines Campground, Maine. Pacific: Wonder Lake Campground, Alaska. Southeast: Cherokee Rock Village, Alabama.
Campgrounds in California’s Yosemite National Park have temporarily closed this week due to the threat of flooding caused by melting snowpack. The Lower and North Pines Campgrounds and the Housekeeping Camp closed as of Monday, May 15, until the flood risk is no longer high.
Speaking of Yosemite… Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road remain closed due to snow. Both roads will reopen later than usual this summer because of the excessive amount of snow.
HELP WANTED: Good writers, researchers and moderators for RVtravel.com. Must love writing, journalism and have high ethical standards. Bad pay or great pay depending on your talent and motivation. Contact Chuck at chuck@rvtravel.com if interested.
According to the 2023 RV Rental Price Index published by Go RV Rentals, RV rental prices in the USA have remained consistent with last year’s rates. The base cost to rent an RV stands at $184 per night, the same as the previous year. Rental prices vary depending on the type of RV, ranging from an average of $89 for a pop-up camper to $307 for a Class A motorhome. Mid-priced travel trailers and Class C motorhomes average $117 and $217, respectively. The lowest observed daily rate was $30 for a pop-up camper, while the highest was $875 for a single night in a Class A motorhome.
The Burleson, Texas, Jellystone Park location unveils its latest expansion with a 2/3-acre resort-style swimming pool and dozens of glamping sites with grain bin cabins (silos), covered wagons, and furnished tipis.
Nevada City, California’s Inn Town Campground has been voted the “Best RV Park Campground” in 2023 by USA Today readers. The campground in the pines is an easy walk from downtown Nevada City, California, a historic gold mining town in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Idaho parks will receive a historic boost in funding to address increased visitor numbers and tackle maintenance backlog. The state legislature has allocated nearly $165 million in funds for the Parks and Recreation Department, with access starting July 1. In addition to infrastructure repairs, the funds will also be used to add new campsites and day-use areas, and rehabilitate boat slips, while addressing the $70 million maintenance backlog over the next few years.
Due to the 2020 Archie Creek Fire, the Lone Pine Group, Rock Creek, and Millpond campgrounds in Oregon in the BLM’s Roseburg District will remain closed for camping in 2023. The BLM continues to work on hazard tree removal and repairs to infrastructure at the fire-impacted sites. Day-use activity is permitted with no fees again in 2023.
Roundabout Publications has issued a new book, Van and RV Camping at State Recreation Areas. The directory profiles 656 camping areas at 415 locations in 30 states, many not found in similar guidebooks. Learn more or order at Amazon.
The Texas House has passed two bills, Senate Bill 1648 and Senate Joint Resolution 74, paving the way for the creation of a Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. If approved by voters, the fund will allocate $1 billion to acquire additional land for the state parks system. This investment is being hailed as historic and unprecedented, coinciding with the state parks system’s 100th anniversary this year.
The Sheetz gas chain has launched its Free Gas 4 Life sweepstakes, which will award one lucky grand prize winner a lifetime of free gas from the convenience store operator. The contest will run through Aug. 31, and is open to any U.S. resident 18 years of age or older. Additional prizes include free gas for a year and $500 Sheetz gift cards. Learn how to enter at sheetz.com/freegas4life.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win this flexible tripod portable fan?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (May 20, 2023) 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.
Reader poll
Have you ever damaged your RV while backing up?
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS STOLEN RV?
“Every customer who drops off a camper must sign a waiver that their insurance company is liable if the camper is stolen.” So reads the news from Manchester, Maine. Now a second customer in a few months may be ruing the day they brought their rig to Scott’s Recreation Center for repairs. This time a 2021 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf vanished from the dealership’s “overflow lot” across the street. The dealer says they’ve installed security cameras since another customer’s rig went missing in October. The latest theft involves a 29-footer, which was apparently blocked in the security cam’s “line of sight.” Have info? Call the Maine state police at 207-624-7076.
Did someone rip off your ride? Let us post information on your stolen RV. Email Russ (at) rvtravel.com.
Latest fuel prices
Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of May 15, 2023:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.54
Change from week before: Up <1 cent; Change from year before: Down 96 cents.
Diesel: $3.90
Change from week before: Down 3 cents; Change from year before: Down $1.72.
For fuel prices for specific states, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Brain Teaser
What single digit appears most frequently between and including the numbers 1 and 1,000? Hint: Look for a pattern!
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter. And please don’t spoil it for other readers by posting the answer in the comments.)
Upcoming RV shows
Click here for a directory of upcoming shows.
Recipe of the Day
Spicy Sweet Stir-Fry
by Lillian Patterson from Big Rapids, MI
A stir-fry that’s packed with delicious flavors. The spicy Schezwan sauce pairs well with the creamy coconut milk. We opted for beef, but pork or chicken will work. Adding the sauce to the meat and veggies as they saute means they soak up the flavors of the sauce. This spicy sweet stir-fry is a simple meal.
Trivia
Stretching alongside the Columbia River and just 22 miles east of Portland, Oregon, Rooster Rock State Park is a perfect place to spend a day away from the city. But did you know that the park has a special “clothing optional” beach? It’s true. It may be the only state park in the United States to offer such an au naturel area.
Laugh of the Week
This one comes from Nick Beres on Facebook. Somewhere in Oklahoma… Don’t drink too much while you’re driving or you may need a potty break sooner.
Today in History
True or False? Did the woman we wrote about above really sue Winnebago and win $1.7 million? Nope. It’s an urban myth that just keeps going and going and going…
RVtravel.com All Star Team
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Gail Marsh, Dave Solberg. Contributors: Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Karel Carnohan DVM, Cheri Sicard, Dustin and Ashley Simpson, Dale Wade, Paul Lacitinola and Jeff Clemishaw. Moderators: Gary Gilmore. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen. Artificial (AI) contributors: Johnny Robot and Milly MacWilly. Canine Mascots: Archie and Astor “the Disaster”
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.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
Help desk: Contact us.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2023 by RV Travel LLC.
Go back to separating California from the average price of fuel.
Add Washington. We haven’t seen diesel below $4.00 in 3 years. Current AAA average is $4.60.
NO! Excruciating to see how much more Cali pays, lol!
If I want to know the price of gas at some intended location I use GasBuddy.com. I also like their new trip planning app that identifies many low cost stations on my intended route.
Geez! Maybe we should look for individual neighborhood prices too.
And eggs and milk.
Okay, I’ll start. Skagway AK, milk $4.59 for a half gallon, eggs $6.45 doz, and diesel is $5.70.
Stock up when you come to Florida – you can save a couple of cents on all of those – and no tax on groceries. Second thot, they may stop you at the border for produce check.
Hi, Bill. Since several states also have high prices, we were asked why we had singled out California. For all state’s fuel prices, you can go to https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/ Take care. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
OK Diane, I understand you not wanting to get into the Gas price controversy, but it’s obviously something many of us are interested in. How about a pol? Still like my idea of the 5 highest and five lowest price states. I know there are other websites that tell you gas prices but I’m reading this site. At least publish that Gov/Petroleum website every time you publish the Latest Fuel prices so we can easily click on it. We can then choose to ignore it or not , sort of like the Southern Border crisis or the National Debt or Social Security problems.
I appreciate your heroic efforts to walk the tightrope. You’re a jewel.
Thanks, Ken. Good idea. I will add a link to the government website with fuel prices for those who want more specific information. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
On today’s ‘Laugh of the Week’… maybe that is why they are named ‘Oklahoma Sooners’…
Why did you discontinue separating Californias fuel prices?
Probably because its 5.00 a gal in most city’s here. Scares people away…
Thankfully!
And to Ken .. If separating CA then why not Nebraska or Delaware?
Hi, Ken. Someone asked us why we singled out California, when there are several other states with higher prices than the rest of the country. I thought it was a valid question. For individual state’s fuel prices just go to https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/ Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
https://www.rvtravel.com/couple-sues-thor-motor-coach-defects-rv/
404 error.
Thanks for letting us know, Glenn. Sorry about that. It’s been fixed. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I throughly enjoy Nanci’s articles, keep up the great work.
Therre’s a similar “urban myth” regarding a student truck driver putting his rig in cruise control and stepping back into the sleeper to make a sandwich. Where does this stuff COME from?
Bought gas in NE Ohio $3.17 without any special discount program.
Regarding BLM and the support for Riolite; that’s how BLM should manage, however, leasing many enormous tracks (3,500 acres +) of land for solar panels (to foreign companies) in our beautiful desert is not good management of OUR land.
Thank you rv travel for this weeks articles, comments, and info
You’re welcome, Bill. Thank you for your thank you.😉 Have a super day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Regarding the 3people that got burned in a rv explosion! All 3 had bad sniffers?
Propane STINKS. no one smelled it?
And every rv has a propane detector. Can’t shut those off unless the house battery is removed.
It’s nice to read about Texas sending a bill to the voters for a $1 billion expansion of the Texas park system for some land acquisition and development. I say kudos, others may disagree but it’s better than the Fed’s acquiring it.
There is a story about Rooster Rock SP. Urban myth or not? I don’t know.
There is a large phallic shaped rock there (for real), and the beach was known as “C*ck Rock” before the park came in. They couldn’t name the park that, so another type of “c*ck” is a rooster. Hence the name of the park. FYI, the aforementioned rock looks nothing like a rooster.