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Saturday, November 18, 2023
Issue 1131
Members edition
Featured news articles
Get ready for big traffic over Thanksgiving holiday
If you plan on getting out and about on the upcoming holiday, look out! Here are the AAA projections for Thanksgiving holiday travel. The big motorists’ interest group says 55.4 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. Continue reading what this means for RVers.
Meanwhile… The RV Industry Association has released its own findings, based on their Holiday Travel Intentions Survey. Topping the list of statistics, 20 million are planning to go RVing this holiday season, a 30% increase over 2022.
Coming up in a few days, 55% of RVers plan to take a trip this Thanksgiving. Read more of the RVIA’s findings here.
House bill would increase disabled vets’ access to federal lands
A bipartisan bill filed in the U.S. House of Representatives would increase disabled vets’ access to federal lands. It’s called the Military and Veterans in Parks (MVP) Act. The aim is to improve veterans’ physical and mental health by increasing access to recreational activities in National Parks and other federal lands. Learn more.
Love’s new Georgia stop has RV hookup sites
RVers traveling through the Peach State needing a quick overnight stop with conveniences have one. Love’s new Georgia stop has RV hookup sites in West Point. You’ll find it off Interstate 85 (1917 Highway 18) at Exit 2. “This store guarantees the many amenities that make Love’s a highway attraction for customers, including clean restrooms, various food options, parking, and much more.” The “parking” portion of the new Love’s Georgia stop includes 10 designated RV spots. Read more.
You can now buy a Hyundai on Amazon, more brands to come. Car dealerships in trouble?
You can buy just about anything on the internet. How about a car? Why not buy a Hyundai on Amazon? On November 16, the two companies announced a partnership that will allow customers to do just that. Not surprisingly, some car dealerships are a bit shook up, and the announcement reverberated through some auto seller stocks. Learn more.
Georgia axes motor fuel taxes; save $$$ at the pump
Georgia has axed motor fuel taxes. True enough, through the end of November, motorists won’t pay tax on gasoline or diesel. The move, says the state’s governor, is “due to ongoing high prices and uncertain economic conditions caused by failed policies coming out of Washington, D.C.” Read more.
Starlink ‘Roam’ news of interest to RVers
By Randall Brink
For those of us who have come to depend on Starlink Roam service for RV travel broadband, several developments over the last week, and one expected on Saturday, November 18, will interest Roam-equipped RVers. Read the latest Starlink news here.
Beer saves an RVer’s life
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
An RVer in Lowell, Massachusetts, says he owes his life to beer. Don’t head for the store to buy a six-pack just yet—there’s more to the story. It involves a propane explosion and good friends showing up at the right time. This is how beer saved an RVer’s life.
Campground Crowding
“Campground neighbors so close they can comment on my sneeze inside my RV!”
RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs than has been the recent trend. Has that changed campground crowding? Find out in this week’s report from Nanci Dixon. RVers are complaining about campgrounds being turned into Romper Rooms (“parentless playgrounds”), close quarters in campgrounds (“If your neighbor can comment on your sneeze while you’re inside your own RV, that is way too close”), and many comments relating to higher prices for campgrounds but not necessarily reflected in any better quality or more amenities.
RV Video Tour
First look: 2024 Coachmen Euro Class A motorhome—Inspired by Europe, made in the USA
By Cheri Sicard
Join the team from RVing TV for a first look at the 2024 Coachmen Euro Class A motorhome, an RV inspired by European motorhomes but manufactured right here in the USA. This post is not going to be as detailed as most. This European-style motorhome is so new Coachmen doesn’t even have information on their website about it. So consider it a sneak peek of what’s to come.
Click here to tour this impressive motorhome
We are now reporting the news daily
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More RVing News
New BLM travel plan for parts of Arizona would affect nearly 1 million acres. The BLM, one of the West’s largest public lands managers, is looking for your comments. Click here to learn more.
More than two dozen labor unions are calling on the federal government to rein in autonomous vehicles. In a letter to the Secretary of Transportation, the unions wrote that driverless vehicles are a menace to society. The unions say that federal officials should dig deep into the record and reliability of driverless vehicles. More on that here.
Every year KOA gathers guest surveys from more than a quarter million of its campers. That feedback, paired with results of an annual inspection process, qualifies the company’s more than 500 campgrounds across the United States and Canada for a set of awards – the Founder’s Award and the President’s Award. See the long list of 2023 winners.
Speed cameras in Michigan? The state’s legislature is considering allowing speed cameras in Michigan. Dubbed by some as “speed ticket cameras,” the traffic monitoring devices would be allowed in work zones. Learn more by clicking here and don’t speed in MI.
Planning a trip to Montana’s Glacier National Park? Next year, 2024, Glacier will require vehicle reservations on some routes through the park. Coming online over time, by summer three routes will have a reservation system to ease congestion. Learn more.
Court orders RV dweller be awarded $3 million after wrongful arrest. Christopher Garza was working on a car outside of a Salem, Oregon, tire shop when he got a visit from a local police officer. The policeman accused him of stealing the car at the shop and, after inflicting injuries, arrested him. Now a court orders that Garza, an RV dweller, be awarded $3 million in the case.
UPDATE: Christy Perry was found safe on Friday and is undergoing medical care at a local hospital. A search is currently underway for a missing hiker after her family reported that she did not return home from a trip to Big Bend National Park. Christy Perry is a 25-year-old female, 5’2″ tall and weighs 100 pounds. She has brown hair and a fair complexion. Learn more about Christy here.
A Camping World takeover in Missouri has hit the news. This time the big company has set its sights on Youngblood RV in Springfield, Missouri. Camping World says the deal will consummate early in 2024. By taking over Youngblood RV, Camping World asserts it “fortifies its #1 position” in the Show Me State. Learn what’s included here.
20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed until further notice. The full closure is from milepost 66.3, near U.S. Highway 501, to milepost 85.9, at Virginia Route 43. The closure began Wednesday evening in an effort to help U.S. Forest Service crews who are battling the Matt’s Creek Fire. Learn more.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win this book of National Parks Puzzles?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (November 18, 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.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!
Reader poll
Do you plan to celebrate Thanksgiving in your RV?
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS STOLEN RV?
Vanishing pop-up from Houston, Texas. That’s the word on a theft that occurred earlier this month. The 2015 Forest River Rockwood Freedom, series 1640LTD, vanished from Houston’s streets. It bears Texas license plate, B63 5983, and its VIN is 4X4CFM217FD294355. If you have any information that might lead to its reappearance, contact the Houston Police Department at (713) 884-3131.
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 November 13, 2023:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.35
Change from week before: Down 5 cents; Change from year before: Down 41 cents.
Diesel: $4.29
Change from week before: Down 7 cents; Change from year before: Down $1.02.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Recent Recalls
- Nearly 100,000 Subarus have been recalled for switch problem
- Thor recalls motorhomes; solar panels can fly off
- Jayco is recalling some White Hawk travel trailers: Emergency exit
Brain Teaser
I have four wings, but cannot fly. I never laugh and never cry. On the same spot I’m always found, toiling away with little sound. What am I?
(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.
Recipes of the Day
Ideas for the Thanksgiving table…
- Green Bean & Scalloped Potato Casserole
- Rosemary Bacon Brussels Sprouts & New Potatoes
- Super Delicious Apple Cider Turkey Brine
- Pecan Fudge Pie (pictured)
Trivia
The first official presidential turkey pardon can be traced back to President Harry S. Truman in 1947. However, it wasn’t until 1989 that the “turkey pardon” became a more formalized and annual tradition. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush was the first to formally grant a presidential pardon to a turkey, starting the now well-known tradition of the presidential turkey pardon. The turkey was then sent to a petting zoo instead of ending up on someone’s dinner table. This playful and lighthearted tradition has continued ever since, with each U.S. President participating in the annual turkey pardoning ceremony.
Laugh of the Week
For today’s poll photo, we asked A.I. to create “an image of a Thanksgiving feast on an RV table inside an RV.” This is what it came up with. Looks like A.I. REALLY (reallllllly) loves mashed potatoes! Made us laugh! Looks like Johnny Robot still has a ways to go…
Today in History
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 and Cheri Sicard. Contributors: Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Dustin Simpson, Dale Wade, Jan Steele and Tony Barthel. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen. Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributors: Johnny Robot and Milly MacWilly. Canine mascots: Archie and Astor “the Disaster”
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The picture on the front of the newsletter that says “Crowded Campgrounds”, looks more like a rally than a campground. I’ve NEVER seen a campground that looked like that.
Would love to know where that’s at.
Would hate to be there.
I have. That is at a crowded campground without a rally. It was at one of the highest rated campgrounds near Indian River, Michigan. Typical sold out weekend. The ‘packed’ look is partially a forced camera perspective. I’m sure everyone likes the park better when not fully sold out, but park management had it all under control.
Hi, Tommy, and everyone else commenting on that picture. If you enlarge the picture, it says in the top left corner: “*This is an image illustration.” I asked Emily about that, and she said that means it was A.I. generated, and that that’s a sufficient explanation. So that’s how some of the images in our newsletters are identified. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Holy smoke! Is there no escape? Ha.
I just went back to that picture and zoomed way in. There are more bicycles in that mess than at a bicycle RALLY! One person with no top half of their body, and all kinds of other goofy stuff. And now I see that note in the upper left, which I missed the first time around. Thank you, Diane.
Sorry for the delay in responding, Tommy. I’ve been proofing tomorrow’s newsletters. And nope, I guess there’s no escaping A.I. anymore.🙄 (I think it’s taking over everywhere, actually.😮) But, yeah, some of the details in the illustrations it comes up with are pretty humorous. Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane
AI out of control, Oh My !! 😛
I think as of about a year ago I had never even heard of AI. It’s useful in a lot of cases, but scary in others. Have a good night, Bill. 😀 –Diane
Thank you, you too!
I will. Thanks, Bill.🤗 -Diane
Laugh of the week is pretty good.
Walt Disney is spinning in his grave at what his pride and joy turned out to be.
OK, I’ll bite. Which would make Walt spin in his grave?
1) A colorized Mickey Mouse?
2) Mickey Mouse, the cartoon character that has and continues to delight children and grownups for 95 years?
3) Mickey Mouse, the universally recognizable symbol of a corporation than has made millions for its shareholders?
5) All of the above?
3
What was #4 JP.
Was #4 the changing of family friendly Classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs too Snow White and the Magical Creatures?
Classics are Classics for a reason, thats why they are Classics.
Doctor Seuss got wokeified too so no surprise that Disney’s Prince Charming can longer kiss a sleeping woman for fear of being labeled a white cis gender predator. Cancelation and censorship.
Much bigger dynamic than Mickey in color or having some Disney Stock in a 401k.
I might be wrong JP but I think that’s the angle Bob P. was driving at. ✌️brother.
Number 4 was, It’s just a cartoon character, but since I can’t think of anything in 2023 to be happy about, I may as well make a cryptic comment to let everyone know I’m mad at the world.
But, then I decided people can be just as happy or just as miserable as they choose to be and left it as a fill in the blank.
Mad at much of the world too. 🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇸
Keeping the faith and thankful for the many blessings in my life. Also JP, I am thankful for you and the civility we maintain in our dialogue, always. Keep the faith friend.
Thank you, Cancel, I feel the same. I appreciate the respectful exchange of views and civility as well. I suspect when we set aside the differences of opinion largely based on life experience and background, we agree on far more than not. And yes, there is much beauty, wisdom and kindness in this world to be grateful for.
Yep, agree again with you Cancel !
3
Like the Euro design and a 27 foot Class A. Too bad it exudes that legendary Forest River quality, including poor laminated cabinetry, single pane windows, and cheap basement hatches. I imagine lots of used ones will be on the market once buyers get tired of repairing everything.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Thanks, Neal! Our last comments were posted at the exact same time. So I’ll repeat my previous message: Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!🦃 –Diane