Members RV Travel Newsletter for Saturday, June 22, 2024

Welcome to the RVtravel.com newsletter. “Home of the RV Experts since 2001.”

Saturday, June 22, 2024
Issue 1162
Members edition

 Featured articles 

Winnebago’s latest financials mixed bag. Motorhome production way down

By Russ and Tiña De Maris
On Thursday, June 20, Winnebago’s latest financial results were released. The company’s fiscal 3rd quarter report is a basic reflection of the RV industry in general. If you’re making motorhomes, you’re taking a bath. Building towables? Maybe you’re treading water. Winnebago’s President and CEO, Michael Happe, delivered what could at best be described as a mixed bag of news. Continue reading this interesting update.

If rain spoils your trip, you can get a campground refund

By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Maybe it’s a sign of “newer” thinking. Seems like folks expect everything to be perfect wherever they go—including the weather. For them, this idea may be a winner. If rain spoils your trip, you can get a campground refund. No joshing, no joking, it’s the latest offer from this popular campsite booking company.

RVing opportunity awaits: Travel USA in free RV with free camping, gas and food

By Russ and Tiña De Maris
This membership group, popular among RVers, lets you stay in your RV for free at wineries, breweries, farms and museums, drinking in the scenery, the scents and, yes, the beer, wine, and berries. Like the idea? Now they have your dream job. Become the company’s Chief Retirement Officer! No joke, applications are being taken now. The benefits are beyond outstanding!

Campground Crowding (and more!)
RVers saying goodbye to RVing; “Who wants to spend $100 a night to stay at crowded park?”

RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs. Has that changed campground crowding? Is it easier to find a campsite now, particularly in state and national parks? This week, Nanci Dixon shares more of your concerns regarding higher prices for campgrounds, rude campers, and missing the previously enjoyed spontaneity of traveling. One RVer accurately explains some of the necessity for increased campground costs. More RVers are hanging up the RV keys to avoid the increasing disadvantages of RVing and the greater ease of staying at motels or an Airbnb.

Click here to read

RV walk-through
Drop floor gives “canned ham” Little Guy Micro Max trailer standing room

By Cheri Sicard
Everything old is new again! Based on the Serro Scotty canned ham trailers of yesteryear that originated the drop floor, the Little Guy Micro Max brings it back. The result is a tiny, canned ham-style trailer with enough room to stand! In the video below, the team from Playing with Sticks gives us a tour.

Click here to read more and tour

More RVing news

The largest campground in Rocky Mountain National Park is closed. With 187 campsites, more than 30,000 campers stay at this campground every year. Except this year. The largest campground in Rocky Mountain National Park is closed—and will likely stay that way until winter rolls in. The Park Service says you can blame it on “construction delays.” Here’s the story.

A man was killed and his wife was in critical condition after a brutal attack in their RV at a Nebraska highway rest stop on Wednesday morning, June 19. The incident occurred around 7 a.m. at an Interstate 80 rest area near Grand Island, according to a press release from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office. Learn more about this horrible attack.

Positive norovirus cases have been confirmed following a wave of gastrointestinal illnesses among visitors to Havasupai Falls, located at the base of the Grand Canyon in Coconino County, Arizona, with hundreds of people falling ill simultaneously. Many of the victims had to be helicoptered out of the park. Now, the Phoenix Area Indian Health Service is taking action.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife and its partners the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, are investigating a shooting early Friday, June 21, that left two dead at Lake Pueblo State Park.

Warning: Do not fall for this “smishing” scam! The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is warning EZDriveMA customers of a text message-based scam, also known as smishing. The scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls. Read the whole story here so you know how to avoid this!

If you’re used to traveling along most U.S. interstates, you’ll know how far up the road your exit will be. After all, exit numbers correspond to the mile marker, right? Not so in all parts of New York. But now the Empire State is working on a change. New York is finally bringing logic to exit numbers on its highways. Here’s what they’re doing.

As we wrote back in February, Zion National Park officials were then mulling over changes to enhance road safety. A major concern was the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, which brings traffic into the park from the east. That route takes visitors through a magnificent hewn-rock tunnel. But look out! Big changes ahead! That Zion Park tunnel will soon be off-limits to many RVs.

Due to warm and dry weather conditions and increasing fire danger, fire restrictions ramp up at Grand Canyon National Park. These Stage 2 fire restrictions apply to the South Rim, North Rim, and Inner Canyon. All areas of the park are involved, including campgrounds. Here’s more info.

A lost, dehydrated dog was found in Joshua Tree National Park earlier this week, but when the owners got the phone call about their beloved pooch, they probably weren’t expecting a “violation notice and fine” from the park rangers. Why would these owners be fined for losing their dog in the park? Click here to find out.

Speaking of Joshua Tree and fire restrictions… Joshua Tree National Park has implemented fire restrictions as of Saturday, June 15, through Tuesday, October 1, due to hot, dry weather conditions and increasing fire danger. The restriction encompasses the entire park, including all campgrounds, backcountry sites and picnic areas. Here are the details.

In March we noted that three people had filed suit against the National Park Service over the agency’s new cashless policy. The policy is being implemented at many sites across the country. But three folks took issue with the policy and sued to put it to a stop. Now, the National Park Service wants the cashless lawsuit thrown out. But is the Park Service in violation of U.S. law that “legal tender”—U.S. currency—is suitable “for all public charges”? Find out here.

Are you passionate about vintage camper restoration? Do you dream of bringing a beloved classic back to life but don’t know where to start? Look no further! The Vintage Camper Trailers Boot Camp Online Restoration Summit is here to guide you every step of the way. Join them on August 23 and 24, 2024, for an electrifying online summit where seasoned experts spill the secrets to reviving those charming trailers of yesteryear. IT’S FREE!

As of Friday morning, June 21, several state highways in southeast South Dakota were being impacted due to flooding rains that the area received overnight. Many highways in this portion of the state are currently closed due to the depth of standing or flowing water across the highway. More details here.

A mysterious monolith has appeared in the Las Vegas desert. The unusual sight was quickly posted on Facebook along with a comment from the police: “We see a lot of weird things when people go hiking like not being prepared for the weather, not bringing enough water… but check this out!”

Now, this isn’t something you see every day! When Wes Larson was en route to film a campground in Montana, he got more than he bargained for. Watch this amazing clip of a grizzly bear chasing a moose he viewed from his car window. Wow!

Running into a bear on an RV trip will leave you with plenty to talk about. That’s provided you come away from the experience unscathed. Montana is a big bear state—and wildlife officials want folks in the outdoors to stay safe. Not only are they giving us these bear safety tips, if you are in the Bozeman area next week, you can catch a free bear safety training event.

What’s new at campgrounds and RV parks

Stay up to date on news about campgrounds and RV parks across North America. Every week, learn about new parks, expansions, or special events coming up at campgrounds throughout North America. Read this week’s latest news here.

Saturday giveaway

How would you like to win this Crock-Pot Electric Lunch Box?

This 20-oz. portable food warmer keeps your food warm on the go, and easily heats up! It’s great for RVers who want to arrive at their destination with a warm meal ready to eat.

How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (June 22, 2024) 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!

DID YOU KNOW? As of noon yesterday, Pacific time, the population of the United States was 336,623,041 with one birth every 8 seconds, one death every 11 seconds and one International migrant (net) every 27 seconds. The net result is a gain of one person every 16 seconds. China, by comparison, has a population of 1,416,043,270. SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau

Reader poll
Do you fully hook up for just an overnight stop?

Tell us here

RV and RV-related recalls
Thor recall – Outdoor griddle blocks the emergency exit

Thor’s outdoor griddle option on some of its motorhomes has created a real problem. Turns out, that griddle blocks the emergency exit. Continue reading.

REMINDER! We love baby animals and feel incredibly lucky when we get to see them in the wild, but whatever you do… leave them alone! Here’s the damage you can cause when you disturb a baby wild animal.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS STOLEN RV?

Latest fuel prices

Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of June 17, 2024:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.44
Change from week before: Up <1 cent; Change from year before: Down 14 cents.
Diesel: $3.74
Change from week before: Up 8 cents; Change from year before: Down 8 cents.

For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Brain teaser

You are standing in front of a room with three light switches. In another room, there are three light bulbs, each corresponding to one of the switches. You can’t see into the other room, and you can only go there once. How can you determine which switch controls which light bulb?

(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter. And please don’t spoil it for other readers by posting the answer in the comments.)

Recipe of the day
Orzo With Shrimp, Spinach, Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

by Tracey Adams from Atascadero, CA

Perfect for summer dining, this orzo salad can be a main course or a side dish. Filled with shrimp, salty Kalamata olives, sweet cherry tomatoes, and tangy Feta cheese, we loved the variety of textures and flavors. It’s tossed in a lemon vinaigrette adding a nice burst of citrus to the dish. This recipe is delicious both hot and cold.

Click here for the recipe

Trivia

The United States has the world’s largest gasoline market, consuming about 9 million barrels per day, which is roughly 45% of global gasoline consumption.

CORRECTION: The trivia above is incorrect. We misinterpreted data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We should have written this: “In 2022, total gasoline consumption, based on energy content, accounted for about 57% of total energy consumption in the [U.S.] transportation sector and 16% of U.S. total energy consumption, and based on volume, 45% of total petroleum consumption.”

The Perfect Scam

In part 2 of this 2021 episode, Rookie FBI agent Mike meets 80-year-old Alan, who has sent $600,000 to “friends” he met online. Typically, international scammers are notoriously hard to prosecute. After hearing that Alan visited the scammers in the Middle East and Africa, though, Mike senses a unique opportunity to lure the con artists to the United States. The pair devise a scheme so that the swindlers can be arrested and convicted of their crimes.

Laugh of the day

Today in history

RVtravel.com Staff

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