August 31, 2024 • Issue 1172
The latest news for RVers
A man has lost his leg in a freak RV awning mishap. He is now suing Dometic, the manufacturer of the awning, and Camping World, who sold and installed the awning, for $27M. It all goes back to August 2022, when Trevor Irish, the plaintiff in the suit, was traveling with friends along Oregon Highway 58, between Eugene and the Crescent Lake area… Continue reading about this freak accident.
In recent weeks, a controversial development proposal has sparked a wave of protests across Florida. Citizens are rallying against plans to introduce extensive construction within several Florida state parks. The proposal includes the development of golf courses, hotels, pickleball courts, and other amenities within nine of the state’s parks. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection unveiled the ambitious plan last week. (Report updated Aug. 30.)
North America’s highest paved road will close until 2026. RVers, if you’ve ever dreamed of driving to the top of the highest paved road in North America, your window of opportunity is closing fast. This scenic byway, a breathtaking 28-mile route that ascends over 7,000 feet to a dizzying height of 14,130 feet, will close to all traffic on September 3rd. Here’s why.
A series of bumbling mistakes and misjudgments have led a California judge to toss out multiple charges against an RVer. In what could easily be described as a situation where National Park Service rangers acted like Keystone Cops, the RVer spent a year-and-a-half in jail, as well as losing his motorhome. It all started out on a dark night in January 2022… Continue reading this crazy story!
Get ready to send your jaw to the floor… Bowlus’ newest travel trailer starts at a quarter-million+. If you’re an RV dealer, you know motorhomes aren’t exactly selling like hotcakes. They cost too much! Travel trailer sales are increasing in momentum because of their affordability. Well, almost. One manufacturer has just rolled out a “95th Anniversary Edition,” and the price tag is not for the faint of heart. Check this out.
AAA says Labor Day gas prices will be down. Still, they’re not dropping as fast as they have been recently. Prices dipped just two cents to $3.36 since last week. A slight uptick in gas demand may reflect the last hurrah for summer travelers. More on weekend gas prices here.
Starlink promises to help all cell users… if the Feds agree. Imagine you’re in your RV, far away from the nearest cell tower. Not far from you, a tornado has touched down and it’s headed your way. Your cell phone blares out an emergency alert. But wait! There’s no cell tower in reach. What happened? Your phone got the alert from a satellite. Yep, Starlink promises to help all cell users in this kind of scenario. But only if Uncle Sam cooperates.
If your Labor Day weekend travel plans include crossing Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge on Monday, Sept. 2, keep in mind the Mackinac Bridge Authority closes the bridge 6:30 a.m. to noon each year for the Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. More info here.
Headed to the Grand Canyon National Park? Make sure you go with full fresh water tanks. Effective August 29, Grand Canyon campground water is shut down. The park is implementing Stage 4 water restrictions. The dry taps are due to a series of four significant breaks in the 12.5-mile-long Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park. Only dry camping is permitted. Learn more.
National Park Service says okay to ride e-bikes in parks as long as the superintendent determines it’s consistent with public safety and consideration of natural and cultural resources. Read the full story to know where you can, and can’t, use your e-bike.
Campground crowding (and more!)
“Trucks and RVs are so expensive that we have no funds left to camp!”
This week Nanci Dixon shares more of your experiences regarding increasing campground expenses, difficulties finding campsites in some locations, and how some RVers handle those situations. Also, Nanci relates her story about what happened when Labor Day weekend sneaked up on her(!) and she hadn’t made reservations. Uh oh! Read more.
RV review
2025 Forest River Impression 360MYR—Well, that’s different
By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the 2025 Forest River 360MYR fifth wheel. As I did, you may have a bunch of questions about this rig. Impression is the mid-profile fifth wheel arm of the people who bring you Salem and Wildwood. The idea with these is to provide a value-oriented offering that also has some upscale touches. Click here to read.
More RVing news
As the warmth of summer transitions to the coziness of fall, KOA will offer an extra incentive for its Rewards Members to stay throughout September. From September 1 to September 30, campers booking a stay with a KOA Rewards account will earn double the points in addition to the standard 10% discount. More details here.
It’s no secret that Love’s loves RVers. By building RV “campgrounds,” the big truck stop firm not only makes a few dollars on your overnight stay, they probably count on you coming inside for goodies, maybe even a meal. To sweeten the deal, Love’s will knock 10% off your RV hookup price any time you roll into one of their slots from the first of September, right on through February 9th next year. But there’s a catch.
As more 2025 RV models hit dealer lots, there’s bound to be some movement of older rigs to the auction house. What might seem surprising, during July, the most recent month of sales data, is where prices went. Used RV prices edged up slightly, according to Eric Lawrence, the principal market analyst with Black Book, an industry number watcher.
Did you RV in a national park last year? You may be able to pat yourself on the back—you’ve helped the country’s economy. So say the latest statistics that indicate the national parks pumped up the U.S. economy at record-setting levels. The National Park Service released a new report on the parks and the economy. It finds visitor spending in communities near national parks in 2023 resulted in a record-high $55.6 billion, benefitting the nation’s economy and supporting 415,400 jobs.
Speaking of lifting up the National Parks economy… Many of us would be excited to get a hundred-dollar bill as a gift. Imagine the excitement at the National Park Foundation (NPF) when handed a million times more than that. Earlier this week, Aug. 26, the NPF said it’s been given a $100 million gift by Lilly Endowment. The grant is the largest one ever received by the NPF, and the largest ever to benefit national parks. Learn more.
Looking for a good deal on a Starlink Kit? It could cost you hundreds more. It sounds like something out of a dark movie. A guy comes up to you on the street and says, “Psst! Want to buy a watch cheap?” Then he rolls up his sleeve, displaying a half-dozen Rolexes. There’s a similar game making the rounds. It’s a great deal on a Starlink Kit, saving big bucks. But in the end, the Musk tech company could have the last laugh.
Back in April we reported on the two vandals who damaged ancient rock formations at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. At the time, we posted an image of the two goons, caught in the act of vandalizing the park. Now the alleged rock formation vandals have been indicted, continuing in the annals of stupid crooks. But we may open a new category, this one for stupid attorneys. Read on.
Wholesale shipments of RVs to dealers showed their 9th straight increase over the same months of 2023. While RV manufacturers’ shipments are up 17%, it’s still a good news, bad news scenario. Good news for towable builders, but lousy news if you make motorhomes.
Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park will temporarily open the North Entrance Road for two-way travel beginning 7 a.m. today, August 31, through Monday, September 2, to accommodate visitors over what is expected to be a busy Labor Day weekend. Learn more.
While Labor Day marks the last gasp of summer for many, RVers are bucking the trend. While more than 7 million plan RV trips this holiday weekend, a majority of RVers are planning fall trips. Majority? 79% of those surveyed said autumn RV travel is part of their plans. The statistics come from RVIA, which says RV fall trips are becoming more popular than rental properties.
The Arizona National Guard rescued 104 people from severe flooding on Havasupai tribal lands, a popular tourist destination near the Grand Canyon. The floods stranded tourists and tribal members and tragically claimed the life of Chenoa Nickerson from Gilbert, Arizona, whose body was found downstream. The Havasupai Tribal Council has declared the trail into Supai unpassable and closed the area to tourists until further notice. Are you flash-flood prepared?
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and 16 Texas state parks will host hikes to shed light on this issue, which affects many veterans and their loved ones. The Veteran Suicide Awareness Ruck Hike, an annual event organized by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, allows families, friends and veterans to network and build a support system, as well as spread the word about veteran-specific mental health issues. These are the parks hosting events.
The Cherokee National Forest has announced the temporary closure of the Little Stony Dispersed Camping Area on Watauga Lake, TN, effective August 30. Officials cite public health and safety concerns as reasons for the closure. This decision comes after a significant accumulation of trash left by visitors. The trash has attracted bears to the area, posing an additional risk to campers. Here’s the full story.
British Columbia Parks is intensifying its efforts to monitor campsite reservations, ensuring fair access for all and cracking down on scalpers. Recently, an individual was discovered attempting to sell two campsite reservations on Facebook Marketplace at $83 each, with the seller even offering to be present to check the buyers in. According to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, BC Parks staff are vigilant in monitoring for such scams or any attempts to resell campsite reservations. Learn more.
Fun facts about bull elk. They can weigh in at 700 to 1100 pounds. They’re fast. Topping out at 45 miles per hour, one source says, they “can even beat horses in short races.” Officials at Yellowstone National Park have found it necessary to warn visitors about bull elk safety, in a “no bull” sort of way. The elk mating season, commonly referred to as the rut, has begun in Yellowstone National Park.
What’s new at campgrounds and RV parks
Stay up to date on news about campgrounds and RV parks across North America.
Read this week’s latest news here.
Saturday giveaway
How would you like to win this Camco “Life is better at the campsite” tablecloth and bench cover?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today by 7 p.m. Pacific time. You can only enter once and after we notify you by email that you won, you have 24 hours to respond.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!
Reader poll
What’s your take on automated cameras for traffic enforcement?
RV and RV-related recalls
Winnebago recalls motorhomes for potential camera failure
Winnebago is recalling certain 2023-2024 Vista, Sunstar, and Adventurer motorhomes built on F53 chassis. The wiring may have been incorrectly routed, damaging the forward-facing camera wiring. Damaged wiring can cause the camera to become inoperable, disabling active brake assist, lane keep assist, and auto high beams and increasing the risk of a crash which can cause injury. Learn more.
Escape trailers recalled for risk of kitchen fire
Escape Trailer is recalling certain 2024 Escape 17, 19, 21, 23, and 5.0 travel trailers. The LED backlight circuit board in the cooktop range may fail, causing the board to overheat. A circuit board that overheats increases the risk of a fire which can lead to injury or worse. Read more.
Winnebago Minnie trailers recalled for wrong microwave wiring
Winnebago is recalling certain 2024-2025 Minnie travel trailers. The microwave may have been incorrectly connected to a 20-amp breaker, allowing the wire to become overloaded. An overloaded wire increases the risk of a fire, which can lead to injury. Learn more.
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of August 26, 2024:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.31
Change from week before: Down 7 cents; Change from year before: Down 50 cents.
Diesel: $3.65
Change from week before: Down 4 cents; Change from year before: Down 82 cents.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Brain teaser
Two cars were involved in an accident in the center of town. The man who was driving a little green car had overtaken a big black car. The driver had misjudged the distance between him and the on-coming traffic and had to swerve back in, causing the black car to swerve and crash into a shop window. When the occupants of the cars were examined everyone in the green car was okay, but in the black car was one dead man. However, the driver of the green car was not charged with manslaughter. Why was this so?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter.)
Recipe of the day
3 juicy grilled meat recipes for a perfect BBQ weekend
Fire up that grill because these three recipes are ones you’re going to want to make every night on this long weekend. A delicious marinated flank steak, pineapple chicken kabobs, and a sticky-sweet grilled pork chop you’ll want to keep in your weekly rotation. Can you say YUM? Click here to see.
Trivia
The duffel bag gets its name from the town of Duffel, Belgium, where the cloth used in the bags was originally sold.
The perfect scam
The Undercover Hacker
In this 2021 episode, an IT professional in the UK who goes by the alias Jim Browning is battling cyber scams. Fed up with robocalls disrupting his day, Jim decides to fight back. As con artists try to scam him, Jim uses his professional training to reverse engineer his way into their computers. With the ability to see everything on these computers, Jim works to thwart their operations and save potential victims.
Laugh of the week
Today in history
RVtravel.com All Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
That Laugh of the Week must be from the same idiots who pick up bison calves in Yellowstone and put them in their SUVs. Or it was intended to get a laugh out of Indiana newspaper readers?
‘Laugh of the Week’… USA is doomed…✨
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂 Oh, oh, me, me, pick me, I know, I know, I know the brain teaser answer! 😉 Well, I think that I do. I guess we’ll see … tomorrow. 🙂 The laugh is funny, well-worn, but still funny to imagine someone actually thinking or saying such a thing. Thanks again, have a great weekend, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Woohoo, I think I know the answer too!! Also glad to see I’m not the only one still going through today’s well laid out and produced newsletter. Thank you all involved for putting it all together, again and again !!!
Too much college football today, Bill. And it won’t likely change for months. Have a great weekend, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂