Issue 1190 • Ads have been removed in this newsletter for our cherished volunteer paid subscribers.
The latest news for RVers
As the new year rings in, so do taxes at fuel pumps around the country. Depending on where your RV takes you, tax rates won’t change at all, or at relatively low increments. There’s one state where pump prices could jump big—but they’re claiming it’s not really a consumer tax. Read on. Here’s the rundown on fuel tax rates that are changing today—or in the very near future.
Do you remember Knight Rider, the 1980s crime drama starring David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight and his AI-powered car, KITT? KITT could flip its license plate to hide the real one when Michael needed anonymity. Now, for about $200, you can buy your own license plate flipper to avoid toll charges. However, some states are catching on and making them illegal.
As we usher in 2025, RVers across the United States should be aware of several new and updated driving laws. These new changes are designed to enhance road safety and adapt to evolving technologies. Here’s a state-by-state breakdown of new and updated 2025 driving laws.
It may well be too late for California, but sales of motorhomes in eight other states could be spared the Golden State’s fate. Commercial trucking associations have banded together and are pleading with eight state governors (and one governor-elect) to slow down the implementation of ACT—California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation. If those states listen, it might affect the potential motorhome sales shutdown in them.
Wondering how much you’ll have to pump out of your wallet and into the fuel pump this year? Fuel industry watcher GasBuddy says it may be less than you think, projecting that Americans will spend $12 billion less at the pump this year than they did in 2024. Good news for RVers as they hit the roads. The 2025 fuel price pump watcher even drilled down to give monthly projections.
Two Portland, Oregon, men set out Christmas Eve to search for a Sasquatch. They headed to next-door-neighbor state, Washington, and when nothing was heard from them by Christmas, a concerned relative called authorities. Both men were found—dead—deep in Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Their Bigfoot search ended in tragedy.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
RVing has become the experience campers once sought to avoid
This week Nanci Dixon shares more of your concerns regarding the high cost of some campgrounds even during the off-season, when guests are charged for amenities that aren’t even used. One RVer complains of “‘slight-of-hand’ pricing schemes and low-quality services” in parks that are owned/operated by hedge funds and private equity. Another RVer laments the way COVID changed “everything” regarding RVing. But a couple of RVers offer tips on how they deal with the negative aspects of RVing. Read more.
More RVing news
Planning a trip to Death Valley National Park this year? Listen up. Death Valley National Park officials continue to address damages caused by 2023’s Hurricane Hilary. Popular roads and attractions in the park are set to close starting January 6, with some main road and popular attractions remaining closed into 2026. Here are the details.
Pleasure Island RV Park probably didn’t live up to its name when a huge EF-3 tornado blasted through on Saturday. The park, near Port Arthur, Texas, suffered heavy damage, and some RVers were trapped inside their rigs. At least six rigs were tossed around like toys as the Texas tornado blasted a half-mile-wide track of destruction. This was not a happy ending!
An on-duty police officer in Grover Beach, California, saved a man from certain death when the latter’s fifth wheel caught fire. News trickled out after police released the bodycam video of the frightening incident that happened last Friday, December 27. The video of a man saved from a burning RV is enough to pause your thinking. Here’s the full story.
America’s most iconic bird—yes, the one on your money, your passports, and even RVs—has officially been named the National Bird of the United States. That’s right, the bald eagle just got the official recognition for a role it’s been carrying out for more than 240 years. (Talk about back pay!) Here’s why it took so long, and what finally made it official.
Think you drink enough water? The typical figure of how much you should drink works out to eight cups a day. Those eight cups—a half gallon a day or 64 oz.—is thought by many to be good for your health. And if a little is good, more must be better, right? Researchers at UC San Francisco have taken a close look at the available evidence on drinking water and how it affects your health. Does drinking more really make you healthier? Here’s what they found.
Visiting Joshua Tree National Park this weekend? Be prepared for crowds. And you thought Los Angeles traffic was bad? Maybe Californians have had enough, and decided they’ll take a vacation in one of the country’s most distinctive national parks. Rangers at Joshua Tree National Park—just a bit over two hours from L.A.—say the traffic at the park this week will be a whopper.
DON’T MISS OUT ON BREAKING NEWS!
Sign up for a daily recap of all the breaking news we post for RVers every Monday-Friday. Don’t be the last to know! Sign up here.
RV and RV-related recalls
Travel trailer users: Recall of 145,000 hitch receiver locks may involve you
If you use a Reese hitch receiver lock on your travel trailer, heads up. There’s a hitch receiver lock recall involving a huge number of these two-piece locks. The problem: They could separate while you drive. If they do, your trailer hitch can part ways with your tow vehicle—and your trailer right along with it. If your hitch receiver lock is Reese-branded, pay close attention.
Diesel pump problem prompts recall of 295,000+ Ford pickups
Ford is recalling certain 2020-2022 F-Super Duty F250, F350, F450, F550, F600, and 2021-2022 F650 and F750 vehicles. Biodiesel deposits may form on the pump drivetrain roller components, which could lead to failure of the high pressure fuel pump. High pressure fuel pump failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The potential number of pickups affected by this recall? 295,449. Learn more.
Saturday giveaway
How would you like to win this “Camping is My Happy Place” license plate frame?
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
Have you given your RV a name or nickname?
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of December 30, 2024:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.01
Change from week before: Down 2 cents; Change from year before: Down 8 cents.
Diesel: $3.50
Change from week before: Up 3 cents; Change from year before: Down 37 cents.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Brain teaser
I’m sometimes referred to as number one
Change my first, and I may pose questions under the gun
Change my first, and I’m not serious, but fun
Change my first, and I’m earned when the work is done
What are we?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter.)
Recipes of the day
Spaghetti spectacular: Delicious recipes to celebrate National Spaghetti Day
It’s National Spaghetti Day and you know what that deserves? Spaghetti! We’ve put together some yummy-looking recipes for you to make for dinner tonight. Chicken spaghetti, a spaghetti casserole, healthy spaghetti, “old school” spaghetti, and more. You’re going to get hungry looking at these!
Trivia
Bald eagles aren’t bald, so why the name? Their name comes from an old English word “balde,” meaning “white” or “plumed.”
Laugh of the week
Just in case you forgot…
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.
RVtravel.com All Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂
I made my yearly donation. How about the rest of you readers?
Thank you, Dana! We appreciate your donation and your suggestion to other readers, and we especially appreciate YOU! Have a great day and a terrific 2025! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
“Check’s in the mail”…..
Sorry but “Latest Fuel Prices” as you publish it so irrelevant! Even the Government link you publish is poor. (Like that’s a surprise.)
A much more relevant link would be the “Forbes Average Gas Price by State” today.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/gas-prices-by-state/
or at least publish the five highest price States and the five lowest.
For RVers the “average price” for the whole blooming country does us little good when you’re getting 8MPG (plus or minus) where you are right now , or where you’re planning to go.
California average gas price today is $4.77/gal , $1.70/gal, or 36% more than the average of the rest of the country, that seems like it deserves a daily
$3.99 a gallon at Costco in Santee, Ca. this past Thursday..$3.95 a gallon early last week
$2.60 a gallon @ Sams in Dallas, Texas.
To be fair Ken, the price is kinda irrelevant. You pay what they charge when your tank is low unless you’re really skilled at pushin’.
We use GasBuddy linked to a fuel discount card and we start looking at half tank to broaden our options. Fuel is certainly an expense to the RV lifestyle but it’s what delivers the view so we just smile and keep on RV’in’
Excellent Points.
1.‘My point is, why publish this useless “Average” information when they could be publishing a useful link like the Forbes map, or other “Real World” non Government map. Or at least saying “Average Gas price by State ranges from a $5/gal in CA to a low of $2.50/gal in TN.” Then a link.
2 I use “GasBuddy” all the time also. Amazing the price difference between cities that are not far apart or the price difference by just getting off the Freeway and going into town a little ways.
3 GasBuddy isn’t always accurate but does give you an idea of what the prices are in the area.
4 I use Costco or Sams Club whenever I can find them along the route. Sams isn’t TopTier though.
Agreed!
Your third point reminded me of another, “trust but verify” opportunity.
GasBuddy might offer a discount of a nickel per gallon but purchasing directly through the fuel seller’s app or exclusively through it might offer a discount of a dime per gallon. We encounter this at Pilot and Love’s quite a bit.
Diesel $2.79 Houston, TX