Issue 1210
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for our much-appreciated volunteer paid subscribers.
Today’s thought
“My dear friend, clear your mind of can’t.” —Samuel Johnson
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Wyoming Day!
On this day in history: 1607 – Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in North America, is founded
Featured news
Early this week we were putting together a story regarding the potential sale of federal public lands. It appeared that it was possible that nearly a half-million acres of public lands, including some next door to one of America’s national treasures, Zion National Park, could have gone on the sale block. What a difference a few hours makes. Now, those lands are not for sale. Here’s what changed.
A brand-new Florida KOA has been slated for demolition. It was one family’s dream: Build a campground in the Sunshine State. The dream became a reality and the KOA Holiday Campground in Panama City Beach swung the gates open for guests. But in just a few months, the dream RV park will vanish under the blade of the bulldozer. Eminent domain wipes out this Florida KOA RV park, because the state wants to widen the highway.
Thinking about Starlink? Starlink and RVing for some is a “natural.” No matter where your RV takes you, you’ll be able to stay connected to the internet—even while in motion. But some have been put off by the high cost of the hardware. Starlink’s Mini dish, required for in-motion connectivity, normally retails for $599. But for a short time, VERY SHORT, you can pick up the hardware at a big discount.
BIG RECALL: Toyota is recalling certain 2022-2025 Toyota Tundra and Tundra Hybrid trucks. Moisture may enter the reverse light assemblies and cause a light failure. As many as 443,444 vehicles may be affected by the recall. More info here.
What was the number one amenity added to private campgrounds last year? Wi-Fi? Swimming pools? Tiki bars? Dog parks? Nope, none of the above. It was something much, much more popular than those. Can’t guess? Find out here.
A tractor-trailer driver’s apparent overreliance on GPS navigation led to the closure of Snake Creek Road in Great Basin National Park. Some speculate the driver was attempting to bypass a weigh station, while others believe he was seeking a shortcut across Nevada’s Snake Mountain Range. Whatever the reason, the incident highlights yet another costly misadventure caused by misguided GPS directions. (Do not do this at home, kids!)
FOR FUN: Yesterday, all six of Oscar Mayer’s iconic Wienermobiles competed in a race held just before the start of the Indy 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This inaugural event, dubbed the “Wienie 500,” was no ordinary race. Each Wienermobile was decked out to represent a different regional hot dog style: Chicago Dog, New York Dog, Slaw Dog, Sonoran Dog, Chili Dog, and Seattle Dog. And the winner? The Slaw Dog, edging out the competition by about half a bun length. Here’s the full race video coverage (start at about 28:00 for the race).
Last month, we reported a recall affecting 600,000 GM vehicles with 6.2-liter V8 engines, found in some pickups and large SUVs. GM says defects in engine components could lead to failure, with fixes ranging from full replacements to oil changes and new caps. But a new class action suit argues the fix hurts fuel economy and resale value. Here’s what’s behind the lawsuit.
Camping at or visiting any Iowa state parks this year? With more than 759,000 campers and more than 13.5 million visitor days last year, state parks are anticipating another busy season. And with that comes big changes to the Iowa State Parks System.
IN MONTANA? Perhaps you want to attend The Old Saloon’s Testicle Festival in Emigrant, MT, tomorrow, May 25. There will be Rocky Mountain Oysters aplenty, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Testicular Cancer Foundation.
BE SAFE THIS WEEKEND
Memorial Day weekend ranks as one of the most dangerous holidays on our nation’s roads and waterways. It marks the unofficial start of summer, a period notorious for a surge in impaired driving crashes. The National Safety Council estimates that 443 people may die on U.S. roads during the 2025 Memorial Day holiday period.
Please be safe and do not drink and drive!
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
RVers discuss: Is the 10-year rule ‘snooty’?
Last week in this column, readers discussed the 10-year rule (the age limit on RVs allowed to stay in some RV parks) and how, in some parks, it was even less than that. This week, we hear from more readers regarding their thoughts on that rule and some potential issues it may cause for them. Do you agree?
Reader poll
Are you spending this Memorial Day weekend in your RV?
More polls you might enjoy:
- Do you agree with this statement: “With an RV you can go where you want, when you want”?
- Which campsite do you normally choose, a pull-through or back-in?
- For couples: Are you or your partner a better driver?
- Would you prefer to stay in a campground where kids were not allowed?
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of fuel as of May 19, 2025:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.17. Up 5 cents from last week; down 41 cents from last year.
Diesel: $3.54. Up 6 cents from last week; down 25 cents from last year.
• The state with the most expensive gas: California, $4.88
• The state with the least expensive gas: Mississippi, $2.67
Upcoming RV shows & seminars (recently updated). Click here.
Brain teaser
Susan and Lisa decided to play tennis against each other. They bet $1 on each game they played. Susan won three bets and Lisa won $5. How many games did they play?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter.)
Trivia
In 2024, the median age of first-time U.S. homebuyers hit a record 38 years—the highest since data collection began in 1981—so says the National Association of Realtors. Overall, the average age of an American homebuyer also reached an all-time high of 56 years last year, a 44% increase from two decades ago, while for repeat buyers, the trend was even more dramatic.
Laugh of the week
RV comic
The perfect scam
The NFT Scam Targeting Artists
Douglas is enjoying a second career as an artist, selling his paintings online and in gallery shows. People occasionally ask about non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of his work. Still, he never gives it too much thought until a woman on LinkedIn approaches him with what seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Her company can convert his artwork to an NFT for free and sell it for him. He signs a contract and sets up a cryptocurrency account, and within a few months, he gets the good news that the image has sold. After paying large sums in fees and taxes, Douglas learns it is all an elaborate crypto scam.
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
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
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Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone at RV Travel!!
And thank you for all you do putting this newsletter together for all of us every single day !!
Ditto Bill – well said! …and to you and yours as well.
Thank you, Doug and Bill! We hope you and yours have a great Memorial Day weekend as well.🤗 –Diane
Mountain Mama: after seeing Tommy’s name in a few of the past article comments recently, would you please send Mrs. Tommy my very best wishes, thoughts, and prayers for her and the family. thankyou, Bill
😢 Thank you, Bill. I’ve emailed your comment to Mrs. Tommy (Galeyn), and sent her the link to reply to your comment here. Have a good evening/night, and a safe and enjoyable trip.🤗 –Mountain Mama
Thank you for your kind words Bill. Tommy was truly one of the good ones, and I was so lucky to have had 38 years as his wife.
He certainly added insight and politeness to RV Travel’s community with every comment, Mrs. Tommy. He will always be missed here. Best wishes to you and yours!
Thank you Doug, and I hope this finds you doing just fine as well !
Happy? Smh.
An inadvertent slip of the tongue, from one of our most thoughtful and considerate readers. Have a good day, Gary. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
The puns called during the Weenie race made me laugh out loud~~
The 2 announcers really made the weenie race a delight to watch and hear. Thank you for providing.
They all threw caution to the wind. Not a single Weenie was using a condiment!
🤣🤣🤣 Debating whether I should censor that or not. (Kidding.) But it’s too clever so I’ll leave it for others to enjoy.😉 Have a good afternoon/evening, Dave. 😀 –Diane
Now, THAT was funny. Were you one of the race announcers? Glad that Diane left your comment in.
👍 Have a good night, Kelly.🤗 –Diane
Instead of Aunt Edna; the Ex wife?
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Hmm, I was 37 years of age when DW and I bought our first home. We bought/had built home #2 when I was 60 years of age. Have a great week and safe travels!
PS, what Bill Byerly said. 🙂
If you’re going to build something really big — wouldn’t you go to the city or county office that has maps and plans for what is being planned for the area you want to develop? I wonder if the road widening paid more than the original cost of the land and the new development?