Issue 1216
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Today’s thought
“I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center.” —Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Graham Cracker Day! Time for a s’more, perhaps?
On this day in history: 1937 – Spam, the luncheon meat, is introduced into the market by the Hormel Foods Corporation.
Featured news
A few weeks ago, we mentioned a possible change to national park fees. That idea is now official: President Trump has signed an executive order to raise entrance and recreation fees for foreign visitors. U.S. guests won’t see a change. The move, announced at a campaign rally in Iowa, is part of Trump’s “America First” policy and aims to boost funding for park improvements. Here’s more info.
On July 1, California increased its gas tax from 59.6 cents to 61.2 cents per gallon. That’s a two-cent jump. For RVers, who often keep a close eye on fuel costs, that might sound concerning, especially with some headlines warning of $8-a-gallon gas or price hikes of 65 cents per gallon. But fuel experts say those warnings are overblown… for now.
SPEAKING OF GAS… Amazon Prime Day doesn’t officially kick off until July 8, but members can still enjoy early deals such as discounted gas. For those traveling on the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Amazon Prime is offering $1 off per gallon, eligible for up to 35 gallons, at thousands of gas stations across the U.S. Here’s how to save.
Well, if you’re a-standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona (thanks, Eagles), Love’s is making it easier to have the RV nearby. Love’s RV hookups in Winslow, Arizona, are a reality at a brand-new travel stop—and it’s built with road trippers and RVers in mind. This is Love’s 16th location in Arizona, and it brings with it everything from RV hookups to a dog park, fresh food options, and reliable services you can count on. Learn more.
It began with a shocking sight: a man squatting near his SUV in plain view. By summer 2024, human waste was turning up all over—a growing issue in Colorado towns, on trails, and even on private walking paths. The problem? Too many visitors, too few toilets, and a reluctance to properly dispose of waste. Land managers now call it one of the top backcountry concerns nationwide.
Just last week, we told you about Starlink’s new $750 “demand fee”, but if you thought that was high, get ready. The $1,000 Starlink demand fee is a reality in certain areas of the Pacific Northwest. That fee is being added to new residential Starlink subscriptions, not mobile or RV plans. A Reddit user first spotted the change while trying to sign up from Washington state, where Starlink now shows a $1,000 surcharge on top of the usual $349 equipment cost.
Americans’ interest in electric vehicles seems to be waning. Despite more than 75 new EV models launched in the past four years, AAA’s latest survey shows waning interest. Just 16% of U.S. adults say they’re likely to buy an EV next—the lowest since 2019—while 63% say they’re unlikely, the highest since 2022. Here are the details. (And what about you?)
In the market for an RV? Now might be your moment, especially if you’re shopping used. With more late-model rigs hitting the market and brand-new motorhomes facing sluggish sales, manufacturers like Winnebago are being forced to rethink their lineups. The shift toward gently used and budget-friendly options is reshaping the RV landscape, giving buyers more leverage—and putting pressure on companies to adapt fast. More info here.
If you find it hard to believe how fast an RV can go up in flames, the video evidence may be hard to take. RVers were traveling in their motorhome near Joe Rich, British Columbia, on Wednesday when the unthinkable happened—their rig caught fire. A passerby, Marlon Bartram, happened on the scene with a drone. The drone footage is hard to watch.
If you’re RVing through West Texas, local sheriffs have a heads-up for you—trailer thefts are on the rise. Over the past few weeks, both Midland and Reagan Counties have reported a jump in stolen RVs and oil field equipment. While theft from oil operations is nothing new in this region, RV thefts have become more common, especially during the month of June. That has local law enforcement asking RVers to stay alert and take extra precautions.
VOLUNTEER AND CAMP FREE: If you’ve ever dreamed of spending fall and winter camped out under desert skies, this might be your chance. Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks are looking for RVers to volunteer as campground hosts for the upcoming season.
Reader poll
If you could go back in time to the day you bought your RV, would you wait and buy another RV or keep the one you bought?
TAKE A GUESS: Would RVtravel.com readers remove laundry from a washer or dryer in an RV park laundry room if the cycle was finished and they needed to use it? See if your guess is right.
More RVing news
A tourist recently visiting Grand Teton National Park narrowly escaped a charging grizzly bear by diving headfirst into his car’s open window. A split-second decision no doubt saved his life! Here’s what happened. Yikes!
A long-running debate over the use of speed limiters on commercial trucks has highlighted a growing divide among federal regulators, public safety advocates, and professional drivers. At the heart of the issue is a simple question: Should big rigs be required by law to drive slower than the rest of highway traffic? Well, should they?
FORTUNE COOKIE FORTUNE! A Kentucky woman won $50,000 in the lottery using numbers from a fortune cookie. Kathy Bailey of Lexington said she used the numbers from her daughter’s cookie to buy a Powerball ticket.
Manhattan Project National Historical Park and ORAU will host a free public program, “Beyond the Bomb: Stories of the Atomic Age,” on Thursday, July 24 at 2 p.m. ET in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The event will explore atomic culture and medical innovations sparked by the Manhattan Project, with rare access to the ORAU Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, not usually open to the public. Learn more here.
The National Park Service has found high levels of toxic algae—called cyanotoxins—in the water at the mouth of Antelope Canyon, a popular spot on Lake Powell on the Utah/Arizona border. The levels are close to the upper limit of what’s considered safe for people and animals.
Thanks, RVers! RVers helped in a mass casualty accident after a deadly crash shut down I-20 in Kaufman County, Texas. When a multi-vehicle collision killed five people and injured another, residents and staff from the nearby TR3 RV Resort sprang into action. Hearing the impact from just across the field, they rushed to the scene to assist victims, while others opened facilities and provided relief to stranded drivers stuck in the heat for hours.
After three years of construction, Yosemite National Park is reopening Tuolumne Meadows, one of the park’s biggest and most popular campgrounds, on August 1. RVers and other campers are able to book reservations now on Recreation.gov, and the campground is expected to fill quickly. Learn more or book here.
Speaking of California campgrounds… California is getting its first new state park campground in a decade. Fort Ord Dunes State Park, a quiet coastal spot near Monterey, was once part of an Army base and now protects 800+ acres of dunes and four miles of beach. Soon, it’ll welcome a new state campground built for RVers and outdoor lovers.
RECALL: General Motors is recalling certain 2018 GMC Sierra 1500, 2019 Sierra 2500, 3500, Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab vehicles. The left- or right-side roof-rail air bag inflator end cap may detach from the inflator, or the inflator sidewall may rupture. Details here.
ANOTHER RECALL: If you’re rolling down the highway in a Newmar and hear a strange whoosh, it might not be the wind—it could be your baggage door skin making a break for it. Newmar is recalling some luxury motorhomes after reports that some cargo doors are detaching mid-drive, potentially turning into unexpected road hazards.
On Friday, June 27, Chimney Rock State Park reopened. It had been exactly nine months since Hurricane Helene’s devastating floodwaters washed away the park’s historic entrance bridge and shuttered one of Western North Carolina’s most beloved attractions. Details here.
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline on June 30, 2025, was $3.16, down 5 cents from last week, down 32 cents from last year. Diesel was $3.73, down 5 cents from last week, down 9 cents from a year ago. Most expensive gas: California ($4.57); least expensive: Mississippi ($2.71).
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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 the 18th century, human alarm clocks were known as “Knocker-Uppers.” Clocks were expensive back then, so workers across the British Isles relied on human alarm clocks called knocker-uppers. The knocker-uppers would work in the early hours of the morning, knocking on doors and windows to wake up their sleepy clients. The role was usually filled by people already up that early, such as police constables and lamp lighters, or early-rising elderly people who wanted a little extra income.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: The next best thing to being on an RV trip is studying a road map or atlas before going and dreaming of what’s to come.
Laugh of the week
My husband was water skiing when he fell into the river. As the boat circled to pick him up, he noticed a hunter sitting in a duck boat in the reeds. My husband put his hands in the air and joked, “Don’t shoot!” The hunter responded, “Don’t quack!” —Katie O’Connell, Warrenville, Illinois
The perfect scam
How AI is Making “Pump and Dump” Investment Scams Easy for Criminals
Karen is experienced in investing, but she hopes to boost her retirement savings by joining an investors group on WhatsApp. After a few months of receiving positive trading tips, she follows the advice to invest in several stocks in Asian markets. Her portfolio plummets, losing tens of thousands of dollars. Karen is the victim of a classic “pump and dump” scam: scammers buy a very cheap stock, persuade investors to buy by spreading deceptive claims, and then sell their shares once the price rises, leaving investors with a loss. Learn how AI and an army of bots are making this age-old scam easier for criminals.
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
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Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Current fire and smoke map from AirNow
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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I think your brain teaser is a rerun of one you published just a couple of months ago–with several readers complaining about the way it’s worded and the weird answer that resulted.
I think it was more recent that, but certainly a repeat. Just FYI.
Hi, Tony and Andy. Yep, it’s a repeat. Shoot! No wonder it sounded so familiar when I proofed it. I should have checked further into it. Sorry. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
You’re correct, Andy. My oversight, that I didn’t catch that when I proofed it. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Yeah, but I still never did understand how they came up with the answer!
Woohoo! Washington just raise their gas tax on July 1st by SIX cents. The fuel tax is now 55.4 cents per gallon to around $4.85 a gallon. But wait, there’s more! Starting July 1, 2026, the tax will be adjusted for inflation each year.
Unfortunately, our WA governor always follows CA. Luckily most of our summer travel is in northern Idaho where gas and diesel is over a dollar a gallon cheaper.
Apparently Oregon does too. I paid $4.70 per gallon for diesel on 6/17 in Southern Oregon. I’m glad I was there for one quick trip. In and out in 4 days.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great weekend and safe travels!
Your link on Love’s new Travel Stop in Winslow is incomplete. The link is to Love’s but it is worthless to RVers. It needs to go to: lovesrvstops.com. That will then refer to the Camplife page that tells the details. Accomodations are extremely limited but without the proper link there is really no way to know.
Hi, Horseseahorse. I think the link we included does list information for RVers, but I added a link to this location in particular, which lists it again. Have a good evening/night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
“The drone footage is hard to watch.” Why. It’s a video. Nothing a person hasn’t already seen in movies and TV shows.
Sure, they’ve seen it in the movies, Dennis. But this happened to some unfortunate people in real life. Have you no compassion for your fellow human beings? What if this happened to you and someone responded by saying, “What’s the big deal? It’s just like in the movies.”🤔 Have a good evening/night. 🙂 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I think the folks, rich enough to purchase the electric vehicles/or wanting to purchase, have done so. I hope i never have to buy one, other than our golf cart. As for these “self driving” cars, i think they are a lawyers dream!