Issue 1223
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Today’s thought
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” —Derek Bok
Today’s thought from the RVtravel.com staff: “How can this month be passing so fast?”
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Cuban Sandwich Day!
On this day in history: 1904 – The automobile tire chain is patented.
Featured news
RV industry blamed for role in destroying rainforests
A startling new investigation has uncovered that many American RVs are built with plywood linked to large-scale rainforest destruction in Indonesia. The lightweight “lauan” wood, used in walls, floors, and ceilings of popular rigs, often comes from forests cleared in Borneo—home to orangutans, elephants, and rhinos. Despite sustainability claims, U.S. suppliers and manufacturers overwhelmingly choose cheaper timber tied to deforestation. This is very sad.
RV manufacturer will add flat $9,500 to RV prices to cover tariffs
A leading maker of high-end compact motorhomes in Europe and the U.S. has announced a new tariff policy following a trade deal between the United States and the European Union. To offset the tariffs, Wingamm USA will charge a flat $9,500 tariff fee on all U.S. Oasi 540.1 models, regardless of model year or optional add-ons. With a 15% tariff on most imports and up to 50% on steel parts, the policy means American buyers of these compact luxury RVs will face significantly higher prices.
Lance Camper returns to independent ownership with revival plans
Lance Camper is back under independent ownership after years under REV Group. Industry veteran Bill Rex, along with his son and partner Matthew Koverman, has taken the reins with a mission to restore Lance to its former high reputation—bringing back the “good old days.” Learn more.
Lake Tahoe camper tests positive for plague
Health officials confirmed this week that a person at South Lake Tahoe has tested positive for plague, likely after being bitten by an infected flea while camping. Plague is most commonly spread by fleas that have fed on infected rodents such as squirrels and chipmunks. Dogs and cats can also carry the fleas. Continue reading.
And more…
Jayco’s new Embark EV motorhome is not fully electric, despite the hype. Many RVers have been skeptical about an all-electric Class A, and Jayco’s new Embark EV shows why that caution is justified. While the coach features an electric drivetrain, it still depends heavily on gasoline and other traditional RV systems to function for long trips. Learn more.
Forest River is introducing a new line of destination trailers it calls Lost Pines, which it says was inspired by the natural landscapes of northern Michigan. The new RV is designed for extended stays. The models, notes Forest River in a press release, “combine outdoor-focused styling with functional interiors.” Here’s when you can expect their debut.
AT&T has agreed to pay $177 million to settle a class action lawsuit over two major data breaches in 2024. These breaches exposed customer information—like names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, account passcodes, billing account numbers, and even Social Security numbers. Some of this data was posted on the dark web or taken from a third-party cloud system. For RVers who rely on AT&T for mobile hotspots, phone plans, or RV tech, this settlement may apply to you.
You may have noticed that Cracker Barrel is doing something it hasn’t done in decades: changing its look. This week, the restaurant chain rolled out a simplified logo as part of a new “All the More” rebrand. Who knew that ditching the well-known illustration of a man resting by a barrel could cause an uproar, but it certainly has done just that! What do you think?
Hipcamp has rolled out a new interactive Fall Foliage Map designed to help campers plan their trips around the changing colors. It’s not all altruistic, “the tool even lets you book a campsite right when the leaves hit their peak.” If you’re planning to RV this autumn, you’ll want to check this out.
Where’d all the campers go? Yellowstone National Park remains one of the busiest parks in the country, but this summer brought a surprise for RVers. According to the National Park Service stats page, “Yellowstone National Park saw a decrease of nearly 30% in recreational vehicles compared to the same period last year in July.” That dip also extended to other types of camping. What’s going on?
A few months back we ran this story: These are the states that allow you to live in your RV full-time. It was a popular piece, but we always have to add the annoying detail, “While the state may allow it, local authorities have the final say.” This week, Greene County jumped on the list of counties that allow permanent RV living in Tennessee. Here are the details.
Brighty the Burro, a cherished bronze statue that once greeted visitors at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim, survived the devastating Dragon Bravo Wildfire—but not without serious damage. The 600-pound statue is now missing both front legs and an ear, though his head and body remain mostly intact, after the fire destroyed the lodge this summer. Conservation experts will now decide whether the statue can be restored or if a new version will need to be created.
RV review
This ultra-spacious 2026 trailer has two bedrooms, two baths, two lofts
May we suggest that most owners of this king-size trailer (just shy of 43 feet) will not use it for weekend camping trips to their favorite Forest Service campground! Nope, this whale of a home on wheels, the 2026 Puma 421LFT, is meant for living, plain and simple. It can be hauled from place to place, of course. But the Forest River product is really designed to be plopped down in one location and remain there for a while, even permanently. Learn more here.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
‘I gave up on camping because there are too many inconsiderate people’
This week, Nanci Dixon has a quick update on their recently purchased “fixer-upper” (understatement) house in Arizona. Plus, readers have more comments on dogs (but more particularly their owners) in RV campgrounds, and express their views on the current RVing lifestyle and other RVers. Read it here.
Reader poll
Do you run your RV’s air conditioner when away from your rig?
More polls from this past week:
- Do you consider yourself an organized or disorganized person?
- How old were you when you landed your first paying job?
- How often do you eat a hot dog?
- Do you decorate your campsite?
News briefs
RECALL: Jayco is recalling certain 2024-2025 Jay Flight SLX travel trailers. The furnace exhaust vent may be missing from the exterior wall, allowing carbon monoxide to enter the vehicle. Unvented carbon monoxide increases the risk of injury or death from carbon monoxide poisoning. Learn more.
Speaking of recalls… Here is why they matter, how they can happen, and what to do about it if your vehicle is recalled. Also, importantly, how can you help force a recall when the RV factory won’t? This article tells you everything you should know.
Washington’s Blewett Pass (SR-97), a popular through-route connecting two major mountain highways, was closed on Thursday through Friday morning in both directions after a motorhome caught fire and created a brush fire on both sides of the highway. The cause of the motorhome fire has not yet been released.
The west entrance of Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park will be closed to inbound and outbound traffic beginning Monday at 6 a.m. August 25 through 6 p.m. Friday, August 29. Visitors must enter or exit the park via Twentynine Palms or Cottonwood.
Due to concerns about the poor condition of a temporary access road, the Hoh Rain Forest area of Olympic National Park is temporarily closed. The area will reopen when a bypass project on the Upper Hoh Road is finished and the road safe.
RADIOACTIVE SHRIMP! The FDA is warning consumers to avoid Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart after tests showed radioactive Cesium-137 contamination. The shrimp, from Indonesia, was flagged by Customs agents as unsafe to eat. Evidence suggests the shrimp was processed or stored in unsanitary conditions. Here’s a list of the recalled shrimp products.
The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association (CRVA) reports that RV wholesale shipments into Canada for the second quarter, ending June 30, totaled 7,867 units, a 14.7% decrease from 9,221 units shipped the same period last year.
Tesla has raised the price of its most-expensive Cybertruck model, dubbed “Cyberbeast,” by $15,000 to $114,990 in the United States despite disappointing sales. Prices of other Cybertrucks stayed put. Cybertruck sales represent only a small fraction of the company’s overall business.
Potable water will only be available to registered campers through this season at Washington’s Bogachiel State Park near Forks. Restrooms will remain open. Showers, the dump station and RV tank-filling water stations will be closed.
A new RV resort opened this month on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Little Lake. Charley’s RV Resort includes 73 full hook-up RV sites.
Hertz will now sell its used rental cars through Amazon Autos. Customers can complete the deal entirely online, and then pick up the vehicle at a designated Hertz Car Sales location. The service kicks off in Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle.
The Chisos Basin area of Texas’ Big Bend National Park will close for about two years beginning May 1, 2026, for construction projects. Basin Campground is open now, but will close during construction.
Bears don’t just wander into campgrounds, they wander into ice cream parlors. That’s what one bear did at Camp Richardson at South Lake Tahoe, California. Oddly, “Fuzzy” favored only strawberry ice cream. The good news, the sheriffs reported, was that the sweet-toothed omnivore caused barely any property damage.
HAVE YOU SEEN SMOKEY? A Pennsylvania fire department is asking for the return of a large, wooden Smokey Bear sign taken from outside the station while firefighters were out. Firefighters returned to their station to find the sign had apparently been removed from its base using a saw. If you come across the sign, please report it to the Pennsylvania State Police.
Construction has begun on Killian Road RV Park in the Columbia, South Carolina, area with a targeted opening in November. It will include 55 RV spaces.
Urban mobility specialist Tern has partnered with Airstream on two e-bikes in a special edition Airstream series. The Vektron S10 Airstream by Tern is an ultra-compact, folding e-bike and the HSD P5I Airstream is a compact cargo e-bike. Both offer efficient riding up to 20 mph.
Water spigots in Mather Campground and Desert View Campground in Grand Canyon National Park were turned back on yesterday (Friday) due to rising water levels in reservoir tanks
More than 7.4 million Americans are planning an RV trip over Labor Day weekend, an increase over 2024, according to a newly released survey from the RV Industry Association. Most plan to stay within a 4- to 7-hour drive from home.
California residents can get a free day-use pass to visit one of 200 participating state parks. 33,000 passes are available to library-card holders at approximately 1,100 public library branches throughout the state, including tribal libraries.
West Nile virus was detected this past week in a mosquito collected in a surveillance trap in Idaho’s Three Island Crossing State Park. Wear your repellent.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: For Pete’s sake, even if your RV has built-in exterior lights, turn them off when you are not outside using them. Not everyone appreciates you lighting up the campground like it’s a 24-hour parking lot.
Dramatic video shows stolen motorhome rescue in dark, snowy wilderness
Months after vanishing, a stolen RV was discovered 25 miles from town—buried in snow and in danger of destruction. With another nearby RV already vandalized, a three-man team had one shot to save it. Using two Jeeps, a kinetic pull, and pure determination, they fought freezing temps and darkness to bring the rig home. Watch the short video.
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Brain teaser
There’s a girl walking down the road with three friends. One friend is vegetation, another a mineral and the third an animal. What’s the girl’s name?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter.)
Trivia
The point on Earth’s surface farthest from its center is found at Chimborazo, a dormant stratovolcano in Ecuador. Although Chimborazo isn’t the tallest mountain when measured from sea level, the planet’s “equatorial bulge”—caused by the Earth’s rotation pushing the equator outward—gives it an extra boost. As a result, Chimborazo’s peak sits farther from the Earth’s core than any other point on the planet.
Laugh of the week
The perfect scam
International crime ring sets up in West Virginia college town
In this archive episode, Huntington, West Virginia, is an idyllic college town on the Ohio River, but it’s also the epicenter of a massive international internet crime ring. Federal prosecutor Katie Robeson hasn’t been on the job long when she learns that a woman in Huntington is acting as a money mule, transferring millions of dollars overseas. Following the money, Katie and her team uncover an elaborate network of criminals, based in Huntington, targeting people all over the country.
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Radioactive shrimp at Walmart. Let’s be more open for it didn’t effect all Walmart stores as those shrimp didn’t not reach all stores for resale. One reason I hate blanket statements or people panic statements. Would be nice if RVTravel posted the link to Walmart so readers can follow up to see if in fact all or what select stores (states) were effected by such recall. Sorry guys I just don’t think due diligence was applied here.
https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-public-not-eat-sell-or-serve-certain-imported-frozen-shrimp-indonesian-firm
Took 6 seconds to find.
Yes, and the shrimp themselves are not radioactive, just the containers they were shipped in. The FDA has not found any that tested positive for radioactivity.
Please stop with the “if it bleeds, it leads” sensational stories.
“FDA determined that product from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati violates the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.”
Re: cracker barrel logo I think RV travel should stay out of politics!
As I stated after the article about Crackerbarrel’s logo change in the comments below the article, Crackerbarrel is a private company and they have the right to change their logo or whatever else if they so desire. If their decision has become political, then the group who has politicized it should stay out of other people’s business.
Get a life, not everything is about politics.
I agree! Some people just don’t like change…me being one of them. Concerning the logo change, it will not stop us from going there.
It will definitely keep us away. GWGB.
The change is controversial and of interest to RVer’s which makes it relevant. There didn’t seem to be political bias on reading it.
Some of the people unhappy at the change are referring to it as a “Crate and Barrell” makeover.
not political at all. A brand RVers stay at changed their logo. Good for them – private company decision regardless if you like it or not. They are making less money and have had a very challenged stock. Need to try something to attract new customers
If they removed their sign altogether I probably wouldn’t even notice. I guess I’m an Independent or Agnostic or something.
“RANDOM RV THOUGHT: For Pete’s sake, even if your RV has built-in exterior lights, turn them off when you are not outside using them. Not everyone appreciates you lighting up the campground like it’s a 24-hour parking lot.”
THANK YOU!
Totally agree, We have motion sensor lights. They’re there when you need them.
Absolutely! As a campground host, I hate the RVs that leave those super bright front endcap lights running all night. So inconsiderate for the people in sites across the way.
Last week camping in Erie I saw one of those campers that lit up the whole area. Should have got the model. Light was on the front on each corner from roof to bottom of camper.
And there is most likely only one guy in the park whose name is Pete.
It would be nice to see a large sign at all camping areas like yours about use of outdoor lights on. People and children need to learn about how beautiful the sky is. We use to teach our children how to get around in dark ..
Kids today know how to get around in the dark – they use their cell phone light. lol Their eyes can no longer focus in the dark because of the screen blue light they look at all day.
Regarding the article on RV construction destroying rainforests. Sadly, this is a direct result of over regulation on American forests, where good companies like Weyerhaeuser, for every tree logged, they plant seven new ones! Yet, the millions of acres available from California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and more have no proper forest management, just overregulation. We can use our own wood, we have so many varieties, but the overregulation has nearly killed off the entire logging industry. It’s not just used in RVs, also home building and everything else that wood is needed for! Let’s use our own renewable, sustainable forests with proper forest management and help!
The radioactive shrimp recall involves several brands in addition to Great Value.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! I heard about that crime deal in West Virginia somewhere. It really is amazing the creative effort of some thieves. Sad that they don’t just go legit, but I suppose they just can’t wait to make tons of money as long as a legit business would take, or as long as they think it will take. Very disappointing. Have a great weekend and safe travels!