Issue 1225
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Today’s thought
“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Read A Book Day!
On this day in history: 1620 – The Pilgrims sail from Plymouth, England, on the Mayflower to settle in North America.
Featured news
More than 600 staff members at Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks have voted to unionize with the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), giving employees collective representation and a National Park Service union for the first time. The election, held from July 22 to August 19, passed overwhelmingly with more than 97% voting in favor. Here’s the story.
Driving slow in the left lane? Not a good idea! Yet, sadly, we know that some motorists, RVers among them, will drive for miles in the fast lane even when other motorists are backed up behind them. For motorists waiting to get by the lane hogs, it’s frustrating, even maddening. Now, driving slow in the left lane could get you fined or, even worse, land you in jail.
THE LARGEST FREE RV SHOW! Every January, Quartzsite, Arizona, becomes a magnet for RVers and outdoor enthusiasts, with thousands of rigs filling the desert around town. In 2026, three headline events promise to make Quartzsite the winter capital of the RV world: Camelpalooza; the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show; and the QIA Pow Wow Rock, Gem & Mineral Show. Learn more here.
RV travelers rolling through the Texas Panhandle now have a new stop to add to their route. Love’s Travel Stops has opened a full-service location in Tulia, Texas, bringing more options for fueling, dining, and overnight rest to the busy corridor along Interstate 27. This new Love’s Travel Stop includes RV hookups.
If you once subscribed to Starlink but later paused or canceled your service, SpaceX may be offering a tempting reason to reconnect—especially for RVers who rely on internet while traveling. Select former Starlink customers are being invited to try the service free through September 30.
RVers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula were caught off guard this week when Camping World in Escanaba shut down without warning. Employees and local residents learned on Wednesday that the store was closing permanently. According to staff, corporate representatives from Camping World arrived at the dealership, and some workers thought the visit might be to celebrate strong sales in recent months. The news wasn’t welcome.
AARP—America’s senior support organization—has turned its attention to RVers. The big organization recently published its recommendations for the best campgrounds for U.S. road trips. While evidently taking a nudge from KOA for the idea, their suggestions include some quieter, non-commercial places to stay in on the trip. Here they are.
A New Mexico man recently went camping near the Santa Fe National Forest in Rio Arriba County and returned home with the bubonic plague. The state Department of Health says the 43-year-old is the first human case of the plague in New Mexico this year. Earlier this month, a camper in northern California near Lake Tahoe also contracted the disease after a flea bite.
Glamping is so in! Glamping options such as yurts, domes and treehouses now match tents as campers’ top accommodation choice in the U.S., according to the 2025 State of Outdoor Hospitality Report from RMS. Based on insights from more than 550 campers nationwide, the study shows that 29 percent of respondents now select glamping as their first-choice stay. Here’s more info.
The first week of September is bringing early signs of fall to the Midwest, and for RVers, this is the perfect time to start planning seasonal getaways. The USDA Forest Service has released its opening fall color report for 2025, covering national forests in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio.
DON’T EVER MISS THE NEWS! Did you know we send out a daily news recap for RVers so you never miss any important news or recalls? It’s delivered to your inbox every Monday-Friday. Don’t like it? Unsubscribe, it’s that easy! Learn more or sign up here.
RV review
Overview of Tiffin motorhome models: Which is best?
For decades, Tiffin motorhomes have had a reputation of being special—special in a good way. The luxury motorhomes’ dependability and superb construction have been almost universally perceived as among the very best Class A motorhomes made. Here, you’ll get a quick tour of six 2025 Tiffin motorhomes, which range from “basic” luxury to elegance fit for royalty. Check them out.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
Ah, the off-season: RVers find peace in campgrounds again
This week, Nanci Dixon relates more readers’ experiences regarding some potential negatives about campgrounds, and suggestions for practical ways to deal with them. However, there are lots more positive comments regarding the benefits of RVing. And there’s even a reminder that other animals besides dogs can poop in your campsite, i.e., don’t blame it all on the dogs. Read more.
Monster spiders out in force in the Southwest
Scary mini-monsters are roaming the Southwest in search of sex. Oh, they are not really monsters, but many people fear them. They look mean, but, really, they’re not. The males are on the march now through November. Somehow they know that the time is right to make some spider whoopee! Read more.
Scammers using A.I. and voice cloning to target older Americans
Scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their efforts to target older Americans by using the latest technology. They are even using voice cloning: Is that person on the phone with the dire emergency really your grandson? Or is it a voice created with artificial intelligence? Because much of the RVtravel.com audience is older, we want to pass this information along. Please read.
News briefs
The summer 2025 edition of RV RoadSigns, the quarterly forecast prepared for the RV Industry Association, projects wholesale RV shipments will slow through 2025 but finish up 1% over the 333,700 units shipped last year.
On Thursday, Stage 2 fire restrictions were lifted at Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim after recent monsoonal activity. Now, with Stage 1 restrictions, campfires are permitted only in designated fire rings within maintained campgrounds.
Looking for something different to do in California on Sept. 20? Join 50,000 volunteers for Coastal Cleanup Day’s new “Trashure Hunt”—a massive scavenger hunt with prizes (you could win an eBike!), fun, and a cleaner shoreline at the end. Details here.
Bones discovered near Rock Island Campground in Chelan County, Washington, are not human. Authorities thought they may have been those of fugitive Travis Decker, who is wanted for the murder of his three daughters near the campground in June.
Bish’s RV has acquired I-29 RV, Marine & Outdoor in Tea, South Dakota, which will be renamed Bish’s RV of Sioux Falls.
Park rangers are seeking witnesses to a Sept. 2 assault with a deadly weapon at Las Vegas Bay Campground in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The suspect, 57-year-old Guy Miranda, allegedly attacked another camper before fleeing into the desert. He is described as 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes, and is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information should call 888-653-0009.
Barbara McBride-Law, 63, was found dead in her trailer last Saturday at Mac’s Park Place Campground near Lake Zumbro in southeastern Minnesota. Police are investigating the death as possibly suspicious, but reported no obvious signs of injury.
POOR NED… Ned, a garden snail from New Zealand, is looking for love, but there’s a twist. His shell coils left instead of right, making him a 1-in-40,000 snail whose sex organs don’t match the rest. Unless another “lefty” turns up, Ned may face a life of celibacy. A local nature lover has launched a campaign to help him find his slow but perfect match.
Stephen C. Foster State Park in Georgia has reopened its renovated campground, which offers access to Okefenokee Swamp, the largest blackwater wetland in North America. The campground features one loop with full hookups for RVs and one for tent campers.
California lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would authorize the sale of higher-ethanol fuel to help lower gas prices.
All current fire restrictions were rescinded Friday for all public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tres Rios Field Office including Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, and all BLM-administered public lands within the boundaries of Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, and San Miguel counties in Colorado.
Meaher State Park in Baldwin County, Alabama, recently expanded its campground with 45 new full-service RV campsites plus a new bathhouse with 11 family-style restrooms.
Winnebago will reintroduce a new and improved 524D View and Navion floorplan at the Hershey RV Show that begins Wednesday.
The Elks Lodge in Colville, in central Washington, has opened a 10-space RV park beside the Dominion Meadows Golf Club. Elks members get first chance at campsites but non-members are welcome.
RV and RV-related recalls
Forest River is recalling certain 2018-2026 Riverstone fifth wheel trailers. The steel hydraulic brake lines may fail and leak brake fluid. A brake fluid leak can cause a loss of brake function, increasing the risk of a crash, which can lead to injury or worse. Learn more.
Tiffin is recalling certain 2025 GT1 Touring vans. The seat belt buckles on the rear bench seat may be too short to buckle. Owners may contact Tiffin customer service at 1-256-356-8661. Tiffin’s number for this recall is TIF-146.
Keystone is recalling certain 2026 Springdale and Hideout travel trailers. The pivot brackets on the bunk bed may bend or break. Bent or broken brackets may allow the bunk bed to fall, increasing the risk of injury to whoever is occupying the beds at the time. Learn more.
Reader poll
What’s the biggest bill you’ve ever received for repair work on your RV?
Polls from the past week:
- Which season of the year is your favorite?
- Do you like oysters?
- In your career’s prime, was your work more about using your brain or your brawn?
- Do you leave online campground reviews after your stay?
Upcoming RV shows & seminars. Click here.
Brain teaser
An elevator is on the ground floor. There are four people in the elevator including me. When the elevator reaches the first floor, one person gets out and three people get in. It goes up to the second floor, 2 people get out and 6 people get in. It then goes up to the next floor, no one gets out but 12 people get in. Halfway up to the next floor the elevator cable snaps, and it crashes to the floor. Everyone else dies in the elevator. How did I survive?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday RV Travel newsletter.)
Trivia
The sex of an alligator is determined by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. How interesting is that? Unlike us humans, alligators do not have a sex-defining chromosome that determines the sex of their babies. If the incubation temperature is at or higher than 93 degrees F, the alligator will release male hormones. If it is below 93 degrees F, it will release female hormones.
Laugh of the week
The perfect scam
Archive Episode: Colorado Funeral Home Body Brokering Scheme, Part 2
In part 2, a call from Reuters journalist Brian Grow confirms Diana’s worst fears about what really happened to her stepfather’s remains. As Brian digs deeper into the story, the truth he uncovers about Sunset Mesa Funeral Home and the body brokering scheme is worse than anyone could have imagined. The conviction of Megan Hess brings some needed closure to families devastated by her shocking betrayal of trust. (If you missed part one, listen here in last Saturday’s newsletter.)
Today in history
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RVtravel.com All Star Team
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Link in the Poll in today’s Newsletter does not work.
Same here.
What’s the biggest bill you’ve ever received for repair work on your RV? We may never know
The link for the article on Scammers using A.I. does not work either.
If an elevator cable breaks it does not crash to the floor. There are other mechanical safeties that would prevent that.
I heard that the higher the ethnol in gas the lower the MPG. I guess the [bleeped] in Sacramento didn’t check that out.
plus it is heavily subsidized (means you are paying higher taxes for it), so in reality does not make fuel cheaper. Why not try lowering taxes and other regulations if they are that worried about prices?
That just figures. Leave it to California!
Most cars can’t take more than 10%, some 15% if they aren’t flex fuel cars(yellow fuel cap). Stick to E10 (10%).
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great week and safe travels!