RV Travel Newsletter Issue 1003

Welcome to RVtravel.com, an RV-themed newsletter from the most-read consumer website about RVing in North America with more than 146,000 registered subscribers. We support a free press and believe it is essential to a democracy. At RVtravel.com, you will learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more. And we’ll explore where this wonderful lifestyle is heading in our ever more complex, crowded and sometimes angry world. Be sure to check out all our other RV-related newsletters.

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June 5, 2021
Non-Members (advertising supported) edition

Cover story

RV park owner discusses reality of electric vehicles and charging stations in parks and what it means to RVers

By Mike Gast

T

wo weeks ago, I wrote an essay regarding the growing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and discussed what the future might hold for campgrounds. RV parks, with a plethora of 50-amp pedestals, are often seen as last-ditch filling stations for the current EV crowd.

The topic certainly is a popular (or unpopular) one among RVers, judging from the number of comments the article received. We’ll continue to look at the future for electric vehicles and other “green” options in coming weeks, including reviews of new vehicles and other new energy-saving devices for the RVing lifestyle.

Today, I thought it would be informative to visit with a campground owner in California (always the epicenter of green technology) who happens to own a traditional Chevron fuel station that also offers EV charging stations for Tesla vehicles.

Meet Gene Zanger, whose family has owned and operated the Casa de Fruta complex in Hollister, California, since the family planted its first fruit orchard there in 1908. The complex now includes not just a fruit stand, carousel, narrow-gauge railroad, mining sluice, wine store, and huge restaurant, but also a large Chevron station and the 250-site Casa de Fruta RV Park, which is affiliated with Good Sam.

It was Gene who last week provided me with the photo of the Tesla towing the Airstream Bambi.

Gene’s business is unique in that he has the RV park, the fruit stand/restaurant and the Chevron station that also has 20 charging stations for Tesla EVs.

Click here to continue reading for Gene’s interview, where he answers questions about the future of electric vehicles in RV parks. You will find this fascinating.

Help wanted

TECHNICAL EDITOR WANTED: RVtravel.com is looking for an expert on RV repair and maintenance to join our editorial team on a freelance basis. Must be a good writer, RVIA certified, and be comfortable in front of a video camera. The pay could be excellent for the right person. We’ll turn you into a celebrity in the RV world. If interested, contact publisher Chuck Woodbury at chuck@rvtravel.com.

We are also looking for someone to review books about RVing and Camping. Email Chuck at the address above.

 ATTENTION NEW RVers! 
Are you planning to buy an RV or just getting started? Then you should be reading our Monday-Friday newsletter Beginners Guide to RVing. You will learn a lot! Check out yesterday’s edition.

CHUCK WOODBURY’S ROADSIDE JOURNAL
How we waste our time
RVtravel.com founder and publisher Chuck Woodbury shows you how he and RVtravel.com editors waste their time every day!

Headline stories in tomorrow’s newsletter

• RV park owner sells his park. Are Mom and Pop campgrounds dying?
• Harvest Hosts buys Boondockers Welcome
• New chain of RV parks coming, will offer “deluxe camping”
• KOA website now searches multiple campgrounds for open sites
• Used car prices soar, up 16.8 percent. Sell now, buy later

And all the latest news that affects RVers.

PLUS: Campground updates • Latest fuel prices • Stolen RV Report • Latest RV recalls • AARP Scam Report • Reader survey • and much more…

Ethical, concerned, curious, caring … We’re here for you!

RVtravel.com would not be possible without the financial support of our voluntary contributors. Their support helps us avoid relying on advertising, and keeps our resource-rich work unbiased and free for all RVers to enjoy. Every contribution makes a difference. A donation of $10 a year comes out to less than 2 cents for each issue we publish. That’s all! And when you contribute, you’ll receive a special member-only ad-free version of this newsletter forever as one way for us to say thank you.

Are we only worth “free” or are we deserving of your “voluntary subscription?” Learn more or donate.

Are you concerned that we do not spend this money wisely? Here’s an explanation that we hope will help you understand.

Last week’s Tip of the Day highlights in RV Daily Tips Newsletters

• Trailer loses tire; driver doesn’t know. Moral: Check those lug nuts!
• Easy tips to make sure your RV’s fridge stays cool all summer long
• Reader explains the best driving-to-camping ratio rule

• Listen to the most recent RV Travel Podcast. “RV Talk Radio for the 21st Century.”
• Sign up for our Podcast Insider to receive an email alert for each weekly program. Hear each weekly episode two days before everyone else!

2nd edition now available!
New free directory lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models
DOWNLOAD FOR FREE
How many different makes and models of RVs are there in America? RVtravel.com has the answer in a new, free, comprehensive 105-page directory that lists every U.S. manufacturer and every brand and model they make. We just added 32 pages of new information, including better ways to search quickly for details on particular models. “RVs: Who Makes What” is available free as a public service from RVtravel.com in PDF form. Learn more and/or download a free copy.

Today’s RV review…

Today, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the Minimaliste Tiny House: Sequoia. He writes, “In some ways a tiny house is a fifth wheel or travel trailer, but more suited to be parked in one place for a long time. That also makes it much like a park model, which also is designed to stay where it was last towed. While all of these can be towed to a new location as they have wheels under them, they’re also not designed to be towed frequently nor often.” Could a tiny house be a perfect solution for those who are thinking of buying a park model or permanent RV spot? You’ll have to decide for yourself. Read more.

Last week’s reviews:
• 2021 Surveyor Legend 203RKLE Travel Trailer • 2021 Airstream Caravel 22FB Travel Trailer • 2021 nuCamp T@B CS-S Teardrop Hybrid • 2021 Winnebago Voyage 3538BR Travel Trailer • Scout Olympic Truck Camper

Now, use your air conditioner in low-power situations never before possible!
At RVtravel.com we don’t see too many products that we go nuts over, but the SoftStartRV is a game changer. Here’s what it can do:
• Run one air conditioner using only a small portable generator.
• Run one air conditioner on 20-amp household current.
• Run two air conditioners (with two SoftStartRVs) on a 30-amp hookup.
• Run an air conditioner or two using your onboard inverter system. Read more.

Clintoons • By Clint Norrell

The story behind this Clintoon:

Boondocking critters: Unwelcome guests like the RV life too!

By Clint Norrell
Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park is halfway between Libby and Kalispell, Montana. The Peninsula Campground is primitive. The roads are full of roots and ruts and potholes. The campsites slope irregularly toward the lake. They are numbered and that is their most developed feature. There are no leveled RV pads. No water and no electrical, but we had the whole campground to ourselves.

Continue reading this hilarious story of a chipmunk who just wanted to make himself right at home!

MORE OF CLINT
See some of Clint’s recent cartoons. They’re wonderful!

Featured article

Why saying “Black” matters: A reflection on last week’s article

By Nanci Dixon
Last week I wrote an article about a Black couple that is building an RV park in Alabama and received a myriad of comments. These comments ranged from “Congratulations!”, “Great job!”, “I wish them the best!” – to questioning why “Black” even belonged in the article. I was also told never to go to Alabama, I am not welcome. Several people indicated it was race-baiting, media-promoted and disgusting to bring up race. Continue reading Nanci’s thoughtful and heartfelt response.

Campground Crowding: “I empathize with those who didn’t get to camp the way we did”

More people than ever are taking up RVing. The result is campground crowding like never before. In this weekly blog, RV Travel readers discuss their experiences. This week there are more readers reporting that they’ve had no problems getting a reservation at a campground. A reader has a great idea to ease the strain on public campgrounds from temporary workers taking up the spots. And a reader reminisces about the good ol’ days of camping. Plus much more, here.

Bird nest blues: It’s illegal to move a bird’s nest – even if it’s on your RV!

By Gail Marsh
An RV neighbor of ours has been engaged in a bird battle for more than a week. It seems a robin has its sights set on the perfect nesting spot: under our friends’ Class A slide out. Somehow the little guy found a hollow corner that looked perfect for a nest. So, he and his mate have been working tirelessly to find straw bits, dried grass, and other suitable building material for their home. It’s been fun to watch. Well, from my perspective, that is. My neighbor isn’t enjoying the show! The kicker: In the United States, it is illegal to remove or destroy an active bird’s nest. Read more.

ATTENTION RAM TRUCK OWNERS
If you own a Ram truck, you must read this recall and then remedy the situation or risk the wheels falling off your vehicle. Learn more.

ALSO: KEYSTONE TRAILER OWNERS: Attention: Floors of some trailers were not tightened properly. As a result, the floor of the RV could detach from the chassis. Learn more.

Why we wander: New column reminisces on road trip culture and why it’s still so important

By Chris Epting
As “normal” life begins to creep back, we wanderers keep our secret safe. The pandemic didn’t completely rob us of our ability to move around. For certain, there were changes and there still are situations that have yet to return to the way they were. But, as wanderers, we knew that no matter what, the open space and especially the open road was the safest place to be. As a travel writer, my life was affected but what we have all been through. But it also pushed me to look harder for little places that cast big shadows. I’ve written many books with you, the wanderer, in mind. Continue reading.

Where, exactly, did Cary Grant dodge a crop duster in the Hitchcock film classic “North by Northwest”? Read Chris’ columns here at RVtravel.com and you’ll find answers to questions like that so you can visit!

 NEW  Our favorite RV camping guidebooks. Our staff uses these excellent books for research and on our trips.

Finding the “perfect” RV requires a shift in perspective

“There is no perfect RV.” That’s the advice a salesman-friend gave to our writer Gail Marsh and her husband. Over the years they have realized he was right. At the time, they were looking for the impossible: an RV that offered plenty of sleeping space for their extended family, comfortable seating for all, a large basement, towable with their truck and priced within their budget. That RV didn’t exist. Read how they resolved the issue so their present RV is nearly perfect for them.

10 trails were just added to the National Trails System. You’ll want to hike them all

In celebration of National Trails Day on June 5, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland  announced 10 new national recreation trails in eight states, adding more than 160 miles to the National Trails System. The newly designated trails join a network of more than 1,300 existing national recreation trails across every U.S. state. Continue reading.

Last year at this time, these were the most popular articles

• Oops! Big rock loaded on little truck. Watch and weep! 
• Hilarious video of a granddad who won’t drink water, only wine!
• Peek inside the top luxury RV resort in the U.S. Would you pay $800,000 to live here?
• Lose the shake with a 5th wheel or goose neck tripod

Reader Poll

Do you plan to spend more time RVing this summer than last?

Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment. CLICK HERE.

The most popular poll in this past week’s RV Daily Tips newsletters:
Have you ever been stuck in your RV during a storm so violent you feared for your safety? See how nearly 1,700 other RVers responded, and read some of their comments – yikes!

Brain Teaser

I am a seed with three letters in my name. Take away the last two and I still sound the same. What am I?

(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday news newsletter. And please don’t spoil it for other readers by posting the answer in the comments.)

Thanks to Chuck Bonelli for submitting! Do you have a brain teaser you think we should use? Send it to us here.

You can prevent RV-caused wildfires

Wildfire. It’s a scary, deadly enemy. In 2020, nearly 59,000 wildfires burned across the United States, chewing up 10.1 million acres. Could RVers be responsible for wildfires? Our minds may immediately leap to an unwatched campfire lighting off the forest. But 2018’s deadly Northern California wildfire, the Carr Fire, was set off, not by an untended campfire, but rather by an RVer, unaware their trailer had suffered a blow out. The wheel rim, in contact with pavement, set off showers of sparks, catching roadside brush on fire. How can you prevent RV-caused wildfires? Get some important tips here.

Shameful vandalism, trash, human waste at all-time high in recreation areas

According to a TIME magazine article published last July, one mounting reason the National Park Service closed a significant percentage of its parks in spring of 2020, coinciding with the onset of mass closures following the onset of COVID-19, was the accumulation of trash and human waste and decimation of plant life off-trail. The author reports the behavior of folks new to hiking forced the decision to close specific parks and sections of trails early. COVID-19 and its after-effects further kept many parks closed for as much as a year. Continue reading, then please participate in the poll.

America’s Best Day Hikes. Get your boots on!
It’s National Hiking Day today! Celebrate by finding a trail near you! This highly rated book shows you the most memorable day-hikes across the United States. The book is organized by region and describes what makes each hike so remarkable and why it’s worth a detour. Happy reading, and happy hiking! Click here to learn more.

Is this your RV?

If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific time today, June 5, 2021. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.

If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.

Last week one reader claimed their $25 Amazon gift card: Gregg Brown of El Paso, Texas.

We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.

Popular articles from last week

MOST POPULAR:
 →  The future of RVing as many know it is doomed

PLUS:
• 6 stories of RVers who got kicked out of campgrounds. Was it fair?
• Black couple follows their dreams, build brand-new RV resort
• Campground Crowding: “We hate crowds; that’s why we RV!” Is that a quote of the past?
• Big recall of Grand Design 2016-2021 trailers for potential fire hazard
• Traveler warning: Dangerous squirrels rampant in Grand Canyon
• Rig trouble? Beware the roadside rip-off
• Want to buy an RV? Buyer beware!
• Reader says this popular TP caused problems in RV. Which brand is best?
• National Park Service encourages visitors to “Plan like a park ranger”

Saturday Giveaway!

How would you like to win a Byakov Dash Cam?

How to win

We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (June 5, 2021) by 7 p.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email via RVcontests@gmail.com that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.

Click here to enter or see last week’s winner! Congratulations to Herb Sands of Longmont, Colorado, who won a SoftStartRV. Herb will be staying cool this summer when other RVers near him will be wiping the sweat from their brow!

Free 90-day membership to the Dyrt Pro camping app. Learn more or sign up.

Resources

UPDATED MAY 20 (2nd edition): “RVs: Who Makes What” – This is a new free directory from RVtravel.com which lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models. Learn more and/or download a free PDF copy.

NEW: AAA Map of COVID-19 Travel Restrictions (U.S. and Canada)

Stolen RVs — Help us recover these stolen RVs. The more eyes we have searching for them, the better chance of getting them back to their rightful owners, and maybe putting the crooks who stole them in the slammer! See the stolen RVs.

Great websites. Check out our favorite websites of the day! We compiled a list of (almost) all the websites we’ve ever posted, and we update it weekly.

Where to complain about bad RVs, dealers, service, RV parks. This is an ever-expanding list of resources where you can report, share or discuss your problems with RV manufacturers or dealers.

Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.

Directory of RV parks with storm shelters
In case you’re on the road with your RV and the weather report is showing a tornado headed your way, have this list handy.

RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.

What does financing an RV for 20 years REALLY mean?
In case you missed this article the first time around, here it is again. Important! Click here.

Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.

RVs for sale at eBay. Click here.

Our top ten sellers at Amazon last month
Many of our readers do their Amazon shopping through our affiliate program. We get a small commission and customers pay the same price as if they went directly to the site. Here are the top ten products they purchased in May.

•  #1 TankTechsRx – RV Holding Tank Treatment & Cleaner
• Save a Drop Water Meter
• National Geographic 2021 Road Atlas, Adventure Edition
• Tick Twister Tick Remover Set
• Caravan RV Sensor and Tank Cleaner
• Mission Automotive Trailer Hitch Lubricant
• Southwire Neutral-Ground Bonding Plug
• Camco 17″ RV Double Cupboards Bar (holds food and drink in place when traveling)
• RV Camping in Corps of Engineers Parks (guidebook)
• Camco 3-in-1 Sewer Adapter Hose Seal

As seen on the Florida RV Camping Facebook group… Thanks for sending, Jim Dresser!

RV Repair and Maintenance

with Mark Polk, RV Education 101
These tips ran in our weekday RV Daily Tips Newsletter this past week, but for those of you who don’t subscribe (what is wrong with you??), here they are again!

• Prepare early for your RV trips – You’ll be glad you did
• Is your tire pressure gauge accurate? How can you tell?

RV education you can trust from RV Education 101: Get instant access to RV Online Training.

Phone Photography Tips

Tip #5: Avoid your digital zoom

By Mike Gast
The lack of ability to change lenses can lead to the overuse of the digital zoom function on smartphones. All you have to do is put your finger on the magic zoom slider and sweep to the right, and you can digitally zoom into any scene. On the new iPhone 12, you can zoom up to 12 times the normal view. But there is danger in the maximum zoom zone. Some older model smartphones still have a slide bar that changes from green to yellow to red as you push the slide to the right. That was their way to warn you that you were entering a photo quality “danger zone” with an extreme zoom. Read more and stay away from that zoom!

NEW! YES, Vacancy!

Each week head to a new campground with Scott Linden. Scott will take you across the country to show you campgrounds with vacancies! (Can you believe it?!) 

Here’s a new RV park in Pigeon Forge, TN

With Scott Linden
Searching out the nooks and crannies, finding a decent campground and comfy site in an RV park is a contact sport these days. The good spots are snapped up quickly, so if you read about it here, contact the park soon. Here’s this week’s pick: Pigeon Forge Landing RV Resort, Sevierville, TN. Click here to read more or book a stay at this lovely resort.

Sewer fitting grip help! Gadget to the rescue! 
If you find the bayonet mounts for your sewer hose connections are getting a bit hard to twist off and on (hate to say it, but it sometimes comes with age), here’s a tool that might help. An adjustable oil filter wrench, made to get a grip around automotive oil filters, can also provide a handy grip and plenty of leverage on the bayonet fitting of your sewer hose, and the termination cap as well. Here’s one we recommend.

RV Gadgets and Gizmos: Product reviews

With Tony Barthel

A bright gadget review: Luci Core lights come in handy all around the RV

By Tony Barthel
“It’s a light. It’s just a light.” That was what someone told me as I excitedly told them about a gift I was given, a Luci Core LED light. You see, in addition to writing stories here, I also give workshops on RV Basic Training and some other stuff. An attendee was so happy with the RV Basic Training class that she gave my wife and me each a Luci Core light.

What was the big deal about this light? Two primary things, actually. Continue reading to find out.

??????  MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY  ??????
Hey, guys, have the ladies quit checking you out ’cause your body isn’t as buff as it once was? Well, we can change all that! Wear this and we guarantee that the ladies will be lusting for you just like back in the good ol’ days at the beach when everywhere you went, heads turned! Come on, don’t be modest: we know we’re right about this — your wife sent us pictures (Charles Atlas had nothing on you!).

Pros and cons of the big three brands of EMS surge protectors

Dear Mike,
Do you know anyone who has tried out the EMS surge protectors from the big three manufacturers? —Fabian

Dear Fabian,
Indeed I do, and that would be me. I have sample Advanced/EMS surge protectors from Hughes, Progressive Industries and Surge Guard in my shop and I’ve experimented with all of them. Continue reading for my pros and cons for each brand.

This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session

Electric space heater tragedy in an RV

Time for another reminder about the dangers of portable electric space heaters and extension cords. Read this sad story from last Sunday’s News for RVers newsletter, then let’s discuss what likely happened and how to avoid a similar tragedy. Read more.

RV Tire Safety

Does tire over-inflation cause so-called “blowouts”?

By Roger Marble
Are “blowouts” the result of running a tire inflated to more than the tire sidewall number? I think people are over-thinking tire over-inflation. Roger explains why he thinks that here.

The Digital RVer

Google Maps can find your next rest stop

By Chris Guld, Geeks on Tour
There are lots of apps that can tell you where the rest stops are, but they don’t know where you’re going. It can be a pain to check the rest stop app, then go back and check your GPS, then go back to the rest stop app, etc. Since Google Maps, on my iPhone, is doing my navigating, it knows the route I’m going to follow. I can ask Google Maps to search for Rest Areas along that route, and it can add one as a stop, giving me the directions. Everything you need, all in one app. Watch this 1-minute video to see exactly how to do it.

Recipe of the Day

Crock Pot Cheeseburger Mac
by Leena Corral from La Mirada, CA