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Page Contents
October 10, 2020
Non-Members (advertising supported) edition
Editor’s corner
With Chuck Woodbury
H
ave you seen the photos of the giant cruise ships being ripped apart to be sold as scrap? If not, just look below at these ships being disassembled in a port in Turkey. These are not old ships being put out to pasture after a full life. No, they’re ships that would likely be sailing today if people could, or were willing to book passage again.
Carnival announced recently it will be unloading 18 of its ships this year – about 12% of its fleet. While some cruise lines will likely start sailing again, you can bet the number of passengers will be a fraction of years past. Meanwhile, air traffic is so bad that industry experts are just waiting around for some of the biggest airlines to go belly up. Right now, the world airline fleet numbers 25,900 aircraft, of which 29% were still parked as of last month. Boeing projected this past week that it will deliver 11 percent fewer jets in the next decade compared to pre-pandemic forecasts.
Amtrak PR people have contacted me repeatedly lately with special deals including two-for-one packages on roomettes.
My Edmonds, Washington, neighbor Rick Steves, who leads tours to Europe, has cancelled every tour for the remainder of 2020 and is unsure if he can even resume in 2021.
Meanwhile, RVs are selling faster than manufacturers can build them and there is no end in sight. Is it any wonder? RVing is the safest, most enjoyable way to travel these days. How could we have ever envisioned such a monumental jump in its popularity even a few years ago?
A friend of mine in the advertising business told me last week that one of his clients who normally had a few hundred RVs on its sales lot has 12 today. It’s the same across the country.
I asked another friend who promotes several RV shows if any would be coming back in 2021. He doesn’t know. But he said one show in his area was prepared to open again, but won’t because dealers don’t have any inventory to bring there. “Why would they spend tens of thousands of dollars to attend an RV show when they can sell everything they can get already?”
The traffic at RVtravel.com has doubled since last December from one million page views a month to more than two million, and should easily hit three million before next summer. Our readers are reporting hordes of new, inexperienced RVers in their campgrounds – in rental RVs or in brand-new rigs still with temporary licenses.
RV parks are being built but not nearly fast enough. Many are “resorts” that cater to luxury travelers. “Glamping” (luxury camping – an RV is seldom needed) is hot. KOA recently converted an RV park in Maine to luxury tents-only that rent for a few hundred dollars a night. In its advertisements, KOA sometimes doesn’t even show RVs – just cabins and luxury lodges. Many, if not most, of those structures were once RV sites.
In the last year, Google searches for “RV park” have doubled. If you think RV parks were crowded this past summer, just wait until next year. It will be a madhouse.
The Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) just advised RVers who plan to visit the Lone Star State to make reservations soon. “Campgrounds and RV resorts are seeing more first-time RVers this year because of the pandemic, and many of these folks are planning to continue their travels well into fall and winter because they have realized how easy it is to work remotely from their RV,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of TACO. “This is creating more demand for RV sites than we typically see at this time of year.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
So what does this mean for you and me? It means if you want to stay in your “first choice” parks, start making reservations now – as in “right now!” If you’re willing to take what’s available when you pass through, you might find a decent park but, hey, there’s always a Walmart parking lot.
WHAT TO DO
Solutions are out there including the creation of many, new, inexpensive, no-frills RV stopover “parks” to help with overnight stays. I am trying to free up time to promote this idea again, but it’s a big task and so far nobody in the industry with both vision and money is seriously considering the idea. Just imagine if Cabela’s was to provide a dozen reservable, automated overnight RV spaces in its store parking lots, each with an 50-amp hookup? Ditto Target stores, etc. No, it’s not “camping,” but there is definitely a need among RVers “on the move” (see a great example of how this can work).
And we need more alternatives to traditional campgrounds and RV parks like innovative programs from Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome, both of which offer unlimited potential to expand the number of quality places to stay.
Still, expect to see a huge influx of new RVers in the months and years ahead. Crowding ruins a lot of things and, indeed, that’s what’s happening in our RV world. So, yeah … that’s not good news for you and me. Yet, with careful planning, the idea of a fun RV trip is still very much possible, just a bit more challenging than in the good ol’ days when an RV was “Grandma’s and Grandpa’s Playhouse” and uncool to anyone younger than 50.
Tomorrow’s cover story
With RVs selling far faster than manufacturers can make them, and faster than dealers can keep them in stock, we wondered what the future looks like for our favorite pastime. Will all of today’s buyers stick with RVing after the pandemic passes? What will happen to the resale values of our RVs? And more…
Coming later this month
The third edition of my book “The ABCs of RVing” will be available within two weeks on Amazon.com in both printed and Kindle editions. This will be the best book available for people who are just getting started RVing. It addresses the most basic questions new RVers ask, or in some cases don’t even know enough to ask. With record numbers of people buying RVs, this book, I believe, will be a great way to speed up their learning curve.
NEW: DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COFFEE MUG? SHOW US!
Everyone has a favorite coffee mug, don’t they? Many people collect them on their travels and have cupboards overflowing with mugs. Do you have a favorite? If so, please send us a photo and a description (How long have you had it? Where did you get it? What makes it so special?). Click here.
MEET YOUR FELLOW READERS
In our search to know our readers better, we’ve asked that they tell us about themselves. We know that thousands of them have followed us for a decade or more. We’ve met a few hundred of them through the years, which has been very nice. But who else, we wonder, reads what we write week after week? So, please, tell us about yourself! Here’s this week’s installment of Meet our Readers.
*Note: There’s a great song in here by one of our readers that you’ll want to listen to!
We support you. Please help support us!
RVtravel.com, and the 650 newsletters about RVing we publish every year, would not be possible without the financial support of our members, those 3 percent of all readers who voluntarily subscribe. Now, in the most challenging time of our lives, your support is needed more than ever for us to be your #1 source of honest, unbiased news, information and advice about RVing. Every contribution makes a difference. A donation of only $12 a year comes out to less than 2 cents for each issue we publish! And when you become a member, you receive a special member-only ad-free version of this newsletter. Learn more or donate.
Last week’s Tip of the Day in RV Daily Tips Newsletters
• Keep this bug out of your RV to help prevent food poisoning.
• Lane-savvy driving – the safe way to travel.
• Prepping your RV for storage.
• Can your “other half” handle the rig? They should know how.
• Dumping RV tanks: Where do you go when you gotta go?
Clintoons • By Clint Norrell
SoftStartRV – Run an air conditioner with a small generator
By Dave Helgeson
Earlier this year I installed a SoftStartRV™ on my RV’s roof air conditioner. Impressively, the SoftStartRV allows me to run an air conditioner with a small generator. … I also promised a follow-up report after I had the opportunity to field test the unit over the summer under varying conditions. Here’s my report. (Hint: For me it’s been a game changer.)
Top 10 complaints RV park managers have about campers
By Nanci Dixon
In last week’s issue, I told you about the top 5 complaints campers voice at the RV park office. This week I thought it would only be fair to write about the top ten complaints RV parks have about campers. Now you’re in the hot seat! The office staff were a vocal group, hence 10 complaints this time instead of 5! Are you guilty of any of these?
Casino camping not necessarily a bargain anymore
In this week’s column about camping at casinos, we have a couple of comments and corrections to what we wrote last time. And there have been a number of you writing in saying that the cost of staying at Casino RV parks has gone up, or is rather pricey to begin with. There are several more casino recommendations, and there’s a question from a reader for those of you who have stayed at casinos for more than one night. Read more.
Great source of information: the RV Advice Group on Facebook. Moderated by the editors of RVtravel.com
Last year at this time, these were the most popular articles
• How lazy are RVers about picking up spare change?
• 22 tips for choosing the best campsite
• Co-op discombobulation: To invest or not to invest in an RV lot
• Your navigation system should tell you more than just “Turn right here”
Brain Teaser
What do the following words have in common?
Assess, Banana, Dresser, Grammar, Potato, Revive, Uneven and Voodoo
(Shhh. Don’t give it away. Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday News newsletter.)
Reader Poll
Have you already voted?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. CLICK HERE.
The most popular poll in this past week’s RV Daily Tips newsletters:
When you “camp” at Walmart, do you ask the store for permission? See how nearly 4,200 (wow!) other RVers answered.
Pay attention to passing motorists’ warnings of trouble
On the road, most of us have experienced looking out our window to see a car passing by with someone waving frantically, and pointing toward our vehicle or behind it. Most of the time these are good Samaritans who have spotted something wrong with our vehicle or the one we’re towing. This message and the ensuing responses were posted at our RV Advice Group on Facebook and we believe are worth passing along. Continue reading.
Easy almost-Homemade Chicken Wild Rice Soup
By Nanci Dixon
We love soups, particularly as the weather starts to cool in the fall. I have been making a lot of soups in my Instant Pot™ lately but today decided to cook on the stove, making a chicken and wild rice soup. I used a packaged mix as a starter, so I kind of cheated, but I added additional ingredients so it’s almost homemade! … It was easy, quick and delicious. Get the recipe here.
What’s a Super Bugger? A VW camper conversion, of course!
The Super Bugger was the result of a wacky idea of an entrepreneurial company in Costa Mesa, California. In the mid-1970s, the outfit converted a 1970 VW Beetle into a hybrid camper it called the Super Bugger. It cost $6,000. The rage for the strange little machine conversion didn’t last long, and not many of the hybrids in decent shape remain. But there’s one for sale on eBay. Check this out.
The roadside American Armory Museum has Jelly Belly roots
RV travelers on Interstate 80 in Fairfield, California, can visit the American Armory Museum. It’s just off the freeway near the halfway point between Sacramento and San Francisco, and it’s where vintage tanks, uniforms, weapons, flags from several countries, and all things military reign. The indoor-outdoor homage to military transportation and artifacts also has an unusual connection to the Jelly Belly Candy Company. Read more.
Crowded campgrounds. RVers would rather quit than fight!
In this installment of our weekly column Crowded Campgrounds, RVers vent their frustrations at how much difficulty they’re having finding a find a place to stay. “If this is the new norm I doubt I will enjoy traveling for much longer,” one wrote. “Thor, Winnebago, and the rest – keep on cranking them [RVs] out and know you are about to hit a wall – a very big one,” another wrote. Read more.
Popular articles from last week
• Big changes coming to Walmart stores. Will RVers be affected?
• My two favorite black tank dumpin’ gadgets.
• Here are the top 5 complaints to the RV park office.
• Video: RV smashes into vehicle-killer underpass.
• New Ford F-150 EV: Bigger, faster truck – far less cost.
• Forest River recalls trailers: Cooktop flame may invert, fire danger.
• The trashing of our public lands. Case in point.
• Casino RV camping, October 3, 2020.
• Campground crowding. Discussion for October 3, 2020.
• Hundreds of thousands of Ford pickups recalled.
• RVelectricity: Hughes Autoformer testing – Part 1.
• Is your RV packing on the pounds? Try these 10 steps to shed some rig weight.
SWELL CONTEST OF THE DAY
How would you like to win this Happy Camper Coffee Mug (maybe to add to your collection)? Well, this might be your lucky day! In one of this past week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletters we published a secret phrase. Simply email the phrase to us at RVcontests@gmail.com . We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (October 10, 2020) by 11 a.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.
LAST WEEK’S WINNER of the Rand McNally 2021 Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas was Charlie Parsons of Jonesboro, Arkansas. The previous week’s winner of the Digital Moisture Meter was Neil Culver of Garland, Texas.
Resources
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.
Two of the best black tank dumpin’ gadgets
Tony Barthel writes: “Dealing with the black tank is one of the least enjoyable parts of the RV lifestyle. When a product comes along that makes the process even a little bit friendlier, I’m in. As such, two Camco products have really made my black tank dealings less miserable and have taken some of the frustration out of parts of this process.” Read more about these two helpful products here.
Featured video
Video: What was American life like in 1957?
This fascinating seven-minute video shows what life was like in America 63 years ago, at least in white, suburban America. To many middle-class Americans then it was the best of times, filled with promise. Many readers of this newsletter were young back then and may watch this with fondness. It’s also a reminder how things have changed, for better or worse, depending on one’s circumstances. Watch the video.
Need a step up?
Car or truck roof too hard to reach? Designed to fit over almost any tire, the TireStep allows you to reach three important areas of your truck or SUV: the engine compartment, the roof, and the bed. For fifth wheel owners, the TireStep may be the helper you’ve been wanting for a long time and just didn’t know it. Reaching over the truck bed using the TireStep is not a problem while hitching or unhitching your rig. Learn more here.
A new blog: RV Warranties
I flooded my fifth wheel with poop! Am I covered by my warranty?
Hi, Tony,
I was flushing the black tank on my RV and got called away. Unfortunately I left the flush on and it flooded my brand-new fifth wheel. Now the dealer is telling me this isn’t covered by the warranty and I think the entire rig is ruined as it smells terrible. Who should I call? —Sincerely, Someone in a crappy situation
Read Tony’s response.
RV Electricity
Hughes Autoformer testing – Part 2
My Hughes Autoformer testing is continuing. Here are more details on how much additional current an air conditioner draws (or not) as the voltage goes below 100 volts. This has particular relevance for campgrounds and their pedestals. For you casual observers this information may not sink in right away. But for any readers who have an electrical background this is going to read like a mystery novel. Read more.
This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Dogbone adapter confusion cleared up – Part 2
In my last JAM Session I posted a simple question about how dogbone adapters are named. I ran a survey because I often get a lot of confusing questions about these most basic of adapters in my various Facebook groups and RV forums that I watch. While there are lots of electrical questions to consider, the most basic one is what do we call an adapter that connects an RV with a 50-amp plug to a pedestal with a 30-amp outlet? Read more.
Read Part 4 of Mike’s series on Boondocking Power Requirements, sponsored by CarGenerator™, here. NOTE: CarGenerator will keep your household essentials running for up to 70 hours when your power is out due to any blackout – natural or otherwise.
Sign up for Mike’s popular and informative RVelectricity group on Facebook.
Strengthen your hands, fingers and forearms
Here’s a great, easy way to build up the strength in your hands, fingers or forearms. Perfect for RVers. If you suffer from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis or tennis elbow this is for you. It’s also great for simply building up the strength of your grip. This is a best seller and costs about $9. Learn more or order.
RV Tire Safety
How to avoid potential valve stem problems
By Roger Marble
Sometimes my wife accuses me of being too negative because I seem to always come up with something negative about almost any topic. I guess it’s in my DNA to never be satisfied and always want things to be better, easier, safer or more durable. The simple act of checking tire air pressure is an example. Read more.
Be like Mike: Don’t forget the fuse!
Mike Sokol says: Your RV has both 120-volt AC electrical systems (like your house), plus 12-volt DC battery systems (like your car). If the power goes out, it could be a circuit breaker (like in your house) or a blown fuse (like in your car). Always carry spare fuses that fit your RV’s battery system. Confirm the exact type and size of fuses your RV needs, then get a set of replacements. Here’s one pack, but be sure to check what your RV actually uses before ordering it.
Building an RV Park
We have RV storage progress, and more!
Pepsi to the rescue! Can you guess folks’ favorite beverages and food items to buy from a small store? Interesting! Also, AJ and Machelle had to take out a huge life insurance policy with the bank as beneficiary, even before they get their loan. And what’s up with a secret pond, Witch-a-Paloosa, and the Wild Women Saloon? Get all those answers and more here. Oh … and Happy 25th Anniversary, Machelle and AJ!
The RV Kitchen
Toasted Barley Risotto
Richly risotto. This versatile, easy, one-pot wonder is a vegetarian main dish when made with vegetable broth and maybe some meaty, cooked beans. It can also be a starch side dish with meat from the grill, or make it a one-dish main by stirring in diced, cooked meat or seafood. Get the recipe with several variations here.
The Digital RVer
Use a little solar battery to charge your phone
You may be boondocking in the desert, or maybe you live in an area prone to hurricanes and power outages. In either case, your cellphone is an important piece of safety equipment and it needs to stay charged. The key is to use a little solar battery to charge your phone. This is so cool! Read more.
For peace of mind, use a backflow preventer
Backflow happens when a fresh water system gets “cross-connected” with a source of bad water or other contaminants. You don’t want that! Prevent this from happening by using a backflow preventer. Here’s an affordable one. Use it and rest easier. (You can read more about backflow prevention here.)
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Max in ‘Movie Star’ mode!” —Patricia L. Ferrara
Pets featured in this past week’s RV Daily Tips:
• Monday: Seven cuddling cats • Tuesday: Haley & Ruby • Wednesday: Gator • Thursday: Melanie • Friday: Sissy & Bailey
And speaking of dogs…
What do you think caused this destruction? Well, you probably figured it was a dog. There’s more to the story, which you can read here.
Trivia
Have you ever been to the Iowa State Fair? If you love quirky competitions, you’ll want to attend. Since 1886 the fair has run quite a few unique competitions such as cow-chip and rubber-chicken throwing contests, a husband-calling contest, and even a beard-growing contest.
Joke of the Week
Q. What is the difference between a nasty bus stop and a lobster with a big bosom?
A. One is a crusty bus station and the other is a busty crustacean.
Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?
RV Travel staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Emily Woodbury, Russ and Tiña De Maris. Contributing writers: Mike Sokol, Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Machelle James, Nanci Dixon, Barry and Monique Zander, J.M. Montigel, Tony Barthel, Clint Norrell, and Andrew Robinson. Social media and special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES — OUR STAFF MEMBER IN HEAVEN, Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor, who was taken from us by the coronavirus.
Honorary Correspondents: Loyal readers who regularly email us leads about news stories and other information and resources that aid our own news-gathering efforts.
• Mike Sherman • George Bliss • Tom and Lois Speirs • Steve Barnes + others who we will add later.
REGIONAL AND LOCAL ADVERTISING: We can now run banners on RVtravel.com in your town or in a designated area near you, for example to readers within 100, 200, etc., miles of your business. For information, contact Chuck Woodbury at chuck (at) RVtravel.com.
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
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This newsletter is copyright 2020 by RVtravel.com
I stayed at the Cabela’s World Headquarters campground in Sydney, Nebraska last summer. $31 for the night, located right off Interstate 80, and no hooligans on bicycles, dog fights or adults looking to go drinking in the woods. And they have the coolest fish tank. And they also have the real estate to build on which is the biggest limitation in expanding the availability of RV sites.
Canadian Snowbirds
Hello all…we are Canadians specifically British Columbians. This time of year I would be prepping our trailer for our 6 month stay in Southern California. With the current Canada USA border closure to non essential travel and pandemic we will not be going and we will be wintering at home.
10 couples who normally stay at the same resort as us, will not be going as well and for the same reasons.
Unfortunately there is no vacancy for the RV spots in warmer spots of BC due to the high demand of people who are not heading to southern USA for the winter.
With more Canadians RV snowbirds not traveling south this winter I hope the RV resort the southern USA like Arizona, Southern California,Texas, Florida will survive financially as well as the ancillary business we would normal support.
Hopefully 2021 will be a new normal..
Regarding the couch article. We had a dog with separation anxiety so we put him in a stainless steel kennel, good SS rods through-out while gone. When we returned 3 hours later he was out with teeth missing, ruined kennel, and a big vet bill. We took him with us from then on. He didn’t mind being left alone in the truck, suppose he knew we would be back there. I would submit a pic of that kennel but don’t see a way to do it.
Actually, those cruise ships you see that are at the ship breakers are quite old by industry standards.
The three in the center of the shot are Carnival Fantasy class ships. The Fantasy entered service in 1990, the next two in 1991. They have what are considered outmoded propulsion drives since they do not use AziPods. While they are still pretty nimble using their bow thrusters, they sometimes are more difficult to turn in the smaller turning basins found in some ports.
The one in the foreground was one of the earlier “Of The Seas” ships put in service by Royal Caribbean. Also quite older.
True, they *were* sailing at capacity before the s***demic, they were still predicted as being removed from service due to their age and lower passenger capacity. Their passenger to staff ration is higher than the newer ships. Economy of scale drives margin.
Thank you for your ship information, Dry Creek. But why did you have to go and ruin it by using the term you did regarding the pandemic? I just reviewed a video this afternoon by Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor, who was killed by the pandemic in April. I had tears in my eyes as I thought of him, and two other friends of mine who have died from it, and the more than a million others who have died from it. Your blatant disregard for all of those lost souls, and all of the others (37 million) who are or have been sick from the pandemic, and all of their friends and relatives who are affected by it, is absolutely reprehensible. Obviously you haven’t lost anyone close to you due to the pandemic, and I hope you never do. —Diane at RVtravel.com
How many people are killed by RV’s? Should we make a national issue out of it?
Sorry about your friend but the reality is this virus has a very low mortality rate, there’s no excuse for how people are behaving.
I picked a bad time to be in search of a new (or used) RV. Want to move up to a class C motorhome.
one thing is for sure this too will pass and there will be plenty of lightly used RVs flooding the resale market…..campgrounds will return to normal and we will be telling
stories of “remember when that ******* Virus changed everything back in 2020”.
The motel and hotel dwellers will be quick to sell their new campers when they discover that those Spacious lake front campsites they see in the “Go RVing commercials “
never existed.
In the meantime I will be searching for a lightly used Class C motorhome.
Happy Camping !
Regarding the video.
It’s sad that some people are made of sugar and recoil in horror at what is and was an observable fact. There were a couple of “coloured” people in the video!
Huh?
We spell ‘coloured’ as ‘colored’. So take your Canadian condescending attitude back to Richmond Hill (yes I know Richmond Hill) and share it with your neighbours (notice the misspelling).
Reference article on RV Shortfall. I’ve had my immaculate 2017 Jayco Alante 15k mki 4 sale for 5 weeks. Have not had a single call. Dealers wants for lowest trading price. Do;t understand if such a shortfall why no calls…..
Just my opinion but if the Dem’s get into office there will be a lot room at camp grounds because the ” NEW GREEN DEAL” will end gas and diesel.
Yep! Can’t pull a 5th wheel or TT with an electric Prius. Dems are ******.
This world is one big ship, it won’t turn on a dime. Gas is here for at least 30 years… Some would call me a “green weeny”, I worked on an electric car in College in the early 70s and built a BugE during the gas crunch (then donated it to a local University, I also own some Exxon stock…
Climate change is real the data supports that (those researchers are my customers and they believe it). If you want to see some more good paying blue collar jobs we need an infrastructure build out, “frys the that” won’t get it done.
Your RVs are not at risk and I’m in the same boat as Patrick above, waiting for the glut of lightly used RVs to hit the market… and yes, would love it to be electric or H2, but it won’t be…
Stay well, don’t buy the hype… it’s election time.
“The data supports that” – the data you read you mean?
Have you ever examined any of the counter arguments?
“What was American life like in 1957?”. Enjoyed the 7+ minute clip. Why did the lead in to the video have the text ‘This fascinating seven-minute video shows what life was like in America 63 years ago, at least in white, suburban America.’
Why does race have to be injected in so many pleasant articles and videos?
Is the author so indoctrinated, guilty, left leaning etc. that he/she must constantly wag that race finger in our face?
I, for one, am sick of it, and am considering cancelling my subscription to RV Travel.
I realize you are from Washington state, but please discipline yourself to avoid race comments. They add no value to what was once a very interesting and informative newsletter.
I stopped reading/watching as soon as I saw that. It’s a shame that certain groups of people believe everything has to be related to a person’s skin color. Please rvtravell.com suspend this person’s employment for a while, no matter their skin color.
DITTO!!!
People are trapped in the left-right paradigm. Part of this is due to public indoctrination systems, part of this is due to the general publics inability to think ciritcally, part of this is due to the Media Bias, part of this is due to Cognitive Dissonance, and part of this is due to Normalcy Bias. Together it makes for what we see today as the end result. The vehicle it is delivered through is emotionalism which will block any and all real consideration by the left-right brain . This creates a state of confusion and dependency on others(media) to interpret and feed(facebook) those who otherwise dont know how(Public school) or are unable(critical thinking) to discern for themselves the issues relevent to their part of the world in real world context(locally). Until There is little to no incentive to manipulate the general public at large for political gain. This train is going to run off the rails. All one can do is not buy a ticket for that train.
Ok we get it. You have an advanced degree in psychology or something. However, most of what you wrote is mumbo-jumbo to most of us. Stop injecting skin color into even the most innocent subjects. Can’t we all just enjoy a look at a segment of 1950s America without bringing in ‘how racist it was’? Sickening!
In my last apartment we had a terrible plumbing problem in which the bathroom drain pipes would freeze whenever the outside temps dipped into what was a normal overnight temperature for us in New England. Making it impossible to flush the toilet or take a shower. Whenever we had the landlord’s ear, we talked about this plumbing problem. He kept telling us he was working on it. He said he called his guy, he had just *one guy* who was in charge of maintenance for all of his properties plus his chain of funeral homes. He added some insulation on a pipe? But the drain freezing problem continued to happen… It was gross! I ended up asking the Board of Health for help, but he still didn’t fix it; he stopped taking my calls. In the spring, in order to save face, he kicked me out and the apartment went vacant. I bought my own house, where I’ve lived for 25+ years.
Racism is a problem in the US. Just because you can’t see the problem, doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.
M.Q., missed the point by a mile. Race had NO value in this article.
Racism against whites is a problem, I agree.
I’m guessing that you’re a black person and believe that this landlord ignored your requests because of your race. If this is true, you need to get out your own way! Relating incidents that happen to you because of the color of your skin will turn you into a very angry and bitter person. You need to realize that some people are irresponsible and treat others with disdain, without concern for skin color. Did this particular landlord treat others the same way? You don’t mention this. This obviously still eats at you because you felt compelled to write about it 25+ years later. Leave it, forget it and realize that some people just hate everybody! And to your comment. Racism is a problem on this Earth. It is not unique to the USofA! Maybe you need to park the RV and travel outside the US. I’ve lived many years in other countries throughout my life. Racism is in every country on this planet. Is it right? Well hell no! Expand your experiences and realize how good ALL OF US have it here.
You don’t even need to go to another country, if you’re white move to a community that isn’t, let me know how that goes.
The point of what I wrote is to experience another culture and another language where you are, culturally, in the very minority. It’s humbling! Then learn the language and begin to ‘see’ the culture. You’ll see that we are more alike than we are different, and that there are evil, selfish people everywhere. We tend to think that ‘our world’ is the only world, and that it is unique. Travel to a country where you do not know the language. I had the good fortune to live in 2 other countries where I did not know the culture or language. I was in each long enough to learn one language at the rudimentary level, and the other quite well. It’s an eye opener! But be prepared to have your preconceived notions challenged. If accepted as a learning experience, it can be quite educational.
I lived in Haiti for 9mnths, didn’t care for it. I do study other cultures, doesn’t change the fact that tribalism is a thing, I’ll tell you something else, it’s not evil it’s normal.
I agree people should not be violent or anything and yes we all have many similarities, we also have many differences and that’s not a bad thing, in fact without those differences there would be no other cultures to appreciate.
Because many people, in their nostalgia, like to insist the world was ‘perfect’ in the 50s. And it wasn’t, for those who could serve in war, but not vote or send their kids to a good public school. Don’t blame the editor for trying to deal with reality and be respectful to readers who don’t long for segregation days.
Your argument has nothing to do with ‘nostalgia’. Please defend the value of adding ‘This fascinating seven-minute video shows what life was like in America 63 years ago, at least in white, suburban America.’ to the description. The statement has all to do with pandering to guilty white people. Who, in fact, most likely have no reason to feel guilty. Why do some people insist on bringing race into every conversation? I don’t want this thrown in my face when I am not a racist and had nothing to do with the events that happened before, during and after the Civil War.
Maybe you are the one reading racism in this statement. The video was shot in white suburban America. You are for some reason offended that the writer pointed out that fact.
Do you not want to be reminded that other people did not have it as well as white suburbanites in the 1950s? 1960s today?
No one said it was perfect and when people remember those days fondly it certainly isn’t for the reasons you’re suggesting.
Think of positive day in your life, on that day someone somewhere was having bad things happen to them, should you now be forbidden from warmly remembering that day?
Grow up, that was all ages ago, how long are we supposed flog ourselves, especially since most of us had nothing to do with it.
Chuck, not wanting to add to your workload, but I have noticed an increase in car, minivan, and van dweller sites and videos. We are planning a 15,000 mile trip next year to Alaska(covid permitting) and will be living in a sienna hybrid (we hope). These campers/fulltimers seem to be a diverse group, good and bad. My question is: are they growing and what impact will they have on RVing?
Thank you for all you’ve done for us over the Many Years!
Clintoons Is it me? Or am I the only one who thinks the Clintoons as not funny, head scratcher, or I don’t get it? Each week, not just this week. A bore. Or just filling up space I guess.
Its just you.
I agree, but I wont complain about the subscription price.
My wife and I just had our first RV experience. We recently subscribed to this newsletter in early summer and interested in buying some day. The discussion on crowds has us thinking about 2 years away. We rented an RV through Outdoorsy this past week and had a wonderful vacation. Went to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the owner delivered to the site (GD Imagine Trailer) so we could experience the living-in vs. driving for now.
Learned a lot, especially what you need and don’t need given you need to make some trade offs for space. One of our dogs loved it. One hated the flies that kept getting in.
Definitely need comfortable spaces to sit. I would swap out the standard equipment that comes even though they spend a lot of time thinking about all the bells-whistles that should be in those la-z-boy chairs. This one wasn’t built to live full-time. I can see how the maintenance would build up based on quality.
Can’t wait until 2021 shows (hopefully) to explore more with a purpose.
Great newsletter today. “Why couldn’t big box stores offer 50-amp overnight spots for RVers like Tesla does with its charging stations?” Nice idea. Sadly, it’s probably the same reasons many Walmarts and local communities are banning parking lot overnights. You’ve covered that well in this newsletter. Tesla drivers are in and out in a couple hours. They don’t stay overnight. They don’t set up like they’re camping, put jacks down and damage the pavement. They don’t leave trash or try to set up their own private homeless camp and on and on. It’s unfortunate, but too many “RV’ers” just don’t have the common decency and respect that makes something like this work any more. Some of the scenes we’re seeing this year from BLM and National Parks are so sad and disgusting. If I were running a successful business like the ones you cited, I think I’d focus on my business and avoid the issues associated with an overnight campground.
Exactly right. And lets not forget the number of localities that have ordinances specifically forbidding this use of private property if an owner was so inclined.
like the article said, charge a fee. I would pay $25 a night for a 30amp site in a parking lot. I only need to run one of my AC’s at night, 30 amp’s would work (for me). Maybe at Cabela’s, Bass pro or Walmart where you pay for a site they would credit you a $15 store credit at that store. Also have a one or two night max. I don’t believe there would be an encampment setting up if they had to pay or have their rigs towed if they over stay. Providing the local government is not one the tells people what they can and cannot do on their own commercial property.
Understand all that Matt. The fee would help defray some of the additional costs like manpower to supervise and maintain the power poles and inevitable parking lot damage, tech support for the hopefully automated check-ins and so on. Then there’s the additional business’ insurance (property and liability) plus changing up the local security arrangements to accommodate this side business. These businesses are already highly profitable sticking to their core missions. I just have a hard time seeing how they would make enough of a profit off the fee and a few extra customer visits to the store to make the additional hassle and liability worth it. More power to them if they could. I’d love to see it spread all over the country. In my experience though, it would be tough to make a viable business case for it. These are highly competitive businesses with extremely refined product lines and financials. This qualifies as more of a side hustle.
I agree with Roger (below). I think the liability insurance would be great. Everyone sues everyone for everything. I would think that some stores would have to pay for extra local police for problems that crop up in the parking lots and/or to evict “campers”. One local Walmart was having the local police show up so often just for “regular” problems at their store that the police were going to have to charge Walmart – something to that effect. There is a Walmart in our area that I would not go to shop even in the daytime. No matter which store decided to put in electric, I would think the outside costs and liability would not be worth it.
I have been planning to buy an RV and full time for three years now, and this does change things a bit. The surge in buying I hoped would end after a couple of months will likely continue through next year. Scanning the local reservations, Fri-Sat nights are full. If you’re full-timing now, you already know this. If you want to make a week-long reservation, it needs to be months in advance, and you may have to settle for your second or third choice. Otherwise, stay Sun-Thur and boondock on the weekend. As for me, instead of jumping into full-timing, I’ll wait until I get my RV fully boondocking capable before going full time. Comfortable boondocking now seems a necessity. As for RV sales, one can only hope that the lack of available reservations will slow down RV sales.
Chuck, We have a question for your snowbirds … With the pandemic in full swing in many of our snowbird states are they staying home this year ?? Our Doctor recommended not traveling this season as we live in a relatively “safe area” and are part of the group (well over 60) that could have real issues with the virus if we contracted it. Just wondering what the take is out there. We have still not decided but we may be snowbirds that are actually stuck in the snow this year.
We are full-timers and “at risk” health wise. We have changed our lifestyle by staying longer where we can but sticking to our normal cycle when possible. We still plan to head west to the desert for the winter months. We rarely go into any public place, eating at home and picking up groceries from Walmart.
We are now former snowbirds… every Canadian snowbird that we know of and have heard of is NOT going south this year… even if they own a condo/park model they are staying home… just not worth the risk until a vaccine is found… and it is still NOT legal for Canadians to cross the CANADA/USA border in any sort of vehicle… so everyone with a motorhome/fifth wheel/travel trailer is stuck in Canada for the winter… just the way it is…
Larry,
I’ve seen where some Wissota late model drivers from Canada raced in grand forks and Jamestown North Dakota this year. Ricky Weiss is from Canada and he is racing on the world of outlaw late model series here in the United States.
“Pandemic in full swing” – too funny.
Reference feature article. Walmart is less and less an option. None in major cities allow Overnight parking now.
Good “Editor’s corner”, Chuck. Very interesting.