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Sunday, July 4, 2021
Non-Members (advertising supported) edition

Wow! View a campsite virtually, then book it on the spot

A new service might help you find just the elusive campground site you’re looking for. The team behind CampgroundViews.com has expanded their services to now provide virtual campground tours with an augmented booking experience. So, you’ll not only be able to see the roads, the campsite and amenities, but any obstacles that could be a problem when entering the site. Even better, if you like what you see, you can book the campsite right on the spot. This could be a game changer.

National Parks reaching capacity limits by 9 a.m. Visitors turned away

A barrage of tourists has descended on the National Parks, particularly Utah’s Zion and Arches National Parks. The pandemic confinement has fueled the need to travel to top tourist destinations in a big way. Along with crowded campgrounds, the National Parks are experiencing crowding like never before. If you’re visiting during the park’s busiest times, summer afternoons, be prepared! The parks are closing their gates when capacity numbers have been reached and not opening again until enough people have exited, sometimes not even until the next day. Learn more.

Travel trailer blows three tires in 800 miles. Watch dashcam video from car behind

Thank goodness the driver towing this travel trailer was able to keep it under control after three tire failures on an 800-mile trip. The 10-ply tires had less than 2,500 miles on them on the new trailer. RV makers are known for putting the cheapest tires they can on inexpensive trailers, knowing most RV buyers don’t pay attention to tires when making their purchase. See what can happen.

This week’s podcast (#14)

Kendall and Jennifer Jennings, the “Dashboard Drifters,” outline their personal experiences south of the border – perils, “gringo pricing” and perks of RV living part-time in Mexico. PLUS: A new service matches up RV park vacancies with travelers looking for a campsite. AND … Sean Lakin helps us maintain our RV roof whether rubber or fiberglass (and can we walk on them?), discusses black water mistakes we make, and offers advice on how and when to get a service appointment. AND MUCH MORE. Listen here.

In today’s (p)review, industry insider Tony Barthel looks at the LEVC e-Camper van: An (almost) all-electric camper. Tony says “What do you get when you mix a London taxi and a Volkswagen Westfalia camper and throw in a little bit of Chevrolet Volt for good measure? It seems that the London Electric Vehicle Company got their e-Camper using these specifications, a vehicle that will be available “across the pond” in the third quarter of this year.” Continue reading.

Yesterday’s review:
• 2021 Forest River Wildwood 27RK Travel Trailer

Last week’s reviews:
• Grand Design Imagine 2800BH Travel Trailer
• Forest River Cherokee 284DBH
• 2021 Keystone Passport SL 219BH
• 2021 Keystone Passport GT 2870RL “flat fifth wheel”
• 2021 Rockwood Mini Lite 2205S Travel Trailer

Read all other RV reviews by clicking here.

That was the RV week that was

June 27 – July 3, 2021

The Desert Southwest is early into its annual monsoon season. While the last couple of years have proved largely dry, the 2021 season is shaping up to be a wet one. Witness Utah’s Zion National Park. Last Tuesday, flash flooding roared through the park, washing out roadways and, in at least one area of the park, turning RVs into amusement rides. While the park has been “cleaning up” this week, officials warn that parking for “oversize vehicles” is shut down until further notice. If your rig is big, rangers say, find a place in town to park and take the shuttle.

Back in 2019 we reported on a rental outfit, Alaska Motorhome Inc., under investigation for “unfair and deceptive business practices.” An Alaska State Attorney General then accused the outfit of taking out-of-state clients for a ride, not disclosing rental terms until the client showed up at the door to pick up the RV. Included: Charging as much as $300 an hour for late returns, or $1,000 for a fish in the refrigerator. “The chickens have come home to roost” for the company owners, Peter and Cole Harkovitch. A judge has ordered the rental-rip-offs to fork over $110,000 in fines for unfair and deceptive business practices which, in addition to charging excessive fees, were also canceling out on existing reservationists to rent the same RV to someone else willing to pay a higher price. A Superior Court judge in Anchorage made the judgment after a settlement agreement, according to a statement from the Department of Law. Alaska Motorhome’s attorneys say the firm “acted aboveboard in good faith to the best of their ability.” He explained, “There were some growing pains in the initial years, they worked out those kinks and were incredibly honest about areas where they needed improvement.” This according to The Anchorage Daily News.

A terrifying time for the family of a 5-year-old girl in a Bakersfield, California, campground has led to a not guilty plea from a convicted sex offender. On June 1, parents of the little girl filed a missing child report while at the Bureau of Land Management’s Keysville South Campground near Lake Isabella. The parents made a frantic search, eventually finding the girl in a secluded area with David Barrera (62). Questioned by police, Barrera admitted he’d heard the parents calling for their child, but kept quiet. Earlier in the day Barrera had “hung around” with the family, and they drank some beer. At the time, Barrera asked if he could charge his cell phone in the family’s car, which they allowed. After the girl was found with Barrera, the child’s mother took a quick peek at the man’s phone and found what police describe as “sexually suggestive” photos of the girl, and other young girls. Barrera was charged with kidnapping a child under 14, annoying or molesting a child under 18 with a prior offense and two counts of contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense.

Got a little hot in Canada last weekend, eh? How hot? Hot enough that normally cool-headed Canadian RVers in Prince George, B.C., got a nasty treat: melted road tar clinging tenaciously to their rigs. An example is Mike Smith, who attempted to tow his travel trailer over a section of Chief Lake Road. He got to spend part of his leisure time married to a can of road tar solvent and a rag, cleaning both his tow rig and his trailer. The company which resurfaced the road last summer says they’ll accept damage claims from folks affected.

Looking to buy a new toad car or towing vehicle? New inventory on cars and trucks reached a 33-day supply at the end of May – about half of what’s considered “healthy” for the market, and down 44% from 2020. High demand plus low supply equals a mountain of cash for manufacturers. J.D. Power Research says the average new car model was $40,000 in June – that’s an all-time high-water mark, and up 15% from last year. High-demand SUVs and pickups are priced thousands above suggested retail by dealers.

Disaster turns to unexpected “recovery.” California’s Lava Fire has burned through nearly 20,000 acres, evacuating countless numbers of folks north of Weed. One such family that had to flee the fire found themselves parked at a gas station near Yreka, California, waiting for an all-clear to go home. They’d already suffered their own, personal disaster. Earlier this year someone had stolen their fifth wheel. No doubt the rig would have been a good thing to have when run out of their home. But scanning the area around the station, they noticed a fifth wheel that looked an awful lot like the one they’d “lost.” Hang on! It WAS their trailer. They called the California Highway Patrol, who made a surprise visit. They found another couple sitting out the 106-degree heat in the air-conditioned comfort of the other couple’s fifth wheel. That which was lost was found – and the county DA is now mulling over potential charges for the cool cats who had the purloined trailer.

Tornado or gustnado? If your RV was involved with “whatever it was” in Lamesa, Texas, on Saturday, June 26, you’ll probably only say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” At what we suspect was the 2T RV Park on the Lubbock Highway, huge winds blew in and “relocated” a row of RVs, blasting one completely apart. Folks at the park say that owners of many of the damaged RVs were away at the time. The most serious injury reported was a blackened eye. The National Weather Service analyzed photos of the big wind and said it can’t determine if it was a tornado that visited Lamesa, or perhaps a gustnado. The latter is a shallow, surface-based vortex that doesn’t extend all the way up to a thundercloud. Not to be messed with, gustnados can pack the force of an EF0 or EF1 tornado.

Stupid RVer Tricks! Oh, what some of them do! Watch and [maybe] weep!

Not enough power to run your air conditioner? Think again!
When the summer heat arrives and your 110 power is from a small portable generator or a 20-amp household hookup you’re out of luck running an air conditioner. That is, unless you have a SoftStartRV. It’s inexpensive, simple to install, and makes running your A/C possible when you never could before. Order at a discount. Money back guarantee if not 100% satisfied. Read more

If you thought all the “wacky driver in motorhome” stories came from the U.S., think again. This gem is from Warwickshire, the county in England made famous by the birth of William Shakespeare. Two policemen were motoring across the countryside when they were nearly clobbered by an erratically driven motorhome. Like all good Brit cops, they quickly pursued the errant rig. The motorhome pulled over, and police observed as the male driver put on a woman’s wig, and swapped seats with his genuine female passenger. Turns out the lad had been using a “Class A” drug – which category includes heroin, methadone, cocaine (including crack cocaine), ecstasy, magic mushrooms, and “crystal meth.” Seems he’d earlier done something to be “disqualified from driving,’ and so, of course, wasn’t carrying insurance. He got a free trip to “the nick” for his trouble. Concludes one write-up of the situation, “Sounds like the driver’s brush with the law got him into a hairy situation he couldn’t get out of.”

Last April we reported on the tragic death of a 3-year-old girl at a New Jersey RV park. Emma Davidson was playing outdoors at the Sun Outdoors Cape May on April 3, when a septic tank lid she stepped on gave way, dropping her 10 feet into sewage. Adults pulled her from the tank and gave her CPR to no avail. Now it turns out that days following the tragedy, state inspectors reportedly found “numerous” unsecured septic tank lids at the site. The park is owned by Sun Communities, which also owns or operates 560 U.S. and Canadian parks. Last year, just 15 miles away from the Cape May facility, a man fell in a septic tank at Driftwood, another Sun-owned campground. Emma’s parents are now suing Sun Communities, and included the State of New Jersey for failure to properly inspect the septic tanks.

An RV dealer in Evans, Georgia, is smarting at an estimated loss of $30,000 worth of catalytic converters. Richard Fender owns Augusta RV, and says a man recently cut through his dealership’s security fence and, in quick order, cut off and carried off cat converters from 15 motorhomes. Fender couldn’t believe it when he tuned up his security cam footage and observed as the “cat burglar” slid under a motorhome with a battery powered saw, then came back out with the converter – all in less than a minute-and-a-half. Fender is offering $500 to anyone who has information about the suspect. Call Augusta RV at (706) 855-5220 or the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (706) 541-2800.

Put an Indy 500 winner behind the wheel of a Class A motorhome and how far up does the tach run? Perhaps that’s the question that REV Recreation Group wants answered. The outfit, which builds brands American Coach, Fleetwood, and Holiday Rambler, have cut a deal with Hélio Castroneves, the driver who just won his fourth Indy 500. Castroneves will spend a year driving an American Eagle, from American Coach.

A golf course owner’s potential inability to count has gotten her into trouble with local authorities in Port Alberni, B.C. In 2017, Heather Powell, who owns Hollies Executive Golf Course, had applied to operate a temporary seasonal campsite at the course. Local officials issued the permit, capping the number of rigs on the site at 22. The permit timed out in May 2020, and Powell didn’t renew it. Last March, a government official happened by and counted 31 RVs on the site. Powell apologized to officials, saying in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for renewing the permit slipped her mind. She also told officials that many of those staying on at the course had no place else to go. Directors who have to decide what to do say they’re torn. They recognize a housing crisis plagues the community, but are concerned about Powell’s record of non-compliance. They’ve tabled the matter until they can get public comment.

Traffic stopped lumbering near Lumberton, North Carolina’s Interstate 95 South June 24. A couple navigating their Class A motorhome along the freeway took a nasty turn when the rig blew a tire as it was coming up on the U.S. 301 underpass. The failure caused the driver to lose control and mash into an abutment under an overpass. Allen Charlip (71) of Port St. Lucie, Florida, was ejected from the motorhome, and his wife, Fawzeyah Charlip (69), was also seriously injured. Both were flown to a hospital, where they were listed in critical condition at last report. Their rig had to be pulled onto its side to clear the accident scene, which tied up traffic for 15 miles and about three hours.

An RV park developer who waged a six-year war with local officials to get approval of his park hasn’t heard the last explosion. Dave Rose of Tower, Minnesota, finally got the final sign-off to build his 32-site RV park on East Two River. The waterfront park would be ideal for RVers who like boating – except a century old line of piling in front of the property prevents it. When Rose talked about yanking the old pilings out, he got a threatening email from the city attorney, warning he would be subject to “criminal prosecution for the offense of intentional damage to public property.” Whose public property? City ordinances don’t appear to have any application, and while the city does have developmental jurisdiction over the land, the state has control of what goes on in the river. Since the pilings are well-offshore, and a state agency representative said it would not likely allow the city to build out pilings in the river today, it makes any “legal” action rather questionable. Rose says he’ll worry about the RV park first – and wait for all the government players to decide who really has authority over his desire to pull the pilings.

Are you like many RVers who need a CPAP, BiPAP, or other mechanical ventilator device to help you sleep? Last month, medical equipment manufacturer Philips filed a recall for a several million of their devices. Philips says some of these machines may have sound-deadening foam inside that could break down and be inhaled or ingested by users, potentially leading to “lung irritation, headaches, dizziness and even cancer,” according to a group of attorneys who have filed a class action lawsuit against Phillips. For more information on the details, and specifics as to which machines are under recall, visit the legal group’s website, classaction.org.

Reusable Bamboo paper towels – good for the environment and wallet! 
At first glance, you’d have no idea these weren’t regular paper towels – they look just like it! But these “paper” towels are made from bamboo and are 100% reusable. These washable towels are unbleached and chlorine-free with no added dyes or fragrances. One roll of these will replace almost 85 rolls of regular paper towels – wow! Buy a two-pack here for $14, and save money for months (even years!) to come.

Car makers may not like it, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says manufacturers of “fully autonomous” or partially automated driver-assist equipped vehicles must now report any crashes they’re involved in. Previously the agency had taken a soft touch, fearing it might create problems for automakers developing life-saving drive systems. But NHTSA has sent special teams to investigate 31 crashes of these kinds of vehicles since 2015 and says it needs more data that could indicate potential safety defects. If a crash involving a vehicle where this technology was in use results in a hospital-involved injury treatment, a death, air bag deployment or vehicle tow-away, or included pedestrians or bicyclists, the report must be made within 24 hours. Other types of injuries or property damage incidents will need to be reported in a month.

Green, Ohio, lawmakers are crowing that their new rules for RV storage are great for everyone – but not everyone agrees. Want to store a trailer on your driveway? Fine – provided it’s a “utility” trailer – not an RV. RVs must now be stored in a side or back yard, at least 10 feet from a property line, on a “stable surface.” Hook it up to electricity? Fine – so long as the hookup is limited to 72 hours in a 30-day period. Got a commercial vehicle for your business? If it’s bigger than a 3/4 ton, you’ll need to store it “completely inside” a garage. The city council voted 5 to 2 in favor of the new ordinance. The two naysayers say the ordinance will put too many residents into a state of technical violation, and point out that complaints about RVs in the city are pretty rare.

We reported in our June 26 newsletter about the police chase of a Class C motorhome that ended with a PIT maneuver near Cedar Springs, Michigan. At the time, police reported they’d arrested the driver, whom they described as “elderly.” Turns out the driver was Linda Mankel, age 46, who now could face up to a life-in-prison term if convicted on all charges. After the 17-minute, 15-mile chase, in which numerous vehicles were damaged, police found multiple empty alcohol bottles in the RV, and Mankel admitted having “a couple of fifths of alcohol” within hours of the chase. Another woman in the rig told troopers she’d been picked up by Mankel, and they headed over to a Walmart store, where, she alleges, Mankel stole several TVs that she planned to sell to buy heroin. The DA is seeking to have Mankel classified a “habitual offender,” which means her 10 counts (8 of which are felonies) could mean life forever behind bars if convicted.

Where did the money go? That’s the question being asked in Starke County, Indiana, by the county’s park board. After a closed-door board meeting “to receive information concerning alleged misconduct of an individual over whom the governing bodies have jurisdiction,” the board set a deadline. Larry Clarich, the manager of the Bass Lake Beach and Campground has until July 7 to fork over several thousand dollars in revenues the board says the county has claim to. The county says about $58,000 has been taken in this year at the park, but the county has seen only $16,000. Manager Clarich pushes back, saying it doesn’t belong to the county, since it had leased out the campground to Richard Callahan, whom he worked for. But Callahan is now deceased, and the county says most of that booty should belong to it. Until it all gets resolved, the county has ordered all campground payments be made – not to Clarich – but directly to the county auditor’s office.

LISTEN TO THE RV TRAVEL PODCAST while you cook dinner.

With at least one objector calling a proposed RV park in Preston, Connecticut, a “monstrosity,” developers didn’t get a warm reception. Blue Water Development wants to turn a 63-acre farm into a 300-site RV park, dubbing it Foxwoods RV Park. Last week the citizenry was able to ask questions and comment on the proposal at a town meeting. Objections about noise, pollution, light, etc., were raised. Environmental concerns seemed high, and many people objected to the development of the land. Interestingly, Preston’s residents were offered an opportunity to buy the land a few years back, and would have theoretically saved it from development. They flatly turned down the offer by a popular vote.

Pickup truck news

According to our recent survey, about 80 percent of RVtravel.com readers own at least one pickup truck. Recognizing that, we’ll provide the latest news highlights about the vehicles here each week.

Ram goes wild with 2022 Limited Edition 10th Anniversary truck

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Ram later this year will introduce the 2022 Ram 1500 Limited 10th Anniversary Edition. It will feature wood accents, metal finishing kit, upgraded leather and an exclusive Blue Shade exterior paint color. Available with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with eTorque or a 3-liter EcoDiesel V-6, both offerings will be propelled by eight-speed automatic transmissions. The Special Edition will be available in two-and four-wheel drive. Continue reading.

One millionth Toyota Tacoma could fetch 100K at auction

Now in its mid-20s, it’s time for a Toyota Tacoma celebration. One pickup truck fan may get the biggest prize – the one-millionth unit of the iconic small truck. It was assembled Oct. 4, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, and has been driven only 158 miles. The truck, which may reach a value of $100,000, will be for sale during Mecum Auctions’ three-day presence at Monterey Auto Week, Aug. 12-14. Learn more.

• Pickup truck parts and accessories at Amazon. Click here.

The Luci Light should be every RVers’ favorite light source
Tony Barthel recently reviewed the Luci Core light and had nothing but glowing things to say about it. He writes, “It’s a large puck with a white lens on one side and a solar panel on the other. At the bottom of the puck is a rubber cap that hides a Micro USB charging port and a button. That button toggles the light through three different brightness settings and a fourth setting that flashes the puck.” Read his review or order one for yourself here.

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, July 4, 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 two readers claimed their $25 Amazon gift cards: Warren May of Tallahassee, Florida, and Scott Kosa of Sedro Woolley, Washington.

We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s RV Daily Tips 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.

At last! A directory of where to camp on public lands!
The Bureau of Land Management Camping book describes 1,142 camping areas managed by the BLM in 11 Western states. Details for each camping area include the number of campsites, amenities, facilities, fees, reservation information, GPS coordinates, and more. You’ll want this book if you camp or are interested in camping on BLM land. Learn more or order.

Reader poll

How would you rate Camping World’s service and repair department?

Respond here and see how others responded.

Brain Teaser

I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

(Answer below.)

Do you have a brain teaser you think we should use? Send it to us here.

Camping activity and puzzle book perfect for summer fun
Even though this activity and puzzle book is meant for children, we bet you’ll have fun with it too. All the puzzles are camping-themed. It’s perfect to bring along in the RV to have fun around the campfire or at the picnic table. Inside you’ll find word searches, mazes, scavenger hunts, animal tracks, hidden pictures, word scrambles, hiking logs and much more! Learn more or order.

News briefs

Housing is so tight in Ouray, Colorado, that city councilors are looking to RVs to come to the rescue. Last Tuesday the council voted to allow “local employees” to live in RVs on private property. The city will require permits, which it says will be limited to 30, and allow camping only through November 19.

The new Bolivar Beach Club & RV Resort is in the works to open next spring at Crystal Beach, Texas. The 150-acre beach resort will feature 207 full-hookup sites in the first phases of opening. The developer is touting the resort as a high-end facility with private bathrooms and the largest pool and swim-up bar for any RV resort in the country. Reservations are now being taken at BolivarBeachClub.com.

Yellowstone National Park upgraded its fire danger Friday to “very high” and banned charcoal and wood campfires in the backcountry. In developed campgrounds and day use areas, campfires are still okay but only in designated fire rings.

Harvest Hosts has a new mascot. He introduced himself last week in an email to members. “I’m HaRVey, the Harvest Hosts Alpaca,” he wrote. (Or perhaps it was a ghostwriter. Ya think?!) “I wanted to drop in and introduce myself. I live on the Funny Farm in Unalaska Island, AK. My favorite jokes to tell are Yo Llama jokes.” Harvest Hosts continues to add new farms, ranches, wineries, micro-breweries and other locations to its lineup of free overnight places to stay for RVers.

Motorists who spotted a distressed German shepherd in a crate strapped to the back of a travel trailer on a British Columbia highway are expressing outrage amid the current heat wave. Heather Peters said she was traveling along Highway 1 near Abbotsford, B.C., at approximately 3 p.m. last Sunday when she spotted the dog crate and the RV. “I was like, ‘Oh please, dear God. Please do not let there be a dog in there,’ and of course, I pulled to the side and we were at a light on Sumas Way, and there was a dog panting,” said Peters. “His tongue was sticking out to the side. He was a big German shepherd.” Continue reading.

If you’re in the vicinity of Gillette, Wyoming, you might consider heading over to the Family Motor Coach Association’s International Rally, which runs July 7 to 10. Members of the public who wish to visit the RV displays and the supplier and component exhibits can pay $10 per day or $25 for a family of three. A day pass for Wednesday, July 7, will also be good for Thursday, July 8. The rate to attend seminars is $50 per person per day. Military members with an active ID may enter for free.

Trash from Salt Lake City “street RVers” is getting out of control. “It’s a real mess,” said Jason Snedaker, who works in the area. “The garbage is just all over. It’s horrendous… It tears at your heart to see people who are in that type of a situation. There’s no doubt. At the same time, it’s also frustrating because of all of the garbage that piles up. It tends to be just a ton of garbage pickup and drug use as well.” Read more and watch a local TV news report.

Taking shelter from the storm didn’t help in a tragic case from Idaho’s Boise National Forest. On June 22, two women staying at Antelope Campground near Sage Hen Reservoir took to their car out of concern for a windstorm that blew up. The Weather Service says winds blowing up to 70 miles per hour could have been responsible for what happened next: A large tree limb blasted free and landed on the car, killing one outright, and sending the other to a hospital by medevac.

All camping areas on Maine’s Tumbledown Mountain are now closed due to damage from visitors and their litter. Park rangers and Maine Forest Service rangers are on patrol looking for illegal camping and illegal fire activity on the mountain. “While the recent increase in outdoor recreation is good for everyone, ongoing disregard for Tumbledown Mountain’s rules is damaging fragile habitat and creating an unwelcoming environment for visitors,” said Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands Deputy Director Bill Patterson.

It’s another one of those, minding your own business but life has other ideas, stories. This time it was for Laura Drum and her husband, motoring down Texas Interstate 635 on a quiet Saturday morning. The newlyweds (married last October) were heading into Irving, Texas, for a little shopping. My, how plans change when a lawnmower blade flies through your windshield. Find out what happened here.

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Someone might actually want to hurt you for this… but boy, would you laugh!

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE STOLEN RVs?

A callous thief has really thrown a monkey wrench in the new life of a couple from the Midwest. The pair sold their home on Monday, June 14, having put all their keepsakes in their travel trailer to move to Oregon to be near their grandkids. They got as far as Blue Springs, Missouri, and laid over at the La Quinta Inn. On Wednesday morning, June 16, they awoke to find their trailer and pickup truck gone. Can you help resolve this heartbreaker? The RV is a Flagstaff Micro Lite travel trailer, white in color, with an unusual spare tire cover, as you can see from the photo. The tow rig is a 2002 white Ford F-250 diesel, extended cab, with a white canopy. If you have any information, please phone the Blue Springs, Missouri, police at 816-228-0151.

Kaukauna, Wisconsin, police are looking for the people who swiped a travel trailer from a storage complex on Wrightstown Road. This missing rig is a 23′ Salem FSX, gray and white in color. The brazen crooks simply drove in to the facility, hitched up, and drove out. Their tow rig is a bit hard to miss: It’s a flat-black painted Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon, two-wheel drive from the late ’90s. The passenger side rear-most window is missing. The suspect tow rig has been seen in the Necedah and Green Bay areas. Suspects were also caught on security cam videos – their images are superimposed on the main picture. Know something? Sergeant Sheldon Pedranzan would like to hear from you at 920-832-5625. The case number is 21-027627.

See many more recently stolen RVs. Let’s help find these for their owners and maybe even put the crooks in the slammer. Click here.

Campground and RV Park News

Developments in places where we stay across the USA

Janet Groene reports each week on developments at RV parks and campgrounds across the USA and Canada. There’s a lot of good information here that you can use to plan your travels. Read the current installment of “Campground and RV Park News” here.

Road Atlas: Adventure Edition
As much as we love technology, we still appreciate a good physical road atlas. This highly rated National Geographic Road Atlas: Adventure Edition is certainly one to love. The atlas has up-to-date road maps for all 50 states, plus Canada and Mexico. Cities and metro areas include popular attractions and points of interest. The atlas also acts as a guidebook to National Parks and the top 100 adventure destinations. This atlas is cool! Check it out.

RV RECALLS

RV recalls posted since our last newsletter
• Winnebago recalls some 2021-2022 Soilis, Travato and Ekko motorhomes.

Test the RV park water before you drink it!
How pure is the water at the RV park you just entered? Is it pure enough to drink or full of contaminants? This TDS meter provides an inexpensive and convenient way to instantly check your overall water quality. Don’t risk drinking bad water! Use this hand-held device to check the condition of your water filter, too. Every RVer should have one of these! Learn more or order.

Did you miss yesterday’s RV Travel?

If so, stories you missed:
• Road Trip: Places in the Northeast to celebrate your independence
• On this patriotic weekend, the history of Old Glory is important to remember
• Did the pandemic force you into early retirement? We want to hear your story
• Campground Crowding: “The industry is taking full advantage!”
• 10 tips about how to live together full-time in an RV
• You should consider buying a truck camper. Here’s why
• RVelectricity: How do I set my meter for 120 volts?
• Phone Photography Tips: Your flash isn’t really a flash
• Tire life – Why can’t I get a straight or consistent answer?
• The load mis-taken: A hilarious story on what NOT to bring RVing
… and much more

Read it here | Back issues

Pocket-sized pain and bug bite itch relief balm is good to have! 
This small anti-itch and pain balm is good to keep in your pocket or purse any time you’re around pesky mosquitoes. It’s an all-natural balm made with essential oils that helps relieve pain and reduce swelling. It also helps with spider bites and bee stings. Learn more or order. And see other bug-bite relief and prevention options in this article.

Latest fuel prices

Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of June 28, 2021:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.09 [Calif.: $4.13]
Change from week before: Up 3 cents; Change from year before: Up 92 cents.
Diesel: $3.30 [Calif.: $4.13]
Change from week before: Up 1 cent; Change from year before: Up 87 cents.

Sign up for an email reminder for our weekday RV Daily Tips Newsletter, published every Monday through Friday. You won’t want to miss it!

Cute vintage LED lanterns look like the real deal!
You’ll fool everyone with these LED lanterns – they look like real old lanterns! These remote-controlled vintage-looking lanterns have flickering lights with two modes. It comes with a hook so you can hang it at the campsite and it’s lightweight and portable. You can buy them as either battery-powered or solar-powered. Learn more or order.

Upcoming RV shows

Most of the RV shows in 2021 have been canceled. We will restart our show directory feature here as shows begin again. In the meantime, see the frequently updated schedule here.

Recipe of the Day

You Saucey Little Dog Sauce (hot dog sauce)
by Dee Tourville from FC, FL
What an easy-to-make, flavorful hot dog sauce. The balance of flavors is spot on and similar to a Tex-Mex chili. It’s savory with a kick. We did use the 7 tsp. of chili powder and it was perfect for our palate. If you don’t like things hot, just cut back on the chili powder. The chili and cumin mingle together perfectly. Once simmered, the meat has a smooth texture. A delicious topping for your hot dog.

Hot diggity dawg, this sounds yummy! Get the recipe.

Did you miss yesterday’s recipe, 4th of July Strawberries? Get it here.

Other recipes featured in this week’s Daily Tips Newsletters:
• Strawberry Shortcake Red, White & Blue Bites
• Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles With Blueberry Sauce
• Bruschetta Pasta Salad
• Texas Peach Sangria
• Slow Cooker Applesauce

→  SIGN UP FOR THE RV KITCHEN group on Facebook.

Collapsible salad spinner is perfect for RV kitchen
Salad spinners tend to take up a lot of precious, limited RV kitchen space. This Prepworks spinner folds down almost flat, so you can keep it nice and organized. It’s got an easy-to-use crank handle, which quickly dries lettuce or other veggies. You can use the nicely designed outer bowl as a serving dish, so you’ve got two in one, and it’s dishwasher safe. No clean up! Learn more or order.

Brain teaser answer:

Seven

Sunday funny

The Perfect Scam Podcast

Every Sunday we present a podcast from AARP about scams and how crooks are stealing your money, often via telemarketing. Their efforts are often most successful with people 65 years and older who fall victim to the scammers’ sophisticated techniques. Here is this week’s episode.

Larry Davis shares how a court-appointed guardian landed his stepmother in an assisted living facility.

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

Today in History

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RV Travel staff

Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Managing editor: Mike Gast. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Tony Barthel. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Gail Marsh, Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Machelle James, James Raia, Kate Doherty, J.R. Montigel, Clint Norrell, Randall Brink and Chris Epting. Podcast host and producer: Scott Linden. Special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Linda Brady. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.

Honorary Correspondents: Loyal readers who regularly email us leads about news stories and other information and resources that aid our own news-gathering efforts.
Tom and Lois Speirs • Mike Sherman • George Bliss • Steve Barnes • Tom Hart + others who we will add later. 

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.

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