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Sunday, September 4, 2022
Non-Members (advertising-supported) edition
Featured articles
RVs becoming housing of last resort
By Andy Zipser
The ongoing and deepening U.S. housing crisis continues to ripple through the RV and camping industry, as more people are squeezed out of conventional housing and traditional notions of what it means to have “conventional housing” get upended. The default, for those who suddenly can’t afford to rent a house or an apartment, is to move into an RV, a van or even a tent. Some end up in campgrounds, some on public lands, some on city streets. That migration creates a host of social problems, from health and safety issues having to do with inadequate sanitation and increased fire hazards, to societal instability and environmental degradation. … Increasingly, RVers report they can’t find a camping site, or the sites that they can find have been trashed or are in close proximity to “campers” who make them uncomfortable. Read more.
RV shipments decline in 2022 and likely again in 2023
RV wholesale shipments from manufacturers to dealers are projected to reach 498,800 units by year-end 2022 and 419,000 units in 2023, according to the Fall 2022 issue of RV RoadSigns, the quarterly forecast prepared by ITR Economics for the RV Industry Association (RVIA). The numbers signal a significant turnaround in record-setting years of recent times. Learn more.
California explains more about gas vehicle ban
The last week has seen a flurry of stories in the media about California banning sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. In this article, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association explains how this will affect all motorists including RVers. Read all about it.
Campground Crowding: Some campgrounds becoming all about profit, less about care
RV sales have skyrocketed and 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 we hear from an RVer who is giving up his retirement dream of RVing due to campgrounds’ apparent lack of caring about their clients. Also, we hear from more campers with tips for getting reservations, as well as some words of wisdom to see us through this “temporary(?)” phase of crowded campgrounds. Read more.
Photo Contest
Here is the current edition of our twice-a-week photo contest. See if your submitted photo made the first cut, and then vote for your favorite. Once you’ve voted, submit your own photo for consideration. Winners receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Good luck!
Voting ends tonight at midnight (Pacific time).
(And remember, this contest appears every Saturday and Wednesday, so don’t forget to check back for a new batch of photos this coming Wednesday! Sign up for our RV Daily Tips newsletter [if you’re not already]. If you are not sure, sign up again. You will still only get one issue, not two.)
COMING THIS MONTH
A new weekly newsletter: RV Tech Talk. The nation’s leading experts on RV repair and maintenance will discuss, both in writing and in live online discussions on Wednesday evenings, what you need to know to keep your RV in top condition and to troubleshoot problems. Hosted by Dave Solberg. Sign up.
Today’s RV review…
2022 ProLite Evasion—a good starter trailer
Tony writes, “Essentially this is sort of a camping starter kit but not a bad one. Lots and lots of my friends camp in similar trailers that were built a long time ago. This offers the modern build and a few features I have had to add to my own vintage trailer such as a high-performance ceiling fan. … I actually know a few people whom I am going to show this review to, as it fits the model they’ve been looking for.”
Read all other RV reviews by clicking here.
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That was the RV week that was
August 28 – September 3, 2022
And you thought your rig was long!
When you pull your long fifth wheel behind your truck you may think you’re dealing with a pretty long load. But that’s child’s play compared to what you may see one day soon on a Northwest highway. We’re talking about hauling windmills. Eighty oversized loads will depart Idaho’s Port of Lewiston bound for Canada over the next two-and-a-half months, with the first load scheduled to leave this week. They will travel north on U.S. Highway 95 to Coeur d’Alene, then head east on interstate 90 into Montana, then on to Jenner, Alberta. The largest loads will measure up to 325 feet long and weigh 137,000 pounds.
Keep your eyes wide open if you are driving I-5 in far Northern California. Two wildfires are burning in Siskiyou County and are far from controlled, with evacuation orders issued for the communities of Weed, Lake Shastina and Edgewood. I-5 was still open at press time but with some closures. Meanwhile, in southern Oregon, the Rum Creek Fire northwest of Medford, which began August 17, is approaching 20,000 acres with members of the Oregon National Guard on the fire lines.
Grand Canyon National Park has re-implemented mandatory water conservation measures on both its North and South rims due to diminished water supplies as a result of a major pipeline break discovered on September 3 in the inner canyon along the North Kaibab Trail. Water conservation measures require all park residents and visitors to conserve and reduce water usage wherever possible in homes, hotel rooms, and at campgrounds.
Provided they all pass their final exams, as many as six inmates with the Worcester County, Mass., Jail and House of Corrections will be certified as Level I RV Service Technicians. Former RVtravel.com technical editor Chris Dougherty has taught the classes in the innovative program. Dougherty said that some of the students are interested in pursuing their tech training after gaining their freedom.
How would you like to sleep in a classic RV right alongside the Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park? Starting tomorrow, the Verb Hotel will open custom-made trailers where guests can stay overnight on a former parking lot wedged between the stadium and the hotel. Created to pay homage to the days when rock bands rolled in and out of Boston (they still do), a popular stop for musicians and a hippie haven for undiscovered talent, the urban trailer park—called “Backstage”—is a new expansion on the hotel’s rock history theme. And rates start at only $599 a night! What a deal!
Representatives from Wyoming’s legendary Little America hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Tuesday to celebrate the opening of its new 42-site RV park, located off I-80 near Green River and Rock Springs. The popular stopping point along the Interstate includes a motel, restaurants and nine-hole golf course. Sites in the RV park start at $39 this month.
In the past couple of years, home foreclosures in the U.S. hit record lows largely due to COVID-19 relief efforts provided to families, according to a report by Stacker. In July, Elkhart, Indiana, home to the RV Industry, led the nation with the highest rate of foreclosures. Foreclosure is the process by which a bank or lender seizes a home after the homeowner fails to keep up with mortgage payments.
Two wildfires have burned more than 5,000 acres in Yosemite National Park. The Red Fire and the Rodgers Fire, both caused by lightning, have been burning since early August. The Red Fire has led to many trail and area closures within the park. Both fires are 10 percent contained and have rendered the air quality within the park mostly unhealthy.
The giant 2022 Caravan Salon RV show in Dusseldorf, Germany, has drawn more than 140,000 visitors as of its August 31 halfway point. The show occupies 16 halls with 736 exhibitors from 34 countries. By comparison, America’s largest RV shows draw roughly 60,000 visitors.
“The Monkeys” may have been famous for their hit “Last Train to Clarksville,” but Canada has something on them. Police in Parksville, British Columbia, got a call about a motorhome somebody drove off with from a local dealership. It wasn’t much later when their phones lit up with calls about somebody driving a motorhome “erratically,” and with the slides out. Not much later, the report came in that the same motorhome was in a ditch, and a male was seen hot-footing it away. A police K-9 unit reported to the scene, but couldn’t turn up the suspect. We call this one “The last brain in Parksville,” which, obviously, the thief didn’t possess.
An owner and property manager of a Davenport, Florida, RV park has entered into a consent order after discriminating against a transgender woman, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Thursday. The consent order states the resort and manager Nathan Dykgraaf must pay the tenant and her family $45,000 in damages. Dykgraaf allegedly violated the act when he gave the tenant a letter that said he was aware she was transitioning but told her she should dress, speak and behave like a man to avoid trouble. Read our original story on this incident.
Three visitors to Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina claim they saw an animal on August 3 they believe could be Bigfoot. The three people reported seeing an animal that was 5-6 feet tall and walking upright retreat into the woods from the roadway. They didn’t have time to take a photo but reported the sighting to park staff and to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.
Learn everything you need to know about purchasing and operating a prosperous campground by attending the latest Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) Buyer’s Workshop. The two-day event will be held Oct. 8-9 at the Fort Collins/Lakeside KOA Holiday in Colorado. In a survey in May, a surprising 69 percent of nearly 6,000 RVtravel.com readers answered “Yes” to our poll “Would you like to own and operate an RV park if given the opportunity?” Continue reading.
Let’s be honest here. Why own an RV that only travels on land when you can own one that travels on water, too? Keep in mind that water occupies 70% of our planet, so this makes sense, right? That’s the idea behind the Caracat 860 – a towable catamaran RV that’s a brainchild of the German company called Schneider Caravaning. We’ll tell you more about it in a future issue. But pretty, cool, huh?
As a result of the Rum Creek Fire, the Bureau of Land Management is closing recreation sites in southern Oregon along the Rogue River. The closure affects all recreation sites from Hog Creek to Grave Creek. Josephine County Parks that are currently closed include Hog Creek County Park, Indian Mary Park and Campground, Ennis Riffle County Park, and Almeda County Park and Campground.
Campground chain Spacious Skies Campgrounds is adding retro trailers to its accommodation options. The parade of campgrounds morphing into “Glampgrounds,” where the camping is comfy and convenient but no RV is required, continues. In the case of the 12-location Spacious Skies Campgrounds an RV is involved, but it’s provided by the campground, not the RVer. Now available in four of the company’s parks, the retro trailers by Riverside RV are among an array of enhancements underway at the campgrounds. Learn more.
And yet another reminder to be fire safe! In this case, a mother and her two young children had pulled over in their motorhome last Wednesday in Dundee, Michigan. “Just really thankful that they weren’t sleeping in that RV when it went up and that everybody got out safely,” said Dundee Police Officer Dale Greenleaf. The woman had just purchased the 1989 RV and was taking her kids on a camping trip. Moments after stopping and turning off her engine, smoke started to appear through the vents. She and the kids got out quick as the RV went up in flames. No word on the cause. But the message: Remember, RVs burn and they burn fast. So keep your RV in good shape to help ensure this doesn’t happen to you.
Thermacell Repellents is predicting the worst cities for mosquito activity this fall. “While many think that mosquito season is confined to summer months or periods of very hot weather for regions that don’t experience the four seasons, with our evolving seasonality, ideal temperatures for mosquitoes are often prolonged well into the fall season or months of historically cool and moist weather conditions,” said Dr. Benjamin McMillan, Senior Biologist at the company. The top 10 cities where you should definitely be watching for the little blood suckers are: Jacksonville (Florida), Jackson (Mississippi), New Orleans, Birmingham (Alabama), Philadelphia, Houston, Tulsa, Louisville, Salt Lake City and Phoenix.
News briefs
After two months, campgrounds located east of Yellowstone National Park have fully reopened after suffering significant damage from June flooding.
The Ruby Beach entrance road, parking area, and beach access trail in Washington’s Olympic National Park is closed to all public access for construction activities through September 16, 2022, depending on the weather.
Construction and road improvement projects scheduled for Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming will lead to some temporary closures in the park, beginning after Labor Day Weekend. Check with the park if you are headed that way.
Idaho public lands and forests will receive a $28-million grant for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to use towards upgrades and improvements at parks and lands across Idaho.
Headed to Yosemite? Be ready for some sizzle: Temps in the Valley have topped 100 degrees F lately.
The Starved Rock Family Campground in Utica, Ill., hosted a grand opening yesterday. The property, formerly known as Hickory Hollow Campground, was regarded as one of the most popular camping sites in the region.
The Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association reports that RV wholesale shipments into Canada for the 2nd Quarter ending June 30th totaled 20,436 units compared to 16,250 in 2021, an increase of 25.8% year over year.
Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road is currently closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., from 1.5 miles north of the West Entrance to Sprague Creek Campground, for construction work.
Veterans and those currently in active military service can fish for free Sept. 17 at Missouri’s Roaring River State Park’s Veterans’ Fishing Day.
Camping World is expanding its footprint in western Washington state with the acquisition of Clear Creek RV Center dealerships located in Silverdale and Puyallup, bringing Camping World’s presence in the state to six locations.
… Meanwhile, RV Retailer has acquired Harper Camperland with two locations in Great Bend and Wichita, Kansas, its 105th and 106th locations across the country.
Grand Canyon National Park biologists confirmed that a bat collected along the Colorado River in mid-August has tested positive for rabies. Anyone who has had physical contact with a bat is advised to seek medical attention and be assessed for appropriate medical treatment.
A&L RV Sales of Johnson City, Tenn., has acquired Crisp RV in Chocowinity, NC, which serves the Greenville market. A&L now has 8 locations.
The Maine State Park Campground Reservations Call Center will close for the season on Friday, September 9. Internet reservations will continue through to Sunday, September 11 until 4 p.m. EST at www.CampWithME.com. Campsites become first-come, first-served on Monday, September 12. Most park campgrounds will remain open through Oct. 15.
… and speaking of Maine, here’s where to click to learn about where to best see the state’s spectacular fall show of colors (leaf-peepers heaven!).
CanaDream, Canada’s leading RV rental operator, is offering some special deals this fall. They include a free night for bookings of five nights or more, deeply discounted one-way relocation offers and extra perks for snowbirds heading south across the U.S. border for long stays.
CONTEST
Is this your RV?
Win a $25 Amazon gift certificate if today’s RV photo shows your rig
Every day we post a photo of an RV either submitted by its owner or by our editors as they move about the country.
Click here to see if your RV made it into today’s issue.
Reader poll
Do you maintain a journal or diary?
Please tell us. And leave a comment.
RECENT POLL: We asked: Did you fall in love at first sight with your spouse or partner? What do you think? Did most of you answer “yes” or “no”? Find out here.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We dare you to hang this up outside your campsite. It would be so easy to do and you’d laugh so hard watching everyone do a double-take!
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS STOLEN RV?
Do they cob Cougars in Cheboygan? Evidently so, as the Cheboygan County, Michigan Sheriff is on the lookout for a 2014 26′ Keystone Cougar travel trailer. The big cat went missing from a home on Old Mackinaw Road in Hebron Township sometime around August 20. There is suspicion that crooks used a pickup truck to purloin the mountain lion. If you know something, give Lt. Andrew LaLonde a call at (231) 627-3155.
Did someone rip off your ride? Let us post information on your stolen RV. Email Russ (at) rvtravel.com.
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.
RV recalls posted since our last newsletter
Nothing significant to report this week.
Did you miss yesterday’s RV Travel?
If so, stories you missed:
- Cover story: Make your voice heard: Ways you can take action against the RV and camping industry
- Featured article: Around the Campfire: Some RV dealers and campgrounds sell your personal information
- More power, more problems: Life on the road with just 100 watts
- RV repair shop owner laments, “Why I would love to honor RV manufacturers’ warranties but can’t!”
- New column looks at RV service centers and repairs. Readers speak out on experiences
- NEW: RV Checklists: Everything you should pack
- … and much more
So which road would you take?
Latest fuel prices
Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of August 29, 2022:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.83 [Calif.: $5.06]
Change from week before: Down 5 cents; Change from year before: Up 69 cents.
Diesel: $5.12 [Calif.: $6.20]
Change from week before: Up 21 cents; Change from year before: Up $1.78.
Brain Teaser
What English word has three consecutive double letters?
(Answer below.)
Do you have a brain teaser you think we should use? Send it to us here.
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Upcoming RV shows
It won’t be long before RV show season gets underway. Click here for a directory of upcoming shows.
Recipe of the Day
Easy Baked Salmon in Foil
by Marlene B from Camano Island, WA
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Fix it In Foil! Tasty Recipes. Easy cleanup!
Easy prep, great taste, good nutrition, quick cleanup! “Fix It In Foil” includes 51 fantastic recipes to make in foil — plus instructions for cooking in an oven, on an outdoor grill, or on a campfire. Fix it in foil and forget about scrubbing pots and pans. And, with plenty of substitution suggestions, enjoy a whole new list of recipe possibilities! Learn more or order.
Brain teaser answer:
Bookkeeper.
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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.
Trivia
Would you believe that 488 Rhode Islands could fit inside Alaska? Yep.
Sunday funny
Today in History
RVtravel.com All-Star Team
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Tony Barthel, Gail Marsh. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Roger Marble, Dave Solberg, Dave Helgeson, Mike Gast, Julianne Crane, Machelle James, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Karel Carnohan DVM, Cheri Sicard, Dustin and Ashley Simpson, Dale Wade, Paul Lacitinola, Jeff Clemishaw and Johnny Robot. Special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Mark Gorrie. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. Special Reports: Bradford Geer. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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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Re: Sunday Funny
A friend of my Son in Law coined this one: “Watch Your Sister Shower Sauce”
From then on, that’s my name for it.
sounds perverted
😆 But, whatever works. Have a great day and holiday, Gene and TexasScout. 😀 –Diane
I think it’s supposed to sound perverted.
Motorcyclists need to use extreme caution when passing a windmill blade. The turbulance coming from them is very erratic.
Ditto, same for Subaru Foresters !!!!
The Caracat860 looks like a small houseboat loaded on a trailer. Good idea, but no one would need to wait for it to make it to America…just buy a small self-contained houseboat and trailer and voila! A camper to use on land or water. Hmmmmmm. 🙂
re: Windmill sub assemblies
If you run on I80 between Colorado and Iowa you see these all of the time. Not just wings also called blades] but pylons and head assembly on the road. I have seen wing carrying trucks jamb them in turns….once in Nebraska and once in Iowa….driver’s nightmare and long traffic jams. There is a rest stop that has a wing stuck into the ground vertically so you can walk up it and see how really big it is.
In the article about Thermacell Repellents and mosquito season, what is meant by the term “evolving seasonality”? Sounds a highly political-driven agenda to me. Possibly another attempt to sway the opinions of the population with a monetary drive behind it. Just saying…How many read the term and just went on, accepting without questioning?