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Saturday, July 29, 2023
Free, abbreviated edition
Page Contents
Our Coffee Talk program is taking a break today.
Featured articles
RV parks face price hikes as new database enables real-time competitive pricing by campground owners
Campground rates keep going up, driven by increased demand and industry gentrification, the predictable result of RV parks getting acquired by investors whose only motivation is return on equity. But now there’s another development that inevitably will goose the trend: this week’s release of a computerized database enabling campground owners to see what the competition is charging in real-time. Continue reading.
RVIA critical of new EPA emissions rules
The RV Industry Association (RVIA) has sent comments to the EPA in reaction to the agency’s proposed stricter emissions standards for light-duty and medium-duty vehicles from 2027 to 2032. The comments expressed opposition to these new regulations. RVIA seeks an exemption for motorhomes from the medium-duty vehicle standards, contending that motorhomes are not well-suited for electrification and that the proposed rule would significantly constrain their use and affordability. Learn more.
Demand for RVs continues sharp decline in June
Shipments of RVs from manufacturers continued to sharply decline in June, with shipments to date from manufacturers for 2023 approximately half what they were in 2022. Learn more.
The Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 shifts campgrounds work into high gear
This summer promises to be an exciting season for recreational vehicle (RV) campers, with many campground restoration projects across the United States that aim to enhance the camping experience and offer more to RVers and all outdoor enthusiasts. Continue reading this good news.
UFO sightings while RVing and on the road—real? Congress wants to know
Most of us have thought about, seen, or heard stories about UFOs while RVing out on the road or at camp. Campsites, particularly in the Western U.S., are prime locations for sighting UFOs. UFOs are newsworthy like never before and are getting serious attention from members of Congress, serious UFO investigative organizations, and writers. Read the latest on UFOs and UAP here.
SpaceX rocket punches hole in ionosphere
RVers camping or on the road in the Southwest U.S. on July 19, 2023, may have seen an unusual aurora-like glow in the western sky. The glow was from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket punching a hole in the Earth’s ionosphere. Read what that means here.
Campground Crowding
“RVers reserving 2 or 3 spots because they don’t want others next to them”; plus a campsite discount tip
RV sales have slowed; has that changed campground crowding? This week Nanci Dixon relates readers’ reports of having no problems finding an available campsite, even on the same day, and others who continue to find campgrounds “full.” Location, location, location. Greg M. offers a tip for a possible discount on a campsite.
Click here to read all that and much more
RV Video Tour
Tour the Long, Long Trailer: 1953 New Moon trailer just like Lucy’s
By Cheri Sicard
If you have fond memories of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in The Long, Long Trailer, join the team from Camping Therapy and trailer owners Joe and Sharon for a tour of a restored 1953 New Moon trailer, similar to the one used in the hilarious movie.
That was the RV week that was
July 22–28, 2023
This is an abbreviated edition of news briefs. The full recap is in the member’s edition.
The woman illegally housing more than 20 RVs on her California property has been sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation and must clean up her property and bring it into compliance with Los Angeles city laws immediately. All of the residents living in the RVs have moved out.
It’s time to play hooky. Admission is free this coming Friday, Aug. 4, to all 122 National Parks and Monuments that normally charge an admission fee. This particular “free” day celebrates the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act. The next free day is September 23.
A story that sucks: Two Mooresburg, Tennessee, “RVers” are charged with stealing vacuum cleaner hoses. Police were called to a car wash on July 18 and were shown security footage of someone stealing a couple of hoses from car wash vacs. Read the whole story here.
Florida residents will enjoy a one-month head start on booking campsites at state parks, effective January 1. They can secure reservations up to 11 months in advance, while nonresidents can do so up to 10 months ahead. The law covers RV, tent, boat, and equestrian camping sites, but excludes primitive and glamping sites booked through third-party concessionaires.
A woman has been found dead in an apparent grizzly bear attack in Montana’s Custer Gallatin National Forest near Yellowstone National Park. Her body was discovered on the Buttermilk Trail, just west of West Yellowstone, MT.
Shenandoah National Park will celebrate the annual Night Sky Festival, August 11-13, 2023. Featured speakers, including amateur astronomers, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solar System Ambassadors, and a veteran NASA astronaut, will present on topics ranging from asteroid defense to the largest known impact crater in the United States.
The popular Sunset Point Rest Area southbound along I-17 north of Phoenix is open after an Arizona Department of Transportation project to upgrade its restrooms, water and septic systems and other amenities.
Our RVtravel.com Facebook Groups
The discussion is lively at our RV Electricity and Free Campgrounds groups, each of which has about 25,000 members. Our new group Quartzsite RVer is gathering steam. And the Cooking In An RV forum is continuing to grow with more tempting recipes suited for small-space kitchens. And a surprise is the big interest in our Towing Behind a Motorhome group.
The long-awaited legislation to establish a national park on the Chesapeake Bay was introduced this week. The Chesapeake National Recreation Area would require the National Park Service office in Annapolis to study and develop traffic management plans to prevent road congestion. The legislation also aims to enhance public access, protect various locations, improve environmental quality, and stimulate economic growth.
Yellowstone National Park will host for a second year the Lighting of Teepees, a collaborative effort with Pretty Shield Foundation and Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council. From August 1-7, visitors to the park are invited to view the teepees at the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, Montana, and learn about the historic and continued presence of American Indian tribes in the Yellowstone region.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win this incredible 50-count snack variety box?
Wow, that’s a lot of snacks!!!
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (July 29, 2023) by 7 p.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email via RVcontests@gmail.com that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We didn’t know you could buy these online! Did you? Uh oh, we’re in trouble now… If you’ve ever had these and know how good they are, you’re in trouble too!
HAVE YOU SEEN THESE STOLEN RVs?
Crooks pop-off with pop-up in Cortlandville, New York. In a belated report to us, sometime between June 11 and June 21, Hartley’s RV management reports someone made off with a 2022 Coachmen Clipper LS 806XLS pop-up. No more details were available, but police ask information be provided to Sgt. Brendan L’Hommedieu at (607)758-5540.
Another storage facility rip-off, this time in Branch County, Michigan. Sometime in June or July, someone helped themself to a 2023 Heartland Pioneer BH270 travel trailer. Evidently no security camera to record, so no description of suspects or their vehicle. State troopers need your help. Call with information: 269-558-0500.
Did someone rip off your ride? Let us post information on your stolen RV. Email Russ (at) rvtravel.com.
Reader poll
How often do you get a song stuck in your head?
Respond here and see how others responded.
Latest fuel prices
Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of July 24, 2023:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.60
Change from week before: Up 4 cents; Change from year before: Down 73 cents.
Diesel: $3.91
Change from week before: Up 10 cents; Change from year before: Down $1.36.
For fuel prices for specific states, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Upcoming RV shows
Click here for a directory of upcoming shows.
Recipe of the Day
Grilled Cheese Burgers
by Colleen Sowa from La Crosse, WI
Two great sandwiches in one! This is an ooey gooey hamburger everyone will love. Grilled onions and mushrooms only make the burger better. Making a buttery grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect foundation for sandwiching the burger inside. This is the ultimate comfort food that comes together quickly. Better than fast-food take-out!
Trivia
A perfect nap length is anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. Anything after 30 minutes and your body will start to go into a deep sleep, which will mess with your natural sleep cycle. If you’re about to go take a nap, set that alarm for 20 minutes from now!
Laugh of the Week
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, Gail Marsh, Dave Solberg. Contributors: Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Cheri Sicard, Dustin Simpson, Dale Wade and Paul Lacitinola. Moderator: Gary Gilmore. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen. Artificial (AI) contributors: Johnny Robot and Milly MacWilly. Canine Mascots: Archie and Astor “the Disaster”
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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Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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This newsletter is copyright 2023 by RV Travel LLC.
A grilled cheeseburger is another fancy word for patty melt. Now that I can go for. I make the best with a good onion turkey burger.
California fuel prices Missing. Please include them as over 15% puppy all RVers live there and good information.
Use GasBuddy, you can get nearly up to the minute prices.
My link just took me to the server error page.
Don’t know about anyone else, but the link from my morning email to the newsletter isn’t working. “page nor found”
The link in my email took me to an RV Travel newsletter in early June 2023!!! Started feeling like Groundhog Day while I was reading it.
Same here.
I never got the email with the RV travel link.
Me either, had to go to website for the newsletter.
Me neither. Had to go to the web page. Thank goodness I knew to do that.
Also
My email link didn’t work either.
Fixed now, Chris. Dumb mistake on our part. — Chuck