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Saturday, April 27, 2024
Issue 1154
Free, abbreviated edition
Featured articles
This is how much it could cost to fill up your gas/diesel tank for summer travel
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
As the weather warms up (more) across the country, a lot of RVers are in the trip-planning phase. One of the big questions that takes center stage: How much will it cost to fill up the motorhome or the tow rig? We’ve probed the petroleum prognosticators to try and get a feel for what you might pay this summer.
Good Sam fading as RV club
The Good Sam Club, once centered on camaraderie and practical benefits like roadside assistance and campground discounts, has shifted its focus to encompass a broader spectrum of road travel and recreation. Marcus Lemonis’ strategic mergers and partnerships, including ventures beyond the RV world such as Princess Cruises, signal a departure from its original mission, prompting questions about whether these changes truly serve the core RV community or prioritize expanding Lemonis’ business empire. Click here to read.
EXPLORE Act passes House: New legislation to impact videographers filming on public lands
By Cheri Sicard
The recently passed EXPLORE Act, now awaiting Senate approval, aims to change filming regulations on public lands, including national parks. This video from RV Miles highlights the bill’s implications for videographers, offering clarity on filming legality. Spearheaded by bipartisan support, the Act streamlines permitting processes, expands recreation opportunities, and addresses access barriers. Notably, it introduces rules akin to those for photographers, removing certain filming permit requirements while imposing regulations for larger film crews. Click here to read.
Teen vandal at a KOA and his mother ended up behind bars
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
It all cut loose in Wytheville, Virginia, after the accused 15-year-old boy was nailed in a security camera photo. Police were called to the Wytheville, Virginia, KOA March 28 on a vandalism call. It may have been “one of those for the record books” jobs. All told, more than $20,000 worth of damage was caused. Here’s the whole “yikes” story.
Campground Crowding (and more!)
Is the 10-year rule a sneaky way to sell more RVs?
RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs than has been the recent trend. Has that changed campground crowding? This week, Nanci Dixon shares your stories including a complaint that many campers aren’t really “campers,” another observation that folks are “gaming” the reservation system, a great tip on where to find campgrounds with space for you, a possible way to legitimately get around the 10-year RV rule, and a reader wondering if that 10-year rule is just so dealers can sell more RVs. Hmmm. All those and lots more.
Stop RV Repair Bills from Ruining Your 2026 Travels
Say goodbye to rising RV repair costs when you protect your RV and your travel budget with Wholesale Warranties this new year. With 20+ years of experience, personalized coverage options, and 5-star customer support, we help RVers stay on the road. Save on costly repairs, enjoy flexible coverage including mobile mechanics, and travel worry-free all year long. Get your FREE personalized RV warranty quote today and enjoy peace of mind for every mile.
RV Walk-through (new name, same column!)
2024 Gulf Stream BT Cruiser 5210 motorhome—small, mighty, and cute!
By Cheri Sicard
In this walk-through we join Joe and Kait, of We’re the Russos, for a tour of a small but mighty Class C motorhome, the Gulf Stream BT Cruiser 5210. The one in the video is built on the Ford 350 chassis, but this motorhome is also available in a Chevy 3500 model.
The layout in the model in the video would make sense for families, as there is lots of seating and dining space.
More RVing News
A man is spared, but his wife dies when a huge tree crushes their RV. The sad story played out in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, last Saturday. Cynthia (Cindy) Cousins died at 10:30 p.m., April 20, at the Quakerwoods Campground in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. The couple was in their trailer when a tree, estimated to be 94” across, fell atop the rig. Bob Cousins was thrown clear of the rig and escaped with minor physical injuries. He says they had just fallen asleep when the terror happened. Here’s the very sad story.
Would-be riders on Washington state’s Mukilteo ferry run got a long delay Tuesday, all because of an RVer. Police fielded a 911 call from a ferry worker who reported a woman at a ticket booth “causing a disturbance.” On arrival, law enforcement officers found the woman had simply driven her Class C unit around the booth and parked it in the ferry loading lane. Evidently, she didn’t feel the need for a ticket to board. Then she threatened to drive the RV off the dock. What a mess! Read more about this here (and you’ll be grateful you weren’t waiting in that ferry line!).
The two-year-old cold case of an RVer shot to death in Texas has been solved. In a shocking chapter, a 10-year-old boy says he killed Brandon O’Quinn Rasberry in the Lazy J RV Park in Nixon, Texas, in 2022. The young shooter will not be charged with murder under Texas law. Here’s the full story.
A few months back, RVtravel.com writer Gail Marsh asked readers, “Have you ever tipped a campground worker?” The survey results showed an overwhelming majority of you had “never even thought of it.” Nevertheless, 15% of respondents said they had tipped at least once. Campgrounds aside, it seems nearly everyone has their hand out these days. Are you spending more on tipping than you want? Are you a victim of “tipflation”?
The year 2024 may be remembered by RVers as the year of the bridge detour, the latest in Colorado. The high-traffic span across Blue Mesa Reservoir on busy U.S. 50 has been closed indefinitely. The bridge handles traffic between Gunnison and Montrose, two rural but important communities. Colorado’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) warns the closure could create up to a six-hour delay and creates a 345-mile detour. Ouch! Here’s more information.
Take an extra 10% off a GhostBed luxury RV mattress!
The GhostBed RV mattress is 10” deep, crafted with gel memory foam for coolness, has 3 layers of luxurious comfort and is perfectly sized for your RV! Ahhhh… Wake up relaxed and rejuvenated. RVtravel.com readers now get an EXTRA 10% OFF a GhostBed Luxury RV Mattress! CLICK HERE and use code RVTRAVEL10. Watch RVtravel.com’s Tony Barthel’s RV mattress review here.
Here we go again. Another national park says it wants to push up the price of camping. This time, camp fees head up in Rocky Mountain National Park. The park is proposing a $10 increase to overnight fees at four reservation campgrounds, and there is also a proposed additional increase of $10 for the new electrical sites. Why the fee jump? Find out here.
In a trademark dispute, it’s Montana’s minor league baseball team, the Glacier Range Riders, versus the U.S. Department of the Interior. The department says the baseball team logo could be confused with that of the National Park Service shield. The Kalispell, Montana, team’s front office admits it appreciates the nearby Glacier National Park. When the club applied for trademarks and logos it drew inspiration from the park. Uh oh. See what’s going on here.
Wait until you see this! It wasn’t an ordinary day at work for two wildlife officers in Colorado. Workers were readying to send water down the Vallecito Reservoir spillway near Durango when someone noticed something out of place. Two mountain lion cubs were down in the spillway. Yeah, cats can swim, but the spillway is no “kitty pool.” Two wildlife officers got a fresh assignment. Rescue two cougar cubs! Here’s how it went.
March RV shipments are up slightly from last year, at 1.2 percent over March 2023. The RV Industry Association’s survey of manufacturers found that 32,243 units were shipped, up 374 units from last March. See the towables vs. motorized numbers here.
On April 25, Dry Tortugas National Park reopened its campground as scheduled after dredging the Fort Jefferson moat and redistributing sand that had built up from several hurricanes. For the safety of park visitors, the campground was closed for 45 days during the use of heavy construction equipment. Here’s the rest of the park’s project schedule.
Two federal agencies, the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, say they’re bringing grizzly bears back to a national park in the Northwest. The decision to actively restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades of Washington is apt to bring mixed reactions in the public. Could RVers have a run-in with a bear?
Do you go bats for cave tours? Montana’s Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park is reopening for cave tours May 1. During the season, the upper visitor area will be open and cave tours will be offered seven days a week. The gate opens at 8:30 a.m. and the ticket office opens at 9 a.m. Here’s all the info to plan your trip and tour.
Have immediate plans to visit South Carolina? If you’re headed to Newberry County, take earplugs. The sheriff’s department has been besieged with callers wanting to know what all the noise is. The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office has taken to its Facebook page to explain. “We have had several calls about a noise in the air that sounds like a siren, or a whine, or a roar. The sound is cicadas.” Its “Bugageddon” out there!
NEW! What’s new at campgrounds and RV parks
Stay up to date on news about campgrounds and RV parks across North America. Every week, learn about new parks, expansions, or special events coming up at campgrounds throughout North America. Read this week’s latest news here.
RV Maintenance Log Book keeps track of everything for you!
This RV maintenance logbook allows you to document and track all repairs and work done on your RV. If you bought your RV used, wouldn’t this have been nice to have with the sale?! Keep track of everything in your RV – all the work done on it (and where and when), specific part models, your favorite black tank cleaner, the lightbulb bases you use, paints and fabrics, and much more. This will be a lifesaver down the road. Learn more or order.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win a LifeStraw?
Carry this small, lightweight LifeStraw with you and drink the water from anywhere (yes, anywhere!).
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (April 27, 2024) 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!
Reader poll
How often do you spend a night in your RV in a highway rest area?
RV and RV-Related Recalls
Winnebago takes different approach to huge circuit board recall
Winnebago has been plagued by the same Suburban cooktop issue that other manufacturers face. Winnebago is recalling certain 2022-2024 Voyage, Micro Minnie, Micro Minnie FLX, Hike 200 and Minnie travel trailers. The LED backlight circuit board in the cooktop range may fail, causing the board to overheat, which increases the risk of a fire. Read what Winnebago is doing differently from other manufacturers with this problem.
Forest River rigs recalled due to bad backlight circuit board on cooktop range
[Many types of] Forest River rigs are being recalled due to a bad backlight circuit board on the cooktop range. … The LED backlight circuit board in the cooktop range may fail, causing the board to overheat and increasing the risk of a fire. Read more.
Alliance fifth wheel RVs recalled. Water tank could fall off
Alliance RV is recalling certain 2022 Paradigm 295MK and Avenue 32RLS fifth wheel trailers. The freshwater tank may have been installed incorrectly, which can result in the tank detaching from the vehicle. Learn more.
Forest River rigs recalled for inverted cooktop flame
Forest River is recalling certain 2024 Coachmen Catalina BCAT154RDX and Forest River Aurora BART15RDX travel trailers. The panel that isolates the cooktop from the furnace was not properly sealed during manufacturing, which could result in an inverted cooktop flame. An inverted cooktop flame increases the risk of a fire. Continue reading.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Are you the one who usually drives the RV? Okay, click here. Are you usually the passenger? Great, click here. (These are actually pretty great. We think you should always show up to the campsite in them!)
Latest fuel prices
Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of April 22, 2024:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.67
Change from week before: Up 4 cents; Change from year before: Up 1 cent.
Diesel: $3.99
Change from week before: Down 2 cents; Change from year before: Down 9 cents.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Response to question in today’s email alert: Why was the officer looking into the outhouse toilet? The answer is #3. He was helping rescue a woman from an outhouse at the DNR boat launch at Dixon Lake, Michigan. She had lowered herself into the sloppy pit trying to retrieve an Apple watch she dropped. We don’t know if she succeeded.
Upcoming RV shows
Click here for a directory of upcoming shows.
Recipe of the Day
Strawberry Panzanella Salad
by Careema Bell from Pittsburgh, PA
“Wow” was all we could say when we first tried this delectable dessert salad. The brown sugar-coated bread cubes are like perfectly sweetened, toasty croutons. Coupled with the fresh strawberries, you’ve got one out-of-this-world, kid-friendly treat!
Don’t carry a heavy iron with you… use WrinkleGuard!
Leave the heavy iron and ironing board at home. Downy Wrinkle Releaser Fabric Spray works like magic (seriously… we’ve used it!). Just spray your wrinkly item, smooth it out, and voila! The wrinkles will disappear. Not only that, but it helps get rid of static, too. It’s perfect for RVers. Learn more or order.
Trivia
Speaking of strawberries… Did you know that they’re the only fruit with seeds on the outside? Each strawberry contains about 200 seeds. Also, eating just eight strawberries will provide you with more vitamin C than an orange.
The Perfect Scam
Criminologist David Maimon takes us behind the curtain into the criminal side of the internet, the Dark Web. His research warns of emerging scam trends and offers tips for consumers to protect themselves.
Laugh of the Week
Pick just one to visit… Yeah, right!
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 and Cheri Sicard. Contributors: Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Dustin Simpson, Dale Wade, Tony Barthel, Janet Groene, and Paul Lacitinola. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen. Social Media staff: Gary Pratt. 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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I heard about the 10 year old. Did not realize he did the deed. So no charges eh? What about the parents? As for spiders vs the nuclear power plant. Well if they don’t bug yeah you can always irradiate them. As for the strawberry recipe? Cinnamon toast brioche works well. Can toast them in an air fryer with butter on them. I have all the ingredients. Time to make this for just one. Teen vandal and mother arrested? Yeah time to make the parents responsible.