Issue 1184
This is the abbreviated, free edition of this newsletter. Become a donor and receive the ad-free edition.
NEW: Follow RVtravel.com on Bluesky
The latest news for RVers
Another one bites the dust… Washington state has announced it will mirror California’s new motorhome ban. Some RVers are up in arms. As we pointed out, the effective ban of the sale of motorhomes in California will have far-reaching consequences. Washington state RV dealers acknowledge that following California’s lead, the Evergreen State may kill off motorhome sales as soon as the turn of the year. Dealers are caught off guard, and here’s what’s going on.
Lazydays has sold seven dealerships to Camping World. Camping World Holdings, Inc., which declares itself to be “the World’s Largest Recreational Vehicle Dealer,” announced the takeover in a press release dated November 15. In a deal valued at roughly the book value of the assets, Camping World will take over seven dealerships. The company expects to pay between $10 million and $20 million in net cash, after accounting for proceeds from standard real estate financing. Learn more.
White campers have an advantage in making camping reservations. University of Montana researcher Will Rice studies inequities in national park campground reservations, finding that online systems favor higher-income, white campers due to barriers like internet access and planning flexibility. His work highlights the need for solutions, such as lottery systems, to improve equitable access while protecting park resources. Continue reading.
Oh, and speaking of Lazydays… The company indicated the sales were to help it regain its financial footing. On Tuesday, Lazydays released its third quarter 2024 earnings report. Lazydays’ financial woes are big. The company is in a financial whirlpool that threatens real trouble. Maybe more Camping World sales are to come?
When California unleashed its rules on the sale of fossil-fuel-burning rigs, creating what the RV industry says is essentially a ban on motorhomes, RVtravel.com readers reacted quickly. Readers have left a mountain of comments, with much of it critical of Golden State regulators. Regarding the regulation and its effects, is it “all over but the shouting”? Apparently not, as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and RV manufacturers are actively talking with each other. Here’s what’s going on.
Planning on driving the motorhome or pulling the trailer out in the next couple of months? You won’t be alone. A new survey from the RV Industry Association (RVIA) reveals that millions of Americans are planning to travel by RV this holiday season. The survey found that 21 million Americans plan to go RVing between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, with 9 million hitting the road for Thanksgiving and 7 million for Christmas. If you’re traveling, here’s what to expect.
An incident from the Pennsylvania Turnpike shows a bad pairing: LP gas and a lit cigarette. An LP explosion just isn’t the way to start your day. Pennsylvania troopers got a call yesterday to the Blue Mountain Service Plaza in Hopewell Township around five in the morning. It seems somebody who’d taken advantage of the plaza rest area woke up in their motorhome and decided on a wake-up smoke. It seems that the person’s nose wasn’t tuned into the odorant put in LP gas to warn of gas leaks. The result was sadly predictable.
Campground crowding and concerns
What’s wrong with the RV industry? “They do as they please and never listen to actual RVers!”
This week Nanci Dixon relates more of our readers’ concerns about no-shows at campgrounds, a couple of suggestions on how that practice may be deterred, and how much just finding a place to camp has changed over the years. Also, a former RVer discusses the negative aspects of RVing/camping as a growing issue, and how the RVIA totally ignores the RVers themselves. Read more.
More RVing news
No more cash on Oklahoma turnpikes. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority announced Thursday, November 21, that cashless tolling is now on all 12 Oklahoma turnpikes. The last turnpike to switch to open road tolling occurred early Wednesday morning on the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike corridor between Tulsa and the Missouri state line. Here’s more info.
The Iowa DNR is seeking campground hosts for the 2025 camping season. If you enjoy camping and meeting new people, this may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. In this volunteer position, hosts are provided a free campsite and live in the park for one to five months during the summer season. Learn more.
Oregon State Parks have some of the prettiest campgrounds. It’s only natural that RVers would like to hang around and absorb the beauty. But how long can you stay? Just what are Oregon State Parks campground limits? Apparently not even state parks’ employees know. Management wants to put an end to the confusion.
Joshua Tree’s fees are going up. In 2024, the online travel guide Travel Lemming ranked California’s Joshua Tree National Park #2 of all parks. It based the ranking on seven factors: Affordability, accessibility, biodiversity, crowds, reviews, job opportunities, and weather. We don’t know if that ranking had anything to do with a Park Service decision to hike fees there. But no doubt some will be disappointed with the Joshua Tree fee hikes.
HAPPY NEWS: BLACK FRIDAY SALES ARE ON! Save on thousands of RV-related (and non-RV-related!) products today and throughout the week. Here are the best deals.
With more than two-and-a-half million visitors in 2023, Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park is one of the Pacific Northwest’s key draws. The closure of a 185-site campground there for an entire season will have a major impact on Mount Rainier camping in 2025. Learn more about the campground closure and other park construction projects.
Speaking of beautiful places being closed… California State Parks says its popular Lake Tahoe venue D.L. Bliss State Park will remain closed into next summer. There will be no camping and only partial availability for day-use features until then. More info here.
The Adventure Lodge in Hood River, Oregon, is aptly named. On Monday, November 18, guests got more of an adventure than they probably expected when a Class A motorhome crashed through the motel’s front wall. That’s one motel stay they’ll never forget…
This past summer brought unprecedented challenges to the Appalachian Trail. Catastrophic storms—most notably Hurricane Helene—caused significant damage to the iconic treasure. More than a third of the trail, spanning areas from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Rockfish Gap in Virginia, was rendered inaccessible. Bridges washed away, landslides blocked paths, and several trail towns were devastated by flooding and high winds. Now, volunteers are getting to work rebuilding the trail.
EXTRA! EXTRA! National Geographic has released their wildlife photos of the year and we urge you to not miss them. As always, they are amazing!
RV and RV-related recalls
30,435 Grand Design RVs recalled again for same gas leak danger
You may have already had your Grand Design travel trailer in for recall work. KEEP READING, as the company is having to do a second recall for the same units. More than 30,000 Grand Design RVs are being recalled as an LP gas fitting could leak, setting up for a potential fire. This Grand Design LP leak issue is a serious matter and they are recalling certain 2022 Imagine, Reflection, Momentum, Solitude, and Transcend travel trailers. Learn more.
Thousands of Forest River fifth wheels recalled over bad wiring
Forest River is facing another self-acknowledged “manufacturing error.” This time nearly 3,000 fifth wheels over five model years are being called back after the company recognized workers did improper wiring that could lead to fires. Details here.
Grand Design recalls motorhomes for electric short danger
Grand Design is recalling certain 2025 Lineage 25FW motorhomes. The battery warming pad was installed incorrectly, which can damage internal wiring and cause an electrical short which can increase the risk of a fire which can lead to injury of RVers and others. Learn more.
Saturday giveaway
How would you like to win The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today by 7 p.m. Pacific time. You can only enter once and after we notify you by email that you won, you have 24 hours to respond.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner.
Reader poll
Is your RV specifically included in your will or trust?
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
What does forgetting what day it is and a butt have in common? This! (And yes, we said butt.)
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of November 18, 2024:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.05
Change from week before: Down 1 cent; Change from year before: Down 24 cents.
Diesel: $3.49
Change from week before: Down 3 cents; Change from year before: Down 72 cents.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Recipes of the day
5 delicious vegetable side dish recipes
What’s Thanksgiving dinner without all the sides? Admit it, you love the sides just as much as the turkey. (We do!) Here are a few vegetable sides that’ll shine at your table. Green bean casserole with a twist, delicious fall Brussels sprouts, a corn casserole, delicious squash au gratin… The list continues. Here they are.
Trivia
According to data and tech company Numerator, Walmart has captured 21.2% of grocery market share over the past year. This far exceeds such grocery retailers as The Kroger Co., at 9.3%; Costco Wholesale, at 8.5%; Albertsons Companies, at 5.1%; and Publix Super Markets, at 4.2%.
The perfect scam
A Family’s Thanksgiving Dinner Ruined by a SNAP Scam
Thanksgiving is a time for sharing food with family and feeling grateful. It means a lot to Georgete, a struggling mom who just wants to make the holiday special for her kids. She relies on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to get by, and when her Thanksgiving dinner is essentially stolen from her, she is devastated. The theft is part of a highly organized crime and Georgete is one of hundreds of thousands of victims, resulting in $150 million of taxpayer money stolen by criminals. And the scam is still happening all over the country, hurting an already vulnerable population.
Laugh of the week
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.
RVtravel.com All Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Gas in clintonville Wisconsin is 2.69 a gallon. That was yesterday.
Filled up a couple of days ago $2.419. Go ahead and make fun of Kansas.
I am so glad I live alone and no family except me and my two dogs. What chaos and what a nightmare this great holiday has become. Enjoy the chaos while I while away in front of my television watching anything but holiday movies. Is it January yet?
On your article on discrimination in online campground reservations , what a load you know what. Not a Black person in the country would believe such nonsense. How would they know your income and race online?This is from a college so it was probably written by a white student with some kind of complex. Come on guys, you can do better !!!