Issue 1202
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Today’s thought
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, and it’s also National Vietnam War Veterans Day. We thank all those who fought for their service to our country.
On this day in history: 1973 – Vietnam War: The last United States combat soldiers leave South Vietnam.
Featured news
Homeless swarm RV manufacturer’s lot, move into RVs, destroy many
By Russ & Tiña De Maris
Nearly 50 brand-new RVs, worth more than $2.5 million, have become homes for squatters in California’s City of Industry, sparking a legal battle and a messy eviction process. Seemingly abandoned by RV manufacturer BlackSeries Campers, the trashed trailers are surrounded by mountains of garbage. What happens next for the landowner, the displaced squatters, and the damaged RVs? This story is CRAZY! Click to read.
RV park squatters in unregistered rigs. It’s bad, getting worse
By Chuck Woodbury
OPINION
If you are currently staying in an RV park, and there appear to be full-timers among the crowd, would you do me a favor? Please look at the license plates of the rigs in the park that appear to be there for an extended stay. Count how many are not registered — no license plate, or plates with expired tags. How many campsites in America’s 15,000 RV parks, I wonder, are occupied permanently by these “trailer park people,” making it a challenge for “recreational” RVers who want to “go where they want, when they want,” to find an available spot. Read more.
The latest news for RVers
With nearly $23 billion in deferred maintenance, America’s national parks face a funding crisis that grows each year. Could a surcharge on foreign visitors help bridge the gap? The idea isn’t far-fetched—many countries already charge international visitors more to access their parks. With 14 million international visitors annually, a $100 surcharge could generate more than $1.2 billion, keeping 80% of the funds within the parks themselves. Is this a common-sense solution or an unfair burden? Click to read the full debate (and vote in our poll).
SCAM ALERT! The scammers are back at it. Fraudsters are once again sending text messages claiming you owe unpaid tolls. They warn you to pay immediately or face penalties. These “smishing” scams have become increasingly sophisticated. They target drivers across the country, including RV enthusiasts who frequent toll roads on their journeys. Learn more and don’t fall for this!
In a significant legal decision, a Virginia jury has mandated that the owner of Lazy Cove Campground at Smith Mountain Lake pay $750,000 in damages after finding that the owner engaged in racial discrimination. The verdict, announced late last week, represents the largest fair housing jury award in the state’s history, according to the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Here’s the story.
Looking to buy a new Ford Super Duty truck to pull your trailer? Better add some more dollars to your wallet. According to a story carried by Automotive News, Super Duty price hikes are not far off. The engines for the big tow rigs are built in Canada or Mexico, and tariffs set to start up on April 2 will likely be passed on to buyers. Learn more.
Newmar is shaking up the RV world with its first-ever compact Class C, the Freedom Aire, part of their 2026 model lineup. Built on a Mercedes-Benz 4500 chassis, this luxury coach features an industry-first convertible layout and an optional solar package for greater off-grid independence. Alongside the Freedom Aire, Newmar also unveiled the reimagined Summit Aire Super C and new design options for the King Aire. Click to learn more.
Last year, U.S. National Parks saw more visitors (331.9 million recreation visits) than ever before recorded. No doubt most came to relax and enjoy nature. Unfortunately, some never made it home. Malloy Law Offices, a personal injury firm, compiled death data from national parks running from 2014 to 2023 and produced a list of the 10 most lethal national parks. Are your favorites among them?
Is it COVID all over again? Empty toilet paper shelves might make it seem like it. Toilet paper tariffs? As President Donald Trump vows to apply tariffs on Canadian softwood, the situation could wipe out TP retailers. This, according to a global paper pulp market expert. The tissue issue doesn’t stop there—paper towels will also be caught up in the squeeze. Here’s what’s going on.
Speaking of tariffs… President Trump has announced a new 25 percent tariff on all vehicles manufactured outside the United States, beginning April 2. The move marks a significant escalation in the President’s push to drive domestic manufacturing amid broader U.S. trade tensions. The Anderson Economic Group estimates that vehicle prices could rise by $4,000 to $10,000 per unit, including “American” models assembled using foreign-sourced components. Trump said he expects the tariffs to provide $100 billion in annual income to the federal government.
THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED! It was 1983 and investigators at Utah’s Arches National Park were stumped. On a cold winter’s day, park rangers found a body in the Three Gossips area, close to the park’s south entrance. Just who the body belonged to was a mystery, and remained that way until now. The mystery of the identity of the Arches National Park victim has been solved, thanks to DNA.
With Spring Break in full swing, drivers are paying more at the pump compared to last week. The national average for a gallon of gas went up 3 cents since last Thursday, March 20, to $3.15. Here are the numbers.
RV shipments to dealers saw a 6% increase in February 2025, but retail sales remain sluggish, raising questions about consumer demand. While towable RVs saw gains, motorhomes dropped significantly. With spring bringing hopeful buyers, will the industry sustain its recovery or face more challenges?
Two Oklahoma RVers are hailed as heroes for saving Pecan Valley RV Park from a wildfire last Friday. As flames approached and most evacuated, these two stayed behind, battling the fire with garden hoses to protect the park. This is some good news!
If you’re planning a trip to Joshua Tree between April 7th and 10th, you may have to adjust your plans. The national park’s most popular entrance will close.
RECORD BREAKER! Mr. Pugsley Addams, a silver Maine Coon cat from Minnesota, was awarded a Guinness World Record for having the longest tail. The feline’s tail measures 18.5 inches long.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
“RVing” or “camping”? Does it matter?
In last week’s column, we asked you for your definition of RVing and camping. We wondered: Is an RV resort still camping? Is staying in a state park in an RV, “RVing” or “camping”? This week, Nanci Dixon shares some of your interesting views on this topic, as well as her own. Read them here.
Letter to editor: Disturbing development at military campgrounds
“We recently heard about changes to access to the military campgrounds. It seems that the Air Force is restricting the sponsoring of guests for disabled veterans who have less than a 100% disability rating. What this means to you is that if you camp on a military installation and you are a disabled veteran, but you are not 100% DAV or retired from the service, you can still have access to the base, commissary, Exchange and campground but you cannot bring along your spouse/partner or adult children. Read more.
RVing work opportunities
Would you like to help prevent forest fires, and get to live and work in a beautiful, remote area while serving a key role in fire detection in a National Park? Yellowstone is currently hiring a fire lookout (bring along your spouse) for the upcoming summer season. This is a full-time position ideal for someone with a background in forestry, natural resource conservation or wildland fire science. Learn more about this seasonal job and similar ones in other National Parks by visiting here.
Fond of the Big Sky Country? You could have a spot in a scenic Montana campground and get paid to stay there. The Bureau of Land Management wants campground hosts for this summer at several of its recreation areas. Not only do you get a free site, the BLM will pay for your propane—and give you a check. Montana camp host positions are open now.
Dozens of volunteer opportunities are available throughout Colorado, including many Camp Host positions. Many are perfect for RVers who want to stay active and involved. Check out all these positions by clicking here.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: If you are headed into an unfamiliar big city and will need to get off the main freeways onto city streets, it’s a good idea to “drive” your route ahead of time using Google Street View. Pay attention to landmarks along the route for later reference, especially at intersections where you will need to turn.
RV and RV-related recalls
Thor recalls thousands of rigs: Slide-outs could extend while driving
More than 4,000 Thor-built motorhomes are being recalled out of concern that their slide-out rooms could extend while the rig is heading down the road. Click to read.
Towing Advice
Always be sure you have the proper truck to pull your fifth wheel trailer. This one might have a problem getting over hills.
Reader poll
Can you easily get into your RV’s bed with its slides in?
A POLL FROM THE PAST: Interesting results! Do you see yourself still RVing in five years? What do you think? How many of the more than 2,300 respondents answered “probably not” or “no?” Was it 11 percent, 27 percent or 46 percent? Find out.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
This is one of the absolutely, positively handiest items you can hang on your keychain. And it costs less than $7 for 4 of them! Our publisher has had one of these on his keychain for more than 20 years. See what it is and/or order. We guarantee you will love this!
Latest fuel prices
The latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel as of March 24, 2025:
Regular unleaded gasoline: $3.12
Change from week before: Up 6 cents; Change from year before: Down 41 cents.
Diesel: $3.57
Change from week before: Up 2 cents; Change from year before: Down 47 cents.
For fuel prices for specific regions, states, and cities, go to U.S. Energy Information Administration. Here’s the link for propane prices around the U.S.
Upcoming RV shows & seminars
- Great American RV Show, March 27-29, Denver, CO
- Abilene RV & Boat Show, March 27-30, Abilene, TX
- Reno Boat and RV Show, March 27-30, Reno, NV
- Frankenmuth RV Show, March 28-30, Frankenmuth, MI
- Las Vegas RV Show, March 28-30, Las Vegas, NV
For more upcoming RV shows and seminars, click here.
Trivia
You can thank potatoes the next time you’re on a flight with Wi-Fi. When Boeing needed to test Wi-Fi signals on their planes, instead of using expensive test dummies or hiring subjects to sit in the seats, Boeing filled the seats with large piles of potatoes. The dense, starchy mass in each seat absorbed the Wi-Fi signals much like a human would. With potatoes in each seat, they were able to successfully test and set up in-flight Wi-Fi.
Laugh of the week
The perfect scam
Archive episode: Miami Property Scammers, Part 1
In this 2021 episode, Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has recently become a hot real estate market. So hot, in fact, that it has attracted the attention of scammers. It wasn’t always so. When Shirley goes to pay her taxes one day, she learns that her property has been sold without her knowledge for $230,000. When another of her properties shows up on Zillow, it becomes clear this is not a fluke but an elaborate real estate scam, targeting property owners in this historically Black neighborhood.
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.
BUMPER SNICKER: A tailgater paid for this car. Want to buy my next one?
RVtravel.com All Star Team
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The administration needs to rethink the numbers on the tariff issue. By raising the price on all vehicles, foreign and domestic, sales will tank.
Production will slow and layoffs will happen. There will be no incentive for the American companies to invest in building new assembly plants or parts plants since the $100 billion in tariff money is going into the pockets of the government and not the automakers or general buying public.
How long will it take, if at all, to build these plants and who will work at them?
The cost of building these plants will only be passed on to the consumer. Prices will increase dramatically and sales will plunge further.
A total downward spiral.
I think that initially sales will drop and the manufacturers will make arrangements to move more manufacturing back to the US. I think the current administration will reduce tariffs once the promises to move manufacturing back are in place. Do not forget that the tariffs proposed are about the equivalent of what other countries charge in tariffs for US made goods.
char
The fact that the U.S. is so abused by many of our supposed allies and “friends” in the trade arena is something the MSM puts no focus on, so most citizens are blind to it. Take a look at V.A.T. in some Euro countries that make it nearly impossible to sell certain goods there. Or Canada’s dairy industry protectionism. China steals our tech all the time by requiring a joint venture with a Chinese firm to sell there. But, how much of this info does the news media get out to the citizens?
Both political parties are complicit in letting this happen for decades on end, so fixing it won’t be easy or painless.
China did not steal our technology, we gave it to them by allowing many of our companies to open plants in China, welcoming the Chinese to come over here and tour our plants and sending our engineers over there to help them.
MY BIL was over there years ago helping a Chinese company build a steel mill.
Our current president owns 114 Chinese trademarks.
The Chinese also own interests in many of his companies.
The Bibles he was selling were made in China.
We gave things away and are now paying the price.
The trilateral USMCA trade agreement that Trump negotiated and signed has very specific provisions for the auto industry.
These tariffs are illegal with this binding agreement, but with no Congress oversight on this administration, this tariff war will not end well for anyone.
In the late 70s or early 80s, Harley Davidson was facing bankruptcy under ownership by AMF. The U.S. added a 25% tariff to any imported motorcycle over 749cc. Honda and Kawasaki both built large manufacturing plants here, one in Oklahoma, and I think one down South. Problem solved, big engine Kaw’s and Honda’s on the road again.
On the story about unregistered rigs in RV parks. I own an RV Park in Branson, MO. It’s a small park of only 30 spaces. I don’t allow any long term campers. Rarely do I have anybody staying longer than a week. I’m the top rated park in the city, I’m not full, but I wanted to have an RV Park, not a mobile home park. I cater to tourists and I love it.
Hi, Dave. Thank you for your comment and for not presuming you can just link your park here. But for those who are interested and like what they’re reading from Dave, here’s the link to his park, Branson Shenanigans RV Park. (You’re welcome, Dave.😉) Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thank you Diane. I’m not trying to promote myself, just trying to let people see the parks point of view. People don’t always understand why things are the way they are.
Thanks, Dave. I understand where you’re coming from.👍 And it’s always good to get RV park owners’ perspectives on things. If our readers like what you have to say, we’re happy to facilitate their being able to look you up online–maybe for future reference.🤞 Have a great day! 😀 –Diane
Be very careful what you ask for…you might just get it. This applies to politics also.
Did Not Ask for “Trump” but have to live with “Him” for 4 More Years!!!
Asked for Justin Trudeau to be REMOVED from Office & “He” was!!! – Got that one right anyway.
On the Today’s Thought – “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” ―Mark Twain
One problem, you still have to remember (or try to remember) what actually happened or what you did. Not always an easy task. LOL