Issue 1221
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Today’s thought
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Bowling Day! Not into bowling? How about celebrating National Book Lovers Day instead, then?
On this day in history: 1944 – The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.
Featured news
A controversial proposal to sell 2 million acres of U.S. public lands was recently scrapped—but the Bureau of Land Management considers more than 6 million acres “suitable for disposal.” A new interactive map shows exactly where they are, raising red flags for boondockers. Click to explore the map.
Nearly a million virtual campground tours were viewed in July on Campground Views, where RVers can virtually “drive though” thousands of campgrounds for 360-degree previews of campsites, and make a reservation right on the spot. Check out this innovative website
The FBI is warning the public about a scam in which crooks send unsolicited packages containing a QR code that prompts the recipient to provide personal and financial information or unwittingly download malicious software that steals data from their phone. While this scam does not specifically apply to RVers, it’s something we all should watch out for. A few other common scams making the rounds this week are described here, too.
Speaking of scams (ugh)… Scam texts are now taking a multimedia approach to make Arizona residents think they owe money to the Arizona Department of Transportation, or, in this case, the nonexistent Arizona Department of Motor Vehicles. If it’s happening in Arizona, you can bet it is happening elsewhere. Don’t get scammed!
Over the past weekend, the Grand Canyon’s devastating Dragon Bravo Fire was officially declared a megafire and shows no sign of slowing down. As of Friday morning, the Dragon Bravo Fire has scorched more than 134,049 acres on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The fire is currently 36% contained. Learn more.
Nearly 7,000 homeless people now live in RVs on the streets of Los Angeles. A pilot program could change that with the state’s first long-term safe parking lot for RV dwellers. The site includes 14 parking spaces with electrical hookups, clean restrooms and showers, three meals a day, and 24-hour security. Here’s the story.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has increased its camping fees for the first time in three years. The hike applies across all DNR-managed state parks that offer modern and semi-modern campsites. If you enjoy full-hookup sites with 50-amp electrical service, learn more.
Speaking of price hikes… Overnight rates at the 29 busiest Oregon state parks will increase beginning May 1, 2026. The new year-round fee on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights will be $29 for tents and $52 for full hook-up RVs. Learn more.
Starlink won’t issue refunds or credits for its July 24 outage unless you’re on a top-tier priority plan. Most RVers using residential or roam plans aren’t covered—but some users say they received help by asking.
A deadly fire at the Palm and Pines Mobile Home and RV Park in Nokomis, Florida, on Tuesday has led to an arrest and charges of arson and murder. Neighbors described a chaotic scene.
KNOW YOUR HEIGHT! It’s the kind of thing that gives RVers a bad name. In this case, an inattentive RVer has forced the closure of a beloved covered bridge. If you’re planning a scenic RV route through southern Michigan, take note — and maybe learn a lesson.
Late on August 1, heavy rains hit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Walker Camp Prong stream swelled and triggered a landslide undercutting roughly 100 feet of the southbound lane between mile markers 12 and 13 on the Tennessee side of the park, prompting, for now, a closure of Newfound Gap Road.
A proposal is on the table that could give RVers (and all Americans) one more day of free access to National Park Service sites. Last month, U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy of Utah introduced legislation to mark America’s 250th birthday with free entry to every NPS site on Constitution Day, September 17, 2026. Learn more.
It’s been a sad season of Army Corps campground closures because of staffing cuts. Now, some good news: On July 28, the Corps reopened the Highway K Campground at Clearwater Lake in southeast Missouri. The scenic lakeside campground is a favorite stop for RVers visiting the Ozarks.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
Campground Crowding is back! And we have etiquette to talk about!
By Nanci Dixon
Thank you, loyal readers, for continuing to send in comments! Well, I thought the interest in my Campground Crowding column had started to fade into oblivion when we stopped it a few weeks ago. Evidently not so, judging by the number of emails I’m still receiving. So, let’s continue… Read some of your comments regarding campground etiquette here.
Have you seen this stolen RV?
The Summers County (West Virginia) Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a stolen RV. The 2008 Gulf Stream Tour Master Constellation motorhome was stolen from the Bluestone Lake area of Summers County on August 2, when it was parked in a wide spot of the road near Lilly Bridge alongside Route 20. The owners returned late that evening to discover that it was missing. Have you seen this RV?
FACTOID: Approximately 300 to 500 black bears inhabit Yosemite National Park at any given time.
News briefs
FRVA, better known as FMCA, attracted 387 member coaches to its national rally in August in Gillette, Wyoming, the lowest turnout in the club’s history and less than half the RVs of last year’s summer rally. In the year 2000, in its heyday, the club attracted more than 7,400 RVs to a national rally in Brunswick, Maine. In recent years, the club has struggled to maintain membership, which continues to decline.
Imagine pulling out your smartphone and calling for an Uber ride. Instead of a sedan or SUV rolling up to the curb, here comes a motorhome. It can be done, but you’ll have to travel to India to experience it. Instead of the typical Uber car, you’ll get a plush motorhome outfitted with all the comforts of an RV, but without the hassle of driving, parking, or trying to figure out how that mysterious slide-out button works. Interesting!
A Pennsylvania couple escaped serious injury after their RV rolled over on the Thruway in Ontario County, New York, this past weekend. If you looked at the photo before knowing that the couple survived almost unharmed, you might think that just couldn’t be.
A nasty multi-vehicle accident involving RVs and semitrucks shut down all lanes of southbound Interstate 15 near Leeds, Utah, on Sunday, August 3. The crash involved two semitrucks, a motorhome, and at least one travel trailer. The accident occurred around 2:45 p.m. near milepost 23 and caused significant delays, with backups stretching three to five miles. This is not pretty!
OH, THIS IS SAD DEPT. If you’re passing with your RV through Durham, North Carolina, here’s a spot to avoid: the Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass—infamously known as the “11-foot-8 Bridge” or the “Can Opener.” The problem? It was designed when vehicles were a lot shorter. Trucks, buses, and, yes, RVs regularly strike the bridge, often losing rooftop equipment—or entire roofs—in the process. And now, it’s happened again…
After beloved Grand Teton Grizzly 399 was killed in a vehicle collision, researchers from the University of Montana launched a groundbreaking study to see if better-designed road signs could help save wildlife. Their field-tested signs—including one with a “sad bear” illustration—reduced reckless speeding and could reshape how parks across the U.S. communicate with drivers.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A POMERANIAN! A British Columbia woman’s home security camera recorded the moment a bear that broke into her house was chased back out by her 6-pound Pomeranian. Kayla Kleine shared security camera footage from her West Vancouver home showing the moment a bear wandered into the house. Bark, bark!
All campfires are now prohibited in Washington’s Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest. This applies to anything that produces ash, including charcoal grills. Gas or propane stoves, lanterns, or heating devices are generally permitted in campgrounds.
Las Vegas recorded its first double-digit decline in tourist visitation since February 2021. Visits have been down every month so far this year compared to 2024. Partly to blame: Economic uncertainty, nickel-and-diming by casinos and fewer Canadian tourists.
Earlier this week, Grand Canyon National Park implemented water conservation measures for the South Rim of the park in response to a broken section of pipeline north of Phantom Ranch.
On August 15, the National Park Service will reopen more than 30 campsites in Loop A of Julian Price Campground at milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Beginning Monday, all reopening sites may be reserved through the end of October at Recreation.gov. First-come, first-served sites are not available this season.
An osprey caught a fish on July 30 but likely got tired in the heat and dropped it onto power lines, sparking a brush fire near the British Columbia town of Ashcroft, briefly knocking out power. Firefighters reported that the “prime suspect sustained no injuries in the incident.”
An injured bat found Tuesday at Rhode Island’s Beavertail State Park has tested positive for rabies. Anyone who may have had contact with the bat should contact the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Center for Acute Infectious Disease Epidemiology at (401) 222-2577 or (401) 276-8046 after hours.
Of the 136 people confirmed killed by the flooding on July 4 in the Texas Hill Country, at least 44 — or nearly a third — died while staying at a campground in an RV or rental cabin. Of those, 33 were in or near the HTR TX Hill Country Campground just steps from the Guadalupe River, where police and fire officials watched RVs float away in the darkness. —Houston Chronicle
The national average price for regular gas decreased slightly yesterday to $3.156 per gallon. For the most part, gas prices have remained between $3.13 per gallon and $3.20 per gallon since June.
The Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association (PCOA) is adding a second major RV show: the Lehigh Valley RV Show. This new partnership follows the ongoing success of the York RV Show, which has been a staple in the RV community for years. The Lehigh Valley RV Show will be held Jan. 9-11, 2026. The PCOA is a different organization from the PRVCA, which stages the Hershey RV Show.
Mesa Verde National Park and Yucca House National Monument in Colorado enacted stage 2 fire restrictions yesterday. In stage 2 restrictions, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove are prohibited. This includes a prohibition on campfires in Morefield Campground.
Construction will begin Monday in Idaho on a 4-year project to increase capacity to busy Interstate 90 between State Highway 41 in Post Falls and U.S. Highway 95 in Coeur d’Alene. If traveling there, be careful.
Own a Tesla Cybertruck you no longer want? The U.S. Air Force wants to buy some for target practice at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. According to the Air Force, the Cybertruck’s angular, stainless steel exoskeleton and 48V electrical architecture make it harder to destroy than most vehicles.
A new scam is making the rounds in Oklahoma, using Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) logos and official-looking photos to trick people into clicking links and paying fake fines. While it may look real, it’s a scam. Do NOT click on any links in suspicious messages claiming to collect tolls or citation fines.
“The canyonlands of Penitente Canyon, Colorado, offer a blend of peaceful surroundings and diverse recreation opportunities less than 10 miles from a major highway.” So states the Bureau of Land Management. But maybe not on July 19th when a pair of campers was allegedly threatened by a man swinging an ax.
Puma RV, a division of Forest River, Inc., has announced a “strategic expansion” of its Puma towable RV lines, which, among other things, will provide dealers with a broader range of floor plans and features.
If you’re planning an RV trip with a side of thrills, this new list might help you map your next adventure. Tripadvisor just released its annual “Best of the Best Things to Do” report, including the best amusement parks in the U.S. Here are the top five.
GREAT IDEA DEPT.: Woodhaven RV Park in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, rents and sells propane fire pits. When the fire danger is high, as it is now, and campfires are banned, these propane versions can serve as a good substitute.
RV and RV-related recalls
• Winnebago is recalling certain 2024-2025 EKKO recreational vehicles. The inner wheel tire valve extension may be damaged through contact with the outer wheels, causing the inner tire to lose air pressure and overload the outer tire. Learn more.
• Brinkley RV is recalling certain 2025 Model Z trailers. The electrical wiring may not be secured properly. Learn more.
Reader poll
If you had to rate your life as an RVer, how would you rate it?
MORE POLLS FROM THIS PAST WEEK:
- Do you talk out loud to yourself when you are alone?
- Will your next RV likely have more or fewer slideouts than your present one?
- How many languages do you speak?
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Know someone who is into this? Maybe you’re into this! Even if you’re not at all into this, you’ll still love this! How is that pastable? Oh, just find out here.
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Trivia
According to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54% of people in their early- to mid-70s weren’t able to balance on one leg for 10 seconds without holding on to something. As you become less steady on your feet, tasks like going downstairs, navigating around obstacles, and traversing uneven surfaces become more difficult, and you’re more likely to fall. SOURCE: Harvard Health Beat
Laugh of the week
The perfect scam
Tech Support Scam Turns Romance Scam
When Joe can’t get his Apple Pay payment to go through, he does a quick search for a customer service number and reaches an operator named Daisy. Daisy informs Joe that his account has been flagged – criminals have compromised his identity and are coming after his life savings. But no worries, Daisy works directly with the FBI, and she will help him protect his assets. Over the following months, Joe is in constant contact with Daisy as she helps him transfer his savings and precious metals investments to safe accounts. He tells her all about his wife, who recently passed away, and she shares details about her life. As their connection grows deeper, they make plans for a future together. But as soon as the money is gone, Daisy disappears, leaving Joe heartbroken.
Today in history
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