Issue 1229
Non-subscribers edition
This free newsletter is made possible by its advertisers and is available on a delayed basis (seven hours later than the ad-free donor edition) to readers who are unable to support it with a voluntary contribution or choose not to. The advertising revenue in this issue helps fund it for the benefit of all RVers without requiring a paywall.
Today’s thought
“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you’ll die of a misprint.” ― (sometimes attributed to Mark Twain)
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Golf Lover’s Day!
On this day in history: 1883 – First run of the Orient Express. Speaking of the Orient Express, check out this Orient Express RV! Yes, really!
Featured news
New rules on long-term camping on government lands leave RVers uncertain and confused
New federal rules are reshaping how and where RVers can camp long-term on public lands, but it’s all very confusing. While BLM Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) may stay open under limited services, permit plans, enforcement, and local interpretations remain unclear. The result: RVers risk confusion, variance by region, and surprise restrictions. Learn more about what’s known — and what still hangs in uncertainty.
RVers trapped in RV in flood believe they’re doomed. Then, a miracle!
It’s an RV survival story. Historic floodwaters surged through a Globe, Arizona, RV park, rising six feet and sweeping away neighboring vehicles, trapping Chip and Cheryl Gieger inside their motorhome with no way to escape. “We were saying our last prayers at that point,” said Chip Gieger. And then, a miracle. Read all about it.
Police stop self-driving car for traffic violation. But nobody’s inside
A Waymo vehicle pulled over by police in San Bruno, California, caused a unique traffic dilemma. The vehicle had no driver or passenger, leaving officers with no way to issue a ticket based on current law. Read more.
L.A. closer to banning “vanlords” from renting junky RVs to homeless on city streets
Los Angeles is moving closer to banning the practice by “vanlords” who rent old, junky RVs to otherwise homeless people to live in on city streets, which is fueling the city’s growing RV encampment problem. Read more.
Homeowner fighting city over RV carport he erected without building permit
A man who erected a covered carport for his motorhome in West Sacramento, Calif., is getting nothing but grief after the city told him it was illegal because he had not obtained a building permit for it. And now the city is billing him for its time.
Colorado mountain pass road closed after ill-advised attempt to cross by SUV
Black Bear Pass near Telluride, Colorado, has a fearsome reputation. This week its road had to be closed for a day after an out-of-state visitor attempted to cross it despite warnings and got stuck with its wheels hanging off the side of a switchback. More.
Alaska’s 11th annual Fat Bear Week’s Fat Bear contest has a new winner, Chunk, who lives at Katmai National Park and Preserve. Chunk weighs in at more than 1,200 pounds. He is easily recognized with a broken jaw that he likely broke during a fight with another bear, that will likely never fully heal.
Affordable tire tool will save you tons of trouble
Air leaking from a tire? It could be a loose, leaking valve stem. Pick up one of these very inexpensive tools and make sure your valve cores are snugly seated in the valve stem. Click here to order.
Quick RV reviews & news
Downsizing? Consider this 2025 Fleetwood Class C motorhome
The 2025 Fleetwood Insight 25M is a compact Class C motorhome built on the popular Mercedes-Benz chassis with a turbo diesel engine.
A quick peek at new towable 2026 Brinkley RVs
Brinkley RV just introduced a flood of new towable RVs for 2026, and in the half-hour video, Josh Winters (Josh the RV Nerd at Bish’s RV) provides a quick overview.
East to West RV debuts new Class C motorhome
It’s called the College Avenue, named after the street where parent company Forest River was founded in Goshen, Indiana.
Campground crowding, comments & concerns
Too pricey to RV? Some RVers calling it quits
This week, Nanci Dixon shares RVtravel.com readers’ ongoing concerns about increasing costs of RVing, including campgrounds. One reader is enjoying our “big, beautiful country” by trying to “keep expenses down and experiences up.” But several more are hanging up the keys to their RVs. Read those stories and more here.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: One nice thing about living in an RV park or campground full time, or even staying in one part time, is that you get the pleasure (at least in theory) of having professional landscapers without having to pay the bill.
DID YOU KNOW that RVtravel.com includes more than 700 articles about RV electricity? Wow! Check out the long list of topics.
News briefs
Social Security payments to more than 74 million Americans will continue on schedule during the government shutdown. Unlike many programs funded through annual congressional spending bills, Social Security is mandatory by law.
More than 9,000 of the National Park Service’s 14,500 employees are now furloughed because of the government shutdown. Most facilities that require staff will not operate. That means no permits, guided tours, routine trash collection, maintenance of restrooms or visitor information services.
Check out a lot of cool vintage travel trailers today in Florence, Oregon, at the Goin’ with the Flo Vintage Trailer Community Open House at Heceta Beach RV Park. Free admission.
A fire Thursday at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery in Los Angeles County may result in higher fuel prices soon for residents. The refinery supplies about a fifth of the motor fuel used by Southern Californians.
Portland, Oregon, has eliminated one of its two homeless villages for people living in RVs. Mayor Keith Wilson’s long-term goal is to phase out RV shelter sites entirely and usher more vehicle-dwellers indoors.
Cracker Barrel, an RVer favorite restaurant, has parted ways with the consulting firm that advised it to adopt a new logo and restaurant remodels that sparked fierce backlash online.
Glamping is slowly but surely replacing traditional camping for many Americans. A new study from the Cairn Consulting Group shows the average rate to “glamp” is now $251 a night, up 21% from 2023.
The Asheville East (North Carolina) KOA Holiday is up and running again, now that Hurricane Helene damage is repaired.
Zion White Bison Resort in Virgin, Utah, is holding an open house grand opening today. The “glamping” park’s accommodations include luxury wagons, teepees, cliff dwellings (in name only) and an RV park. Three white buffalo live on the site, hence the park’s name.
Bryce Canyon National Park is looking for short-term campground hosts. If you’re interested, email Kim_Barton@nps.gov.
Sarasota Ford in Sarasota, Florida, includes a high-end restaurant with a chef who earned a Michelin star in Paris. Le Mans Kitchen is located inside the dealership and is so exclusive that only customers may eat there, and for free.
Washington state’s Discover Pass has increased from $30 to $45. The pass provides one year of unlimited entry to all Washington state lands managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
Blue Compass RV has acquired Indy RV Sales of St. George, Utah, marking the company’s 103rd dealership nationwide.
If you own a Thor 2024 or 2025 Luminate or Indigo motorhome, then beware your LP tank could fall off. Learn more.
Buckhorn Recreation Area and Buckhorn Campground at Northern California’s Black Butte Dam and Lake will remain closed through the winter months for critical repairs.
Ember RV’s 2026 Overland Series will feature Battle Born Batteries as part of the new Max Solar Package. The package will provide an energy system for prolonged off-grid adventures, including 3.5 to 7 kWh of LiFePO4 batteries and 1,200 watts of rooftop solar.
Private RV park occupancies across the U.S. have largely been flat this year and with notably smaller booking windows than last year, according to some of the largest trackers of campground bookings, as reported by Woodall’s Campground Magazine.
What happens to national park campgrounds during government shutdowns?
From Kiplinger’s: Campgrounds operated by the National Park Service are often closed or left unsupervised. That means no reservations, no campground hosts and no access to amenities like showers or dump stations. If you’ve booked in advance, you may not get a refund. However, privately run campgrounds inside or near park boundaries may still operate as usual, so check with them directly.
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RV Roof Magic’s unique solvent-based drying process allows for a chemical bond not found in other RV sealants. That is why it never needs a primer and only one coat. We offer a 10-year warranty. Apply RV Roof Magic to all roofs except silicone and PVC. Over 30 years of history of success. Visit our site for our monthly special!
Reader poll
When replacing a headlight, do you routinely replace the other one at the same time?
Polls from the past week:
- Which of these places in nature would you pick to spend time?
- Do you buy plastic water bottles by the case?
- Do you ever buy takeout sushi at a grocery store?
- How much money, minimum, would it take for you to skydive from a plane?
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Wow! This is space-saving, all right! Forget needing a dresser or drawer storage space—you won’t need it with this. Impressive!
Upcoming RV shows & seminars. Click here.
Trivia
British merchant Peter Durand patented the tin can in 1810. Ezra Warner patented a can opener in 1858. In the years between, people opened cans with chisels and hammers.
[Sorry, folks. The Trivia got switched out in the newsletter but not in the email alert. We apologize for the confusion.]
Laugh of the week
What did one tectonic plate say when it bumped into another tectonic plate?
Sorry, my fault.
The perfect scam
Job Seekers Targeted in Water Filtration Job Scam, Part 2
In part 2, victims of a nationwide fraud scheme join forces on a Facebook group and share their stories. Someone is selling water purification devices to entrepreneurs, who think they are getting in on the ground floor of a great opportunity, but then the promised gadgets are never delivered.
Today in history
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Current fire and smoke map from AirNow
Headed on an unfamiliar highway? Learn if it has low bridges you might not fit under.
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RVtravel.com All Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Fairly new to RV’ing I do glean valuable information with this newsletter, hence, I felt compelled to send $ so it continues. I hope others feel the same.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park was opened up yesterday (Saturday) through a coordinated effort from surrounding counties, the Cherokee Nation, & some national assistance. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when everyone has a common goal.
I don’t care if you’re left or right up or down. The ELECTED reps in DC should be furlough without pay and not to be expected to get any backpay we don’t send them to Congress to play with our lives whatsoever. They just need to get the job done and fast. it’s not about individuals. It’s about all of us.
What does this have to do with RVs ?
Does everything have to go to politics???