Check here often for the most current RV news, some of which hasn’t even been reported widely yet. Find out what’s going on, even before you can find it by “just Googling it!”
June 7th, 2022
Goodyear to Recall 173,000 RV Tires
We’ve all been hearing about poor quality RVs made in the last several years during the Covid pandemic. But the RV industry’s latest recall is not on RVs themselves but on tires. Many RVers often tout Goodyear as the best (and sometimes only) RV tire manufacturer to trust, but this latest news shows that when it comes to tires, brand name only goes so far.
Now, before you panic about the tires on your RV, rest assured, most of you will probably be just fine even if you have Goodyear tires. That’s because in an odd turn of events, the Goodyear RV tires in question, Goodyear’s G159, were last produced in 2003 and yet are being recalled today. If you still have tires that old on your RV you have an entirely different set of problems. RV tire experts recommend replacing tires every 3-5 years regardless of the amount of tread left on them.
Unfortunately, according to the currently available information, it seems Goodyear may have covered up the problem for years leading to 93 deaths or injuries since 1998. According to ABC News, “Documents say the tire tread can separate from the body, causing drivers to lose control and increasing the risk of a crash.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating the situation since 2017 and only now has pressured Goodyear to issue a recall despite the amount of time that has passed since the tires were last made.
If you do have these tires on your RV, you should have replaced them years ago. But if you haven’t, now is absolutely the time. This news serves as an unfriendly reminder of the importance of having high quality RV tires, regardless of the company that produces them. Stay safe out there fellow RVers.
July 10th, 2021
Be Prepared for Possible Upcoming Shortages on RV Products and Services.
There seems to be quite a murmur going around various online forums that the marine industry is saying they are having trouble acquiring anti-freeze due to shortages in needed chemicals required to make anti-freeze. Now whether this is in fact true, or just a rumor we haven’t been able to confirm from first-hand sources in the industry. But given how it went with toilet paper during the pandemic, whether it is true or not may not matter, if people think it is true.
Luckily for RVers, we have some alternatives, like blowing out water lines with air instead. However, a little anti-freeze on hand sure makes winterizing things like drain traps easier. So it might not be a bad idea to locate at least one bottle of anti-freeze before the weather turns and the masses start looking for it as well. Please be conscientious and don’t cause a run on the stuff by over-purchasing though.
But if we plan ahead and not wait for the first cold snap, expecting the stores to have enough stock on hand at that moment, we will help take the pressure off the supply chain. Planning ahead will be a help for everyone — you, the stores, and your fellow RVers who didn’t plan ahead.
We all know how much growth in interest there has been in RVing this year, by how hard it is to get a reservation in campgrounds. I can confirm from first-hand sources, that RVShare, an RV rental company, has seen rentals double this year. Luckily we don’t have to compete directly for resources with renters, but it does make one realize that we may want to line up future needs now, such as RV anti-freeze and reserving that winter’s storage site if needed.
July 1, 2021
Zion N.P. Recovering from Flash Floods
Many of you may not be aware that occasional monsoons can hit Zion National Park from mid-July to September, causing flash floods. However, this year the park was hit early with a massive flash flood on Tuesday, June 29th, that tore up roads, damaged RVs, and stranded visitors. Fortunately, there appear to have been no fatalities.
The park is working to clean up quickly but you should expect delays. According to park officials, “Visitors should expect traffic delays, debris on roads, and potential closures of trails and parking areas as clean-up continues and damage is being assessed. The oversized vehicle lot is closed until further notice. The park has very limited oversized vehicle parking due to this closure. Visitors should plan on parking in town where oversized parking is available on Lion Boulevard and other parking areas. “
Video of the flooding and cleanup process:
June 24th, 2021
U.S. National Parks are Surprising Some Visitors by Turning Them Away Due to Crowds.
The rise in RV ownership and interest is being felt at national and state parks as well
During the recent Memorial Day weekend, Zion National Park reported five-hour waits to access popular trails, and waited two hours in line to ride the park shuttle bus. Bryce Canyon was temporarily closed to vehicle traffic over that same weekend, with two-hour waits to ride shuttles into the park.
Even Big Bend National Park in Texas, somewhat off the beaten path, is seeing crowds nearly 50 percent above average so far this year. And Smoky Mountains National Park set an all-time record in April 2021, with nearly 1.2 million visitors. (April usually averages about 800,000 visits.)
According to the RVIA, to manage this huge rise in visits, many parks across the country are instituting entry limits. Some parks, like Yosemite and Rocky Mountains are requiring reservations just to enter this summer. Glacier National Park, which is now requiring passes for driving the amazing Going to the Sun Road, sold out in minutes for the entire month of June. Yosemite National Park’s day-visit permits are currently unavailable until August, and many of its campgrounds are booked through summer.
If you are planning on heading to a national or state park, officials are recommending that you research your location well to find out if there are any special procedures, reservations or adjustments that will need to be made. And it is best to be flexible with plans in case park limits require you to adjust your trip. Most parks are around other great attractions and landscape, so have those alternatives ready in case they are needed. Or change your destination to one of the many, lesser-visited national parks or monuments.
To research national parks, visit www.nps.gov and check for any announcements. For state parks, visit the state’s official recreational website. Another good resource is www.recreation.gov.
June 22nd, 2021
RV Ownership Numbers are Skyrocketing
After 10 years since the last RV owner/prospect demographic report, the Go RVing RV Owner Demographic Profile Study was released last month and RV ownership growth has been astounding.
According to the study, RV ownership is at a record high with 11.2 million households owning an RV in 2021 — up 62 percent from the 6.9 million households reported to be RV owners in 2001, and 26 percent higher than the 8.9 million households in 2011 (the last time a survey like this was conducted).
Trends showed that travel trailers dominated the purchasing volume, and the drop in age of RV owners has accelerated over the past decade. More than half (51 percent) of RV owners are under age 55, with 22 percent of RV owners between the ages of 18 and 34.
If you are feeling ambitious, the full almost 200-page report can be found at www.rvda.org.
June 3rd, 2021
Harvest Host to Acquire Boondockers Welcome
In a recent email sent to active members, Boondockers Welcome made the following statement: “…we’re excited to announce that Boondockers Welcome is joining forces with Harvest Hosts. Joel Holland, their CEO, has grown the Harvest Hosts network by leaps and bounds over the past few years, and we know that he and his very capable team will help to continue to grow Boondockers Welcome as a community made by RVers, for RVers.”
Read Full Email Text Here
We’ll post more information as it comes available. Do you think this will help or hurt either of the programs?
May 30th, 2021
Ford Lightening Orders Hit 70,000 in One Week
After the very recent announcement that the Ford Lightening has a tow rating of 10,000 pounds, the idea of using electric vehicles as a tow vehicle for RVers is once again a topic of discussion.
If you’d like to join our discussion on the subject, check out our article and Facebook discussion on the subject.
