This week on the RV Podcast:

Are Canadian RVers in the U.S. being harassed by American citizens? Are US RVers in Canada being harassed by Canadians? There have been incidents on both sides of the border.

How to plan a truly epic RV stay - wherever you decide to stop. Expert advice from Wendy Bowyer, who plans all our RV Community gatherings.

What’s happening at our National Parks during this prolonged government shutdown? It’s not a pretty picture.

All this plus the RV News of the Week and your questions coming up in Episode #569 of the RV Podcast

You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.

If you prefer an audio-only podcast, you can hear us through your favorite podcast app or listen now through the player below.

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Harassment reported by both Canadian and U.S. RVers

Today, we're diving into the frosty chill that's settled over the border for RVers like us—Canadian and American alike. The current tensions between Canada are boiling over into the RV Community.  They stem from escalating U.S.-Canada trade and political frictions, amplified by U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that he wants Canada as the 51st state.

Then, this summer, new U.S. immigration rules—such as stricter visa requirements and enhanced border scrutiny—have shocked Canadian RVers, leading to a sharp drop in northbound travel, with reservations canceled en masse.

Surveys show nearly half of Canadians are now less inclined to visit the U.S. this year, citing not just financial woes but also a growing sense of political alienation from inflammatory rhetoric that paints Canada as an adversary. 

Meanwhile, some American RVers who have headed northward with fewer hesitations have been reporting a definite chill that strains the once-seamless camaraderie of the RV community. 

We’ve been hearing about this all summer. But this week, we received two emails that bring this home in the most powerful way, telling us these tensions are being felt by RVers on both sides of the border - by Canadian RVers visiting in the U.S., and American RVers visiting Canada. 

These sincere and sad emails are an example that words have consequences and that behind every policy tweet may be a family in a Winnebago wondering if the next campsite will feel like home or a battlefield. 

First, this email from Canadian Rvers named Pat, who has been a regular snowbird visitor to the U.S.

I would really like it if you started covering how Canadian snowbirds are navigating going south this year. My husband and I have gone South for years but quite truthfully are a little anxious about doing it this year. There are new rules for Canadians who are staying more than 30 days. We are also concerned about the border and going down there. We have heard some horrendous stories and don't know what to think. For example, one woman spoke of a gun being pointed at her as she drove on the road. There was also the case of the border patrol man who followed someone with an Ontario license plate and screamed at them not to come back to the USA. I think about it everyday because we love going south and we love American friends. It will be a long cold winter without them. I would love some input.

Then, a day later, we received this email, from a Tracy - U.S. RVer who spent time in Canada:

We are on the final weeks of a four month journey from Texas that included travel to the Canadian maritime provinces and Newfoundland. While we met many nice people along the way, we also encountered some angry Canadians who felt that it was their job to make sure we knew how angry they are at the U.S. and those of us live there and they were quick to offer unsolicited opinions. We certainly feel the need for a welcoming community more than ever and your words remind us all that we all share that need to be “ seen, known and valued”.  God’s blessings to you.

Mike and Jennifer's Response:

There are always a few bad apples on both sides of the border. Every country has people with short tempers or poor judgment, and both Canada and the U.S. are no exception.

But those isolated incidents don’t reflect the vast majority of folks you’ll meet on the road. Most Canadians and Americans alike are friendly, helpful, and genuinely welcoming to RVers, often going out of their way to offer directions, share travel tips, or strike up a friendly chat at the campground.

Unfortunately, social media can make it seem worse than it is. It’s full of rumor-filled posts, secondhand stories, and exaggerated accounts that are hard to verify. The truth is that these online “he-said, she-said” tales often spread far beyond their reality.

RV travel remains one of the best ways to explore both nations, meet wonderful people, and experience local hospitality firsthand. Don’t let a few bad actors or misleading online chatter keep you from hitting the road and enjoying the journey.

RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK

No Pay, No Rangers, No Rules: National Parks Continue to be Caught in Shutdown Fallout

As the federal government shutdown continues yet another week, we're now seeing reports of non-profits fundraising to provide food and other basics for employees at Zion National Park. And at the Grand Canyon, community groups have started a food pantry for their park employees. At Rocky Mountains National Park, volunteers are organizing to pick up trash. At Yellowstone, reports say the bear jams are becoming more of an issue without rangers to keep folks safely moving. And with no one to collect entrance fees at any of the parks, some reports show the National Parks Service is losing as much as $1 million per day. If you're heading out know visitor centers are generally closed, some parks are closed and confusion still reigns.

Ford Issues Major Recall for Nearly 292,000 Pickups Over Rearview Camera Glitch

Attention Ford pickup owners: There is another recall. Nearly 292,000 pickup trucks from the 2020-2022 model years are being recalled because of discrepancies with a rearview camera image that will not display properly causing a reduced view for the driver in certain conditions. The F-250 SD, F-350 SD, and F450 SD models are affected. Letters should be mailed out Oct. 20.

Popular South Padre RV Park Shutting Down for Year-Long Renovation

A popular 577-site RV park on South Padre Island, Texas, will close for the next year as it undergoes $12 million in improvements. Isla Blanca Park will modernize the RV sites' electrical, water, and wastewater infrastructure, and will realign two streets to improve traffic flow and create another row of RV spots for the popular destination.

Less Red, More Meh: Fall Foliage Takes a Hit This Year

Drought and unusual weather is causing muted fall colors in much of the country. The best fall colors require rain in August, then sunshine with warm days and cool nights in September. But September provided hot days and warm nights in much of the country, and reports show as much as 40 percent of the country is in a drought.

RV Pulled Over, But It’s the Cargo That Shocked Police—44 Small Dogs

An RV was stopped in Pennsylvania as it drove through Berks County after someone reported seeing a large number of dogs inside. When police stopped the driver and opened the doors, 44 small terrier-type dogs were discovered, many dirty, matted and shaking. They were turned over to the local Animal Rescue League for care and placement.

RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK

This week we’re doubling up with our Conversation of the Week and Social Media Buzz. That’s because the Wendy Bowyer - the person who usually brings us the Buzz - is also our chief event planner for all our RV Community gatherings. She’s a pro at spotting the perfect campground, finding local gems, and turning any RV stay into a truly memorable adventure.

So when we were together last week in Texas for one of our rallies, we couldn’t resist asking her to share some of her best-kept secrets.

Listen or watch the interview in the players above.

RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

QUESTION: My daughter flushed my husband's glasses into the RV black tank. Any recommendations to get them out? - From Haley

ANSWER: Oh no, Haley, that’s a tough one! Unfortunately, once something like glasses goes into the black tank, there’s really no easy way to fish them out. The tank contents, design, and narrow valve system make retrieval nearly impossible without a full tank removal—which usually isn’t worth it.

Your best bet is to let it go - literally. Empty the tank as usual, and if the glasses don’t come out at the dump station, they’ll probably stay lodged at the bottom.

If you really want them back, an RV service center could drop the tank and clean it out—but that’s a messy, labor-intensive job that’ll cost a whole lot more than replacing the glasses.

So, in short, write this one off as a funny RV-life story to tell around the next campfire!