Rising COVID fears and RV Travel uncertainty are causing RVers to stay closer to home and be much more cautious in their plans for the rest of the summer and into fall.

As the nation once again finds COVID rates dramatically rising, RVers are wondering what to do with summer travel plans. "Should we stay or should we go?"  is a question we've been asked a lot this past week.

So in this 304th episode of the RV Podcast, we're going to talk about that. We’ll share our feelings and hear from a bunch of you who responded to our request to call and share your opinion.

Plus, we have lots of RV questions this week, plenty of RV News, and a great off the beaten path RV report from the Burketts.

RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK

Officials say no reported COVID-19 cases at Yosemite, but then they discover it in human sewage

In this time of pandemic camping, there was an intriguing story this week out of California that caught our attention. Yosemite National Park is open to visitors, regular testing of employees and residents shows no one has tested positive for COVID-19, and no visitors have reported back as positive. Seems a safe place to go, right? Well, apparently a company that is checking human raw sewage for the virus found COVID-19 in the waste. The company estimated between June 30 and July 6, about 170 infected people were at the El Portal stop, while just a few were at Wawona. The science is still developing, and being outside and away from crowds is still considered a relatively safe activity, but this adds to our belief that using the facilities in your RV is still the safest thing to do.

Black bear bites woman, child, in Yellowstone backcountry then eats their food

A black bear bit a woman and a child at Yellowstone National Park last week after entering a campsite shared by five backpackers in search of food. The woman and child were outside their tents and the bear walked right up to them, bit them, then went to their food which was under a storage pole but not yet hung up. When rangers arrived, the bear was still eating the campers' food, so the bear was killed. The bear bit the woman in her arm and head and bit the child's hand. Both received bruises and minor cuts. Rangers, again, urged visitors to carry bear spray. Here is an article we did on how to camp safely in bear country - we've shared it before, but believe it is worth sharing again.

Woman chased by a bison at Yellowstone trips, falls, plays dead and survives encounter without injury

Speaking of Yellowstone, did you see the video of the woman who was being charged by a bison, tripped and fell, played dead, and survived the encounter without a scratch? Apparently, the woman and another person got too close to the wild creature so it charged. The woman tripped and fell when running and once down, she played dead. The charging bison came to an abrupt stop spent a few seconds sniffing the woman – who lay there motionless -  and then ambled away. The woman then got up, apparently unharmed. It was all caught on cellphone video and as is clear, too many people were too close to the bison.  Click here to 

Mike Wendland

46:49

RV Podcast 303: What RV travel looks like for the rest of the year

https://rvlifestyle.com/what-rv-travel-looks-like-for-the-rest-of-the-year/

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 09:05:51 +0000

https://rvlifestyle.com/?p=57927

With travel restrictions looming again, here's our best take on what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year.

As COVID-19 raises its ugly head again with more infections and hospitalizations, things that once were opening are closing again. This week on the RV Podcast Episode 303, we offer straight talk about what the rest of the year may look like for RVers.

Plus we have an interview about an interesting place where RVers can go to get their RVs renovated called RV Renovation Camp. We also have lots of RV News, tips, an off the beaten path report from the Burketts, and much more all coming up in Episode 303 of the RV Podcast.

Show Notes for Episode #303 July 15, 2020 of The RV Podcast:

WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK

We’re still in Michigan and will likely stay here through fall.

And while we think there will be lots of opportunities for short trips in and around the Great Lakes Region, long-distance, cross-country travel for us has been put on hold as the nation tries to figure out what to do as COVID-19 infection rates have shot upwards again.  What had been an encouraging downwards trend in early summer, has now been reversed to where we are now seeing record infection rates in many places, more hospitalizations, and rising deaths.

In other words, just when you thought it was okay to start traveling again, we’re seeing the virus rapidly spreading and many states contemplating shutdowns again.

So let's talk about what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year:

In our opinion, it’s not good. Just today, Elkhart Open House, the mega event put on every fall by the RV manufacturers to jumpstart business for dealers and suppliers, was canceled for this year. That event has probably become the most important venue for the RV industry and canceling it shows just how serious the industry sees the new spike in invections.

We don’t have a crystal ball. We’re not privy to any inside information. But since the end of February, the newsman in me has kept careful track of what is happening with this horrible illness and I think there are several things happening that will adversely affect the RV Lifestyle.

Hopefully, what’s unfolding and developing now will not result in total nationwide shutdowns like most of us experienced in March and April. But I don’t think there is any doubt that it's getting worse rather than better.

Will you still be able to travel in your RV? Yes, I think so, certainly more than you were able to this past spring but, sadly, I fear, not as much as you perhaps would like to.

Here are seven things that I think will  shape what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year

There will be more campgrounds, state parks, and national parks either closing to out of state campers, shutting down entirely, or limiting the number of visitors. We have some examples of that happening even now coming up in the News of the week segment but expect more quarantines and in some places, like California, parts of Texas and other states, to be more severely impacted by COVID and actively tell visitors that they are not welcome the rest of the summer and ell into the fall.

What campgrounds that remain open will be more crowded. That’s a given. With all the new RVers out there, camping space is already at a premium in many places. If campgrounds now open start closing again, those that are still open will be putting out the “no vacancy” signs a lot sooner than normal.

RV manufacturers will once again have to wrestle with the decision to shut down their assembly lines to stop the spread of the virus. Same with RV parts manufacturers. If shutdowns happen the ripple effect will immediately be felt through all segments of the industry. It may be booming now because so many people bought new RVs for much-needed vacations once the economy started to reopen in May and June. But if the COVID rates keep rising – as most health experts predict – the industry is going to be hit with a...

With travel restrictions looming again, here's our best take on what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year. As COVID-19 raises its ugly head again with more infections and hospitalizations, things that once were opening are closing again.

As COVID-19 raises its ugly head again with more infections and hospitalizations, things that once were opening are closing again. This week on the RV Podcast Episode 303, we offer straight talk about what the rest of the year may look like for RVers.

Plus we have an interview about an interesting place where RVers can go to get their RVs renovated called RV Renovation Camp. We also have lots of RV News, tips, an off the beaten path report from the Burketts, and much more all coming up in Episode 303 of the RV Podcast.

Show Notes for Episode #303 July 15, 2020 of The RV Podcast:

WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK

We’re still in Michigan and will likely stay here through fall.

And while we think there will be lots of opportunities for short trips in and around the Great Lakes Region, long-distance, cross-country travel for us has been put on hold as the nation tries to figure out what to do as COVID-19 infection rates have shot upwards again.  What had been an encouraging downwards trend in early summer, has now been reversed to where we are now seeing record infection rates in many places, more hospitalizations, and rising deaths.

In other words, just when you thought it was okay to start traveling again, we’re seeing the virus rapidly spreading and many states contemplating shutdowns again.

So let's talk about what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year:

In our opinion, it’s not good. Just today, Elkhart Open House, the mega event put on every fall by the RV manufacturers to jumpstart business for dealers and suppliers, was canceled for this year. That event has probably become the most important venue for the RV industry and canceling it shows just how serious the industry sees the new spike in invections.

We don’t have a crystal ball. We’re not privy to any inside information. But since the end of February, the newsman in me has kept careful track of what is happening with this horrible illness and I think there are several things happening that will adversely affect the RV Lifestyle.

Hopefully, what’s unfolding and developing now will not result in total nationwide shutdowns like most of us experienced in March and April. But I don’t think there is any doubt that it's getting worse rather than better.

Will you still be able to travel in your RV? Yes, I think so, certainly more than you were able to this past spring but, sadly, I fear, not as much as you perhaps would like to.

Here are seven things that I think will  shape what RV travel looks like for the rest of the year

* There will be more campgrounds, state parks, and national parks either closing to out of state campers, shutting down entirely, or limiting the number of visitors. We have some examples of that happening even now coming up in the News of the week segment but expect more quarantines and in some places, like California, parts of Texas and other states, to be more severely impacted by COVID and actively tell visitors that they are not welcome the rest of the summer and ell into the fall.

* What campgrounds that remain open will be more crowded. That’s a given. With all the new RVers out there, camping space is already at a premium in many places. If campgrounds now open start closing again, those that are still open will be putting out the “no vacancy” signs a lot sooner than normal.

* RV manufacturers will once again have to wrestle with the decision to shut down their assembly lines to stop the spread of the virus. Same with RV parts manufacturers. If shutdowns happen the ripple effect will immediately be felt through all segments of the industry. It may be booming now because so many people bought new RVs for much-needed vaca...