What To Do When A Tornado Is Heading Toward Your Campground

This week on the RV Podcast:

• These horrific storms and tornadoes hold coming, this time hitting campgrounds crowded with Memorial Day RVers
• We’ll speak about what to do when a Twister is heading towards your campground
• There’s persevering with fallout and confusion over new guidelines by the CDC about bringing your canine again from Canada or Mexico… and the CDC will not touch upon our makes an attempt to get clarification.
• All this plus the RV Information of the Week, your questions and Mike & Jen’s RV Storytime arising in Episode #499 of the RV Podcast.

You may watch the video model from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the participant beneath.

In the event you desire an audio-only podcast, you may hear us by means of your favourite podcast app or pay attention now by means of the participant beneath.

We’re simply again from an incredible journey to Arizona, the place we toured a brand new desert improvement aimed toward RVers. We’ll have a full video on these new properties in addition to a go to to all of the superior issues to do close by, from the Colorado River to the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. Search for that video on Saturday on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel. We’ll additionally present you ways Rvers live off grid within the desert with all of the comforts of residence. 

Our Newest Journey Information is Now Out there-
The Final RV Information to Exploring the Bourbon Path!

That is an 81-page eBook (not a printed e book) main you on an epic highway journey by means of the guts of Kentucky’s Bourbon nation. The Bourbon Path is residence to a few of the most famed distilleries on the planet, every with its personal distinctive story and taste profile.

Our RV travel guide options in-depth profiles of the highest distilleries, together with Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam, Buffalo Hint, and lots of extra. Find out about their histories, the distillation processes, and what makes every bourbon distinct. We additionally present insider tips about the very best instances to go to, must-try tastings, and unique behind-the-scenes excursions.

You don’t should drink alcohol to take pleasure in this journey. Kentucky is a state of gorgeous pure magnificence, and our information ensures you will not miss any of it. We have curated a choice of scenic routes that showcase the very best of Kentucky’s landscapes, from rolling hills and plush forests to charming small cities and historic landmarks. Alongside the best way, you may uncover hidden gems that solely locals know – quaint cafes, artisan outlets, historic websites, and breathtaking viewpoints.

Past the distilleries, the Bourbon Path presents a wealth of experiences that can enrich your journey and permit you to immerse your self within the vibrant tradition and hospitality of Kentucky.

Test it out now, obtainable for immediate obtain, at: https://rvlifestyle.com/RVBourbon

Fallout and Confusion within the Wake of The CDC’s New Guidelines on bringing canine again from Canada and Mexico

Like many others, we’re nonetheless confused by a sudden new rule by the CDC that takes impact August 1 and impacts vacationers and vacationers returning to the US from Canada and Mexico. 

We’ve been making an attempt since final week to get clarification from the CDC on this and so they mainly stated they’re too busy to reply our questions.

However within the week since we reported on this, these new guidelines have pissed off and angered each RVers and veterinarians who should fill in varieties for his or her canine sufferers.

These guidelines say that after Aug. 1, canine coming again have to be microchipped and have proof of a rabies vaccine after the chip was put in…. Plus, one or two days earlier than coming again to the US, vacationers have to add a photograph of their canine and fill in a kind on what port of entry they are going to be utilizing.

We’ll keep on high of this and attempt to attain the CDC and have much more to say as we get extra data. However we are able to let you know these guidelines and varieties have actually upset lots of people, and we’re certain the CDC goes to should acknowledge the issues and supply some readability. So keep tuned…

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer reviews on the new points most talked about this previous week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.

In our RVLifestyle Community Climate for RVers House, Carrie wrote that she is a California child planning her first journey throughout the US in a category B campervan. She should have been listening to reviews about ALL of the tornadoes the nation has skilled these days as a result of she requested: “In addition to checking climate reviews and making an attempt to keep away from dangerous climate, what would you do in case you discovered your self in a tornado or severe storm state of affairs?”

Bob and Roxy stated the very best reply is do not let your self get in a state of affairs you may’t get out. Get a very good climate app on your cellphone like AccuWeather and if a storm is coming, all the time discover a protected place to attend it out. Typically hearth or police stations are good locations to go, and even some relaxation areas have twister shelters.

And Brenda and Marc added to know the world round you, and relying on the place you might be staying, see if there’s a storm shelter. And do not be afraid to alter your route, if vital.

Additionally within the Group’s Normal Dialogue House, Bernie and Erikka wrote that they know you might be supposed to go away just a little room behind the fridge for air circulation, however does the identical go for the RV freezer or can we pack it tight?

Richard stated don’t pack it tight. Identical to the frig, you want air to flow into to maintain issues frozen within the freezer. And it appears like he realized that the arduous method.

Nancy wrote: Oh pricey! I knew in regards to the fridge however didn’t not know the identical goes for the freezer.

However then David stated that is true for the standard 3-way gasoline evaporation fridge, however the newer all-electric RV fridges function in a different way. Seems like David has a Nova Cool electrical fridge of their rig and so they ARE capable of totally stuff the freezer. So it could be a state of affairs the place you have to test your RV’s proprietor handbook as a result of the recommendation might differ rig to rig. 

Over on our RVLifestyle Facebook Group, one put up that basically received folks speaking was in regards to the basic campfire deal with, s’mores. Don took an image of a s’more alternative. As a substitute of the basic graham cracker, chocolate and roasted over the campfire marshmallow sandwich so many people love, Don mixed what seemed to be two Keebler Fudge Striped Cookies with a wonderfully roasted and gooey marshmallow sandwiched between them. He wrote: “It is the ONLY WAY we do s’mores now!… My waist line hasn’t been the identical since.”

Don’s put up actually took off, we’re speaking a whole lot of feedback, 1000’s of shares, one thing like 700,000 views. Folks piggybacked on Don’s s’extra twist and began sharing their very own.

We had recommendations of utilizing peeps as a substitute of marshmallows. Some use Oreos as a substitute of graham crackers. Others change the chocolate bar with Nutella and nonetheless others change the Keebler Fudge stripes with chocolate chip cookies – and on it went.

However many cherished Don’s tip, thanked him and stated they had been planning to make it on their subsequent tenting journey.

RV Dialogue of the Week – What to do when a Twister is heading towards your campground

Memorial Day is historically the beginning of summer time when everybody who can will get the RV and heads to a campground.

However final weekend’s much-anticipated summer time RV kickoff turned out to be a nightmare in lots of components of the nation when completely savage climate swept by means of quite a few states, producing hailstones, excessive winds, heavy rains, and a number of tornadoes.

As of this writing, 24 folks have misplaced their lives.

Kentucky’s governor issued a statewide emergency declaration early Monday. At the very least 4 of the deaths occurred there with a twister touching down and simply devastating storms hitting nearly all components of the state.

A twister additionally touched down in Texas, changing into the deadliest tornado to hit the state since 2015. From Texas to Missouri, there have been greater than 20 twister reviews in that storm that handed by means of final weekend.

A twister devastated  the Ray Roberts Marina and RV park close to Sanger, Texas. A CBS crew talked to survivors afterward. The proprietor of the park went round honking his horn and warning folks to take cowl shortly earlier than the storm hit. One man stated he grabbed his canine and took cowl with others within the walk-in cooler on the restaurant on the marina. When he got here out, every little thing round them had been destroyed.

One other man on the identical park rode out the storm in his camper. He stated the twister picked up his RV, spun it round, slammed it into one other camper inflicting it to blow up, and he has no concept how he survived.

A really crowded Will Rogers Downs KOA close to Claremore in Oklahoma was simply devastated by the storm. At the very least 4 folks needed to be excavated from their campers. An interview with a storm chaser described what it was like after the twister hit, with RVs torn up, on their sides, thrown.  About 140 of the campsites had been full, and about 200 folks took shelter on the campground’s storm shelter, with campers describing the terrifying minutes inside with folks crying, praying or sitting in surprised silence because the twister struck. After they opened the door, RVs had been shredded, tipped over, some despatched flying a soccer discipline away. (story here)

In each our RVLifestyle Group and Fb group RVers had been watching these storms, and a few lived by means of them. And in our RV Way of life Group at https://community.rvlifestyle.com, we’ve a particular dialogue house arrange for RV climate. There you’ll find the most recent watches and warnings and reviews from RVers in these areas.

We thought it might useful this podcast to speak about twister security – what to do, and what to not do to remain protected.

Listed here are our ideas: (our story is here)

1. Take Twister warnings severely.

2. Keep calm.

3. Know the place you have to go to hunt shelter BEFORE a storm hits (most campgrounds have a shelter – may be a cement block bathhouse, restaurant, and even in states like Oklahoma, a twister shelter)

4. Have old style expertise available, like a climate radio.

5. Abandon your RV (don’t attempt to journey out a twister in your RV- RVs aren’t made for this).

6. In the event you aren’t in a campground, search a protected spot – perhaps police, hearth or hospital will normally allow you to shelter with them.

7. If there isn’t a constructing wherever, search the bottom spot within the floor—a ditch, and so on….. Most deaths and accidents from tornadoes are attributable to flying particles. So, your aim is to place a thick barrier between you and particles, whether or not it’s the bottom, concrete partitions, or a big boulder.

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK

Man violently attacked by grizzly at Grand Teton credits bear spray and reading up on what to do in case of attack with saving his life

A Massachusetts man is fortunate to be alive after he was violently attacked by a Grizzly bear who was defending her cub at Sign Mountain in Grand Tetons Nationwide Park.

You would not consider this story. Shayne Patrick wrote all of it on his Instagram account, full with bloody and gory footage of the aftermath.

Patrick was strolling a path alone, hoping to {photograph} the Nice Gray Owl as his spouse waited within the car parking zone.

It appears like he did every little thing proper—he made numerous noise strolling, sang, and talked to himself, however as he says, he was within the “flawed place, flawed time.” 

He noticed a child bear run by, after which its mom got here out of nowhere, made a B-line to him, and attacked.

He was blooded up fairly severely, and the disabled Military Reserves Veteran stated the assault was essentially the most violent factor he ever skilled, he has skilled being shot at, mortared and IED explosions.

Patrick clutched the bear spray the entire time of the assault, however was by no means capable of spray it. However when the mom bear bit into the can, and it exploded in her mouth, she fled.

Patrick credit the bear spray and studying and making ready forward of time about what to do in case of a bear assault with saving his life.

It’s a good suggestion to brush up on security anytime you might be in bear nation. Click on here to see our story.

Self-propelling Lightship travel trailer gets investment money from Thor & expects production to begin later this year

The corporate—Lightship—introduced it’s now in a 32,000-plus sq. foot facility in Broomfield, CO, with full manufacturing deliberate for late this yr. Their EV trailer can supposedly propel itself for 300 miles.

The corporate raised $34 million in funding earlier this yr—a very good chunk of that cash coming from Thor Industries. (Thor owns Jayco, Airstream, Keystone, Tiffin, Dutchmen, and lots of extra RV manufacturers.)

The 27-foot Lightship L1 journey trailer is thrice extra aerodynamic than conventional journey trailers. A lot of that’s achieved by the roof sliding down right into a compact house—very similar to a pop-up trailer. 

The Lighthouse has no slide-outs, tons of home windows, and photo voltaic (photo voltaic is even on the awning), and we discover it very attention-grabbing that Thor Industries is investing in it.

 Woman nearly dies while camping from carbon monoxide poisoning; propane refrigerator blamed

When is the final time you checked your RV’s carbon dioxide alarm?

A girl tenting alone in Pennsylvania’s Moshannon State Forest practically died final week from carbon dioxide that was coming from her propane-powered fridge that malfunctioned.

The 53-year-old lady usually camped with household however was alone on this event. She awoke in the midst of the evening not feeling effectively.

She left camp, received in her automobile to drive for assist, however then realized she could not drive, and ended up collapsing. She was discovered by Forestry employees who referred to as 911. She credit them for saving her life.

She did say she is going to hold tenting, however to any extent further will all the time ensure the carbon monoxide detector is working.

To see our story on 11 essential tips about how you can detect carbon monoxide in your RV, click on here.

Alaskans Flags Welcome at Denali National Park despite fake news reports

Experiences {that a} Nationwide Park Service (NPS) official ordered the elimination of an American flag from a Denali bridge development employee’s automobile at Denali Nationwide Park are false.

Says the NPS in an announcement launched Sunday:
“At no time did an NPS official search to ban the American flag from the venture website or related autos. The NPS neither administers the bridge venture contract, nor has the authority to implement phrases or insurance policies associated to the contract or contractors performing the work. The American flag will be seen at varied areas inside Denali Nationwide Park – at park services and campsites, on private and non-private autos, and at worker residences .”

Moreover, the park superintendent stated he welcomes the flag’s show this Memorial Day weekend and each day.

The pretend information story was first circulated by a right-leaning Alaska web site after which amplified by Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan.

As phrase unfold, a gaggle of patriotic Alaskans deliberate to fulfill at a Walmart in Fairbanks—two hours away—and drive to Denali, waving quite a few flags from their vehicles and autos in protest.

The protest rapidly fizzled out when the unique story was debunked.

So for the file, please word… American flags are very welcome at Denali and its environs.

RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: That is my situation: I’m a global airline pilot with 5 years until retirement. I can camp practically wherever within the USA, Canada and Mexico after which ‘commute’ to work to JFK airport to fly my journey(s) then return to town the place my rig is parked. The large query is that if I fly for 1 week straight and depart my rig – let’s imagine in Fast Metropolis- the place am i able to hold it safely whereas I’m gone? Thanks and sustain the great work! –Steve

ANSWER: In case you are gone for a couple of days or per week, the best answer is to lease an area in a campground. However relying on the place you might be, that might simply price a number of hundred {dollars}.

So, our first suggestion, and the most affordable, is a peer-to-peer website referred to as Neighbor.com

They like month-to-month renters, however we’ve discovered many property homeowners are open to shorter stays. You may talk instantly with the proprietor from the web site and see what you may work out. We now have discovered their charges to be the very best. We’ve all the time discovered a number of and the prices appears to be round $70-$80 a month, about what a very good RV park costs per evening.

Business storage companies are the subsequent greatest guess. 

Google RV Storage close to me or attempt websites like Uhaul.com, SpareFoot.com or Extra Space Storage. Com

Out of doors RV storage is essentially the most inexpensive sort of RV storage. Relying in your location, the fee can vary from $50- $75 monthly. The extra rural the placement, the much less it’s to retailer every month.

Indoor protection is the costliest sort of RV storage. Because of this your rig will probably be stored inside an enclosed constructing. The most effective ones are even heated and air conditioned, have electrical energy, and perhaps a webcam.

Whilst you might be able to discover some indoor storage offers, this may probably be the priciest of all of your choices. Some locations cost as a lot as $500-600 monthly. Once more, this varies vastly on location. Storage in Los Angeles, CA, goes to be much more pricey than it is going to be in Des Moines, IA. The costlier the price of dwelling in a given metropolis, the upper your storage lease will probably be. 

Mike & Jen’s Storytime – The Nice South Dakota Bug Blizzard

Early June is when an entire lot of RVers begin heading west, to Nationwide Parks like Yellowstome or Glacier. And for a lot of RVers, meaning touring I-90.

And each June, in these extensive open stretches of prairie grass west of Sioux Falls and east of Mitchell, South Dakota, the bugs hatch.

We do not know what sort of bugs they’re however we used to name them June Bugs again in Michigan. All we knew is they’re large as a beetle and so they come out proper at sundown.

The primary time we encountered them we did not know what to do.

First one, then a pair, then a half dozen went  SPLAT! On the windshield.

With the solar gone and an enormous orange glow nonetheless on the Western Horizon, it was abruptly like a blizzard. A Bug Blizzard. A BugOut.

Our windshield was smeared with them. The wipers did not assist. The sound of them hitting the windshield was like a hailstorm

And it went on for hours.

By the point we reached Mitchell, it was full-on darkish, and the bug storm had stopped as abruptly because it began. We pulled over for gasoline and watched different RVers, common drivers, and 18-wheelers attempt to wash off all of the bug corpses.

“One thing hatched,” muttered the driving force of the 18-wheeler.

Proper throughout from the Cabella’s car parking zone there in Mitchell, the place we in a single day at any time when we journey I-90, we discovered a self-serve carwash and went by means of $10 in quarters rinsing the bugs off.

Because it occurred, the subsequent yr we had been again on I-90 once more, additionally in June. Similar factor. Darkish got here and a number of other thousand of that evening’s hatch splattered throughout our RV.

We nonetheless journey that route. We love I-90 and its wide-open views.

We simply be sure that if we’re between Sioux Metropolis and Mitchel, we’re off the highway by Sundown.