UPDATE: All dogs entering the United States must have a microchip and be over six months of age. Additional documents and requirements will still be in effect for dogs coming from high-risk countries. For more information and updates visit: www.cdc.gov/dogtravel.
This week on the RV Podcast:
- Some new Dog Reentry Rules from Canada will make it much more challenging to bring your pet back home to the US. The same goes for Mexico.
- There’s a new scam going around reported by many RVers. They get an email telling them they have to pay a $50 late fee for missing a road toll. If you get that email, don't click on it.
- And in our Mike & Jens Storytime at the end of the podcast, we’ll share why a simple tape measure is a great illustration to jumpstart your RV Lifestyle plans.
- All this plus the RV News of the Week and your RV questions coming up in Episode #498 of RV Lifestyle’s 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.
Well, that didn’t take long! Our Fall Gathering at the Gulf for October has sold out. It took three days. If you want to get on the waitlist, go here and read all about it.
And we’re just three weeks away from our summer Gather and Groove meetup in Shipshewana, IN, in June. A highlight for that gathering will be an Amish dinner followed by a show from the Temptations!
We’re on the road this week, in the Southwest. We’re hitting all the attractions… Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon… and catching some great desert sunsets. We've been updating our social media channels with highlights and have a full video coming in a week or two.
SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer
Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.
In the RV Lifestyle Community General Discussions Space, Bud and Sue recently warned everyone about a SCAM. In the scam you get a text message from “SunPass” saying you owe money for tolls, and to avoid a $50 late charge, you have to go to a website to pay immediately. SunPass, is of course a toll road program in parts of the country, generally the east and southeast, and Bud and Sue wanted people to be aware.
Many thanked them for this warning and Sharon said she had just received such a text but it was from a different toll road pass company and she knew it was incorrect because she hadn't been anywhere.
And Joe suggested you still check with your toll road company to make sure no one messed with your account, and he shared a story out of New York where thieves were making fake license plates and using those to fool the automatic toll road stations and get out of paying.
I did a little digging and SunPass issued a statement recently that the company would never text people seeking immediate payment, so thank you Bud and Sue for sharing that!
Also in the RV Lifestyle Community, in the Traveling with Pets Space, Teena asked if anyone put a Dog on Board sticker in their RV when they leave their pets alone? She said they don't leave theirs too often, but had some upcoming trips when their pooch might need to be alone for a few hours.
One couple said they have a Pet on Board tag in the window and a decal in the window by the door. They got it from myPetDMV.com and said it is like a license, made specific for any state with specific information about your pet.
And someone else shared that Waggle has a placard that comes with their devices, and of course Waggle is a pet monitoring system that can monitor the temperature inside your rig should you need to leave your pets in the RV briefly.
Over in the RVLifestyle Facebook Group, Brenda asked, “What do you all do with towels after you shower in your small bathroom? The towel hooks just make the towel in the way Brenda just wondered how others handle this.
First advice commonly shared was to use quick dry towels when camping versus regular towels because they dry quicker and take less space.
Several people recommended getting a tension shower rod to hang towels across the width of your shower.
And many others recommended command hooks hung on the back of the shower door.
One person mentioned a towel ladder. She showed a picture of it flush against the wall behind the toilet, with towels hung there.
And Robin got an over the door towel rack and hung it over her shower door. I loved how it looked – she shared a picture. Imagine several horizontal bars on the outside of the shower door holding towels – taking up little space.
With more than 330 comments, there were some great ideas here!
RV TOPIC OF THE WEEK: CDC New Dog Regulations
UPDATE: All dogs entering the United States must have a microchip and be over six months of age. Additional documents and requirements will still be in effect for dogs coming from high-risk countries. For more information and updates visit: www.cdc.gov/dogtravel.
Mike: The CDC has issued new rules for people traveling internationally with their dogs. These rules take effect Aug. 1, and they are really going to HAVE AN IMPACT on travel plans for RVers going camping in Canada or Mexico with their dog.
Jen: Lots of RVers camp with their dogs, and it has always been pretty easy to take them to Canada or Mexico and back – but not anymore.
Mike: Starting Aug. 1 no dogs under 6 months of age can enter the US, and all dogs entering must be microchipped with a verification number from a vet, be healthy, have rabies documentation with that microchip number on it, you have to submit a form before reentry that includes a picture of your dog – and there are many other details.
Jen: When I saw this, all I could think of is how much this is going to affect RVers going to Mexico or Canada with the dogs.
Jen: It sounds like about 1 million dogs are brought into the U.S. each year, many from rescue groups and overseas breeders and these groups are sometimes in locations where Rabies and other diseases are more common. The CDC says they are doing this to protect dogs, people and other animals in the US already. I saw the CDC regulations for dogs traveling internationally had not been updated since 1956 – so I am sure many things have changed..
These rules take effect Aug. 1 – that is not very far away. Let’s let everyone know what they are.
The new regulations include – All dogs must:
- Be at least 6 months of age at time of entry or return to the United States
- Have an implanted International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compatible microchip
- This must have been implanted prior to any required rabies vaccination
- The microchip number must be documented on all required forms and in all accompanying veterinary records
- Dog must appear healthy upon arrival
- Dogs may not enter the United States if they are carrying a disease contagious to people.
- Isolation of the dog, veterinary examination, and additional testing, at the importer’s expense, may be required to determine if the dog has a contagious disease and prevent spread if the dog does not appear healthy upon arrival.
- Dog owners must have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt
- This form should be filled out online ideally 2-10 days before arrival; however, it can also be completed right before travel (even in line at the border crossing) if you have internet access. If the information on the form changes before the dog arrives, you must submit a new form and indicate you are making changes to an existing form. All information, including port of entry where the dog is arriving, must be correct at time of arrival.
- This form requires you to upload a clear photograph of the dog showing its face and body. Dogs that will be less than one year of age at time of arrival should have the photograph taken within 10 days before arrival.
Also, you must:
- Have additional documentation which varies depending on where the dog has been in the 6 months before entering or returning to the United States. (High risk countries for rabies have greater requirements than low risk countries). Also regulations vary based on whether the current rabies vaccine was administered in the United States or elsewhere
Mike: It sounds like it is really important, after you get your dog microchipped – to then have that microchip number on all the official rabies vaccines and other records.
Jen: People who maybe never microchipped their dog are going to have to get on this right away. Going to take time to get this done and all the records updated.
Mike: – CDC has a checklist on their website of what to do 60 days before your trip, 30 days before your trip, and then 2-10 days before you return to the U.S. (you can see it here – just scroll down).
Jen: There is also a list of high-risk countries that require additional precautions, but Canada and Mexico are not on it, so it will not apply to most RVers just planning a quick over-the-border adventure. (you can see here)
Mike: I wonder if this will cause some RVers who don’t want to deal with all this to skip traveling to Canada or Mexico?
Mike: During the pandemic a lot of RVers stopped going to Canada. Canada had a lot of testing requirements that many did not want to deal with or risk having to isolate their entire vacation. Then people who did not want to take the Covid Vaccine held off on travel because of various requirements…. …People were really just starting to put Canada back on their camping plans and now this.
And don’t forget Mexico, too. Many RVers in the West take their RVs there to camp.
RV NEWS OF THE WEEK
Very busy summer travel season predicted by AAA based on Memorial Day forecast
This weekend kicks off the official start of summer and AAA is anticipating more travelers this weekend than they have seen in the past 20 years.
About 43.8 million travelers are anticipated – second only to 44 million in 2005. And the number traveling by road is expected to set a record at 38.4 million.
And you know what they say. A very busy Memorial Day weekend usually translates into a very busy summer travel season.
If you are traveling, AAA suggests you avoid being on the road between noon-6 pm Thursday, noon-7pm Friday. 2-5 pm Saturday, 3-7 pm Sunday, and 3-7 pm Monday.
And if you're looking for some easy summer camping recipes to go with all the fun, check out our story here.
Tourons strike again! This time at Canyonlands National Park Cave Spring Cowboy Camp
I am beginning to wonder if we have to have to create a special “touron of the week” section in our news reports. (Remember Touron = moron and tourist).
Who gets the prize this week?
A sunglass and baseball hat wearing man and a woman who were caught on security cameras at Utah's Canyonlands National Park touching items in a restricted area, some of which they are accused of stealing.
The NPS is accusing the couple of “archeological theft” from the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp in the Needles district of the park. Rangers say they entered a signed-as-closed area, removed artifacts from a cabinet, and handled historic harnesses in a way that could harm them.
This incident happened March 23. NPS released pictures and asked for the public's help locating them last week. (See more here.)
If you are planning a trip to Utah, be sure to check out our 7 Day Adventure Guide to Southern Utah here.
10 best campgrounds, roadside attractions, gas station food and more released by USA Today
USA Today released its “10 Best” awards last week with the 10 best campgrounds, 10 best luxury RV resorts, 10 best roadside attractions and even 10 best gas station food (and no, Buc-ee's was not number 1 but did make the list).
I don't know what it is about 10 best lists, but I always want to see the winners. So in case you are like me, I have to share a few.
The 10 best campgrounds were voted by readers and chosen by an expert panel that was looking for great amenities, beautiful scenery, and access to some of the country’s most interesting places.
Number 1 was Inn Town Campground, just minutes outside Nevada City, California, followed by Jellystone‘s Yogi on the Lake outside Jackson, Mississippi and Camp Fimfo in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country rounded off the top three.
For best roadside attractions, Lucy the Elephant which stands six stories high in Josephine Harron Park in Margate City, New Jersey took number one. Shealy's Official Skunk Ape Headquarters in Florida, was number two and number three was the World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas, which as of last fall weighed more than 27,000 pounds.
Winner of the most luxurious RV resort went to Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Cabana Cabins- Auburndale, Florida.
And winner of the best gas station for food went to Royal Farms.
I think the best roadside attractions list could be a fun road trip. I love those sorts of Americana things.
If you want to see the top 10 in all the different categories you can check it out here.
Italian RV company says Wingamm Oasi 540.1 to arrive in North America soon
Wingamm USA announced last week that their Wingamm Oasi 540.1 is nearly ready to hit North America but to be honest, I'll believe it when I see it.
Originally the Italian RV manufacturer promised it would arrive to the US and Canada in fall 2021. Then that was pushed to spring 2022. Then spring 2023. Then summer 2023. And then the company stopped announcing dates.
I would think many interested buyers have moved on by now but this compact Class B does have quite a following and gets more web searches than most any RV brand out there.
The rig is built on a Ram ProMaster and designed to feel like you are driving a car. Its body is made of fiberglass, and a drop down bed makes the interior feel roomier.
Wingamm is a RV company that's been around since 1977, making RVs in Europe for decades. The delays were caused by getting the unit certified according to U.S. regulations, parts shortages and supply chain challenges.
We'll let you know if we get any hard dates later this year.
RV QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK
QUESTION: We’ve been watching all your recent YouTube RV videos and my husband and I have a bet. He says you two are planning to get a new RV. I said no, you like your Montana Fifth Wheel too much. So who’s right?
ANSWER: We ARE doing a lot of RV reviews. We just did a series on Class Bs. We did one on the luxury Brinkley Fifth Wheel. We will soon be reviewing several Class A rigs, some Class B motorhomes and even some more Class B campervans. But that’s because we now live just a short distance over the Michigan-Indiana border and can easily get to Elkhart, the RV Capital of the world. And our audience really seems to enjoy our reviews. But no, we do NOT plan to replace our Montana High Country. If anything, we like it more and more every time we use it. It really has everything we love about it, except a washer and dryer, which we hope to get before we take the Montana uo to the Canadian Maritimes this summer. So while you can expect to see us doing lots of reviews of different RVs, you’ll also see us doing our own cooking in our own Montana.
RV STORY OF THE WEEK – The Tape Measure
As we travel around and meet people who follow our videos or listen to the podcast, we find ourselves often being encouragers for the RV Lifestyle. Sometimes, it just takes a little push and people will jump right in.
And when we sense that is what is needed, we share our illustraton of the tape measure.
A while back, we were doing a personal appearance at Sunshine State RVs in Gainsville, FL with our friend Nick Schmidt and just talking with various people who came to meet us.
There was one couple in particular who just couldnt seem to pull the trigger and make their purchase.
I sensed it was the husband who was on the fence.
He said something about how he noticed the older you get, the faster it goes. He had worked hard all his life, built a very successful construction consulting business, almost watched it disappear in the Great Recession in the 90's and then, with lots more hard work, built it back to the point where he was now able to sell it and retire.
He and his wife had their eye on a Class B. He's 78 and on a fence, wondering if he should retire or keep running the business.
So we told him our tape measure parable. It goes like this:
Put your fingers on a tape measure at the one-inch mark and go to 78 inches. That span represents your life, how much of it has passed. Now, with one finger holding the 78-inch mark, ask yourself how long you think you'll live. 90?95?
Whatever, put a finger on your other hand on that mark, though there's no guarantee you'll have those years. But say you do live that long. Of those 90 or 95 years, how long do you think you'll be strong and healthy enough to travel, 85? 87?
Look at the tape measure between 78 and the number you settled on for the upper limits of your health.
That's how much time is left, we told him.
The point to him… and all of us… is you don't have a lot of time to waste thinking about buying an RV and making your dreams come true.
Listening in as we shared that story was a younger guy who came to meet us from his home near Orlando. He was also a fence sitter and maybe in his early 40s.
He dreamt of doing a lot of boondocking, of playing golf as he traveled in an RV, working remotely. He was planning to buy within a year or two. But he ran his own tape measure numbers in his head as he heard us telling the story.
“Maybe I don't have all that much time to wait, either.” he said.
“Look,” we said to both of the shoppers, “Here's our question: What is the worst thing that could happen to you? You follow your dream and decide it isn't what you wanted, or you suddenly get sick and can't travel any more. So then you sell the RV. There's not a major downside here.”
I love a story Nick Schmidt told.
Seems Nick once had a customer who came in and bought an RV and immediately took off on his adventure. “For six months he and his wife traveled the country,” said Nick. “They put 10,000 miles on it. I don't even think they changed the oil or washed it. One day, six months after I sold it to him, he shows up in the lot here. Says ‘that's it… I'm done.' He says he did and saw everything on their bucket list and had the time of their life. He asked me what I'd give him to buy it back. I wrote him a check right then and he left smiling saying it was the best investment he ever made.”
We all laughed as Nick shared his story.
But that's the thing about this RV life. It's a dream so many of us have. It's a dream that can come true.
It has for Jennifer and me.
Get out your own tape measure. Time is a wastin!
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You can watch livestreams that are focused on one Space or another – like we recently did for Internet on the Road!
It's a calm, well-organized, friendly space to meet other RVers who might be traveling near you!
May 26, 2024at10:08 pm, Susan Hanson said:
Sounds like it’s harder for dogs to enter u.s. than people. I wonder why? Is it because they don’t vote.
May 22, 2024at10:46 am, Lyn Whitenight said:
You have got to be kidding me – the CDC is discriminating against a dog that leaves the country and then goes to come back in – just tell them they are from Venezuela and has Joe Biden’s blessing.