RV Podcast #318: RV Questions and Monster Stories for the campfire!

Questions! We get RV questions! And we have Monster stories to tell around the campfire! This week on the RV Podcast, we answer the most recent RV questions you’ve been asking about the RV Lifestyle as our Interview of the Week.  And in honor of Halloween, we have Monster Stories for the campfire from Patti and Tom Burkett Plus, we have lots of RV News, tips, the RV Show Calendar, and much more. You can listen to the podcast in the player below. And scroll down this page for shownotes, photos, videos, links and resources about all the things we talk about. Show Notes for Episode #318 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Mike and Jennifer, hosts of the RV Podcast It’s Halloween week and despite COVID and social distancing which are still very much with us, most campgrounds will be full this weekend for end of season camping and Halloween fun. Many places are urging that trick or treating be foregone this year, but costumes and decorated RVs will keep the spooky good times going. And come Sunday, Nov. 1, don’t forget to fall back… to set your clock back an hour as Daylight Savings Time comes to an end. RV News - The Michigan UP is getting snow! photo by Dan Spase via Upspash The cold is coming. Some parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have received over 19 inches of snow this month, the most they’ve had in October in many years. Not surprisingly, Gasoline prices - and demand - has dropped significantly since the beginning of October, down from 8.8 million barrels per day to 8.2 million b/d, according to the AAA auto club. This latest demand measurement is the lowest since mid-June. While the drop isn’t out of the ordinary for this time of year, people tend to drive less in the fall, it is a staggering 14% less than last October.  Gas prices for a gallon of regular-grade is now averaging $2.16 RV usage though is just the opposite. Informal surveys of state parks and campgrounds show much higher occupancy rates in October, compared to previous years. And RV sales continue to be on fire. The RV Industry released its September 2020 survey of manufacturers showing that total RV shipments ended the month with 41,509 units, an increase of 31.2% from September last year. This is the fourth month in a row that wholesale shipments showed a year-over-year increase. And then there is the matter of RV Rentals. RV rental company Outdoorsy reports it is already on pace to exceed last year’s November bookings. Initially, the company said RV rental demand was because of quarantine fatigue, where travelers were eager to spend more time outdoors, in a safe and socially distant way, after months cooped up inside. Now, the company says the new catalyst for bookings is coming from travelers in search of a safe way to visit family over the holidays. Still, COVID has cast a dark shadow over us again as it appears the nation is experiencing a second wave. Infection rates and hospitalizations are showing dramatic increases as October comes to an end. There is just so much uncertainty. This part of the RV Podcast is brought to you by Camping World – America’s #1 RV Dealer For a 10% discount on purchases over $99, use the discount code RVLIFESTYE10. RV PODCAST NEWS OF THE WEEK Rocky Mountains National Park and nearby towns evacuated because of roaring wildfire and dense smoke Rocky Mountain National Park closed, and the neighboring city of Estes Park, CO was among many evacuated late last week as a huge fire roared across the area. As many as 6,000 acres an hour burned, sending up massive smoke clouds that caused the day sky to turn dark, as was captured in very eerie photographs by many of those escaping. More than 4 million acres have burned in Colorado this year, one of many places in the west affected by massive, out-of-control wildfires this camping season. Colorado to officially open parts of its newest state park this Friday Colorado's newest state park is scheduled to open this Friday.