RV Podcast: Campgrounds are getting ready to reopen

Campgrounds across North America are getting ready to open as we’re seeing many places in the US adopting a three-phased process to ease mandatory stay at home orders and travel prohibitions. The question is… when? Some campgrounds in a handful of states are planning to book new campers starting in May. Others have tentatively set reopening dates to a little later. Still, others say they have no idea. But whenever they do open, as we learn in our Interview of the Week segment, camping as we know it will be different, sometimes vastly different, with new procedures and policies that may be with us long into the future. We update the current open and closed list of campgrounds and hear from two industry experts, both of whom are voicing cautious optimism that the 2020 camping year will soon be starting – in one form or another. Plus, we have RV News of the week, your questions, and an off the beaten path report. But first, my lifelong traveling companion and my bride… Jennifer. Show Notes for Episode #291 of The RV Podcast: WHAT MIKE AND JENNIFER ARE UP TO THIS WEEK Like you, Jen and I have pretty much been staying at home during this pandemic and while we are not in as strict of a lockdown as other places, we are starting to feel the strain of no travel and closed businesses. While there is a strong glimmer of hope that things are starting to improve and some of those restrictions will be lifted, I think we all have at least a couple more weeks yet where unnecessary travel will be prohibited by health and governmental authorities. But I am very optimistic now that, come summer, we will all be able to get back on the road. To that end, while we're all hunkered down, we now are doing two YouTube live streams. Our regular Sunday evening "Ask Us Anything" show on our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel has been joined with a Friday night Virtual Campfire. Both start at 7 PM Eastern time and are a great way to stay connected and interact with the online RV Lifestyle community. Join us at https://youtube.com/rvlifestyle We invite you to pull up a chair and join us for the live streams! Here’s hoping that soon we'll be able to have real campfires again! We’ve been watching the Super B RV Show online this past week Like all in person RV shows, this year’s annual Super B Show I Phoenix was canceled. So the event organizers – LaMesa RV -moved it online and have been featuring video tours of various small motorhome models, along with live Q&A on their Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. The online Super B Show will continue all week. Here are the ones we’ve watched so far. The Pleasureway Ascent TS  - https://youtu.be/_pOmtyH0sDI The Pleasureway Tofino - https://youtu.be/MFqmsBWZqE8 The Leisure Travel Unity - https://youtu.be/iye_CPe0Dqw LaMesa is doing a live broadcast each day of different Class B units at 10 AM PT at https://www.facebook.com/lamesarv RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK Homeowners association refuses request by COVID-19 treating physician's assistant to live in RV in her driveway A New Jersey physician's assistant treating COVID-19 patients was denied the right to live in an RV in her driveway by her neighborhood homeowners association in Burlington County. The physician's assistant and her husband have a 6-year-old daughter, so the couple thought if she lived in an RV in the driveway she could see her daughter and husband and be close, but have the separation needed to protect their child. But apparently the homeowners association still denied the request.  Gary Bunzer, widely known as the RV doctor, dies after four-week fight against COVID-19 Last weekend we shared over our RV Lifestyle Facebook group, the very sad news that Gary Bunzer, known far and wide in the RV Community as "the RV Doctor," died in a Washington hospital after a four week battle with COVID-19. Gary was a frequent guest on our podcast and he made appearances in several of our videos. We last saw Gary in October in Elkhart, IN at the opening of the RV Technical Institute which trains RV techs. Gary was instrumental in designing the curriculum for that school. Gary was gracious, fun, a true expert in all things RV and always willing to share his expertise. To see the post in our RV Lifestyle Facebook group click here. As you're out walking during this time of lockdown, beware of ticks As more of us head outside to exercise during this time of social distancing, be aware that in much of the country, tick season is just beginning. A story out of Idaho last week talked about how ticks are quick to latch on to dogs, which then carry them into your home. But they can also latch on to people and can carry a variety of diseases. Ticks often live in grassy, bushy areas, and here is a story with some helpful tips on how to remove them from your dog.  This part of the podcast is brought to you by RadPower Bikes, America's #1 e-bike brand, offering direct to consumer pricing on powerful premium electric bikes. Now with free shipping   LISTENER QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK From Erin via the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group: I’m new here to the RV world and can someone explain to me why in the world do some campgrounds not allow RV’s that are over 10 years old? By the time mine is paid off it will be over 10 years old! (This question generated 110 answers from members! O avid that but, say most of our readers, overlook it routinely if the Rv is in decent shape. Most upscale parks do not want ratty, duct-taped, and unsightly RVs. They make that rule. This is from Jason via the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group: My wife and I are planning a trip from Oklahoma to Alaska. We are thinking about utilizing the ferry system and bypass Canada altogether and was curious if anyone else has used the ferry for their RV and approximate cost to do so.  (Transporting an RV on the ferry can cost $5,000 and more round trip and the ferry schedules have been cut back and are described by many members as erratic) Do you have a question you’d like us to answer or a comment on the things we’re discussing? If so, we invite you to leave us that question or comment on the special voicemail number we have for the podcast – it’s 586-372-6990.  If you are driving and can’t write it down right now, just go to the RV Lifestyle travel blog at rvlifestyle.com and scroll down the page. You’ll see that number prominently posted on the blog. This part of the RV Podcast is brought to you by Battle Born Batteries, maker of quality, safe, and reliable lithium batteries that can be installed in just about every RV. Get in touch with Battle Born to find out what lithium batteries and an upgraded energy management system can add to your RV Lifestyle. Check them out at https://rvlifestyle.com/lithium RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK The US is adopting a three-phased process to ease mandatory stay at home orders and travel prohibitions. The question is… when? Some campgrounds in a handful of states are planning to book new campers starting in May. Others have tentatively set reopening dates to a little later. Still, others say they have no idea. But whenever they do open, as we learn in our Interview of the Week segment, camping as we know it will be different, sometimes vastly different, with new procedures and policies that may be with us long into the future. We update the current open and closed list of campgrounds and hear from two industry experts, both of whom are voicing cautious optimism that the 2020 camping year will soon be starting – in one form or another. Before we hear from some industry experts, let’s update the current situation. As of April 21, as we record this, about 60% of U.S. based campsites are closed due to COVID-19. Forty-two out of 50 states have closed or delayed opening their state park system campgrounds: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, All Army Corp of Engineer campgrounds, nationwide, are closed. Some states have classified private RV parks as ‘non-essential’ businesses, and have ordered them closed – or have placed restrictions on access to them: Connecticut, Indiana*, Illinois*, Iowa*, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio*, Vermont, Virginia*, West Virginia Many casinos and their corresponding parking lots, which often permit overnight parking, are closed. Have a back-up plan if intending to utilize a casino parking lot as an overnight resting spot. All  National Parks are closed to camping and many are also closed to day use.  While most facilities and events are closed or canceled, outdoor spaces in some parks remain accessible to the public. Before visiting, please check with individual parks regarding changes to park operation All U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managed campgrounds in every Division and District in the nation have closed at least May 15th. Multiple military RV parks and campgrounds have closed. U.S. Military Campgrounds & RV Parks is tracking these closures on their website. Thousand Trails / Encore Resorts RV remain open to guests currently on site, however, they are not accepting new reservations through April 30, 2020. Guests currently at locations may extend their stay. KOA campgrounds are generally open, unless, as in many states, they have been ordered closed by state or local officials. KOA lists the status of each campground state by state on this website. Our friends at Campendium have the most detailed list of what is and isn’t open at https://www.campendium.com/camping/covid-19-state-by-state-campground-closures-responses/. Their up-to-date information can help you find what areas are/aren’t accessible as you travel. You can also filter your campground search by open campgrounds removing those with temporary closures. Now, that said, May first will be a critical date for many campgrounds as a growing number of states will be entering phase one of the reopening plans being suggested by federal and many state officials.