How RVers Can Avoid Surprise Campground Electric Charges

Above, Route 66 RV Resort in Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Here's something that I haven't run into (yet!) while camping at an RV park.

It is (surprise) campground electric charges on top of the nightly camping fee.

According to RV Life:

Booking a full-hookup campsite used to guarantee unlimited power, water, and sewer for a single, flat nightly rate. But that guarantee is quickly fading. As more campgrounds quietly transition to smart meters for short-term reservations, the way we calculate the cost of a road trip is fundamentally changing.

But you don’t have to wait until a surprise bill busts your travel budget to take action. Taking control of your rig’s energy consumption and knowing exactly what to look for on booking pages can help offset these new fees. A few simple adjustments will keep your next vacation predictable and wallet-friendly.

To read more, go here. 

RFK, Jr. Visits Famous Yellowstone Bison

 

RFK Jr visits Yellowstone to meet the famous bison 🦬 👀😂 pic.twitter.com/pLo3nIrJqN

— Politi_Rican 🇵🇷 𝕏 🇺🇸 (@TheRicanMemes) July 18, 2026

New Kitty

Yesterday, another kitty took up residence here.

Her name is Meow-Meow (age 3) and a gray tiger. The original owner is a girl about to go off to college and couldn't keep the cat. They are fellow residents of our subdivision.

They posted on our community Facebook page of her availability and I responded that I could take her in. 

So far, she and Sierra are keeping their distances. 

This is the first time I've had two cats since I had Buttons and Siren.

Above, Sierra and Meow-Meow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

20 Guns Considered Workhorses and Are Now Worth A Fortune

Above, the Winchester 94 (pre-64) made the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is funny how things were once considered ordinary workhorses but are now worth a fortune.

That is the case of 20 guns that weren't extraordinary but are now commanding king's ransom prices.That is the topic of a slideshow article in MSN (courtesy of The Avid Outdoorsman).

The venerable Winchester 94 (pre-64) made the list as the first gun spotlighted.

They begin it with:

Most of the “expensive” guns I see these days were never meant to be safe queens. They were meant to ride behind a truck seat, get rained on during duck season, and lean in a corner of a barn without anybody making a fuss. And that’s exactly why it stings when you look up one of those old workhorses you used to see everywhere and realize it’s now bringing collector money.

This isn’t about hyping anything or pretending every old gun is magic. Plenty of them are heavy, plain, and they kick like a mule. But there are a handful that went from everyday tool to “you should’ve kept it,” and it happened fast. Here are 20 models that fit that bill.

To read more, go here. 

How To Buy a Used Gun at a Fair Price

Above, used rifles at Ron Peterson's Firearms in Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I moved to New Mexico eight and a half years ago, I have purchased three guns. Two of the three of them I bought used.

I bought my Winchester Model 12 shotgun online. It was made in 1919 and was priced reasonably. The pre-64 Winchester 94 I bought at Ron Peterson's Firearms in Albuquerque. I was in town to catch an early morning flight and was browsing around the gun store for something to do. I spotted the rifle on a rack, checked it over and found it in great shape (I verified that it was made in 1962), and at a good price. I bought it (I had been looking for one anyway). Those are the only two times I bought a used gun. I have no regrets on either of them.

Outdoor Life posted an article on how to buy a used gun. It is titled, "Use the ‘Rule of Why’ to Help You Buy a Used Gun at a Fair Price."

It begins with:

A few months ago I dropped in at a local gun shop and browsed through the racks of used guns, shouldering shotguns, peering through rifle barrels and flipping price tags in search of the occasional hidden treasure. One price tag stopped me in my tracks — it was only about half what is usually asked for a “pre-owned” rifle in that model, caliber and condition, and it even had a scope! Suspecting something fishy, I cautiously slipped the bolt out and peeped into what I expected to be a rust-clogged bore. Nothing. The lands and grooves were as bright and clean as a hound’s tooth.

To read more, go here. 

Lever-Action Rifle Tips and Shooting Techniques

Above, yours truly with my Winchester 94 lever-action. Photo by Larry Lucier.

For those of us who are lever-action rifle enthusiasts, the following article by Dave Emary in Outdoor Life will provide some tips and shooting techniques.

The article was posted in February (wow, it's amazing we're in July already) and the contents are just as valid now as they were a few months ago.

It begins with:

My love affair with lever guns started with a plastic Winchester M94 —— my first toy gun —— and was cemented by my first real rifle, a Winchester 9422 Magnum that was a graduation present. Like me, countless other hunters have fallen under the lever-gun spell. But as we know, fine accuracy isn’t the forte of the platform. That said, there are ways to improve groups and increase the range of your beloved .30/30.

To read more, go here. 

"Godzilla Minus Zero Night" At Dodger Stadium Announced

Baseball and Godzilla have had an odd relationship over the years.

In Japan, where baseball is a popular sporting pastime, Godzilla has appeared in Japanese baseball stadiums over the years for different promotions.

Now, Godzilla is being feted at Dodger Stadium.

According to MLB.com:

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers will host Godzilla Minus Zero Night, presented by TOHO, for the team’s regular-season home finale on Thursday, September 24 against the San Diego Padres.

The first 40,000 fans at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium for the 7:10 p.m. contest will receive a special Godzilla Minus Zero bobblehead (one giveaway item, per person, per valid ticket upon entering the stadium), and all fans will be treated to a Godzilla-themed drone show after the game. In the days leading up to Godzilla Minus Zero night, several in-stadium activations will promote the event. The themed activities are in celebration of the upcoming highly anticipated new Godzilla feature, Godzilla Minus Zero, the thrilling follow up to the critically-acclaimed winner for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards® Godzilla Minus One.

To read more, go here. 

Japan Sees 2% Drop In Foreign Visitors

Above, Godzilla peers over buildings in Shinjuku. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Foreign visitors to Japan slowed during the first half of the year. This is seen as the first drop in foreign tourism in five years.

According to The Japan Times:

Japan welcomed around 21.1 million foreign visitors in the first six months of 2026, a 2.0% drop from last year and down for the first time in five years, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday.

While the first-half visitor tally topped 20 million for the second straight year, Japan saw a 56.4% drop in visitors from China as Beijing continues to call on its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan.

Of the 21.1 million visitors in the January-June period, 2.06 million visitors came from mainland China. Visitors from South Korea increased by 18.6% to 5.7 million, while those from Taiwan numbered around 4 million, up 20.9%.

To read more, go here. 

Kaiser Willys Jeep 2026 Photo Contest is now Open!

Above, yours truly with my 1952 Willys Jeep M38A1. Photo by Nandoh Munoz.

An email has popped into my mailbox from Kaiser Willys Jeep, one of my sources for Jeep parts.

Their 2026 Photo Contest is now open to vintage Jeeps generally from 1941 to 1971 (check their website for rules). I submitted my photos several minutes ago.

The email said:

The 2026 Photo Contest is now Open!

​

Submit Your Photo for a Chance to Win Big!

If your photo is selected, you could win one of these amazing prizes:

🏆 Grand Prize - Featured on the front cover of the 2027 Kaiser Willys Catalog, $1000 gift certificate.

🥈 2nd Place Prize - Featured on the back cover of the 2027 Catalog, $500 gift certificate

📅 Calendar Winners - Featured in a month or on the front/back cover of the 2027 Kaiser Willys Calendar, $100 gift certificate

Generally, all participants have one photo posted in next year's catalog.

To access the photo contest, go here.

American Towns Tourists Ruined

Above, Key West, Florida was one of the towns named. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The term overtourism is something I first heard about in articles about Japan. Besides Japan, it now is applying to U.S. towns.

World Atlas has posted an article on American towns ruined by tourists. I have been to several of them over the years (Key West, Sedona, Moab, Jackson, Carmel-By-The-Sea, Estes Park) and I have to agree with their conclusions on them.

They begin with:

Ask people in a dozen American resort towns how they feel about tourism, and you will hear a version of the same story. Moab traded uranium mining for the crowds heading into Arches, and three million visitors a year now overload its water and sewer systems. Bar Harbor capped cruise disembarkations at 1,000 a day and has defended that limit in federal court since 2022. In Nantucket, the median home now runs about 3.5 million dollars, and the workers who keep the island running commute in by ferry. Each of these ten towns ahead bets on tourism, and each is now wrestling with what it won.

To read more, go here.

Second Round of Rain This Week

The second round of monsoon rain this week hit the Jamestown/Gallup area yesterday late afternoon and evening.

It was actually more precipitation than on Tuesday. 

I didn't know it was raining until I got out to put the Jeep into the garage. Before doing so, I took the below photo. Luckily, the Jeep was facing south and the rain came in from the west, so my seat was still dry.

We're expecting more rain this week. Which is what we need.

 

25 Forgotten Shotguns American Farmers Trusted

25 Forgotten Shotguns American Farmers Trusted When Help Was Miles Away video by Forgotten Frontier Weapons.

Summary:

Before help could arrive, American farm families often depended on one shotgun to protect livestock, guard the house, control pests, and put food on the table.

This countdown explores 25 forgotten farm shotguns—from cheap single-shots and mail-order pumps to the Winchester Model 1897, Browning Auto-5, and legendary Winchester Model 12. Each gun tells a story of isolation, hard work, mechanical innovation, and the families who trusted it for generations.

Which of these shotguns would you have trusted on a remote American farm?

 

20 Guns That Should Still Be in Production

Above, my Ruger P95 came in at number 15. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Gun companies introduced guns that are considered the closest thing to perfection over the years.

Many hunters swear by them and also love taking them out to the shooting range. Despite this, these guns were considered outdated (or for other reasons) by those companies and are replaced by newer, sometimes albeit inferior, models. 

The Avid Outdoorsman took a look at 20 guns they feel should still be in production. I have two on the list. The Winchester Model 12 shotgun came in at number 12 and the Ruger P-series of pistols came in at number 15 (I have a Ruger P95).

They begin with:

Every gun company loves to tell us what we “need” next. New coatings, new cuts, new  marketing names for old ideas. Meanwhile, some of the most useful, honest firearms ever built quietly slide out of catalogs and turn into “good luck finding one” guns at the local shop.

I’m not talking about museum pieces. I’m talking about the kind of rifles, shotguns, and handguns that actually got carried, got scratched, got used in the rain, and still ran when it mattered. Here are 20 that never should’ve left regular production in the first place.

To read more, go here. 

Winchester Pre-64: How One Rifle Changed the U.S. Firearms Industry Forever

Winchester Pre-64: How One Rifle Changed the U.S. Firearms Industry Forever video by Fallen Firearms Empires. 

Summary:

Discover why the Winchester Pre-64 remains one of the most respected rifles in American firearms history.

In this video, we'll explore what made the Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 legendary, why the 1964 redesign shocked shooters, and how it forever changed the U.S. firearms industry. From manufacturing cost-cutting to collector value, you'll learn why "Pre-64" has become a benchmark for quality.

Topics covered:

• History of the Winchester Model 70

• What changed in 1964

• Controlled Round Feed vs Push Feed

• Collector value today

• Impact on American firearms manufacturing

Finally, Some Monsoon Rain

Above, monsoon rain clouds over Jamestown yesterday evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finally, at long last, we got some rain yesterday and last night.

This was the first monsoon rain we received in weeks. We need a lot more, but we'll take it.

According to the National Weather Service, the week looks like this for Jamestown: 

Today

Showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Sunny through mid morning, then becoming mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely before midnight, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday

Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between noon and 3pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 3pm. Sunny through mid morning, then becoming mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night

Showers and thunderstorms likely before 3am, then a chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday

A slight chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. High near 80. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday Night

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday

A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Sunday

A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Guns That Became Lifetime Keepers Without Trying To Impress Anyone

Above, a Winchester 94 on display at the Cody Firearms Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My preference of firearms are the classics. They are ones made with wood "furniture" and not with flashy polymer stocks. 

There are some guns that have become lifetime keepers without trying to impress anyone. That is the topic of an article in The Avid Outdoorsman.

They begin it with:

Some guns try hard to look special. They show up with wild finishes, clever names, oversized controls, and marketing that makes them sound more important than they are. Then there are the guns that never bothered with any of that. They just worked, shot straight, carried easy, and slowly became the firearms owners never wanted to sell.

Those are often the best lifetime keepers. They are not always rare, expensive, or beautiful. Sometimes they are plain rifles, beat-up shotguns, simple revolvers, or practical pistols that earned trust one season at a time. These guns became keepers the old-fashioned way: by doing the job without begging for attention.

To read more, go here. 

John Wayne and America’s Bicentennial

Above, John Wayne in the Cody, Wyoming Bicentennial Parade.

Fifty years ago, the nation celebrated its Bicentennial. 

Part of the celebration included events in Cody, Wyoming. The Cody Firearms Museum was dedicated. A big parade was held in Cody. Its grand marshall: John Wayne.

JohnWayne.com posted an article on those events of fifty years ago.

It begins with:

What is the story behind the custom Winchester presented to John Wayne during America’s Bicentennial in Cody, Wyoming? On July 4, 1976, John Wayne traveled to Cody, Wyoming, to celebrate America’s Bicentennial as Grand Marshal of the Cody Stampede Parade. During the celebration, he rang one of four commemorative Liberty Bells, dedicated the new Cody Firearms Museum and received a custom Winchester rifle presented in honor of the nation’s 200th anniversary.

When America celebrates a milestone birthday, John Wayne is never far away. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, it is worth remembering how the Duke helped celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial fifty years earlier. His appearance in Buffalo Bill’s hometown reflected not only his enduring connection to the American West, but also one of the busiest periods of his career.

Above, the Cody Firearms Museum is now housed at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Democratic Socialists of America's Radical Platform

 The enemy within:

Former White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair joins 'Saturday in America' to discuss the Democratic Socialists of America's alleged intentions to become an independent party and proposed policies.

The Best Interstate Routes For Cross-Country Road Trips Rated

Above, westbound on Interstate 40 approaching Lupton, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Let's see. The longest trip I've ever taken on Interstates has to be the trip to Metropolis, Illinois in 2019. I took Interstate 40 going east and Interstate 70 going west. 

The second longest has to be the trip from Des Moines, Iowa to Orange County, California in December. I took Interstates 35 and 40. 

RV Travel has posted an article on the best Interstate routes.

They begin it with:

In the video below, we join Kyle, aka the Geography King, for his countdown of the six best interstate routes for cross-country road trips. The “Geography King” is basing his picks on his experiences taking more than 20 cross-country trips, and counting.

The video focuses on interstate highways, as most major U.S. cities are near one. And, as the topic is crossing the country, it focuses on east/west routes. Kyle chose to feature six because, well, there are only six major routes that cross the United States. So, the competition for the six-best list was, in reality, not that tough.

Those six routes are Interstates 10, 20, 40, 70, 80, and 90. Of those six, know that I-20 does not officially completely go across the entire country, but goes 2/3 of the way before ending in Southwest Texas; and I-70 only goes about 3/4 of the way before it ends in Southwest Utah.

Be sure to watch the video. In addition to what you can expect to see along each route, our host shares some creative variations and alternative routes from each that let you see even more sites.

These are the order of Kyle’s preference of cross-country routes. Yours may be different. I know I can find interesting things to see almost ANYWHERE.

To see the video and to read more, go here. 

Grandfather Injured By Charging Bison

 

The above video is a good example for keeping your distance from bison in Yellowstone National Park or anywhere else. Bison are surprisingly fast.

Fortunately, the grandfather, although injured, is expected to fully recover.

From Cowboy State Daily: 

A man was seriously injured Friday evening after being thrown 8 feet into the air by an angry bull bison in Yellowstone National Park.

Mike MacLeod, a professional photographer from Bozeman, Montana, said the incident happened at the Bridge Bay Campground, south of Fishing Bridge.

MacLeod said the man was walking with his grandson when the agitated bison made them the targets of its aggression.

“I was just trying to get some dramatic footage of that bison having a fit,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s changed my idea of what to expect from these guys at this time of year, because I would not have predicted that happening.”

The National Park Service has not released any information on the incident.

To read more, go here. 

20 Firearms People Sold Too Soon

Above, the Ruger 10/22 (older, basic carbine) made no. 3 on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many people have guns (pistols, rifles, shotguns) that they acquired through inheritance, gun shows, gun stores, trades and other means.

Some people with guns will sometimes sell them for what they think is something better, only to regret it later. 

MSN posted (from The Avid Outdoorsman) a slideshow article of 20 firearms people sold too soon.

They begin it with:

Most of us have one that got away. A rifle you traded because a buddy swore something else was better. A shotgun you sold to fund a new scope. A handgun you let go because it “didn’t fit a role,” only to realize later it fit just fine. Here are 20 firearms I’ve seen folks regret moving down the road before they really understood what they had.

To read more, go here. 

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

We open the week with Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods and their 1974 hit, "Billy Don't Be A Hero". The song was voted #8 on Rolling Stone magazine's readers' poll of "10 Worst Songs of the 1970s" even though it did hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1974.

At the time, some thought it was about the Vietnam War that ended the year before, but it was actually set in the American Civil War.

From Wikipedia:

Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods are an American pop music group, known mainly for their 1970s hit singles, "Billy Don't Be a Hero" and "Who Do You Think You Are".

The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1965 by their leader, Robert Walter "Bo" Donaldson. Their first singles were released between 1966 and 1968 on a label owned by Bo's mother, Bea Donaldson. Those four singles went largely unnoticed. The band were first discovered while touring with The Osmonds in the early 1970s and signed with Family Productions, releasing their first single in 1972, "Special Someone", but their big break came after moving to ABC Records and working with the record producer Steve Barri in 1973. Although their first single with ABC, "Deeper and Deeper,” failed to make a big impression on the charts, beginning in 1974, the band began a string of hit songs.

 

20 Guns That Should Have Been Bought While Cheap

Above, my 1919 Winchester Model 12 shotgun. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that gun prices have exploded for new and old ones, there are some that should have been purchased when the prices were a lot more reasonable.

That is the topic of a slideshow article at MSN. They spotlight 20 guns that should have been bought when they were cheap. I have several on the list.

They begin it with:

Every gun guy has a “should’ve” story. The one you handled at the gun counter back when rent was cheaper and gas was still under control, and you thought, “I’ll come back for it.” Or the one you sold to fund a new deer rifle and later realized you traded away a dependable tool for a shiny idea.

This isn’t about hoarding or treating everything like a retirement plan. It’s about how certain firearms were once regular working guns, and now they’re either priced like collectibles, hard to find in decent condition, or just plain annoying to replace because magazines and parts dried up. Here are 20 that sting a little when you remember what they used to cost.

To read more, go here. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham Dies At 71

I just spotted this at X (formerly Twitter):

 

🚨 BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Sen. Lindsey Graham died at 71 following a sudden "cardiac arrest" call at his home, and he was carried away on a stretcher

He had just returned from Ukraine

PRESIDENT TRUMP: "Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever… pic.twitter.com/vykuff9Lhu

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 12, 2026

CBN: "Godzilla Minus Zero" The End For The Franchise Era

Godzilla Minus Zero is set to be released this fall. It is the direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One.

The latest edition of Toho's Godzilla franchise will be shot entirely in IMAX (I'll have to check to see if there's an IMAX-equipped theater in Albuquerque). 

According to CBR: 

The Godzilla franchise is about to change forever, thanks to the upcoming release of Godzilla Minus Zero. The towering Japanese icon of the silver screen is set to return to theaters later this year, following up on the award-winning success of Toho's Godzilla Minus One. The new film will take place two years after the 2023 wartime epic, telling the tale of yet another post-WWII clash with the scale-backed titan.

While Godzilla: Minus Zero is exciting for many reasons, one of the most enticing is how exactly it will be released when it does eventually arrive in theaters. It has been revealed that Minus Zero was shot entirely in IMAX, the first Japanese Godzilla movie to accomplish such a feat. Godzilla: Minus Zero's IMAX status signals the end of an era for the character, whose IMAX adventures were previously exclusive to his American-produced Legendary MonsterVerse films.

 To read more, go here.

We Ranked Every .30-30 Lever Gun By Real-World Value!

 We Ranked Every .30-30 Lever Gun by Real-World Value! video by The Armory.

Summary:

This .30-30 lever gun ranking looks at the real value behind today’s most talked-about deer rifles. From the Rossi R95 and Marlin 336 to the Winchester Model 94, Henry Side Gate .30-30, and Mossberg 464, this breakdown focuses on what matters for a working rifle in the woods.

We compare price, optic mounting, side-eject design, weight, accuracy, fit and finish, parts support, and real-world practicality. The .30-30 Winchester cartridge delivers similar performance across these lever-action rifles, so the big difference is not raw power. It is how each rifle carries, scopes, handles, and holds up as a practical hunting rifle.

The Rossi R95 brings Marlin 336-style function at a lower price, while the Ruger-made Marlin 336 Classic makes a strong comeback. Henry brings craftsmanship, Winchester brings history, and Mossberg remains a used-rack budget option.

Which .30-30 lever gun would you actually trust in the deer woods?

 

Mia Asano West Coast Tour

 

I am going to her Albuquerque show on October 20.

Top 5 Most Owned Rifles in America (2026)

Top 5 Most Owned Rifles in America (2026) – Millions Own #1! video by David Miller on Firearms Law.

Summary:

What are the most owned rifles in America in 2026?

In this video, we reveal the Top 5 most popular rifles owned by millions of Americans, including the AR-15, AK-pattern rifles, bolt-action hunting rifles, Ruger 10/22, and lever-action rifles.

You'll learn:

America's most owned rifle

Why millions choose these firearms

2026 gun law updates

State restrictions you should know

Hunting and home defense rifle options

Responsible firearm ownership