Happy Birthday, America!

 

Pilot, Flying J Offering Fourth of July Fuel Discount

Above, filling up the RV at the Jamestown, New Mexico Flying J. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Independence Day (Fourth of July) is just days away.

Right now, unleaded regular gasoline at the Flying J down the hill from my home is at $3.55/gallon. It has come down since the Iran war agreement was signed.

There's even better news for those who are regular (and irregular) customers of Pilot, Flying J and One9 gasoline stations. 

From RV Travel:

Just in time for one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, Pilot is giving drivers a chance to save at the pump. From July 1 through July 5, customers can receive 25 cents off every gallon of gas or auto diesel at participating Pilot, Flying J, and One9 travel centers across the U.S.

The offer comes as AAA projects more than 61 million Americans will travel by car over the Fourth of July holiday, making it one of the busiest Independence Day travel periods on record. For RVers, campers, and other road trippers, the discount could help offset the cost of a long holiday drive.

 For RVers, especially ones with big gas tanks, this is welcome news. 

To read more, go here.

Graceland Unveils ‘All-American’ 4th of July Event

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one doesn't currently have any plans to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday, a trek to Graceland just may be what the doctor ordered.

Graceland announced an "All-American Weekend" to celebrate on July 4 weekend.

According to Parade:

In honor of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Graceland is hosting an “All-American Weekend” from July 3 to July 5, where fans will be able to see Elvis’ iconic Memphis estate like never before as it getes lit up in red, white and blue.

According to the official Graceland website, this year’s fourth of July celebration will include  include two “electrifying” concerts, including a performance from The Dreamboats, who are slated to “bring their electrifying, high-energy celebration of 1950s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll to the Graceland Soundstage for a night that will have you on your feet from the first note.”

To read more, go here. 

15 Unforgettable Places To Celebrate America's 250th Birthday

Above, Mount Rushmore National Memorial last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Fifty years ago, the nation celebrated its bicentennial. It hardly seems that long ago. My parents and I joint an aunt, uncle and cousins in Las Vegas during the bicentennial weekend.

This year, the nation is celebrating its 250th birthday (or semiquincentennial) on July 4.

USA Today posted an article of fifteen stunning US destinations "that capture the spirit of America." I have visited some of them over the years. 

They begin it with:

America is turning 250, but some of its greatest treasures don't sit behind museum glass. Actually, some of them do. But the awe-inspiring scenes that take your breath away and remind you of the beauty of our nation are hidden along winding roads, tucked into mountain valleys, perched atop sea cliffs and preserved in places that tell the story of who we are.

From a castle built by a Sherlock Holmes actor in Connecticut to lava fields in Idaho that helped train astronauts, these destinations showcase the beauty, ingenuity and delightful weirdness that make the United States unique.

To celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial, the USA TODAY Network rounded up 15 places that capture the spirit of America, in hopes that it inspires travelers to see our land, one unforgettable view, roadside attraction, historic landmark and natural wonder at a time.

To read more, go here. 

Mount Rushmore Fireworks Tickets Come With A Catch

Above, Mount Rushmore last July. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After a five-year absence, fireworks are returning this coming July for the 250th anniversary of the American independence. 

The fireworks show will take place on July 3. Attending the show comes with a catch, according to an article in RV Travel.

They begin with:

Fireworks will once again light the sky above Mount Rushmore National Memorial in 2026. It’s part of a national celebration marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. But RV travelers hoping to see the show should plan early—and expect tight access.

The National Park Service announced that a large Independence Day celebration and fireworks display will take place on July 3, 2026, at the iconic Black Hills landmark.

Visitors must obtain tickets through a public lottery. 

To read more, go here. 

Fireworks Returning To Mount Rushmore

Above, Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For some odd reason, fireworks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial wasn't allowed during the Biden years.

However, now that Donald Trump is back in the White House, fireworks will be allowed at the Memorial this year as the nation celebrates 250 years.

The National Park Service posted:

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service today announced fireworks will again illuminate the sky above Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, 2026, to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. Public tickets for the event will be available through a lottery on Recreation.gov from April 8–12.  

After a five-year absence, the return of fireworks to this iconic national memorial reflects President Donald J. Trump’s vision of a “grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence.” 

“In partnership with the State of South Dakota, we are excited to reinstate a spectacular fireworks show as the highlight of Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day commemoration,” said Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. “We invite the public to enjoy the show and reflect on our nation’s remarkable journey and the great patriotic leaders who established, preserved and expanded our country’s destiny.”   

To read more, go here. 

Winchester's USA 250th Anniversary Commemorative Ammunition

 

It seems not too long ago that the United States celebrated the Bicentennial, the 200th anniversary of the nation's founding.

This year, we're starting to celebrate the 250th year anniversary. To commemorate the anniversary, Winchester has introduced their special ammunition packaging.

According to Shooting Sports USA (NRA):

The United States turns 250 this year and Winchester showed up to SHOT Show 2026 in Las Vegas last week with a tribute you can hold and display. The company’s USA 250th Anniversary Commemorative Ammunition series isn’t just a label swap. It’s a set of five keepsake packages that pull from the company’s vault of art to celebrate the workers who built the nation and the shooters who carried its story forward.

On first view at SHOT Show, the boxes looked and felt premium. One sample had a reinforced build and magnets tucked into the lid so it snapped shut with a satisfying click. It’s the kind of functional upgrade that makes you want to open it again, then keep it on the shelf.

Winchester first teased the lineup in 2025, but this was the moment to see the production art up close. Colors pop without shouting. Line work feels lifted from poster archives, then tuned for modern print. The result is ammo packaging that reads like a mini gallery show and doubles as a time capsule for the quarter-millennial celebration rolling through 2026.

Before we know it, we'll be celebrating the nation's 300th anniversary. I doubt not too many of us will be around then, though. 

To read more, go here.

American Rifleman April Issue

The April issue of American Rifleman (NRA magazine) arrived in today's mail.

It is just as well as it did since it is cold and windy outside and my allergies are giving me fits. I had to take a Benadryl about an hour ago. I am now getting some relief.

The eye-catching cover is by Don Troiani. It focuses on the issue's article on the American Revolutionary War's "Arms & Events of April 19, 1775" of Lexington and Concord. The article's actual title is "The Shot Heard Round The World".  This year is the 250th anniversary.

The article is of particular interest to me as I have ancestors dating back to the Revolutionary War (my maternal grandmother was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)). I could join the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). 

Here's the magazine's cover: