Poll: Which Is Easier To Find, Campsite or Motel/Hotel Room?

Above, the Bates Motel sign in Vale, Oregon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's an interesting topic that RV Travel came up with in the form of a poll. Actually, I've never thought about it before.

Here's their post:

If you needed a place to stay tonight, do you think it would be easier to find an RV park or campground with vacancy or a motel or hotel?

RV parks and campgrounds book up quick (as we’re sure you know), but sometimes you call a place and they take you by surprise and have a spot just for you! Hotels and motels used to be pretty easy to book, too, but these days a room can be hard to come by, especially in popular areas.

Please tell us in the poll below, then leave a comment with your thoughts. Thanks!

To me, campground sites are easier to find or about the same as hotels/motels. 

To vote in the poll, go here.

Fukushima UFO Research Site Opening

Above, Godzilla and Rodan being transported by flying saucers in Monster Zero (1965). Toho Co., Ltd.

With new interest in  Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) growing in the U.S., Japan is opening a UFO research facility in Fukushima.

According to The Japan Times:

A research facility on UFOs will open later in June in the city of Fukushima, in hopes that the truth behind the unidentified flying objects witnessed around the world can finally be uncovered — and that the facility will become a new tourist attraction.

On June 24, the research facility will open inside UFO Fureai-kan, a center devoted to UFOs. The research facility will analyze witness reports, plan events to lure UFOs to Fukushima Prefecture and create a network of researchers at home and abroad. The center is located in the town of Iino, which is known colloquially as a “UFO town.”

The move comes amid growing attention on UFOs in the United States.

To read more, go here. 

Note: The story is serious, but I thought I'd have some fun with the photo.

Second Amendment Battle Brewing Between Feds and Missouri

 “All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void.” (Marbury vs.Madison, 1803.) 

“Every law consistent with the Constitution will have been made in pursuance of the powers granted by it. Every usurpation or law repugnant to it cannot have been made in pursuance of its powers. The latter will be nugatory and void.” (Thomas Jefferson, Elliot, p. 4:187-88.)

Laws passed that are "repugnant to the Constitution are null and void"  are as if they were never have existed in the first place.

A battle is brewing between His Fraudulency's Department of Justice and the state of Missouri over the state's Second Amendment Preservation Act.

According to KRMS News:

Missouri and the Federal Government are going head-to-head on gun law enforcement.

The Justice Department wrote Missouri to say the state went too far with the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

But Governor Mike Parson and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt wrote back to say they will enforce the new state law at all costs.

Under the new law signed by Parson last Saturday, a person or entity that infringes on the Second Amendment would face a $50-thousand dollar fine for each occurrence.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Governor Mike Parson today sent a letter to President Biden’s Department of Justice fighting back against potential federal overreach and encroachment on Missourians’ Second Amendment rights.

The full letter can be found here: https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/press-releases/2021-6-17-ltr-boynton.pdf?sfvrsn=ae1b68e_2

“Missourians’ and Americans’ Second Amendment rights are enshrined in the Constitution – I will defend those rights at every turn,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “Our letter to Biden’s Department of Justice sends a clear message: we will fight any attempts from the federal government to encroach on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”

“The Second Amendment Preservation Act is about protecting law-abiding Missourians against government overreach and unconstitutional federal mandates,” Governor Parson said. “We will reject any attempt by the federal government to circumvent the fundamental right Missourians have to keep and bear arms to protect themselves and their property. Throughout my career, I have always stood for the Constitution and our Second Amendment rights, and that will not change today or any day.”

We need more governors and attorneys general like Governor Parson and Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

To read more, go here. 

Father's Day Morning Round-up

Above, the escapee in Barking Spider Acre. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

About an hour ago, I participated in a little bit of a horse round-up.

One of my neighbor's horses got out of the pen. There's a gap of about 2 1/2 feet of the barrier to the ground and the horse apparently was lying down next to it and rolled out of the pen. I was out on my deck and spotted her in my neighbor's front yard.

Above and below, the other two horses in the pen. Photos by Armand Vaquer.

I went over to see if I could get a hold of the rope on her harness but she ran from me into Barking Spider Acre. I sent my neighbor a message about the horse, but luckily his wife and daughter were out in the yard (unaware of the escaped horse) and I told them. He was indoors sleeping. 

After a bit, my neighbor came out of the house and we all swarmed strategically to get her back into the pen. After a little while, she trotted in herself.  

Above, another shot of the escapee in Barking Spider Acre. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Afterwards, we were chatting and was told that his gelding, Buddy, was traded for some calves. I'm going to miss that guy.

Nothing like a Father's Day round-up.

Happy Father's Day!

Above, family and friends at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for the "Happy Birthday,
 Ronald Reagan" campaign event in February 1980. My dad is wearing his leather jacket.

 

Navajo Nation President Considering Reopening At 50%

Above, Window Rock, from which the capital city of the Navajo Nation gets its name. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Navajo Nation Tribal Council is contemplating reopening its tribal parks at 50% capacity after its resolution to fully reopen them was vetoed by President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer. A special session was requested by Nez to reopen Navajo Nation roads and allow tribal parks to reopen at 50%.

According to the Navajo-Hopi Observer:

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer are requesting the 24th Navajo Nation Council hold a special session to consider rescinding its order that in March 2020, closed all Navajo Nation roads to visitors and tourists.

The order would also allow Navajo Nation parks to reopen at 50-percent capacity.

The request for the special session was issued in a letter addressed to Navajo Nation Speaker Seth Damon June 18, in which Nez and Lizer outlined their reasons for vetoing Resolution CJN-33-21, which was approved by the council June 3 requesting Navajo Tribal Parks to reopen at 100-percent capacity.

“The health and safety of our Navajo people has been the number one priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nez said. “Based on the data and recommendations of our public health experts, we feel that opening parks to everyone at 50-percent capacity is feasible. That will allow us to monitor the impacts of reopening parks at limited capacity and consider gradually increasing that capacity level from there.”

Nez said one concern is possible COVID-19 variants on the reservation.

The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. New Mexico is to fully reopen on July 1. Monument Valley Tribal Park is currently closed to visitors and would be included in the plan for a 50% reopening.

To read more, go here. 

RVing Is Now Trendy and That "Stinks"

Above, The Beast at Petrified Forest National Park in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The old saying goes, "The more, the merrier!"

Well, that doesn't seem to sit very well with some, especially those oldtimer RVers who lament the time when campgrounds weren't crowded and RVing wasn't cool. 

Now RVing is considered "cool" and the safest mode for traveling. 

Chuck Woodbury, publisher of RV Travel, says this new post-pandemic reality "stinks". 

Here's what he had to say and starts with:

In 1981, Barbara Mandrell recorded a song titled “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” For those of you new to RVing, there was a time when RVing wasn’t cool. In fact, 10 years ago it wasn’t cool. It was still “Grandma and Grandpa’s Playhouse” (popular bumper sticker for a few decades). It was for old people. If you were 20, 30 or 40, it was for your parents or grandparents.

The pandemic has changed that. The only safe way to travel now is by RV. For anyone accustomed to hopping a plane to Europe every summer, or booking a cruise in the Caribbean, hitting the road with an RV and exploring the USA sounds a lot better than sitting at home. Europe can wait. Even if you’re 25, RVing is okay. It’s hip! Everybody wants to do it.

But this coolness has come with a huge price – crowding. RV parks are packed. Good luck finding a spot in a National Park campground without reserving it a year ahead. Some National Parks now require a reservation to just drive through the front gate!

To read more, go here. 

 

Monsoon Rain Tonight?

Above, monoon clouds coming in from the south this evening. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We're now in monsoon season in Jamestown, New Mexico.

Thus far, there's been no measurable precipitation here. I felt and saw some raindrops this afternoon on the deck, but they evaporated within minutes.

We may get some thundershowers this evening before midnight. The cloud cover is thick toward the south and west. I have been receiving some lightning alerts today, which means lightning activity has been detected within 10 miles of Jamestown.

Hopefully, we'll get a few good downpours. We sure can use the water as it's bone-dry here.

According to the National Weather Service, here how the coming week shapes up:

Tonight

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southeast after midnight.

Sunday

Increasing clouds, with a high near 94. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest 15 to 20 mph in the morning.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest after midnight.

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Monday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 58. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south after midnight.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 92.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wednesday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Thursday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 92.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 94.

7 Travel Mistakes Every RV Owner Has Made

Above, West Entrance KOA in West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether someone is a new owner of an RV or is renting one for the first time, there are mistakes that common to them.

I had made one during a 2015 trip to Yellowstone National Park, and that was forgetting to close the awning before driving off. Luckily, I only got as far as the next campsite down the drive before I was flagged down by another camper. I never made that goof again. That was the first time I used the awning, by the way.

This sort of thing is covered (item number 6) in an photo article by MSN Money of seven common mistakes every RVer has made.

They begin it with:

Whether you’re renting or buying your rig, preparing to hit the road is a super-exciting time — but also one rife with opportunity for error. While you’re all caught up in fantasizing about your next destination (don’t worry, we all do it!), you can easily forget about some surprisingly basic stuff. Like, um, not driving away while still hooked up to the sewer connection.

The thing is, no matter how well you prepare, RVing mistakes are going to happen. But just in case you’d like to minimize the level of “Oh, no” in your vacation, we put together a few of our own errors from experience, so you can hopefully avoid running into them.

Here are seven super-easy-to-make travel mistakes that the majority of RV owners have made … usually more than once.

To see what they are, go here. 

RV Parks and Dynamic Pricing

Above, The Beast at the Circus Circus RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The latest RV Travel Newsletter arrived in my email a few minutes ago.

My attention was immediately caught by a story about "The Secret Way RV Parks Will Soon Charge You More", which is the lead story of the newsletter. 

Here's a snippet:

You’ve heard of dynamic pricing, haven’t you? Airlines, hotels and Uber drivers practice it. It means you pay for services based on supply and demand. If you book a hotel room five months in advance for a holiday weekend you will likely get a better deal than if you try to reserve it two days in advance when only a few rooms are left. Same goes for plane tickets. And, with Uber, if you want a ride at 4 a.m., it will cost you far less than a ride home from a sold-out Red Sox game – “supply and demand” at work.

So here is my preview of your RVing future. It’s scary if money is important to you. The message is this: Be prepared to pay more for a campsite in the years ahead, and be prepared to be denied a reservation for reasons you will never know…

To read the full story, go here. 

New Mexico Reopening July 1

Well, hallelujah!

The "queen" of New Mexico has decreed that New Mexico will be fully re-opened on July 1.

It should have been re-opened long ago and businesses and personal lives of people should not have been devastated into ruin in the first place.

Hopefully, people will remember during next year's election.

How To Get Away From The Crowds At Lassen National Park

Above, The Beast with Lassen Peak in the background in Devastated Area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I visited Lassen Volcanic National Park four years ago during my Great American Eclipse trip, I had no difficulty in getting a campsite at Manzanita Lake Campground without a reservation. There were plenty of open campsites.

Above, camping at Manzanita Lake Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In facr, compared to other national parks, Lassen didn't have that many people in it. I had no traffic to contend with when taking drives around the park. And this was during the summer vacation season.

The San Francisco Chronicle has an article on how to get away from the crowds at Lassen during the summer. 

They begin it with:

California’s paramount landscape of fire and ice, Lassen Volcanic National Park, is projected to be fully open for summertime activities by June 25. All the park’s roads, campgrounds and trailheads will likely be open for the first time in seven months, with some high-country trails in sun-shielded sites still covered with patches of snow.

Lassen features a landscape built primarily by volcanic blasts and lava flows, with the last series of major eruptions from 1914 to 1918. Its high country is cut by ice and snow. The park’s 106,000 acres is a matrix of lava peaks, basalt flows and geothermal basins that are set amid forests, lakes and streams. The centerpiece, 10,457-foot Lassen Peak, has just an inch or 2 of snow left on portions of the switch-backed trail that leads up from the parking lot. It is expected to melt off soon.

As a national park, Lassen is like Yosemite’s little brother — it gets about 500,000 visitors each year compared to Yosemite’s 5 million. It is a unique destination for camping, hiking, trout fishing and wilderness treks. The Pacific Crest Trail also runs through much of the park.

With summer fast approaching, here’s a quick guide to Lassen, with ideas on how to enjoy the park’s greatest hits.

Above, Lassen Peak from the Lassen Peak Trail parking area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Victoria's Secret Seeks To Self-Destruct

Above, Megan Rapinoe. Getty Images.

Rush's Undeniable Truths of Life #24: Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society.

Nothing like trying to destroy your own brand to be woke or whatever one wants to call it.

From Breitbart:

So Victoria’s Secret, a decades-old brand premised on sexy fun, is looking to deliberately destroy itself by appointing — lol — the humorless and brittle Megan Rapinoe as its new spokeswoman.

The humorless and brittle Rapinoe will not be alone in what can only be a Producers-style conspiracy to sabotage Victoria’s Secret from within. Among others, joining Rapinoe will be Valentina Sampaio, a male model who identifies as a woman, and plus-size model Paloma Elsesser.

Maybe this means Victoria's Secret will begin carrying L.L. Bean overalls?

To read more, go here. 

Mesa Verde National Park Offers J&J Vaccinations

Above, Mesa Verde National Park's Spruce Tree House. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yesterday, visitors to Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado were given the opportunity to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in a former hospital building in the park. They're calling it a "nod to history".

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one shot.

According to The Journal:

Anyone visiting Mesa Verde National Park on Thursday was treated to some of America’s best-preserved ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites and could receive a shot in the arm for the coronavirus.

The goal of “Shot in the Park” was to give visitors and staff members convenient access to a vaccine, the one-shot Johnson & Johnson. Shots were given from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Spruce Tree Terrace at Chapin Mesa. No appointment was necessary, and the vaccine was free. A park entrance fee was required.

The public clinic was organized in partnership with the Montezuma County Health Department, Aramark and the national park.

The vaccination clinic was held in the building that previously housed the Aileen Nusbaum Hospital.

Having the clinic at the old hospital site “is a wonderful nod to park history,” said Laurie Smith, assistant chief of interpretation and visitor services.

To read more, go here.

Visitors Are Overcrowding National Parks Like Yellowstone and Yosemite

Above, Yosemite's Bridalveil Fall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sometimes, like in this instance, I have to wonder where people's common sense went to.

I understand wanting to get out into the Great Outdoors, but people should know that everyone including their dog Spot will heading out to national parks in droves. Who can enjoy themselves with thousands of others crowding viewpoints, trails, restaurants, lodges, campgrounds, visitor centers, parking lots and other facilities and features? And that doesn't include long lines at park gates of people waiting to get in. It makes no sense to me. Who wants to be packed in like sardines in misery?

According to CBS News:

Having sat at home for much of 2020 because of the pandemic, Americans are heading out in droves to national parks like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and Yosemite National Park in California.

Overcrowding in recent weeks has prompted park officials to launch online reservation systems at places like Maine's Acadia National Park, Montana's Glacier National Park, Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park and Zion Natural Park in Utah. In locations without reservation systems, parkgoers say they've discovering few to no parking spaces, 4-hour wait times to enter and increased litter along park trails. 

It is my preference to visit national parks during the off-season to avoid crowds anyway. But that's during normal years. But this is much worse.

To read more, go here. 

Dinner With Lincoln

Above, President Abraham Lincoln's final resting place. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This evening, over dinner, I watched the 2012 Steven Spielberg movie, Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field. I usually manage to get around to it at least once a year.

Above, the Lincoln Home in Springfield, Illinois. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has to be one of the best Abraham Lincoln movies Hollywood has produced.

It reminded me of my trip to Illinois four years after its release where I visited the Abraham Lincoln Library & Museum, the Lincoln home and Lincoln's tomb in Sprinfield. That visit to Springfield was capped off by watching the 2016 election returns in my motorhome at the Double J RV Park just outside of Springfield.

Above, a Cabinet Room meeting at the Lincon Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one is interested in the life of President Lincoln, I would heartily recommend a visit to Springfield and bring the kids if you have any. It is well worth the trek there.

Above, yours truly at the Lincoln Tomb. 

Couple's Hawaii Vacation Turns Into Nightmare

Above, a view of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A Virginia couple decided to take a vacation trip to Hawaii and all was going well until they landed in Maui.

There, they received a shock from the officials at the airport.

WSET reported:

BEDFORD COUNTY Va. (WSET) — A couple from Goode is trying to urge others to be careful when flying.

Their summer anniversary trip turned into a nightmare. They're hoping to help others avoid the stress they endured. They say their trip to Hawaii hit major turbulence soon after they landed.

Ruth Garretson and her husband were expecting a relaxing anniversary trip to Hawaii. Garretson says it was smooth sailing until they reached Maui.

When they arrived, Garretson says they were informed their CDC-approved, negative COVID tests they got through MedExpress weren't going to cut it. She says they were told their tests had to be through Walgreens or CVS but Garretson says none of that ever came to light in their pre-trip research.

If Hawaii is willing to pull these kinds of stunts on people (maybe there's some kickback money from Walgreens and CVS involved since Hawaii is a liberal state?), I'd say to hell with Hawaii and travel elsewhere. I hope the couple sues.

To read more, go here. 

AlienFest Schedule Posted

The Roswell UFO Festival is coming up in a few weeks, but they're calling it AlienFest* this year (maybe that's a permanent name change?) and they've posted their schedule of events.

AlienFest will be held in Roswell, New Mexico from July 1 to 3. I attended it three years ago and enjoyed it (beware, expect to do a lot of walking).

They posted:

Did you know every event at the AlienFest is FREE and completely family-friendly! Join us at the Chaves County Courthouse July 1-3 and you may just run into a pelican – or swarm of butterflies. You will definitely run into aliens and possibly see a crashed UFO! Free music every day as well! Make your very own tinfoil hat to prevent the aliens from reading your mind. Take plenty of selfies at the selfie stations. Be sure to post your images on social media and tag them with #Alienfest and #UFOFestival. Pick up your passport and visit local merchants to participate in the fun scavenger hunt where you can win free swag and prizes.

If you stop by our information tent and fill out a short survey, you will receive a FREE event pin.

Lastly, don’t forget to get some amazing merchandise to commemorate this fun event!

If you're looking for something to do, since G-FEST (the annual Godzilla convention) has been canceled again this year, thanks to the pandemic and Illinois government's response to it, you ought to check out AlienFest.

To read more, go here.

*Frankly, I think they should stick with Roswell UFO Festival as it is perfectly self-explanatory and "AlienFest" may lead some people to think this has something to do with illegal immigration.

RV Rentals: Don't Waste Your Money

Above, the Ely, Nevada KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the pandemic that started last year, RV sales and rentals have skyrocked as people feel they are a safer way to travel (and I agree) than flying and taking cruises.

But there is a downside to RV renting and ABC27 says "not to waste your money."

The only time my family rented an RV was back in the 1970s when we rented a travel trailer and took it to Mesa Verde National Park. But costs weren't as much then as they are now.

ABC27 begins their article with:

The camper and RV craze that began last summer during the pandemic is showing no signs of letting up. But while it appears a great way to travel, there are some downsides to know if you are thinking of renting one.

The vacation rage of 2020 is now the hot trend again in ’21, renting an RV, motorhome, or camper. Money Magazine says it started because they were virus friendly, since you drive across the country with your own bedroom and kitchen. But money says many people last year ended up surprised at the total cost.

To see what those costs are, go here. 

Biden Administration Creating "Radical American" Snitch Program

His Fraudulency wants to use Gestapo tactics of Nazi Germany in asking people to snitch on friends, family members or co-workers who may be "radicalized threats". 

What's their definition of "radicalized threats"? 

From Breitbart:

President Joe Biden’s administration announced their plans to create ways for Americans to report radicalized friends and family to the government, in an effort to fight domestic terrorism.

In a conversation with reporters, one senior administration official explained the importance of stopping politically fueled violence before it started.

“We will work to improve public awareness of federal resources to address concerning or threatening behavior before violence occurs,” the official said.

The official cited the Department of Homeland Security’s “If you see something say something” campaign to help stop radical Islamic terror as a domestic possibility.

The Nazis of Germany did the same thing before and during World War II.

From The Irish Times (highlights mine): 

It’s been estimated that only 15 per cent of Gestapo cases started because of surveillance operations. A far greater number began following a tip-off from a member of the public. Every allegation, no matter how trivial, was investigated with meticulous and time-consuming thoroughness. It’s been estimated that about 40 per cent of these denunciations were personally motivated. 

What's next? Concentration camps?

This seems aimed at those who are opposed to the Biden regime. Notice that none of the left-wing rioters in various cities over the past year have been prosecuted. 

To read more, go here. 

62nd Anniversary of George Reeves Death

Above, the George Reeves Benedict Canyon home in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today marks 62 years since the alleged suicide of Adventures of Superman star George Reeves.

Reeves was found with a gunshot wound to his head in the bedroom of his Benedict Canyon home on June 16, 1959.

Above, George Reeves about 72 hours before his death.

There have been many questions raised over Reeves's death with theories of a hit man or an accident. The were covered in the movie, Hollywoodland (2006).

Still, despite the theories, Reeves is one of the few stars of television's golden age who is still fondly remembered for his work.

Crowds Are Swarming To The National Parks

Above, the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This should not come as any surprise to regular readers of this blog.

Fox News is reporting that crowds are swarming our national parks after a year of lockdowns.

They start it off with:

There’s an epidemic of post-pandemic visitors at national parks.

Lockdown-weary Americans are flocking to the nation’s most beautiful natural environments en masse — to the degree that it’s causing an overcrowding problem at the parks and in nearby towns. 

"Anywhere you go, there’s going to be a line," Libby Preslock told the Wall Street Journal following a recent visit to Utah’s Arches National Park. Preslock arrived at the park at 9 a.m., only to learn that it was full. Signs recommended eager visitors try back in three to five hours, so she decided to try her luck at Canyonlands, another national park in the area.

There, too, she encountered a wait but was able to enter after an hour. 

The wait times were not a one-off, but part of a recent trend: About 194,000 people visited Arches in April, a 15% increase from the number of visitors in 2019 — and a 100% increase from April 2020, when it was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Journal reported. 

Canyonlands saw a 30% increase in visitors in April, compared with April 2019. 

According to the Bureau of Land Management, the increase is significantly due to more first-timers checking out the parks.

To read more, go here. 

Crater Lake National Park Braces For Busy Summer

Above, Crater Lake's Wizard Island is seen through a smoky haze in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Part of my Great American Eclipse trip of 2017 included a visit to Crater Lake National Park. That was my third visit there. The only thing that kind of spoiled it were the fires near the crater. The smoke from them settled inside the crater. At least this year (so far), there's no fires.

Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is bracing for another busy summer season.

Record numbers showed up last year despite the coronavirus and park officials are expecting much the same this year.

Oregon Live (from The Oregonian) tells readers what to expect.

They begin with:

Crater Lake National Park officials are bracing for possibly record-breaking visitation this summer as COVID restrictions ease and Americans once again head out on vacation.

“All indications are this summer’s visitation is going to be very, very high,” said Superintendent Craig Ackerman.

Last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, record numbers of visitors were recorded in July, August and December. Numbers that high could once again spell problems for visitors and result in delays in entering the park and, once in, finding parking near Rim Village.

To read more, go here. 

AOL: The Biggest Problems of Popular RV Brands

Above, my 2015 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22R at a Payson, Arizona campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Planning on buying an RV?

If so, you may want to read an article by AOL on the biggest problems of all (or most) popular RV brands.

Winnebago, which I am an owner of a 2015 Minnie Winnie Class C, doesn't come unscathed in the article. But I must point out that any defects my RV had were minor and covered under warranty. It has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.

The first problem I had was a roof vent cover that "glued" itself shut. It was taken care of under warranty. The next one was a problem with the dash air conditioner (it's a Ford E350 Chassis). It turned out that rodents chewed some of the air conditioner's lines. Next, was another roof vent cover. It became brittle from age and weathering and broke apart. The last was a small tear in the awning fabric from rubbing against a leaning telephone pole I didn't see that got bigger. And that's it.

AOL begins their article with:

As summer nears, you probably think of campfires, s’mores, and RVing — which lets you camp and enjoy the great outdoors without having to sleep in it. Buying a poor-quality RV brand could quickly turn a trip sour, though, and Marshall Wendler, cofounder of Camp Addict, doesn’t like a beginner’s chances: “I don't have any specific input on the worst RV brand. In fact, they are the majority of RV brands out there,” Wendler says. “Throw a dart at the wall.” With advice from Wendler and other RVers who love to talk rigs, here’s what we’ve learned from the experts about brands that you should probably steer clear of if you're looking to buy or rent an RV.

To read more, go here.

Gallup Lions Club Rodeo Doesn't Start Tomorrow

Above, from the 2019 Gallup Lions Club Rodeo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Notice: I just got into contact with the Gallup Lions Club. Seems that some rodeo sites, including theirs, say it's on, but it's not. So disregard the Lions Club posing below, but at least we still have Bloomer's in August (see below).

All indications are that this year's Gallup Lions Club Rodeo will be held starting tomorrow at 7:00 PM at Red Rock Park outside of Gallup, New Mexico. 

Admission: 

General: $15.00

Children 10 & under: $5.00

Seniors (65+): $5.00

The erroneous Lions Club's posting:

Also, the official Gallup government website posted this flyer on the Bloomer Best of the Best Rodeo:

 

According to the Gallup Real True website:

The Bloomer Trailers Best of the Best Rodeo, put on by the City of Gallup, features the best contestants from junior high and high school in eight rodeo categories. This year's event is August 4-7, 2021

Happy 80th Birthday Neal Adams!

Above, Neal Adams and yours truly at the 2012 Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles.

Neal Adams, the comic book artist who many (including me) consider to be the definitive Batman artist, turned 80 today.

Adams recently was released from the hospital after a bout with sepsis. Thankfully, he overcame it and is enjoying his birthday.

It is hard to believe Neal Adams is 80. Then again, it is also hard to believe that I'm 67. But, there you go.

I became aware of Adams's work around 1967 when he started drawing covers for DC's Superman Family of comic books. Then, he started doing some Batman/Superman stories in World's Finest Comics.

Not long after that, he started illustrating stories in Batman and Detective Comics. And, around about that time, he took over the illustrating chores for the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series of stories in the Green Lantern comic book. Adams also illustrated Deadman stories, some included Batman. Those were great reads.

I got to meet Adams at the 2012 Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I was there as a panelist on Godzilla.

Adams is still very much artistically active and appears at numerous comic book and science-fiction conventions around the country.

A big Happy Birthday to Neal Adams!

UPDATE (06/17/21):

A nice tribute to Neal Adams was posted in an unlikely place: National Review. I am aware that Adams is politically liberal (and decidedly anti-Donald Trump), but he is lauded in the article as the "Reigning King of Comic Books".

To read the article, go here.

RV Storage Ideas

Above, I found this organizer for the bathroom cabinet at Bed Bath & Beyond. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Storage space in RVs are things that take some creative ideas and planning to fully utilize them and not clutter the inside of the RV. 

I solved one bathroom storage "problem" a few years ago. The cabinet is situated at a corner and the inside is triangular. I found an organizer at Bed Bath & Beyond that fit in just fine. (See accompanying photos.)

Above, the bathroom cabinet is now organized. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Do It Yourself RV has ten RV storage ideas for getting the most out of cabinets and walls and save space at the same time.

They begin with:

RVers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to make the most of what little space they have in their homes-on-wheels. Fortunately, there are plenty of creative problem-solvers out there, meaning motorhome and travel trailer storage ideas aren’t too hard to come by. 

In this article, we will discuss some of our favorite options for storing things in RVs. Hopefully these suggestions will help you solve some storage problems in your rig so you can enjoy a clutter-free camping experience this season. 

To read more, go here. 

Heat Advisory

Above, The Beast at Enchanted Trails RV Park & Trading Post. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Leaving the high heat of Albuquerque today did not bring any relief from the heat wave the state has been experiencing.

Currently, it is around 100° in Albuquerque and 95° in Jamestown, New Mexico. At least that's according to the National Weather Service. We're under a Heat Advisory. Thank goodness The Beast has air conditioning. The roof and dash air conditioners got a good workout this trip.

The rest of the week looks to be equally as warm with some slight chances of thunderstorms.

According to the National Weather Service:

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 58. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast after midnight.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 96. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night

Isolated thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south after midnight. Little or no precipitation expected.

Wednesday

A slight chance of thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Little or no precipitation expected.

Wednesday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the evening.

Thursday

A slight chance of thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Little or no precipitation expected.

Thursday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.

Friday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Saturday

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.

Saturday Night

A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.