37 Million Americans Plan RV Trips This Summer, RVIA Survey Finds

Brad Twait, CEO of The Motorcoach Store in Bradenton, Florida, reports a steady rise in retiree customers purchasing RVs. He notes that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend as domestic travel replaced international trips. Modern RVs can include heated floors, home theaters, adjustable beds, and can be retrofitted for people with disabilities with wheelchair lifts and ramps.

A black bear that attacked a woman at Eagle Point Campground near Lake Tahoe was euthanized after multiple dangerous encounters. The bear entered a trailer searching for food; the woman was injured trying to scare it away. It also broke into a campervan with sleeping teenagers and entered a vehicle with a child. Two 5-month-old cubs were sent to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.

Turkish company Fibrosan, part of the Yücel Group, announced the construction of a fiberglass production plant in Cassopolis, Michigan. The first phase investment is $16.8 million (approximately 800 million Turkish lira). The facility will produce components for the North American caravan market, where the company sees growing demand. Fibrosan operates 8 production centers across 6 continents, 28 offices worldwide, and employs over 400 people.

American couple Kendra and Bill Fogarty, who live full-time in a motorhome, named their daughters after US national parks and forests. Their eldest, 9-year-old Acadia, is named after Acadia National Park in Maine, and their youngest, 6-year-old Willamette, after Willamette National Forest in Oregon. The family sold their home and downsized in 2022 to travel full-time, homeschooling their children and working remotely.

Located between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Monterey Lake is a 250-acre reservoir in southwestern Michigan. The Sandy Pines RV park resort offers campgrounds, cabins, and rental trailers, plus an 18-hole golf course, fishing (bass, perch, carp, walleye), three outdoor pools, a splash pad, and kayak rentals. A fishing license is required for ages 17 and up.

A visit to Brooktrout Lake prompts Walt McLaughlin to reflect on heavily trafficked areas of the Adirondacks. The Eastern High Peaks region has banned campfires and requires bear-resistant canisters to mitigate human impact. McLaughlin prefers less crowded routes like the Northville-Placid Trail, where wilderness experience remains intact without such measures.