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Read yesterday’s extensive coverage coronavirus pandemic and how it affects RVers.
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Grand Canyon National Park, America’s second most popular national park, is now closed. Last year it welcomed nearly 6 million visitors. The National Park Service says it is closing based on the Chief Health Officer’s recommendation in Coconino County, Arizona. Some other popular Western parks now closed include Joshua Boom, Yosemite, Arches, Canyonlands Canyonlands, Great Teton And Yellowstone. Many of America’s 419 national park sites are still open.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park will extend the closure of the park due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally set for March 24 to Monday, April 6, but has now been extended until further notice.
The Escapees RV Club has cancelled its Escapade 2020. Anyone who was registered to the June 21-26 event in Rock Springs, Wyo., has been contacted with information about receiving a full refund. “We are confident that this is the best decision, based on a number of factors regarding ongoing concerns with COVID-19,” the group said in a member newsletter.
Oneida County (New York) has closed campsites and RV parks all over the province.
Some Texas counties requiring RV parks to stop taking daily and weekly business. Monthly and other long term guests are okay. “The cities or counties don’t want additional outsiders in their territories,” said Brian Schaeffer of the Texas Association of Campground Owners.
Camping World is now providing curbside pickup on parts and accessories.
Thousand Trails in Long Beach, Wash.., and three parks in Oregon (Coast, Whalers Rest And Pacific City), members can continue to hide until 30 April. All new reservations for these parks will be cancelled until then. Throughout the system, Thousand Trails has temporarily closed indoor amenities, playgrounds, swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.
The Arkansas State and Hot Springs National Park announced Wednesday that they are camping overnight due to the coronavirus pandemic, but are not closing all outdoor facilities. Campers currently registered in Gulpha Gorge at Hot Springs National Park will be asked to leave by April 3. Arkansas State Parks will be open for day use only effectively starting At 8 p.m. Friday, “until further notice.”
Tiffin just canceled his Amana, Iowa, rally in June. Participants can choose to roll their paid fees into next year’s proposed Amana rally or get a full refund. Those who have already registered should have received an email yesterday (April 2). Thanks Ron Hough for the heads-up at this point.
The Forest Service has temporarily suspended public access to developed campsites, day use areas, and scattered areas in Alabama’s Bankhead, Conecuh, Talladega and Tuskegee National Forests.
The National Park Service has closed campsites and toilets in New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area and Bluestone National Scenic River Inch West Virginia in response to COVID-19. Hiking trails and river entrances remain open.
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Virtually all outdoor recreation in Oregon has closed, including every national forest, all state parks, most national parks and a growing number of local parks in the state as officials responded to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and a population that simply could not stay away from nature.
Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia has all private RV parks to stop renting sites to out-of-state campers.
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Natrona County, Wyoming, officials have closed all campsites. They include: Black Beach, Cottonwood, Fremont Canyon, Okie Beach, Westside, Bishops Point, Diabase, Sage, Weiss, Gray Reef and Wolf Point. Campsites on the Casperberg are not yet accessible, so those areas are not immediately affected by the closures.
Ken Wahl reports that Velocity Truck Centers, recognized Freightliner service center, is open in Tolleson, Arizona. “A good time to make an appointment for service and recall orders. Full hook ups for overnighters in the queue for early morning work,” he wrote.
The Good Sam RV Rally scheduled this month at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair has been canceled.
Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia ordered a shelter home order which starts today for all residents. Campsites are still open, but officials will check them to make sure people don’t cluster in groups.
UPDATE ON OUR FRIEND Gary Bunzer, the RV Doctor
Gary fights COVID-19 at a Seattle hospital. He’s been in intensive care for a week now. He is heavily sedated and on a ventilator, and remains in critical but stable condition. The drugs kind of got him out, so he’s not communicative with anyone. His family is hopeful of a good result. Read our story about Gary and leave him a message.
VIRUS SPREAD BY BREATHING ALONE? A prestigious scientific panel told the White House Wednesday night that research shows coronavirus can be spread not only by sneezing or coughing, but also just by talking, or maybe even just breathing. Research from the University of Nebraska shows that genetic material from the virus was found in patients’ rooms more than 6 feet away from the patients. It’s possible that aerosolized coronavirus drops may hang in the air and potentially infect someone who walks through later, said Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chair of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences.
Most KOA campsites are open, but some are closed. Here’s an update of what’s closed. Due to the current crisis, KOA has suspended the cancellation fee from $10 until the end of April.
RV SHARES: Yesterday Closing: Camping World increased by 6.58%, Thor 2.43%, Winnebago by 3.27%.
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HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this short video Shows you the most effective way to wash your hands to get rid of germs.
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RVtravel.com’s small staff is working overtime to get you the news about how the current pandemic is affecting RVers’ lives. In the meantime, most of our advertisers have stopped their campaigns because of necessity. We are able to continue because of our nearly 5,000 readers who have become volunteer subscribers. Consider making a promise today, however modest. UPDATE VAN DE EDITOR: If you are financially affected by the pandemic, take care of yourself: don’t worry about us. But if you’re okay, we could use your help.
New Facebook Group: How the coronavirus affects RVers. Get all-day updates on park and camping closures, canceled rallies and RV shows – and more. Talk to other RVers about what’s going on right now.
If you are a member of an RV club or are affiliated to an RV-related event would you like to let us know if its meetings, meetings, etc., are cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus? We pass the info on to our readers. We appreciate all the news regarding RVing that is relevant to the current crisis. Send it in here. Thank you!