The Coming Cicada Apocalypse: What RVers Can Expect

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This week on the RV Podcast:

• Are you ready for the great cicada invasion – the cicada Apocalypse? We’ll talk to one of North America’s top experts about what you may encounter soon on your camping trips.
• Can creditors seize your RV if you go bankrupt, even if it is your fulltime home? They did for an Arizona couple and we’ll tell you about it.
• National Park Week is almost here. And that means free entry at National Parks this coming Saturday, April 20.
• All this plus the RV News of the Week and your questions coming up in Episode #493 of the RV Podcast

You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.

If you prefer an audio-only podcast, you can hear us through your favorite podcast app or listen now through the player below.

We hope you've been watching our ongoing five-part video series on Class B RVs that we started over the weekend. It's on our RV Lifestyle YouTube channel, and we invite you to watch the series and subscribe to the channel. Just go to https://youtube.com/rvlifestyle.

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group

In our RVLifestyle Community‘s Cooking Exchange Space, James asked What do you do with seasoning to keep it fresh? After all, the temperature and altitude changes we experience in an RV can vary greatly.

Doreen said during the camping season she leaves everything in her RV, but at the end of the season, brings it inside.

Despina, I love what she wrote. She said she makes a lot of her own spice blends, labels each, and when she is camping she will heat the spices in a dry pan to bring out their flavor. And she said airtight containers are key to keeping things fresh.

Brenda said she has had spices go bad, so she suggested James put some rice in with them, depending upon the type of shaker he has, to keep things fresh.

Also in our RVLifestyle Community, in the RV Travel/Planning/Trips space, we had a post from Paul that showed a big map of an epic trip he is doing this year on the East Coast. He is traveling 6,000 miles from North Carolina, going up the coast of the U.S. into the Canadian Maritimes. It looks like there are numerous stops planned for Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, and they are even going to attend an Iceberg Festival way up in Newfoundland.  Isn't it fun to see epic trips fellow campers have planned? Ken urged Paul to eat lots of lobster, and many in the group like Teena and Sheila encouraged Paul to share pictures – which he said he will do. We can't wait to follow along.

Meanwhile over on our RVLifestyle Facebook group, Amber asked: “How firm is the 10 year rule in RV parks?” And what she is asking about is a rule some campgrounds have prohibiting RVs that are more than 10 years old from camping there.

This sparked a big discussion – more than 300 comments – with many saying enforcement really varies.

Bob experienced this at a campground in Las Vegas. His rig is more than 10 years old and the campground wouldn't even consider it. Diana said they camp at resorts and all but 2 resorts they have visited in the past 10 years have this rule. Mark said if the park advertises a 10 year rule, they will enforce it. 

But most people told Amber this is not something to worry about. If you are camping at a federal or state campground, then no problem – the rule won't exist.

But if you are at a private campground, especially a private resort campground, you might need to send pictures of your rig, if it is more than 10 years old, to show it is in good shape and well-maintained. Many in the group said they've never been turned away after doing this

RV INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK – All about the coming cicada apocalypse double brood emerging

For the first time in 221 years two different broods of cicadas are emerging this spring that could leave as many as 1.5 million cicadas per acre in some areas. For RVers who will be out camping, what should we expect in what the media is calling the “cicada apocalypse”? 

To help us prepare and learn more, we have as a guest on our show today, Dr. Gene Kritsky, an entomologist and cicada expert from Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Summary

Dr. Kriske discusses the life cycle and behavior of periodical cicadas. He explains that periodical cicadas are closely related to other sucking insects and have the longest life cycle of any insect species. There are two broods emerging this year, a 17-year cicada brood and a 13-year cicada brood, which is causing excitement due to their slight overlap.

The cicadas spend most of their lives underground, feeding on tree roots, and emerge as adults to mate and lay eggs. They do not bite or sting and their large numbers serve as a survival strategy to satiate their predators. Dr. Kriske encourages people to download the Cicada Safari app to help map the cicadas' locations.

Takeaways

• Periodical cicadas have the longest life cycle of any insect species.
• There are two broods emerging this year, a 17-year cicada brood and a 13-year cicada brood.
• Cicadas spend most of their lives underground, feeding on tree roots.
• Their large numbers serve as a survival strategy to satiate their predators.
• People can download the Cicada Safari app to help map the cicadas' locations.

RV NEWS OF THE WEEK

Park officials searching for two men caught on video toppling ancient rock formation at Nevada's Lake Mead

Lake Mead National Recreation Area officials are seeking the public's help finding two men who were caught on camera destroying a breathtakingly beautiful ancient rock formation.

In a viral video, the men can be seen standing on the side of a cliff, pushing rocks out of the federally protected area, sending them tumbling below. As they push and shove, a panic-sounding little girl watches and screams, “Daddy don't fall!”

The appalling vandalism happened the evening of April 7 along Redstone Dunes Trail. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a massive, 1.5 million park in Nevada with about 6 million visitors each year.

Full-time Arizona couple homeless after filing for bankruptcy because courts say RV-homes not protected under homestead exemption

An Arizona couple who were full-timers ended up homeless after filing for bankruptcy because their RV did not count as a home.

This couple, Steven and Mary Drummond, lived in a 2017 Tiffin from 2018, when they bought it, to 2022 when they filed for bankruptcy.

Under Arizona’s homestead exemption, when a person files for bankruptcy, their home is exempt from seizure (up to a certain dollar amount) to protect the filers from becoming homeless.

When the Drummonds filed for bankruptcy they had a 2012 car and their Tiffin because they had sold everything to travel. But both the car and RV were seized by creditors, leaving them without a place to live. If they had kept their sticks and bricks, creditors would not have been permitted to take their home under the state's homestead exemption.

The couple's story certainly gives everyone considering selling everything and hitting the road something to consider. As wonderful as full-time travel can be, things do happen.

To see our story on other things to consider about full-time life, click here.

Plan now for free entry to all national parks this Saturday

If you are near a national park this Saturday, April 20, you can enter for free to kick off National Park Week.

National Park Week is a nine day celebration of all things parks, and national parks throughout the country will be free on Saturday and have special activities through April 28.

Each day will have a theme. For example, on Sunday the theme is celebrating volunteers, and parks are hosting special volunteer opportunities. Monday is a celebration of Earth Day, Saturday April 27 is Junior Ranger Day and Sunday the 28th is Arts in the Parks. A complete list of themes can be seen here.

There are six free national park admission days this year, with the next one being June 19.

If you are looking for a national park that made our list as a favorite for RVers, click here.

Washington considers plan to raise all campsite fees for 2025

Camping at a state park in Washington is likely to cost more in 2025 as the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is considering a price increase to keep up with inflation.

Under the proposal, the cost of a basic standard campsite in season (that means no water, electric or sewer) would jump from $32 to $37 a night

A full-utility campsite at a popular spot in season would rise from $50 a night to $56. Costs off season are less.  But the most the price would increase whatever season is $6 per night. 

Washington has about 6,400 campsites and prices were last updated in 2020.

RV QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: Generally, when I book a site, I book the night before and the night after my length of stay. What I'm saying is if I'm going to stay 9 nights beginning on Friday, I will book Thursday night so that the site is mine. That way I can get to the campground early on Friday. Then on the tail end of the stay I book an extra night so I don't have to get caught up in the rush of people checking out (I do a later check out). I pay for those nights the site is just empty. I do let the campground know that I won't be there the final night. But they've told me that they can't book it because it's mine. Ultimately is that wrong if I'm not there on those 2 nights even though I paid for them. Also it should be noted that most of my camping is on private campgrounds. – Brad

ANSWER: I understand your reasoning, Brad, and I am sure others will see nothing wrong with it. But you asked my opinion and my opinion is that is IS wrong. It’s selfish. You are tying up spots that others could use even though you are not on the campsite. It’s very hard to get a campsite, Brad. Some people only have limited times they can get away to camp. Your practice is not considerate of others, pure and simple. I’m sure you will find lots of support for your practice but not from me. You asked. That’s my answer.

QUESTION: Bar soap or shower gel? My husband and I sold our house in October and moved into our 5th wheel as a stopgap while we plan and build a new home a few hours away. We have been in the 5th wheel for almost 6 months and tonight he asked me to find a bar soap he can use in the shower. He hates (HATES) liquid body wash. I read somewhere that bar soap is bad in RVs but can't find any information. I prefer liquid body wash, but wanted to see if there's a bar soap he can use here. Any advice is so appreciated! – LINDA

ANSWER: I hate liquid soap. too. I always use bar soap. A quick Internet search says “As far as cleaning action goes, it doesn't make a difference. But from an environmental point of view, bar soap wins. The liquid version requires a plastic bottle and that takes more energy to produce than the wrapping of a bar of soap.” Plus, a bar of soap on average lasts six times longer than its liquid counterpart. That’s my opinion. But for the record, Jen likes liquid soap. I like bar. So we both use our favorite. We're both happy.