This week on the RV Podcast: A special report… when an RV Park Floods: A Firsthand Report
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This week, we’re releasing our weekly podcast a day early and changing up the normal podcast format in the wake of the devastating loss of life and the terrible flooding in Texas which claimed dozens of lives. So many are still missing, and among those victims are many RVers and campers who thought they were going to spend an idyllic Fourth of July weekend in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.
RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK – RV Park Floods
The flooding in Texas happened along the Guadalupe River and swept away everything in its way, including RVs and the people sleeping in them at several RV parks, including the HTR TX Hill Country Campground, Riverside RV Park, and the Blue Oak RV Park. The Guadalupe River flooded quickly, catching everyone by surprise, and many campers are still missing.
As we record this podcast, responders are still searching for the missing. Desperate relatives, emergency responders, relief agencies, and search and rescue teams from across the nation are in Texas.
For RVers and campers, this tragedy has hit hard. We’ve all heard of the children’s camps where cabins occupied by children were swept away,
In the RV Parks, there was also terrible devastation. And it happened so quickly.
We have two reports from one of the many RV parks and camps that were destroyed by the floods. The first is a report from WOAL News, the NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcasting in San Antonio. They have done an amazing job covering this tragedy, and we want to play for you an interview they posted on YouTube with the owner of the Blue Oak RV Park. Every RV there was swept away.
On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, a camper named Jake Richards was spending the Fourth of July weekend wth his wife at the Blue Oak RV Park. He filed a first-person account that shows just how fast tragedy can happen.
Jake and his wife survived. His account is harrowing and I read it now in its entirety. Pay special attention to his closing words:
My wife and I have been staying at Blue Oak RV Park in Kerrville, TX. Our spot was on the elevated second level of the park about 150-200 yards away from the river.
I happened to be awake around 4:30am when I heard screaming outside. I rushed outside to see the flood beginning… pic.twitter.com/vyaGGhjQin— Jake Richards (@Jake_Me_Away) July 6, 2025
The flooding in Texas is the latest in what, to us, seems to be the worst weather year we have ever experienced. It was just a few weeks ago that another devastating flood hit Kentucky, causing massive destruction and loss of life. We all remember the floods of North Carolina last year, and it seems like every day for the past couple of months, we’ve seen huge swaths of the Midwest, the Deep South, and the Plains under tornado watches and warnings.
As we’ve seen, RVs, because they are not permanent homes and don’t have foundations, are particularly vulnerable to dangerous weather. Thus, there is a responsibility to be very weather aware.
Normally, our Question of the Week happens at the end of the podcast. But since bad weather is what everyone is talking about right now, this week’s question is particularly relevant.
RV QUESTION OF THE WEEK
QUESTION: “How do you guys know how to ride out storms or leave, other than getting an evauation order.” – Nan
ANSWER: You basically have to rely on a mix of your own weather watching and picking up intel from the people around you.
Most people stay pretty tuned into weather forecasts and storm tracking – watching the projected paths, wind speeds, and timing. The weather apps and local meteorologists usually give you a good sense of what’s coming your way, especially here on the Gulf Coast where storms can intensify quickly.
RV park managers are usually pretty proactive about giving guidance. They know their property – whether it floods, how the power grid holds up, what kind of wind protection you have. They’ve seen storms come through before and can tell you how serious things might get.
The other campers are honestly one of your best information sources. People who’ve been RVing for a while, especially full-timers, have a lot of experience with storm decisions. They’ll share what they know about the area and help you gauge whether it’s worth staying or getting out early.
Your own setup matters too – what kind of RV you have, how much fuel and water you’re carrying, whether you have a generator. All that factors into whether you can reasonably ride something out.
The main thing is just staying informed and making your decision with enough time to actually execute it. Once roads start getting crowded or conditions deteriorate, your options get pretty limited pretty fast.
RV LIFESTYLE NEWS OF THE WEEK
Non-Americans can now expect to pay more to visit National Parks
International tourists will now have to pay more to visit America’s national parks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase fees for foreigners. The White House anticipates this move will improve the national parks by raising hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation and deferred maintenance projects, and orders all extra revenue be put back into the parks.
Skeleton Crews at U.S. National Parks as Staffing Plummets Nationwide
Have you noticed a staffing difference at the national parks during your summer travels? The National Parks Conservation Association analyzed data and reported a 24% reduction in permanent National Park staffing since January, and only 4,500 of the promised 8,000 seasonal spots filled so far. Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Assateague (ass-a-tege) Island National Seashore, and Big Bend National Park are among those where lifeguards, custodial, and interpretive staff are gone.
This Campground Belongs to Me! Bull Elk Terrorizes Tent Campers in Grand Teton
Most campers know a bull elk can be aggressive, but the story of one that decided a lakeside campground in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park belongs to him is still surprising. When some tent campers arrived, this 6-foot animal with at least a 10-point rack of antlers thrust his rack into their tent, stepped on their feet when they cowered inside a tent, and when they still wouldn’t leave, left a stinking pile of elk poop right outside their door. Yikes!
California Gas Tax Just Went Up—Again! And more increases expected soon
If you are traveling to California, be aware that the state’s famously highest-in-the-nation gas tax just got even higher. On July 1, the tax increased from 59.6 cents to 61.2 cents per gallon. And the diesel gas rose from 45.4 cents to 46.6 cents per gallon. Additionally, a separate policy update under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard is also now in effect, and many expect that to add more costs to gasoline, but how much and when is still not clear.
Back and Better Than Ever: Yosemite Tuolumne Meadows Campground Reopens After $26M Makeover
Yosemite National Park is reopening Tuolumne (too·aa·luh·mee) Meadows, one of the park’s largest and most popular campgrounds, on Aug. 1 for the first time since 2022. The $26 million rehabilitation project includes new and updated restroom facilities, new campsite fire rings, picnic tables, and food lockers, new sewer infrastructure and water systems, and more.
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 private RVLifestyle Community we have many members out camping and the conversations center enjoying the summer season, with lots of shared pictures of their camping adventures. So fun to see!
And in our RVLifestyle Facebook Group, one recent that caught my eye was from Dina and was about camping for long periods of time with your spouse in a small space.
Dina wrote:
“As an active kayaking couple on the cusp of retirement, with 10 years of marriage under our belt, I ask: How did others survive spending increased time with their partner in a compact living space without losing their minds? We camp frequently, and enjoy each other for our short trips, but phew.”
This is one of those topics that we’ve seen before because so many people can relate. You can be the happiest married couple, but when you switch to a compact living space things can get, well, let’s just say, a little tense sometimes.
Obviously there are many couples who have no problem being together 24-7 in their RV. But there are others who say they do have tense moments that surprise them, but there are things you can do to help.
Here are top 5 rules for camping with your spouse for extended periods of time in an RV.
1. Get along at home.
If you struggle with many conflicts when you are together at home, don’t even attempt to live together in the small space of a motor home. Problems in a house will be amplified in a compact space.
2. Put things away
Agree ahead of time to have a place for everything and agree to immediately put things away when you are finished using them. Clutter and mess increases stress, especially in condensed spaces.
3. Don’t overdrive
Here at the RV Lifestyle we promote the 330 Rule – which is to drive no more than 330 miles a day, or stop by 3:30 pm local time each day. If you drive too much you’re more likely to be tired and crabby, and no one wants that.
4. Explore together
You got into RVing to have fun and have adventures, and as crazy as it sounds, you can lose sight of this. So go for hikes, kayak, try a new restaurant, explore a new town. Be sure to purposely do things together that you enjoy.
5. Laugh & forgive
Laughter is the best medicine. Extend grace toward one another, be quick to apologize and quick to forgive. You can do this!
There were many other suggestions in the comments of this post but hope these tips can help one of you.