Members RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, September 3, 2023

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September 3, 2023
Issue 1120
Members edition

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 Cover story 

My desperate battle with ‘Below the Belt’ Journalism

By Chuck Woodbury

In men’s professional boxing the competitors must play by the rules. Perhaps the most consequential is “do not hit below the belt.” Guys know the paralyzing pain of such a blow. If a boxer breaks that rule, that is, if he plays dirty, a referee is there to pause the action and penalize the offender.

What if there were no referee? The guy who played dirty would win. Not fair, right?

I’m talking about cheating.

HOW ABOUT THIS? Do you, or someone you know, sneak into a second movie at a multiplex theater without paying a second admission? “Oh, they make enough money. It’s no big deal if I only pay once,” the opportunist will rationalize. In most theaters, the cheater knows, nobody will be standing outside each individual theater checking tickets. So cheating is easy. But what if a theater employee stood at the door and did check?

In the boxing match and at the theater, a responsible person — the referee or a ticket checker — makes sure the rules are followed.

Which leads me to my point

And that is what a free press does. It’s a referee between corruption and honesty. It’s a referee between business, politics and honesty. It makes sure laws and regulations are followed, not just brushed under the rug to benefit corrupt businessmen, politicians or special interests.

If a “referee” is dishonest or not even present, then cheating will abound. And that terrifies those who study the news media, who see that happening today at a blinding speed.

I wish I could share a cup of coffee, tea or root beer with each reader of this newsletter to explain how important it is we respect the legitimate news media that still survives. Heaven knows, the free press has never been perfect. But without it, 99 percent of us will be slaves to the rich and powerful in short order. Maybe it’s time for us to revisit George Orwell’s novel “1984”.

In my little corner of the world, writing to RVers, I have very little influence to help people understand this or at least think about it. But I will keep trying, for I am terrified of where we are heading. I want my daughter to grow up in a free society, not one ruled by the selfish, greedy and corrupt. Do you know what happens without a free press? Two words: North Korea.

And now, on with today’s generous bounty of news, information and advice about RVing, which is why you came here today, I suspect. —CW

Today’s RV review…

World premiere: 2024 inTech RV Sol Dusk—a right-sized travel trailer

By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the 2024 inTech RV Sol Dusk, a new offering in the company’s lineup of unusually-shaped trailers that offer a very high-quality build. We’ve looked at inTech products in these RV reviews in the past and, in some ways, this is a whole new idea—but also what you’ve come to expect from the brand.

Click here to read what Tony thinks about this small and light trailer

RV Service Centers and Repairs Report

RVer hopes everyone at this Camping World “gets infested with the fleas of a thousand camels”

In this column, we summarize some of your emails and comments regarding RV service centers and repairs. This week Nanci Dixon brings you more unbelievable stories, including RV owners suggesting folks who want to RV should be capable of doing repairs themselves because of the lack of service techs. There’s a warning from an RVer about what may, or more likely may not, be covered by a warranty. Also, there’s an apology to Forest River, and some high praise for a dealer, a trailer brand, and a mobile tech.

Click here to read

On RV quality, our readers say, “Older is better”

By Russ and Tiña De Maris
We polled rvtravel.com readers, “How would you describe the quality of workmanship on your RV?” After hearing countless complaints about the kinds of issues rolling down RV assembly lines, some of us figured we already knew the answer. Maybe we were wrong. Or maybe those who responded to the poll were just a fraction of RVers. While the poll itself surprised some of us, the comments left told an interesting story. When comparing RV manufacturing workmanship, it seems “older is better.” Continue reading what y’all had to say.

You might not have the right drivers license for your RV; laws vary by state

By Nanci Dixon
Do you have the right driver’s license to drive an RV? I was surprised, actually shocked, the other day to find out I did not have the right license to drive our motorhome, at least in Arkansas! The dealer had repeatedly said, “You don’t need a special license to drive a motorhome.” Well, that was WRONG! Read this important information.

MY RV salesman lied to me! Why should I be shocked?

By Jan Steele
“If your mother says she loves you, check it out!” That was a popular saying in my early days as a newspaper reporter. It may seem kind of cruel, but what it means is, “Don’t believe anything until you have confirmed it with a second source.” Or even a third source! That was a hard-won lesson in journalism. And it’s now a hard-won lesson in purchasing an RV. Read more, including an interesting idea that might help keep RV salesmen honest.

Around the Campfire

I remember my very first campfire. Do you remember yours?

By Gail Marsh
Today’s “Around the Campfire” looks a little different. I want to share my first campfire story and then hear yours, too. Our grandchildren recently asked, “Do you remember your first campfire?” After a short pause to consider, I smiled. “Yes, I do. I was 10 years old. It was a campfire at church camp.” Of course, they wanted to hear all of the details, so I told them about my very first campfire.

Click here to read Gail’s story, then tell us yours

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• Tips and gadgets to make RV laundry day easier
• Uneven cooling in your RV? Simple trick might help
• 11 unexpected ways sandpaper comes in handy in the RV
• How to diagnose your RV’s air conditioner health
• Our gas was stolen! Tips for protecting against fuel theft

DID YOU KNOW our RV Daily Tips Newsletter is our readers’ favorite newsletter? And for good reason—it’s filled with so much great information! Read any issue here, and then make sure to sign up here. You won’t regret it!

How we survived Hurricane Hilary while camping at 7,500 feet

By Dave Helgeson
My RVing friends and my wife and I experienced the remnants of Hurricane Hilary at 7,500 feet, and no, we weren’t in an airplane. We were in our RVs camped high in the mountains. You probably read the headlines or watched the news stories that proclaimed, “Hilary could dump more than a year’s worth of rain in parts of three states: California, Nevada and Arizona. Because of the threat, parts of California face a rare high risk for excessive rainfall.” … None of us were aware of any of this, until after we, too, were impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Hilary. Read about their memorable adventure here.

. . . Headed to the Hershey RV Show that begins Wednesday, Sept. 13, in Hershey, Pennsylvania? Be sure to attend Dave’s daily seminars: “Dry Camping Tips and Tricks.” Get show tickets (only available online).

Forget dirty, crowded campground pools. Swim in your own private pool oasis

By Gail Marsh
It finally hit our current RV park—the extreme summer heat, that is. Oh, it’s been hot for most of the summer, but this last week was brutal! The (melted) icing on the cake? Our RV park has no pool! The solution? A public pool! Or, even better, what about a private pool… that’s public? Swimply is the answer to that! Read about Swimply here.

Do you lean forward while driving? That has got to stop!

By Jan Steele
Are you like me and catch yourself leaning into the steering wheel while driving? That is not a good thing! I talked to my physical therapist about it and he confirmed I was actually harming my body. Read this important information to help save your back.

Oh, this RV crash is horrible. There’s a lesson here

By Chuck Woodbury
I’ve seen RVs like this being built. The quality of the motorhome shown above, I’d guess, is somewhere between the houses of the first two little piggies — not quite as flimsy as a straw house, but not as strong as a stick house. And not even close to a brick house. Continue reading.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS WEEKEND? Check out these unique Midwest Labor Day celebrations.

Reader Poll

How often do you boondock more than a mile away from another RV or dwelling?

Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment.

Tell us here

 POPULAR POLL FROM THIS PAST WEEK
We asked: What type of alcoholic beverage do you most often favor over others? How do you think nearly 1,800 of our readers answered? Is beer their favorite? Wine? Cocktails? Find out here then cast your own vote.

Travel Destinations

Williamson River Campground: Awesome, unexpected Oregon National Forest RVing

By Cheri Sicard
I am terrible about planning trips in advance and rarely plan more than one or two nights ahead. Therefore, I knew I had only myself to blame when I found it impossible to reserve places to stay when traveling from Auburn, CA, to Yakima, WA, in early August. The national forest campgrounds I found that were reservable were booked solid. Even Harvest Hosts offered no room at the local inn. I did not need hookups nor the amenities or expense of commercial RV “resorts.” Oh, well, I thought. Rest areas and truck stops it is. Read about what Cheri found.

Florida’s tiny Cedar Key will rise again after Hurricane Idalia’s destruction

By Jan Keene
One of my favorite spots in Florida, the tiny town of Cedar Key, is digging its way out after being hit hard by Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday. This was the worst hurricane in 120 years, with a 6.8-foot storm surge on Wednesday morning during low tide. (It would have been worse if it had been high tide.) It’s been all over the news and got me thinking about how much I like Cedar Key and hope for its revival. Read more.

RVing With Dogs

The pros and cons of retractable leashes for dogs

By Gail Marsh
When it comes to retractable dog leashes (also called flex-leads), you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. There are many pros and cons to these leashes and for reasons you may not have thought of. Before considering buying one, read each list below.

Click here to read

Ask Dave

Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook”.

This past week’s questions that Dave answered:

• Conflicting articles on whether or not to get on RV roof. Which is it?
• Will RV’s house batteries ‘play nice together’ if I replace chassis battery with lithium?
• My RV’s shower floor has cracks. Can I repair them?
• How can I tighten up my RV’s lock mechanism?
• My RV’s absorption fridge quit. Can I replace cooling unit with 12-volt model?

Read dozens of helpful articles from Dave.

In the RV shop with Dustin

How to clean and lubricate your RV’s slide-outs, and how often to do it

By Dustin Simpson
Cleaning and lubricating your RV’s slide-outs is an important maintenance task that helps ensure smooth and trouble-free operation. Here’s a step-by-step guide and a video on how to clean and lubricate your RV slide-outs.

Click here to read and watch the video

RV Gadgets and Gizmos

Three of my favorite space-saving RV gadgets

By Gail Marsh
What’s one of the biggest issues for RV owners? Storage! The solution to the small-space storage problem is to use space-saving RV gadgets. Here are three that I would love for you to consider that will help you save space.

Lippert Picnic Popup Gazebo—six sides of wonderful shelter

By Tony Barthel
One of the things RV events like the Forest River Owners Group (FROG) International Rally does is show you some of the latest and greatest products for us RVers. One of those products was the Lippert Picnic Popup Gazebo. A gadget like this will be familiar to many RVers, and I’m sure a bunch of us have something like this. In fact, for some time I wanted a Clam screened tent, which is the same basic idea. So why did I get the Lippert Picnic Popup Gazebo? Several reasons.

LIKE GADGETS? Read the latest issue of our RV Great Accessories Newsletter—filled with gadget reviews galore!

Quick TipFree Overnight Parking at Pilot Flying J

Many Pilot Flying J Travel Centers offer free overnight parking for RVers. Here’s a PDF list you can download and carry with you to help plan a snoozing stop at one of these locations. Locations with dump stations are also noted. Click here then click on “Download RV locations list”.

Guess the Creature: Have you seen this animal in the wild?

Can you identify this animal? Here’s a hint: It lives in a very popular national park. Okay, so that doesn’t help. Then we’ll tell you the name of the park: Yosemite. Still don’t know? Okay, then we will tell you (if you click here).

Video of the day

WOW! Luxury DIY camper van build for under 10K

By Cheri Sicard
This DIY luxury Class B camper van build is nicer than many of the commercial camper vans currently on the market costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, from start to finish it only cost $10,000 to build. And yes, that budget does include the vehicle itself!

Check this out!

RV Tire Safety

Is that a tire sidewall bulge? All about sidewall undulations

Tire expert Roger Marble explains all about tire sidewall bulges and depressions, i.e., undulations. What’s normal and what’s not? Find out in this post from Roger, along with more information on proper tire inflation.

Read more

Did you miss yesterday’s Latest News for RVers?

If so, stories you missed:
• U.S. states ranked for road rage incidents—Are you headed for the worst state?
• RVer compelled to pay $2,000 for extra week at Thousand Trails
• GMC Motorhomes make full circle: Hatchlings return to the nest
• RV manufacturers and dealers worried about consumer lawsuits – get training from “Super Lawyers”
• Nebraska man pulled over with massive bull riding shotgun
• Western Canada is ablaze; travel and camping restricted
… and much more

Read it here | Back issues

Recipe of the Day

Cajun Butter-Basted Grilled Chicken

by Cindy Sandberg from Carlisle, IN

Know how to amp up your grilled chicken this summer? Make this butter-basted grilled chicken. The Cajun butter glaze is sweet and spicy, but the spice is not overpowering. We basted our chicken until it was gone. So good, we didn’t want to waste a drop. You can use chicken with or without skin. We tried both, and the chicken with skin did char a little between the honey and fat. It was still delicious.

Get the recipe here

Note: Happy was added as Pet of the Day to this newsletter several days before Jimmy Buffett’s untimely passing on September 1. Jimmy may have changed his latitude, but we doubt he’s changed his attitude. (“It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.”) RIP, Jimmy (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023). From all of your adoring Parrot Heads.

Readers’ Pet of the Day

“This is a picture of Happy, our 24-year-old Blue Front Amazon. Photo was taken of him in the cat tree. Happy loves traveling in our Class A RV so much he sings as we go down the road.” —Dennis Gardiner

Brain Teaser

First I am dried, then I am wet. The longer I swim, the more taste you get. What am I?

(Answer below.)

Do you have a brain teaser you think we should use? Send it to us here.

WHERE ARE THE WILDFIRES AND SMOKE? Find out here:

Current Wildfire Report. (Includes map and details of fires.)
Current smoke and fire report for where you live or where you’re traveling.
Canadian Wildland Fire Information.
Weather & Air Quality Data in National Parks.

Trivia

The most searched video tutorial on YouTube is “How to kiss.”

(Speaking of how to kiss… Friday’s poll asked: For couples: How many times a day do you kiss your partner? See the results.)

Sunday funny

This made our whole week!

Resources

Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.

What does financing an RV for 20 years REALLY mean?
In case you missed this article the first time around, here it is again. Important! Click here.

Stuck with a lemon RV? Contact Ron Burdge, America’s premier RV lemon law attorney.

The Best RV Trip Planner Apps and Tools. Everything you need to help plan your trip is here.

Did you miss last week’s RV Travel?

Read it here | Back issues

Brain teaser answer:

A tea bag.

Roadskill
The ongoing adventures of Earl and Burl Squirrel, from the mind of RVtravel.com friend R.L. Crabb.

RVtravel.com All Star Team

Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Gail Marsh, Dave Solberg and Cheri Sicard. Contributors: Roger Marble, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Dustin Simpson, Dale Wade, Jan Steele and Tony Barthel. Moderator: Gary Gilmore. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen. Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributors: Johnny Robot and Milly MacWilly. Canine mascots: Archie and Astor “the Disaster”

Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.

RVtravel.com is a participant in many affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of the potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.

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