Subscribers RV Travel Newsletter for Sunday, November 3, 2024

Issue 1181

Lessons learned from the theft of our RV in storage

In last Saturday’s newsletter, we told you about Gail and Doug Bakke’s stolen RV. Gail wrote, “On October 9, 2024, we discovered our 2021 Dutchmen Kodiak (CA plate 1NL7981) stolen from Extra Space Storage in Cathedral City, CA.” Now, Gail has the story of how their RV was stolen, and the hard lessons they learned. If you store your RV at a storage facility or are considering doing so, please read this.

RV nightmare: Towed car detaches from motorhome. Watch what happens

Ask any motorhome owner who tows a vehicle behind his or her RV their biggest fear of doing it. It’s easy. It goes like this: Somehow as the RV and its tow-behind vehicle are rolling down the road the vehicle detaches, which sends the vehicle on its own way, no driver in control. Well, that nightmare happened to this RVer. Watch and weep!

RVers buy motorhome for $1. Then they light it on fire

Our friends Marc and Julie Bennett of RVlove.com have performed a wonderful service for RVers. They’ve produced a fascinating video that may help save many of them from the misfortune of watching their RV go up in flames. The Bennetts conducted an experiment that we have never seen done before. They bought an RV for a dollar and then lit it on fire. This is crazy (and a good reminder)!

Wild animal urine gets rid of rodents for good

By Nanci Dixon
The battle to get rid of the rat wasn’t going well—current score: Rat 9, Us 1. Although it was more like 10 for the rat after the nasty critter chewed wires in my husband’s truck. For all our efforts to get rid of him, we should at least get a 1. I tried everything! Vinegar, hot pepper flakes, cinnamon, traps, poison… nothing! Then, I was told about using coyote pee. Here’s how it all happened.

Today’s RV review…
Keystone Outback 328RL—striking gold

By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is an update on the Keystone Outback 328RL travel trailer. This is a flat fifth wheel with the most widely produced floor plan in the fifth wheel world but packaged as a travel trailer. Word is that this is the most popular floor plan in the Outback line, and that makes sense. Here’s why.

RV service centers and repairs report
RVers left stranded by “useless” paid services. “When I needed them most, they delivered the least”

This week, Nanci Dixon relates a story of a warranty claim where the customer paid the RV dealer for a warranty contract, but the dealer never sent the payment to the warranty company, so no coverage. Yikes! Find out why one RVer is done with Good Sam’s towing service. (You may want to read this if you’re a member. Forewarned is forearmed.) But, yes, we do have some good RV dealers and service centers to pass along to you this week. Read those stories here.

UPDATED WEEKLY: A list of RV dealers, service centers, and mobile techs as recommended by our readers. Click here.

Yesterday’s top news for RVers
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• Fact check: Elon Musk is not launching a $17,000 e-motorhome
• Disturbing video captures motorists ignoring burning RV
• RVer arrested while claiming 600 acres of BLM land are “his”
• Used RV prices continue to decline
• Love’s introduces new RV hookup location in Mississippi

Read the rest of the news in yesterday’s newsletter here.

Unwritten rules for RVers at truck stops

By Gail Marsh
If you’re an RVer, you might occasionally find yourself at a truck stop, whether it’s for fueling up or getting some rest. Truck stops can be super convenient, but it’s important to remember that these places are designed primarily for truckers who are on tight schedules and operating large rigs. By following a few unwritten rules of etiquette, you’ll ensure smooth stops for everyone.

Why are RVers so mean to their converter?

By Andrew Herrick
I considered writing this post as a “Dear John” letter from the first-person perspective of your converter, but it’s hard to personify a circuit board wrapped in sheet metal. So instead, let me just ask you point-blank: Why are you so, so mean to your poor, poor converter? To be fair, you may not know you have a converter. It’s hidden somewhere in your RV, but it’s there. Continue reading.

RVers ask: Our RV’s steps hurt our aching knees. What to do?

By Gail Marsh
Readers Paula and Larry S. wrote to us with a concern. They wrote, “What do people with bad knees or legs do for better entry steps? The ones that come with campers nowadays are much better than the ones before 2019, but our camper is 2008. We need steps closer together and with a better handrail now that we are well over 65. I am sure others do too, as everyone seems to have bad knees in our age group!” Continue reading.

Around the Campfire

Plenty of discussion about replacing the RV mattress

By Gail Marsh
One of the “newbies” around the campfire the other night was really out-of-sorts. In fact, he, Matt, admitted to his grumpiness. The cause (according to his wife) was their RV bed. Almost everyone around the fire agreed. The mattresses RV manufacturers install are junk. What we didn’t necessarily agree upon was the best way to “fix” this predicament. Here are some comments and suggestions heard around the campfire.

Travel destinations
We just crossed into Mexico in our RV—and it was easy!

By Kate Doherty
After residing in the desert mountains for several weeks, we needed a change of scenery. After researching, we chose Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico. We departed the mountainous region of Arizona, stopping in Apache Junction to leave non-essential items, and drove south to Sonora, Mexico, through triple-digit heat and unobservant drivers. Here’s what it was like to cross the border.

Reader poll
What’s your preferred length of stay at a typical campsite?

Respond here.

TAKE A GUESS: Do more RVtravel.com readers like or dislike candy corn? What about you? Take a guess and see if you’re right.

Brain teaser

A 300 ft. train is traveling 300 ft. per minute and must travel through a 300 ft. long tunnel. How long will it take the train to travel through the tunnel?

(Answer below.)

Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter

• High-elevation RV travel: What’s affected in your RV and how to adjust it
• Brilliant interior RV storage solutions hiding in plain sight
• Checklist for deep-cleaning your RV before storing it
• Which cell service provider is best for RVers?
• Backroad or offroad RVing: Don’t get stuck!

In the RV shop with Dustin
What I recommend you use to wash and wax your RV

By Dustin Simpson
A lot of people are always asking me: What do you use to wash or wax your RV? I’ve used Meguiar’s products for as long as I’ve been driving and they’re always what I recommend to my fellow RVers and customers. I’ve tried just about every wax out there and I can’t find anything as easy to apply or that lasts as long and protects the way this does. Learn more.

RV gadgets and gizmos
3 unique products for your RV kitchen

By Gail Marsh
Every now and then it’s a good idea for RVers to look through kitchen drawers and cupboards. We usually take stock and replace missing or broken items this time of year—when we come off the road to celebrate the holidays with family. We also identify trouble spots and look for products or DIY projects to address them. This year, I discovered three unique products to improve our RV kitchen.

Video of the day
Hiking Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park aka “America’s Deadliest Hike”

By Cheri Sicard
Randy from the YouTube channel America’s Parks had done a previous video two years prior to this one that proved wildly popular. He nonetheless felt he needed to do a new video after recently completing another hike up Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park, Utah. And for those who can’t actually do this hike, we can live vicariously as Randy takes us along on the most difficult, yet jaw-droppingly beautiful, parts of it. Watch this.

RV tire safety
What to do if you have a trailer tire failure

By Roger Marble
Readers have asked what you should do if you have a trailer tire failure. There are a number of posts and videos on what you should do if you have a front tire fail on your motorhome, but I do not recall ever seeing advice on what to do if you have a failure of a tire on your travel trailer. This post would apply to any type trailer, including a basic single- or multi-axle RV trailer. I think that large 5th wheel trailers and even open or enclosed box trailers that might have a race car or antique show car inside could benefit from this knowledge. Here is what I think.

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:

• Can I switch to lithium? How long will it run roof air conditioner?
• What is your opinion of RV Roof Magic? Does it work?
• When running roof A/C, any appliance trips 30-amp. Why?
• Why doesn’t water get hot when heater on electric mode but does on propane?
• How to tell if water heater pressure relief valve has gone bad

Recipes of the day
5 recipes to help you celebrate National Sandwich Day

It’s National Sandwich Day today, which means you should be eating a sandwich! We’ve done the hard work for you, now all you have to do is make one of these and eat! We’ve got chicken sloppy joes, sausage and pepper fajita hoagies, a Cuban sandwich, a turkey cranberry sandwich, and we’ve even got a sandwich without bread (and it’s delicious!), for those watching their carb intake. Check these out.

Readers’ pet of the day

“We found Gypsy dumped on the side of the road 6 weeks ago, malnourished and covered in ticks. She is now living her best life, gained 10 lbs., and just went on her first camping trip. She is the sweetest, happiest girl who is almost unrecognizable from the frail pup we found.” —Katy Gibson

• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.

Want to see your pet in this newsletter? Please send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and please do not submit your photo more than once.

Don’t kill yourself or loved ones out of ignorance
• If you ever feel a shock when touching your RV, take action. Otherwise, you could kill yourself or loved ones.
• If you blow a front tire, do this. The result could be a disaster if you follow your instincts.

Trivia

November was once the ninth month of the year in the ancient Roman calendar (which started in March). That’s why it’s named “November” – from novem, the Latin word for “nine.” When January and February were eventually added, November kept its name even though it became the eleventh month.

Sunday funny

Did you miss last week’s RVtravel.com newsletter?

Read it here | Back issues

Brain teaser answer:

Two minutes. It takes the front of the train one minute and the rest of the train will take two minutes to clear the tunnel.

DON’T MISS OUT ON OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS

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• RV Maintenance & Repair tips. Don’t ever miss a maintenance or repair article. Every Tuesday. 
• New! RV Reviews. We write one RV review every day! They’ll be delivered to your inbox every other Friday. 
• New! RV Recalls. Never miss an important RV or RV-related recall. Every other Wednesday.

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