Volume 2. Issue 29
Welcome to the Full-Time RVer Newsletter, published every other Wednesday by RVtravel.com. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and full-time RV living tips from the pros, travel advice, and anything else of interest to full-timers or those who aspire to be. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
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This newsletter is sponsored by our friends at Wholesale Warranties
Page Contents
Quote of the day
“So many things are possible just as long as you don’t know they’re impossible.” ―Norton Juster
Full-time RVer safety – How safe is it out there?
Some contemplating a full-time life on the road are a bit concerned about safety. They read about crimes and wonder—how subject to the criminal element are folks in RVs? If you sit around the campfire, sooner or later there’s some sort of RV “crime story” bound to come up. But if you push your source for specifics, often things seem to get vague. Yes, we have heard of actual incidents where travelers have run into trouble—but in reality, it’s a very RARE situation.
Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletters?
If so, here is some of what you missed…
• Is it OK to stay overnight in your RV at a truck stop?
• New campers flooded the RVing lifestyle in 2021, but many are already unhappy
• Found inside a barn, this perfectly preserved RV is an amazing 1955 time capsule
• Campground Crowding: ‘RVers don’t look after each other anymore’
Features
Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter.
Do-it-yourself inverter repair – Important to know
If you’re away from shore power, having a power inverter goes a long way to making life better. But if your inverter takes a vacation while you’re on vacation, life can get tough. Can you do your own inverter repair? In some cases, the diagnosis and treatment is easy for the competent do-it-yourselfer. Follow these easy steps and keep this article handy!
The “other Grand Canyons” are worth a stop too. Check these out
By Gail Marsh
While researching for an extended trip we hope to take in 2023, I Googled “Grand Canyon.” I’d hoped to find information about the Grand Canyon in Arizona. (The only Grand Canyon I thought existed!) Imagine my surprise when I found a map of the U.S. dotted with more Grand Canyons than I could count! Continue reading. Have you been to any of the “other Grand Canyons”?
Detailed tips on how to plan for an RV trip when you’re not a planner
By Nanci Dixon
We often get suggestions, comments and requests from our readers. We received an email from one of those readers, Walter B., asking for help with trip planning. … Well, Walter, I am glad to go through some of the things that I do to plan our trips. RVtravel.com readers are all such a well-informed group of RVers that I think all of them could provide some great advice. Read Walter’s letter and Nanci’s excellent tips here. Then please share your favorite trip-planning tips.
Read today’s RV Daily Tips newsletter. Don’t miss it! Click here.
Reader poll
Quick tip
What to do with a noisy dryer exhaust flap
If you have a washer/dryer on your rig, as do John and Darla P., you may have an annoying problem along with it: A wind-blown dryer exhaust flap that makes constant noise. Say these folks, “Naturally this happens most often when you are trying to get to sleep. The sound is just annoying. To solve the problem, we found a large washer in my bag of bolts, and glued the washer to the outside of the flap. It is just enough weight to stop the wind from causing the noise, yet does not interfere with the operation of the dryer.”
Is expecting good customer service in the RV industry too much to ask?
By Gail Marsh
I remember my dad’s parting words as he dropped me off for my very first paying job. I was hired to babysit my cousins for the summer. Even though I was just 12 years old, I still remember Dad’s words as clearly as if he was speaking now: “Do your best.” Those three simple words have helped form my work ethic ever since. If my dad could talk to the RV industry today, I’d love to hear what he’d say to the designers, manufacturer line workers, salespeople, service mechanics, and everyone else who has a hand in cranking out and repairing RV after RV. Continue reading.
Customize your RV’s interior to fit your lifestyle. Here are some examples
By Kate Doherty
This is the second installment in a customizing series focusing on custom and functional cabinetry. Hopefully it inspires you to update your own rig! In our last column, we looked at LED lighting fixtures and accent ceiling molding. Today we’ll take a look at customized entertainment centers, televators, and hidden fireplace storage. Some excellent, and beautiful, ideas here!
Your assignment
What advice would give an aspiring full-time RVer?
From the editors: We asked our readers this question. Here is one response:
“The old adage ‘Life is about the journey and not the destination’ applies here. If you are mechanically inclined and love to repair and upgrade things, then an RV is the life for you.
“My definition of a motorhome is a really comfortable place to work on things! Appliances are much more affordable in general because they are made for camping, and are less robust and heavy than stick and brick houses require.
“To me, there is no better feeling than getting on the highway and seeing God’s creations unfold before your eyes. So many beautiful and amazing sights in the United States!” —Chuck Nordmeyer
Featured recipe
Chicken Pesto Pasta
by Shawn Lansing from Nolanville, TX
Super satisfying, this chicken pesto pasta is fantastic. The pesto gives the pasta a delightfully tangy, sweet, and savory flavor. It’s filled with Italian seasonings from the diced tomato. We liked using penne for this casserole because the sauce gets into the pasta. Chicken breasts, along with the pasta, make the dish very hearty. Nice and cheesy, this is a recipe your family won’t complain about eating the leftovers.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
Advertising: Advertising@rvtravel.com
Help desk: Contact us.
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.
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As for the Grand Canyon. Everyone forgets about the north rim. It is the least visited or so I was told by the tour guide. We did the southern. Someday I might but not right now.
I am an artist. I use oil,acrylic and pencil. I put on canvas what I see from my picnic table. Most popular is Hill Country, Texas. I have a section in the basement to store supplies. I’m very compact.
Survey question I answered yes. I do make different craft items but if somebody wants an item I don’t sell it but give it to them. I enjoy doing the items and most people are very grateful to receive them. Life is good.
My personal craft is stylized crushed beer cans.
16 yrs FT – The first year we got pretty good service because the Service Manager was a personal friend. She retired the next year. All experiences since then, at any facility have been crap.
The BEST, without doubt, customer service from an RV company that I have received in 14 years of full timing has been from Alliance RV since buying a Paradigm 372RK a year and a half ago.