Volume 2. Issue 59
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
“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all”—Helen Keller
Three critical priorities for ALL RVers
By Gail Marsh
There are so many things to learn, remember, and do when owning an RV. Add to that the fact that RVs take many shapes and styles, from fifth wheels to travel trailers to Class A’s and truck campers. You might wonder, how can the same three critical priorities apply to all RVers? But it’s true! Read on to learn about them.
Regular RV maintenance
Maintaining your RV is crucial for its longevity as well as your safety on the road. No matter what kind of RV you have, if you neglect regular maintenance on your rig, you can expect breakdowns, accidents, and costly repairs. Some key areas to focus on include checking the engine, brakes, lights, AC/heating, propane, and all other essential systems. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule and address any issues promptly.
(Hint: If you need an owner’s manual, check online. We bought our current rig from a private individual who no longer had the owner’s manual. I found our manual by searching online for our fifth wheel’s make, year, and model. It may also benefit you to join an online blog or group dedicated to your particular make/model RV. That way you can learn from others, as well.)
Did you miss last weekend’s RV Travel Newsletters?
If so, here is some of what you missed…
- Truckers and RVers battle for overnight parking spots
- These systems will keep your RV cool all summer long, even when dry camping
- Forest River says these issues are ‘normal and to be expected’ with RVs. NOPE!
- How do I tell my partner that RVing isn’t for me?
Features
Some of these articles are from past issues of RVtravel.com and have been updated for this newsletter.
What’s the difference between legitimate camping and simple vagrancy or homelessness?
By Andy Zipser
As far back as the 1870s, campers didn’t want to be mistaken for actual vagabonds, and the line between the two was easily smudged. An early camping enthusiast described camping as “a luxurious state of privation.” One of its luxuries was that it was temporary. Now historian Phoebe S. K. Young has published “Camping Grounds: Public Nature in American Life from the Civil War to the Occupy Movement,” a book that gets at the deeper complexity of this fundamentally American pastime and of our love-hate relationship with this wacky idea of sleeping outdoors. Continue reading.
Top 12 driver errors — Will they catch you?
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
RVers may spend more time behind the wheel than the average driver. That gives us plenty more opportunities to do something bone-headed and get into an accident. Here’s the Top 12 list of driver errors. Check them out and see if perhaps you need to make any adjustments to keep yourself—and others—safer on the road. Continue reading.
Fight RV crime! Install a GPS tracker in your RV—It’s easy!
[We’ve posted many stolen RVs] here on RVtravel.com in our Saturday newsletter. For every one we write about, there are probably dozens more that we don’t hear about. Suffice it to say, crooks want to steal your RV. The question is, if they do, how can you get it back? One way that can increase the odds of finding a stolen RV is by installing and using a GPS tracker. They’re inexpensive. Service fees are relatively low. And nearly any “RV handyperson” can install one in just a few minutes. Learn more about this inexpensive but worthwhile investment.
Reader poll
Quick tip
Be prepared for an unruly slideout
Find out the exact procedures for emergency manual retraction of your slideouts before you need to use them. Write them out in language that you can understand and keep them where you can find them. You probably will never use them, but Boy Scouts have a good motto: Be Prepared!
Warning: If bit by a tick, there’s a 50% chance you’ll get Lyme disease
By Gail Marsh
Ticks are usually active in the months of April through October and peak in the summer months of June through August. That means adult ticks and their babies (nymphs) are active. Really active! After sheltering under leaves and other decomposing matter, the little blood-sucking creatures are searching for hosts. And that could mean trouble for those of us who enjoy the outdoors. The reason? Ticks carry and transmit disease. Continue reading about Lyme disease and how to lower the risk of contracting it here.
How much money can you really make work camping?
*This article was originally published in 2021, so numbers, cost and pay may have changed slightly since then.
By Julie Chickery
If you are considering work camping, one of the first questions that comes to mind is how much money can you really make? The answer is: It depends. You might be aware that there are “volunteer” jobs where you exchange work for an RV site. However, there are some typical work camping positions that provide a wage as well as other benefits. Learn about them here. (Includes informative videos.)
You didn’t miss today’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter, did you? If so, make sure to read it here.
Featured recipe
Chicken Enchilada Ring
by Mary Lou Ivy from Dallas, TX
Not only is this chicken enchilada ring delicious, but it’s truly creative. Pair it with a salad for a filling dinner. Or, slice and serve as finger food for your next party. Shredded rotisserie chicken will help you save prep time. Top with salsa and a dollop of sour cream. This will be a real winner with family and friends.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@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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Thank you, Emily! 🙂
I called urgent care after finding a tic on me and removing it. They told me that I need to keep an eye on it and apply bactine. Which I did. Otherwise they said unless you develop some symptoms you probably will not get lyme disease. I have been bit twice and nothing so far. So I would not put that number at 50%. Maybe less then that.
Emily,
I love all of these news posts. Everyday I get my coffee and read one or two, like today, and enjoy them and save them for the future. Thank you and the writers for your time and hard work.
I question the comment in the tick article that 50% of people bitten get Lyme disease. If that were true there would be millions of cases each year. Sounds like fake news.
It is clickbait (very disappointing for this newsletter). The article says “outdoor enthusiasts who live in highly affected parts of the country have up to a 50% chance of getting bitten and subsequently becoming infected with Lyme disease”. So it is only in highly affected areas. I’ve been bitten by about a dozen ticks in the last 3 years and have never gotten it.
I was bitten by two from2005 to 2007 in high tick area and got it twice. Very bad disease that you’ll never want again
Correct: the chance of catching Lyme disease from an individual tick ranges from zero (usually low chance) to roughly (and rarely) 50 percent. The exact probability depends on three factors: the tick species, where it came from and how long the tick was feeding.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/07/24/631814695/ticks-and-lyme-disease-3-factors-determine-risk-of-infection 😊
Yeah, 50% probability of getting Lyme disease from a tick bite is nonsense.