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Page Contents
July 30, 2022
Non-Members (advertising-supported) edition
Cover story
Goodbye homes; hello “mobile” homes
By Chuck Woodbury
Earlier this month, Rite Aid opened a new, modern 25,000-square-foot headquarters in Philadelphia. It’s a “collaboration center,” not a traditional office with cubicles and individual spaces. Instead, it’s a place for employees who work mostly from home to gather on occasion for person-to-person collaboration.
Meanwhile, Amazon has postponed its plan to construct six high-rise office buildings in Bellevue, Washington, and paused work on a 20-story tower in Nashville, Tennessee. A total of 30,000 planned jobs will not be shelved: Most employees will choose to work at home, not commute to an office. So, reasons Amazon, are the new facilities really necessary?
A friend of mine, an HR director for a health care company, told me recently that most job applicants she interviews these days want to work remotely, not at an office. Here in Seattle, that avoids wasting an hour or two (or longer) a day stuck in traffic!
Some remote jobs require “checking in” on a regular basis, but others require no such thing. The employee can work from wherever they wish.
Where I’m going with this
When I say “work at home,” I could also say “work from a home that moves,” which would define an RV, right? So what does this all mean? To me, it means a whole lot more people permanently or seasonally occupying RV parks. So where does that leave those of us who like to move about often?
Photo contest
Here is today’s edition of our twice-a-week photo contest. Please vote for your favorite. Once you’ve voted, please submit your own photo for consideration. Winners receive a $50 Amazon gift card. Good luck!
(And remember, this contest appears every Saturday and Wednesday, so don’t forget to check back for five more photos from our readers this coming Wednesday! Sign up for our RV Daily Tips newsletter if you’re not already getting it. If you’re not sure if you’re on the list, sign up again. You will still only get one issue, not two.)
Today’s RV review…
2022 Wildwood FSX 170SS, a flexible little trailer
Tony writes, “I love a thing that does more than one thing. And that’s what I like about this little camper. This is a relatively small and light camper but one that can serve a variety of purposes.”
How far would you go to get your perfect RV? These RVers went far…
Recently, RVtravel.com conducted a readers’ poll that asked: How far did you travel to buy your present RV? Turns out, most of the folks who participated in the poll drove between 25 and 100 miles. You can see the poll results here. Surprisingly many, many folks (22 percent!) traveled more than 500 miles to buy their rig! To me, that says if an RVer locates a rig s/he wants, the miles don’t matter all that much. Read some of their stories here.
When hate enters the campground, I wonder who we’ve become
By Nanci Dixon
We were park hosts in an unbelievably beautiful and usually peaceful regional park in Arizona. One day, as we were returning to the park, the guards let us know to be aware of an “incident” that happened earlier that day. A Hispanic woman with several young children was visiting the park, probably to hike one of our popular trails or take the kids to the playground. Continue reading.
RV boo-boos – Florida wind blows ill for RVer
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Imagine heading out on the highway with your almost-new—less than 500 miles on the clock—Class C. Your faithful toad car is pacing along behind. Life is good! Suddenly a gust of wind jets across your path. All sense of normalcy vanishes as your shiny motorhome departs the highway and disintegrates. You won’t believe the photo of the aftermath.
Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletters
• Smart ways you can beat the heat while RVing
• Slide out seals, Part 2: What can happen if you don’t maintain your slide out roof
• Keep those prescription costs down
• 17 tricks for using rubber gloves while RVing
Around the Campfire: What’s a fifth-wheel tug test and should we be doing it?
By Gail Marsh
There was quite a buzz this week around the cooler. (It was just too hot for a campfire!) What was the buzz about? As a fellow camper pulled his fifth wheel RV out to leave the campground, his trailer dropped. Right on top of his truck bed. We’d never seen this happen and the results were not pretty. Read what happened to the truck and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you here.
Know Your RV: Know your measurements
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Really knowing your RV covers a lot of ground. But before your first trip out of the driveway with a “new to you” RV, there are some important things to know about your RV. You need to know your RV’s measurements. Shoe size? Suit size? Ah, it’s a bit different! Learn all about it.
State fairs are great destinations for RVers
By Gail Marsh
Deep-fried Oreos. Chocolate-covered bacon. Sculpted butter cow. Aaah! It’s state fair time! When’s the last time you had deep-fried Snickers, cheese curds, or a funnel cake? If it’s been a while, you need to pack your RV, because state fairs are great destinations for RVers. Read some history about state fairs, where the 10 largest state fairs in the U.S. are, and tips about where to stay in your RV while attending a state fair, here. We can’t wait!
Reader Poll
Camping World RV buyers: How happy are you with your purchase?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment.
RV Prospector: Don’t worry about staking a claim—mining clubs have done it for you
By Randall Brink
Suppose you are an RVer who has caught the “gold bug” but do not have the time, energy, or inclination to locate and stake your own mining claim. In that case, you might consider joining one of the many gold prospecting clubs throughout the country that already own mining claims for the benefit of their members. Read all about them here.
The long, long RV trip, Week 8: Iconic Chicago foods (get ready to drool!) and RV electrical issues
By Cheri Sicard
Thanks for following along on my long, long RV trip. This week, among other topics, we will explore some iconic Chicago foods. As a foodie, these were high on my list. When we last left off I was moochdocking at my friend Craig’s in the Chicago suburbs, which is where I remained this week too. I still had RV electrical issues to be solved and I was also re-evaluating whether I truly wanted to continue this trip after a lot of extra expenses and hard times. Continue reading about Cheri’s Chicago food and electrical adventures.
RV “Gremlins”
Part 6: The final chapter—water leaks
By Dave Solberg
I saved the best for last! Sadly, everyone who owns an RV will experience a water leak at some point. The RV “gremlin” hiding here is figuring out why the area you find a water leak in your RV isn’t the area where the water is actually coming from. It can be baffling! Once you see the signs of a water leak inside your RV it’s typically already caused damage along the way. Continue reading.
CONTEST
Is this your RV?
Win a $25 Amazon gift certificate if today’s RV photo shows your rig
Every day we post a photo of an RV either submitted by its owner or by our editors as they move about the country.
Click here to see if your RV made it into today’s issue.
Saturday Giveaway!
How would you like to win a set of Happy Camper Pot Holders?
How to win
We’ll select a winner at random out of all entries we receive today (July 30, 2022) by 7 p.m. Pacific time. Remember, you can only enter once and after we notify you by email via RVcontests@gmail.com that you won, you have 24 hours to respond or we’ll give the prize to someone else.
Click here to enter or see last week’s winner!
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:
- Thor says my soft floor is normal, but it can’t be!
- How do I fix a crack on my RV’s gray water tank?
- Black tank smells but not until a few days after dumping. Why so late?
- My trailer’s bushings broke into pieces. Why?
- How do I clean my RV’s slideout top without getting on the roof?
Click here to see more questions for Dave.
Visit Dave’s forum on RVtravel.com. Ask him a question or help answer one from another reader. Click here.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Who ever dreamed up this disgusting “stress reliever” toy? If you have a sense of humor, this will make you laugh. If not, well, it might gross you out. Be warned. (Yep, it’s very gross.)
RV Gadgets and Gizmos
These pads easily remove bugs from your RV or other vehicle
By Tony Barthel
Bugs. They absolutely are a plague for anyone who cares about how their RV looks. But cleaning them off the rig is no fun. So the folks at Bugs Off® Pads (formerly known as The Love Bug Eraser®) sent me a set of their bug removers to try out. I was really looking forward to doing so… but then I came across campgrounds that wanted no part of cleaning one’s RV.
Where I’ve been camping lately the combination of factors including the severe water shortages in the West mean that washing one’s RV is prohibited. How do I test these out then? And what are they? Do they really work? Find out here.
RVelectricity™
with Mike Sokol
Why you need a multimeter for your RV
I’m in the middle of creating a new training video about using a multimeter for RV electrical system testing, and one of the topics is all the things you can test in your RV with a very basic digital multimeter.
Just Ask Mike (J.A.M.) Session: Predator powering a 5th wheel RV
Visit Mike’s RVelectricity Forum on RVtravel.com.
Video of the day
RV oven features and tips even experienced RVers don’t know
Even though Cheri uses her RV’s oven all the time (yes, your oven can be used for more than storage!), she still learned some tips from this informative video with Kristin at No Ordinary Path.
RV Tire Safety
Setting inflation pressure step-by-step
While I have posted a number of times on how I would set tire pressure, this topic seems to be a recurring question. So here is a slightly different approach to the answer where I use information on a specific example.
Ask Roger anything about RV tires on his RV Tires Forum.
Operating an RV Park
Rain, rain, go away! But our weekends are booked solid!
By Machelle James
I never thought I would complain about the weather. The rain this past week has been horrendous! We had 4.5 inches of rain in 4 days! The roads are saturated, the gravel has begun to erode away, and we have lakes of water all over the campground!
Johnny Robot
Our non-human staff writer answers your questions. “Johnny’s not always right, but he works cheap!”
Today, Johnny tackles these questions:
- Can RVer put motorhome on cruise control and go make coffee in the kitchen?
- A blind person with one leg and no arms wonders if he can drive an RV.
- Person is deathly afraid of house flies and asks Johnny what to do.
Also, did Johnny Robot fool Google?
Recipe of the Day
Creamy Chicken and Rice
by Shelley Young from Kansas City, MO
An easy chicken dish your entire family will enjoy. Chicken is pan-cooked, chopped, and mixed with creamed soup and sweet peas. It’s comfort food to the max. Kids will love this dinner because it’s creamy and delicious. You’ll love it because it’s quick and easy to make.
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Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Sunny, the Boxer, is a deaf rescue girl. We are full-timers so her world is different all the time, which can’t be easy if you are a dog that can’t hear. She makes the best of it.” —Leslie Pederson
Brain Teaser
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?
(Answer in tomorrow’s Sunday news newsletter. And please don’t spoil it for other readers by posting the answer in the comments.)
Trivia
As of July 20, 2022, there have been a total of 528 people on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list. Of those, 492 individuals have been located, 163 of them as a direct result of citizen cooperation. The oldest person to be placed on the list was 80-year-old Eugene Palmer, who was added in May of 2019. At a minimum, a reward of up to $100,000 is offered by the FBI for information that leads directly to the arrest of a “Ten Most Wanted Fugitive”. In some instances, the reward is even more.
Laugh of the Week
I asked a taxidermist what he does for a living. He said, “Oh, you know … stuff.” —Thanks, Gaila Mallery
Resources
Current Wildfire Report. (Includes map and details of fires!)
Current smoke and fire report for where you live or where you are traveling.
“RVs: Who Makes What” – This is a new free directory from RVtravel.com which lists every U.S. RV manufacturer and their makes and models. Learn more and/or download a free PDF copy.
RV Show Directory: See if a show is coming soon to your area.
Stolen RVs — Help us recover these stolen RVs. The more eyes we have searching for them, the better chance of getting them back to their rightful owners, and maybe putting the crooks who stole them in the slammer! See the stolen RVs.
Great websites. Check out our favorite websites of the day! We compiled a list of (almost) all the websites we’ve ever posted, and we update it weekly.
Where to complain about bad RVs, dealers, service, RV parks. This is an ever-expanding list of resources where you can report, share or discuss your problems with RV manufacturers or dealers.
Best Club for RVers: Escapees. Click here to learn more or join. Endorsed by RVtravel.com.
Directory of RV parks with storm shelters
In case you’re on the road with your RV and the weather report is showing a tornado headed your way, have this list handy.
RV Clubs
Check out our Directory of RV Clubs and Organizations.
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?
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, Tony Barthel, Mike Gast, Gail Marsh. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Roger Marble, Dave Solberg, Dave Helgeson, Julianne Crane, Machelle James, James Raia, J.R. Montigel, Randall Brink, Karel Carnohan DVM, Cheri Sicard, Dustin Simpson, Dale Wade, Paul Lacitinola and Johnny Robot. Special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Mark Gorrie. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. Special Reports: Bradford Geer. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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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I hope at sometime we all will realize that this bickering between us is just what the so called elites and politicians want. Keeping us fighting each other’s allows them to continue to expand their power and control of us.
There is no excuse for racially motivated violence or discrimination, period. But there is nothing in the Nanci Dixon story about what sparked the “incident” or that it was racially motivated. Why did you assume it was based on racial hatred?
I think this newsletter need to keep the writers from playing the “race” card every time there’s an incident of hate or violence. The fact is that most violence and hate is the manifestation of mental instability and poor judgement. Let’s keep this newsletter positive in that respect. It’s ok to report on things, not ok to put an individual’s own label on things.
Thank you.
Agree
Very well said. This one writer has had a history of racist articles.
Yep
I believe what Nanci has done in the past is point out the racism she has observed in others. Is that what you call a “racist article”? That’s what I call an honest, unbiased article.
I don’t think she “played the race card” at all. She just showed that we still have a lot of bigots that think this behavior is ok. I can only hope that the day will come when articles like this aren’t needed!
They aren’t “needed” now.