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July 21, 2024
Issue 1166
Free, abbreviated edition
TODAY IS NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY!
Lick up!
Publisher’s corner
Is the FMCA RV club in trouble?
Chuck Woodbury writes: “I have been a member of FMCA, the Family Motor Coach Association, for more than half its 61 years. For the past decade I have watched the non-profit group lose its focus and become less relevant.” Chuck wonders now if the club’s problems are serious enough that they could lead to bankruptcy? The times they are a-changin’, but is FMCA? Read more.
Yesterday’s top news for RVers
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Harvest Hosts buys Escapees RV Club
- RVers cheating with reservations, says campground industry
- Abandoned campfires surge nationwide; park officials release scary statistics
- RVers: Ignore this Wyoming road sign, you could spend a month in jail
- Summer gas prices drop
Read the rest of the news in yesterday’s newsletter here.
Today’s RV review…
Grand Design Transcend ONE 151BH—small and affordable
Today’s RV review is of the new-for-2024 Grand Design Transcend ONE 151BH. This is a new addition to the Grand Design Transcend series, which features travel trailers with a wood-framed, aluminum-skinned construction.
What you have here is a very simple single-axle, no-slide, bunkhouse trailer. The “ONE” in the name designates a single axle. Pretty simple, right?
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RV service centers and repairs report
Readers recommend excellent service centers this week; finally, good news!
In this column, we summarize some of your emails and comments regarding RV service centers and repairs. Ready for some good news? So are we! This week, Nanci Dixon shares reports from our readers regarding the excellent service they’ve received from RV service centers and a mobile tech in Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, and Oklahoma. And how ’bout the service center that drove the RVers to a local restaurant so they could have breakfast while their RV was being worked on, then picked them up when their RV (and breakfast) was done? Talk about above and beyond!
UPDATED WEEKLY: A list of RV dealers, service centers, and mobile techs as recommended by our readers. Click here.
What to do when the joy of living your RV dream life fades?
By Nanci Dixon
What to do when the glitter and joy of living your RV dream life fades? It feels like I am caught in limbo, perhaps purgatory or, worse yet, Dr. Seuss’s Waiting Place. Just waiting. We have been living the (my) dream of being full-time RVers and then half-timers for the last nine years. We’ve RVed for a total of 30 years. … Read what happened this past spring. You might be able to relate.
Is RV composite building material a game-changer?
By Andrew Herrick
The alchemists of ages past sought to transmute common, basic elements into that most prized of possessions: gold. (They weren’t much different than today’s crypto miners, those digital chemists bent on transforming 0’s and 1’s into cold cash.) Anyway, Material Science engineers of the modern era have accomplished something similar. Weaving together the humble elements of polypropylene and fiberglass, a company called Hanwha Azdel has created a unique construction sheet material: Azdel. And Azdel in RVs has taken the industry by storm. Learn more.
RV oven features and tips even experienced RVers don’t know
Even though Cheri Sicard 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. You might learn something, too. Read the tips and watch the video.
RV electricity
How to install a 30-amp RV outlet at home
When electricity expert Mike Sokol was writing for RVtravel.com, he received an inquiry from Cory, in the Comments section, wondering about installing a 30-amp RV outlet on a residential 150-amp service panel on the outside of his house.
Fix roof leaks and extend your RV roof another 18-20 years with the ONLY liquid butyl rubber in the world
RV Roof Magic’s unique solvent-based drying process allows for a chemical bond not found in other RV sealants. That is why it never needs a primer and only one coat. We offer a 10-year warranty. Apply RV Roof Magic to all roofs except silicone and PVC. Over 30 years of history of success. Visit our site for our monthly special!
Highlights from this week’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter
- Creative ways to live every day like you’re on vacation
- Tips for staying safe while RVing alone
- How to clean dark streaks off your RV
- What’s ready to fall off your RV?
- 11 egg-cellent tips for RVers who love eggs
NOT SIGNED UP FOR OUR RV DAILY TIPS NEWSLETTER? Boy, are you missing out! It’s our readers’ favorite newsletter for a reason! Sign up here. If you don’t like it (we know you will!), it’s easy to unsubscribe.
Are boondocking myths limiting you to crowded campgrounds?
By Dave Helgeson
There are many boondocking myths held by both new and seasoned RVers. Most so firmly believe them that they fear even trying boondocking for one night. Sadly, this keeps many limited to camping in overcrowded campgrounds, never to experience the freedom boondocking offers. Dave debunks 10 boondocking myths here.
RV catastrophes, Part 2: The chassis that sprayed RVers with gasoline
By Dave Solberg
In a recent RVtravel.com writers’ Zoom meeting, we discussed a 5th wheel frame flex issue. I was asked if it was the biggest RV catastrophe I’d seen in my 41 years in the RV industry. (Read about that in part one of this series.) Even though the frame flex issue is a big, current concern, it pales in comparison to others I have witnessed. For example… Continue reading.
Family throws campground fairytale birthday party; too cute for complaints
By Nanci Dixon
People complain a lot about loud parties and loud music in the campground, but this party was a breath of fresh air filled with fairy dust. Our campground neighbor had set up a large mirror with dress-up clothes, a food tent, another with fairy wing makings, and a tent to create fairy gardens. I just had to go over and talk with them. So cute!
Your Sunday history lesson
“Kilroy Was Here” — Have you seen him?
By Chuck Woodbury
The photo above and much of the information below was posted on the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park Facebook page. The park is in Richmond, California. It’s about the graphic and slogan “Kilroy Was Here” that was famous during World War II. (In today’s terminology you could say it “went viral.”) I know that I still see it on occasion. I bet you have, too, even in recent times. I suppose today it would be called graffiti. Here’s the story about how this now-iconic graphic came to be.
FUNNY: What’s the difference between a dirty bus stop and a lobster with breast implants? (Scroll down for the answer)
Reader poll
Have you ever been evacuated from a campground?
Please let us know. After you click your response, you’ll see how others have responded. Feel free to leave a comment.
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:
- RV refrigerator hot weather tips; install fridge fan?
- Update on RV aluminum frame electrical ground issue – Found it!
- Is Vaseline good to lubricate RV slide room seal?
- RV’s issues not covered by Camping World extended warranty. Have we been ‘CW’d’?
- RV’s kitchen floor has soft spots but was told there are no leaks?
Click here to see more questions for Dave.
Take an extra 10% off a GhostBed luxury RV mattress!
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Vintage RVs
Reviving a 1949 Vagabond Trailer: From forgotten in warehouse to ready-to-roll beauty
By Paul Lacitinola
In November 2016, upon nearing retirement, John discussed his plans for newfound freedom with a customer. During this conversation, he learned about a hidden gem—a 23-foot-long 1949 Vagabond Model 232 trailer. It had served as a construction unit during a house remodel in Pasadena, CA, and had been stored away in a warehouse for the previous 25+ years.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Have you ever tried to eat a towel? No? Why not? Just never had the desire to? Well, we bet you’ll want to eat this towel. See why.
Travel destinations
One of America’s best road trips: Drive the beautiful Great River Road
By Gail Marsh
Three thousand miles. Ten states. Amazing cultures and rich history. That’s saying quite a lot. And yet, an RV trip along the Great River Road is all that and so much more! … Continue reading about all the adventures available on the Great River Road.
In the RV shop with Dustin
Grand Design’s entire back wall breaks loose
By Dustin Simpson
In this episode, we take you behind the scenes to explore a major issue with a 2022 Grand Design Reflection 31MB. The entire back wall has broken loose, and our team is on the case to investigate the extent of the damage.
Continue reading and watch the video
RV gadgets and gizmos
10 odd but awesome RV tools your rig needs
By Cheri Sicard
Most of the items covered here are not usually thought of as RV tools, per se, but having them onboard sure can make RV life easier.
I also love that most of these things can be found at ordinary hardware stores, which means you won’t need to rely on specialty camping stores with jacked-up specialty “RV prices.”
FUNNY ANSWER: One’s a crusty bus station, the other is a busty crustacean!
RV tire safety
Where to find complete tire inflation info, and much more
By Roger Marble
After I published information on what “MAX” means on a number of RV forums, I had a few folks thank me for the clarification. Some followed up by asking where to find the Inflation Tables. This request surprised me, as I thought that most people knew that they can check my RVTireSafety(dot)net blog or simply Google about almost any topic if they had a question—but apparently I was wrong. So here is a collection of links to the various tables published by different tire companies, plus many more helpful tire-related links.
RVing with dogs
Precheck your campsite for hazards
By Gail Marsh
It’s always a good idea to precheck your RV site before parking your rig, especially if you’re RVing with dogs. You don’t know who parked there before you or what they may have inadvertently left behind. We’ve discovered nails and other debris from time to time. If you RV with dogs, it’s especially important to precheck your site. In fact, you just might save your dog’s life!
Recipe of the day
Southern Peach, Vidalia Onion, and Bourbon BBQ Sauce
by Penelope Malcolm from Americus, GA
Sweet and tangy with just the right amount of spice, this is the ultimate barbecue sauce for all your summer cookouts. Bourbon, onions, and peaches are the base of this sauce and give it a robust flavor. Chipotle peppers and ground ancho chilis add a little kick. Use this homemade barbecue sauce when grilling this summer.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Jasmine (Multipoo) has been our travel buddy for 10 years now and is always ready for the next adventure! Here she is riding in her very own basket mounted to the handlebars of my e-bike. She loves making friends at the campgrounds while traveling too.”
• 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. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
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
Think the freeway near you is wide? Well, unless you’re near the Katy Freeway in Texas it’s probably tiny in comparison. The Katy Freeway, part of Interstate 10 in Texas, is one of the widest freeways in the world. In some parts, it’s 26 lanes across!
Sunday funny
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Having been a reader of your newsletter for several years it has become harder and harder to want to read it. On my phone as I click on an article when finished and go back it takes me back to the top of the page after each article. I then have to scroll back down past all the stuff that I just read. I no longer read the entire newsletter as it is too frustrating have to scroll past every single article again and again. Why can’t it just take me back to where I was???
Sorry, Brent. Here’s what Kim, our IT dude, said about this problem a few days ago: “I can confirm this issue on both iPad and iPhone, so all iOS based products. It seems to be working OK in Safari on the desktop and Firefox as well. When hitting the back button there are a couple of things that your browser is supposed to get from our site that make it take you back to where you left off. It looks like that part is working but then “something” is causing a screen refresh which takes back to the top of the page. That something could be an ad, or it could be one of our other tools we use to measure performance etc. Not quite a needle in a haystack, but close. Anyway: it’s broken, we’re looking into it but we don’t have any estimate of a repair date.” I guess they haven’t fixed it yet. We apologize. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I’m really bothered by that problem also. I usually read this on my Apple laptop, and my solution is to always use the control key when I click on an article, and then select open in new tab. Then I can either close that tab when done, or follow links from there to other articles if I choose to do so. Then I can go back to the original tab and continue where I left off. I believe there is something similar that can be done with a mobile device.
Thank you for your tip, Jim. We’re still working on this very frustrating/annoying problem. Thank you for your patience in the meantime. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Brent, we’re working on it. Frustrating on our end, too. We’ll get there. Sorry for the inconvenience, — Chuck Woodbury/publisher
Use DuckDuckgo, app.
No problem like that with Android and Windows based devices.
We’re talking hamburger here: How much chuck could Chuck Wood chuck if Chuck Wood wood chuck chuck?
Lots!😅 Thanks, Steve.👍 Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com