Issue 1022 • December 20, 2018
Welcome to another fabulous edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here, you’ll find helpful RV-related, and small-space living, tips from the pros, travel advice, road trip stops, a handy website of the day, our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate your readership.
FREE Holiday Shipping for everyone at Amazon.com
Amazon is now offering free shipping to all U.S. customers (not just Prime members) with no minimum purchase required.Â
If you shop at Amazon, would you use one of the links below to do your shopping? The link in the blue bar above also works. We get a tiny commission on what you buy. Even though our commission is small, at the end of the month it adds up, which helps fund this newsletter and our projects. Thanks.
U.S. shoppers: Shop at Amazon.com
Canadian shoppers: Shop at Amazon.ca
QUICK TIPS
Use your “noodle” – Don’t tear your RV cover
If you’ve invested good money in an RV cover, the last thing you want to do is tear a hole in your investment with a sharp corner. Pete and Deb write the RV Camping Info blog, and faced that issue with their new cover. “Our travel trailer has quite a few places that have the potential to cause rips or to wear holes in the cover fabric. Windy, or even just breezy, weather will cause movement of the cover over the various surfaces of the RV. What can we use to pad these areas? One of us had an epiphany: NOODLES!” Swim noodles make just the right “smoother” for those rough or sharp corners. You can find more suggestions on their blog here.
Locking your RV – More to it than twisting a key
Always lock the RV when you’re not physically at the campsite. Do not store valuable equipment in outside storage compartments. Believe it or not, a vast majority of RVs use the same exact key as yours for outside storage compartments. If you store valuables like golf clubs, fishing gear or tools in the outside compartments, you may want to have the storage compartment locks changed. Tip from Mark Polk, RV Education 101.
Bonus Tip!
Bonus Tip!
Use a pencil sharpener to help get a fire started!
MORE QUICK TIPS
A cozy cat “hang out”
OK, we don’t have much detail on this aerial “kitty condo,” but here’s a jump-off point for you handy do-it-yourself cat lovers. Dennis and Linda, who describe themselves as the “RV Vagabonds,” designed this neat spot for their traveling feline to catch a little fresh air and sunshine while still staying safe. From what we can discern, there is some strong elastic cordage running up from the bottom of the cage to eyebolts mounted above the window. What does the bottom hang on? That’s your figure – we could imagine a little angle-aluminum. Here’s a steer to the Vagabond’s blog.
RVer’s commandments
- Thou shall anticipate that all repair costs will be over $1,000
- Thou shall always lower your antenna
- Thou shall never set up camp at night or drive at night
- Thou shall take rest after two hours of driving
- Thou shall use reliable and trustworthy mechanics
- Thou shall have roadside assistance
- Thou shall never pay full price for a campsite
- Thou shall use Gas Buddy to find the cheapest fuel
- Thou shall double check your hitch
- Thou shall love this life
- Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s rig
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
Instagramming RVers
From the great blog Ditching Suburbia comes a list of the top 66 RVing Instagram accounts. Follow fellow RVers on their travels, get design and organization ideas, and learn many DIY projects. Happy scrolling!
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
The perfect gift for the Arizona-resident, or the California-lover, or the Maine-explorer! (Click on Style Name on any one of these pages to see a drop-down list of other state-shaped cutting boards too!)
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com.Â
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Become a Member!
This newsletter is brought to you Monday through Thursday by RVtravel.com and is funded primarily through voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thank you! IF YOU APPRECIATE THIS NEWSLETTER and others from RVtravel.com, will you please consider pledging your support? Even a single contribution of $10 or $20 is appreciated. Many readers set up an ongoing contribution, typically $5 to $10 a month. Your contributions make it possible for us to produce more than 250 highly informative newsletters every month. Learn more or contribute.
Join us: Facebook • Twitter • YouTube.
RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Staff writer: Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising coordinator: Gail Meyring. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
ADVERTISE on RVtravel.com and/or in this newsletter. Contact Gail Meyring at Gail(at)RVtravel.com .
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.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2018 by RVtravel.com
Chuck, I’m not getting a comment section on Daily Tip issue 1023. I want to warn your readers that the YourCoast app story only applies to iPhone customers. If you are Android and search for the app, there is a VERY similar app with the same name and similar logo. Problem is its a credit union and if you install it accidentally, they will have total access to your phone data, pictures, etc.
Thank you for catching that, George! I’ve checked the box at the bottom of the post to allow comments — didn’t realize it had been unchecked. Sorry. Have a great day, and a terrific 2019! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
As far as my bucket list, everytime I complete an item, I add 2 more… Anyone out there see the movie “The Bucket List”? Do you remember what happened after he fulfilled his last item. When I go, I want it to be with no regrets. I also want to know that I still have experiences to look forward to. When you have done everything, and seen everything there is nothing to look forward to..
I absolutely agree with not driving at night and I would like to add another-driving in the rain. I have seen too many unpleasant incidents over a little slick spot. I try to average around 150 miles per day. If I have to make 400 to 500 miles per day then I take the airlines.
Re: the 11 Commandments, NEVER drive at night??????? Is he crazy? Had the author said to pull off the road before you were too tired to drive, OK BUT, a BLANKET prohibition re driving at night is just plain nuts. If the author (or any driver) is night blind OK, get off the road before it gets dark. Even if I drive “only” three hours after dark, that still puts me 150+ miles further along and, I may not have to push so hard the next day. The U.S. (and especially Texas) is a BIG place. Not driving at night, especially on a LONG trip, will add DAYS to your drive.
At my age my list has gotten pretty short.
I’m sure someone will have to pour out some left overs.
We started traveling the USA in 2012 and have drove 85,000 miles sightseeing but now as we get are getting older losing our memory more and more…well it’s like the once near full bucket has a small hole in the bottom of it.
I don’t have a bucket list. I do what I want (if possible) when I want.
I have used the term “bucket list” most of my adult life. To me it means things that I would some day like to do. It has changed over the years. In my 20’s I thought I wanted to sky dive. I never did it but no longer want to. I have never written anything down on paper for this list. My family knows that I have always wanted a hot air balloon ride so I am getting to do that in August for a milestone birthday. That item has been at the top of my bucket list for 40 years and I will get to mentally cross it off.
We’ve been up in balloons 4 times and love it. Went to the Albuquerque Festival This year and headed to another balloon festival in Fredericksburg TX late December.
When I became a school bus driver we were told to complete our bucket list if we had one. It is for reasons of not the children driving us insane but because of other things that could happen. At any rate I completed my bucket list almost while my children were growing up. Why not do this as a family instead of alone. So all I need to do know is tour Europe and Australia. Done. I love bucket lists. Now I am ready to retire.
We really enjoy reading these articles. God bless America …..
I wish the article above would’ve elaborated on how to start a fire using a pencil sharpener.
I’m sure they meant to use the pencil shavings as tinder….
A bucket list to me is living my dreams. I believe if you don’t have dreams you are ready to die or you have a boring life.
I agree with Bill T. A list makes you think you need to work on doing that ‘thing’. So, I passed on answering the “Question of the Day”. If the movie hadn’t come out, I doubt many of us would be using that term anyway.
Sure, there’s things I still want to do or see, but I’m not making a list and checking it at all, much less twice – 🙂
Well said. If the movie hadn’t come out the term wouldn’t be used. I never really heard of it prior.
Another option for the above survey question could be, I don’t have a bucket list, because a list like this implies a “need to”. I would rather just relax and travel where and when I “want to” while seeing some great places along the way.
hate the term “Bucket List” which implies you must get it done or you have not lived a fulfilling life.
The way I see it is that some people just need goals or they cannot have a fulfilling life. If I had a bucket list I would consider it a list of wants rather than things I feel I need to do.
I agree. We do things as moments allow. Our life is full. As new options present themselves we elect to take advantage of them or let them pass. It’s a choice, not a requirement. “Relax and enjoy life”, is how we live.