Issue 1042 • January 30, 2019
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, 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.
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. Thanks.
U.S. shoppers: Shop at Amazon.com
Canadian shoppers: Shop at Amazon.ca
QUICK TIPS
Control board service tips – part 3 of 3
Reader Dan Kooienga is a service manager with 40+ years experience. Responding to an earlier post on testing “smart boards” on refrigerators and other RV appliances he adds a bit of advice from the field. “Welding on your RV can damage PC boards. If possible, disconnect power to the board and also battery terminals before welding. Always attach the welder ground close to, or on the point of work.” Thanks, Dan for all the great pointers!
Dingy towing checklist
When you are towing a vehicle behind your motorhome try to get in the habit of making the following checks each time you stop. Check the tow bar, base-plate, safety cables and light plug to make sure everything is properly attached. Check the tires of the towed vehicle to make sure they are not too hot or losing air. If you are using a dolly or trailer, check the wheels to make sure they are not hot to the touch. If the wheels are hot, it may indicate a brake or bearing problem. Check all of the lights every day before towing. Tip from Mark Polk, RV Education 101.
Test yourself! Can you name the seven continents from largest to smallest?
Answer below.
MORE QUICK TIPS
Doors “that go bump” in the RV
Reader Erinn Mayer writes: “Tired of the upper cabinet doors in your RV slamming shut every time you close them?! Ever look at how manufacturers attempt to ‘protect’ them from doing so? With TINY, thin, little felt pads! I purchased a package of ‘heavy-duty self-adhesive felt pad bumpers’ and stuck them right over the thin pads already in place, and problem fixed! I also stuck a couple on the metal ‘openers’ of our exterior storage bays that might dent or scratch the paint if opened too quickly. After several washes, they are still ‘stuck’ in place.” Thanks, Erinn! A package of 168 is only about $5 on Amazon.
Campground etiquette: Flush it!
Help keep the campground bathhouse clean for everyone, and always flush the campground bathroom toilet after you use it. Really, people, campground bathhouses are very busy places, and they are there for the convenience of ALL campers. It is just a common courtesy that if you use the toilet, please flush it immediately. No one wants to walk into a toilet and see someone else’s leftovers floating in the bowl. . –From The Ultimate RV Owners Reference.
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
She Dreams of Alpine – Yosemite’s Best Hikes
Here’s a great blog post about the 21 best hikes in Yosemite. This is an easy-to-read list with great hike options for all ages and skill levels.
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
NEED A NEW BOOK? WE RECOMMEND:
Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States by Pete Jordan *Note: This is one of Chuck’s and Emily’s favorite books! Dishwasher is the true story of a man on a mission: to clean dirty dishes professionally in every state in America. Part adventure, part parody, and part miraculous journey of self-discovery, it is the unforgettable account of Pete Jordan’s transformation from itinerant seeker into “Dishwasher Pete” – unlikely folk hero, writer, publisher of his own cult zine, and the ultimate professional dish dog – and how he gave it all up for love.
The continents are, from largest to smallest:
Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
Did you get it right?
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
Q: What do you call a group of rabbits hopping backwards?
A: A receding hare line.
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com.Â
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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.
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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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This newsletter is copyright 2019 by RVtravel.com
Hareline….
Well, of course! It’s been fixed. Thanks, RW! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
One added point about checking your towable? Verify that 1) your license plate is still there and 2) it’s securely attached.
Also you forgot to mention there are many people from other countries, where plumbing is bad, they throw the used tissues on the floor next to the toilet. I hate that more than viewing someone’s used inners. I live in So Florida where you see that a lot. Recently it has become better with hopes many have gotten the hint that this is not acceptable in many countries including the USA. I feel bad for the Turnpike cleaning help dealing with this mess.
You mean like Downtown San Francisco, CA. Where people just stop and squat on the Sidewalk!
I’m going to Lunch, LOL!
It is a shame the flush article needed to be written.
yeah…how lazy can some folks be??!!??
In water deserts, it doesn’t make sense to flush 4 gallons fresh for 8 ounces of urine-at home.
It’s the old adage “If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”
A ‘trick’ another truck driver told me about for opening questionable doors was to use your left hand pinky finger to grab the handle at the bottom to open it. Reason being, most people grab the handle near or at the top to pull open because that’s just natural. Also, if you’re then going down the road and eating something, it’s probably in your RIGHT hand (assuming you’re right-handed, as most people are) so you’re protecting yourself that way as well. Depending on the situation, there may not be an opportunity to wash up. There are MANY doors out there. I’m not really a paranoid person but . . . . .
Another tip: Close the lid in the pit toilet when you are done using it. The holding tanks are vented and closing the lid really helps to keep the odor under control somewhat.
When my son lived in the dorm during his first semester in college, he didn’t like the shared bathroom at all. Through clenched teeth he said, They don’t flush, Mom!
People who refuse to flush a toilet after use are simply stupid ignorant inconsiderate people who only think of themselves in every aspect of their lives. Remember, no matter how big your hammer is you cant pound common sense into stupid people and you can’t FIX stupid.
So True, “You Can’t Fix Stupid”! As a side comment, these people are usually very filthy and unsanitary people overall, these are the same people that throw their trash on the roads, instead of putting it in a Trash Can. One of the main reasons I try NOT to use public restrooms and if I have too, I try not to touch anything and wash my hands completely, then use a paper towel to open the door. Amazing how people are so inconsiderate of other people!