Issue 1063 • March 7, 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
WiFi endoscope lets you peep where your eyes won’t go
Ever wondered what the inside of your black water tank looked like? Is that “tank blaster” really doing the job, or are there Klingons lurking on the insides of your tank? You can’t just eyeball the inside of the tank – or can you? With a flexible endoscope, you can run a tiny camera down for a “look around,” and get an eyeful of information on your tablet or phone. There are, no doubt, other places where you might want to “see” but the limitations of your old body just don’t permit it. It’s no stretch to envision peeping down in those dead spaces of your recliner or couch to find missing keys, remotes, small dogs, etc. Here’s a ‘scope you can pick up for less than $40 on Amazon.
Stay for free at more than 700 wineries and farms
With a Harvest Hosts membership, you can stay overnight at more than 700 wineries, farms, breweries, etc., for free! Harvest Hosts offers an alternative to traditional campgrounds, where members can meet interesting people, taste great wines, eat fresh produce and stay in peaceful settings. (RVtravel.com recently stayed in a blueberry orchard.) Save 15 percent by using code HHFRIENDS15 at checkout. Learn more.
MORE QUICK TIPS
Stop losing those remotes!
Seems like anytime you have “entertainment” in your rig, you’ve got to have at least two, if not three or even more, remote controls. Blasted things are equipped with batteries, and like the Energizer Bunny, they keep on going – anywhere but where they should. So get a piece of double-stick Velcro-back tape and stick those critters where they belong – and stop having to go looking for them.
The pros of flat-towing
It just takes a minute to hook up the car for towing (plus a couple minutes of running the engine). We have a much better turn radius while flat towing versus the dolly. I’m not worried about our car falling off the tow dolly and smashing into someone. It’s less stressful knowing we have a Brake Buddy auxiliary braking system that will pump the brakes when we drive downhill and stop the car should it, for whatever reason, detach from the tow bar. Conclusion: Towing flat behind the RV is our clear winner because we can’t think of any cons. —From Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV: Everything I Wish I Knew Before Full-Time RVing Across America
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
The best campgrounds in National Parks
This article from Fodor’s Travel shows the 25 best campgrounds in America’s National Parks. We’d like to set up shop (er, the RV) at Lower Pines Campgrounds – looks beautiful!
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
New & interesting finds on Amazon
See what really cool stuff Amazon is featuring today. It’s a whole lot of fun just browsing through all these great items. The selection changes every day, so check back often. You never know what you will find, which is part of the fun of visiting here. Check it out.
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
After regretting buying a new sail for my boat, Amazon told me it was too late to cancel my order.
That sail has shipped.
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
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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.
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.
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This newsletter is copyright 2019 by RVtravel.com
Sirs, as a new reader I thought you were a no BS company. With great anticipation I read the following and was surprised to find all of these items listed in your above blog. I’m about to regret subscribing as they find these things would be most interesting but not found! ….SEE YOUR EMAIL TO ME > March 9, 2019
RV Travel Newsletter
Issue 887
PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO FIND THE FOLLOWING: noted with “XXXX”…..
Cover story
* Good Sam Club drops basic member benefit.
PLUS
* Poll: Where are you reading this newsletter? XXXX
* What we learned about you last week (always fun and interesting). XXXX
* Drive with your hazard flashers on? XXXX
* Sully Sullenberger to speak at FMCA convention. FOUND ON ANOTHER BLOG OF YOURS!
* Watch out: Topless RVer ahead. XXXX
* REV Group loses $14.6 million in first quarter of 2019 XXXX
* History of Caravans – From our friends across the pond. XXXX
* Clothes pins. Not just for clothes anymore. XXXX
* What is the Good Sam Club, exactly? XXXX
* Don’t settle for the “runt” when buying an RV. XXXX
* Building an RV Park: Decisions, decisions. It’s showtime! XXXX
* Western Views: There’s more to Barstow than a quick stop for gas and grub. XXXX
* RVer Safety: A case study: Murder on the Bear River. XXXX
* Work Camping: Dealing with health issues XXXX
* RV Shrink: New RVer having difficulty adjusting to “minuscule” kitchen XXXX
* RV Doctor: Can you change a tire if you need to? Are you sure? XXXX
* RV Electricity: What’s a modified/stepped inverter? XXXX
* RV Tires: Are ST tires the “best” tires made? XXXX
* Free and bargain camping.
Regards,
/s/
Tommy Schmitt US Army retired
1315 NASA Parkway, Apt. 361, Houston, TX 77058
Email: t.l.schmitt@icloud.com
Phone: 281-917-1754
Hi, Tommy,
We apologize for the confusion. The email you receive, which advises of the newest newsletter which has been published, includes a link to the newsletter (just click on it to go to the entire newsletter), as well as listing some of the articles to be found in that newsletter. So the email you described is for our Saturday RV Travel Newsletter. In the email it also includes a link at the bottom to the most recent RV Daily Tips newsletter (from the Thursday just prior to the Saturday email) — for anyone who may be interested. I hope this helps clear up the confusion. And, more importantly, thank you for your service. Have a good evening. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
WRT food allergies. According to my very in-your-face, rude-as-heck doctor I have a sensitivity to walnuts (throat feels as though it’s closing, tongue and lips tingle) if it was an allergy I’d be dead.
I’m on a seefood diet. I see food and just have to eat it.
I am jealous of the 92% of you that do not have a food allergy. I found out about my 4 a little over a year ago. One is legumes which includes soy. Very difficult to find foods that do not contain soy other than “raw”.
We have had a tow dolly and we also flat tow, but I don’t think the endorsement that there are no cons is unfair. Here are a few off the top of my head:
1. It requires addition of equipment to the car. A tow dolly with brakes can tow many more cars.
2. The list of flat towable cars is much shorter than the list of cars that be towed on a dolly.
3. The cost of a tow bar, auxiliary brakes, and lights can be much more expensive than a tow dolly.
But in most states and provinces the dolly has to have insurance and a plate. If neither and it is stolen you are out of pocket and if for some reason either the dolly of the car hit something you are on the hook for the damages
We have been flat towing our Honda CR-V since 2007 with no problems. It’s a front wheel drive automatic and the odometer does not work when towing. Be sure to check the manual before towing anything to be sure it’s safe and if there are any restrictions.
How come no pictures for last two days?
Good question, John. Thanks! I’ll ask our IT folks. In the copies we’re looking at while working on the newsletters the images show up, but I just went into the issues “anonymously” and the images are missing. Yikes! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. —Diane at RVtravel.com
If one flat tows, does the odometer move on the towed vehicle?
Mine does not. With all the electronics these days, most if not all will not.
That’s a concern I hadn’t thought of… there is wear and tear to rolling that wouldn’t be “recorded.” Imagine buying a “low milage” car with only 30K on the odometer, but actually was dragged 200K… no thanks!
Not on a 2013 Kia. Soul m/t.
Yes. We towed our 1988 Samari “rock crawler” behind our 22 ft Lazy Daze for 10 years. We had to prove that 90% of the miles were tow miles to our insurance co.
Now we have our 37ft “live aboard” and she gets to ride in the toy hauler.
Would love to be able to flat tow, but that would mean buying a different car, most front wheel drive vehicles aren’t flat towable
try Honda HRV. most automobiles with manual transmission are towable. Check FMCA’s towing guide, updated yearly. I tow my Honda Fit easily, friends tow Kia Soul just as easily. May have to relearn old skills.
I prefer a standard, and usually drive my automatic car in electric shift manual-ish mode. Its getting hard to get real manual cars since clutch drivers are a dying breed. BTW, my AWD car shouldn’t be towed with ANY wheels down… flatbed only according to factory.
The Pros of Flat Towing.
I too enjoy flat towing, for all the reasons listed above. The only thing. I don’t like is that you can’t back up and I need to always keep this in mind when traveling. For example, I was at a gas station, where it didn’t show the newly installed “island” layout upgrade on Google maps. I thought I could make the turnout but it was too tight. I had to un-hitch the Jeep so I could back up to clear the new islands, after refuelling. It is also more difficult to get the hitch pins out when the tow vehicle is not straight behind the rig.
One of the best tips I have read on RV daily tips is how to free up the pins on my tow when they get I in a bind. Just turn the tow car wheels to the left and right and it will give you enough slak to pull the pins out. I use it all the time.
I wish this worked all the time. For my set-up it very seldom works and I have to pry or beat them out.
Another question, how do you see any responses to your answers?
Chuck, are you asking RVtravel.com how to see responses to your answers? If so, go to the bottom of the article that you commented on, below where it says to Leave a Reply and above the first comment. Click on the Subscribe down-arrow, select “new replies to my comments” and then insert your email address and click the arrow. You will be notified by email if anyone replies to your comment. You can unsubscribe from that option if you change your mind. Another way would just be to check back under the comments in the article and see if anyone left a response to your comment. I hope this helps. Have a good evening. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Yes allergy to all citrus, haven’t been able to even have an orange since I was fifteen, can’t even touch any, and I live in Florida
I don’t have any food allergy rather a food addiction especially Thai food. My Thai wife is one excellent cook when it comes to authentic Thai food. We will succumb to an awesome steak dinner on rare occasions at the only steak house we prefer, the Texas Roadhouse. Their bone-in Rib-Eye is the best!
I picked up an endoscope similar to the one featured around Christmas, and it is indeed very useful for peeking into tanks and pipes and chimneys and chainsaw cylinders… Mine is a little different in that the camera is a USB webcam in its own right, with the transmitter in the battery pack, and I have found that the video is clearer and higher frame-rate plugged directly into laptop or phone instead of going through the Wi-Fi. I got the 1600×1200 camera, battery/ transmitter, 3 end tips, and a 4′ telescoping wand all for $20.
Wolfe,
Would you please post a link for this. Thx!
I have been asked by RVT not to post direct links outside Amazon’s affiliate program.
With a little googling, Mohammed ALI would get just the camera EXPRESS for $4 with a $3 new customer coupon (yes, $1 delivered free in 3 weeks!), or the whole kit I got for $14 ($11…).
I guess I understand, but not really about not posting! Please email me if you can:
davtel@dslextreme.com I hope I dont start an avalanche!
Thanks Dave
Wolfe shops at AliExpress, an online retail service based in China that is owned by Alibaba. We do not include their links on RVtravel.com because we don’t know anything about their products or service other than what we hear from Wolfe. So if he recommends something, the recommendation is strictly from Wolfe and not from RVtravel.com. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks Wolfe… Was able to decipher your cryptographic code! Now, can you share the model you chose to order…there are quite a few to choose from. Would appreciate any help you could provide.
And for RVT staff… I will price compare/shop on Amazon using the link on this web-site for best deal. No reason to ask people not to share their product purchases and ideas on this forum, regardless of where they were purchased.
Thanks, Mitch. We don’t mind so much when people share their product purchases and ideas, so long as our readers understand that the recommendations and referrals are not from RVtravel.com since we can’t vouch for those products and sources. But we don’t want outside links posted, for one reason, because that is sending people off our website and to an outside website, which we also can’t vouch for, and possibly exposing them to spam or whatever. We have our hands full just keeping our website free from spam and nonstop hackers, and keeping our readers “safe.” Unknown links posted on our website, i.e., in the Comments, could possibly open up a huge can of worms for us and our readers. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Understood…thanks for taking the time to explain
You’re welcome, Mitch. Have a good evening. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks for the thorough explanation, Diane.
You’re welcome, Sherry. We just try to watch out for our readers and tend to err on the side of caution. Better safe than sorry. (All right. That’s enough cliches for now. 😯 ) Have a good night. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
That rationale seems peculiar… readers go off RVT linking to Amazon et al too. Ironically, Amazon is a reseller for AE (not Prime eligible? 3 week ETA? Arrives in a white bag? Yep!!!). The difference is a 4X markup, of course.
The goods are generally Chinese made, but these days you can’t escape that anyway most times. Its a lot better quality than Chinese used to mean, though… in probably a thousand items from them, I’ve only had a dozen disappointments, and they’ve cheerfully refunded under “not as represented.”
Spam… almost none. Amazon bugs you if you leave things in your cart. AE vendors I’ve ordered from may send me an email if I want to buy more at a loyalty discount. That’s fair.
Web danger is about as safe as any other site on the web. Their site seems safe and secure, but wandering away is always possible. They offer many payment options, so choose whichever processor you feel safest with.
I don’t represent AE. I don’t collect any kickbacks from them (unfortunately?). I just order from them a LOT. As Diane indicates, use your own judgement, but I’ve been satisfied.
Instead of a bunch of links, just go to the general site, search “endoscope” and scroll down the item descriptions. You can filter by seller ratings and item options just like ebay.
For this scope, you can get different resolutions, cable lengths, tips and rods, USB/WiFi/both, etc. Just read carefully so you get what you want (the $1 endoscope I mentioned was only 640×480, but should work for many things… think where you send this and whether you want to clean it for a buck!)
Ordering other items, pay attention to international options (you probably want 110V and US plugs, eh?). Shipping is generally free unless you want it faster, 21 days typically but sometimes the planes align and you’ll get it in days.
-Wolfe
Yes please post the site where it can be purchased, your not shy are you! LOL
Dave