Page Contents
March 27, 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.
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QUICK TIPS
Motorhoming: To toad or not to toad
Our first year RVing, we drove our 1994 Class C motorhome to 48 states without a tow vehicle. This meant Heath drove our rig through cities like Austin, Los Angeles, New York City, Cleveland, San Francisco, and many others. What we liked about NOT having a tow car: We saved a couple of thousand dollars by not having to buy a tow package or tow dolly. Driving without a tow car was one less stress factor as a new RVer. We saved a few minutes of time when leaving campgrounds and arriving by not having to hook up a tow car. Better gas mileage. The ability to visit more places. For example, if we towed a car, we wouldn’t have been able to take the Pacific Coast Highway all the way from LA to Portland because of the 30-foot limit.
The downside of not towing a car: If we wanted to visit major cities, we had to drive our RV into downtown areas. Trying to find a 29-foot parking spot was always stressful. Our RV was our only vehicle for errands. If we wanted to make a quick run to the grocery store, we had to pack everything up and move.
—From Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV: Everything I Wish I Knew Before Full-Time RVing Across America.
RV Electricity Seminar Series kicking off June 8
RV electricity authority Mike Sokol will kick off a national seminar series about RV electricity on June 8 just outside Hagerstown, Maryland, sponsored by RVtravel.com. He will teach a basic class in the morning followed by an advanced class in the afternoon. Read more about the seminars and let us know if you are interested in attending in person or via a live stream.
WORTH PONDERING
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity, and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” —John Muir
MORE QUICK TIPS
Traveling cats? Claw deterrent!
Keeping the claws out of the RV furniture when traveling with felines is like a search for the Holy Grail. One method is to provide a scratching post they’ll enjoy more than sticking their nails in your leather sofa. By nature, cats like to hitch their front paws up high and pull down hard. If your dinette table is supported by a stainless post-in-a-socket, try wrapping a carpet sample around the post (cut to size as required), then using duct tape to hold it tight to the post. More details from fiveinafifth.com.
More space for ‘tater chips? Hang ’em high!
Here’s a most unusual way to store potato chips and the like in your RV pantry. Use skirt/pant hangers to hang the open bags – keeps the chips fresh, and not getting pounded to powder on the shelf. Thanks to petrolhat.com for the idea.
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
The best state parks in Oregon
Skip the popular tourist traps and head to one of these 20 beautiful state parks in the Pacific Wonderland.
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
Protect yourself from intruders, bears and more!
*Used by the RV Travel staff!
The BASUeAlarm lets us explore, sleep, and adventure with confidence! This tiny keychain device emits an ear-piercing alarm to scare away intruders, burglars, wild animals, and will call for help if you’re stranded. You can count on this alarm to help keep you safe. Click here to learn more or order.
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
A snail took his car to a paint shop.
He had them paint a giant S on the side. When he was cruising down the street someone yelled out, “Look at that S car go!”
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising director: Emily Woodbury. 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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I guess I’ll stick to my truck and travel trailer.
S Car Go, one of my least favorite dishes, but I got It….LOL
My wife and I have been full timing since June 2, 2018. we have traveled from PA to CO up thru Canada to AK down the west coast across the south to Florida and currently working our way back to PA. without a toad we would not have been able to see and enjoy all the amazing things and sites this country and Canada have to offer. We have tried all forms of towing, car trailer, dolly and flat towing. Flat towing works best as it only take a few minutes to hook up and unhook.
The BASUeAlarm is rated unreliable, easily taken away and , useless in remote areas. I recommend wasp spray or bear repellant. It disables them and doesn’t kill them. And is defensible.
Our rig, “Terrapin,” is reminiscent of Humphrey Pennyworth & his aft-mounted rolling hut. No need for a toad: we just lower the StableLift, drive out from under the camper, and tour the surrounding area. Or do whatever else. Comes time to depart, we raise it up, load it up, and we’re off again. Even loaded we can drive and park most anywhere. Of course it helps to have an older rig with the standard cab (no jump or crew seats) and a full 8-foot box for the 9.5′ load. We’re under 20′ and pay the same as a toad for Puget Sound ferry crossings!
I worked 40+ years as an auto technician, I saw a friend weld his finger when his ring shorted on the positive post of an alternator. I’ve been married almost 39 years, I don’t need a ring to cut off circulation.
With regard to rings: My wife had mine welded on in 1966 – not even surgery can break it loose! I also have a (male) diamond ring on the right hand finger – but it isn’t welded!
We don’t toad either, with a 34′ Class A – but at times it would have been nice to be able to visit an off campground site or an area where we can’t fit a MH. I haven’t been able to justify the cost and inconvenience of a toad for sight seeing. We usually plan ahead with provisions, so shopping isn’t a problem.
The joke is a groaner – but I love it – makes ya’ think just a little! Cute. (I haven’t seen the movie either!)
One ring, went on in April 1962 and never been off. Bought it small so it wouldn’t catch on anything and now it would not come off. Always said if necessary it could have to be cut off.
Got tired of picking up and driving 28 ft C just to go to store so we bought a fiver. That was great. Leave everything and go in truck. Much more pleasant to travel with. Saw a lot more of country that way at a greatly reduced cost for fuel.
We have a 32 foot Mh and do not tow a car. If we camp fairly local to our home, my DW follows me with a car. If we go on a trip, we use public transportation, a taxi, bicycles or rent a car. I prefer not to tow or buy a car just for towing. I like the cars I already own and do not want a dolly to deal with either. I respect everyone’s choice to travel how they are most comfortable.
We have a class B. When we hook up we only turn on the propane and plug in electricity. Less than five minutes to hook up or break down. No problem using the MH for local transportation; and it’s easy to park.
We have a 33 ft class A and no toad. We have discussed it and cussed it, and see the problems getting fuel and backing etc. Have rented but sometimes the rental places are so far away. We just camped with our oldest daughter who had a Uber contract and that seemed to work. We will sign up for Uber and Lyft for our next 2 month journey. Figure if we have both that one would be available in rural areas
I’ve done both over more than a decade. I liked the freedom but not the tension of towing with the MH — gas stations, naughty GPS directions, etc. Then again, try getting Uber and Lyft in the dry-camping lovely deserts of the Southwest. I winter in AZ and am fifty miles from the nearest “supermarket.” Without a toad, that mileage adds up on my “C,” not to mention cost of gas. That said, with a towed/toad (the former seems more sensible to me) you have cost of braking system, tow bar, monthly payments for exclusively a tow car, insurance, etc. Does it make sense to do that for two to three months of travel per year? Depends on what luxuries you allow yourself and where you like to travel to.
Maybe it’s a general mobility thing, but I’m still surprised by folks saying you can’t run errands if you drive a bus. I have a large TT and can thus freely detach and use my pickup, but most of the time I either walk or peddle a bike for errands until I move the trailer again. If couldn’t peddle, I’d have a moped or scooter. Towing a whole extra car for fetching carry-able things seems excessive.
If you are full-time rving, like my wife and I, you’re spending more time in the tow vehicle than the RV. We don’t just use it for errands but site seeing and day trips to nearby places. We had a 5er for the first year and the big 2500 Dodge diesel got to be to rough and to high off the ground for my wife.
When their mind decides they are
John Muir quote re: “thousands” of people going to parks and wilderness areas . . . if only! Now it’s millions and millions, and some parks like Zion may require a reservation just to get IN (not camp) during busy weeks.
I wear my wedding ring constantly. The only time is has been off for more than a few minutes is when I had to have surgery on that hand. After 49 years, it’s part of me.
They would have to perform surgery to get mine off. Guess after 47 years I am not as slim as I use to be.
I had to move my wedding band to my R. little finger about a year ago, not because of any weight gain but because of enlarged knuckles from arthritis. I didn’t want to get to the point of needing to have the ring cut off.
Rings … most of the time none … depending on how “dressed up” I am one, two, three or more!
For work, I drive solo in a 40’DP with a toad. For me the worst part about towing (with my tow bar) is not being able to back up. Just last weekend I went down an unknown road and ended up having to unhook, turn both RV and toad around, and re-hook. Although, the inconvenience only took 10 minutes.
We have a toad with our rig. It is just so useful for exploring the areas we are in. We drive our 32 foot rig to a destination and then the Jeep is good for getting to trailheads, towns and other attractions. Having a toad is useful in areas where it is hard to find a car rental place. The change in gas mileage is negligible and since we are not in any hurry, the 5 minutes it takes to hook and unhook is not a problem. When we traded our fifth wheel for an motor home, (that is a story for another time), we tried a couple of trips without a tow car and absolutely hated it. The only thing about towing 4 down is not being able to back up without unhooking, but with proper travel planning and fuel stops, at stations with the islands running parallel to the stores, it is not a problem.
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We don’t toad either, ben to the grand canyon and back , will rent a car if necessary.