Monday, March 23, 2020
Welcome to another edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and living tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, tips on our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
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Today’s thought
“To slow down is to be taken into the soul of things.” —Terry Tempest Williams
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Puppy Day!
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Coronavirus Updates for RVers
Because so much is happening, and so fast, we are separating our daily coronavirus news updates into its own file.
There is so much interest now on how the virus is impacting our lives as RVers, our staff is devoting more time to keeping you informed of critical matters that affect how you use and travel with your RV.
Read today’s coronavirus news updates for RVers.
New Facebook Group: How the coronavirus is impacting RVers. Learn about park closings, cancelled rallies and RV shows — and more. Your input requested.
If you are a member of an RV club or are affiliated with an RV-related event would you please let us know if its gatherings, meetings, etc., are cancelled or postponed because of the coronavirus? We’ll pass along the info to our readers. We appreciate any news related to RVing that’s being affected by the virus. Please submit it here. Thank you!
Tip of the Day
Buffing out your RV finish
By Fred Burns
One of the bigger projects in maintaining your RV is keeping the outer shell clean and shiny. This involves frequent application of a good wax. It also means using a buffing compound and buffer after a few years when the finish starts to fade or get chalky. Is your RV at the point where it needs rejuvenating? Read how to do it here.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
RV Electricity – This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Do I need a generator grounding rod? A reader asks Mike if he has to ground his new generator to a ground electrode, as the manual says.
• Sign up for Mike’s monthly RV Electricity Newsletter.
• While you’re at it, be sure to join his popular Facebook group, RV Electricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
You dirty rat! Do mice really hate soap?
Chris Dougherty, certified RV technician, received a letter from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor. The reader had a tip about keeping mice out of RVs, and it’s a good one. Chris weighs in on the topic.
Reader poll
Readers tell us
Would you like to own and operate an RV park if given the opportunity? See what fellow RVers said here.
‘Earthquake Putty’ a favorite of RVers, keeps stuff in place
Do you have items in your RV you like to keep in place — on a table, bedstand or counter? You need this. Collectors Hold Museum Putty is designed to keep items secure in earthquakes! Hey, a moving RV is a constant earthquake! To use this, pull off what you need, roll until soft, apply to the base of the object then lightly press it to the surface. Later, it comes off clean. RVers love it! Cheap, too! Learn more or order.
Helpful resources
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION.
• ROAD AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION.
• WEATHER ALERTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
• CURRENT WILDFIRE REPORT.
• LATEST RV RECALLS.
Quick Tip
Keep your powder-type fire extinguisher contents loose
Every month turn your RV’s “powder type” fire extinguisher upside down and shake it hard, even tap the bottom of it with a screwdriver handle. The constant shaking and rattling of going down the road can compact the dry chemical in the device, and you need to loosen it up to ensure it comes out when you need it.
Random RV Thought
Having a campfire is worth it if you can cook over it. Throw some salmon in tin foil and cook it. Hot dogs? Yup. Skewered veggies? Delicious. It’s a fun way to cook dinner.
Eliminate hose crimping at the faucet!
Sometimes it’s a real pain hooking up your hose to a faucet or to your RV. This Camco flexible hose protector is the answer. Its easy gripper makes attaching the hose effortless. It’s compliant with all federal and state low-level lead laws, too. Every RVer should have one or two of these. Super low price, too. Learn more or order.
Website of the day
Virtually tour museums!
If you’re stuck at home or in your RV, now might be a good time to virtually tour a world-famous museum. Here’s a list of 12 museums you can walk through from your couch.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Wife critiques every campsite, driving hubby nuts.
• Another RV Horror Story, again about Camping World.
• The future of RVing is not necessarily pretty.
#899-1
TOILET PAPER: If you can’t find it locally, you might want to try here.
Trivia
Many people believe that Arizona’s Meteor Crater was misnamed and should instead be called “Meteorite Crater.” However, the site actually isn’t named for the object that created it. The crater was named after the closest nearby post office, Meteor Post Office.
Leave here with a laugh
I spotted an albino dalmatian yesterday. It was the least I could do.
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY!
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Advertising director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
This website utilizes some advertising services. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
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 2020 by RVtravel.com
I look forward to the whole newsletter
Changed my vote to other after reading comments as I realized that there is no one favorite. I Enjoy many parts with only one exception, that is your constant bashing of Camping World.
Thanks for a well done newsletter.
I answered”other” to today’s survey. I look forward to the whole newsletter, read it top to bottom.
I agree! I answered other for the same reason.
I enjoy several sections of RV Travel, the poll needs to have multiple answers.
RV news is the first thing I read every morning, that is if I have plugged in the kindle last night.
I enjoy the entire newsletter. you need to add(all of the above). Thanks for keeping this going during these uncertain times. Stay safe.
I selected other, in this case meaning all of the above. Arising most mornings by 4:30 a.m., my first cup of coffee includes digesting ALL of the daily newsletter.
Doing that just skews the results. So “other” could mean the ads, or the reminders to help fund the newsletter. To each their own I guess.
Should have all the above vote. I read all stories even though there are a few jokes I wish I hadn’t read😜
Too many parts of the newsletter that I enjoy. Have to opt for “all”!
Everything is read. This is important addition to my morning coffee. At least part of my world that I can relate to my life.
I like the whole newsletter. It is the first thing I read in the morning and would hate to think any of the topics went missing because of a poll showed one more popular than another.
in your reader poll – I think your news letter is a balanced , information filled, and knowledgeable of all things RV . and I think no ,one thing defines it. its a cohesive collection of information that defines the pitfalls …..and the joys of RVing
All of it.
I clicked “other” in the daily poll as far as what I love most about the newsletter. I read the entire newsletter and love it all. The daily poll is fun, love the quote of the day, the Amazon best RV product, the RV industry updates, article of the day. Great job you all and thanks for your wonderful newsletter.
I chose “Other” on survey as to what I look forward to when reading the newsletter. I don’t have one special section that I like better than another. I enjoy it all and thanks to those who put it together.
Oh come on. There is no Meteor Post Office. The nearest is Winslow. Beside that. The hole was first. Later, people named it Meteor Crater. So it is Meteor Crater even if it was caused by a flying saucer.
“The general public knows his (Barringer) discovery as “Meteor Crater”; its proper scientific name, as determined by the Meteoritical (sic) Society, is The Barringer Meteorite Crater.”
I start at the top and read to the bottom.
Like all of your newsletters. Have been RVing for about 45 years so most things have been heard of, tried, seen or experienced. Worked in an RV Park for about 14 summers and should have wrote down all the things we’ve seen and heard.
It’s been a fun life.
I read every word of the newsletter. I find it quite uplifting and informative. Do I find something I infrequently disagree with? Yeh. But it certainly doesn’t ruin my day.
To you and the entire staff: keep up the good work. We out here depend on your reporting.
RV Electricity
Thank you for the toilet paper link.
I enjoy most all aspects of the newsletter, but none of them get me excited.
What part of reading the RV Travel Newsletter is supposed to make a person excited? Its a newsletter. You read it and move on!!
The Entire Newsletter!
I miss Dell Bert’s column!
I look forward to reading every section of the newsletter! If something really doesn’t apply to me, I still skim over it. Thanks for doing a great job with the newsletter! 😊
All the above!
I enjoy RV Electricity. He does just a great job and explaining things.
I like to read the whole newsletter every day! Thanks!
Alan Goldberg
Changed my vote to other after reading comments as I realized that there is no one favorite. I Enjoy many parts with only one exception, that is your constant bashing of Camping World.
Thanks for a well done newsletter.
My wife and I have a nice personal time together every morning over coffee as I read out loud the Laugh of the Day, Trivia, Survey, Today’s Thought, and Poll.
My vote would go to the Whole thing as I read it from top to bottom and most often share the Laugh of the day, and other things that I know would be of interest as she sits here next to me as I am reading. Joe & Helen Hesketh
Even though I voted for the tips, I enjoy the entire news letter. Keep up the great work.
I look forward to all of the above!
Thanks for the TP link, but no thanks for the 3 and 4-ply types. Not for our motorhome, in which we are currently holed up in Arizona. I’ll guess we’ll try senior shopping at 7 AM
I enjoy all of the information shared. Keep up the great work. Totally Hitched
I enjoy the complete news letter. All the different articles make it an interesting read.
Keep up the good work, We need your info to keep us informed on the RV life.
## 1,2,3,8,9, and anything else that catches my eye! I look forward to all.
AOTA (All Of The Above). I like to take my time and read through the whole newsletter.
Pretty much enjoy the whole newsletter. Nice job!
The entire newsletter
I like technical topics
Some days it’s one thing the next day it’s another and some days it’s everything. How could I possibly choose. Keep up the good work.
which feature…ALL OF IT! great job but REALLY look forward to the RV parks open/closed section these days.
I had to vote “Other”. I enjoy the newsletter from top to bottom. Great newsletter!! If a specific article is not really applicable to my rving experience, read it just the same. Have to be knowledgeable for those discussions with fellow rvers out on the road!!
It is such a part of my life it was too hard to pick just one.
There isn’t any section of the newsletter that I don’t enjoy. Maybe not in each letter but always something in one of them. Sometimes I disagree and sometimes I agree with a post, but if I feel strongly about something either way I’ll use this section (comment) to note my humble opinion. Thanks for the great work and also for addressing the covid section as thoroughly as you do.
Comment on my own post..others said the same thing much more succinctly and I do agree .. quit with the Camping World bashing as they will make or break on their reputation on their own.
I like most of the items in the poll but Mike Sokol’s articles are great.
I like it all; I can read the articles that interest me and look for answers on areas that I need help to explain what to do
I, too, look forward to everything in the newsletter.
The RV Shrink
I look forward to the whole newsletter as it is informative and novel and a great way to start the day.
“Cover to cover”. Great read.
I like the WHOLE newsletter…Keep up the GREAT work….
I’m just so grateful to have the newsletter! I don’t know what i’d do without it these days of being home bound in our sticks/bricks house rather than on the road where i’d prefer to be. there is so much to read that i’m interested in that it was hard to click on the above poll. thanks so much for keeping us informed!!!!
Chuck, if you have done a poll on the readers average age, can you restate? I suspect the majority are seniors or close to it. The Virus articles are important to all, but especially so to us ‘seasoned’ citizens.
Hey, I read it all and I don’t mind the Marcus Bashing.
I like the whole newsletter, not always one thing.
I like the entire Daily Tips newsletter. What I wait for every week, however, is the Sunday RVTravel Newsletter, with its link to Free and Inexpensive Overnight RV Parking Locations.
😉 —Diane at RVtravel.com
I checked “other” on the poll, I like the whole newsletter!
On the buffing article. A random orbit buffer makes the job even easier and almost impossible to burn the surface.
I checked “Other,” I like all of the newsletter. I miss the “what we learned about you” portion of the weekend edition.
I enjoy all sections of the newsletter. It is much more than the sum of its parts. Each morning it’s a balanced cross section of what I like about RVing. Especially during the times I am not traveling. Thank you all for your contributions.
I chose “Tips” – but actually it is all of it! It’s very good. I sort of look forward to the Rv Shrink, Roger Marbel, Mike Sokol and the Rv Dr. (not in that order per se’) with their learned advice. Very helpful for us fortunate enough to be do it your-selfers.
One thing I really dislike is the political comments and degrading our President and leaders whom ever they happen be! They are elected by us – respect that if nothing else!
Thanks Chuck and staff as well. Stay well and be careful!
I chose “Other” because I find the entire newsletter informing and interesting. Nice work. Keep it up.
Same answer.
Other: All COVID19 Information relating to RVs, otherwise I always browse right to RV maintenance topics.
I can’t say I like any one part of the newsletter better than the others. I read the whole newsletter every day.
I read each section on every posting. It’s like recipe…..if you leave something out……it’s not right.
Regarding today’s reader poll, the portion of the newsletter I look forward to the most is the RV Horror Stories section. Not because others have suffered economic loss and injuries, but their misfortunes many times provide warnings regarding unsafe practices or preventative measures. Plus, there’s good advice on dealing with unscrupulous dealers or manufacturers.
I read most, or all, but I search out Mike’s articles specifically.
I chose “other” on the quiz, as I look forward to all of the newsletter! Thank you!
I like the complete newsletter. Both me and the wife read the whole thing.
What part of this newsletter do you look forward to the most?
All of It
This is really not,to me , a good survey because I look forward to reading the whole letter. Sometimes parts aren’t as interesting as other parts. I like and look forward to reading it all. I answered the feature article.
Late coming in here but I also read this newsletter from top to bottom. sometimes having to put it aside and come back later. One of the best parts about this which Chuck so cleverly addresses is the ability for the reader to come back to an issue by clicking on a field he leaves open for that purpose. Sure makes it easy to get back on track or pic up where one left off or return to or read all over again, which i frequently do
Question – how has this person with a small dedicated group of people kept this thing going so long and constantly is able to fill it to the brim with new fresh reading material that makes everyone of us better people at home and on the road? That is one very good journalist in the wheelhouse
Thanks for the list of Museums – I’m taking a trip from the comfort of my lazy boy in the next few days when I have time after a day playing in the garage.
I’m retired. The last thing I want is to have my time taken up with another job. I’d much rather enjoy my time travelling in my RV having fun in other peoples campgrounds.
I read the whole newsletter. I do not think that I have chosen a favorite section. Other was the only inclusive answer.
I agree enjoy all of it.
Fire extinguishers don’t need to be shaken or beat on. The powder will settle back down very quickly. This will not prevent them from working. Apart of my job is servicing fire extinguishers. I have blown out many that are years old. If they still have pressure, they will work. This myth has bin around a long time.
Mike, you asked about my ‘favorite’ part of the newsletter. It varies, often from newsletter to newsletter. I guess my favorite(s) are the parts that currently apply to me and my situation but I really like them all. Any article where I learn something new would qualify as a favorite.
I selected feature article but I really read all of it. However, the joke went over my head today???
Hey, Max. (My late dad’s name, BTW.) It was an albino dalmation, which means it didn’t have the normal spots. So they “spotted” it — i.e., put some spots on it. Does that help? Take care. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
i chose the reader pole but like the complete daily tips news letter
I like Today’s Thought. Makes me think. 🙂