Monday, April 20, 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
“If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Lima Bean Respect Day! (Hmmm, I don’t think so. Just sayin’. —Diane)
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News 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.
RV Life in a Coronavirus World: A story of a converted school bus and wild cows
We have asked RVtravel.com readers to tell us how they are adapting to life these days.
“In our first RV, our first cross-country trip was with our two kids – we were home schooling at the time. It was in the Badlands where we became hooked on the RV lifestyle. On our way back north, from the west coast, we stopped in Charleston, SC, and fell in love with southern living. We stayed there for 15 years…” Continue reading Tim’s story.
Tip of the Day
RV Electricity: How much power do I have?
Dear Mike,
I’ve just got an RV and need to use it for COVID-19 isolation since my wife is a health care provider and she doesn’t want to come in the house after her shift. The RV is hooked up in my backyard with an extension cord and everything was working fine until she ran the air conditioner and microwave at the same time – that’s when it tripped the circuit breaker in my house. I keep resetting the breaker, but it trips again. Is there something wrong with my circuit breaker? Or is it possible the RV is drawing too much power? Should I get an electrician to fix it? I have a good electrician but I don’t even know what to ask for. —Stan
• 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.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Keep little kids from falling out your RV’s front door
Here are two great safety tips from our long-time reader and RVer George Bliss in Saskatchewan, Canada. From personal experience watching his grandkids, he designed an easy way for them to open the door of his RV from the outside without falling backwards down the steps. He also figured out a simple way to keep them from opening the screen door from the inside and falling out. Read more.
Reader poll
Cooking for two? It’s never been easier!
This cookbook from the beloved America’s Test Kitchen brings you 650 delicious recipes specifically designed for just two people! 150 of those recipes can be on the table within 30 minutes or less – this cookbook has it all! Look through some of the recipes, read the amazing reviews, or order here.
Readers tell us
What is your current relationship status? Find out what fellow RVers said here. (Note: There’s some pretty heart-melt-worthy content in here.)
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
Easy way to add water to batteries
When adding distilled water to your batteries, a turkey baster makes the job very easy rather than trying to pour in the water from a bottle. Our thanks to Ruth DeBay
Strengthen your hands, fingers and forearms
Here’s a great, easy way to build up the strength in your hands, fingers or forearms. Perfect for RVers. If you suffer from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis or tennis elbow this is for you. It’s also great for simply building up the strength of your grip. This is a best seller and costs about $8. Learn more or order.
Random RV Thought
While you’re stuck at home or in your RV, how about using the time to learn a second language? There are plenty of language apps and tapes available and even tutorials on YouTube. Don’t just watch the TV all the time.
Website of the day
Virtual ways to travel through the pandemic
Stroll through the tulip fields in the Netherlands, take a nighttime ghost tour through Charleston, walk along and learn about the Giants Causeway, watch the northern lights, ride a Disney roller coaster, and more with these amazing virtual videos and tours.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• How to locate roof leaks.
• What your RV says about you.
• Going solar? Be realistic about your power needs.
#906-1
SAVE A TRIP TO THE STORE!
Let it be delivered: Toothpaste • Shampoo • Deodorant • Lipstick • Vitamins • Shaving cream • Laundry detergent • Skin cream • Hand soap • Dish detergent • Fingernail brush (get rid of germs) •. Coffee • Batteries for your devices • Pet food
Trivia
Vincent van Gogh sold only one painting during his lifetime, “Red Vineyard at Arles.” This painting now resides at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The rest of Van Gogh’s more than 900 paintings were not sold or made famous until after his death.
Leave here with a laugh
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY!
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Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the latest Sunday News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
RV PARKS OPEN FOR BUSINESS:
These parks are open for business for self-isolating and have asked that we spread the word.
Big Chief RV Resort, Burnet, Texas
Walnut Hills Campground and RV Park, Staunton, Virginia
Oakwood RV Resort, Fredericksburg, TX
Larsson’s Crooked Creek RV Resort, Hill City, SD
Own a park you’d like listed here? Send the park name, web address and city and we’ll include it here. Send to editor@rvtravel.com. No charge.
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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.
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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 2020 by RVtravel.com
Can’t figure out how you can go out to eat and eat in the restaurant with a mask on.
Don’t know what state you are in but locally, restaurants are take out only.
After reading “Today’s thought”, as a nurse working 18 hour shifts to help save your loved ones from this horrible virus, I am awestruck by the selfish, me first attitudes of those protesting to re open everything as if this pandemic is a non-event or a hoax as some claim? How can we make America great again if no one will work together to overcome this? People need to stop this what’s in it for me and ask, how can I help? Rant over, I have 24 hours to sleep before I go back.
AMEN! Kathy, have a good rest and thank you for going back to work.
It all depends on your point of view. When you had a job and now you don’t and have to depend on others for food, rent, or mortgage payment, etc.etc. It can be the end of ones world. To shut down the economy for some for many is a slow death….,
Have you seen the tears In The eyes of fathers and mothers who don’t have the funds to feed and house their Family? For some death isn’t as frightening as losing everything like family, jobs, home, Saving’s, retirement, medical Insurance etc.etc.
Again it depends on your point of view.
We have use Take Out at locally owned place that are using Mask in the preparation and handling of the foods.
The first restaurant that opens I am going there. I am eating out there. I am going to enjoy it and not leave until the next one opens. I am done eating at home.
Speaking of filling batteries….. Take a plastic ketchup bottle and insert a 1/4″ piece of plastic tubing. Insert the tube down into the distilled water and GENTLY squeeze the bottle. When finished pull the tube up above any remaining water to eliminate drips and accidental flow when handling the bottle. Works like a charm and re-purposes and recycles too!
To Tommy Molnar, your idea for filling batteries is a great Idea, 7 comments herein below. Toilet paper, no. There will be a run on French’s mustard containers.
We have actually increased our eating out simply because we want to support the little mom and pop restaurants. If we don’t support them now, while they are only allowing carry out, they won’t be here when we are able to start going out to eat again. We aren’t supporting the big chains, just local eateries.
We have always had pizza on Friday nights so when the virus hit our local pizzeria stayed open but only for takeout. As a consequence we have upped our tips since so many of the workers there are affected by the shutdown……every little bit helps.
We, too, want to support the local “take-outs”. I think the owners are doing this for their staff. Don’t see how they are really making money. Thus, a fat tip is always applied to the total to help out.
Once a week or so, we take our motorhome to one of our local eateries. We get their take-out and eat it in our own portable dining room. It breaks up the cabin fever, still maintains social distancing, and supports local businesses, a win/win/win to help all of us get throuugh this.
Hardest thing to learn second language as I’m trying to learn to communicate with the deaf people as trying to do America sign language. There aren’t many program to learn except watching YouTube. I am hard of hearing plus my wife is deaf so she is teaching to sign language as I’m learning new word everyday
On the random rv thought about learning another language, why?? At 77 years young I’ll tell you the same thing I told my high school teacher when she suggested I take French, WHY? I’m not going to France and if a Frenchman comes here he can speak English. I had limited foreign touring back in the 60’s compliments of the U.S.Marine Corps, so I’ve seen all I want to see of 2nd and 3rd world countries, I’ll spend the rest of my life enjoying the good old USA. IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN HERE!
Pretty much true Bob, but have you noticed how learning Spanish might be to our advantage? I’m 74, by the way.
At least then you know when they are talking crap about you! LOL
Thanks for your service Bob! Marines are tough hombres! I agree with your assessment of the world vs the USA – For God and Country………
I would say that, for the wife and I, if we have to eat at home we’ll just make our food. We’ve grabbed a burger or two at Sonic (nothing in their business model has changed!), but other than that, no. Yesterday, however, we grabbed some food to bring back to the RV at a Duke’s in Texas. Gas station that has a Taco Casa and an in-house BBQ. Tacos for me, pulled pork for the wife.
First time, really, for “take-out”.
Regarding the tip for filling your batteries. I cleaned out several French’s mustard containers and filled them with distilled water. Most times it only takes one (large) container to top off my batteries. I used to use the ‘baster’ thing but found that it dripped between cells.
I usually went out to eat at a restaurant once a week (local restaurants, not fast food). So I continue to support them by using their take-out. Now to help out I am doing it a little more often.
Our state is promoting take out Tuesday. We pick a different place each week and order lunch. One way to give a little support to local retailers during this crazy time.
Re ordering take-out food: I replied never but bear in mind that I rarely went to restaurants in the past, only on long driving days and, of course, that isn’t happening either.
We visit our local Waffle House for breakfast every day. We want it to stay open. We support the wait staff by vastly over tipping every time. They have a minimum amount they must bring in every day to stay open. We have had one or two close for the duration.
Some of the small businesses that we enjoy will not be coming back.
Ours closed when the governor said non-essential business to close.
I took my family to DC, VA, and NC about 12 years ago. We saw a Waffle House , my wife thought that it looked, meh. I said let’s try it, Waffle House ended up being our go to breakfast place for the rest of the trip, yum.
Hmmm, “apps and tapes” to learn a language. That must have been written by a “senior” writer 🙂
I doubt my kids even know what tapes are. To them, tapes are used to seal Amazon packages. They would know what a (vinyl) record is, though.
I, on the other hand shared those two things with my kids growing up. I still to this day play and listen to both as I have a couple of cassette players and a turntable to play my collection of vinyl records. My grandson who is five likes them too! It’s a part of my life and my kids have learned to respect it. It’s also history that won’t be repeated, Stay safe!
So much so that even the media players are including the pop and hiss of vinyl on their digital copy for that “authentic sound”.
Wasn’t me, Mark (the seniorist person here). Emily (the youngest) may have updated a previous tip from Chuck. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com