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Issue 1407
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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Page Contents
Today’s thought
“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cool day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.” — Laura Ingalls Wilder
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Massachusetts Day!
On this day in history: 1907 – Pike Place Market, a popular tourist destination and registered historic district in Seattle, opened.
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Tip of the Day
When boondocking, do you have a backup plan if something fails in the RV?
By Dave Helgeson
Self-reliance is part of the attraction for many who RV: the ability to go where you want, when you want, taking care of your own needs along the way. Self-reliant RVers have no problem camping without hookups. Many enjoy the benefits and a bit of pride conquering the challenges that come with surviving off the grid. However, the perfect RV has yet to be created and things can and do go awry.
Regardless if you are boondocking in a distant desert, dry camping in a remote forest service campground, or spending a night in the Walmart parking lot, you need a backup plan when something in the RV fails to function. Here are some tips, just in case.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
RV Electricity – This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Why does my 30-amp plug overheat?
Dear Mike,
I’ve had my 30-amp plug burn up a few times in the last couple of seasons. Is it something I’m doing wrong, or something the campground is doing wrong? —Burt
• Join Mike’s Facebook group, RV Electricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
Full-time RVer – Death while on the road
It’s not something we like to spend a lot of time thinking about. It’s when we finally “hang up the keys” for the last time. At this point, death is inevitable for all of us. But if you’re a full-time RVer, or spend a lot of time on the road, here’s a question: What happens if you die while away from your home base? Russ and Tiña De Maris look at both the immediate situation, and the longer-term issues in this important article. (This is a rerun and we have included the many useful comments which were received when first published.)
Reader poll
When was the last time you flew on an airplane?
Jet on over here and tell us.
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.
• DIRECTORY OF RV PARKS WITH STORM SHELTERS.
Be like Mike! Use this 3-light and digital voltage tester!
Mike Sokol says: “I found this nifty tester online and have been using it in a variety of voltage checking situations. It performs all of the 3-light tests for outlet polarity, open ground, open neutral, etc., as well as being a 3-digit digital voltage indicator. In addition, it performs a standard 5 mA GFCI safety test – which you should be performing on all of your GFCI outlets once a month (or at least once a camping season).” Read more about it here.
Quick Tip
Help keep dust out of your RV while on dirt roads
To keep dust out of your camper while traveling on dirt or gravel roads, turn your front roof vent around to open frontwards. Leave the vent lid wide open when traveling and it will pressurize your RV and keep dust from coming in all the little nooks and crannies. I did this for many years and never lost a vent cover. Just make sure it’s open all the way. If it starts to rain, stop and close the cover. —Thanks, George Bliss!
Website of the day
WiFi Free Spot
This very helpful website gives you lists, pages and pages long, of places that offer free WiFi. Never be without Internet access again!
Speaking of WiFi, do you remember when the Internet was miles away?
SECRET PHRASE: Peter found a peacock feather.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• RV Tire Safety: Are there stupid questions about tires?
• The strangest road sign we’ve ever seen…
• RV Doctor: Mice messed in heating ductwork, can’t get rid of smell.
#928-1
Boondockers Welcome — Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee. Learn more.
Trivia
The word Pennsylvania is misspelled “Pensylvania” on the Liberty Bell, which tourists can see in Philadelphia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Saturday RV Travel newsletter.
Leave here with a laugh
Why am I the only naked person at this gender reveal party?
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
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Social media 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
In order to view the list of WiFi Freespots a person has to be at a location that already has WiFi service. Why change location?
A possible aid to pressurizing on gravel roads (assuming you aren’t following in dust cloud) is to install/replace your roof vent fan with a MaxxAir deluxe which allows the fan to reversed – not the vent lid! (Also remote controlled) Works great and is especially nice on cool evenings following hot days! It is also speed controllable and quiet! Please stay safe and do your part to end this pandemic!
I like this idea! I wonder… if reversing the two leads would reverse the motor… I think it should.
Re vent cover and dust.
On our first camper the vent came that way, opening up towards the front, after three trips out and three vent covers replaced, we replaced it with the cover that has a small opening door facing forward and the regular clam shell type of vent from the back. We never had to replace it as long as we owned that camper.
If I’m on a dusty gravel road, I’m not going to be traveling fast enough to “pressurize” the vehicle with the vent open!
Re; Quick Tip…how in the world would ya do THAT?
You need to go on the roof, remove all the sealant, remove the screws, lift out the entire vent, turn it around and reattach it.
Somehow this seems to be ‘much ado about nothing’ — especially when the air coming in this “forward facing” vent is air stirred up from a gravel road and thus also full of dust….
On the contrary. The air up at roof level is clean – no dust. You may get a bit from meeting or following another vehicle but you’ll never get dust from your own vehicle.
get a small “fire-proof safe” to contain your valuable papers in case of RV fire. Or, photograph them on your cell phone(s). Really save some heart ache.
P.S. Put some good old hard cash in it also.