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Issue 1432
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 the road is easy, you’re likely going the wrong way.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National New York Day!
On this day in history: 1937 – J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” is published.
Did you miss this big news?
Airstream just killed off new trailer after only a few years!
Click here to read all about it.
Tip of the Day
Tuck some drawers under your dinette for small-item organization
By Greg Illes
Every once in a while you run across a really handy little accessory that makes RV life just a little bit better. Every RV always seems to have a long list of small items — pens, hair clips, Post-it notes, a screwdriver, you name it. The standard large drawers and cabinets in RV furniture just aren’t right for these tiny items, which always seem to roll to the bottom and the back of any large space. Here’s a great tip from Greg to solve this problem.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
RV Electricity – This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session:
Solar-powered air conditioner update
Dear Mike,
How is your solar panel air conditioner experiment coming along? Lots of us want to know if it’s possible and how much it will cost. —Andy
• Join Mike’s Facebook group, RV Electricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
Sagging slideout topper – What’s an RVer to do?
Chris Dougherty, certified RV technician, received this question from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor: “The awning over my slideout is sagging on one end, but the other end is tight as both ends should be. Is there a way to adjust the tension on the end of the awning?” Read Chris’ response.
Try this easy DIY trick to trap fruit flies (watch the video, it really works!)
Reader poll
Do you think you’re addicted to your cell phone?
If you can part from it for a moment, please vote 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.
• DIRECTORY OF RV PARKS WITH STORM SHELTERS.
Maintain those slide seals!
If you’ve heard a cracking or popping sound when extending your slides, it means its seals are sticking and/or drying out. Applying a seal conditioner about every 8-12 weeks can extend a seal’s life. We recommend using Thetford Premium RV Slide Out Rubber Seal Conditioner.
Quick Tip
Springs worn out on RV entry step covers?
When Bernie T.’s springs on the RV’s carpeted entry step covers gave up the ghost, Bernie didn’t sweat it. “I found that zip-ties will work to hold them on when put through the holes that the springs hooked to.” Thanks for the clever idea, Bernie!
Website of the day
Safe Travel USA
This handy website from Iteris, Inc. puts together DOT and other state travel information to help you see road, traffic and weather conditions ahead. A good one to consult before long drives.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Motorhome sideswipes truck. Video captures it all. Ugly!
• RV Tire Safety: LT versus ST tires for RV trailers.
• The best way to level a fifth wheel? Make it levitate!
#932-1
Trivia
Armadillos almost always give birth to identical quadruplets. Thank goodness it’s not the same for humans…
Affordable tire tool will save you tons of trouble
What gives when you think your tires are “good to go” but down on air again the next day? Your valve stem valve probably isn’t tight enough. A loose, leaking valve stem can cause a tire failure due to low pressure under load at highway speeds. So do yourself and your vehicles a favor – pick up one of these very inexpensive tools and make sure your valve cores are snugly seated in the valve stem. Click here to order.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“After sleeping together for a year, they finally tied the knot.” —Rob
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
A few of our Facebook Groups
RVing Wacky, Tacky America • Casino Camping • RVing Route 66 • California RV Travel • The Future of RVing • Electric Bikes for RVing • RVing the Back Roads • Outstanding but affordable RV parks • Free Campgrounds • RVing over 60
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Social media and special projects 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
I found the Safe Travel USA website to be clunky and not very helpful. It mentions weather but I didn’t see any weather for four different states. If you want an awesome travel app, get Highway Weather. You enter your trip details and its provides weather alerts and, most importantly for RVers, wind speeds for your entire trip. It tells you the best times to leave and there is a slider to move to show other times and other days. It’s pretty awesome. It’s also free!
The RV SAFE TRAVEL site should be absorbed into the RV TRAVEL “collective” and made into an app. It would provides a one stop shop for all the state DOT sites. It should also included tollways.
Readers’ Pets of the Day: As long as that is the only “knotty” thing they did….
Loved the RV history insert. I stayed in a Spartan RV trailer two nights in a park called El Cosmico in Marfa Texas. After WWII , Spartan’s contract for trainer planes was cancelled. They retooled and started making trailers. I think the one I stayed in was the Royal Mansion. They have 3 or 4 Spartans, they have been restored back to original condition and they are beautiful.
My iPhone replaced my iPad & Laptop so basically I definitely use my iPhone a lot….even reading & commenting on RV Travel
That guitar player about sums it up.
The Safe Travel USA website is awesome. Where has it been all my RVing life?