Issue 1506
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
“With wintertime road closures, rough weather, and COVID restrictions, RVing in January 2021 is a bit like doing jumping jacks inside a portable outhouse. You can absolutely still do it – just be dang careful.” —Sent in by Greg Illes (one of our longtime readers and frequent contributors). Thanks, Greg!
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Spaghetti Day!
On this day in history: 1896 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Tip of the Day
Rough Road Ahead: Four essential tips to avoid the bumps
By Gail Marsh
There are four key things to remember when you hit rough roads. You know, those bone-jarring, washboard-like highways where you hold your breath, white-knuckle-grip the steering wheel with both hands and pray that your RV does not literally shake apart behind you. At some point, you will hit sections of rough highway. And while cursing the Department of Transportation may release pent-up anger, these four tips are probably a bit more productive. They may save your rig… or even your life! Read them here.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new Cherokee Grey Wolf 23MK Travel Trailer. He writes, “The number of things you get that you might only expect in higher-end RVs is surprising.” See what he’s talking about here.
Tony’s reviews from this weekend you may have missed:
• Tony’s Favorite RV Features of 2020
• Coleman Lantern LT 202RD Travel Trailer
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Is this your RV?
If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific Standard time today, Jan. 4, 2021. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV here (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.
We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.
Mini dehumidifier removes moisture from RV
This mini dehumidifier from Pro Breeze quickly and efficiently removes moisture from the air. It is perfect for use in small areas like RVs. It extracts up to 9 ounces of moisture per day with a large 16-ounce capacity water tank that will automatically shut off when full. Very quiet, too. Learn more or order.
RV Electricity – This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Don’t let your connections corrode
Dear Readers,
I’ve received a number of emails and Facebook comments this week about 30-amp RV extension cord plugs overheating and melting. Now, these particular failures aren’t where the shore power cordset is plugged into the pedestal or the RV itself. These meltdowns seem to occur where a 25-ft. extension cord is plugged into the RV’s shore power cordset. And, yes, many times it’s the connector that’s laying on the ground. Continue reading.
Mike needs your assistance
If you didn’t participate in this poll (from Saturday) previously, would you please vote now to help Mike gather information for a research project he’s working on (possible correlation between the GFCI and potential hot-skin condition) aimed at RVers’ safety. It may take a moment for the poll to load. Thank you!
• Join Mike’s Facebook group, RV Electricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
Three common ways full-time RVers get their mail
How do you get your postal mail when you’re on the road full time? Don Humes, the owner of South Dakota’s Americas Mailbox, answers that question. There are basically three ways, one of which Don favors over others (and which most full-timers favor as well). Read more and watch Don’s two-minute video.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
The fastest RV for its size in the world! And you can easily afford to buy it!
Reader poll
Have you ever worked for one company continuously for 20 years or more?
Please respond in our poll 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
Amazon Deals of the Day!
Here are more than 1,000 special deals, just for today. And the items just keep on changing. If you can’t find a great deal here on something you want, then, well, you must not need anything. If nothing else, it sure is fun to poke around here to see the incredible array of cool stuff that’s available today at bargain prices! Click here for today’s deals!
Quick Tip
Arrive at your destination with a cool RV!
“Traveling from Georgia to Mount Rushmore and to Arches National Park, we found it difficult to keep our Class C cool. While shopping at a dollar store I came across automobile silver window shades for $5.00 each that fit all of our windows. I purchased enough for all of our windows along with some inexpensive plastic clips. Problem solved very inexpensively. So far they have helped to keep the RV cool. I leave the rear window uncovered while driving to be able to use the rearview mirror and cover it up at the RV parks.”
Thanks for the tip, Patrick Bonito Sr.! You can also find those reflective window covers on Amazon. The rolls are nice so you can cut them to custom-fit every window.
Website of the day
A Brief History of the RV
If you’ve got a few minutes, read this article from Smithsonian Magazine about the history of the RV. It’s a fascinating look at our homes on wheels!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Video: The Rolls-Royce of the future is INSANE
• RV buyers: Never fall for this RV sales gimmick!
• So I’m a Peeping Tom, am I? One reader thinks so. From editor Chuck Woodbury
#951-1
Stinky sewer dump? This will do the trick!
If a sewer hose doesn’t fit tightly, sewer gases will escape and make the odor when dumping almost unbearable. It’s embarrassing and disgusting! This sewer adapter hose seal plugs the hole. No more stink! Read more about it here or order one here.
Trivia
Parents of newborn babies miss out on a combined six months’ worth of sleep in the first two years of their child’s life. That’s a lot of sleep!
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Our sweet Maisie has a major case of FOMO (fear of missing out). She will sit on the little side table for 2-3 hours as we go down the road watching out the front window. She often falls asleep and would slip off the table so we put a non-slip pad on the tabletop. She gives our other furry family member the whole sofa while watching where we are going! It’s a win-win for everyone except when she snores in the ear of the passenger! In this picture, the passenger was able to sneak off the seat and take the picture!” —Julie Ford
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
Man in bed with his wife. . . He slides his hand slowly across her shoulders, across her waist, under her neck, then below her neck, then under her back. Then stops. Wife, sounding romantic: “Why did you stop?” Husband: “Got the remote. Go back to sleep.”
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com. UPDATED HOURLY!
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.
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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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We stored our motor home in a commercial RV storage facility in Beaumont, California for 2 months, Nov and December, and drove back to Oregon for the holidays. We didn’t want to take the motorhome back and forth across the Siskyous during the winter months. The storage lot offers some of their sites with 20 Amp electrical service (at an additional price). Apparently the lot has GFIs on their system, (one GFI in series for several pedistals). There is no one that monitors them and if you are away, its a invitation for disaster. Our coach is all electric, we wanted the power only for batteries and the refrigerator. Our electrical panel inside allowed us to use settings to minimize the draw. When we returned on 3 January, we found our batteries DEAD -DEAD. Starting batteries would not hold a charge and couldn’t be jumped – replacement cost of $149 each. House batteries currently being charged by shore power at a campground, but suspect they are toast, too. I can’t believe the storage lot.
“Peeping Tom”
While I agree, I like to see what other RVs look like when strolling by, AND agree that Mr. Olsen would have been better served closing his curtains, I don’t agree with your calling him out publicly. You are a journalist and (only my opinion) should take the high road. Dismiss troublemakers from the group if need be, but public shaming isn’t called for.
Hope I’m not in the wrong line.
While we don’t plug directly into a GFCI outlet, the circuit has one in our powder room. We have on occasion tripped that.
That RC motorhome is about what I could afford in a Class A. Bought it! 🙂
Very interesting Reader Poll today about employment longevity with a single employer. I was immediately surprised by the polling, but then I got to thinking about the readership and it makes sense. It would be interesting to see this poll taken every year.
Since late 90’s early 2000’s by national code all outside receptacles,garages kitchen and baths must have gfci outlets. So you may have plugged into one and not even known. I made a LOT of service calls because people tripped gfci’s and didn’t realize they had them.
OK. That would probably be me. Our porch outlet, and all the garage power is on the same circuit. 🙁
I can’t answer Mikes survey as I’m not entirely sure what a GFCI outlet is. As far as I know I have a GFCI outlet in my bathroom, but don’t think I’ve ever seen or plugged into a GFCI shore power outlet.
One of your best jokes ever.
Love the Joke of the Day.
Are we talking about the remote to the wife or the TV?
Wait….there’s a remote control for my wife???
(too funny)
Men, us wives sometimes pretend that our spouses are TVs and we silently and in our minds, hit the Mute button. XOXOXO
Is that kind of like selective hearing that husband’s have?
I just take both of my hearing aids out.
I tried to reply earlier but it appears the wife hit the “pause” button…..
If you find out, please contact me and also the instructions. Should come in handy!
Instructions will do no good as women keep changing the rules.