Issue 1521
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
“Well done is better than well said.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Bubble Wrap Day!
On this day in history: 1915 – Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates U.S. transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Tip of the Day
An easy, quick way to fill your RV’s toilet bowl
By Nanci Dixon
This tip seemed so simple I hesitated to write about it, but since it has saved us a lot of work and quickened the toilet fill I thought you should know about it too. RV toilets, unlike home toilets, require a manual fill with water. Holding down a lever to get sufficient water into the bowl requires some patience and time.
On our toilet, the screws would loosen on the fill mechanism and start to leak. It was such a hassle to remove the shroud, lay down on the floor and tighten the screws every few weeks. Continue reading for Nanci’s easy workaround.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the Venture SportTrek Touring STT343VIB Travel Trailer. This two-bedroom, two-fireplace trailer is worth checking out… See it here.
Tony’s reviews from this weekend you may have missed:
• 2021 Rockwood 2883WS Fifth Wheel
• Scamp 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. 25, 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.
RV Electricity – This week’s J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session
Don’t fight an RV fire!
Dear Mike,
A friend of mine recently had a fire in their RV trailer, and it burned down to the frame, taking down the outbuilding with it. They think the fire may have started at the 50- to 30-amp dogbone adapter, but nobody is sure just yet. While they did survive the flames, my friend suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns trying to put the fire out. Can’t they make these things more fireproof? What should I do if there’s a fire in my RV? —Mary B
Read Mike’s life-saving advice here.
• Join Mike’s Facebook group, RVelectricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
All we know is we do NOT want these getting loose in the RV…
Watch a replay of Mike Sokol’s webcast about RV park pedestals
Mike Sokol explains what every RVer should know about the power pedestals they plug into at RV parks and other campgrounds. If the pedestal is wired incorrectly you could blow out all your electronics or even shock yourself (fatally, in some cases). Set aside some time and watch the video.
Reader poll
Do you earn money from a part-time hobby?
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
Keep your rubber roof clean!
Camco’s Pro-Strength Rubber Roof Cleaner and Conditioner is a one-step treatment that removes black streaks, oxidation and road film buildup on your rubber roof and helps protect it from further damage. The specially formulated blend of surfactants and conditioners deep cleans and conditions, helping extend the roof’s life. Learn more or order at a great price.
Quick Tip
Long storage space
Check for storage space behind the sofa. Sometimes a short folding ladder can be stored there. This may also be a place for mops or brooms. It is a bit inconvenient, but storing long items in an RV is often difficult to do since the tallest place is often the closet. Other items to store behind the couch are the screens from the front driver and passenger window and (if a front entry coach) the door screen, too. This will make driving through scenic country much more pleasant. Thanks to Ron Jones, AboutRVing.com.
Website of the day
Adventurous Kate
Kate has been traveling the world alone since 2010. Her wonderful travel blog inspires women to travel solo and her guides explain how to safely do so.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• RV workers worry about safety in manufacturing plants
• Interracial RVing couple the target of white RVer’s anger
• RV Tire Safety: How to avoid tire “flat spotting” when parked
#953-1
Wow! Prevent costly mistakes with these RVminders
Check out these RVminders and easily prevent costly mistakes! These bands wrap around your steering wheel and remind you to check things before you drive away. Never leave the steps or ladder down again. Antenna or satellite down? Slide locks in place? Doors, vents and windows closed? Compartment locks locked? Hookups disconnected? These are so easy to use they should be in every RV! Check ’em out.
Trivia
The word “dinosaur” comes from the ancient Greek word meaning “terrible lizard.”
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“This is our Cockapoo, Penny, a new member of our family. At first, she was unsure that long daytime car rides, followed by nights in our camper, were a good idea. But our experienced and rather senior cat Barley took over that part of her training, explaining it to her as they snuggled up in the back seat. Barley has passed now, and for a long time Penny looked for him. But with his help, Penny came to love the camper, and paces by the door as soon as we check in.” —Bill Jeffrey
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
I have a friend who tried to take a selfie in the shower, but the image wouldn’t come out. He has selfie steam issues.
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.
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.
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This newsletter is copyright 2021 by RVtravel.com
If you don’t care for the reviews, just skip them. I have not read one yet.
Penny is a beautiful dog. Cute as she could be!
Shortly after buying our travel trailer I made about a 6″ ‘shelf’ attached to the wall behind the sofa. This gives us more space behind the sofa for a folding chair, step stool, table, cot (for one of our grandkids), a box fan and other slender items.
Is the following actually helpful for any RV Travel reader?
“In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the Venture SportTrek Touring STT343VIB Travel Trailer. This two-bedroom, two-fireplace trailer is worth checking out…”
What else would anyone expect from an “industry insider”? Isn’t this exactly the kind of self-promoting “(dis?)information” that is already available from any number of “industry” sources? I thought one of the stated goals of RV Travel was to provide information that the industry won’t, yet I see the same kind of industry-promoting conclusions repeated daily. Maybe I misunderstood. Maybe it’s just me.
I believe these articles are intended to be informative regarding new RV models in the marketplace, not critical, investigative consumer reports.
You are correct, it’s just you.😍
No, several of us have complained that these are not in any way “reviews”, just little feature articles promoting new models. The editors keep calling them reviews. We’ve stopped reading them.
Yes, I agree it’s a slow process but the goal is nearing the truth of what’s ahead..sorry to say
He’s doing the best he can with the sales brochures they send him, at least he’s putting specs with them, for awhile you didn’t even know how much one weighed. My tow vehicle is limited to 6200 lbs but I wouldn’t try to pull more than 4500 lbs so that’s important to me.