Issue 1531
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
“I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Kite Flying Day!
On this day in history: 1922 – United States President Warren G. Harding introduces the first radio set in the White House.
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Tip of the Day
Hot weather? Prevent food from spoiling and melting with this trick
Kate Doherty
Here I go again, learning the hard way. A couple of summers ago we spent time exploring Utah. Many days, the afternoon temperatures remained in the mid-90s well into the late afternoon. After picking up our favorite chocolate bars, fruits, vegetables and other related snacks, we went four-wheeling. Upon our return after 6 p.m., our coach was a comfortable 75ish degrees. We decided to share a chocolate bar. To my amazement, upon opening, the bar was so soft it clung to the wrapper. To salvage the tasty snack, we had to put it in the freezer.
If our cabinets were hot enough that food was spoiling or melting, we needed to find a way to keep them cool. Continue reading and find out how Kate solved this problem.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new 2021 Northwood Arctic Fox 27-5L. Tony writes, “Northwood makes solid coaches and is the only company that I know of that is actually certifying their trailers for off-road use.” Learn more about these well-insulated and well-built fifth wheels here.
Tony’s reviews from this weekend you may have missed:
• Relic Custom Trailers
• Airstream Flying Cloud 30FB Office 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, Feb. 8, 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
How to keep snug as a bug in a rug…
Dear Readers,
I’ve been seeing a lot of questions about how to stay warm in an RV during these cold winter months, especially while boondocking. While I don’t have any simple solutions for keeping your RV furnace running all night from battery power, I have been recently experimenting with various self-warming fabrics that can help keep not only you warm in a chilly RV, but also keep your pet warm and snugly as well. Continue reading (and check out Mike’s HUGE feet!).
• Join Mike’s Facebook group, RVelectricity.
• Read more of Mike’s articles here.
Your safety while boondocking – your responsibility
One of the many joys associated with boondocking is finding those pristine, backwoods campsites or forest service campgrounds that have a minimal connection with civilization. … Just the way we like it – until a natural emergency strikes. Read more.
Reader poll
Have you lost a good friend or relative to COVID-19?
Note: There was a glitch with the poll earlier this morning and it was somehow turned off (gremlins?). It’s been fixed. We apologize for the inconvenience, but you can now vote if you want to. Thanks.
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
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Ladies, we bet you’re going to want more than one pair of these to wear every day! How cool! Click here.
Quick Tip
Keep your shower sparkling
Many have heard of the 50/50 vinegar and dish soap method to clean a shower. I “modified” that method a bit and it works fantastically on our RV’s shower – fiberglass, tile, or whatever, this stuff cleans anything.
Here’s my recipe: Mix 1/2 cup plain white vinegar with a little LESS than 1/2 cup Dawn blue dish soap (use ONLY Dawn and ONLY the regular blue stuff) in a large measuring cup. Mix, then microwave the mixture till just hot enough to still be able to put your hand in the mixture (do NOT boil it!). Using a Scotch Brite pad (ones w/sponge on one side, a bit rougher on the other), I simply spread the mixture on the walls, doors and, lastly, even the floor, with a tiny bit of scrubbing. Let the mixture “sit” as long as you can handle the vinegar smell (20-30 minutes is fine; I usually let mine sit ~1 hr). Then get in (as if you’re takin’ a shower) and rinse everything off. That’s it. Your shower will sparkle!
Thanks for the tip, Erinn Mayer! Have a tip? Submit it here.
Website of the day
Where to get the best chocolate in every state
We’re sorrrrrrrry to make you drool but we couldn’t help but share! (Share the link…not the chocolate! We’re not sharing that…). Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so if you’re near one of these places, perhaps this is a sweet chance to support a small, local business? Thanks to Tom Hart for sharing this delicious tip for chocolate treats.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Internet anywhere – Satellites in the sky … or pie in the sky?
• Urban RV driving tips
• SoftStartRV installation tips and first impressions
#955-1
New book plans the road trip for you!
This new book by Moon plans the 50 best road trips across the U.S. (organized by region) for you so you don’t have to do a thing! It’s perfect for jump-starting your 2021 travel planning. Each road trip lists must-see places and the best foods, gives you local tips and much more. Learn more about it here.
Trivia
The next time someone asks you what your biggest fear is, tell them you have Anatidaephobia. That means you have a strange fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you. (Nope, we’re not quackin’ a joke. That’s a real phobia!)
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Just Zoey girl hanging out in her Wanderlodge with friends.” —Nancy Brookshire
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 accidentally swallowed a bag of scrabble letters. My next trip to the bathroom could spell disaster!
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
I have to disagree…
The best fudge comes from Uranus!
Uranus MO, that is. Route 66…
https://www.uranusgeneralstore.com/uranus-fudge/
Good morning! It is probably user error, but I find no links to the actual list of best places to buy chocolate in each state.
Hi, Glyn. When you click on the link it will take you to the article. There is no actual “list” of the best places to buy chocolate in each state. It is actually a “slide show” so that you will click on the arrow at the right side of the picture and it will take you to the next picture with the state and the location. Hope this helps! Have a great day. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Tap the little arrows to the right or left edge of the pic.
National Kite Flying Day!??!
Outside my window there is a slight wind, maybe enough to fly a kite, but…. the windchill is presently -47°C… Nope. I not gonna fly a kite. :-/
Doesn’t want door dings.
Re; Trivia. I would guess if someone does have anatidaephobia, there’s quite a bit more wrong with them than just the phobia. sheesh!
I’m very interested in the comment that talks about a weather band radio that gets service in 99% of locations. We’ve bought a couple over the years but found them useful only when a regular radio had good/ great reception ( like home). I’m not interested in ham or CB radios on in the night when I want to sleep. Please write an article on how to pick ( or use it as your Amazon item of the day) a radio that will REALLY work in the canyons or mountains, please.
I would never Park my expensive RV sooo close to the front Door what is wrong with walking few extra steps
You are going to have to spend a little bit more for your WX band radio. The typical ones in big box or Wal-Mart are designed to sell at a certain price.
I suggest calling either a Marine electronics store, one that does off-shore boats, Or a Ham Radio store. You should consider buying a radio that will accept an external antenna. Simple mag mounts antennas are cheap.
The WX band is in the 160 mhz band, and this limits the broadcast to about a 30 mile range. It does not go past the radio horizon. You could also purchase an older Ham Hand-held radio that will tune to the WX channels. This would be a cheaper solution, more rugged also.
My way of keeping the shower walls pristine is applying a coat of Liquid Glass Auto Polish. Very easy to apply and buff off. The water will slide off and wiping down the shower will be a breeze. It also works well on windows and mirrors. That rear window that catches the rain and splash during storms will be much easier to clean because almost all the spray will slide right off. On the windshield, it helps the rain drops to slide off like RainEx, but it lasts much longer. I also use it on the rear camera lens to help keep it clean. Just make sure you don’t apply it to the shower floor.
At $56 per pint…. i don’t think so.
The reader poll doesn’t let you vote. It goes straight to yes.
Two votes and “Voting is closed”. Just a little manipulation to get what the pollster wants!
Why is everything a conspiracy, innocent mistakes are made!
Sorry, just the way I roll. Not that the glass is half empty or half full, but “Why is it that way?” Once you accept that “innocence”, they got you.
I thought that one of the major selling points of a class B RV was the ability to park it in a regular parking space. Today’s “Is This Your RV?” photo seems to show that this is only a myth or else the owner hasn’t figured out how yet. I’d be curious to know if anyone claims that photo.
Me too. I was surprised this person elected to send the photo in.
Not all “Is This Your RV?” photos are sent in by the owners. And I am surprised at the outrage over the parking ability or inability of the class B owner. If this level of misdeed is what gets you worked up, we are truly intolerant of those that don’t act as we would have them act.
Definately hogging up 4 spaces! That will make some shoppers happy! Maybe a set of collapsible orange cones should be their prize?! LOL!
Reminds me of the old joke …’must be a farmer, parks his tractor anywhere’.
It is. Our 21′ Class B fits easily in one back in spot or two in a drive through situation like in that picture. The owner in the picture is just being an inconsiderate ***. (Bleeped by Diane. Sorry I didn’t see this sooner.)
Well he or she has more money than you so that makes them better than the rest of us serfs.
Give him a break, guys. Is it fun to start your day by being nasty? The rig is parked in a big WalMart parking lot, in an area that appears far from the store entrance, little used, and with plenty of open spaces. Most of our rigs are wider than the average car, and if you shoehorn them into a regular space with cars on both sides, you risk getting dings (or worse, a keying) when the folks on either side of you find it hard to get into their cars. Tell me, do you also whine when some guy in a big fiver or motor home takes up several spaces in an unused part of the lot?
Exactly!!!
Ok I’ve been contributing to this web page for along time. I enjoy all the POSITIVE advice. I read comments quite often. I am disappointed that you or anyone has to resort to name calling and shaming here. I’m sure whoever parked that way probably was far enough out in parking lot that it really didn’t matter. Would it be possible for you to just try and not be so judgmental? This website is for our enjoyment not for criticizing each of us. Can we all just try to be polite?
I find it better not to even respond to these people. Seems they are just waiting for someone to respond so they can start an argument.
But I do agree with what you said. Let’s be polite and respectful.
Well said!
I am disappointed that there are idiots out there that park like this. IF they would park like a non-{bleeped} this discussion would not be taking place, so why would I be the the bad person here for calling them what they are?
If they can be an {bleeped}, so can I and I will not hesitate to call them on it.
I am a senior and handicapped… if I was driving the rig in question, I too would park like that… simply because in order to get in and out of the driver’s door, I have to be able to open it all the way and I would want the extra long spot for unloading my handicapped scooter out the rear door… so I guess I too am an {bleeped}… you want to try and get in to your vehicle when some “{bleeped}” has parked so close to you in the next slot that you can not open your door to either get in or out… usually I use a handicapped spot (yes, I have a permit) but they are not always available and I too have an aversion to dings and other inconsiderate acts that seem to occur in parking lots…so once again, we have a situation where it is becoming impossible to tell whether or not WEB is just a malcontent or something similar… I did note that WEB also seems to have nothing better to do than comment here… 3 comments so far… methinks WEB has too much time on his or her hands…
Nope, lame excuse. I am for the painted lines and the order expected of people using the parking lot lines. A malcontent would be happy if an {bleeped} used up 4 “established order” spaces as in the above picture. I looked in the Terms and did not see the limit on posts allowed, please point it out.
You’ve met your goal!
I’m trying to figure this out. The gov’t wants us to wear a mask for the sake of ourselves and others but that is taking away our rights. Well … as a ‘no-masker’, why do you think I should follow the non-gov’t rules and park between the lines? I don’t care about myself or others anyway. I don’t see why this should bother anyone. I will park anywhere, anyway I want. Hell, the other possibility is that they repainted the lines after I parked there. The only reason that I am not claiming this is because I don’t want anyone to know that I drive a vehicle not made in the USA – not because I took up 4 parking spots. Anyway there is enough room for short cars to park in front of me. Technically I am only taking up 2 spots. (Is this stupid enough to end this dumb discussion?)