Issue 1537
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 we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Almond Day!
On this day in history: 1968 – In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service.
TONIGHT!
Join Mike Sokol from RVelectricity and Danny Rahner from SoftStartRV™ tonight, February 16, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern time (5 p.m. Pacific), for Mike’s next “Ask The Expert” YouTube Live Webcast. If you have any questions about how to hook up a SoftStartRV to any RV air conditioner, you’ll be able to text Danny questions in real time. Here’s a link to Mike’s announcement and the link to set a reminder.
Tip of the Day
5 RV preventive maintenance winter checks
By Mark Polk, RV Education 101
We enjoy using our RV year-round, but doing so requires some cold weather preventive maintenance. Do not confuse this winter RV checkup with winterizing or preparing the RV for cold weather storage. All we are doing here is preparing the RV to better deal with the cold temperatures.
See Mark’s top 5 RV preventive maintenance winter checks here.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new 2021 Leisure Travel Vans Unity FX Class C. As he reports, “Based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter cutaway chassis, these motorhomes are being used even as daily drivers by some due to their manageable size, but they still offer all the amenities of a proper motorhome.” Learn more.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the electric Palomino Revolve EV-2 Travel Trailer? If you missed it, you can read it here.
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. 16, 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.
Last week two readers claimed their $25 Amazon gift card: Bob B. of Eloy, Arizona, and Sylvia E. of Livingston, Texas.
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.
Be cool this coming summer. Now use your RV air conditioner when you could never use it before. No kidding!
The many uses of WD-40
There are few RVers who don’t consider a can of WD-40 an essential item in their tool arsenal. This “can do” lubricant has a wide range of uses, making it a very handy and useful product. Here are some uses for the product that you may not have thought about that may come in handy.
Yesterday’s featured article: Telltale signs full-time RVing is not for you
Reader poll
Do you use a dedicated GPS or your phone for navigating on RV trips?
You don’t need a map to find this link – tell us here!
Hide dirty laundry, and save space too!
Sometimes where to put those worn clothes waiting for wash day is the pits. Many hide a basket in the shower stall, but here’s another approach: Hang that dirty laundry out – not for everyone to see, but on the back of a closet door. Zippers on this one make it easy to open, and the company includes a couple of different hooks to help you hang it. Find it here for a great price.
Quick Tip
Easily get water off your slideout
“A slide awning will not keep the top of your slide dry. Any angle to the rain falling will get onto the top of your slide. Slide awnings are great at keeping debris off the slide. With or without slide awnings, when it’s time to hook up, raise or lower the front end of your trailer and almost all the water will run off the slide before it comes in. I have slide awnings on all four of my slides and would recommend them to everyone.” Thanks to George Bliss, Casey Piton, and others who mentioned they do this when their slide doesn’t automatically tilt when being retracted.
Website of the day
Most Scenic RV Campgrounds Within U.S. National Parks
This list from Travel Awaits shows you the 9 most scenic campgrounds within U.S. National Parks. Some of these are gorgeous! Have you stayed at any of them?
Did you see this hilarious sign on a septic services truck? If you missed it on Saturday, click here. It’ll make you laugh.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Can you imagine if you went to someone’s house and they put this down in front of you? Would you laugh or be grossed out (or both)?? Click here.
And the Survey Says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers more than 1,500 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 58 percent think the USA should discontinue minting pennies like Canada
• 35 percent read many Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew books as a child
• 72 percent mostly use their smartphone to take photos (7 people voted that they still primarily use a film camera to take photos)
Recent poll: Have you ever moved from a campsite because of an undesirable neighbor?
Trivia
If you’re hot all the time, perhaps consider taking a trip to a high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau in Antarctica – the coldest place on Earth. Temperatures can dip below -133.6 degrees Fahrenheit on a winter’s night.
*Where is the world’s longest national highway and how long is it? Find out in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Our foster dog, Rosie, is a big fan of heading out for any camping trip. Riding anywhere is #1 in her list of things to do.” —JW Cox
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.
Dirty contacts? DeoxIT!
Here’s a comment from our electrical specialist, Mike Sokol: “I’ve used DeoxIT for decades on my pro-sound gear. We use it on speaker connectors, power connectors such as cam-lok and twist-lock plugs (just like RV power), volume controls, gold-plated circuit boards (like in RV refrigerator control boards), etc. There are several different versions of DeoxIT depending on if you want built-in lubricant for potentiometers, or gold contact refurbishing or simply oxidation removal.” Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
A nutritionist is invited to speak in the RV Resort’s social hall. The topic of her presentation: Foods to avoid eating. Halfway into her presentation, she says: “If you eat these types of foods it will negatively impact your overall health, not only your physical health but especially your emotional well-being.” She turns to the audience and says, “Can someone give me an example of a type of food you should avoid eating at all costs?” An elderly man, seated in the rear of the room, raises his hand and says, “Wedding cake!”
Thanks for sending the joke, Jan van Harssel! Have a favorite joke? Send it to us here.
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.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2021 by RVtravel.com
Regarding WD-40: I have switched to JB-80 and (no kidding) it is at least twice as good. WD-40 leaves virtually no residual lubrication. It was never intended to be a lubricant. It is a water displacer.
The mystery product. I’d laugh my (explicited) off. It was a hoot.
It’ll be chocolate milk when it is delivered.
Liked the article on Winterising. I am wondering why no one offers a better – Higher efficiency – furnace. When the furnace is running the exhaust is so hot it can easily burn your hand. That’s a lot of heat that is being wasted. If we can get 95% efficient gas furnaces for our stick-built home why can’t we at least get 75 to 80% for our RV?
I just purchased a new furnace for our home and was wondering the same thing.
It’s a mindset. RVs not a permanent home. Yet times have changed and more are moving to full time RVing and should be incorporating the same energy efficiencies into RVs which adds to helping the environment.
Atwood AF series literature states they are min. 76% efficient, 7900/8000 series are min. 77% at a flame temp. of 3500°F.
Hope you decide to make Rosie your furever dog instead of a foster dog. Any furbaby that loves traveling in the RV that much, needs to have a furever home that gives her that joy. She’s a sweetie. Our guys are little and know as soon as we start taking stuff out to the coach. They are right there, ready to go!
WD-40 and duct tape – don’t leave home without em’!
I really don’t like the picture of the dog blocking the driver’s view
I see he has a rug on the dash to prevent scratches so it’s not a one time thing
I’d give him a ticket for obstructed driving
Also the danger in an evasive move where any animal on the dash can flop into the driver, causing more of a ruckus.
re: pets that are big fans of camping trips.
We once had a dog that recognized early preparations for camping trips and would lay in front of the door from the house into the garage during daylight hours for 2 or 3 days.
“If you’re going, you’re taking me.”
—
Our current dog, becomes unhappy after one night and whines to go home and refuses to eat. Even though she’s taken on long walks and gets extra attention.
Just commenting. Not being critical.
It’s interesting how readers often read what they want to see instead of what’s actually printed.
Today’s question about navigating travel. Most comments referred to how they plan. Just sayin.
Long ago I made up a “slide topper flapper stopper” to prevent the slide topper from flapping in the wind. It’s made from PVC with 90 degree end pieces and a rope through it, which I run under the slide. Besides keeping the topper from flapping, no water collects when it rains.
I have to chuckle every time I see this oft-repeated list of uses for WD-40. Particularly using it for its original water-displacement property on distributor caps. Unless you’re into classic cars you have to look long and hard to find a vehicle with a distributor today.
Right on. That article has to be as old as I am.
But there are still MANY spark driven applications, snow blowers, boat motors, motorcycles and even car engines…??!!?? So the engine gets wet and sputters, you can try WD-ing the high tension components for the sparkplugs, hey maybe it would work. Also, now if it is good for high voltage, it must be non-conductive…. I could use it on my corroded wire connectors ALL throughout the RV if needed to repel moisture (think of the furnace board). Some applications could attract dirt though, but will get you going in a pinch. Just think outside the box.
From the Trivia segment: Antarctica is the most beautiful place I have ever been — when it is a beautiful, clear day. It is the most dangerous place I have ever been when the weather is awful.
WD-40, used it on wasps nest. It was them or my children.
The many uses for WD-40
WD-40 is a good product, with a BIG BUT!
NEVER USE WD-40 on Slides or any surface that has Rubber.
WD-40 is petroleum based with other chemicals that will DESTROY RUBBER.
WD-40 should only be used on Metal to Metal parts, such as door hinges!
All my door hinges are metal ??
Dunno, is that a statement or a question and why ask us? :-/
Good tip, a lot of people think WD-40 is a cure all. It is a good product as you pointed out used on the right items.