Issue 1556
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
“The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields, and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day. What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.” —Michael Josephson
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Napping Day! (Just wait to nap until after you finish reading the newsletter, okay?)
On this day in history: 1906 – Rolls-Royce Limited is incorporated.
Did you see the news? Click here to read the latest issue of the Sunday News for RVers.
Tip of the Day
8 tips for cleaning stubborn spots on glass doors
By Nanci Dixon
It’s no secret that RV shower doors can get gunky fast. They can quickly spot and streak, particularly in hard water. It’s important to clean them – not only for beauty’s sake but because hard water spots and streaks can actually leave permanent spots on the doors.
I just spent an hour cleaning, brushing and polishing our RV’s shower and have a few tips for you. Click here to read those tips.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews Mountain View Adventure Vehicles. Tony writes, “If you’re looking for a Class B RV that has off-road capability and championship-level off-grid capability, this might be the rig for you.” Read more and take a peek here.
Tony’s reviews from this weekend you may have missed:
• 2021 Renegade Classic Toterhome
• Cruiser RV Hitch 16RD 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 Daylight time today, March 15, 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 cards: Joni W. of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Frank Moy of Pierre, South Dakota.
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
Dog-bones for springtime RVing
Dear Mike,
I’ve just picked up my first RV with a 30-amp plug, and wonder if I need any kind of electrical adapters before hitting the road for my first camping trip the end of March. And do I really need a surge protector? Seems like a lot of money to spend… —Dominique
What to do when encountering a bear in the woods
You’re hiking a woodland trail on a warm, sunny day, the forest alive with the twitterings of songbirds, sunlight dappling the forest floor, when suddenly you come upon a bear. What should you do? 1) Throw rocks and sticks at it to scare it away, 2) Turn around and run, or 3) Faint from fright. Find out here.
Reader poll
Have you ever rented an RV outside North America?
Zoom zoom! Tell us here.
Helpful resources
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION
• ROAD AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION
• WEATHER ALERTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
• LATEST RV RECALLS
• DIRECTORY OF RV PARKS WITH STORM SHELTERS
Be like Mike: Don’t forget the fuse!
Mike Sokol says: Your RV has both 120-volt AC electrical systems (like your house), plus 12-volt DC battery systems (like your car). If the power goes out, it could be a circuit breaker (like in your house) or a blown fuse (like in your car). Always carry spare fuses that fit your RV’s battery system. Confirm the exact type and size of fuses your RV needs, then get a set of replacements. Here’s one pack, but be sure to check what your RV actually uses before ordering it.
Quick Tip
Poor water pressure? What to do
By Chris Dougherty: What kind of hose are you using? Hose diameter makes a difference. RV fresh water hoses come in 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch ID (inner diameter). The larger the inner diameter, the more water can flow through the hose with minimal reduction in pressure loss. Excessive length, kinks and some hose fittings can further reduce the water flow and pressure.
Don’t be tempted by the kitschy hoses you “see on TV,” like the stretchable hoses or coil hoses. These type hoses are not potable-water certified and have tiny inner diameters, which means they’ll restrict water flow immensely. Is it safe to use any old water hose? No! I was poisoned by a bad water hose when I was younger, so take my word for it! The FDA has rules for potable water hoses, so the “drinking water” hoses you see for the RV and marine markets are designed to be safe for your use. Other types of hoses will often leach chemicals into the water as it stands in the hose, especially if the hose is lying in the sun.
If your RV jacks won’t retract, try this. (This might come in handy one day!)
Website of the day
St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Even if you’re not cooking for St. Patrick’s Day (in two days), take a peek at this list of fun recipes and food-spiration (is that a word? It is now!) from delish.com. We wish we could try all of these!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Chased by bison, woman successfully “plays dead” – Video
• Marriage advice from a hand-signalin’, RV backer-upper
• Farewell to RVer favorites, Chevy Sonic, Honda Fit
Fireproof bag keeps valuables safe!
This silicone-coated fire-resistant bag will save your money, documents, jewelry, passport and other valuables from a fire. Its two layers of supreme fire retardant fiberglass material make it resist fire and heat up to 1000℉. It’s waterproof, too, so when the hoses arrive, your valuables won’t be harmed. Learn more or order.
Trivia
Men, need to use the restroom? Why not do so alongside the Berlin Wall? That’s something you can do if you’re inside the men’s bathroom at the Main Street Station Casino in Las Vegas. Yup, a real piece of the Berlin Wall is inside a Las Vegas bathroom. The more you know, right?
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Mitzie, our 12-year-old Pomapoo dog-child, loves to camp and chase chipmunks and lizards but would not know what to do if she caught one. She’s a great traveler but has a little big dog attitude when protecting the camp.” —Larry Flory
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
Thanks to Chuck Dunn for sending. Ha!
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
Whoops, nevermind, i missed seeing the link at first.
For me, the laugh of the day is really kind of sad. Ironic at best.
I agree.
The Berlin Wall in Vegas is a real fun piece of trivia. Thanks for it. But there is more even. Check it out here. If allowed.
https://vegasexperience.com/downtown-insider/celebrate-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-at-main-street-station/
I AM STILL ALIVE AND WELL!!! I grew-up in a very rural area of Nashville, TN. We played outside in the hot sun and frequently drank directly from the “hose pipe”. Didnt matter if it was from my house or a neighbor’s house. We all, kids and adults, drank from the hose pipe. We did let it run for a bit to discharge the warm water in the hose. Maybe this procedure washed away all that built up “poison” to which the author of the Quick Tip referred. Oh, bicycle helmets were never heard of.
Yep. Meanwhile in today’s world, if you try to buy brass water fittings that will last more than 1 season, you get stuff made in China of lead and who knows what all, and unless plastic is designed to be non-toxic, count on it being full of mystery compounds, too. There is nothing goofy about trying to keep your water supply clean.
But that was before the government health officials told us it was unhealthy to do. I still drink out of the garden hose and never had an issue. .
As for bicycle helmets, they do help protect your head from serious injury in a crash so I support their use.
It’s amazing that any of us survived childhood.
But…we did!!! 😜 IMO, kids today are pampered and sedentary. It’s obvious by the looking at the adults many have become.
Wow, your quote today couldn’t be more wrong. There are not nearly enough unspoiled places and the last thing the world needs is more people in them!
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Wrong reading. . . What the world needs more of is (implied “for“) people to appreciate and enjoy it.” —Michael Josephson
He’s not saying we need more people looking, he’s saying that the people we already have need to stop and take a look around to enjoy the world they live in.
Right on Marv! That’s how I read it. Funny how easy it is to interpret or mis-interpret a statement. Is the glass half full or half empty? Hmmm.
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Right!
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Some collapsable hoses are drinking water safe. I’ve had good luck with Teknor Apex Zero-G hoses. They’re a LOT easier to handle and store. The only problem is that they don’t make a 5′ version. I cut up a 25′ but it’s difficult to attach fittings to the surgical tubing used in the hose and also grab the cloth coating.
I have used those Zero-G hoses also, BUT…I have had two that started leaking at the fitting. Teknor has a decent warranty. You cut off both ends of the hose, take a picture of hose and removed fittings, email it to the company and they will send you a debit card to use to buy a new one. I have read that they are not made for to be under constant pressure. Now, the two hoses I had to fail, were under constant pressure for a month or so and in the Texas heat (not exposed to direct sunlight). I quit using them for RV purposes. I do use them at home and they coil up nicely in my container.
The best RV hose I ever had was a flat hose (made for RV use). Cant seem to find one.
I bought one of the flat hoses probably 5 minutes before they were discontinued! I don’t think they’re made to be under constant pressure either, but mine has been for probably several hundred hours and it’s fine. I do wish someone would make them again.
Regarding the cleaning recommendations for showers and or shower walls, I wipe down the entire inside of our shower with a towel when everyone is finished showering.
Then periodically all I need to do is do a disinfectant cleaning. No harsh cleaners required. The shower door and walls look like new still after 6 years.
We also swipe down the doors and walls after showering with a small squeegee tool that hangs in shower. Foam bathroom cleaner when needed with a microfiber cloth.