Issue 1703
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
“If you want to change the fruits, you will first have to change the roots. If you want to change the visible, you must first change the invisible.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Noodle Day!
On this day in history: 1884 – The Naval War College of the United States is founded in Rhode Island.
Tip of the Day
Beware buying an RV with evidence of water leak
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Among the pet peeves of a prominent RV technician – customers who bring him an RV with a roof leak. No, he’s not upset because their roof developed a leak; that kind of thing can happen. Rather, it’s the customer who recently bought the RV, only to discover the roof leaks. In many cases, the seller was a private party who swore up and down that the roof was just fine, no leaks.
A roof leak is a serious problem – in many cases a leak can cause serious structural damage. Serious as in “thousands of dollars to repair.” So if you’re shopping for a used rig, BEWARE of a water leak. How can you protect yourself from a leaker? Find out here.
Yesterday’s tip of the day: Here’s how to better organize your RV. It’ll make a huge difference.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new 2022 Rockwood Mini Lite 2104S. He writes, “While there are a lot of RVs I look at here, this is one I would have no reservations about suggesting if the floor plan fits your camping style.” Learn more.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the 2022 Wildwood FSX 270RTK? 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 time today, October 6, 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: Sarah Stranz of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and Melvin Gregory of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
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.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook” as well as the Managing Editor of the RV Repair Club. He is also the owner of Passport Media Creations, which has developed several RV dealer and safety training programs.
In Dave’s column Monday-Saturday he addresses a reader’s technical question with his expert advice. You’ll learn a lot!
What can I do about fluctuating fridge temperature?
Dear Dave,
My refrigerator has fluctuating temperatures. What should I look for? —Jeff
Read Dave’s thorough response here.
Did you miss Dave’s column yesterday where he answered the question: Can a water leak be fixed without a whole new roof? Is it even worth fixing?
If you can’t answer these questions, you shouldn’t be towing
By Dave Kendall
I’ve gone from an RV newbie to towing for approximately 37,000 miles in the past five years. I previously had some boat towing experience, but that mainly taught me how to back up a trailer. Towing an RV is a totally different animal. Continue reading, and take the quiz.
Yesterday’s featured article: A wonderful, nostalgic book about the history of the family road trip
Reader poll
Do you plan to sell your RV within the next year?
Be honest, tell us here.
Helpful resources
• CURRENT WILDFIRE REPORT
• CURRENT SMOKE AND FIRE REPORT
• 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
Did you buy a lemon RV? Here’s more about RV lemons and lawyers who will represent you if you need help.
The Luci Light should be every RVers’ favorite light source
Tony Barthel recently reviewed the Luci Core light and had nothing but glowing things to say about it. He writes, “It’s a large puck with a white lens on one side and a solar panel on the other. At the bottom of the puck is a rubber cap that hides a Micro USB charging port and a button. That button toggles the light through three different brightness settings and a fourth setting that flashes the puck.” Read his review or order one for yourself here.
Quick Tip
Not-so-messy oil filter removal
Changing your own oil? Oil filter removal can be a real mess. After loosening the filter enough to move it by hand, cover the filter with a one gallon freezer bag. Oozy oil goes in the bag, along with the filter. Sealed up, it’s ready to take to the appropriate disposal/recycle center.
“Why I love my RV”
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, RVtravel.com readers tell in their own words why they love their RVs.
From Chris Beckett
“I love my RV because it’s an Airstream!”
Tell us about your RV. Come on, do a little bragging! Click here.
Website of the day
38 Fall Movies to Get You in the Spirit
Sure, we’re RVers, but we’re also humans! And humans love movies! Here are 38 great movies to get you in the fall spirit. Make some popcorn and enjoy!
????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Oh, how we love being lazy! So, so lazy! Things like this make it so easy!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Cargo trailer RV conversions: What spurs the trend?
• Bear and wasp spray: Good or bad idea for self-defense?
• Use phone’s unlimited data plan to stream movies on TV
Recipe of the Day
Grand Burgers
by Karen Sills from Harrisville, MS
Oh, this is a lot of yumminess wrapped in a biscuit! The onions and garlic add a huge punch of flavor to these burgers. Cooking the garlic in the pan mellows the flavor a bit, similar to if you were roasting it in the oven. We loved the sauce too … make extra for dipping. It’s the perfect touch. Wrapping everything in a flaky biscuit makes these easy to eat.
A burger wrapped in a biscuit?! Count us in! Get the recipe.
See yesterday’s recipe: Yummy Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Trivia
The Rüppell’s vulture, found in central Africa, can fly higher than an airplane! That’s right. This large and endangered vulture has been found flying at 37,000 feet (the average cruising altitude for a passenger jet is 35,000). Once, in 1973, a vulture was actually sucked into a jet engine!
*What are the small markers on hiking trails called and why? Find the fascinating answer in yesterday’s trivia.
At last! A guidebook to National Forest campgrounds
This guidebook is badly needed. Not since 2003 has there been a comprehensive guide to these wonderful, and typically very scenic National Forest camping areas — until now! National Forest Camping is fresh off the press, published in late May 2021. Forest Service areas offer some of the best camping experiences in the United States. In this directory, you’ll discover 3,704 camping areas in 41 states. Learn more.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Jessie, my best friend, is always a big help in whatever we do.” —Steve Taylor
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. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
RVT DOGS ON VIDEO! You’ll love this — two minutes of cute dog photos owned by RVtravel.com readers. Watch. And they stay tuned for parts two, three, etc.! Coming soon: RVT readers’ cats!
Leave here with a laugh
The sergeant major yelled, “Private Philpott, I didn’t see you at camouflage training this morning!” Philpott replied, “Thank you, sir!”
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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RVtravel.com Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Associate editor: Diane McGovern. Senior editors: Russ and Tiña De Maris. Senior writers: Nanci Dixon, Tony Barthel, Mike Gast. Contributors: Mike Sokol, Gail Marsh, Roger Marble, Dave Solberg, Dave Helgeson, Janet Groene, Julianne Crane, Chris Guld, Machelle James, James Raia, Kate Doherty, J.R. Montigel, Clint Norrell, and Chris Epting. Podcast host and producer: Scott Linden. Special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Moderators: Gary Gilmore, Linda Brady. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
Honorary Correspondents: Loyal readers who regularly email us leads about news stories and other information and resources that aid our own news-gathering efforts.
Tom and Lois Speirs • Mike Sherman • George Bliss • Steve Barnes + others who we will add later.
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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As for todays pet? Ours can roll down the window and lock the car doors if you forget to keep the keys with you if you leave her in the car alone. Hasn’t happened yet and glad I keep the keys with me at all times.
Thank you Sergeant Major. He/she works for a living lol
Quick tip of the day is brilliant! The filter on my F53 chassis is above the solid front axle, and I’m always twisting my arm upside-down and backwards to get to it above the drain pan.
That was a cute picture of Jesse sitting in front his owner, behind the steering wheel, where they were parked in that parking lot!😀🐶
I just have a question…as I prepare to head south for the winter, I see that it cost now to get information from “Boondocks Welcome” now that they are part of ” Harvest Host”. Is there still a list like the Boondocks welcome were RV share and pay it forward.
Boondockers Welcome (BW) has always been subscription based (meaning you had to subscribe and either join as a host member or pay to be a guest member). Boondockers Welcome is now run by the Harvest Host folks, but the cost to be part of just BW has not changed as far as I can see, and you do not have to join Harvest Hosts…you can just join BW. So while the websites and apps have been combined, the BW program has remained essentally the same.
In response to the Not-So-Messy Oil Filter Removal – According to the EPA, in order to dispose of an engine oil filter properly it should be drained for at least 12 hours by turning it open end down in a container to catch the oil and punch a hole in the dome of the filter. It than can be thrown in the trash and all the use oil should be taken somewhere that properly disposes of engine oil.
Honestly Denny, who is going to do this with the filter? Nobody. Oil disposal is easy enough, but this filter thing is just crazy. Not unusual for the EPA though.
Tommy: I, for one do drain the filters before recycling. I do not punch a hole in the bottom – unless I had to to get the thing off! I also recycle all the oil at a local asphalt plant. I haven’t used the bag idea, rather just dropping it in a pan.
When I used to change my own oil I would let the oil drain out of the filter for several minutes before putting it back into the box it came it. Then off to our local dump where they let us dump oil for recycling at no cost. Oil filters went in the same place.
I do! Learned that trick many many years ago when it was OK to throw it in a trash can and then have an oily mess inside the can, on the floor of the garage, and at the curb. If you are able to drain your own oil it should not be a big deal to dispose of the filter in an environmentally friendly way!
my garage takes all of oil and uses it to heat their building using a waste oil burner.
“my garage takes all of oil and uses it to heat their building using a waste oil burner.”
Now THAT’S cool, er, hot.
Recycle places like Auto Zone will take the used filters for disposal when recycling your used oil.
It should never be put in trash. Take it to your nearest NAPA, O’Reilly’s or AutoZone and they will recycle both oil and filters for you.
Cute doggie on dad’s lap. That said, I always cringe when I see this. A small crash where the airbag can deploy will kill the dog. 🙁 The front seat area is just not safe for our four-legged friends. An option we use for our small dog is in a dog seat that has a strap with a carabiner clip, which we attach to her harness. It’s not perfect, but safer. I’ve also seen seat straps for larger dogs. I do realize a dog crate secured down is the safest, but certainly no fun for the dog.
Thanks for bringing this up. It’s not only dangerous and a hazard to driving, but is illegal in many states. We already have enough distracted drivers out there. Cute dog though!
It would be nice to do an article on the 12 volt fridges. Any quality issues. Do they cool properly. Can you replace your elect/propane fridge easily with a 12 volt fridge and any other useful information, both good and Bad.
Yes!! That would be a great article. I ordered a trailer that is due to arrive next spring. It has a 12v fridge. My friend has the same trailer with the same 12v fridge and says it works great. But a more thorogh article would be nice. I opted for the 12v to avoid the issues of over heating when the fridge is not level.
I don’t believe that the leveling requirements for a 12v fridge are any different than for a gas fridge. Both rely on the fridge being level to allow tbe coolant to circulate. Either power source is just used to produce heat in the bottom of the unit. After that the functioning is identical.
I have a 12 volt compressor refrigerator. There is no leveling requirement.
If they are anything like 12 volt systems on boats, I can attest on sailboats I’ve had they certainly didn’t stay level much when sailing and always worked great.