Issue 1744
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
“Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Mutt Day! Happy National Mutt day from the RVtravel.com staff mutts, Astor, Archie and Buddy!
On this day in history: 1867 – At Tremont Temple in Boston, Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the United States.
Tip of the Day
Keep warm RVing in winter with these 17 cold weather tips
By Gail Marsh
Brrr! Have you noticed that certain areas of your RV feel cooler than others? I honestly hadn’t noticed until our grandkids slept over on a particularly cold night. They kept waking up because they were cold. I got up each time and piled on another blanket. The next day I read about lots of ideas that could potentially solve our cold spot issues. I thought I’d share some fellow RVers’ suggestions. There really are some good ones here!
Yesterday’s tip of the day: RV covers – Are they a good thing?
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new Coachmen RV Nova 20RB – a top notch Class B. As he reports, “If you’re looking for a Class B van where you can actually kick back and relax without having to reconfigure this and that, this Coachmen RV Nova might be a great choice. It’s an extraordinarily well-designed interior that has good storage space but a very usable design, not something that’s typical in Class B vans.” Learn more.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the 2022 Dynamax Europa 31SS Super C? If you missed it, you can read it here.
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Is this your RV?
We are continuing this feature by popular demand!
Click here to see if your RV made it into today’s issue.
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.
Can I just replace my house battery with lithium?
Dear Dave,
I am considering changing to a lithium battery for my house battery. No solar, just the factory setup. I will change out the charger for lithium. Will my truck have any problems with that? —Chuck
Did you miss Dave’s column yesterday where he answered the question: What’s the weird clicking in RV’s roof AC when furnace starts?
Gift ideas for owners of small trailers. Click here.
Instant Pots aren’t your mother’s pressure cooker
We’re all creatures of habit when it comes to cooking in our RV. With limited counter and storage space, it’s easy to stick with our favorite easy-to-prepare recipes. We barbecue, cook one-pot meals, and sometimes use the slow cooker. So why would you need an Instant Pot while RVing? Who wants a bulky, dangerous-looking appliance that could explode and blow the roof off your RV? Relax. Today’s Instant Pot cookers are safe, efficient, and suited for RV cooking. Learn more.
Yesterday’s featured article: Yikes! Check out the giant mud tires on this RV!
Reader poll
Do you read in bed when you retire for the night?
Turn the page then tell us here.
Quick Tip
Storing cooking liquids
Store bottles of cooking liquids (cooking oils, sauces, vinegar, syrup, etc.) all together in a solid, plastic container or tub. When driving, if one happens to break, the spill will be contained. You will have a small mess to clean but not a disaster. Use an old hand towel or (clean) socks to cushion the glass containers. Thanks to Ron Jones, AboutRVing.com.
Website of the day
Wildlife photography: how to take perfect shots
See a beautiful bird? A herd of buffalo in Yellowstone? Sharpen up your photography skills and get ready to capture the moment!
SoftStartRV makes the perfect gift for RVers!
Run two air conditioners on 30 amps* – Wow!
When the temperature really gets sizzling and your 50-amp rig is stuck with a 30-amp hookup, you’re out of luck if you want to run two air conditioners. That is, unless you have a state-of-the-art SoftStartRV. It’s inexpensive, simple to install, and works just as promised. Don’t miss watching the short video by RV electricity expert Mike Sokol. Learn more or order.
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:
• 28 percent have taken a trip on Route 66 in their RV.
• 20 percent say they would not stay someplace for a week or more if there was no cell service.
• 10 percent have four or more TVs permanently installed in their RV.
Recent poll: Have you spent a free night in a parking lot with your RV in the last year?
Recipe of the Day
Pepper Steak on Rice
by Sheri Hansen from Green Valley, AZ
This is a simple and quick one-pan pepper steak recipe. It’s full of savory flavors with a bit of sweetness from the red pepper and onions. If you like a bit of a kick, we suggest adding extra red pepper flakes. Served over white rice, it’s a scrumptious weeknight dinner.
Sounds scrumptious indeed! Get the recipe.
See yesterday’s recipe: Chicken Parmigiana
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Trivia
According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), the shortage of truck drivers is at its highest since it began monitoring it in 2005. Bob Costello, ATA’s chief economist, recently announced that the current shortage stands at 80,000 drivers and that it’s not getting better. “Over the next decade, the shortage could hit 160,000 at current trends,” he told Editor and Publisher Magazine.
*How many people use Google Maps each month? The answer will shock you! Find it in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Harvey, our miniature longhaired Dachshund, is a great camping buddy. He always loves looking out the window when we are camped.” —Marty Dagneau-Bates
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!
????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Not only would having a portable one of these be fun, but it would also keep you warm on chilly winter evenings. Check it out.
Leave here with a laugh
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.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury.
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Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): mikegast@rvtravel.com
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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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With the current trend of driverless trucks being tested, I suspect the need for drivers will be drastically reduced in the near future.
There will always need to be a person in the cab monitoring things .
There are too many trucking companies, that charge too much of their drivers monthly income, leaving many with about minimum wage! This being cross country three weeks+ driving a month, away from home. Our son had some months he could only get home a few days, with a paltry income. He had to go to another field to earn a decent income for his family. Some are VERY misleading on how much the new drivers will truly earn.
The general OTR driver gets screwed everyday. Some companies go by the “movers mileage guide”, which is different from “miles traveled”. They pay city to city mileage which has nothing to do with the real world of miles driven. If you get with a reputable “freight hauler” you can make a lot more money, and be home every day (not necessarily every night) or every other day. I did this for almost 30 years and made good money. Better than almost ANY OTR driver. I didn’t touch any freight, and got paid for breakdowns, road closures, chaining and unchaining, and WAIT TIME to boot! But, you generally have to have previous experience to get on with most freight haulers, or at least that’s the way it USED to be.
We store liquids in bottles that could spill in either the bathroom or the kitchen sink while underway. That way, they’re near to where they’re needed and any spillage ends up in the black or grey tank. Gallon water containers for use when we’re in a non-hook-up area are kept in the shower stall for the same reason.
When trying to see is this your RV, it says page not found.
Ditto, it returns a 404 error.
Sorry, Lisa and cee! We fixed the link. –Emily, RVtravel.com
Thanks Emily
The ATA was claiming driver shortages back in 2002. In reality drivers move from a carrier to another looking to improve their income or time at home so often some carriers have a 90% turnover of drivers. If carriers would treat their drivers right and pay them for every hour they work there wouldn’t be a “driver shortage”. Drivers work 60 to 70 hours a week but they only get paid by the miles that truck is moving. They can only drive 11 hours before a mandatory 10 hour rest break, that leaves 3 hours out of their 24 hour day they work uncompensated doing their inspections, checking fluids, airing tires etc. some even load and unload their truck. When I was pulling tankers I was operating the trailer during loading and unloading.
I was going to say the same thing. Pay the drivers for all the hours they work and treat them better, trucking companies and shipper/ receivers treat the driver terrible.
There’s so much “behind the scenes BS” that truckers endure, it’s amazing the shortage isn’t greater.
Spent a lot of my career on both sides managing trucks and then a user of trucks. It’s a hard life for them and I appreciate what they go through. My last job we loaded on average around 3,500 truckloads a month. I was constantly fighting with management trying to find ways to make the truckers life easier when they loaded with us. Anything to make them want to come to our place. Lounges, showers, secure area to sleep, help securing loads, being polite. If you got something, can bet a truck touched it and a driver brought it
An old saying the only thing you don’t get by a truck is babies, but a truck delivered everything that baby uses. Think about it railroad tracks don’t go behind every store you shop at, trucks bring it!