Issue 1782
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
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Plan for Vacation Day!
On this day in history: 1915 – Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates U.S. transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
Tip of the Day
Dead RV battery issue leaves owner in the dark
By Chris Dougherty
Dear Chris,
I have a perplexing issue on my 2012 Holiday Rambler Vacationer. When I put the coach away in storage I carefully make sure the power switch is off for the house batteries. When I return in a week or 10 days, the batteries are depleted. I cannot find or think of any device or thing that is left on that could do this when the switch is off. The batteries are topped up and only about a year-and-a-half old (two Interstate deep cycles). Any tips on how to troubleshoot this, or ideas??? —Bill G
Read Chris’ troubleshooting tips.
Yesterday’s tip of the day: Bucking the trend: Heading north for the winter (Part two)
Join electricity expert Mike Sokol for a 60-minute Zoom interview this Wednesday and Friday at noon EST, featuring live questions from our Quartzsite booth with Tony Barthel. Wednesday Mike will discuss surge protectors, and Friday he’ll discuss lithium battery upgrades. More info to come.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new Cherokee Wolf Pup 16FQ-BL. Tony writes, “I would say that Cherokee’s Wolf Pup line is my favorite in this price category at this time by a significant margin.” Now that’s sayin’ something! Read more and see why.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the American Coach American Eagle 45E? If you missed it, you can read it here.
For previous RV reviews, click here.
CONTEST! Is this your RV?
Win a $25 Amazon gift certificate if today’s RV photo shows your rig
Every day we post a photo of an RV either submitted by its owner or by our editors as they move about the country.
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.
How close does the pressure on each set of duals need to be for equal wear?
Dear Dave,
We have a motorhome with dual tires on the rear. I use a TST Tire Monitoring System to keep tabs on the pressure and try to keep them as equal as possible. How close does the pressure on each set of duals need to be to assure equal wear on each tire? 1 PSI? 2 PSI? Does something like a “Cat’s Eye Tire Pressure Equalizer” make sense to assure the pressure in the tires are the same? What are your thoughts on this? —Marvin
Did you miss Dave’s video yesterday where he answered the question: My motorhome is in storage. Anything I need to do before bringing it out?
DANGER: Beware of camping with only one road in and out
Only one road in and out: It’s a situation that RV owners need to take to heart, which became more obvious this week [Sept. 2020] when a fire raged through a Northern California campground. Two hundred people camping in RVs and tents beat hasty retreats into nearby Shaver Lake, plunging into the water to stay safe from the threatening blaze. Read more.
Reader poll
Which meal do you most often eat out?
Mmm… we’re getting hungry! Tell us here.
Quick Tip
When shopping for an RV, do a “livability test”
Shopping for a new RV? Don’t forget the “livability factor.” It’s best to do a walk-through of an RV without the salesman present. That way, you should feel free to sit on the pot to check leg clearance, lay on the bed to determine comfort, step into the shower to confirm you’ve got room for your elbows and shoulders. Have one person stand in the kitchen in front of the sink or the stove—can the partner get by without imitating a fertility dance? Open the fridge—you’d be surprised how many times the door swings the wrong way! Can’t shake the salesman? Still do all the aforementioned tests and whatever else you can think of to check for real-life livability.
Website of the day
The best destinations to go camping in Mexico
If you’re like us, warm weather and palm trees probably sound pretty good right now! How about an RVing trip down to Mexico? Plan your stays at some of these beautiful places.
For Lovers Only…
Listen up, romantics. If you have a special someone you’d like to surprise with a secret message right here on this website (could be your wife, husband, partner, child, neighbor, friend, etc.) submit it to us here. Don’t use their real names, use a special name that only they’ll recognize. Oh, how fun it will be when they read it! You’ll make their day! We’ll feature these in our upcoming newsletters, so keep your eyes open.
Here are a couple of responses.
To: Bubbalou
From: Sweets
“You are the best doggie and rabbit daddy ever! I am truly blessed with a husband who loves me! I love you more!
“
To: Sugarbritches
From: Honey
“I love you soo much, I think of you every minute of the day.”
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:
• 11 percent do not eat breakfast on a daily basis.
• 34 percent say both they and their partner snore.
• 38 percent change the oil in their RV and/or tow vehicle themselves; they do not take it somewhere to have it done.
Recent poll: What part of this newsletter (Saturday’s) do you look forward to the most?
Recipe of the Day
Easy Low Carb Chicken and Mushroom Stew
by Elaine Douglas from Vancouver, BC
We love a hearty soup on a cold day and this one has so much great flavor. The chicken thigh meat is so moist and the peas add a pop of sweetness. It’s so good, we could probably eat the whole pot by ourselves!
We like the sound of that! Get the recipe.
See yesterday’s recipe: Creamy Lemon Oatmeal Bars
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Trivia
The term “loophole” used to refer to what? Castle architecture. Loopholes, also called arrow slits, were narrow windows carved out of castle walls that allowed defenders to shoot attackers.
*The iconic Coca-Cola bottle is shaped to look like what? You’ll never guess! Find the answer in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Sadie enjoys using the over-the-bed cabinet in our truck camper as her private living space when we’re traveling.” —Barbara Stanbro
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!
Here’s everything to do if you lose your pet. This is an excellent resource!
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Anyone who drinks beer will get a laugh out of this. We sure did!
Leave here with a laugh
Nothing says lovin’ quite like cuddling up close with your sweetheart… cheek to cheek! (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.) We found this on the CampingRoadTrip.com Facebook page and it made us 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.
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury.
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Editorial (all but news): editor@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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The BoxKat is the most ridiculous set up I’ve ever seen……..laughable
That’s pretty harsh criticism, Pam, for something that works for a lot of folks. Like they say, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Have a good afternoon. 🙂 –Diane
So, Pam – silly looking maybe, but ridiculous? I replied to Bob below but must say it has worked indoor and outdoors on my sports car and a $250,000 Airstream Coach on high hills in San Diego. And 100s more. See the drone footage on website. That customer in San Diego said, “I don’t know why everyone parking their RV outside doesn’t have a BoxKat…and stop the worrying I had.”
Cheers,Tom
60 Day Guarantee 100% refund. Try it no risk, except mice infestation without it.
My grandfather had a Texaco gas station for many years. The station was also his home, so restroom facilities for travelers was an outhouse around back. It had THREE holes for ladies in the front door and THREE more for gents in the back door. Both sides had a Sears catalog, rather than roles of paper. I always enjoyed using that facility as a kid.
Dave did give information on tire inflation but he did not answer the question that was asked. I would really like to know the answer.
Dave often talks around the question asked but seldom gives a definitive answer.
My aunt use to tell me when you 1st get married you sleep cheek to cheek. Then after quite a few years you sleep butt cheek to butt cheek.
Daily funny very funny today. Had an outhouse early in my childhood, so may be able to relate and find more humor than some. Thank you!
The “Boxcat” is the silliest thing I’ve seen in ages.
I agree. Maybe if storing an expensive car but I say micevwill get over it or under it. Cost was crazy.
You got that right! and the price is outrages!
The hard thing is to create a barrier that definitely works and not too heavy to reasonably ship and that is within the cost of a single mouse infestation… or less. Carpet cleaning $200 minimum or wiring repair $200 to $5000+. Just the tow to shop $150. So what is your point? Try it and you can return it (60 days) so you can speak from knowing, not guessing. I haven’t worried about mice in my rigs in 2 years. Someday I hope it costs under $100 but that’s well below my current costs. Cheers, Tom
Ditto my reply to Bob above. And it works spectacularly. Cheers, Tom
Leave here with a laugh reminds me of the 2 hole privy’s I was exposed to during the first 21 years of my life. In Vietnam we used six hole privy’s.
In Vietnam, as you know, we used a different term for “privy”. On LZ Sharon, I burned the residue from our two holer.
Been there. Done that! With the help of diesel fuel!
My thought was that they are handy/cheap covers for trash/recycle bins.
My battery use to get low and traced it to the O2 monitor that’s on all the time. I cut the wire and put a switch in.