Issue 1829
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, product reviews and more. Thanks for joining us. Please tell your friends about us.
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Page Contents
Today’s thought
“The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.” —Benjamin Franklin
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Tater Day! If you don’t feel like eating potatoes today, how about spending the night in one?
On this day in history: 1918 – Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time.
Tip of the Day
RV Mods – Got a spare, there?
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Here’s an RV modification for the travel trailer and smaller motorhome set. It’s an “If you ain’t got it, you need it” mod. When we bought our mid-20-foot range travel trailer, it didn’t take us long to scratch our heads: “Where’s the spare tire?” It was an apt question, because in the years that we had that rig, due to an originally unbeknownst misaligned axle, we needed more than a couple of whacks with a spare tire.
Do you have a spare tire carrier on your rig? No, we’re not talking about behemoth Class A units where not only do you need a spare tire, you need the likes of Samson to ride along in your basement storage to lift and fit the spare. We’re talking about a rig that uses a, say, 15- or 16-inch tire. If your rig is equipped with the typical 4-inch square tube rear bumper, then acquiring and installing this important mod is quick, inexpensive and relatively easy.
Today’s RV review…
2022 Grand Design Transcend Xplor 265BH
Tony writes, “Grand Design does a good job building these trailers with just a few exceptions, which are easily corrected if you care. This offers both good seating and enough sleeping space to where I think this layout makes more sense than a number of bunk models. There is also a huge amount of kitchen counter space in this so you really could serve a larger group 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.
Why does my RV propane regulator whistle for only one tank?
Dear Dave,
Why does my RV propane regulator whine or whistle when it’s pointed to one tank but not to the other one? —Dennis
10 harsh RV realities for beginners
By Dave Helgeson
Many of us that have been RVing for years have learned the realities of RVing via direct experience (aka school of hard knocks) long before the advent of the “information super highway” aka the internet. Nowadays you can easily perform an online search for any subject and be presented with a huge choice of articles and videos. … Here’s a short video (viewed more than 1.8 million times since March 2018) depicting the “10 Harsh RV Life Realities for Beginners.” How many can you identify with?
Reader poll
Would you rather an RV park have a swimming pool or a hot tub?
Quick Tip
“Clean” firewood
Can’t find a good source of campfire wood? Restrictions to keep invasive bug species at bay make it even harder. Hit the “big box” lumberyard and buy cheap “utility”-grade 2x4s. Cut them in foot or foot-and-a-half lengths. They are easy to chop into kindling, if desired, and they light easily, don’t support bugs, and put out plenty of heat and light.
Website of the day
The Best Mountain Towns to Visit in America
It’s hard to say there’s anything better than a gorgeous mountain town, especially on a beautiful spring or summer day. See how many of these you’ve been to, and plan a trip to the ones you’ve never visited.
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:
• 69 percent say they would gladly pay $20 a night to stay in a Walmart parking lot with electric hookups.
• 76 percent have continuously worked for an employer for 20 years or more.
• The majority of voters, 56 percent, say the person they feel closest to is not a blood relative.
Recent poll: Do you still enjoy RVing as much as you did when you first started?
Recipe of the Day
Crispy Hasselback Potatoes
by Kitchen Crew from Nashville, TN
Hasselback potatoes sound hard to make, but they’re actually just an easy and fancy baked potato. Originating at the Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, slices are partially cut into Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. As the potatoes bake, the slices fan out and allow for melted butter and seasonings to seep inside. The potato skins are crisp, while the slices stay tender. A delicious potato side dish option for your holiday meal or a dinner party. Serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
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Trivia
The Kansas state motto is: “Ad astra per aspera,” which translates to, “To the stars through difficulties.” We like that!
*What is the most intelligent freshwater fish? Hint: It’s also the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S.! Take a guess and see if you’re right by looking for the answer in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Lucee began her travels as an 8-year-old and has settled in nicely! She is fearless in her hunting everywhere we go. And on the way home, she finds herself exhausted. I don’t know how we could live without her!” —Genevieve Arthur
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 ??????
If you eat this, you’re going to be the most muscular person in the world! Really, it’s true! And then when you hug someone you’ll be giving them a muscle sandwich!
Leave here with a laugh
If your dentist fixed your cavities with different colors, would it be okay? Or would you have mixed fillings?
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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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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Hasselback potatoes. Sound easy and yummy. As for pool or spa? Neither. both sound germy.
clean firewood, if the lumber has been treated, it may give off a harmful vapor when burning.
America ? North America, Central America or South America? Or, the rock group, “America”?
Stop referring to the United States as “America”! There are two America’s North and South. The US is only 39.8% of North America where as Canada is 40.4% in land mass.
Hi, Morgan. Thank you for your accurate observation. Feel free to pass it along to Kastalia Medrano and Jay Gentile, who wrote that article, as well as Thrillist, who published the article. We’re not sure who named that post, but it wasn’t RVtravel.com. We just linked it in our newsletter. Take care. 😀 –Diane
Nevertheless, the word “America” has been synonymous with the United States of America all over the world to immigrants desirous of coming here for over 100 years. Objecting to the authors’ use of the word to identify the USA seems rather petty to me. It must be difficult to sing “America, the Beautiful” if the use of that word referring to the nation troubles you. It’s sad to see RVtravel cave to such criticism.
Hi, Gina. Thank you for your concern, but I didn’t feel like we “caved” to the criticism. I just pointed out the facts, in case he wanted to direct his concern to the source. Take care. 🙂 –Diane
Good for you Diane! Some folks are kinda in your face, picky and angry. Maybe they haven’t been camping or traveling enough. I’ve been on the road for 2 1/2 months and it sure puts a giddy-up in my step. Thanks to you and RVTravel staff!
Thanks, cee! I appreciate your moral support. Yep, I think I need to get up to my 18+ acres of semi-remote mountain property. It’s totally uninhabited by humans (and technology!). The deer, mountain lions, black bears, etc., are kind enough to share it with me. I need to recharge my batteries. Enjoy your travels! 😀 –Mountain Mama aka Diane
👍
I’ve lived in and visited many countries, and the term ‘US’ is the primary descriptor I’ve come across.
(TIDBITS/ discussion) Re: “America”, terminology and definitions? America is an abbreviation for a COUNTRY (U. S. A.); America – definition of America by The Free Dictionary (and their citizens are “Americans” by any definition around the world?) vs North America/ South America= CONTINENTS. AND Japan has a CITY called Usa (Usa Japan at DuckDuckGo), so technically IMPORTANT to make sure you have periods in the abbreviation U. S. A. (and, I believe, technically, punctuation, a space should follow each period?) 🙂
Around my neck of the woods, skids are plentiful. Is there a place nearby that fixes / repairs them? We can get short broken pieces for free. Some stores get their merchandise on them and they would have to pay to have someone haul it away. Usually 1×4 pieces 3 ft long
Lucee looks very close to my Finley and have same expression. Mine is a Maltese Westie mix rescued and has the sweet disposition of the Maltese but the terrier shows once in awhile. They make life good. Thanks for sharing
On the Quick Tip – even if you find cheap 2x4s please ensure that they aren’t pressure treated. Yes, it’s unlikely that ‘cheap’ and ‘pressure treated’ are ever used in the same sentence. These days it is possible to find pressure treated wood that isn’t green (or some other color) so it pays to be careful.
“Cheap” 2×4’s?? Not sure where those are hiding these days. Maybe opt for old shipping pallets that really ARE cheap.
shipping pallets are cheaper but don’t forget they leave nails behind after they burn up
BURN? HECK, THEY ARE A common decor item for wall & wainscot, even church stages/ podiums for past 10yrs?
Today’s thought/quote was exceptionally appropriate for many today to think about if they believe the gov’t owes them happiness. Ol’ Ben was a wise man.
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Amen
Laugh, extreme cases of dad jokes. 😁
On the quick tip ” clean firewood ” currently there is no such thing as a cheap 2 X 4 . Sometimes a single 2 X 4 can hit six or eight dollars. If you have a Rural King or tractor supply you can get a plastic wrapped bundle of 8 compressed wood chip blocks for as little as $4.99, they light pretty easy and there is no clean up .
Re: Quick Tip
“Clean” firewood. Check local laws. In the state of Arkansas, it’s illegal to burn outdoors anything man-made including building materials.
I live in Allegheny County in Pennsylvania. The law here is clean, dry “firewood”.
No building materials, yard clippings, leaves, including green tree branches.
Of course no one follows the rules. We have one neighbor who sees nothing wrong with burning leaves in the fall and his tree prunings. There have been times you cannot see across the street through the smoke. Warnings from the county has no affect since they have to SEE the offense in progress.
Have you checked the prices of 2×4’s lately?
A standard 2×4 is now almost $8 here. That’s quite a price for about 15 minutes of fire.
Most campgrounds sell local firewood for $5-$7 a bundle which last for an hour.
Good joke. But some people PAY BIG DOLLARS to dentists to excatly that.