Issue 1923
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.
Page Contents
Today’s thought
“Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it. I want to become acutely aware of all I’ve taken for granted.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National S’mores Day! (And here’s some s’mores inspiration!)
On this day in history: 1960 – NASA launches Discoverer 13 satellite, the first object ever recovered from orbit.
Have you seen this girl?
The frantic search for Kiely Rodni continues in the Lake Tahoe area after the 16-year-old seemingly vanished into thin air after attending a party over the weekend. She was last seen around 1:30 a.m. on August 6 near the Prosser Family Campground about 10 minutes north of Truckee, California, near I-80, where she was attending a party. Her vehicle, a silver 2013 Honda CRV (California license plate 8YUR127), is also missing, and her phone has been out of service since she disappeared. The sheriff’s office and FBI are treating the case as a possible abduction. Kiely is 5 feet 7 inches tall, 115 pounds, and has blonde hair, hazel eyes and a nose ring. Witnesses say she was last seen wearing a black tank top and green Dickies pants. If you have info, please contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (530) 581-6320, option 7. You may remain anonymous.
Tip of the Day
10+ tips for using carabiners while camping. These are nifty!
By Gail Marsh
If you think only mountain climbers use carabiners, think again. Turns out these unique clips come in handy when camping and RVing, too. Read on to see what I mean.
- Reminder hook. Our RV has a hand grip on the inside of the exit door, where we’ve put a carabiner. I use it to hang reusable shopping bags, items to be returned at the store, and other things so I won’t forget them as I go out the RV’s door.
- Key keeper. We have several sets of keys, including car and truck keys, RV storage compartment keys and entry keys, stix-n-bricks house keys, and more. We keep extra sets of all of our keys together on one carabiner. That way, we always know where to find them when needed. In addition, my husband uses a carabiner holding truck keys and RV keys and clips them to a belt loop. No more lost keys!
- Grocery bag helper. I struggled to keep plastic grocery bags and reusable bags upright as I traveled back to the campground from the grocery store. A carabiner fastened to the back of the car headrests will hold several bags of groceries and keep purchases from rolling out of the bags and all over the car.
Today’s RV review…
2023 Keystone Cougar Half-Ton 29BHS
Tony writes, “This is a mid-sized bunk model travel trailer. I agree with Josh Winters’ video assessment: There are a lot of really good features and functions in this trailer, and the size is right for a lot of people.”
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Photo Contest
The 12th edition of our photo contest is here. Click to see if your photo made the cut, then vote in our poll for your favorite photo. Remember, the winner wins a $50 Amazon gift card! Read the contest rules and/or submit your photo here.
Click here to vote for your favorite
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.”
Why is my Norcold freezer cold, but fridge hot?
Dear Dave,
Our Norcold refrigerator, model N621, is not working properly. The freezer is getting pretty cold but the refrigerator is hot. It is the same if it is on gas or shore power. We are not getting any error codes on the control panel. We have verified that the cooling unit is working and not leaking. We have checked the thermistor as well. There is plenty of hot air coming out of the roof vent and there doesn’t seem to be any blockage. Also, all the fuses are good. We have never had this problem before but we have not used it since July 2021. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. —Molly, 2000 Nash 21-5R
Video of the day
Trailer Towing Challenge: 3 winch cables vs. HUGE fifth wheel
By Cheri Sicard
“Y’all going to put us in the newspaper?” That was the question the owner of the 41-foot, triple-axle fifth wheel in the video below asked the towing company that had come to rescue him.
Road trip mishaps and miscalculations can happen to anyone. That’s why tow truck drivers are the unsung heroes of the RV industry. We may not think about them much until we need them. But they are our rescuers.
How to negotiate the best price on your next RV
An RV purchase is a big deal, and depending on the type of RV you buy, it can come with a substantial price tag. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to negotiate the best price on your next RV. Find out what they are here.
Reader poll
Do you use an Instant Pot for cooking in your RV?
????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
Beer bellies! Get your beer belly! Instant beer belly? Don’t mind if we do… (Read the description for a good belly laugh.)
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
• THE BEST RV TRIP PLANNER APPS AND TOOLS
Did you buy a lemon RV? Here’s more about RV lemons and lawyers who will represent you if you need help.
If you enjoy this newsletter, please help us spread the word! Learn more here. It’s fun!
Quick Tip
Compass points keep your rig cooler
“If your awning is on the south side, as mine is, we always park pointing/heading east so the smallest areas (front and back ends of the RV) get the east/west rising/setting sun during hot times. It also keeps our refrigerator on the coolest, north side. We also use Reflectix in all sunny windows to block out some sun heat.” Thanks to Becca Ray.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Everything you need to know about cleaning your RV awning
- RV review: 2022 Off Grid Trailers Switchback series adventure trailers
- Ask Dave: Advice needed about devices that repel rodents
- Recipe: Salmon Fillet With Herb Pesto
Website of the day
The best lazy rivers in the U.S.
Get your swimsuit on, grab a pool float, and float your way down these lovely “rivers.” If you’re unfamiliar with a lazy river, this is the perfect summer to make yourself acquainted. One of these is at an RV park!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Spontaneous RV road trip in the days of campground crowding
• 18 brilliant uses for tension rods in your RV
• YUCK! There was green algae growing in the water hose we drink from!
Recipe of the Day
Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese Potatoes
by Jill McEachern from Mobile, AL
These easy-to-prepare cheesy potatoes are the perfect side for a holiday meal or a weeknight chicken dinner. Once baked, the potatoes have a delicious crispy crust. Parmesan cheese adds a savory flavor and helps with the crust. Buttery and tender, melting mozzarella cheese on top makes these potatoes gooey and very creamy. If you want to elevate a potato side dish, give these cheesy potatoes a try.
Trivia
The three most popular (or common) birthdays in the U.S. are September 9th, 12th, and 19th. In fact, September is the most popular birth month.
*If you were to visit Japan in the fall, what unique treat would you enjoy? The answer is fascinating (and yummy!). Find it in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Honestly, we bought our camper so Jitterbug would be comfortable as we travel and camp. She loves to travel and quickly becomes the ‘Welcome Waggin’ with everyone she meets. Totally content on the road, she has traveled thousands of miles from our ‘base camp’ in West Michigan and is always up for a new adventure.” —Sarah Pregitzer
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!
Leave here with a laugh
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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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Jitterbug looks like the queen of the campground! Lucky dog!! and, lucky y’all for being her “parents”!
The baby nurses can always tell you when the winter storms occurred.
As to September births, I always thought Mother’s Day should have come nine months after Father’s Day.
Got it! 😆 Have a great day, Impavid. :D: –Diane
My Mother’s birthday was Sept 19th and my Granddaughter’s is the 17th.
My parents were married Dec. 12, 1945. I was born Sept. 2, 1946. Better believe all the neighbors and family members were doing the math. 😏
First one shows up any time, all the rest take 9 months. Love is what counts, not time.
As a side, elope and watch everyone count the months.
On the quick tip I’ve never been in a campground that allowed me to park my RV anyway I wanted on the site. When I had the pop up it was small enough that I could turn it around, but not since. Lol
Laugh of the day- I got it and laughed. I’m more of the slippery on wet roads, myself.
Include me a september baby, the 23rd to be exact, which is nine months from january. Gotta find something to do on those cold january days, what better way to stay warm.
I like “Today’s Thought”. Reduces worry and regret to zero.
that adjustable oil filter wrench is for me, I tried everything to get that sewer cap off, even had to have the fellow behind me get it off at the dump station one time. It’s definitely age as I am seventy and the strength isn’t there any more. Tried the cheap plastic cap wrench and broke it in two. So this is the solution for us wimpy old timers.
With September being the most popular birth month, it puts a new definition on “Happy New Year”, doesn’t it?
I was thinking a Christmas present! Ha Ha
Snoopy
Yep!
Me too. No clue what today’s joke is supposed to be.
All the warning lights on a dashboard going off, all systems in distress. One of those ‘I’m so old my body doesn’t work’ jokes/remarks.
All the warning lights come on in your body.
Need help with getting the humor in Leave with a Laugh
Ditto.
Dash board warning lights that all systems aren’t on board with your brain’s plans for the day.
Me too!
Not sure how old you are, but the older I get, more “warning bells and lights” (aches and pains) go off in my body when I stand up, especially too fast!
I thought it was cute, but didn’t laugh out loud! 🙂
Same here. Makes NO sense to me.