Issue 1927
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
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild, the spare, the original, is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Tell a Joke Day! (Scroll down for our joke of the day.)
On this day in history: 1930 – The first color sound cartoon, Fiddlesticks, is released by Ub Iwerks.
Tip of the Day
Follow these important steps to protect your home while you’re gone RVing
By Gail Marsh
Most RVers can’t wait to get out on the open road. Thieves can’t wait for you to leave home either! It’s estimated that a home burglary occurs every 18 seconds in the United States. That’s an alarming number! But thieves aren’t your only worry. What if a water leak develops? Or the HVAC system malfunctions and causes a fire? Here are a few tips for protecting your home while you’re gone RVing.
COMING LATER THIS FALL: A new weekly newsletter: RV Tech Talk. The nation’s leading experts on RV repair and maintenance will discuss, both in writing and in live online discussions, what you need to know to keep your RV in top condition, and to troubleshoot problems. Edited by Dave Solberg. Sign up.
Today’s RV Preview…
2023 Palomino Columbus 375BH—Unique bunk and bath
Tony writes, “This is a large bunkhouse fifth wheel with some truly unusual features, including the floor plan. … [W]e’re all seeing it before even most dealers do and before it even has a chance to get onto Palomino’s website. … There were a few things that really showed an attention to detail on the unusual floor plan of the Palomino Columbus 375BH.”
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.”
There’s a crack near my RV’s fiberglass slide. How do I fix it?
Dear Dave,
While washing my camper I noticed a crack on the upper left-hand corner of my living room slide. This slide is not that big and only has a couch in it. Is this something I should be concerned about? —Phil, 2019 Coachmen Chaparral 381RD
Video of the day
What is the best RV battery: lithium, lead or AGM?
By Cheri Sicard
Are you thinking about switching out your old lead acid RV or marine batteries to today’s new, modern lithium batteries? I know I have been. Before you pull that trigger on new RV batteries, the National RV Training Academy has some points to consider.
Danger! Check your RV’s mattress for fiberglass! Yes, really!
By Gail Marsh
Many RVers switch out the original bed mattress that comes from the RV factory and purchase a memory foam mattress or “bed-in-a-box” as a replacement. A foam mattress might be more comfortable. But it might be dangerous, as well! Learn more.
Reader poll
On your phone, do you communicate more often by voice calls or text messages?
Quick Tip
How much propane do you have?
You can buy a special electronic gizmo that will help you figure it out. But there are less expensive ways. Check your tank early in the morning when dew hits the bottle. Where the dew line on the metal stops, that’s the level of LP left in your cylinder. Some RVers dump really hot water down the cylinder and look to see where condensation forms. If you have a scale, you can weigh the bottle, and deduct the weight (you’ll find that weight marked next to the letters “TW” on the carrying yoke) of the bottle. Propane weighs 4.24 pounds per gallon.
?????? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??????
We dare you to put this on your RV’s door. We bet people would think twice about knocking! We’d like to put up a security camera so we could watch people’s reactions. What do you think?
On this day last year…
- Tip: Unlimited uses for coffee filters in your RV
- RV Review: 2021 Grand Design Solitude 310GK series fifth wheel
- Ask Dave: Gray water tank gurgles. What’s wrong?
- Featured article: Warning! Don’t park in a wash!
- Recipe: Asparagus Chicken Wraps
Website of the day
The Best Seafood Regions in America
Is there anything better than a summer day paired with fish and chips? We don’t think so! This list from Rand McNally tells you about the best regions to eat seafood across the U.S.
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:
• 42 percent wish their RV’s bathroom were bigger.
• 40 percent say they’ve been stuck in their RV during a storm that was so bad they feared for their safety.
• 17 percent own an electric bicycle.
Recent poll: How many RVs have you owned in your lifetime?
Recipe of the Day
Stuffed Bell Peppers Superior
by Teena Mathis from Harlingen, TX
These stuffed peppers are moist, juicy, and delicious! They’d make an elegant presentation for a dinner party, but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. The beefy onion soup mix really elevates the flavor of the stuffing.
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Trivia
What U.S. state’s official mammal is extinct? If you guessed California, you’d be right. The California grizzly bear (the same bear on the California state flag) has been extinct for nearly a decade. Starting around 1848, the California Gold Rush put a strain on the bear’s population, and they were hunted for their meat and fur. The last time a California grizzly was spotted was in the early 1920s.
*How long can mice live in the wild? We bet the answer will surprise you. Find it in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“We travel in a Class A motorhome. Snowy’s favorite place to ride is in the driver’s side front windshield. Then she barks at everyone that passes us. And she loves to camp.” —Roger Black
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!
RVing with Dogs Group on Facebook. Join the discussion.
Roll-up drying rack saves precious kitchen space
It’s almost like this was designed for RVs! This roll-up stainless steel drying rack rolls out right over the top of your sink. No more taking up room on the countertop with a bulky drying rack. This is brilliant! When you’re not using it as a drying rack, it can also be used as a colander to wash fruit and veggies, or as a non-slip trivet mat for hot pots and pans. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
How did the hamburger introduce his girlfriend? He said, “Everyone, meat Patty.”
(We know it’s a groaner, but it’s National Joke Day! What did you expect? Plus, it made us laugh!)
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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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Everyone comes to Maine for the lobster. I hate to say it but it is over rated and over expensive. Especially in Bar Harbor. I found better prices toward Portland and Boston. So be forewarned and sticker shock if you come to Acadia for a lobster dinner. IMO not yours.
Hmmm human extinction?
Will solve earths climate change problem.
And no one will need worry about Snowy…
On how much propane do you have? You all must be talking about travel trailers, etc. Most if not all class A & C have a gauge inside on their panel that indicates the level of propane left!
A NEW Patty joke, thank you.
Talk about unsafe, a dog riding “in” the driver’s side front windshield! That can’t be a serious Pet of the Day Post. I checked and it’s not April 1st.
Jo Pa, I TOTALLY agree! We have a special “car seat” for our Chihuahua Mix and she is “tied” in with a strap to her harness. In the driver’s side front windshield is not safe for Snowy OR her humans!!!!
Propane level.
I find that when I am preparing for camping or during a trip that often there is no “morning dew” and I just do not carry a scale with me. I finally broke down and bought the AP Products Propane Tank Gas Level Indicator. I could not be happier with the product. It connects to my cell and gives me an exact indication of how much is in the cylinder. The product is available through several sources. I do recommend that you also get their “tank halo” to elevate the bottom of the tank slightly. I find their clip on legs included with the gauges to be subpar.
I agree, the best addition in the way of gadgets. I also had my son in law make the halo collars from aluminum and ditched the clips since they were breaker frequently. Nice to see an accurate reading on the propane so there are no uh no moments
Snowy is a very cute dog. However, allowing her to be on the dash while driving is dangerous to both her and the occupants of the RV. A panic stop or quick lane change and she will be flying around the dash. Plus, the drivers first instinct is to reach for the dog.
Plus, it may be against the law. Animal cruelty and distracted driving.
Bob, you beat me to it! Driving with a distraction like a dog in your windshield, especially right in front of the driver, is dangerous and reckless.
If Snowy is barking at every passing car and that bad behavior is being ignored, is she also one of the constantly yapping little dogs in the window of the RV in the campground?
Website of the Day for best seafood States. And Maine with it’s world famous lobster was not included? I guess RV’ers are more into shiners and catfish huh? lol
That article must have been written by a robo-writer. I’ve been to 2 of the 5 recommended restaurants. There’s better seafood within walking distance of both. Just my .02.
Rather than saying that the California grizzly has bern extinct for “nearly a decade,” I probably would have said “nearly a century” because 1920 was over 100 years ago. 🙂 But no worries, 1920 clearly also was more than 10 years ago. 🙂
Also the Grizzly was killed off because it attacked cattle, sheep plus killed a lot of people not just for fur and meat.
Seriously? After being part of this natural environment for tens of thousands of years the bear was rendered extinct in a span of 70 years, and that’s reasonable to you for whatever excuse you have? Unbelievable.
No reason to drive it to extinction
But if one wandered into your yard, would you still say that?
IIRC, a species has to not had a living example sited for 80 years before they are declared extinct. There was a big to-do a few years ago when there was a possible sighting of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker in Arkansas, though the video was indeterminate and no examples have been seen since.
Someday, maybe soon if we don’t change our selfish ways, humanity will be facing extinction. What will mourn for us as we pass into the dustbin of history?
Cockroaches.
Sad but possibly true. 😆 Have a great day, Gary. 😀 –Diane
Hahaha!
We better start teaching cockroaches how to read and write
If “We” don’t change our ways ! Lol,