Issue 2033
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.
Today’s thought
“Nothing great in the world was accomplished without passion.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Milk Day!
On this day in history: 1908 – Grand Canyon is named a National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt. It became a National Park in 1919.
Tip of the Day
When is it time to hang up the RV keys for good?
By Nanci Dixon
There are many factors that can influence the decision to hang up the RV keys and quit RVing for good. Some of those reasons could be age or health-related, personal preferences, and financial considerations. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether to stop RVing:
Age
As you get older, you may find that it becomes more difficult to drive, especially at night or in adverse weather conditions. You may also find that it becomes less enjoyable to drive, particularly long distances.
Safety
If experiencing difficulty driving safely, it may be time to consider alternatives to the RVing lifestyle. If seeing while driving is becoming tricky for you, it may be time to hang up those keys. You don’t want to put yourself, or anyone else, in danger.
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 and writers 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.”
Can I mount a backup camera on RV’s ladder?
Dear Dave,
I have a ZEROXCLUB 7″ wireless backup camera that I want to mount to the back of my 32′ 5th wheel. I do not want to drill holes into the fiberglass or roof EPDM. Do you see an issue with mounting it to the ladder? I do not use the ladder to access the roof and it seems pretty rigid. —Rik, 2012 Forest River Sterling 5th wheel
In the RV Shop with Dustin
Using a water heater tank rinser is the key to maintaining your RV’s water heater
Utilizing a water heater tank rinser is key to maintaining your water heater. Whether you have a Suburban or Dometic water heater, sediment rests at the bottom of your tank. The only way to get it out is to disturb it at the bottom of the tank and flush it out. As Dave Solberg mentions, the drain valve is not at the very bottom of the tank. So simply draining the tank will not remove the sediment.
Today: Live video chat
Dave, Dustin and Zach answer your questions about RV repair and maintenance
On today’s live Talkin’ RV Tech, our three tech experts will answer your questions from our online video studio about RV Repair and Maintenance from 4-5 p.m. Pacific time (7-8 p.m. in the East). So join them and pick their brains via chat. Ask questions or just lurk and soak up all the valuable information.
Watch and ask questions here. RV Travel on YouTube • RV Travel on Facebook • California RV Specialists on YouTube.
Video of the day
Minimizing RV condensation: What to do about damaging interior moisture
By Cheri Sicard
I confess, I purposely sought out this video because I am currently dealing with the issue of RV condensation myself.
Living on a beach in Mexico in the winter has presented RV challenges I did not face in the heat of summer. As always, the air is moist. But the colder outdoor temperatures have clashed with the warmer air inside my RV to produce condensation on the windows throughout.
Click here to read more and watch
These socks don’t stink!
If you don’t believe us when we say these compression socks really work, look at the overwhelmingly positive reviews and maybe you’ll change your mind. These socks provide instant relief to your arches and heels and work to increase blood and oxygen circulation, which helps reduce lactic acid buildup and aids muscle recovery in ankles and feet. Click here to learn more.
Pinterest may be your gateway to building your own RV (or fixing the one you have)
By Mike Gast
When you need to figure out how to do something with your RV, buy something you think you can’t live without, or just want to research something online … where do you go? If you’re like most (especially you fellows out there), you head straight for a Google search or go to YouTube to search for answers. But there’s another option … Pinterest. Start with a horse trailer, end up with a first-class RV! I bring up Pinterest because I’ve seen a lot of discussion of late on RVtravel.com and other sites about folks disgusted with the build quality of their RVs. Read more for some great tips.
Reader poll
Do you attend church services when on the road for an extended period?
Helpful resources
• 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.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Missing your home fireplace? Can’t have a campfire outside? Well, this is almost as good… Crackling fire included (say what?!).
Quick Tip
Use big enough leveling blocks
Got leveling blocks for under the tires? Make sure the blocks are big enough that the tire sits completely on the block—not overhanging it. Dually rig owners, BOTH of the tires must be supported, not just “one or ‘tuther.”
On this day last year…
- Tip: How can you fix an out-of-kilter RV slideout?
- RV Review: East To West Ahara 325RL fifth wheel
- Ask Dave: Owner’s manual says I can run roof AC on 110-volt power. Shouldn’t it be 30 amp?
- Recipe: Happy Tummy Chicken & Noodles
Website of the day
The Travel
This website has tons (and we mean tons) of interesting travel articles. Wondering about Nevada’s best towns? Where to stay near Glacier National Park? It’s all here and more.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
• Time to downsize? Here’s how to find a smaller RV that works best for you
• I’m in love with my new Lectric eBike. It is practically made for RVers!
• Video: Take a look inside these 10 luxurious celebrity motorhomes
Recipe of the Day
Stuffed Eggplant Italiano
by Susan Bickta from Kutztown, PA
This is a fantastic stuffed eggplant recipe. Veggies are sauteed, stuffed into the eggplant shell, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and roasted to perfection. The combination of ingredients creates a flavorful Italian meal. Hearty enough for a main dish or cut into smaller pieces for a side dish. This is simple and wonderful!
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Trivia
The Audubon Society was originally founded in reaction to women’s hats. In the late 19th century, it was fashionable for women to wear hats made with hundreds of feathers or even entire taxidermied birds. In London, it was common for hat makers to place single orders for up to 400,000 feathers at a time. One order required feathers from nearly 200,000 herons! Bird lovers started to take note, and George Bird Grinnell, the editor of Forest and Stream magazine, founded the precursor to the modern-day Audubon Society, even though it would not fully incorporate until 1905. Because of this, many states adopted laws against the hunting of birds for these feathers and ended the craze.
*The Prohibition Era’s most successful enforcement officers made their arrests posing as… What? Yesterday’s trivia tells you this interesting story.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“This is Franc, our 15-year-old Dachshund. He goes on almost every trip in our motorhome. He loves to sneak up into the captain’s chairs whenever he gets a chance.” —Daniel Merkovsky
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!
Protect your RV parts from rust and corrosion
T-9 is the RV technician’s choice for attacking corrosion, loosening rusty parts & flushing out old lubricants. It permeates metal crevices & seeps deep inside assembled components to leave a durable protective coating, lubricating without dismantling equipment. It won’t wash off in rain or mud. T-9 will not harm paint, plastic, rubber, fiberglass or vinyl. It can be used on engines, wiring, belts & is safe on electronics. Boeshield T-9 was developed by Boeing for lubrication and protection of aircraft components. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
You know the popular soap and fragrance store Bath & Body Works? Well, we like this a whole lot more! Want one for yourself? Find it here. Too funny!
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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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And that is why the dodo bird is extinct. So glad they made fake feather hats and coats these days. The animals that go thru the horrors of ….well lets not go there.
I love Franc! He looks like my Liebshen – white face and all! Unfortunately, she passed on in 2009 and I still miss her – they are such smart little so and sos!
Campground crowding is overused: I drove 35 miles east in the big bend of Florida yesterday; passed 4 campgrounds on the gulf coast all had vacancies. Suggest people be flexible; look around. Florida and most states have campground directories; lots of places you have never heard of but are beautiful. Try it!
Suggest you stop and inquire as to the daily rate at those campgrounds before assuring us Florida travel is easy. I’ve done plenty of research on Florida campgrounds. The reason people are desperately trying to book state parks a year in advance is they can’t afford the rates at private parks any more.
If you know your axle weights and tire load ratings, there is not necessarily any reason you can’t level a dually on only one rear tire.
If you are talking about a camper, it is not a good idea to use only one tire. The stress put on a single tire can and will (over time) cause stress cracks in the rim and possible failure of the rim in transit. Happy Trails
I have to respectfully disagree with Dave’s reply about mounting a backup camera to a fifth wheel ladder. I have one mounted there with Velcro straps for over 8 years and have had zero noticeable vibration issues.