Issue 2039
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
“Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Popcorn Day!
On this day in history: 1953 – Almost 72 percent of all television sets in the United States are tuned in to “I Love Lucy” to watch Lucy “give birth.” (She had actually scheduled a C-section at the hospital for the same night this episode aired.)
Tip of the Day
Ways to make your RV sewer hose last longer
By Gail Marsh
“Newbie” RVers recently complained about having to replace their sewer hose. Again! It seems they’ve had three different hoses in the last year alone! Yipes! We talked together about some tips to help an RV sewer hose last longer. Here are the highlights:
General care
There are things to avoid if you want your sewer hose to last:
- Do not step on, drive over, or overstretch the sewer hose. Keep children and pets away from the hose, too, so they don’t accidentally trip, rip, or otherwise damage the hose.
- Avoid dragging the hose over rocks or other debris that may puncture it.
- Take care not to crimp or fold the sewer hose. This includes while it’s in use. We’ve all witnessed RV sewer hoses that are set up with hills, valleys, loops, twists, and turns. It’s best to position your sewer hose so that you have a continuous slope toward the campground sewer opening. Not only will your black and gray water run better, but it will also mean less wear and tear on the sewer hose itself.
Today: Live video chat at Noon (3 p.m. Eastern)
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 about RV Repair and Maintenance from noon to 1 p.m. Pacific time (3-4 p.m. in the East). Dave will be live at the Florida RV SuperShow and Dustin and Zach in Lodi, California. 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.
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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.”
Five short Q&As with Dave
Did you know that Dave answers almost every single email he receives? Now that’s what you call impressive! He’s also what you’d call a great guy. That being said, not every email he answers needs a long article like you’re used to seeing here. But he has A TON of other emails that could help answer some of your questions—just in a shorter format!
Dave is busy at the Florida RV SuperShow this week (say “hi” or attend one of his seminars!), so we’re taking some of his shorter email answers and consolidating them into one article.
Today he answers:
• Do I need a pressure regulator on the black water flush valve?
• Honda CRV “toad” battery goes dead after travel. Why?
• Jack switch corrosion results in intermittent operation.
• Why does my furnace just click and the blower not come on?
• How should I reapply trim hanging from overhead cab?
Video of the day
How to make a campfire in the rain
By Cheri Sicard
The skill demonstrated in the video below is an important one, should you ever find yourself in need of building a fire in wet conditions. In it, you will learn how to make a campfire in the rain and how to keep it burning.
Too often we don’t think about outdoor survival skills until it is too late, so here’s a good chance to be proactive with some help from Corporal Kelly, USMC.
Hubby wants to buy new RV; wife wants used. What’s an RVer to do?
By Gail Marsh
How do you vote? No, I’m not talking politics here. I’m wondering about your preference: new or used? I think a lot has to do with the way you grew up. And one notion is neither right nor wrong compared to the other. … The new-or-used mindset has caused many discussions during our enduring (and endearing) marriage. I should have guessed it would eventually enter into the topic of RVs. Read more.
Reader poll
Have you ever ordered groceries to be delivered to your RV campsite?
Quick Tip
Is your roof air conditioner dripping?
Got a dripping roof air conditioner, but it’s not raining outside? If the a/c drips when operating, you’ve probably got clogged drain holes inside the unit. Disconnect shore power, shut off the generator. Remove the shroud from the unit and look for debris blocking drain holes in the bottom plate of the unit.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Pop, pop, pop! You’ll see why we like this one—it’s space-saving, which is perfect for RVers.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Where to store dirty laundry in the RV
- RV Review: Winnebago all-electric motorhome concept
- Ask Dave: Can I connect a portable propane tank to my RV’s outside quick propane connect?
- Featured article: Walking sticks provide surprising bonus to your exercise routine
- Recipe: Bacon Bleu Brussels Sprouts With Mustard Sauce
Website of the day
Instacart
This website takes inspiration from today’s poll. Get all your groceries delivered right to your RV’s door (and much more than groceries, too!). Costco, Walgreens, Petco, Lowe’s, Michaels, 7-11… you name it! It can all be delivered to you via Instacart.
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:
• 36 percent of women and 33 percent of men say they know how to use a sewing machine.
• 16 percent do not have a passport.
• 27 percent are either planning or hope to plan a trip to Alaska within the next two years in their RV.
Recent poll: Have you ever bought and eaten a rotisserie chicken from Costco?
Recipe of the Day
The Best Chicken Pot Pie
by Gail Herbest from Bangor, ME
This is a classic homemade chicken pot pie recipe. The best part is it’s fairly easy to make (but no one needs to know that). Inside the flaky crust is a creamy filling that’s filled with chunks of chicken and veggies. The ultimate comfort food. A great meal to serve on a busy school night.
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Trivia
Despite horses being introduced to the Americas by Spanish explorers, horses were actually being reintroduced to the Americas. The oldest fossils of horses were found in the Wind River Basin in Wyoming. So why did they disappear in the first place? Nobody knows (well, they have some guesses). But if the Spanish hadn’t reintroduced us to one of our own species of horses, there may not be as many horses as we have today. (There are currently 9.2 million horses under human care in the U.S. and an additional 33,000 wild horses.)
*What color were goldfish originally? Hint: It wasn’t gold! Yesterday’s trivia tells you.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Sheldon (named after the Sheldon on the “Big Bang Theory”) loves to ride in Mama’s lap and count telephone poles.” —Lee Brandt
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!
Attach items in your RV without using nails
This new, super-strong, double-sided adhesive tape will hang most objects in your RV without using nails. Works on wood, metal, plastic, aluminum or glass surfaces — indoors and outdoors. Use EZlifego tape to keep carpets in place. And it’s easy to remove and use again later. Highly rated. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
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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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Great knock knock joke. It sounds like my family and they are not as bad as these three brothers are. As for the sewer hose? Seriously? I have had mine for years and no problems yet. I keep mine on one of those snake holders. Works great. I still like going out for groceries. Still not into having it delivered yet.
Instacart and probably Door Dash too, if you have internet. I once had anniversary flowers delivered when we were camping, but I had to drive into town to arrange it.
Good one. I will have to remember that one. Arrange it.
For dripping AC unit – perhaps it should have said dripping INSIDE for clarity. Newbies or those not familiar may not be aware that the AC will always drop water due to condensation on the OUTSIDE of the RV
Thank you! Not a newbie but we were confused about what that little nugget was talking about. I was going to write a comment until I saw yours.
Does Sheldon count out loud or only in Mama’s mind? 😉
The wild horse number is way off it’s closer to 80,000 according to BLM that are responsible for them.
And someone up in Heber/ overgarrd AZ where AJ,s Hideaway is,is shooting them. A dozen or so this year alone.
Or if your A/C drips you could hav a cracked drip tray. Our MH bedroom A/C did more than drip right on my corner of the foot of the bed. Two trips to the RV dealer and $236 in parts and labor didn’t fix it. SIL and I fixed it when we got to FL. It didn’t drip when it was raining only when it was running. Taking the cover off and running the A/C as condensation started dripping into the tray as it built up we saw where it was leaking through the drip tray. A trip to Walmart to get waterproof epoxy, 2 hrs curing time and no more leaking on my feet. It was still running leak free 2.5 years later when we sold it. The biggest lesson from this is I’ll never go back to that dealer for anything. They were looking for leaks when it rained, I told them it didn’t leak then only when it ran, but what did I know, they’re the “experts”.