Issue 2049
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
“If we had not winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” —Anne Bradstreet
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Tater Tot Day! It’s also Groundhog Day… will he see his shadow? (Maybe if he’s tempted with a Tater Tot!)
On this day in history: 1925 – Dog sled teams reach Nome, Alaska, with diphtheria serum, inspiring the Iditarod Race. Do you know the story?
Tip of the Day
Awning tear? Don’t despair—fix it yourself!
By Gail Marsh
After almost a week of overcast skies, the sun finally appeared. I was excited to finally unfurl our RV awning! Out, out, out it went. And then … you guessed it! An awning tear. Sunlight glinted through the small rip, confirming my distress. A tear. Now what?
Well, you have to find the right fix for your awning…
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.”
Why do four new 100 Ah lithium batteries only charge to 13.6V?
Dear Dave,
We just installed four Battle Born lithium batteries, as the flooded batteries would not last more than about 16 hours running the residential refrigerator and even a limited 12 load. The RV came with no solar or solar prep. It has a Progressive Dynamics charger/2000 watt inverter and an Eclipse touchpad that controls everything. The touchpad only has settings for flooded, gel and AGM batteries….
Read the rest of Tony’s question and Dave’s answer
Video of the day
Carlsbad Caverns National Park: 5 things to know before you go
By Cheri Sicard
Located in southeastern New Mexico in the Guadalupe Mountain Range, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is one of the USA’s most unique attractions.
The team from Swifty Travels has gathered five essential tips for anyone planning a visit to this national treasure. Besides tips, the video below also provides some gorgeous eye-candy footage from Carlsbad Caverns.
Easily create a space-saving pet nook in your RV
By Gail Marsh
Has Rover’s bed become a trip hazard in the RV? Does Kitty need a quiet place of her own inside your RV? Here are some suggestions on how to create a special place for your furry friend.
Reader poll
Do you check your smartphone for news, email, etc., before rising from bed in the morning?
Quick Tip
Easy fire starters
Want fire starters for your campfire? Get a single one of those premanufactured fire logs, cut it up in pieces, and use the pieces for fire starters.
Did you miss yesterday’s Full-Time RVer newsletter? All RVers will enjoy it, not just full-timers! Read it here.
On this day last year…
- RV Review: 2022 Alliance Paradigm 385FL
- Ask Dave: How often should I lubricate my RV’s slideout mechanism and with what?
- Featured article: So did they want a motorhome or a fifth wheel? Don’t try this at home!
- Recipe: Pot Roast Nachos
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Not only does this sound REALLY good, but we also love the logo! All campers will!
Website of the day
National Park Foundation
The National Park Foundation does so much for our beautiful National Parks. Learn about their work, how to support them or ways to get involved on their website. They also have tons of NP news and information.
For Lovers Only…
To: Tshlaru
From: Big Boy
“Looking forward to another year of travel and adventure. Europe is going to be a blast!”
To: Art Lover
From: Pocket Watch
“My wife’s glass is always half full. Mine, on occasion, half empty. Combined, we have a full glass.”
Listen up, romantics. Valentine’s Day is coming up. If you have a special someone you’d like to surprise with a secret message right here on this website (could be your wife, husband, partner, child, neighbor, friend, etc.) submit it to us here. Don’t use their real names, use a special name that only they’ll recognize. Oh, how fun it will be when they read it! You’ll make their day! We’ll feature these in our upcoming newsletters, so check back often and see if yours has been featured.
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:
• At a nice RV park, 24 percent would choose using the park’s showers over their own RV’s shower.
• 25 percent do not believe chalk should be allowed in campgrounds.
• When asked what genre of movies our readers most often watch, the highest percentage of voters, 24 percent, say they most often watch action movies. The second most popular genre was comedy followed by drama and sci-fi or fantasy. Rom-coms were the least watched.
Recent poll: Have you ever had a problem with an RV slideout that delayed your travel?
Recipe of the Day
Cheryl’s Hot Beefs
by Cheryl Beyer from Bloomington, MN
Wow, this shredded beef is rich with flavor. We opted to use the slow cooker and after the chuck roast simmers it’s tender and just melts in your mouth. There are a few simple ingredients and the Crock Pot does all the magic. The beef and juices have a rich flavor that has a hint of smoke. Serve on a bun for an easy Crock Pot meal. Everyone will love these sandwiches. We had an issue finding onion buns, but these were delish on a regular bun. We served it with a little bit of the juices from the slow cooker
Trivia
Rising nearly 700 feet, the Death Valley Sand Dunes are the highest dunes in California. Isolated from other dunes, they are an evolutionary island, home to rare and endangered species of plants and animals.
*There is a convenience store in the U.S. for every _____ number of people? Fill in the blank with yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“We rescued Sofi (mixed terrier) on the right about 5 years ago. Just acquired her new sister, GiGi who is a mix of Havanese and Maltese. They love to travel and take walks.” —Larry Hobdey
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!
Replay of yesterday’s live webcast
Talkin’ RV Tech
Dave, Dustin and Zach answer questions from viewers about RV repair and maintenance in this one hour program from RVtravel.com and California RV Specialists. Click the video to play. Listen to this program every week and you will save yourself hundreds if not thousands of dollars in repair bills each year.
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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You say 25% do think chalk should be allowed in campgrounds- what about blackboards- same vote? HaHa- chalk? Are you kidding? What does anyone have against chalk?
Kids Sidewalk chalk that you have to walk through then drag it into your RV. I’ve had to wash down RV spots a few times before pulling in. If parents are going to allow their kids to use it, at least have the courtesy to clean it up.
this is what you have time to complain about?
Looks like female handwriting to me….women ARE capable of understanding Integral Calculus.
Graffiti all over the sidewalks an streets
The saying from Pocket Watch reminded me when I was a Police Officer, I was assigned an officer to ride with, and he jumped in the police car and said “you know what’s great about you and me and Brian, together we got that full brain!” He was such a good hearted man, who made that hard work a bit more pleasant!
I was thinking it’s not to solve the equation but how to put the equation in as a pin.
Love the ATM note. As I seem to recall the equation would create a string of solutions as x ranges from x=0 to x=1, not a 4 digit pin.
2 digit pin, possibly a negative number
For the quick tip…in a pinch you can always use Fritos! They work amazingly well.
So glad I have my own card, my math was in accounting in school, not that. 😳
As for the getting on my phone for emails or such, not till I get my coffee!!!!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Where do you find some of the junk that you show here?
It gets them Amazon clicks.
Quick tip. I have been doing that for years. You can get about 30 starters out of one $4 log.
I can’t agree more with Bob. Why waste money. Get out the hatchet and gloves and take a split piece of log and split it further in kindeling 6-7 pieces from that and your on your way.
Just use Vaseline and cotton balls
Here is the latest RV financing STUPIDITY courtesy of Oliver Travel Trailers in Hohenwald Tennessee!
You to can have an Oliver Travel Trailer for only $484.00/month FOR 20 YEARS!
https://olivertraveltrailers.com/travel-trailers/financing/?inf_contact_key=35cde3c28c2c9b21b50885caef1716c0
Only $116160 for a depreciating asset.
Does that include interest?
Guy down the street wants $200K for a 5 year old diesel pusher .
What if his wife can solve the equation or she can get someone else to do it. “The wounds that hurt the most are generally self inflicted”.
I’d say it’s a calculated risk . . .
more interesting is if they could get the 2 digit pin to work