Issue 2059
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
“The best way to cheer yourself is to cheer somebody else up.” ―
An alternative to Amazon for RV parts and accessories. Visit Dyers. Great selection and service.
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Do A Grouch A Favor Day! Have a grouch in your life? Well, do them a favor!
On this day in history: 1968 – In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system went into service.
Tip of the Day
Deep-clean the black tank to prevent nasty outhouse smell
By Nanci Dixon
When the winds of time blow in the wrong direction and the bathroom vent just doesn’t seem to siphon all the scent away, it is time for the deep black tank clean. Sigh. We have a flush system that works pretty well. Dump, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat. I will admit that I do close the tank, fill with water, count to 200 and dump again—against every warning plastered in our water bay.
Having read horror stories about where the black tank flush can go with the valve closed, I do not move from the water bay. I keep my feet firmly planted next to the valve. I used to try to count to 200 in Spanish so I would stay focused and not wander off or talk to anyone but could only remember enough to get to 80. Back to English I go.
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.”
My RV’s sofa needs replacing. Where besides RV dealer can I find one?
Dear Dave,
What places other than RV dealers might I find replacement RV-sized furniture? The couch and recliners that came with our 5-year-old RV are not necessarily uncomfortable, but the leatherette material is a poor choice when you have pets. Plus it is not very breathable, meaning it feels hot when it’s hot and cold when it’s cold. And we don’t want to be without furniture for the time it would take to reupholster. —Jim, 2017 Keystone Cougar 33SAB
Video of the day
Trailer towing tips you need to know
By Cheri Sicard
The team from Big Truck Big RV (one of the high-quality channels that placed in our top RV YouTube channel poll) is here to help absolute beginners safely tow for the first time with some essential trailer towing tips.
Even though towing a travel trailer and a 5th wheel are quite different from each other, the tips in the video below will apply to both scenarios.
For Lovers Only…
To: Babycakes
From: Your sweetie
“Valentine’s comes just over a week since our anniversary. 46 to date and my love for you is stronger than ever. Happy Valentine’s, baby!”
To: Boo Boo Kitty
From: Poopy Boy
“I love you soooooo much!!!!!!! Me and the KiKis thank you for always taking care of us.”
Even though Valentine’s Day is over, we’ll continue this feature throughout the month since we got so many submissions. No more new submissions will be accepted, though.
Don’t you dare miss reading yesterday’s brand-new Full-Time RVer newsletter. It’s not just for full-timers! Read it here.
Why it’s important to have a plan in case of a health scare
Reader Lisa Adcox writes: “Do you have a plan if your partner has a health scare? This week it happened to us. My husband had a stroke. He was first at the ER, then an acute care hospital and now in a rehabilitation center. Will be in hospital for at least another 14 days. Why am I speaking about this? To tell you to talk about the ‘what ifs’ now, not while it is happening.” Continue reading this extremely important message.
Reader poll
Do you have a friend from high school who you still see?
Quick Tip
Keep your wipers from sticking to the windshield
Camping in frost country? If you try to move your rig early in the morning and find your windshield wipers stuck to the glass, pulling them loose can damage the wiper blade. If you suspect frost or snow is possible, pop a tennis ball under the wiper arm, holding the blade off the glass and out of harm’s way.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Oh, having and using this would make us such happy little…, well, you’ll see.
On this day last year…
- Tip: See more, move less: The benefits of home-based camping
- RV Review: Coachmen Northern Spirit 2557RB
- Ask Dave: I want to store water for emergencies. How do I keep it fresh?
- Featured article: Wheelchair-bound family finds joy in RVing (this is inspiring)
- Recipe: Shrimp and Grits
Website of the day
Top 10 Wild West towns in America
Get your cowboy hats and boots on and yee-haw your way over to one of these Old West towns. Have you visited any of these?
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:
• More people communicate via text messages every day, 56 percent, than they do by phone call, 22 percent. (The other 22 percent communicate both ways about evenly.)
• 60 percent use an electric toothbrush.
• 34 percent read in bed every night.
Recent poll: Do you personally know someone who is 100 years or older?
Recipe of the Day
Creamy Stovetop Rice Pudding
by Connie Kiers from Wellandport, ON
This warm and creamy rice pudding is thick and has just the right touch of sweetness. Like most old-fashioned recipes, this has very few ingredients and takes just a little time to prepare. It’s cooked with love just like Grandma used to make it. It sounds like a lot of milk but trust the process. Let the milk simmer and stir every so often until thick. Sprinkle with cinnamon for a comforting dessert.
Trivia
The letter J never appears on the Periodic Table. That’s because elements were named using Latin or Greek naming conventions and neither language has a J in it.
*Yankee Doodle went to town / Riding on a pony; / He stuck a feather in his hat, / And called it macaroni… Wait, he called it a pasta? What was he talking about?? Yesterday’s trivia explains it all.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Here is our pet. He loves to get to new destinations so he can explore and watch the neighbors; travel days not so much. He’s a Houdini when it comes to trying to get out our door, but so far we’ve safety-proofed it so he is safe inside. Sunny, the cat, loves the RV life.” —Kit Vargas
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!
RVers who carry a firearm should pack this along to save them from trouble
A new edition of the annual Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States is hot off the press. This 2023 edition covers all the basics for armed travel. What is legal in one state could be a felony in another. This book should be used as a reference before entering a new state so you know what to expect as you approach. Clear writing gives you the basics for every state. Plus, each state is rated for its relative freedom, based on its gun laws, from zero to 100. Read more about the book here.
Leave here with a laugh
Willie Nelson will celebrate his 90th birthday on the road (again) on April 29-30 at the Hollywood Bowl. Way to go, Willie!
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the latest Sunday News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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Help desk: Contact us.
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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As a retired administrator for a county 9-1-1 call center I want to thank the editors of this newsletter for properly writing 9-1-1 in the ‘In This Day In History’ section…”1968 – In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system went into service.”. too many publications write it as ‘911’. it is also pronounced as ‘nine one one’ and not ‘nine eleven’.
Thank you for your input, Rich. And thank you for your service as an administrator for your local 9-1-1 call center – a very important job. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Whats the difference between 9-1-1- 9 1 1 or 911. It takes a push of the same numbers reguardless
Rotary phones are the way of the dodo bird
That’s true, Thomas. Sometimes I hear people referring to the emergency phone number as 9-11, which makes me think of September 11. I just looked up 9-1-1 on Wikipedia. It says it’s usually written as 911. It also mentions that number was chosen because it was quicker to dial than 999 on the rotary phones in use at the time. Speaking of phone numbers, I can remember our first phone number was Emerson 4584. Just a few years ago. 😆 Have a good afternoon/evening. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Crazy tidbit Diane but area codes, because of the rotary phone, were determined by population. That’s why the area codes in major/high population areas and cities scontain the low numbers and less populated areas have higher numbers, with zero being the highest on the rotary phone. Faster dialing for higher density areas. New York city, 212 and Alaska 909.
NEWER area codes as a result of push buttons for dialing do not apply.
Very interesting! Thanks, Cancelproof. When we had the phone number Emerson 4584, my folks had built their house in an undeveloped area north of Seattle, in the mid-’40s. When developers came in and built houses all around them, and put in their phone lines, it was long distance for us to call our next door neighbors, about 100 feet away! 😆 (I wish my short-term memory were as good as my long-term memory is these days! 😯 ) Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I don’t remember the number, but I do remember that we were only to answer it when it was a long ring and a short ring. All other rings were for our neighbors. When it did ring, whatever ring, anyone hearing it could pick up and listen to the call whether it was their ring or not.
Yep, I remember that, Bob. The “party line.” When you wanted to make a call, sometimes you’d hear someone already talking and you’d hang up and try again later to see if they were off the phone yet. But still, I think I prefer that over the “antisocial” (as in a mental health disorder) media these days. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
We’ve visited so many of these great places but I disagree that they are considered “West” geography but perhaps “Wild West” is still questionable. My elementary classes regarding geography either taught us incorrectly or somehow geography has changed over my 60+ years. What do you say?
Website of the day was entertaining but none of these are actual “ghost towns” .. Just major schlock tourist traps. Try Elkhorn or Granite in Montana for the real thing. Ghost Towns of Nevada is a great resource..
We’ve been to every one of them. These are a history lovers delight.
Sunny the Cat is a beautiful pet of the day, and what a fun experience for her to be an RV Adventure cat!
Amen to today’s popular music. Just try to even find a beat. Ho-humm.
I’ll take Elvis, Willie and Johnny Cash anytime. 🤠
Absolutely!!
Hey…what ever happened to the great photo contest that used to run every week..I miss it.
I was wondering the same.
Too many problems selecting the photos, took too long.
Chuck, is Mike Sokol no longer contributing to RVT?
Hi, Larry. Wrong Chuck. But the answer is, not at the moment. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I was amazed as to how many of the wild west towns we have visited. Part of our wanderings without a plan.
Likewise I’ve been to eight of them several on multiple occasions.
You might really enjoy the Shakespeare Ghost Town in New Mexico. It’s a Harvest Host, and we really, really enjoyed the tour. Especially the things we weren’t allowed to photograph or really talk about. (If you know, you know! And you will once you take the tour.) Definitely old west!