Issue 2110
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
“We don’t need a list of rights and wrongs, tables of do’s and don’ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Blueberry Pie Day!
On this day in history: 1869 – Chinese and Irish laborers for the Central Pacific Railroad working on the First Transcontinental Railroad laid ten miles of track in one day, a feat which has never been matched.
Tip of the Day
Is there a first aid kit in your tow vehicle? There should be!
By Gail Marsh
Accessing first aid while traveling in your RV can be crucial in case of an emergency. A highway accident may prevent you from accessing your RV’s medicine cabinet. Not only that, but you may need to get first aid items while riding inside the tow vehicle for, say, a headache. (Read about my disaster when attempting to retrieve an aspirin.) Here are some essential items you should include in your tow vehicle’s first aid kit, according to the American Red Cross.
CONTEST! Is this your RV?
Win a $25 Amazon gift certificate if today’s RV photo shows your rig
Click here to see if your RV made it into today’s issue.
After a lot of thought, we’ve decided to end this contest for good (we know, we just brought it back). Today is its last day. Unfortunately, despite your positive comments and encouragement, it does not get the interest we’d need to generate to continue this feature. Thank you to all those who submitted. We’ll be coming up with a new contest soon, so please stay tuned.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
6-volt or 12-volt batteries for RVs—Which is better?
Dear Dave,
I keep reading about using two 6-volt batteries in series for RVs. Why? It seems like it would be simpler to have one 12-volt or two 12-volt batteries in parallel. Sorry, still a newbie trying to figure all this stuff out. —Richard, 2023 Geo Pro 19FDS
We made a mistake and ran the wrong Ask Dave yesterday (until we corrected it later that morning). If you missed his newest article, “Why doesn’t RV’s slide out work when plugged into house power?” read it here.
In the RV shop with Dustin
An easy fix for a shower that won’t drain
If you’re showering in your RV and you’re standing in a couple of inches of water, or if the water just isn’t draining as quickly as it should, you have an issue that needs to be resolved.
So why isn’t your RV shower draining? Let’s take a look at one of the most common issues that lead to a clogged RV shower and/or slow draining. There are a number of other reasons that could cause the shower to clog or backup. For example, it could be something as simple as that your gray water tank is full. It could also be that your tank sensors are reading incorrectly, or it could just be something else…
Video of the day
Easiest ever DIY SUV bed: No tools, under $100!
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, the team from the hiking and fitness channel LiveHardxLoveHard share their easy DIY SUV bed project.
This comfortable bed that fits in the back of an SUV took under an hour to build and cost less than $100. You don’t even need any tools for this project!
How it Happened: Thank a mulberry tree and the Silk Road for the cardboard box
By Gail Marsh
I’ve stopped counting. Peeking into just one RV cupboard, I counted 14! I’m talking about cardboard boxes. From breakfast cereal to crackers to spaghetti noodles—all are packaged inside these boxes. We use them to move things into and out of our RVs. We store things inside cardboard boxes, as well. It’s safe to say that our world would be very different without the lowly cardboard box. So whose bright idea was the cardboard box? Learn the fascinating history here.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- All the stuff they don’t tell new RVers they need!
- Letter to the editor: Nothing to love about staying at Love’s
- Camping World claims slideouts have gaps for ‘airflow’ when extended
- Is KOA abandoning RVers in favor of glampers?
Reader poll
Do you enjoy shopping for (your) clothes?
Quick Tip
Trailer stabilizers
Use a portable electric drill with the appropriately sized socket to run holes up and down your trailer stabilizers. Saves time and frustration. Bringing an extra battery or charger isn’t a bad idea — especially on long trips with lots of stops.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Maybe you already have this, but if not, you’ll see why every RVer is going to want to buy one (or two!). This is handy!
On this day last year…
- RV Review: Jayco White Hawk 27RK Travel Trailer
- Ask Dave: Can I use a pressure washer to clean my RV?
- Featured article: What you need to know about RV electrical cords
- Recipe: Crock Pot Beet Tips Stroganoff
Website of the day
30 Top Things to Do in New Jersey
New Jersey is a beautiful state with tons to do! And did you know that it’s the “diner capital of the world”?
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Boondockers Welcome: Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees: Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
• RV LIFE Trip Wizard: Make your RV road trip planning easier than ever.
Recipe of the Day
Caramelized Onion and Pepper Potato Salad
by Sharron Boerum from Beaumont, CA
This creamy potato salad is unique in so many ways. The caramelized onions and peppers add a little something different to the salad. It’s great for those who like onions in a potato salad but not their crunch. Mixing mayonnaise and sour cream is slightly sweet and tangy but at the same time has a mellow flavor. There’s a hint of garlic that complements the caramelized onions and peppers. This salad doesn’t have a ton of ingredients. You really taste the flavor of the potatoes. A delicious side dish for any cookout.
Trivia
A little Oreo cookie trivia for you. The actual creme filling does not contain milk. A recent study revealed that “[the creme] is more of a frosting rather than a cream like cream cheese or cream fillings in pastries.” The study also revealed that an Oreo experiences “significant structural loss” within a minute of exposure to milk. So all those times you thought it was taking forever for milk to soften your Oreos, all you had to do was wait 60 seconds. And if you thought vegans couldn’t eat anything, well, you’re wrong. Oreos are a pretty tasty vegan treat, don’t you agree?
*Do you know what an airpark is? If so, do you know where most of them are? Yesterday’s trivia tells you all about them.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Bambi was for sale on the internet. I wasn’t in the market for another dog but I scooped her right up. She was born without a left eye and is missing a left patella. She loves being on a heating pad all day! We promised her she could see the world and the beach (out of one eye), and we bought our Class A to let her experience traveling. She has such a big heart and welcomes every dog we had into our home.” —Jo-Lynn Valenti
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
Now is a good time to clean out your water heater!
Have you ever seen the sediment that collects in your water heater? You probably don’t want to. Camco’s water tank rinser is an easy-to-use gadget that is a must-have for any RVer. The tank rinser will get out all the yucky sediment that’s been sitting at the bottom of your water heater and, most importantly, will extend the life of it too. Read the many positive reviews, and get one for yourself here.
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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A comment regarding Today’s Trivia: Who remembers the late ’50s/early 60s Oreo song?
“Little girls have pretty curls, but I like Oreos. Oreo’s my choice because it’s the very best cookie, ever was. Girls are nice but boy what icing comes in Oreo….”.
Now, if you remember that little jingle, it’s stuck in your head… You’re welcome.
Quick Tip? Why do I want to run holes up and down my RV?
Using a drill for stabilizers can be fine. But just don’t use impact drivers! They echo throughout the campground. There is no need to use impact drivers. The stabilizers aren’t that hard.
So true. I wish more people would heed this advice! So ignorant to be hammering your stabilizers up and down.
Bambi seems pretty perfect to me.
In Website of the day, 30 Top Things to Do in New Jersey. Just remember New Jersey is not handgun friendly. Check their laws on handguns and ammo before visiting.
As for the poll, I don’t hate to shop for clothes as you can never find your size and when you do, it’s either really ugly or really expensive. I found two shops in my life that I could find what I wanted and fit. The first one closed and the other one hired a new order person and now their selection of clothes are hideous.
As for cardboard in our RV, we try not to keep it in our RV. We have very little as of food, I have containers, however my husband has some in the garage for emergencies if he needs to get on the ground.
Phillip Pullman was just part of the paver bricks that were used to build the Hippy thinking bridge to no where.
Agreed. Pullman was the spear tip for the me me me generations of today that supplant God with self and personal importance or identity. The quote itself shows his disdain for the American Constitution and her unique identity, being the first and only country who’s citizen’s rights are primary and fundemental leaving government’s power and rights secondary and limited.
Not a writer I find inspiration from, but that’s the beauty and the irony of our first ammendment. I would fight to protect his written words.
As far as jacks and drills are concerned it’s best to adjust the slip clutch on the drill such that you don’t over tighten the Jack in the retracted position. A drill is also great for initial tightening of wheel nuts during a flat tire change and for raising and lowering your spare if stored underneath your RV. In my case I need 2 different sockets for the drill-one for the jacks and one for the lug nuts and spare tire storage.
I wish people could understand that you do not need a hammer drill for the stabilizers. A simple cheap cordless drill works fine and is less likely to break something.
Our some WD40, if it takes a hammer drill. LOL.
“Today’s Thought” is so wrong. Without a foundation the building will collapse.
I just read it and thought “What a stupid thing to say”.
I came here to say this. There’s got to be better things to quote….like the bible.
Absolutely agree. My first thought was “once upon a time” is the start of a fairy tale, which is make-believe. Too many fairy tales turn into nightmares because the characters ignore those little lists of “dos and don’ts”. Instead, they do what is right in their own eyes. That’s the humanist way, and Mr. Pullman is a consummate humanist.
I don’t know what thought you’re reading, but I don’t see anything about a building in today’s thought.
I agree, Bob. There is a disconnect here somewhere.
Here’s the connection… if you have a society that has lost the sense of a basic understanding of right and wrong, they’ve lost their foundation. As we continue to move into the “I get to set my own rules” mentality, we continue to crumble.
Exactly. The only thing Pullman inspired was the importance of our 1st amendment. What an irony. Using words for the destruction of “The Word”.
Probably the use of italic kind of typeface and the word “thou” confused some of the readers!
Yea I have to admit I do not agree with Today’s Thought. Kind of reminds me of today’s mentality “everything is OK as long as YOU think it’s OK”. Nothing wrong with some “Thou shalt not’s” in our society. We surely need a list of rights and wrongs! We’re getting away from that…and look at how that’s working for us.