Issue 2113
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 mind I love must have wild places.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Lumpy Rug Day!
On this day in history: 1840 – The Penny Black, the first official adhesive postage stamp, is issued in the United Kingdom.
Tip of the Day
Making RVing friends: Stay connected and build long-term relationships
By Nanci Dixon
As avid campers, we meet a lot of people along the way. Some of those people have become good friends. Others we would have liked to stay in contact with but have lost touch over time or just kind of forget.
Don’t get me wrong, we don’t want to, or can’t possibly, stay linked in with ALL the people we meet. That is one of the perks of camping—saying hello, meeting people, and then bidding safe travels as they leave.
But for those that we have connected with and want to stay in contact with we have developed a few tricks. Here they are…
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
How long can fresh water be stored in the RV’s tank?
Dear Dave,
I was wondering how long I can store water in my 80-gallon fresh water tank. We went on a trip in early March of this year and I came home with roughly 3/4 tank of water. It is now the end of April. What are my options? Thanks, Dave. —Scott, 2023 Grand Design Solitude S class 5th wheel
In the RV Shop with Dustin
Upgrade your entry door window with Lippert’s Thin Shade
Let’s face it, RV entry door windows can be a point of contention when you’re on the road. Too much sun, not enough privacy, and unreliable, snap-on panels can put a damper on anybody’s day at the campsite. Not with the Lippert Thin Shade!
The Thin Shade™ Complete Kit by Lippert™ is the latest innovation in RV window and blind technology. Designed to provide the ultimate combination of convenience, versatility and functionality, this is the first of its kind for RVs.
Video of the day
3-wheel RV trike: Odd and innovative tiny camper
By Cheri Sicard
This video from George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (available on the Dabl Network), shows one of the most unique RVs you’ll ever see—a 3-wheel RV.
While the RV trike might look like it came from the factory this way, the reality is its creator fashioned it by joining two separate vehicles. He did a great job, as the aesthetics make the transitions seamless.
Around the Campfire: Old-timer offers newbie all the wrong advice
By Gail Marsh
The cooler evening temperatures prompt many folks to gather at night around a campfire. I enjoy meeting and visiting with people from all over the country. It’s always interesting to learn their life stories—the ups and downs that many of us have in common as we live our lives. Last evening, however, I was dumbstruck when a self-proclaimed “RV old-timer” began informing an RV newbie about all the different kinds of fellow campers they can expect to see as they begin their travels. … What made Gail “see red”? Find out.
Reader poll
When ordering a product online, what device do you most often use?
Quick Tip
Know how your RV “measures up”
The importance of knowing how “tall” your RV is can’t be understated. But how to do it? Bob suggests getting a 2 x 4, a thick piece of Styrofoam, or even firm cardboard. Put your choice up on the top of your air conditioning unit, then use a tape measure to measure up to the bottom of the object. That way, you’ll have (hopefully) the figure for the tallest point of your RV.
On this day last year…
- RV Review: Keystone Montana High Country 295RL fifth wheel
- Ask Dave: My RV’s hidden black tank valve is stuck open. How do I find it?
- Featured article: New coast-to-coast trail lets you bike or walk across the U.S.
- Recipe: Cheesy Taco Skillet
Website of the day
The 8 Most Beautiful Lodges in America’s National Parks
If we could drool over a building, we would be drooling over these! Everyone knows National Park lodges are beautiful, but these are absolutely jaw-dropping. How many have you been to?
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
- I climbed inside the belly of a dinosaur and came out its mouth!
- How it happened: The history of our favorite fire-preventing Smokey Bear
- Yep, another neat RV toilet: Camco Travel Toilet review
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
If you displayed this at your campsite, we bet every single other camper would come over and tell you that it made them laugh!
Recipe of the Day
Garlic-Bacon Cheese Log
Garlic-Bacon Cheese Logby Amy H. from Detroit, MI
What a flavorful cheese log. It’s a tasty appetizer you can enjoy any time of the year. Fancy enough to serve at a holiday meal but easy enough to make when unexpected company drops by. We loved the crunch of the crushed pecans. The cheese ball itself has a sharp, savory, and smoky flavor with a touch of freshness from the parsley.
Trivia
Who was the iconic fictional British spy James Bond named after? While Ian Fleming, an avid bird watcher, was living in Jamaica, he started working on the James Bond franchise. At the time, the leading American ornithologist—a scientist who studies birds—was named James Bond. Fleming was in search of a name for his spy, and the author’s name on a book he was familiar with stood out to him. James Bond. Fleming wrote to the real James Bond and asked him if he could use his name for his story. The real James Bond agreed, and the fictional James Bond was born.
*What’s the difference between the Rictus Scale and the Richter Scale? Yesterday’s trivia tells you.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Luna [a Gerberian Shepsky, i.e., German Shepherd and Siberian Husky] is still a puppy at six months of age and has that level of energy. She doesn’t know a stranger and loves everyone. Still, she’s a great watchdog, alerting us of every strange sound.” —Tim Hardy
HELP keep this feature going! We’re running out of photos! Please do not submit the same photo or pet twice. 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! Thanks!
Leave here with a laugh
My online dating profile states that I have a comfy corner office with views of the entire city, I drive a $500,000 vehicle, and I’m paid to travel. For some reason, my dates are always upset when they find out I’m a bus driver.
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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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Sweet Luna is a favorite Puppy-Love! Happy Safe Travels!
LOL Leave here with…
The funny of the day is very funny!
Luna is a pretty girl!
Around the campfire wasn’t what I expected, I thought you were going to tell me there are “names” each way of RVing was called. I came to realize that RV community is very similar to a regular housing community, only thing different, it’s easier to move out of. You don’t know their story, we too try to say hi or just wave hi, to be friendly. Not everyone is unfortunately.
As for measuring up, I’m hoping all RVers know how tall they are, tho those gas stations may look tall, but most likely, not😉. That’s one of those basic things as an RVer to know. Seen a few underpasses get struck with RVers. We worry more on the train overpasses on side roads as many are not posted, by rule they are suppose to be posted. We have one where we are originally from that is too short, tho if you go down that street, they have placed the sign too far in. Small turn around and not sure where other road goes. Be careful out there.
Quick Tip
Know how your RV “measures up”
Just to add, I have our measurements entered in the Garmin RV GPS. That’s supposed to prevent us from getting somewhere we shouldn’t be. (That’s worked 99% of the time. That’s a story for another day.) My advice is this: if you add your measurements to your GPS remember what you entered. I like a buffer for my measurements so instead of 13′ 8″ high I entered 14′ 5″. No problem, right? Can’t be too safe. Well we were headed into NC on I-40 which I knew from experience was a safe RV route. But the GPS would have none of it because of 2 tunnels marked as 14′ 2″. I finally had to turn it off. When we got stopped I realized what happened and I chuckled a little bit. This reminds me, I still haven’t adjusted those numbers.
If you are actually 13’8″ high you need a permit in most states, 13’6″ is the max without a permit. I don’t know of any factory built RV’s that leave the factory over 13’6″.
With the new tall pickups and tall 5th wheels, it is hard to stay at 13′-6″.
I really can’t imagine any 5th wheel being over (or even AT) 13’6″.
Our 5vr toy hauler is listed as 13’5″ high. If the hitch height puts the trailer above level, then 13’6″ is easily possible.
No manufacturer builds a unit that’s to tall to meet federal requirements. You may have measured to the top of the 2X4 which is nominally 1 5/8” thick. As Armor Top says 13’6”” is the maximum height allowed on federal highways without an oversized permit which are expensive.
We started a friendship with 6 couples in the 1980. We were all from Michigan camping in Ludington at the same time every year. Some of us even started at New Years eve hotel camping trip in the middle of the state because we missed each other. Still really good friends with all.