Issue 2114
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 only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Orange Juice Day!
On this day in history: 1973 – The 108-story Sears Tower in Chicago is topped out at 1,451 feet as the world’s tallest building.
Tip of the Day
Packing your RV’s medicine cabinet the smart way
By Gail Marsh
I remember the first time I looked into our RV’s medicine cabinet. “Tiny” didn’t begin to define the space—or lack of space. My first thought was, “How will all of our stuff fit into this small space?” Over the years as we’ve RVed, I’ve discovered valuable tips for packing the RV’s medicine cabinet. If you have additional tips to share, please do so in the comments section.
When packing your RV’s medicine cabinet, it’s important to include essential items that can help you deal with common health issues and any emergencies you may face while traveling. Yes, you can usually find whatever you need at a nearby pharmacy, but if you’re boondocking or staying in a remote park, finding immediate help can be difficult. Here are some things we always carry inside our RV’s medicine cabinet, along with tips to help you fit everything inside this small space.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Shore power goes off, so do interior 12-volts; battery fluid low. What should I do?
Dear Dave,
Lost shore power and the interior 12-volts would not work. When the shore power came back on, the 12-volt lights worked. I have a converter. Checked the water in the battery and it was very low. Stumped!!! —Larry, 2017 37-foot Keystone Cougar 5th wheel
RV Video Tour
Tour the 2023 Airstream International 23FB
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, Anthony from Airstream of DFW takes us on a first-look tour of the 2023 Airstream International 23FB model travel trailer.
Airstream has always been at the forefront of elegant style and aesthetics, and this sleekly styled silver bullet trailer is no exception. Twenty-three feet is a relatively small trailer, but Airstream makes great use of space and packs a lot into this small package.
Video of the day
Cast Iron Care: How to clean and season cast iron
By Cheri Sicard
When we polled our readers about essential items they use most often in their RV kitchens, versatile cast iron came up high on the list, and with good reason. It can go from stovetop to oven, and you can even put it on the campfire. You can use it to sauté, bake, and fry. It’s virtually indestructible, and virtually non-stick when properly seasoned. But cast iron care is where many people fall short or become intimidated by the thought of using cast iron.
The video below from the culinary experts at Epicurious is about to change all that. In it, Chef Frank Proto will show you how to properly care for, clean, season and store your cast iron to keep it looking brand-new.
Your credit card statements could hurt you!
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
If you’re like us, you don’t mind spending money when and where it’s needed. But you no doubt bristle when you find your cash is going somewhere you didn’t authorize. Last night we found out we were bleeding money—and didn’t even know it. The only way we found out is by carefully eyeballing our credit card statements. There’s more than just one important principle here.
Reader poll
To what degree are you a hoarder?
Quick Tip
Dealing with merging freeway traffic
Snayte has a viewpoint on ramp freeway merging. “I do not change my speed when a car is coming down the ramp. You have no way of knowing what they intend to do to merge. I maintain my speed and let them figure out if they want to speed up to get in front of me, or slow down to get behind. More than once I have been slowed to almost a stop while entering the freeway because a car in front of me and the car on the freeway were both slowing to let the other in. Meanwhile the car behind me is about in run into everyone because he is looking back for an opening to merge into.”
On this day last year…
- Tip: 20 smart uses for rubber bands while RVing
- RV Review: 2022 Forest River Vibe 26RK “beach cottage” travel trailer
- Ask Dave: How strong of a tow vehicle do we need to safely tow our fifth wheel?
- Featured article: Are all RV ovens created equal? Do you use yours?
- Recipe: Lemonade Muffins
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
What if you could chew your favorite drink? Well, now you can! We’re serious!
Website of the day
The best food city in every state
Some of these might surprise you, but where there’s good food, there are good people, so head in these directions! What’s your favorite food city?
And the Survey Says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers more than 2,000 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 42 percent shop at Costco on a regular basis and another 22 percent shop at Costco sometimes.
• 7 percent say they buy souvenir T-shirts wherever they go and another 46 percent say they buy them, but only when the design or place is really special.
• 79 percent have the America the Beautiful, National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass.
Recent poll: Do you believe Walmart will ban overnight RV stays at all stores within 5 years?
Recipe of the Day
Asparagus Chicken Wraps
Asparagus Chicken Wrapsby Paula Collier from Taylorville, IL
Oh my, these are so yummy! The sesame ginger marinade really gave this chicken great flavor. We made sure to add it to the chicken while cooking, like Paula suggested, and basting it just added to the great flavor. The bacon had a nice smoked flavor and the asparagus is tender yet still had a nice crunch. Delish!
Trivia
Inside every astronaut’s helmet you’ll find… Velcro! Yup. What’re you going to do if you’re in a bulky space suit and your nose itches? Well, since the Apollo missions, astronauts have attached a small piece of Velcro to a point inside their helmets just where their noses can reach. Give it a good scratch up against it and problem solved!
*Who was the iconic fictional British spy James Bond named after? Yesterday’s trivia tells you.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Skipper the TeriPoo is spoiled! When I die I want to come back as him!” —Mark Carrow
HELP keep this feature going! We’re running out of photos! Please do not submit the same photo or pet more than once. 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!
LED hat lights the way and assists in dark places
Staff writer Randall Brink was wearing this hat at our weekly writers’ meeting last week and we all loved it! Writer Gail Marsh admitted she has one too. This baseball cap features LED lights that turn on with the press of a button. Randall says he uses it in dark places like his RV’s closet or under the hood, but it could also be used for night walks, biking, fishing, or any other activity that requires hands-free lighting. If you already wear a hat often, why not add lights to it? Check it out.
Leave here with a laugh
Many of you probably don’t know that our own Dave Solberg was once a stand-up comedian and still has us bent over with laughter at our weekly writers’ meetings. Here’s one of Dave’s funny emails from this week:
“The Apple Watch just landed in rural Iowa and I got one to demo. I’m not getting a Wi-Fi signal and it’s not working. However, my doctor called and canceled my appointment next week. Any suggestions?” [We don’t know. Maybe “Ask Dave”? Then again, maybe not.]
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Contact information
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Personally have never ever had a problem driving anything when it comes to merging onto a freeway. Or whatever. Being raised in southern California probably has a lot to do with it. And I’ve got a big rig. I’m merging.
I always try to see if the ‘merging’ driver is looking in his mirror or over his shoulder to see what’s going on where he expects to get on the freeway. I’d swear that many of them don’t even glance in my direction – until they are running out of ramp. Like most, I don’t change my speed. It’s the merger’s job to do that. The worst part of ANY trip is the necessary passing through big cities. If there is a bypass that’s 30 miles longer, I’ll take it.
Ogden, Utah? Having lived in Ogden, and very familiar with Utah, I would most certainly pick Saint George, Utah, as being the Best place to eat in Utah, by far. No contest.
Years ago when I lived in Provo, there was no such thing as a good restaurant; I’m sure it’s different now. Even the greasy spoons were horrible, with one exception in the whole of Utah county- Keith’s Lunch.
Quick Tip
Dealing with merging freeway traffic
Snayte has a viewpoint on ramp freeway merging. “I do not change my speed when a car is coming down the ramp. You have no way of knowing what they intend to do to merge. I maintain my speed and let them figure out if they want to speed up to get in front of me, or slow down to get behind. More than once I have been slowed to almost a stop while entering the freeway because a car in front of me and the car on the freeway were both slowing to let the other in. Meanwhile the car behind me is about in run into everyone because he is looking back for an opening to merge into.”
Exactly as I do now. I used to change lanes, slow down, etc but it always seemed the merging traffic still messed it up anyway. So now I just maintain. Speed up or get behind 😉
Apple watch. ha ha I get it
I see many freeway onramps that are behind the trees until the last moment creating serious danger as so many folks today believe that those on the freeway are supposed yield to them as they are coming on the freeway. Then there are those who enter traffic moving 65 mph at a lower speed & then don’t speed up to freeway speeds until they slow numerous vehicles down to their speed!
Don’t think I’ve ever seen so much discussion as the DeMaris article generated!
One time I merged with my 5th wheel and truck on the shortest, blind on-ramp I have ever been on. There was no room to stop or merge and nearly collided with a tractor-trailer. Unless there was a warning sign, how would you know?
Must have been the I-110 in Ca. Most on ramps are from a 90 degree turn from a stop sign! brilliant just amazing “what were they thinking”.
Snoopy
It takes a real jackass to think that they can push their way into traffic by forcing a larger vehicle over.
Many times this has happened to me while pulling the camper and have seen them hit the guardrails when they finally realize they ran out of room. Too bad for them, as I don’t stop. Hopefully, in the future, they learn what YIELD means.
👍
You can’t cure stupid
Tonnage Rules.
There’s always the jerk that will match your speed, fast or slow so you can’t merge. My 2500 outweighs your Toyota. You’d be surprised how drifting works. And the amount of torque that diesel produces
My general merge tactic is +5 mph above speed limit. There are however times that can’t be used
As we travel around the country we have found many states have yield signs on the on ramps, not merge. Not sure that is better or worse, but I think it makes for confusion for many people.
I have come to the conclusion that far too many cars came without accelerator pedals and turn signals. This becomes very obvious at on ramps. Far too many folks think that they have the right of way on a ramp and that the folks on the highway have to yield to them regardless of the speed they are going or if they are signaling their intentions.
You are so right, people don’t know how to merge!
Don’t think they teach that procedure any more.
If one uses the turn single one might run out of blinker fluid. 😁
When merging, the entering vehicle should engage the left turn signal indicator light to notify others on the freeway that they should move over 1 lane to the left so a safe merge can be made. The left turn signal is effectively a silent horn. Yelling out an open window “move over, I’m coming into your lane!!!!” is also highly effective.
Merging traffic, boy are there some people that shouldn’t be on the road. Most cities we are in the center just for that reason. No one knows how to do it. We watched a guy coming down one, while in that lane, and while my husband was driving, I watched this man get right next to us( literally next to us) then look to see what’s coming. To his surprise, it was us next to him. If we can, we will get over, but many times getting our home over that quickly is impossible. Just be careful, most times we have to watch our driving for the other guy. Put phone down, your life and mine are not worth it, enough crazy out there.
For the article, “Your credit card statements could hurt you!”:
When you purchase something online, check the fine print — the really, really small letters.
Many times it says that you are authorizing the company to start your subscription or something like that. Then they can legally charge your card each and every month until you cancel your subscription.
reCapture validation failure on an included article.
The problem of merging traffic is the public as a whole don’t know how to merge. Every on ramp is long enough gain the speed necessary to safely merge into traffic. Just as every exit ramp is designed to exit at highway speed and THEN apply brakes. That’s what causes accident, if your speed matches vehicles traveling the highway merging is easy, the same logic applies when exiting, if you have traffic moving with average following distance and you apply your brakes before the exit you have caused 10-15 cars to suddenly apply their brakes as all they see are wall to wall brake lights. Watch how truck drivers enter and leave the highway, they don’t drive 125K miles a year by being stupid. Put the cell phone down and drive.
Oh, “Every on ramp is long enough gain the speed necessary to safely merge into traffic” no. Most, yes. Some are scarily short, and dangerous.
I try hard to avoid the right lane in cities. I maintain a constant speed when I am in the right lane. I can’t tell you how many idiots will roar up in the merge lane, then brake until they are staying even with me, and somebody has to flinch. It’s crazy. Is there some school where they teach people to do this?
Case in point, nearly ALL the Texas on and off ramps are scarily short and with 20mph corners right before you merge on and just after you come off the interstate. Recipe for disaster. Ya, that’s safe. Thanks TXDOT!
Exactly. I don’t know how many times I’ve come across a person trying to merge onto to a highway at 30mph, then just pull into the travel lane expecting me to slow down. If I have the room to do so, I shift to the left lane. States should put the highway speed limit signs on the ramps.
In some circles it’s call an ‘acceleration lane’ when designing roadways… but never posted that way on the merging lanes I’ve seen…💥
You’ve not driven I35 through TX…