Issue 2130
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 you want to be happy, be.” ―Leo
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Road Trip Day! Now that’s something we can celebrate!
On this day in history: 1927 – The last Ford Model T rolls off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles.
Tip of the Day
What kind of TP in your RV?
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Do you need special toilet paper for your RV? Is some better than others? What type should you use, and does it really matter? Let’s break it down…
Here’s the typical blurb used by RV toilet paper pushers:
“Enjoy luxurious 2-ply comfort in an RV toilet paper that dissolves rapidly to help prevent clogs. Soft, snowy white XYZ Brand is highly absorbent and 100% biodegradable. Two-ply, yet it breaks up fast to make emptying your holding tank easier.”
Just what the doctor ordered for your RV holding tank, right? Well…
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Can I connect my “solar batteries” to use for the RV’s house battery?
Dear Dave,
Instead of replacing the house battery under the hood, can I run a cable from my 600-watt solar system batteries (2 x 100ah) I installed in the basement to the cable that powers the house lights? (There are 3 positive cables going to the under-the-hood house battery. I found which cable powers the house lights.) The space for the original house battery is a very odd size 5.5″ wide x 12.5″ long x 9″ high. —James, 1996 Jayco 295 SB
In the RV shop with Dustin
Check those seals around your RV’s compartment door frames
Today, we are looking at a 2016 Forest River Stealth that has a dry rotten floor from a leaking RV compartment door frame. It was brought in for inspection and possible repairs at our shop back in the summer of July 2019. At the time, the unit was only three years old and the owner was originally advised that the unit was totaled and could not be repaired.
But that wasn’t the case…
Video of the day
The top 10 BEST roller coaster road trips in the U.S.
By Cheri Sicard
What a fun idea—nobody is too old for roller coasters! Hit the road for the top 10 roller coaster road trips in the U.S. Roller coaster fanatics of all ages are going to love the video below from Brandon of Theme Park Predictions. If the idea of visiting multiple theme parks over a short period of time is appealing, then this video is for you!
Working remotely from an RV: Taking the first step
By Gail Marsh
It’s all my fault. I regularly send pictures and sightseeing reports back to our children. I endlessly and enthusiastically endorse the RV lifestyle and promote the benefits of moving from place to place as my husband and I meet new folks, learn new things, and enjoy almost every moment of living in our RV for months on end. It’s no wonder I feel like it’s all my fault they want to start working remotely from an RV! Continue reading about the first step to working remotely from an RV.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- RVers, if you see purple paint on trees, stay away
- Has “greedflation” taken over RV campgrounds?
- Water gadgets you need for your RV
- I have become too comfortable in my sticks-and-bricks home
Reader poll
What would you prefer? A great steak or great piece of seafood?
Quick Tip
Preventing slide-out marks on floors
“We have found that cheap plastic place mats from a Dollar store work well to prevent marks or wear from slides. They are easily stashed on top of the washing machine, if you have one.” Thanks to Goldie for this slick tip.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Fix that leaky RV roof
- RV Review: Which RV did the RV reviewer choose?
- Ask Dave: Slideout has a short to ground error code. Should I be concerned?
- Featured article: 12 of the weirdest campground rules—You won’t believe these!
- Recipe: Orzo Salad
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Can we offer you some shrimp cocktail? Or some carrots and ranch? How about some olives? Cheese, anyone? Come on, help yourself.
Website of the day
The Great American Stations
This website is all about America’s beautiful train stations. Explore the stations and learn how you can be a part of building and maintaining great American train stations.
Recipe of the Day
Lemon-Dill Shrimp and Pasta
by Belinda Hughes from Cottage Grove, OR
Light and tangy, this pasta dish has tons of flavor. The shrimp and asparagus absorb the flavor from the garlic they’re sauteed in. Once cooked, they’re tossed with pasta and a sauce filled with lemon and dill. The dill makes this lighter meal refreshing. Quick and easy to make, enjoy this hot or cold. Both are equally delicious.
Trivia
When the U.S. struggled with gasoline shortages back in the 1970s, the Federal Highway Administration ran a study that revealed that allowing cars to make a right turn on red reduced waiting time by about 10-30 percent, which made a significant dent in the time drivers spent idling. By early 1980, all 50 U.S. states had adopted right-turn-on-red regulations. Can we get a new rule to help us out with these gas prices, please?!
*Hidden cameras in ____ helped the U.S. gain access to Soviet secrets during the Cold War. Can’t fill in the blank? Find the answer in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Bailey is very talkative, being she is both Beagle and Husky. She can sing a song for days. She also loves to go outside. You can’t make a move without her noticing, hoping you are going to take her out, as you can see from the photo.” —Richard Hulkenberg
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!
Hot off the press! New Milepost 2023 edition
If you’re traveling or thinking about traveling to Alaska, this is the book you need! It’s the best-selling travel guide to Alaska and includes mile-by-mile descriptions of more than 15,000 miles of road in Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta. Its 700-plus pages detail accommodations, camping, fishing, gas stops, restaurants, attractions and services found along the highways and byways of Alaska and western Canada. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
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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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Please remember those who have fallen Memorial Day. It’s not a happy day but one of remembrance Semper Fi
There was a recipe I saw here and made it. But I do not do pork nor grill. But I found a turkey breast wrapped in bacon and got the rest of the items on the list. I baked the meat. I added 1 TBS sugar instead of the 2 TBS sugar. I poured the sauce over the meat in pan. If you haven’t tried the blueberry sauce recipe you are missing out. I made rice to go with it. Best recipe yet if you are watching your weight.Can’t wait for left overs.
Bailey sounds like my dog. Love
Ive never understood the shake your tp in a jar test. When tp goes down into our tank it never gets shaken while it rests in the tank. hmmm. I want it to disolve in still water.
It gets shaken thoroughly when you are going down the road. hmmm Guess that doesn’t work when you spend longer periods in the RV park.
The splashdown of the following flushes stirs it up plenty to break it up. Sometimes I dump before the tank is full and run the flusher to stir up the contents before the actual dump.
I like Today’s Thought. Bailey is right there.
How are the placemats used for the slides? Do you slide them under when they’re already in?
The reader’s pet picture sure has that “deer in the headlights” look. What was she caught doing?
Hi, Tommy. I thought it was more of a questioning look, like, “When are we going out?” Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I asked her if she wanted to go out. That was the look right before she dove off the sofa and ran to the door.
So it was a hopeful “Did I hear you correctly?” look. She’s soooo cute, and expressive! Thanks, Richard. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Happy Memorial Weekend everyone! Enjoy and stay safe!
Happy? Memorial Day is to remember our servicemen who gave their lives in service to our country. Maybe think about them instead of your hotdogs and hamburgers.
and servicewomen…
Yes
Your point is taken…however Monday is Memorial Day..I’m well aware of its purpose. The weekend preceeding it is often filled with families enjoying the freedom our nation affords us, welcoming the start of summer or celebrating graduations. Without the men and women we remember on Monday it would not be possible.
It was just a casual statement…sorry you were offended.
The right turn on red may have saved gas back in the 70’s. Now all we have to do is get the highway people to do something with the way traffic lights are timed and configured. More and more 4 way intersections are now set up to rotate the lights for one direction at a time. You may sit at a light for 4-5 minutes waiting for a green light. These intersections also have ‘NO Turn on Red’ signs. Even with no traffic coming from the other direction, the lights do not change. Very few of the traffic sensors work and default to timed changes.
Could anything be more irritating? A 9 year old could time the lights better and reduce stop and go traffic significantly.