Issue 2147
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Page Contents
Today’s thought
“The only way that we can live is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National American Eagle Day!
On this day in history: 1877 – Alexander Graham Bell installs the world’s first commercial telephone service in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Did you see the news? Click here for the latest news for RVers
Tip of the Day
Tips for a lighter, brighter RV bathroom
By Gail Marsh
Our new RV roof looks great! (If you’re wondering why we needed a new roof, well, I’ll say three words then let you read the rest: egg-sized hail!) When we opted for a totally seamless roof, we had the FlexArmor folks apply their product over the skylight in our RV bathroom. We knew that covering the skylight would make the bathroom dark and we were right! I needed to find some tips and tricks for a lighter, brighter RV bathroom.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Will a tripod help to stabilize my 5th wheel RV?
Dear Dave,
What are the pros and cons of a 5th wheel tripod? I have tried several things to stabilize my 5th wheel, but nothing seems to work. What are your thoughts on trying a tripod? —Randy, 2022 Flagstaff Classic 8529RLS
RV Tours
Tour nuCamp’s Cirrus 620 Lightweight Short Bed Truck Camper
By Cheri Sicard
Dustin, from Hartleys Auto & RV Center, gives us a tour of an amazing short-bed truck camper—amazing in that it is designed for short-bed half-ton trucks but still packs in all the features you would expect in a larger truck camper.
Made by nuCamp, the Cirrus 620 is an all-season truck camper.
Video of the day
The ultimate DIY fire starters: Cheap, easy, and reliable!
By Cheri Sicard
Campfires and grill fires just got easier! The team from Wild Grit is here to teach us how to make some terrific DIY fire starters using items you already have or can easily find. These DIY fire starters resist wind and rain and have a long 10-minute burn time!
How I scored a National Park campsite on a weekend
By Nanci Dixon
I scored a campsite on a weekend in a National Park! How amazingly lucky am I? Two available days at Hot Springs National Park and, get this, with electricity! I wish I could say I had been trying for days but, no, not this time. I just went online and there it was. A cancellation! Truly a gift! … Find out how you, too, might be able to score a campsite here.
Reader poll
Are you a procrastinator?
Quick Tip
Driving in dust or smoke? Here’s help
If you must drive in dusty conditions (gravel road, dust storm, etc.), fire up your generator and run ALL of your roof air conditioners while driving over any dusty roads. Doing this will help keep dust from creeping in through any tiny holes. Also, if you find yourself driving through smoky conditions as a result of, for example, wildfires, running your air conditioners will help reduce the smoke and odor inside the RV. Don’t forget to check the filters on the air conditioners later. Thanks to Ron Jones, AboutRVing.com.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Keep the weight off: Gain memories, not pounds, while RVing
- RV Review: 2022 Jayco White Hawk 25MBH travel trailer
- Ask Dave: Can I paint the inside walls of my motorhome?
- RV Electricity: Solar power backup while boondocking
- Featured article: Is it safe to bring a propane tank inside an RV?
- Recipe: Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
Website of the day
The best underwater attractions in the U.S.
Okay, odds are that you aren’t a scuba diver (but cool if you are!). However, even just looking at the photos on this page is incredible! Did you know all this existed in our country’s waters?
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Wow, this item is not trash! So, then, what’s the opposite of trash? This!
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:
• Out of a list of options, the highest number of voters, 34 percent, said they’d choose to go to a concert or live music event over other live events (like sporting events, a lecture, class, or author reading).
• 51 percent say that when someone asks for their name they feel the need to spell it out for them.
• 72 percent of people say if they could go back in time to the day they bought their RV they’d keep the one they have now. 24 percent said they would’ve bought another RV, and 4 percent said they wouldn’t have bought one at all.
Recent poll: How long is your RV?
Recipe of the Day
Avocado Deviled Eggs
by Lora DiGs from Staten Island, NY
Avocado deviled eggs are a nice twist on the traditional recipe. If you love avocados, you’ll love these deviled eggs. The yolks and avocado blend together nice and smooth. Adding a bit of lime juice is the perfect zing. Very versatile, these are party perfect.
Trivia
The largest number of country names starts with what letter? T? M? U? Or S? If you guessed S, you’re correct. There are 26 country names that start with the letter S.
*How do you get your kids or grandkids to do more chores? Yesterday’s trivia gives you a great trick.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Dolly and Zelda (black one) are our traveling companions. About 4 months apart in age, we got them about a year apart. Dolly is just over 2, and Zelda is about 2. Dolly loves to travel and explore the campgrounds, while Zelda dislikes the drive, and is content to stay inside at camp. Both snuggle up with us at night, though.” —Duane Russell
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!
Our favorite RV camping guidebooks
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite guidebooks that will help you find great campsites on state and federal lands. Cheri Sicard writes, “I know I personally can’t live without the Army Corps of Engineers Camping book. They have some of the best campgrounds in the country, often with electricity and sometimes full hookups, and always at bargain rates.”
Leave here with a laugh
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Mystery Product: The opposite of trash is trasholator. Trivia: Largest number of country names that start with “S”: Horse, pig, cow, tractor, plow, barn. I can’t think of any that start with “S”. Even cistern starts with a “C”.
When I was a Boy Scout leader my favorite fire starter for when the boys could not get one going due to wet wood was a 45 minute road flare. Works every time!
RV rooftop A/C units don’t have a filtration system adequate for smoke or most dust. A 1/2 inch thick sponge filter would barely keep a out a bread crumb let alone a fine particle of dust or smoke which is measured in microns. If you were to restrict the airflow return with a HEPA style filter it is most likely that the unit would freeze up and no longer work.
We traveled a lot of miles with cats on board and I love to see cats as part of the pets of the day feature. Annie always needed a small piece of Valium on travel days early in the morning, or she would have seizures but her big brother Oliver on the other hand loved being on the road. Both were orphans (thus the names) that came into our lives at 2 days old. The Vet said they wouldn’t make it, the wife said different. The miracle of a woman’s nurturing love.
We are cat lovers. We had two cats for 17 years. The one, appropriately named Corky, was constantly on the move jumping on furniture, on top of bookcases, and everywhere. The other seemed to be content to just sleep – and puke (or so it seemed).
Our next deviled egg mixture will be the one in today’s recipe. I can’t wait.
Somehow the reference to deviled egg mixture right after the cat puke requires a quick brain shift.
🤣 I noticed that also, Lynn! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Both of you are right. I had done a ‘carriage return’ between comments but forgot that doesn’t work on this site. Does sound a bit off . . . My bad, as they say.
Not “bad,” Tommy. I got a chuckle out of it, and I’m sure Lynn and others did, as well.😅 Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Since A/C’s are recirculating units it will do nothing about keeping dust or smoke from entering your RV! Even if they were designed to be positive pressure where would it draw air from to create a positive pressure inside to keep dust or smoke outside. Think about it!
Agree, as I started reading I thought the same. If dusty it will just blow it around the RV so it doesn’t collect in one place.
We just close all our windows when traveling on dirt roads (which is a lot here in NV) and KNOW when we open the trailer up there will be dust to deal with. That’s just the nature of off-road travel. Besides. we don’t have a generator to run the ac while traveling (or any other time for that matter).
You would be surprised of the huge number of people who believe that AC units draw air from outside.
Well, basically you are correct but with some exceptions. The wall banger in my shop, like in motels, has a fresh air “flap” that can be opened or closed to induct fresh air if you want. Commercial building a/c are required to introduce fresh air. My vehicles have the option of introducing fresh air or recalculate. Home and RV units do not introduce fresh air, unless you open a window. Sorry to get so technical.
We travel with 5 cats. Love the picture of the day.
Website of the day – underwater attractions: I am a certified scuba diver and agree there are some wonderous things below the waves. During the summer, my underwater domain is Lake Superior. We winter in south-central Texas. The first winter down I saw that the Mansfield Dam Park outside Austin has an underwater trail. I inquired at a local dive shop about tours while down for the winter. I got an enthusiastic ‘Yes’. The next winter I brought a subset of gear with me, expecting to rent the rest from the dive shop. Staff looked at me as if I was crazy. It’s winter! (nevermind the water is warmer than Superior at its best). Shook my head and haven’t bothered using precious cargo space for dive gear since.
I make simple firestarters with a TP roll,lint from the dryer, and the leftover dryer sheets. Place the lint and dryer sheets in the TP tube and you are ready to start your fire. I always have some small kindling to help the fire roar up.