Issue 2159
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.
Today’s thought
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is International Kissing Day! Smooch up!
On this day in history: 1942 – Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in the “Secret Annex” above her father’s office in an Amsterdam warehouse.
Tip of the Day
RVing during wildfire season? Clean your RV A/C filters!
By Nanci Dixon
We have unfortunately been traveling during the Canadian wildfires and got hit unexpectedly in Minnesota with thick smoke and air quality alerts. It was so bad that we had to stay in our RV—the smoke hurt our throats and gave us headaches. We closed the windows and doors and ran the A/C to keep cool and keep the smoke at bay.
Now, the outside air has cleared a bit, but we’re still under an air quality alert. It is hot and we are running the air conditioner. I just looked up from my seat. Yikes, our filters are dirty, really dirty.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Why is it snowing Styrofoam beads and debris from my RV’s A/C vents?
Dear Dave,
I have debris coming out of two A/C vents in my RV: one in the kitchen over the island, and one in the bedroom over the foot of bed. Here’s a picture of the debris I collected. It looks like leaves mixed in with Styrofoam. Thank you. —Ilene, 2015 Heartland North Trail 23RBS travel trailer
RV Tours
Hiker Trailers: Affordable, customizable, off-road RVs
By Cheri Sicard
If you are tired of seeing even simple campers priced at $50k or higher, the team from Playing with Sticks is here to help with a feature video of off-road RVs from Hiker Trailer, which has an entire lineup of off-road and budget trailers.
Video of the day
Do you know the signs of heat stroke? How to treat heat stroke in humans
By Cheri Sicard
Do you know the signs of heat stroke? The folks from Medical Centric have produced a video that just might save someone’s life. More than 600 people die of heat stroke each year in the United States.
Familiarize yourself with the signs of heat stroke and know what to do if you or someone you know is experiencing them. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the chance of serious complications.
These RVers claim there is another reason behind poor-quality RVs
We’ve heard all about it: The poor quality of RVs coming out of manufacturing plants during the past few years. Blame has been assigned to company bosses who set unreasonable production goals. Fault is also placed at the feet of crew bosses who continually urge their line laborers to “work faster.” Blame has also fallen on unskilled and/or unprofessional workers who seem okay just slapping things together. And on it goes. Gail Marsh found some interesting “reasons” on an RV forum for the “poor quality” of today’s RVs. Could newbies be to blame?
Reader poll
Do you start each day with a cup of coffee?
Quick Tip
Bug off—without poisons!
“Diatomaceous earth is a good deterrent for creepy crawlers, and is completely harmless to the environment and pets. Personally, I hate using poisons or chemicals, and found this to work well when we were overrun with ants at a campground. I just sprinkled it liberally around every spot that allowed insects access to the RV (electrical cables, hoses, jacks, etc.) as well as inside where I could see the ants entering. I didn’t need to worry about the cats coming into contact with it. You can get it in the garden department at home improvement stores.” Thanks to Sally G.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Easy ways to make your RV’s entry steps safer
- RV Review: 2022 Coachmen Chaparral 336TSIK Fifth Wheel
- Ask Dave: My holding tank gauges never work. Is there another option?
- Featured article: Selling your RV: How to prepare it before listing it for sale
- Recipe: Awesome Avocado Dip
Website of the day
The Most Epic Dog Parks in the U.S.
You heard it here, pups! It’s time you put on that leash and take Mom and/or Dad out to the dog park (and make them buy you a treat too, while they’re at it!).
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
You’d win so many points if you gave this to someone as a gift. Maybe you’d even… get a strike?
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, 46 percent would most like to camp on or near a beach with water views, 24 percent would prefer to camp deep in the forest, and 11 percent would choose to camp in the desert.
• 19 percent enjoy birdwatching and seek out birdwatching experiences wherever they go.
• If they were on a sinking boat, 45 percent said they could swim to shore 100 yards or more if they had to.
Recent poll: Would you recommend RVing to a friend?
Recipe of the Day
Sausage & Zucchini Casserole
by Diane Schmidt from Comstock Park, MI
We’ve tried many types of zucchini casserole, but Diane’s is unique in that she adds browned sausage. The sausage adds another layer of flavor to the creamy filling of this side dish. The crunchy cornbread topping has wonderful flavor from herbs and spices. This is a very hearty side dish and a great way to serve zucchini in the summer.
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Trivia
A whopping 14.95% of Ohio drivers report having a speeding ticket, the highest rate in the USA. That’s 75% above the national average. Residents of Connecticut are apparently more law-abiding: A mere 4.74% of drivers there have received a speeding ticket, the lowest rate in the country.
*What was the very first city to reach the population of one million? What city followed? Find out in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Bella, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. She very much enjoyed the RV life and travel. Crossed over the Rainbow Bridge Nov. 2021.” —Don Wilson
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!
• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.
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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I always start my day with a mug of oolong tea.
Me too!! It’s perfect!
Love the list of great dog parks! Thanks.
“Diatomaceous earth” (often just called DE because it is easier to get the knots out of your tongue). is a great ant deterrent. The food grade stuff costs a bit more, but used in livestock feed to prevent clumping is certainly non-toxic to birds, mammals or reptiles. Important because many poisons can and do move up the food chain.
I cover the gravel before putting down our outdoor rugs. When I pull up the rugs at the end of the season I can tell where I missed. I find ant villages. But where I did good, nada.
One reason Ohio has so many speeding tickets is the law that gives a percentage of each fine to the officer who writes the ticket. LEOs are therefore more inclined to write tickets even in inclement weather. I have witnessed a highway patrol officer issuing a ticket in a blinding snow storm, must’ve needed some extra spending money. Lol Usually if the weather is bad you really have to do something bad to get a cop out of his nice environment squad car. Not in Ohio.
And, they used to have the most famous speed trap in the nation.
RVing is a fabulous way to travel and see the back country of our great nation. My wife and I traveled eastern Oregon this last 4th of July holiday, visiting small towns and enjoying many sites along the way. We found several U S Forest service camps either unoccupied or just 1 or 2 campers. We had no prior reservations for our trip and found gems along the way. This was dry camping but with vault restroom’s which were exceptionally clean. The only noise was from the birds chirping and chipmunks munching on a dropped potato chip. My kind of camping!
👍
Bella did not cross over the rainbow bridge. She is there, waiting for you.
Or with a loved one having the time of her life. We have 5 waiting for us currently. Can’t wait to be jumped.
Frozen ice should not be easily confused for frozen water.
Could use some of both right now. 😰 Headed south through Utah and Nevada to get home from our northerly trip. Thanks Cancel for your recommendations on Canada and back through the U.S.
Thank you, Emily! 🙂
Acadia Natl Park seems to have the most dogs ever. Its like more dogs then humans here. Great to see our pet buddies also getting out as well.