Issue 2165
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
“Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Mac & Cheese Day!
On this day in history: 1965 – Mariner 4 flyby of Mars takes the first close-up photos of another planet. The photographs take approximately six hours to be transmitted back to Earth.
Tip of the Day
The importance of tire and wheel balancing, plus more tire info
By Steven Fletcher
To get optimum tire performance from your RV tires, the weight of the tire and wheel assembly must be balanced. Out-of-balance tires tend to cup and wear excessively at the heavy spot. Wheel balancing should be performed when:
• Tires are mounted on wheels;
• A tire and wheel are moved to another position; or
• A flat has been repaired or replaced.
Continue reading much more about tires
Watch on YouTube • Watch on Facebook
Saturday, July 15, from 8-9 a.m. (Pacific Time)
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
What does ‘Passive’ mean on my Mercedes Sprinter dashboard?
Dear Dave,
I’ve tried the owner’s manual, Google, Mercedes-Benz website and my MB dealer’s shop foreman. No one or nothing can tell me what this message means. I have a 2021 Sprinter chassis Delano motorhome. While in cruise, if you press the accelerator for a little more speed this message [in picture] appears. What does it mean? Any help? —Ken, 2021 Delano Mercedes Sprinter
Video of the day
Build a foam teardrop trailer for under $1500!
By Cheri Sicard
Have you ever heard of a foam teardrop trailer? The team from Playing with Sticks is here to give us the lowdown. It turns out foam has a lot of advantages, including being lightweight, an incredible insulator, more water-resistant than plywood, and incredibly versatile. According to the video, people can build a road-worthy foam teardrop trailer for as little as $1,500!
If you plan to buy or sell your RV online, read this first
By Janet Groene
An Oregon couple plans to retire in 2023 and hopes to travel by RV for five years. They narrowed their choice to a Class C motorhome. On their “must” list are Brand A or Brand B … No local dealers could find anything close to their needs, so they went online. They found good candidates in Rhode Island, southern Illinois and Louisiana. With their work schedule, they can’t go in person. Should they buy sight unseen? … Read great tips for buying or selling your RV online from Janet Groene and Rachel Heseltine, Vice-President of Consumer Growth at RVTrader.com, here.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- “This ‘Woe is me, I can’t find a campsite’ stuff is getting old!”
- RV experts pick the BEST 5th wheel brands for 2023
- Lock your doors: A foot fondler is on the loose
- Generator noise ratings matter more than you think
RV Maintenance Log Book keeps track of everything for you!
This RV maintenance logbook allows you to document and track all repairs and work done on your RV. If you bought your RV used, wouldn’t this have been nice to have with the sale?! Keep track of everything in your RV – all the work done on it (and where and when), specific part models, your favorite black tank cleaner, the lightbulb bases you use, paints and fabrics, and much more. This will be a lifesaver down the road. Learn more or order.
Reader poll
Is your RV longer than 24 feet or shorter?
Quick Tip
Keep that A/C squirrel free!
Gary J. reports: “We got back to Florida to find out squirrels had taken up residence in our rooftop A/C. I purchased a few pieces of gutter-guard screen at Home Depot and trimmed them to fit under my shrouds. Laced them on with [stainless steel] wire—and no more squatters.” Thanks, Gary!
On this day last year…
- Tip: RV mods: Screen your engine for protection
- RV Preview: Knaus Tourer CUV van
- Ask Dave: Should I buy a new or used RV?
- Featured article: Is your engine in good shape? Pay attention now, or pay the price later
- Video: Woman is lucky she had a new RV inspected before taking delivery
- Recipe: Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
This is what comes up when you type “weird” into Amazon. Yep. It’s weird. Really, really, REALLY weird.
Website of the day
60 Easy Dinner Recipes To Keep Your Wallet Happy
This is a great list from Delish of 60 recipes that, you guessed it, are easy and budget-friendly! What’s better than that? Happy cookin’!
Clubs and useful organizations
PLEASE NOTE: We may receive an affiliate commission if you join any of these.
• Harvest Hosts: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations for free. Save 15% on membership.
• AllStays: The best website for RVers! Your membership will become your RV-bible.
• Boondockers Welcome: Stay at homes of RVers who welcome you in their driveways, yards, farmland or other space on their private property. Modest membership fee.
• Escapees: Best Club for RVers: All RVers welcome, no matter what type of RV, make or model.
• RV LIFE Trip Wizard: Make your RV road trip planning easier than ever.
Recipe of the Day
Creamy Bacon Chipotle Mac N Cheese
by Lora DiGs from Staten Island, NY
What a unique take on macaroni and cheese. The evaporated milk does indeed make this very creamy. Bacon and chipotle give the mac and cheese a nice smoky flavor. Chipotle also gives it a kick of spice. This was so easy to prepare on the stovetop. No oven is needed. If you’re looking to ramp up your traditional mac and cheese, give this recipe a try.
[wbcr_snippet id=”337364″ title=”AHM Video Recipe Widget”]
Trivia
The only building on the National Historic Landmark Registry outside of the U.S. is located in… If you guessed Morocco, you’re correct! The Tangier American Legation building in Tangier, Morocco, is the first and only piece of public property owned and maintained by the U.S. government outside of the U.S.
*What is the most covered song of all time? Guess, find out in yesterday’s trivia, then sing along!
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Serenity is a 13 1/2-year-old kitty we adopted from the Pima County Animal Care Center in Tucson. She had, to our knowledge, never traveled in an RV or even over distances in a car. Our worries (based on previous kitties) were that she’d be scared and cry at the start of each leg, especially if the road was bumpy. SURPRISE, she was a dream. She settled into her open carrier (soft padded) and promptly went to sleep for the entire ride (usually 200-275 miles). She’s this RVer’s dream, and seems to be fine with the smaller space in the RV but is thrilled that the RV has a king bed.” —Bob Schilling
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
I’ve started investing in stocks. First, it was chicken, then beef, and now I just bought vegetable. Despite the potential risks, I believe that one day I’ll be a boullionaire.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the Latest News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
If you shop at Amazon.com we’d appreciate you using this link. We get an itty bitty commission if you buy something, but they add up and help us pay our bills (most importantly our hard-working writers!).
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
Help desk: Contact us.
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.
RVtravel.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2023 by RV Travel LLC.
Garry J.s A/C squirrel problem may have gotten him in trouble at the Florida State Line Agriculture Inspection Station, if found, for introducing a non-native species into the State. And how did the squirrel cage in his air conditioner work without a squirrel?
The offending squirrel was indeed native to Florida. We returned to our fifth-wheel , which we had left in Florida for the holidays, and I removed the shroud to find the tenant resting peacefully. Only after gently relocating him did I build the barrier with ‘gutter guard’. No animals, nor I, were injured in the exercise.
👍😅 Glad to hear that, Gary. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks for the reply, Gary. I had feared that you may have imported one of those giant northern squirrels into the State. lol
The best mac and cheese I found was on this newsletter. French Onion. OMG 4 different cheeses. O yum. That is now my expensive go to.