Issue 2180
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
“We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
On this day in history: On this day in 1944, one of the best known figures of the 20th century and a victim of the Holocaust, 14-year-old Anne Frank and her family were captured and arrested by the Germans from their hiding place in Amsterdam.
Free is good!
Entrance is free today to all U.S. National Park Service sites in celebration of the third anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The fee-free designation applies to entrance fees only and does not affect fees for camping.
Tip of the Day
Stay safe during dangerous summer temperatures
By Gail Marsh
Every day, it seems, another heat-related death is reported. Perhaps now is a good time to review valuable tips to keep you safe during dangerous summer temperatures. And please, if it’s too hot out, don’t do strenuous activities!
Things to do
Hydrate
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid sugary, alcoholic, or caffeinated beverages because they can dehydrate you.
Dress appropriately for summer temperatures
It’s best to wear loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothing. Look for the words, “moisture management” or “wicking” as you shop for hot-weather clothing. These special fabrics will pull moisture away from your body, keeping you cooler. Apply sunscreen and reapply it frequently, as needed. A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses can also provide protection from the sun. Check out all these cooling clothes and accessories.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
I found a seemingly hollow area on my RV’s roof. Should I investigate?
Dear Dave,
I found what seems to be a hollow area on (under) the roof after washing the RV yesterday. I could not find any cracks or signs of any water leakage. It is forward of the rear A/C unit, next to the shower skylight, and behind a black(?) tank roof vent. It feels like it’s between roof joists. Questions: The ceiling has a hollow sounding area in the hallway, outside of the bathroom. Should I access this area from the inside, as the roof is a one-piece material? Is this something best left to the experts? Thank you, Dave! —Bill, 2019 Winnebago Sightseer 33C Class A
In the RV shop with Dustin
What it’s like to repair bullet damage to an RV
There could be several reasons why someone might shoot an RV with a bullet, though I must emphasize that such actions are illegal, dangerous, and morally wrong. Shooting at an RV or any other property is considered vandalism and a criminal offense. It puts people’s lives at risk and causes significant damage and emotional distress to the RV owners.
Despite all that, it happens, and we do see bullet-damaged RVs in our shop.
Video of the day
Cruise America RV rental tips for first-timers
By Cheri Sicard
Mike from the Mike’s Road Trip YouTube channel has produced a useful video for RV newbies wanting to rent an RV like those from Cruise America.
Renting an RV is a good way to try the lifestyle out before making a major commitment. And Cruise America even has a rent-to-buy program where rental fees can be applied toward the purchase of one of their used motorhome fleet’s rigs (some restrictions apply).
Break in your new generator the right way for long service
By Randall Brink
The small, efficient gasoline generator is a practical necessity for extended RV boondocking or any time spent away from a source of alternating current for energizing appliances and battery charging. I recently switched from a Class A coach with a hefty 7.5 kW Cummins Onan generator to a tiny towable with a single marine deep-cycle battery and no generator. My boondocking plans would require a generator. I wondered what the best way was to break in a new generator so it had a long life. Here’s what I found.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- RV parks face price hikes as new database enables real-time competitive pricing by campground owners
- “RVers reserving 2 or 3 spots because they don’t want others next to them”; plus a campsite discount tip
- More outrageous and ridiculous campground rules
- Not wearing gloves while dumping? Big mistake!
Reader poll
Do you have a portable propane campfire pit?
Quick Tip
Hot weather driving
Driving in hotter weather is hard on the RV. Try traveling in the early morning and late afternoon to minimize the impact. –From RV Living Full Time: 100+ Amazing Tips, Secrets, Hacks & Resources to Motorhome Living. Available on Amazon.
Image © National Archives and Records Administration (circa 1945)
YOU DIDN’T MISS yesterday’s Great RV Accessories Newsletter, did you? If you love gadgets and gizmos, check it out.
On this day last year…
- Tip: 12 simple ways you can make fellow campers happy
- RV Review: XBUS Camper is a small, quirky electric vehicle
- Ask Dave: Is there anything I can do to improve gas mileage?
- Video: RV towing tips: What does the tow haul button do?
- Featured article: Moving from a “house RV” to an “apartment RV.” How do we downsize?
- Recipe: Sour Cream Halibut
Website of the day
How to Maintain & Extinguish Your Campfire
This helpful and well-designed page on smokeybear.com is a great resource. Now more than ever it’s important to know how to maintain a proper campfire, and once you’re done for the evening, know how to put it out.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Now don’t take offense, but we need to tell you something… you suck. You really do. But this will help!
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
Grilled Coconut Chicken
by Ashley Muller from Chandler, AZ
This is a fantastic way to up the flavor in chicken breasts. The coconut milk marinade makes the chicken moist and flavorful. Once grilled, the chicken is so tender you can cut it with a fork. You taste hints of the nutmeg and cardamom from the marinade. We love the crunch from the toasted coconut in each bite. It’s sweet, salty, and savory. Yum!
Trivia
Since it’s National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day… The first Chocolate Chip Cookie was actually made by accident in Whitman, Massachusetts, in an inn called the Toll House. In 1938, Ruth Graves Wakefield one day planned on making regular chocolate cookies but got the great idea of throwing in chunks of a chocolate bar into it. Much to her surprise, the chocolate did not mix well with the cookie and instead, it filled up with tasty chunks of chocolate. This fortunate turn of events led to the emergence of the Chocolate Chip Cookie and the birth of the Toll House company.
*How much orange chicken does Panda Express sell each year? Hint: It’s a lot! Find the amount in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Lizzy and Sadie. While they love to travel, they really enjoy peering out the windows once we’ve arrived.” —Gary Johnson
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!
Camping with the Corps of Engineers
Many RVers consider Corps of Engineers campgrounds to be the best in the country. This guide is just for RVers – boat-in and tent-only sites are not included. Of all the public lands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has some of the best parks and campgrounds available. In fact, it’s the largest federal provider of outdoor recreation in the nation. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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I am a seasonal worker in Maine near Bar Harbor. The tourist season here starts just after the 4th and peaks by mid August. In 16 weeks from July 1 to October 1 can see over 600,000 tourists. Then the cruise ships come in on Thursday and Fridays letting off over 4 or 5k. I was told and this could kill them but a lawsuit was filed to keep no more then 1k tourists into Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor government made this ban. If the towns need this influx of cash then it will kill their cash cow sort to speak.There is a retaliation on the owners and shop keepers trying to over turn this ban. I hate to say it but Acadia Natl Park is also here as well. continued….
Acadia would win and Bar Harbor would lose. In conclusion I don’t get why they would do this when there are other options available to them. If it is raining most come into town to get supplies and then go back to the ship. Where I work I hear and see it everyday where the tourists ask where else besides Acadia can I go. There is a wide range of options on Mount Desert Island to see and do. Long story short Bar Harbor is going to loose the cruise ships tourist dollars and become what I call a non tourist destination killing off jobs that I myself will lose if this happens. I pray it does not. IMO not yours
Todays Thought: my knowledge is limited to my experience which can never be complete. To know means complete understanding, so I know nothing. Thanks Leo.
Thank you, Emily!
re: drinking water on hot days. Yes, its good to stay hydrated, but be careful. Too much water can flush out electrolytes ( such as potassium ) which can be bad for your heart. Consider supplementing the water with Gatorade, to maintain safe electrolyte levels.
The next week is the height of the family tourist season here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. All or at least most of the summer sports camps are done. The days are mostly sunny. The bug population is down (compared to spring). The water is warm enough for swimming, but not so warm as to be toxic. The place is packed.
But I want to point out the biggest problem: tourist frustration with services and prices. The reason is simple. A few decades back, the summer tourism industry was a pretty steady 10-12 weeks. Today, seemingly everybody wants to do their family vacation in the same two week period. (continued)
Few people will set aside their lives and other steady employment to work their proverbial fannies off for just two weeks at minimal pay. Owners have to maintain and pay for their infrastructure for 52 weeks for 2 weeks of very hard use. Summer sport camps to build the next star players prevent families from extended travel through much of July. Schools (and I am not saying without good reason) now need students in town by mid-August.
No I don’t see an easy solution, and I do expect school-age family-oriented tourism opportunities to continue their decline. I am expecting to see stories about how hard it still is to book campgrounds and how wild the kids are.Take them with a grain of salt
My wife and I just completed a long tour of the UP in our 5ver. We had no trouble finding camp sites and never had a bad one.
The area is gorgeous and enjoyed it enormously. We now live in Florida and it was delightful to need a heater at night in July & August.
Usually when camping I follow the law “Burn it Where you Bought It”.
I go outside the campground and check out the neighborhood looking for someone selling firewood. I would rather do that than pay the campground for their overpriced bag of green wood… 6 pieces for 7 bucks…what a ripoff.
Pet of the day.Looks like 2 of our 6 cats we take Camping with us.
Still LMAO at today’s Laugh!!
What do we need to know about allowable food items and any other restricted items when crossing the border into Canada and when coming back to the states?
https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/the-inspection-experience/clearing-customs/prohibited-items/
Try this FB page. They can probably help with a lot of questions about crossing the border,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RVingToAlaska20
Be prepared to meet happy Canadian border attendants and then angry U.S. border attendants even though you’re a U.S. citizen. That’s my experience every time.
WOW ! I had the identical experience over forty years ago. Sounds like nothing has changed.
Yes, totally agree, several times also.