Issue 2192
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
“One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Pecan Torte Day!
On this day in history: 1902 – Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first President of the United States to make a public appearance in an automobile.
Tip of the Day
Right site, wrong campground? Make sure to look at the details before booking a campsite
By Janet Groene
Thanks to detailed descriptions of campsites, often with video, we see every detail of a campsite before booking it. But do we really have the big picture?
The campground says it’s pet-friendly, but do you know the rest of the story? The RV resort lists Wi-Fi, but is it free, high-speed and at every campsite? The RV park has amenities galore, but did you notice that there is a resort fee to cover use of those amenities?
Here are seven things that I suggest taking a more careful look at the campground and beyond.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
We found water under the RV’s bunks. Will mildew paint take care of it?
Dear Dave,
We found water inside a cubbyhole underneath the bunk beds. Underneath the rug was tile and under that we cut the tile and found water damage on the wood. We left a dehumidifier in there waiting for it to dry and then painted with mildew paint. Getting all the rugs out of there, using mildew paint on the floor, and then using throw rugs that we can take in and out every season. What do you think? —Eric, 2007 Chapman Wind River
RV Tours
Tour 3 different Northern Lite truck campers—great space, well-loved
By Cheri Sicard
Mike and Susan, the team behind RV Blogger, produced the video below to showcase three different floor plans for Northern Lite truck campers.
Northern Lite makes a true 4-season truck camper. I have encountered many of these campers while traveling and all of the owners I have talked to about them have enthusiastically endorsed them.
As I am considering a truck camper next year, this brand is high on the list. In fact, it has features I have not seen in other brands that make it stand out to me. More on that coming up.
Snowbirds: Prepare to Hit the Road!
As you plan your fall and winter routes, remember that Tifton Overnight RV is the place to stay while you’re on the way! Located just off of I-75 at Exit 62 in South Georgia, this RV stop offers full hook ups, pull-through sites, a fenced dog park, and fast WIFI – and is within walking distance of restaurants including Starbucks, Waffle House, and Chick-fil-A. Learn more and book your stay today!
Video of the day
RV height clearance: QUICK! What’s the height of your RV?
By Cheri Sicard
The team from Keep Your Daydream makes an excellent point in the video below about RV height clearance.
Quick! What is the height of your RV? Do you remember?
If you don’t remember the height of your RV, the time to recall is not when you are about to go under a low-clearance bridge!
How many batteries equal a propane tank of energy?
Dear Mike,
I’m curious just how much battery power is needed to equal a 20-lb. tank of propane? For example, my 3-way fridge can run for a few weeks on propane mode, but when I try to power it from my batteries and inverter, it won’t even last a day before the battery is dead. Can you explain why this happens? —JP
Reader poll
How often do you use a dehumidifier in your RV?
Quick Tip
Waste valve out of reach? Build a reach extender!
Ever wish RV designers were forced to use their own products? Might make life a bit easier! For example, how about a waste dump valve located under your slide-out? You end up crawling under the slide to dump the tank—yuck! Here’s a trick from loveyourrv.com that “extends” your reach: “A simple yet effective solution. I bought a section of PVC plumbing pipe and notched out the end in such a way that I can now open and close the galley waste valve from a distance.” Here’s another trick for its use: “Add a line on it at the point where your slide extends to. Now you can use it when arriving at the campground to see if it is safe to open the slide without hitting anything.”
On this day last year…
- Tip: It’s time for that annual fall cleanup
- RV Review: East To West Tandara 321RL-OK—It’s more than OK
- Ask Dave: Black tank handle hard to pull open. How can I fix it?
- Video: Vet builds unbelievable super-stealth RV FedEx truck conversion
- Featured article: Beat the campground reservation crunch: Camp with the animals
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
If this is something you haven’t replaced in a while, we’re suggesting you do. And with this. Because this is just very cute.
Website of the day
27 Pretty Sunflower Fields to Visit Across the U.S.
Even if visiting sunflower fields doesn’t seem quite up your alley, trust us, once you get there and see these never-ending fields you’ll be so glad you went. They’re so beautiful!
And the Survey Says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers more than 2,500 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 60 percent (that’s a lot!) own an Instant Pot, and 23 percent say they use it all the time
• 38 percent say they’re very loyal to one tire brand and only buy that brand
• 3 percent strongly dislike their given first name
Recent poll: Have you changed any RVing plans lately because of wildfire danger or smoke?
Recipe of the Day
Mock Pizza Casserole
by Mary Hendricks from Conyers, GA
This is one good casserole and would be perfect to take to a potluck. It’s kind of like having a pizza, but easier to keep warm. I like ground beef, sweet Italian sausage and pepperoni on my pizza so I used all three. Add whatever meats and seasonings to your liking. This dish was really easy to prepare and so tasty!
Trivia
The very first aerosol can was invented to apply ski wax. In 1926, Norwegian inventor Erik Rotheim filed a patent for the aerosol can in Oslo, Norway, to make the application of ski wax faster and more efficient.
*What do a blue whale and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle have in common? Find out in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Let’s go already! Nimbus is our 19-month-old Lab and he loves camping and riding in the side x side. He falls asleep after 5 minutes of the ride.” —Andrew Mitchell
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!
Brand-new book for cheap city and town park camping
In most cases, camping in city and town parks costs less than nearby private or other better-known public camping areas. In many cases, the overnight fee is $10 or less, with many sites still free. Some even include free or inexpensive utility hookups. Now, our friends at Roundabout Publications along with The Ultimate Campgrounds Project have published a directory of these under-publicized parks. The first edition of its “Camping in America’s City & Town Parks” is now available. Continue reading about this great new resource.
Leave here with a laugh
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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What Neal said: Thank you, Emily!
Waste Valve Reach Extender? My alternative was to have remotely operated electric waste valves installed. Our editor-emeritus has written about them twice. Took his advice — best upgrade ever. Don’t even have to go outside.
Thank you, Emily!
I am surprised ND was not listed with the Sunflower article! Most of those shown look like yellow daisy’s, except for Kansas and Connecticut, which have large heads like those in ND! Gorgeous fields of gold!
Here is your trivia question for the day – or your research when you have nothing else to do…… “Why do sunflowers always face east?”.
Waste Valve Reach Extender- an alternative is to use a notched PVC Tee to engage the handle. I whole-heartedly agree that RV designers should be forced to use their designs. We have a separate grey tank for the kitchen and the waste valve handle is under a 3+ foot deep slide room. The angle of the waste valve rod makes an extender hard to use. I added a bayonet waste valve with the rod at a better angle and a long PVC Extender all the way back to the bumper. I leave the built-in valve open and dump through the secondary valve. The waste hose stays in place for the season.
Also, know how big the sites are and how much room you require. Many older campgrounds are smaller, from when people did not bring their entire house.