Issue 2209
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
“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” ―Silence Dogood, likely pseudonym of Benjamin Franklin, July 9, 1722
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Eat a Hoagie Day!
On this day in history: 1959 – The Soviet probe Luna 2 crashes onto the Moon, becoming the first man-made object to reach it.
Tip of the Day
Your RV’s hidden dirtiest places and how to clean them
By Gail Marsh
I rarely clean certain items inside our RV. Maybe you avoid them, too. Besides the things I simply forget to clean, there are items in our RV that are harder to clean than others. Or at least that’s the excuse I give myself for not tackling these cleaning jobs very often.
I know there are specialized products made specifically for certain cleaning chores. However, these products often take up valuable space inside our RV or add unnecessary weight. So, I pack just a few cleaning items when we RV. I use them along with some tips and tricks that make cleaning tasks easier.
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Why does my RV drop like a rock when hydraulic jacks are retracted?
Dear Dave,
My Class C will level easily when using auto level, but when it is time to retract, the motorhome drops like a rock. Recently, the violent drop caused the black ABS drain line in the slideout to break. The RV service center along with Forest River say the unit is working correctly; however, it never worked that way before when I did an auto retract. What’s the solution? —Harry, 2019 Forest River Forester 3271SF
RV Tours
WOW! Compact Kimberley Kamper: NOT your grandfather’s popup
By Cheri Sicard
The compact Kimberley Kamper trailer is reinventing what a popup camper can be and do. In the video below, the team from Playing with Sticks gives us a tour of a popup camper unlike any you have ever seen before.
Small and compact while driving, the Kimberley Kamper sets up in under a minute to offer spacious campsite living. And with built-in off-road capability, that campsite can be most anywhere, as the Kimberley Kamper features trailing arm axle-less suspension.
Video of the day
How to mount RV solar panels without drilling!
In the video below, Brian from RV with Tito DIY (one of our readers’ favorite RV YouTube channels) shows how to mount large solar panels to your RV without the need to drill holes in it!
Be sure to watch the video to see how it is all done.
Click here to read more and watch
That’s just not true! 13 common myths about RVing
By Gail Marsh
A myth is a common statement or belief, widely known and even accepted as truth, but based on false notions or supposed ideas that have not been proven to be factual. Now that’s a definition mouthful! But I think you’ll agree that the following statements are RV myths (or at least partial myths). This is very interesting.
Reader poll
Dog owners: How many dogs do you most often bring on your RV trips?
Quick Tip
Easier and safer way to put on an RV cover
Jim L. says he’s got a safer way to put on a cover: “We protect our 24′ Lazy Daze with a cloth RV cover. I was climbing a 7-foot ladder carrying the bundled cover up and tossing it onto the roof. I had to be careful or the cover would come unbundled and nearly knock me off the ladder. Then, I would have to go down the ladder, bunch it up again and try a second time. Finally, I figured out a better way. First I stretch the cover out on the refrigerator side of the RV (this will make sense in a moment). I make sure the cover’s front and rear ends are oriented correctly and that the cover is not inside out. Next I place the ladder next to the RV right below the refrigerator vent on the roof. I make sure that the cover is between the ladder and the RV.
Protect yourself from intruders, bears and more!
Used by the RVtravel.com staff!
The BASU® Emergency Alarm lets us explore, sleep, and adventure with confidence! This tiny device emits an ear-piercing alarm to scare away intruders, burglars, wild animals, and will call for help if you’re stranded. You can count on this alarm to help keep you safe. Click here to order.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Tow vehicle wiring tester can save some anxiety while traveling
- RV Review: Leisure Travel Vans updates Murphy bed models
- Ask Dave: How do I winterize my RV’s slide room?
- Video: Bear safety: How to use bear spray scenarios and demos you must see!
- Featured article: Beware! Mirror glaze finish attracts wild birds. They dented and scratched our RV!
YOU DIDN’T MISS yesterday’s brand-new Full-Time RVer newsletter, did you? It’s not just for full-timers—all RVers will enjoy it! Click here to read.
Website of the day
Fall foliage family fun: Skip the highway and jump on any of these 10 best fall train rides
Well, that very descriptive, lengthy headline pretty much says it all. Stop driving for a few days and go see the sights… on rail!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We’ll gladly give you our own personal shipping addresses for this! Amazon really does deliver everything… Wowie!
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:
• 44 percent go grocery shopping once a week and 27 percent go multiple times a week.
• 80 percent rely heavily on online rankings/ratings of RV parks when making reservations.
• 17 percent have been to a National Park within the last month.
Recent poll: Do you have a hobby?
Recipe of the Day
Graham Cracker Pudding
Graham Cracker Puddingby Erica Freyer from Mocksville, NC
This cool and creamy no-bake dessert is so good. With all its layers, this version of an eclair cake reminded us of a graham cracker pudding lasagna. The peanut butter was an added flavor we loved and it also protected the crackers from becoming completely soft. A very thin layer of chocolate pudding on top is the perfect touch. If you need a great make-ahead dessert, give this recipe a try. It can really sit overnight to allow the graham crackers to soften. Delicious for a potluck.
Trivia
Football was pretty rough in its early days. The sport more resembled rugby than contemporary American football. A few players died from on-field injuries in 1897 and many more were badly hurt. But the sport was very popular at the collegiate level. The national champion in 1897 was the University of Pennsylvania team with a 15-0 record. Penn scored 463 points that year and gave up only 20. Twelve of its opponents never scored a single point.
*After two weeks of wear, a pair of jeans will have grown how much bacteria on them? You might not want to know, but if you do you can find the answer in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Chloe and Winnie (English Springer Spaniel and Tigger cat) like to ride on the console of the truck so they can watch the scenery roll by. Sometimes they have to argue a little to see who gets to be closer to me, and sometimes they give up and go to the back seat and take a nap. They seem to always enjoy themselves wherever we are.” —Joe Woitte
HELP! We’re running low on pet photos! 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!
How pure is your drinking water? Find out!
This handy, affordable, digital water tester will tell you your overall water purity level, which will be displayed on the screen in ppm (parts per million). Just stick it in about 1 inch of water and instantly you get the reading. It’s compact and doesn’t need any maintenance. It includes a protective carrying case with a belt clip. This is handy for all RVers to have.
Leave here with a laugh
Now this is our kind of kid!
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Thank you, Emily and Diane!
Excellent thought for the day. This includes freedom to express ideas that go against the majority. While I wouldn’t say “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me” is completely true, most of the time, it’s largely true. We need to be willing to research and seek out truth, and strong enough to not collapse if we hear someone criticize or disagree with us. Our society’s current trajectory is dangerous.
Or…. when the minority 3% can dictate acceptable speech for the 97% that disagree with that 3% view and are then canceled or silenced. Tyranny of the minority. Words are not violence.
Cheers CeeCee.
Make one of your “Extra comment features” …No political BS
Who decides what’s BS and whats not? Sort of the point that Silence Dogood was making, which you are now reinforcing. No? The irony of your comment is certainly not lost on me.
Common sense and reality decide what’s BS and whats’s. not. facts, Facts and not your alternative facts.
LOL. Like masks work facts? Like pandemic of the unvaccinated facts? Like a laptop is a Russian disinformation ploy, facts? Like more than 2 genders exist facts? Like ….. whatever Dennis, enjoy your cup of kool-aid. LOL
Today’s Thought, by our forefathers in July of 1722 was right on for what we are seeing in our nation today! It is coming from the Government, the Left, Big tech, & FAKE NEWS!! “If we the people” don’t WAKE-UP SOON, we will lose this nation, & our freedom!!
I couldn’t connect to the rv tour column today. 404 error code??
Shoot! Thanks for letting us know, Bill.👍 It’s been fixed. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane
Yes, I just watched it. Nice presentation.
I’m glad you were able to watch it, Bill, after those darned gremlins messed up the link last night. (That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.🤣) Take care. 😀 –Diane
““Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
How appropriate this is for today’s America.
True that Tommy.
Yep, agreed!
Trivia was pretty cool today! High scores! Congrats to the record holder!