Issue 2224
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
“I believe that we’re as happy in life as we make up our minds to be.” —Lucille Ball
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Do Something Nice Day (feel free to celebrate year-round!).
On this day in history: Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple, died at age 56 in 2011.
Tip of the Day
What’s the most important RV trip prep? Your personal health
By Gail Marsh
Getting ready for an extended RV trip usually involves making reservations, packing the RV, checking RV systems, and making arrangements for your stix-n-brix home while you plan to be away. You probably have preparation checklists (like this one). Don’t forget to include the most important part of RV trip prep—you and your health! Face it! If you get sick or feel tired as your trip begins, you may compromise your entire adventure. That’s why you need to consider some personal health prep before your RV travels begin. Here are some tips to help you do just that!
Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Should I leave the RV’s scissor jacks extended or retracted during storage?
Dear Dave,
We’re in a seasonal campground (April through October) and are now getting ready to close up for the year. Sometimes I’ve done this, sometimes not, so here are my questions. Should the leveling jacks (scissor-type) be left down or up? And should I leave the camper level, or tilted up towards the rear? I don’t cover it, BTW. Thanks. —Jerry, 2021 Forest River Wildwood 27RK
Get your kicks on, well, you know how it goes…
“The Best Hits on Route 66: 100 Essential Stops on the Mother Road” is the perfect companion for anyone traveling down Route 66 or who has ever wanted to. Amy Bizzarri, a Route 66 expert, takes you on an inspiring and entertaining journey down America’s most famous favorite road. Along with fascinating history and travel inspiration, the book also includes itineraries so trip planning is a breeze. Learn more or order.
RV Tours
Custom Unimog motorhome: A massive must-see beast!
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, we join Patrick Botticelli from New Jersey Outdoor Adventures [343K subscribers, 91M views] for a tour of what he says is the highest-quality motorhome among imported motorhomes he has seen, the massive beast that is the Unimog 4X4.
The truck started life as a Red Cross truck long before it got upcycled into a rugged luxury motorhome. And it is a beast. A 26,000-pound hydraulic Ramsey winch outfits the front bumper. A 4.5-liter turbo diesel engine hides under the hood. It’s high clearance and outfitted for nearly anywhere off or on the road. It can even drive through up to 4 feet of water!
Video of the day
10 Eastern Sierra must-visit stops along California’s Hwy 395
By Cheri Sicard
Highway 395 in California runs along the Eastern Sierra and is home to arguably some of the most spectacularly beautiful scenery in the entire U.S. In the video below, join outdoor photographer Gabriella Viola on a trip along this famed highway to discover her favorite places and stops along the route.
Encompassing both Mono and Inyo counties, the Eastern Sierra is on the remote eastern side of California’s Sierra Nevada range. Gabriella says this rugged region is home to crystal-clear alpine lakes, granite peaks, hot springs, waterfalls, and much more. Even if you don’t intend to plan a trip, the video, created by a professional outdoor photographer, provides some amazing eye candy.
The important life lessons that RVing has taught me
By Gail Marsh
Maybe it’s because I’ve worked in education for most of my life. Or perhaps it’s because I am getting older and more introspective as time goes on. Whatever the reason, I’ve been thinking lately about all that I’ve learned while RVing. I’m not talking about RV organization, daily RV life, or RV maintenance. I have indeed learned all those things. But I’m talking about what RVing has taught me about myself. Continue reading. Does this sound familiar to you?
Reader poll
Do you have security cameras that monitor your home or RV?
Quick Tip
The pros and cons of Class C overhead bunks
If you are not physically fit or suffer from achy bones, these bunks can be a true inconvenience. Although the beds are typically queen-sized (generally smaller than “residential queens”), one person will be pinned against the front of the rig, so getting up at night to use the bathroom means doing a sort of “push up” over their partner. Also, making one of these beds is challenging. These beds are great for younger RVers who are physically active, and for kids. But older RVers should try a test run on this type of bed while at the RV dealership (or by renting an RV for a short trip) before they commit to sleeping on one for days or weeks on end. From The ABCs of RVing.
This was our #1 best-selling item in August. Click here to see.
On this day last year…
- RV Review: Coachmen Catalina Summit Series 7 model 184BHS
- Ask Dave: RV is plugged into 30 amp in a heated garage but engine batteries still die. Why?
- Video: Incredible ambulance RV conversion has amazing features
- Featured articles: A Vet’s View: Why young veterans do not integrate with older ones
Website of the day
10 Coolest Museums in the U.S.
Some of these museums look like they’d be a ton of fun to explore. Check ’em out and plan a trip if you’re nearby.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Sit down: This might shock you. Believe it or not, you can own your own nuclear submarine. You did not read that wrong. Yes, you can actually own your own ship and earn the right to say, “Dive, dive, dive.” You think we are kidding? We are not. See for yourself.
Play this when diving (you might want to turn your volume down a little first):
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:
• 74 percent cook with and use butter, not margarine.
• If an evacuation were ordered, 91 percent say their RV could be ready to go in two hours or less if need be.
• 40 percent of trailer and 5th wheel owners say their rig has a tire pressure monitoring system.
Recipe of the Day
Chicken Taco Soup
by Vicki Wacasey from Greenville, TX
A delicious chicken taco soup made with pantry ingredients. Sometimes canned chicken can be a bit overpowering. The key is to drain it very well and it soaks up the lovely seasonings in this taco soup. Cream cheese makes the soup creamy and adds a slight tang. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips for an easy soup on a cold evening.
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Trivia
When you’re on a hiking trail you’ve probably noticed small markers telling you you’re on the right path. Usually they’re found bolted to a tree. Those are called “blazes.” Trailblazing used to be a real occupation, where trailblazers would go out and hike routes across unexplored terrain setting “blazes” to mark their path.
*Do you know the origins of the yo-yo? Yesterday’s trivia tells you all about it.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Rosie is a Yorkiepoo and Punkin is a Jack Russell. They love to travel, especially camping. They know it is an adventure. Especially the beach.” —Revonda Tucker
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!
Leave here with a laugh
Three good ol’ boys are on Death Row. They discuss how to distract the firing squad so they can escape, and come up with a plan. When the first one’s in front of the firing squad he yells “Tornado!” and the firing squad drop their rifles, run for cover and he escapes. The second man comes in front of the firing squad and at the last moment he yells “Earthquake!” and the firing squad drop their rifles, run for cover and he escapes. The third man, who’s not the brightest candle on the cake, then comes in front of the firing squad and at the last moment yells “Fire!”
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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Class C overhead bunks, are excellent cat storage compartments. Not for adults.
Traditional tree blazing is done with a sharp axe to remove a patch of bark. Nailing or screwing a plaque to a tree is a modern interpretation. Land surveyors are often hired to ‘paint property lines’ through wooded sections. After determining the location of the property boundaries, they blaze trees that are on the boundaries (removing bark) and spray paint specifically formulated for sealing the wound and marking raw wood. Many trees shed bark, so no sense putting the paint on the bark. And thus, ‘paint the lines’.
An interesting museum is the Matchstick museum located in Gladbrook, IA. Many creations including an exact replica of the Mars Rover made entirely of matchsticks. Worth your visit and inclusion on today’s list.
Leave Here With a Laugh: Was the 3rd guy named Jamahl Bowman?
Class-C overhead Bunk. We use ours for storage of Blankets and items we use occasionally. We have a few square baskets (30 to 39 Qt) to help keep things sorted so we do not end up with just a mixed “pile of stuff”. Also a good place for “dirty clothes” basket to accumulate before we visit a laundromat.
Using the class C overhead bunk is why we went to a class A RV years ago.
I would like to add the Museum of Clean in Pocatello ID. This is also a Harvest Host, that’s how we found it. Essentially a museum covering the history of cleaning products. This is not usually high on my interest list, but surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
The overhead bed in our Class C is used for our big screen tv and for storage
Hate to be “That Guy” but the quote of the day is about people being as happy as they decide to be is generally attributed to Abraham Lincoln.
Thank you, Emily and Diane!