Issue 2228
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
“There’s such a thing as too much happiness and sadness. What I’m after is contentment.” —Ray Charles
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Sausage Pizza Day and National Fossil Day!
On this day in history: 1975: The TV sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” debuted on NBC and became a landmark in American television.
Tip of the Day
Tips and considerations to finding affordable, safe places to camp
By Janet Groene
Has your RV life been turned upside down by COVID, inflation, and the floods of new RVers on the roads? For many long-time RVers, the current landscape is almost unrecognizable.
Here are some considerations in finding an affordable, safe camp-out now and in 2024:
- Seasoned RV travelers know it’s smart to make new reservations in person as you check out of your current campground. There’s no substitute for face-to-face service. It may also avoid the reservation fee you’d pay when reserving through a service.
- Closer attention is now paid to eviction laws, which vary by state. Your rights and obligations as a tenant vary according to whether you are a short- or long-term occupant. Eviction laws apply differently to long-term stays. Tourist taxes may also apply differently to long-term stays.
- Many resort campgrounds now admit day visitors to use the pool, fitness facilities and other amenities for a price. With day visitors inside the gates and the pool more crowded, will you feel less private and secure in the campground?
Take an extra 10% off a GhostBed luxury RV mattress!
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Ask Dave
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the “RV Handbook.”
Is it better to leave your RV’s electric water heater off when not using it?
Dear Dave,
During the summer months I take the RV out camping for a week at the time. I only turn on the electric water heater when I need it and then turn it off. Is this good or bad? My thinking is, if I don’t need it on 24/7 while camping, then keep it off. Thank you. —First Sergeant Mitchell, 2021 Rockwood Mini Lite 2508
RV Reviews
RV preview: East to West Takoda 350TH fifth wheel toy hauler—a ‘Friend to Everyone’
Today’s RV (p)review is of the forthcoming East To West Takoda 350TH. This is a new line for the company and is billed as a luxury toy hauler. One of the complaints I have heard repeatedly about toy haulers is that they’re good at hauling toys but the interiors leave you wanting. I think that a peek at the interior of this rig will show that East to West has heard the same complaints.
In the RV Shop with Dustin
Reseal your RV with the BEST caulking gun!
By Dustin Simpson
Completing repairs and maintenance is a whole lot easier when you have the right tools on hand. Reseal your RV with the BEST caulking gun! This is not only my “go-to” caulking gun, but it is also favored by my team of RV technicians.
Video of the day
Simple RV door modifications for easy opening and closing
By Cheri Sicard
Over time your RV door may shift or things may change and it gets harder to open and close, or perhaps it slams too hard upon closing. Whatever the issue, Ross from RV Tips & Travels is here to show us some easy RV door modifications to keep things working as they should.
How far would you go to get your perfect RV? These RVers went far…
RVtravel.com conducted a readers’ poll that asked: How far did you travel to buy your present RV? Turns out, most of the folks who participated in the poll drove between 25 and 100 miles. You can see the poll results here. Surprisingly many, many folks (22 percent!) traveled more than 500 miles to buy their rig! To me, that says if an RVer locates a rig s/he wants, the miles don’t matter all that much. Read some of their stories here.
Reader poll
How often do you shop on Amazon?
FIVE YEARS AGO: On Oct. 11, 2018, we asked RVtravel.com readers: “Do you suffer from insomnia?” More than 2,400 readers responded. What percentage of them said they suffer from it often or sometimes? 16 percent, 29 percent or 50 percent? The answer is here.
Don’t let winter keep you in the dark!
This 6-pack of tiny, battery-powered LED “Button Lamps” is just what you need for your RV’s closets and storage spaces. The tiny lamp is ultra-bright and has all the power of a normal-sized lamp. Backed with a strong adhesive, these little lamps will stick to any surface. They’re waterproof and good to have in case of an emergency. Learn more or order.
Helpful resources
• NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION
• ROAD AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NATION
• WEATHER ALERTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
• LATEST RV RECALLS
• DIRECTORY OF RV PARKS WITH STORM SHELTERS
• THE BEST RV TRIP PLANNER APPS AND TOOLS
Did you buy a lemon RV? Here’s more about RV lemons and lawyers who will represent you if you need help.
Quick Tip
A fix for stripped screws in wood
Do you have some screws that have stripped out in wood? Russ S. makes this suggestion: “Put superglue on a toothpick, push it in the screw hole and cut the toothpick off with sharp serrated knife and tap it into the hole until flush. When dried, reinstall the screw.” Thanks, Russ!
NEW FACEBOOK GROUPS
RVing Widows and Widowers: Moving on after losing your spouse.
Southeast RV Travel: Where to go, what to see, what to do.
Northeast RV Travel: Where to go, what to see, what to do.
On this day last year…
- RV Review: Incredible Riverstone Signature 41RL fifth wheel
- Ask Dave: Why aren’t my solar panels charging the house batteries?
- Video: Unusual space- and weight-saving multi-tasking camping gear
- Featured article: Take your ice cream cone out of your pocket! It’s illegal!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Which came first: the chicken, the egg, or the lightbulb? This will make you laugh (we did!)!
Website of the day
The USA’s most beautiful libraries
It’s getting close to the time of year we all want to cozy up with a book. Visit these beautiful libraries across the country and find yourself one to read.
Most popular articles this time last year:
- Hitchless towing unveiled by Toyota: Is this the future of RVing?
- RV engineer answers: Is maximum towing capacity just smoke and mirrors?
- 15 incredible camping inventions: Unusual camping gear
Recipe of the Day
Beef Tips and Noodles
by Gary Hancq from Port Byron, IL
These are delicious beef tips and noodles that would be terrific for a cozy night in or for serving to party guests. It’s not the basic beef tips you think of. Rib eye gives great flavor and the drippings make a fabulous gravy. We think this should be called beef tips and gravy over noodles, since that’s what it is. You’ll find yourself using the yummy gravy in other ways (like dipping a roast beef sandwich). With the rib eye, it’s a little pricier to make but well worth it.
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Trivia
The oldest living chicken is Peanut, who is 21 and lives on a farm in Chelsea, Michigan. According to Guinness World Records, Peanut eats blueberry yogurt, grapes, bananas and vegetables.
*In 1919 it took an army convoy ____ days to drive from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco. How many days? Find out in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“As soon as the RV gets fired up, these two (Birdie and Throttle, Vizslas) start whining. They do not want to be left behind. They are great travelers and love all the new adventures!” —Stacy Stith
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!
Here’s everything to do if you lose your pet. This is an excellent resource!
Cooking for two? It’s never been easier!
This cookbook from the beloved America’s Test Kitchen brings you 650 delicious recipes specifically designed for just two people! 150 of those recipes can be on the table within 30 minutes or less. This cookbook has it all! Look through some of the recipes, read the amazing reviews, or order here.
Leave here with a laugh
Joe and Jenny drove for miles in silence in their new motorhome after a terrible argument in which neither would budge. After many miles had passed, a frustrated Joe pointed to a mule in a nearby pasture. “A relative of yours?” he asked Jenny. “Yes,” she replied. “By marriage.”
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
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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.
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The article about Toyota and connectionless towing systems seems to have overlooked the serious and hence dangerous issues of 1) power loss 2) hackers and 3) wild animal collisions and the loss of the sheer pleasure of driving. I’m sure there are other considerations but these come to mind.
For those who choose to live in highly populated areas with dense traffic issues I can understand the attraction of a system such as this. But for those who choose not to live the Bee Hive existence it will further decrease autonomy and hence individual freedom.
I like to drive. That means being in self control of myself and the vehicle. It’s not a waste of my time to do that mundane function.
Why doesn’t Throttle have a fancy vest?
I’ll bet he does but it just wasn’t on at the time the picture was taken. Have a great day, David. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Super glue usually doesn’t work on porous materials.
Elmers Wood Glue
If it is wood to wood, use wood glue. …although the other day I had a plastic expander get pulled out from wood siding. The expander was used due to the void behind the siding. I used Shoe Goo to partially fill the void, reinserted the expander through the Shoe Goo without the screw and then immediately screwed the eye-screw back in place. Shoe Goo does not expand, but is does stick to a huge number of different materials and in this case created a larger expansion plug (think of it as a molly or toggle bolt without the big hole) as it dried inside the siding. The next morning that eye-screw was back in full use.
Yep, poor usage of super glue. It doesn’t glue if it’s just sitting there, needs pressure to become an airless bond.
The tooth pick and glue works on small holes. I have found that with a larger hole you can drill it out to where a hard wood golf “T” would be friction tight. I use a high quality waterproof wood glue and let it sit over night. Cut it flush with the surface and drill a new pilot hole and install the screw.
I use a chunk of pine that i had just for those stripped out screws. I would cut off a chunk & shape it a bit bigger than the hole size! Insert into hole as far as possible then trim it flush with a sharp chisel Then I would use my self-centering drill bit for a new pilot hole. Never needed any type of glue! They do sell pre-made plugs for that purpose!
Snoopy
Thank you, Emily and Diane!