Issue 2236
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
“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Horror Movie Day! Will you be celebrating?
On this day in history: 1906 – Alberto Santos-Dumont flies an airplane in the first heavier-than-air flight in Europe.
Did you see the news? Click here for the latest news for RVers.
Tip of the Day
Why you should carry an extra hose in your RV
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Sometimes as RVers we aren’t sure of what gear to carry. After all, there’s only so much space in the rig—being piled from floor to ceiling isn’t conducive to moving about freely.
But there’s one thing you may want to carry more than one of: a water hose. Keeping a long water hose in the rig is always a given, particularly if you frequent RV parks with hookups. But a short, coupled water hose, just a few feet long, can make life a whole lot easier when on the road.
Ask Dave
Is CheapHeat a good option during RV’s winter storage?
Dear Dave,
I would appreciate your opinion on the CheapHeat system. Is it a good investment? It seems that it would work great to keep my RV heated during cold months while in storage. Thanks. —Ray, 2016 Keystone HC 305RL
Stop RV Repair Bills from Ruining Your 2026 Travels
Say goodbye to rising RV repair costs when you protect your RV and your travel budget with Wholesale Warranties this new year. With 20+ years of experience, personalized coverage options, and 5-star customer support, we help RVers stay on the road. Save on costly repairs, enjoy flexible coverage including mobile mechanics, and travel worry-free all year long. Get your FREE personalized RV warranty quote today and enjoy peace of mind for every mile.
RV Reviews
RV sneak peek: Keystone Outback OBX 17BH—new, new, new
By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is another preview from the RV Open House—the Keystone Outback OBX 17BH. When you read the name “Outback,” were you thinking a larger, rather upscale travel trailer? That’s what I would have expected. But what we have here is a very small overlanding trailer with some key new features.
In the RV Shop with Dustin
Where does water come in around RV slide outs and cause damage?
By Dustin Simpson
An RV owner in one of my Facebook groups asked, “Where is the water getting in on my slide out?”
No matter what manufacturer brand, make or model RV you have, all the slide outs, no matter the design, can leak at these flange moldings because of friction and movement. This is just one example of damage, so make sure you’re checking the roof, floors, and behind the couch and cabinets to ensure you don’t have damage.
Video of the day
78-year-old builds INCREDIBLE minivan camper
By Cheri Sicard
Meet Barry, a 78-year-old DIYer with a penchant for creating RV van conversions like this minivan camper he created in a Toyota Sienna XLE van.
According to Carol, our host from Glorious Life on Wheels, Barry’s DIY minivan camper has everything he needs, including…
Click here to watch and find out
One of America’s best road trips: Drive the beautiful Great River Road
Three thousand miles. Ten states. Amazing cultures and rich history. That’s saying quite a lot. And yet an RV trip along the Great River Road is all that and so much more! Continue reading about all the adventures available on the Great River Road.
NEED MOTOR OIL? Amazon has just about any brand you could ever want. Excellent prices. Learn more or stock up.
Reader poll
How often do you buy clothes for yourself at thrift stores?
Quick Tip
Hang that sewer hose in your basement
Not everyone has a great storage place for their sewer hose. Reader Mike R. worked out a way to park his: “I bought a plastic fence post at Home Depot. Cut it to fit in my Class A basement. Suspended it from the roof of the basement with nylon web straps. Put an end cap on each end and attached it with a thumb screw then marked which length it contains. It holds a 15′ and a 5′ hose. Each respective hose is accessible from both ends.” Editor’s note: If you live in an area where your local “Homer” doesn’t stock vinyl fence posts, like us, you can order them shipped direct to your house. Thanks so much to Mike!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Wrap yourself up like a burrito! No, really, do that… Or like a pizza, or waffle, or warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie… Click here to see how.
Website of the day
Current Gasoline and Diesel prices
Every Saturday we tell you the current price of gas and diesel in the U.S. Here’s the website where we gather our information.
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
- Take an RV trip to ancient ruins—right here in the U.S.!
- Know Your RV: Sanitize your “new” used RV fresh water tank
- Camp near fossil-finding locations and bring home a piece of history
Recipe of the Day
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
by Sherri Greer from Smithsburg, MD
Super tender, these pumpkin muffins are filled with chocolate chips in every bite. It has a fall feel to it, but you’re not overwhelmed with pumpkin spice. Cinnamon is the more prominent flavor. Canned pumpkin helps make the muffin moist and adds just the right sweetness. We like using a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in this recipe. It gives them a slightly different texture than your normal muffin. They’re a bit chewy, but not dry. A delicious pumpkin muffin for fall.
[wbcr_snippet id=”337364″ title=”AHM Video Recipe Widget”]
Trivia
Champagne can polish your shoes and in the early 20th century, in fact, that’s what most people did! Give it a try and let us know how it works.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“I am Earl’s (Border Collie) ‘plus one’ and driver as we travel for him to compete in Sheepdog Field Trial competitions. He’s taken me from coast to coast.” —Sharon Northrup
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!
• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.
Pet First Aid: The basic kit you should carry with you at all times. This is important!
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
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the Latest News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
If you shop at Amazon.com we’d appreciate you using this link. We get an itty bitty commission if you buy something, but they add up and help us pay our bills (most importantly our hard-working writers!).
Don’t kill yourself or loved ones out of ignorance
• If you ever feel a shock when touching your RV, take action. Otherwise, you could kill yourself or loved ones.
• If you blow a front tire, do this. The result could be a disaster if you follow your instincts.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
Advertising. Information here
Help desk: Contact us
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.
RVtravel.com is a participant in many affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of the potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2023 by RV Travel LLC.
Today is National Horror Movie Day
That makes more sense than “National horror day” as stated above !
Yep, I just fixed it. Definitely do not want to celebrate National Horror Day! Thanks, Larry and Thomas. –Emily, RVtravel.com
Poop happens
On the quick tip, I did the same only mounted mine outside the coach. That way no smells or water to mess up the inside. Used a small chain attached to cap so as not to lose it and a latch to lock it on.
We bought a 40′ Tiffin Phaeton DP to transport our Jack Russell Terriers to their field trials along with all the associated outdoor equipment and spent 2 days last weekend in heavy rain storms. It’s about who owns who!
Another Quick Tip. I used the square plastic tube to put my Fishing poles in in my Class A crossover compartment. That keeps them safe and you can also add foam or noodles on tips for added protection.
Perfect dog photo.
Been mounting my sewer hose under the RV in PVC septic drain lines for years, it comes standard with drain holes in the bottom of the of the pipe allowing for drainage and ventilation allowing hose to drain and dry with no smell.
I am with you wouldn’t want hose tube in storage compartment because they drip and smell.
Maybe you can get it to seal tight but then it wouldn’t dry.If it works it is not wrong.
Re: trivia; I’d rather use Champagne for my mimosa’s!!
I would NEVER waste a drop of champagne doing anything but drinking it.
My trailer has one of those ‘customary’ square bumpers that you can put your dump hose in. I shoved a plastic rain gutter into it and my hose slides in and out with no problem. Also, there’s no rust to damage the hose when it’s in there.
Great idea Tommy..my Lance 1020 cabover came with just that setup.
I did the fence post under the camper with an aluminum gutter that holds the sewer hose. The gutter slides out for easy access on the business side of the camper when emptying the tanks. I did this after I noticed some rust on the inside of the bumper. The other issue was the beginning of damage to the sewer hose from rough surface inside the bumper…don’t want those leaks!
My military service life taught me to “spit shine” the shoes and boots! I have also used shaving lotion which has an alcohol component. Either works great! But alas, does anyone wear anything but tennis or Skeetcher shoes these days; or how about clogs?
Ah! My cowboy boots shine up just like my Army boots did. What’s a skeetcher? lol
Kelly: “Skeetchers” are a brand of shoe like a tenny or a bit more stylish. Fabirc with rubber soles. (?Very comfortable by the way).
Yep, but they’re actually spelled Skechers. Have a good evening/night, D & J, and Kelly. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I tried the Champagne tip. I had a few glasses and now my shoes look polished.
😂 😂 😂 🥂 🍾 💕
PURE DRINKING WATER: Please note that having low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) absolutely does not mean the water is safe to drink.
Germs, virus, pesticides and who knows what else can still be in water that measures as a “safe” TDS.
National Horror Day? Haven’t we been living that for the last 3 years? What is there to celebrate?
Oh, dear! We left out the word movie! It’s National Horror MOVIE Day! Oy!! Thanks for the comment, L.B. I fixed it. –Emily, RVtravel.com
😉 🙂
Hi, Neal. Yep, Emily comes up with some weird things to celebrate sometimes. This was very weird but I “assumed” it was accurate so didn’t bother to look it up. Shame on me!😲 Have a great day. 😀 –Diane
Thank you, Emily and Diane! I like adding the admonition about hot skin RVs and the link to dealing with a blow-out; very nice.
Thank you for the quote from “Saint” Mother Teresa. 😇