Issue 2237
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
“I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you’ll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Food Day!
On this day in history: 1861 – The first transcontinental telegraph line across the United States is completed.
Tip of the Day
Tips for using RV forums, blogs, and social media
By Gail Marsh
No doubt about it! The internet is great if you’re an RVer. We follow many online forums, blogs, newsletters, and social media sites for maintenance tips, campground referrals, and all kinds of information about the RV life. There’s just one problem. Civility. Why does the nicest, most helpful RVer suddenly turn rabid when posting on the internet? Perhaps we all could use a few tips for using RV internet sites with civility.
One reason for joining an RV online group is community. Reading about fellow “RV road warriors” can be informative as well as encouraging. Learning about how other folks follow their RV dreams can inspire our own RV journey. The feeling that “we’re all in this together” makes unexpected trouble seem more manageable—especially when others offer good advice, words of sympathy, or even empathy, like: “That happened to us, too.” “Don’t give up.” “You’ll get through this!” “Keep movin’ on down the road.”
Ask Dave
Is a slide room awning a good idea? And my RV tires are delaminating!
Dear Dave,
Do you recommend slide out awnings to keep debris off the slide out? I get a lot of acorns and leaf debris on the RV slide outs where I have a seasonal site in Shelbyville, Illinois. If you do recommend them, what brand and who should I call to install?
Also, I have delamination on my wheels. The dealer said the manufacturer wouldn’t cover replacing them. I was in automotive service for 25 years and delamination on wheels was covered for 3 years, 36k miles. —Jeffrey, 2023 Sportsmen 303MB
RV Tours
Best cold weather RV? East to West’s Alta Xtreme 365 RV is different!
By Cheri Sicard
Join JD from Big Truck Big RV (one of our readers’ favorite RV YouTube channels) for a tour of the Alta Xtreme 365 travel trailer by East to West RV.
This travel trailer is unlike any other, starting with the fact that it’s encased by 3-inch thick sidewalls and a 5-inch insulated roof. Yes, in a travel trailer!
Foam insulation is sandwiched between the outer and inner layers of Azdel composite. All the windows are dual-paned, too.
Video of the day
5 annual RV maintenance projects you SHOULD do once a year
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, join Chris from Why Wait for a look at five important annual RV maintenance projects that you SHOULD do every year.
I say “should” because these things are easy to put off and procrastinate on. We all do it. But we shouldn’t. Because ignoring these essential annual RV maintenance tasks can end up costing you far more than had you just paid attention to them before they became problems.
Know Your RV: Use your water heater on gas or electric—or both?
Nearly all RV water heaters operate on LP gas; there are rare exceptions. But some RVs offer an option on their water heater: an electric heating element. How do you know if you have the optional electric element? If you do, how can you get the most advantage from either fuel option? Learn all about RV water heaters here.
Reader poll
How many U.S. national parks have you visited in your lifetime?
Quick Tip
Measure your RV at its full height
After reading a story on the importance of measuring and knowing your rig’s height to avoid “low bridge” problems, Richard B. adds an important reminder: If your rig has an air suspension system, be sure to start up your rig and let the air bags fill before measuring your height. We can’t call this a tall-tale, just a wise one! Thanks, Richard!
Portable vacuum gets the job done in RVs
The Eureka Flash Lightweight Stick Vacuum Cleaner would be a great addition to your RV. It’s easy to maneuver at less than 8 pounds. The LED headlights reveal hidden dust in dimly lit corners. The detachable handle makes for convenient handheld cleaning. Despite its compact size, the Flash doesn’t compromise on power. Learn more or order.
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Quick RV Tech Tip: Why is my fresh water tank filling up when hooked to city water?
- RV Electricity: Using a 15-amp bonding plug in a 20-amp generator outlet
- Video: High-tech camper boats: 7 amazing amphibious travel trailers
- Featured article: You should consider buying a truck camper. Here’s why
Website of the day
11 Halloween S’mores Perfect For the Campfire
Not only do these look delicious, but they’ll also impress everyone else at the campground!
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 your loved ones.
• If you blow a front tire, do this. The result could be a disaster if you follow your instincts.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Need one final detail to ensure you scare the kiddos this Halloween? This will do the trick! Heck, this will scare everyone, not just the kiddos!
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:
• The highest percentage of voters, 41 percent, say their RV is model year 2015-2019.
• 78 percent say it’s no problem at all paying bills each month.
• 73 percent always start their day with a cup of coffee.
Recent poll: How many years have you considered yourself an “RVer”?
Recipe of the Day
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
by Tara Pacheco from Fall River, MA
We love a good bread pudding, and this one is creamy and not too sweet. It’s full of wonderful pumpkin and fall flavors. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream for a delicious holiday dessert.
Trivia
The ideal drinking temperature of a cup of coffee is right about 140° F. This is when coffee is the most flavorful.
*What alcoholic beverage was used to polish shoes in the early 20th century? Was it: A) moonshine, B) champagne, C) whiskey, or D) red wine? Find the answer in yesterday’s trivia.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“We hit the jackpot with these two. Tellie (named after Telluride, CO) and Tucker (named after Saugatuck, MI) are both rescued Chihuahua mixes. Perfect travelers; can’t wait to hop in the truck and go on adventures. They love camping and hunting small critters. At 20 and 10 pounds, they are small enough to take almost anywhere but don’t mind spending time on their own in the camper either. Super snuggly so we are warm EVERY night. Even though they aren’t trained for it, they are definitely our therapy dogs!” —Kris Haywood
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.
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.
Leave here with a laugh
A doctor left his stethoscope on the car seat, and on the way to preschool his little girl picked it up and began playing with it. “Wonderful!” thought the doctor. “My daughter wants to follow in my footsteps!” Then the child spoke into the instrument: “Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order?”
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.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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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.
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This newsletter is copyright 2023 by RV Travel LLC.
ALL dogs are therapy dogs in my opinion!
Thank you, Emily and Diane. Thanks, too, for the admonition to measure the height of our RV when it is at ride height. We have not done so. We will ASAP. 🙂
My slide out came with an awning. I love seeing things bounce off of it. And keeps it clean when it comes time to winterize.
Add-on to “Measure your RV at its full height”. Good recommendation – I don’t have an air suspension but I did add the high-density foam SumoSprings (work great!) which slightly increased ride height. There are a couple other things to keep in mind besides parked height – road angle and bounce. Bounce is pretty obvious, but the longer the total unit, combined with narrower underpasses, you may straddle road points that are higher than the measured height point. I always mentally add a foot or more to my effective height before rolling under a potential height obstruction at speed. If it is close, we creep with an observer.
Just a heads up on anyone looking at the LED button lamps. I ordered one and didn’t see that they are NON-REPLACEABLE batteries. They are a really neat design and very bright but was disappointed when we got them and then noticed that they are disposable which is wasteful.
I ordered these and was not happy with them. They have a tiny, hard-to-manage switch, and do not last long
Just a heads up. No email of today’s newsletter. Went to your site for it. Have a good day. 👍
I got the email.
Me too.
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After a lot of searching I found my RV Travel plus one other newsletter in my spam folder on the IP server!
I loved “Today’s Thought”, it would make a great quote to add to a Graduation Card! Thanks again for a wonderful blog!
I contributed $25 in order to receive ad free content. I’m seeing several ads day to day. What’s up with that?
Typical…..bait and switch….then oooo so sorry…..You did something wrong….
No, it is not bait and switch, Dan. And we don’t appreciate your erroneous and snarky comment. Please read my explanation to Ron, so I don’t have to write it all here again. –Diane at RVtravel.com
🤛👍👍
Thanks for my very first fist bump on here, Bill!🤜 Have a great rest-of-the-day. 😀 –Diane
What a knee jerk reaction. React without facts. Your life must be a real joy.
By the way, you are wrong about this.
Please read Gail Marsh’s article in this newsletter.
You can’t get rid of goolgle
Thank you for your donation, Ron. Any contribution allows the donor to receive the weekend newsletters ad-free, not the weekday newsletters. We produce two newsletters on Saturday and Sunday, ad-free for members and with ads for non-members, which is more time-consuming than just one newsletter each weekend day. It would take too much time on the weekdays to produce two newsletters all of those days, as well. The information regarding contributing states that the ad-free issues are for the weekend newsletters. We’re sorry for your misunderstanding. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Leave here with a laugh actually made me laugh. Well done sir/madame.