Issue 2271
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
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is International Mountain Day!
On this day in history: 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi transmits the first transatlantic radio signal from Poldhu, Cornwall, England, to Saint John’s, Newfoundland.
Tip of the Day
Tips from a pro: How to digitize your family photo albums
By Nanci Dixon
When we cleared out our house to begin our full-time journey, one of the hardest things we had to do was leave behind the mammoth number of family photo albums. After they languished in a storage locker for two years I did a “what if” measure of just taking cell phone camera photos of the most important pages in the albums “just in case.”
That actually worked pretty well, even through the acetate. I set up in a shady area, under the awning so the sky didn’t cause reflections, hand held my phone and snapped away. Since I didn’t do all of the pages or all of the photos, I had enough memory on my phone to keep them. We have thoroughly enjoyed scrolling through them the last couple of years.
Now, the storage unit is gone and I know my sister wants all those containers moved out of her house. Time to do it again…
This time I set up a better system to record the photos.
Ask Dave
Replaced an RV circuit breaker, now there is a spark at converter and no power. Now what?
Dear Dave,
Five nights ago a breaker tripped. When we would flip it back on, my converter charger would spark! So, we changed the breaker, thinking it was bad. Tonight, the breaker we replaced trips again and kills power to the whole house. Remove the wires to that breaker and I have power back to the camper. The only thing is two outlets in my bedroom aren’t working and all my lights are pretty dim. I was thinking it was the converter, but everything else is working. Do I need new batteries? Would that cause the breakers to trip? Or did I get moisture in my outlets? And why in the heck is my converter sparking???? —Amy, 2003 Alfa Ideal 5th wheel
RV Reviews
2024 Alliance Valor 44V14 fifth wheel—Bigger is really big!
By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of something big—the 2024 Alliance Valor 44V14 fifth wheel toy hauler. I know I get badgered regarding writing about smaller RVs quite a bit and, to be honest, they are more my style. But some campers want something big, and this fills that bill at 44 feet in length, 101 inches in width and with a dry weight of 16,500 pounds.
In the RV Shop with Dustin
The benefits of RV roof vent covers and why you should have at least two in your RV
By Dustin Simpson
Did you know that RV roof vent covers help protect the vent lid, the vent lid seal and the roof vent sealants? They also reduce the inside temperature during the summer season.
With a vent lid cover installed, you can open the vent rain or shine. It also allows you to transport your unit with vents open, allowing fresh air to cool and air out your unit during travel. During the winter it will help protect the RV’s interior from rain, and it also allows you to let any musty air or smoke from cooking and other odors to escape year-round.
Click here to continue reading
Video of the day
10 RV winterizing steps nobody talks about
By Cheri Sicard
Did you know there is a lot more to RV winterizing beyond blowing out your pipes and putting in antifreeze? In the video below, the team from RV Tips and Travels talks about 10 RV winterizing steps beyond the plumbing. According to your host, doing these things will save you a lot of headaches come springtime.
Our readers share about their rudest campground neighbors. Yikes!
By Cheri Sicard
In an RVtravel.com question, we gave you the chance to rant about the rudest campground neighbors you have encountered in commercial campgrounds. And rant you did! Judging from all the responses we got, rude campground neighbors are obviously not isolated incidents. Click here to read.
STILL NEED HOLIDAY GIFTS?
Check out Amazon’s amazing, money-saving holiday gift deals—yep, these thousands of gifts are on sale!
Reader poll and article
Carefully check your credit card statement, RVers
By Gail Marsh
Many RV campgrounds require credit card information when you make a reservation. If you are planning a trip, you may have several CG reservation charges on your card. It’s important to remember that mistakes happen. That’s why you should always carefully check your credit card statements, RVers.
Today’s poll question: What kind of credit card statement do you receive?
Read about Gail’s experience and answer our poll here
Quick Tip
DIY wiring harness to keep your wires tidy
If you’re running wires, maybe for a new solar installation, all those individual wires can make quite a mess. Using a few wire zip ties – done properly – can make your installation “substantial and workmanlike.” Above is a photo that explains it.
Website of the day
The Gene Autry Show on Shout! Factory TV
If you’re a fan of Gene Autry, you may be familiar with “The Gene Autry Show,” which aired in 1950. Go back in time and watch the first 10 episodes of the show here. You’ll love it!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
We are just going to have to admit right now that we already bought one of these and can truly say that it makes a darn good product, and it’s RV-sized!
Popular articles you may have missed at RVtravel.com
- Repairing my RV problem was not as “impossible” as I thought
- Deep-cleaning your RV for a quick sale makes all the difference
- Around the Campfire: RVers share their funny and “yikes” newbie mistakes
Recipe of the Day
Honey Baked Chicken
by Muna Escobar from Knoxville, TN
Need a new way to prepare chicken? Try this honey baked chicken. Very easy to make, and once baked, the chicken tastes similar to a General Tso chicken. There’s a bit of sweetness and spice. Simmering the sauce and pouring it over the baked chicken punches up the flavors when serving.
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Trivia
Netflix wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for the movie “Apollo 13.” After receiving a ridiculous $40 late fee from his local movie rental company after renting “Apollo 13,” Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings thought there must be a better way of doing things. Hastings explained he wanted to create a movie rental business by mail, but didn’t know about the invention of DVDs at that point. The rest, of course, is history.
Readers’ Pets of the Day
“Baxter is a Chocolate Lab and is almost 2. We are brand-new to full-time RV life. He stresses in his crate while traveling but calming treats have helped. He is otherwise enjoying the RV life. Moxie (cat) is extremely good at traveling! Doesn’t faze her a bit. They are best friends!” —Valerie David
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!
BAXTER AND MOXIE DESERVE HOLIDAY GIFTS, TOO! Here are some great gifts for dogs (and their humans) and here’s a list for kitties (and their owners).
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.
Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury
CONTACT US
Editorial (all but news): editor@rvtravel.com
Editorial (news): chuck@rvtravel.com
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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Hot cup of coffee and RVTravel.com – great combination to start an early morning!
I second that!
I agree!
Thanks for the nice comment, Herman. We appreciate it, and we appreciate YOU! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
OR a hot cup of tea and RVT to start my afternoon.
Thanks, Kelly, and Herman, Tom and William. We appreciate all of your kind words, and we appreciate ALL OF YOU! Y’all have a good night.🤗 –Diane
Love both the Quick Tip and Leave here with a laugh for today!
A couple of comments. In travel thru 34 states we have not met rude campers. 2nd, 44′ is a mobile home not a camper
Naw, even if it’s 70’ long if the manufacturer says it’s a camper it must be a camper. Lol
Campers must fit in back of a pickup truck
Most rude campers can start by looking in the mirror BEFORE determining if it is their neighbour!
I agree!
After my mom passed, I found a box of assorted photos of cousins as children, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. I scanned them all, put them on CDs, and mailed them to each of my cousins and uncles.
A share because some photos were quite old.
Just getting Zip drives ready to do the same thing!
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Thank you, too, for the information about Gene Autry shows. I watched these in syndication on Saturday mornings when I was a whippersnapper. 🙂
Hi Emily,
Did you change your software for this site, or it maybe my OS update, but every time I click on a link in a story it used to go to a new browser page, now it doesn’t and I go to delete the linked page and the whole newsletter is deleted and I have to go to undelete it to finish reading it… Old habits, I know I have them, just curious???
I notice the same thing!
You do not say what browser you are using. Check settings for opening links in new tab. It may be because of an update in the browser software.
Bob,
I’m using chrome on an iMac 27″, I did check as you suggested, but there were no settings for opening links in the settings or more tools ares…