Issue 2374
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
“Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth.” —Mallory Hopkins
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Truffle Day!
On this day in history: 2000 – President Bill Clinton announces that accurate GPS access would no longer be restricted to the United States military.
Tip of the Day
How to clean an RV awning
By Cheri Sicard
If you have wondered how to clean an RV awning, you have come to the right place. In the video, Kevin from Kevin and Kim Outdoor Adventures shares a simple and effective way to clean your RV’s awning and keep it in tip-top shape.
Why bother to clean your RV’s awning? Because water is the enemy of awning longevity and a clean awning repels water more effectively than a dirty one.
Of course, step one is to pull out the awning.
Continue reading and watch the video
Ask Dave
The tanks of my 5th wheel make the underbelly bulge. Is this normal?
Dear Dave,
I actually have two topics, one less involved than the other, perhaps. First, underbelly covering. I see it elsewhere, but mine bulges where the tanks are. I doubt it’s supporting the tanks as they would fall out. Aren’t most coverings flat coming out of the factory? What is this telltale sign? I’ll send my other topic later. —Paul, 2016 Open Road 5th wheel
RV Walk-through
The affordable 2023 Capri Retreat truck camper—Pick and choose your features
By Cheri Sicard
In the video above, the OklaHomesteader gives us a walk-through tour of the Capri Retreat truck camper, a short-bed truck camper that still manages to fit a toilet and shower inside! And in a world of overpriced RVs, the Capri Retreat is surprisingly affordable, too.
Video of the day
5 things to know before buying a popup camper
By Cheri Sicard
In today’s video, we join Joshua from RV Gear and Far for a discussion of things that you should know before buying a popup camper.
Joshua has owned two popup campers in his life (so far) and these are the things he says he wished he knew before buying his first one.
“Defective” tires: Just what is the “defect”?
By Roger Marble
I have heard people claim they had a “defective” tire when they post about a tire failure. I have even addressed claims from lawyers and supposed “experts” that a group or even thousands of tires had “a defect” that caused tires to fail. However, for some reason, they can almost never point to or identify the specific component or material that contained said “defect.” I spent the majority of my 40+ years as a tire design engineer looking at and investigating tire failures. I can say that I have identified a few tires that contained a “defect.” … Learn about so-called tire “defects” here.
Reader poll
How often do you eat cereal for breakfast?
Quick Tip
Avoid holding tank surprises
“To save yourself from pranks, failing to close the valves after dumping and small leaks, I leave a clear 45-degree extension on my sewer outlet with the cap on so that I can see if there are any surprises waiting for me! If there are, I rotate the extension up before attaching the hose.” Thanks to Phil W.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
If someone saw your internet search history, what would they think? Well, maybe because of this the whole world knows about it…
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: My RV’s rubber roof has a few bubbles. Should I be concerned?
- RV Walk-through: The most luxurious off-road RV? Touring the Palomino Pause XC20.2
- Video: RV slide maintenance: Do’s, don’ts and tips
Website of the day
A Visitor’s Guide to National Park Reservations
This page from the National Parks Conservation Association gives you all you need to know about visiting National Parks that require reservations this year.
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:
• 8 percent say they exercise regularly as part of an exercise/workout program.
• 35 percent do not enjoy fishing.
• The majority of voters, 56 percent, say they do not believe you are “middle-aged” until you reach the age of 50.
Recent poll: How many of your close friends are RVers?
Recipe of the Day
Shrimp in Buttery Garlic Sauce
by Baby Kato from Beautiful Shore Country, NB
Want an impressive dinner that takes no time to make? Then this shrimp in garlic sauce is for you. The garlicky, buttery sauce soaks into the spaghetti for a wonderful bite. After being quickly sauteed, the shrimp are soft and flavorful.
Trivia
The Rictus Scale, not the Richter Scale, measures earthquake news coverage. While the Richter Scale is used to assign value to the energy released by earthquakes, the Rictus Scale, proposed by Tom Weller, measures the media coverage that follows the earthquake. The Rictus Scale values range from 1, meaning it maybe gets one small article in a local paper, to 5, an event resulting in international news coverage, network specials, and books.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Aneli (King Charles Spaniel/Shih Tzu mix) is not that fond of traveling, but once there she loves walks, playing catch with her ball and just hanging out.” —Keith Peterson
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
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Contact information
Editor: Emily Woodbury, editor@rvtravel.com
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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. 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. This newsletter is copyright 2024 by RV Travel LLC.
The “middle-age” survey results proves we are a group in denial. Consider this; given that the current combined US life expectancy of 76.3 years, divided into three equal life stages (young, middle, old), “middle-age” begins at 25.4 years, and “old-age” at 50.8.
I realize this is strictly a mathematical calculation, and that there are more than three life stages. We all know young people old beyond their years, and those the opposite. I prefer to be in, and around the youthful group.
If you consider “adult” as 18, then mathematically young adult is 18-37, middle age is 38-57, and old age is 58-76+. Many would adjust and say 18-39, 40-59, and 60+.
76.3? I’m on borrowed time, even using the 2022 number of 77.5! First time I’ve ever beaten the odds!
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂 Today’s laugh was amusing. I can’t ride a unicycle, but I think that I wouldn’t ride one while exercising dogs even if I could ride one. 🙂 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Old age is 10 years older than I am (though that spread is getting shorter).
The Quick Tip mentions forgetting to close the sewer valves then turning the clear 45 degree extension UP before removing cap to attach the hose! Better make sure you close those valves first or you are about to have a Robin Williams “RV” moment…it’s just basic hydraulics!!! 😂
The Richter Scale has now pretty much been replaced by the Moment Magnitude Scale.
I hadn’t heard of that before, Impavid. Thanks! I love to learn new stuff. Have a good night. 🤗 –Diane