Issue 2414
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
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Sunglasses Day! Check out these sunglasses. Bet you’ve never seen anything like them before. (We certainly have not!)
On this day in history: 1898 – The first solo circumnavigation of the globe is completed by Joshua Slocum from Briar Island, Nova Scotia.
Tip of the day
Have a loose screw? Here’s how to fix it
By Dave Helgeson
I suspect most RVers have a screw loose, and I am not just referring to our questionable mental state of white line fever traveling the country in a house on wheels. The interiors of most RVs are constructed of wood. Wood cabinets, vinyl-covered wood paneling, etc. Most also contain cabinet framing with photo-wrapped wood. Basically, it is a picture of nice-looking uniform wood grain wrapped around what is often a piece of soft, inexpensive pine.
If you have a loose screw on a cabinet hinge, the odds are it is the side of the hinge screwed into the cabinet framing. The soft grain of the pine doesn’t hold the screw as well as the hardwood the cabinet door is made from. If you have a cabinet screw loose, it typically won’t do any good to tighten it as there is no longer any solid wood under the photo wrapping for it to bite into.
Ask Dave
RV has 2 roof air conditioners, 1 battery. Is this enough power to boondock?
By Dave Solberg
Dear Dave,
The camper that we just bought only has one battery, but it has two air conditioners. The person that had it before us was always on shore power. Does this sound correct? I feel they removed a battery. We will be boondocking. What are your thoughts? Thank you. —Elaine, 2014 32-ft. Sundance 5th wheel
RV walk-through
First look at the Embassy Cape Cod Class B+ motorhome
By Cheri Sicard
In this video from Camping Coastie, we get a tour of the all-new Embassy Cape Cod Class B+ motorhome. (Let the comment controversy begin over what constitutes a Class B as opposed to Class C, and if there even is such a thing as a Class B+. But since that’s what Embassy calls it, that’s what I am going with.) It is WAY bigger than a typical Class B but lacks the overhead sleeping quarters of a Class C.
Video of the day
4 easy and creative S’mores recipes
By Cheri Sicard
Sure, regular S’mores are great, but the four easy and creative S’mores recipes in the video below from Tasty Home [1.76M subscribers, 449M views!] take summer’s favorite camping treat to the next level.
Besides these four S’mores recipes, don’t be afraid to play with the S’mores theme and create your own S’mores variations. My personal favorite variation is to swap out the graham crackers for small salted pretzels.
Featured article
Reader warns of easy-to-fall-for Craigslist RV scam. Beware!
A reader who wishes to remain anonymous sent us this letter and we asked if we could share it with you as a word of caution. Here’s what they wrote: “As a recipient of your online newsletters, I am reaching out to you in hopes that you can use your platform to alert others in our hobby of an ongoing scam, which I almost fell victim to….”
Reader poll
When you bought your towable RV, did you buy a new vehicle to tow it with?
Quick tip
Plugging in lights on trailer to tow vehicle
Before plugging in the umbilical cord from your trailer to the tow vehicle, make sure there’s no crud in the plug. After plugging it in, if you then find one of your lights doesn’t work, try wiggling the plug to make a better connection. Also a squirt of WD-40 electrical contact cleaner might help, as it’s usually a connection problem versus a burnt out bulb. Thanks to George B.
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On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Should I use EternaBond on my RV’s roof vents, A/C units and along seam edges?
- RV walk-through: Coachmen Pursuit 27XPS, a Class A motorhome without slide outs!
- Video: The top 5 cheap places for RV travel in 2023
- Featured article: Around the Campfire: RVers discuss downsides to workamping
Website of the day
23 of the Most Beautiful Gardens in America
These gardens really are stunning! ‘Tis the season to be outside and admire Mother Nature, so get out to some of these gardens and be prepared to be amazed.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
In 1889, a now-famous man said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” Boy, was he wrong! Wait until you see this! What kind of a mind thinks up something like this? P.S. Don’t be scared!
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:
• 65 percent say their RV has a spare tire.
• 43 percent never get hiccups.
• 9 percent live in a high fire danger area and feel the threats from wildfires.
Recent poll: Do you feel safe when staying overnight in a Walmart parking lot?
Recipe of the day
Zucchini and Quinoa Medley
by Shelly Woods from Lake Charles, LA
Wondering what to do with extra zucchini? This zucchini and quinoa medley is a wonderful summertime side dish and a different way to use zucchini. Seasoned perfectly, caramelized onions and mushrooms are mixed in. Zucchini is rich in vitamins, and quinoa is full of protein. Full of flavor, no one will guess this side dish is healthy. Leftovers will make a delicious light lunch.
Trivia
British Columbia’s provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits each year. One of the largest park systems in North America, B.C. has more than 1,000 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering approximately 14.4% of the provincial land base. Since 2017, more than 1,700 campsites have been added to BC Parks and recreation sites.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Jazzy (Toy Poodle) is five years old and has been RVing since 9 weeks old. She loves doggie massages and American-made chicken jerky.” —Skip Gimbrone
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.
Leave here with a laugh
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Use the quick tip with caution. Some contact cleaners are not safe to use on plastics.
The 7 way receptacle is plastic, along with the bumper protector.
I use DeOxitD5 spray. Plastic safe and provides corrosion protection.
Ditto. That’s what I use!
same here
Obviously those kids never saw America’s Funniest Videos. What did they expect? I’m really surprised more people aren’t hurt.
Thank you, Emily, Diane, and Kim! 🙂 I am going to try the full-face “sunglasses.” I hope it shields my eyes from the sun, protects my face form the UV rays, and keeps pollen from entering my nose. I am keen to see how dust affects my ability to see through it. It arrives Saturday, but it is too dry to mow and test its effectiveness. More to follow at a respectful distance. 🙂 Have a great day and SAFE travels! 🙂
Beware of feeding dogs jerky! The average dog is suppose to consume less than 100 Mg’s of salt daily, most jerky is 400 Mg’s per ounce. Please read the contents of your jerky to insure your beloved dog isn’t fed too much salt! I had this experience thinking oh my Sadie loves jerky – of course she did – but the salt was hurting her health! Check yours out too!
Mystery Product: Maybe Mr. Duell meant: ‘Everything that SHOULD be invented has been invented.’
Easy fix for loose screws… use Gorilla glue. Dab on the screw and reinstall. It swells to fill the hole and keeps tight for long time.