Issue 2457
Today’s thought
“Try a little harder to be a little better.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Peach Day!
On this day in history: 1955 – The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records is published in Great Britain.
Tip of the day
Why Moose and Elks lodges are the way to go for RVers
By Jan Steele
When I hit the road eight years ago, I stayed at a lot of Mom ‘n Pop campgrounds for about $20 a night—with electric. Those don’t really exist anymore.
Then I joined an RV travel club, Wandering Individuals Network (WIN) and was told two things: Get solar, and join the Elks. (As in the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. Not the herds you see in the Northwest.) When you’re out on the road 365 nights a year you want the cheapest spot you can find.
Joining the Elks, and later the Moose, are two of the smartest things I’ve done in my full-time RV life. Here’s why.
RV walk-through
Tour the 2023 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 35GL luxury Class A motorhome
By Cheri Sicard
Today we join the team from RVing TV for a tour of the 2023 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 35GL, a luxury gas-powered Class A motorhome.
The video begins by commenting on how well-built and well-insulated this motorhome is. See for yourself.
Ask Dave
Found cause of RV fresh water tank leak after 4 years; out of warranty
Dave,
I thought you might pass my comments on to fellow RV folks. Since day one of the purchase of our motorhome in 2020, we have had a leak from the fresh water tank. After a week at the dealership, Alpin Haus RV couldn’t find the issue. The issue reappears each time I fill the tank for biannual cleansing, only to be immediately drained to avoid water damage. After 4 years of only using city water, I removed the tank for my inspection. All fittings had no evidence of leakage EXCEPT… Read the rest of the question and Dave’s reply.
Video of the day
Quick tip on how to keep an RV fridge cool, even on hot days
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, our favorite RV inspector, Duane from the RV Inspection and Care YouTube channel, shares a quick tip on how to keep your RV fridge cool, even on extremely hot days.
New and improved Dump Buddy is a must-have gadget for RV dumping
Dump Buddy® will change the way you empty your waste tanks. It securely fastens your waste hose to the waste pipe, preventing a spill. Whether you’re doing a simple dump at the end of a trip or need a secure hookup for a long stay, Dump Buddy is there to assist. Read Tony Barthel’s review of it or click here to find it on Amazon.
Featured article
Incredible campground, sightseeing and history in Monument Valley
By Nanci Dixon
As we meander our way up north, we had an amazing short stop at Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation, Utah. I was awed well beyond my expectations. While the drive on US 160 from Flagstaff, Arizona, was winding and a little bumpy, it was so worth it. For years I have seen spectacular, otherworldly photos and postcards of Monument Valley and longed to go in person. Read more, see the incredible campground she stayed at, and check out Nanci’s beautiful pictures!
Reader poll
Will you attend a county or state fair this fall?
Quick tip
How much propane do you have?
You can buy a special electronic gizmo that will help you figure it out. But there are less expensive ways. Check your tank early in the morning when dew hits the bottle. Where the dew line on the metal stops, that’s the level of LP left in your cylinder. Some RVers dump really hot water down the cylinder and look to see where condensation forms. If you have a scale, you can weigh the bottle, and deduct the weight (you’ll find that weight, it’s marked next to the letters “TW” on the carrying yoke) of the bottle. Propane weighs 4.24 pounds per gallon.
Website of the day
Preventing ticks on your pets
This page on the CDC’s website hosts a ton of information about keeping ticks off your pets. If you have a dog or cat who spends time outside, memorize this information!
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Ever heard of shoes that clean? Yep, when you wear them, they clean for you! Nope, we are absolutely not lying! Check it out.
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:
• 60 percent think drivers with RVs 40 feet or longer should have a special driver’s license.
• 17 percent say they never snack while driving.
• 33 percent say they don’t get a lot of thinking done while they drive, they’re just focused on driving.
Recent poll: What type of refrigerator do you have in your current RV?
Recipe of the day
Fried Green Tomato BLT Sandwich
by Allisha Bordelon from Coushatta, LA
Fried green tomatoes are one of our all-time favorite summertime indulgences! This sandwich really shows off the tomatoes’ flavor by using light panko bread crumbs as a coating. The roasted red pepper mayo is the perfect finishing touch. Here’s the recipe.
Trivia
Gray hair isn’t just a sign of aging; it can also be influenced by genetics and stress. For example, research has shown that stress can accelerate the depletion of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in hair follicles, leading to premature graying. This process is reversible in some cases—if stress levels are reduced, some hair might regain its color. However, once a hair follicle has stopped producing pigment altogether, the hair that grows from it will remain gray permanently.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Zuzu (Husky/Lab mix) is an old dog who is new to the RV lifestyle. She loves her spot on the bed though!” —Bruce Shay
HELP! WE’RE RUNNING LOW ON PET PHOTOS! Please 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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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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I wonder how many RVers think THEY should have a special license for their RV. Or do we all think that those with RVs longer than ours should have a special license?
Poll is referring to RV’s 40′ or longer and 60% think they should. The Holiday Rambler featured in today’s RV walk-through at 36’3″ would not fall under “a special license”.
I just wish people with a regular driver’s license would learn to drive. Personally I’m not worried about those driving rv’s over 40′. By the way, I drive a 25′ Class C.
Who’s gonna teach them how to drive when the teachers don’t know themselves?
Not sure what “length” has to do with a special license. You either know what you’re doing – or you don’t.
Really? You think driving a vehicle 40+ feet long is the same as driving one 20
+ feet long?
Hi, Charlie. I think something got lost in the interpretation. Tommy said you either know what you’re doing or you don’t. That, to me, sounds like it applies to any/every length of RV. Have a good day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Tommy, I agree, but by the looks of so many videos of bridges scalping RVs, maybe a special license for people, that can’t read, and have a vehicle over X feet tall? lol Come to think of it, with all the cameras and collision sensors on vehicles, why hasn’t someone put something on tall vehicles that blurt out: “Hey dude, you’re about to fail your driving test!” Oh, technology, please save us from ourselves. Horses used to be out front of the wagon and if they sensed danger they would stop and not drag themselves or us over the cliff. Maybe people never had common sense – they had always relied upon horse sense. Yep, born 100 years too late.
Great comment, Kelly, especially your last two sentences. 😀
Well, I guess that was my last two cent-ences worth.
RE: How much propane is in the bottle- Our 21′ TT has a single 20# bottle. I bought one with a built-in float gauge that determines the height of the still liquid propane. It is pretty dog-gone accurate regardless of ambient temp. However, near as I can tell, no 30# bottle comes with this very useful capability; and our 34′ TT uses dual 30# bottles.
Special licensing requirements for RVs over 40′, and for older drivers is always a hot topic on RV websites, and forums. I personally feel facts should dictate regulations. IF there are proven correlations between RV size and driver age, special licensing requirements and more frequent competency testing intervals may be prudent.
CDL requirements based on vehicle weight/length should be a National standard. There should NOT be any RV exceptions.
NO ONE has the right to endanger others due to lack of proven driving skills, physical and mental limitations, unsafe vehicle configurations (multiple unit towing configurations), or for ANY reason. STOP DISTRACTED DRIVING!
Well said!
Ignorance is bliss…few people know about tail swing on a large MH or trailer. One day they will find out the hard way.
Some people should have a special license to just drive a car!!
Some people should not have a license to drive anything!
True!
Would be interesting to know what size and type of RV those 60% drive. My observation is those with larger (and typically more expensive) RV’s are aware of their size and drive more carefully than many of the smaller rig owners. There are exceptions, of course.
Leave here with a laugh happened to us. When traveling through Reno several years ago, a stake-bed truck carrying a load of PVC pipe improperly sticking far out the left side merged onto the freeway, cutting too close to us, and sheared off our side mirror, scattering pipe all over the roads.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂 I wish for you many wonderful trips with Zuzu, Bruce! Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Zuzu is such a pretty girl! I hope she has many years left. ❤️
There are new meds thru chewy or any where you buy pet meds and it combines heartworm with flea and tic. That is how you keep the tics and bugs off your pet. Symparico is the one I use because I am finding the other one heart guard can cause seizures. All in one chewable and its a new brainer. IMO not yours
I had a neighbor who was struck by lightning while lying on the ground working on a tractor. For the rest of his life, he had a patch of snow-white hair on the side of his head about as big around as a canning jar lid. He was in his 30s when struck and lived to be 82.
Stress definitely is a cause of gray hair. Look at our younger presidents when they first entered office and then when they ended their term(s). Their hair was noticeably grayer.
Here’s a CNN article on the subject. I couldn’t get the video to play on my laptop.
Thanks, Cookie. Interesting. And, no, I couldn’t get the video to play either, then I noticed the date of the article: 2013. But the article is interesting to read, anyway. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
There are propane tank gauges. Have one for our home gas grill.
Zuzu is so precious and sweet! THANK YOU for sharing with us!!!
Federal law requires any driver operating a single vehicle with a GVW over 26,001 pound to have a class B license and a medical certificate But RVs are exempt Federal law also requires those vehicles to be inspected by a mechanic every 90 days but not RVs All it will take is a class A to take out a school bus load of kids and the law will change
Federal law only applies to commercial drivers (CDL license). Unless you are driving the RV commercially (such as a transporter) you would qualify for a non-commercial class B license. A non-commercial class A license would be a power unit 26,001 pounds or more and a towed unit of 10.001 or more. If the units meet the above requirements, and has air brakes, the air brake restriction also must be removed. Pennsylvania law does not require the non-commercial class A or B license to operate an RV, but is a very good “investment”. Once applicant has purchased the testing permit and passed all the required testing requirements, the license fee is the came as a regular class C operators license.
Zuzu – you enjoy the rv life and keep your people happy! Don