Issue 2537
Today’s thought
“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Maple Syrup Day!
On this day in history: 1903 – The Wright brothers make the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Tip of the day
A road food trick: Ask the locals where NOT to eat!
By Barry Zander
“Where shouldn’t we eat in town?” I’ve asked the same question in a thousand towns around the country during our travels, far too many times for my wife, Monique, to endure.
That contrary question almost always gets the right reply. After a blank look, the store clerk proceeds to name a greasy spoon to avoid, and then adds, “… But while you’re in town, the best food is at [fill in the blank]. And, while you’re here, you don’t want to miss [such-and-such] Park, just up the hill from the old guitar factory.”
Remember, this is a clerk who gets the same questions from half the lookie-loo tourists: “Do you have a bathroom I can use?” or, “Is there a McDonald’s around here?” They are often bored to tears standing there all day with that fixed smile, trying to look busy. The contrary question brings them to life, and we get the information we want. Continue reading.
Ask Dave
OK to eliminate RV house battery and hook solar panels to shoreline power?
By Dave Solberg
Good morning, Dave,
My wife and I are planning to become snowbirds in a couple years, and I’m trying to prepare our rig for dispersed camping. Many solar setups seem to charge the rig’s 12-volt battery only. Is it practical to eliminate that battery and put a separate solar system (12 or 24 volts) and wire the 120 volts directly to the rig’s shore power? The system I’ve been considering is from SunGoldPower, a 3000-watt off-grid system. I know it would depend on what we use for power in the rig, and I don’t know that yet. Thank you for all you do. —Joe, 2019 Grand Design Imagine 2250RK Read Dave’s answer.
Video of the day
RV bunkroom makeover: How to remove RV bunk beds
By Cheri Sicard
In the video below, we join the team from Married to the Farm for the start of what will become a dramatic RV bunkroom makeover. This video, part of a multi-video series on their entire RV bunkroom makeover project, focuses on the important first task of any RV bunkroom makeover as it shows how to remove RV bunk beds.
Featured article
Installing Starlink: No more internet problems!
By Nanci Dixon
We are camp hosts for another 12 weeks in a heavily wooded area in Minnesota. We have never had issues with the office Wi-Fi before, nor with Verizon and AT&T cell service here, but this year is different. Even with our cell booster using the phone for Wi-Fi it is an almost everlasting spin before it connects. And the campground Wi-Fi? Remember dial-up? Last time I logged in I got 2.1 Mbps (Megabits per second). “Can’t connect to Server” was the last straw…. Read Nanci’s account of hooking up to Starlink, and what she and her husband think about it, here.
Wrap your RVers’ gifts in RV wrapping paper!
This adorable gift wrapping paper has all different types of RVs all over it. It’s adorable! Your favorite RVer will love receiving a gift wrapped in this paper—it’s a gift in itself! And it’s not just for the holidays, it’s perfect for birthdays and other celebrations, too. Here’s the one pictured, and here are several other options.
Reader poll
How often do you take a nap at a highway rest area?
Quick tip
Need more countertop space? Add a yard!
There’s nothing worse than having to wrestle with cramped space in your RV. (Okay, so the whole gray water/sewer smell thing might be pretty bad too!) Imagine meeting a few new people at your current campground and inviting them over for a tasty meal and perhaps an after-dinner drink. Not more than 30 minutes prior to their arrival the skies open up and the rains descend. While most other RVers would fret over where to put all the plates and dishes brought in from outside, you’ll hardly be breaking a sweat because your kitchen has a newly appointed, collapsible, and service-ready countertop. That’s right, add 36″ to your kitchen counter space in this unique, do-it-yourself project from doityourselfrv.com.
Website of the day
Histography
This website is so neat! It combines sounds, animations and visuals so you can “relive” history through an interactive timeline. There are 14 billion years of history here. The information comes from Wikipedia and new events are added every day.
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
If you haven’t already seen this you’re missing out. We recommend it to everyone (and we mean everyone!) we know. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious! You will love it!
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:
• 5 percent get their groceries delivered to their RV.
• 10 percent have called the police about an incident in their campground/RV park.
• Only 8 percent have practiced an emergency exit from their RV. Do this! Do this today!
Recent poll: Do you like your given name?
Trivia
Avocados do not ripen on trees. They have to be picked first.
Readers’ pet of the day
“I ‘rescued’ Sissy (Wire Haired Terrier) from the Denver dog pound over 10 years ago. The best $50 I ever spent. She’s RV’d from the beginning. Here she’s looking out from her favorite spot at the Colorado Rockies.” —Karen Saunders
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
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Sissy – you have a great view! Keep rolling with your folks…Don
Sorry but the article on Starlink is old, old info. For one thing it’s dated back in September and for another it never mentions the Starlink Mini! We got the bigger unit for our house from Home Depot for $599 and when it later went on sale we got a partial refund for the difference. We held off on getting the mini for the RV hoping it would go on sale-it didn’t so we bought anyway. The router for the mini is built in to the antenna so it is super easy to set up. And we can set it up on the ground or mount it on a pole adaptor on the roof. Having internet when we are boondocking out in the desert or wherever is wonderful!
Quick tip DYI counter extension: Might be the ideal solution for some. But this counter extension has to be removed and stored. If that is the case, for less money you can probably find a ready made, lower cost poly & adjustable/folding legs table of useable size. Same storage requirement – comparable setup but the table can be used in or outside the RV.
Yup, bought a real nice one from Amazon, where else?
Leave here with a laugh – Now THAT’s funny!
Looks like Sissy is having a great life, thanks to you.
Whenever I expand the print of the newsletter on my iPad to make it easier to read it reloads and reverts back to the smaller print with the ads on the right side. Is this a Google thing so that their ads remain in view?
Sissy is living the great life. Thank you for adopting!
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂 Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂