Issue 2590
Today’s thought
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Public Sleeping Day! Wait, waiiiiiit… so if you’re sleeping IN your RV IN a public campground, are you sleeping in public?!
On this day in history: 1953 – James Watson and Francis Crick announce to friends that they have determined the chemical structure of DNA; the formal announcement takes place on April 25 following publication in April’s Nature.
Tip of the day
Tips for removing that musty smell from towels
By Gail Marsh
You grab a towel to dry your face and it hits you. Ugh! That horrible, terrible, no-good, musty smell! Gasping for air, you quickly drop the stinky towel to the floor as you try and figure out what just happened. That towel came from the cupboard. It’s clean! So, what’s up with the smell? And more importantly, what can you do to get rid of that stink forever?
Your RV towels may smell musty occasionally. Here’s why. Over time, detergent and fabric softener residue builds up within the fabric of the towel. This buildup can prevent your towels from drying completely. Here’s how to fix it.
Ask Dave
Our rig fills with sewer smells and there’s a vacuum when dumping. Why?
By Dave Solberg
Dear Dave,
Recently our RV literally fills the RV with a sewer smell when I empty the black tank. We are set up in a camp for 4 months, so I drain about 50% of the black tank once per week. I’ve noticed lately that when I close the black tank valve during or after dumping, it’s pulling a suction. Seems like a lot of suction, in fact. I don’t ever remember that happening before. It’s almost like I have a vent plugged. Does it vent to the roof, I guess? Thanks. —Kelly, 2011 Palomino Sabre 5th wheel Read Dave’s answer.
If you’re in the area, be sure to attend Dave’s seminars at the New Hampshire RV Show in Bedford, today through Sunday. You’ll be educated and entertained, guaranteed!
In the RV shop with Dustin
Has your awning/slide-out topper rail pulled loose?
By Dustin Simpson
Has your awning or slide-out topper rail pulled loose from the wall? This piece of aluminum is mounted to an RV wall before the awning or slide-out topper fabric has been installed. There is a poly cord sewn into the awning fabric that fits a channel in the awning/slide-out topper rail to retain and support the fabric connection to the coach side wall. These rails take a lot of abuse from travel, vibration, wind and rain, so… Continue reading.
Video of the day
Do you need a special RV driver’s license? It’s complicated
By Cheri Sicard
Do you need a special RV driver’s license? The short answer is, it depends. In this video, Jason Epperson of RV Miles takes on this sometimes-complicated question. Jason did some research as he was in the process of moving to another state. He discovered that different states have different rules.
Featured article
Stay in your RV on an alpaca farm: 3 fun Harvest Hosts options
By Cheri Sicard
Unless you are a knitter or crocheter, you might not have thought much about alpacas before. (And if you ARE an RVing knitter or crocheter, you are going to love these RV stops.) Once you visit an alpaca farm, however, you are bound to fall in love with these cute creatures whose fleece makes incredibly soft and warm natural fiber yarn. Adults and kids alike will enjoy a visit to an alpaca farm, where they can have an up-close encounter with these amazing animals. Harvest Hosts offers lots of options to park your RV on alpaca farms.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- Court confirms Camping World unlawful practices. RV buyers to get big refunds
- Make your RV door(s) so much better
- New IKEA RV storage solutions for 2025
- Why one RVer says permanent RV sites lead to “a far richer life”
- Trump administration backs down on cutting National Parks jobs
Reader poll
What are your two major sources of news?
DON’T MISS OUT! Read yesterday’s new Great RV Accessories newsletter. Like gadgets? You’ll love this!
Quick tip
Fresh water management while traveling
Keeping fresh water in your RV is essential, but a little planning can save you money. If you’re boondocking without hookups, fill your fresh water tank before heading to your campsite. However, if you’re making just one overnight stop at a rest area, Walmart, or another site without water connections before reaching a full-hookup campground, you have another option. Filling your tank with just 10–15 gallons provides enough water for flushing, cooking, and washing, while avoiding the extra 400-pound weight of a full tank. —From The Ultimate RV Owners Reference.
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: I clean my RV roof regularly but now it has black spots. Roof vendor wants $7,500!
- Video: Pros and cons of lifting a travel trailer for more ground clearance
- Featured article: Incredible 1937 Packard motorhome in mint condition, worth six figures
Website of the day
The Best Waterfall in Every U.S. State
We’d guess the majority of you enjoy visiting waterfalls. How could you not? They’re so beautiful and majestic! Here’s the best one in each state. We want to visit them all!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
We know 16% of you have these every morning (well, what these are made of), so we bet 16% of you (that means you!) will want this! We do… this is a morning game-changer!
Recipes of the day
Five new, never-before-shared pasta recipes to try this weekend
We’ve never shared these pasta recipes with you before, so check them out. We think Friday nights are perfect for pasta, but if you already have dinner plans tonight, try one of these this weekend. They’re delicious AND easy!
Trivia
The I-80 Truck Stop in Walcott, Iowa, has been open now for 61 years, 24 hours a day. The “World’s Largest Truck Stop” serves more than 5,000 customers a day. There are no keys to the doors, as none have ever been needed.
Readers’ pet of the day
“We adopted Tinkerbelle when her parents died (also my parents). She never liked riding in the RV but enjoyed it when we were parked.” —Wendy Ritter
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos and 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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Seems to be a lot more pop up ads today!!! It seems more on my phone than on my iPad. Any idea why??
Thanks
I notice that when I make a comment and check the box to be notified if someone comments on my comment, I no longer get that confirmation email. What’s up?
testing, testing, 1,2,3, testing ☺
Thanks for letting us know, Tommy. We’ve notified our IT dude, Kim, and he’ll check on the checkbox issue. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane
Thank you Diane. As usual, on top of it.
You’re welcome, Tommy. Sorry for the delay in replying to your comment. Was busy on other projects before I finally got around to moderating this morning’s comments. Take care.🤗 –Diane
Hi, Tommy. I just this minute heard back from Kim. Here’s what he said: “That was supposed to be fixed in last update. He may need to clear his browser cache…” So, I guess try clearing your browser cache and then the next time you comment on something see if it works. If not, please let us/me know (either in comments [which I keep track of throughout the day] or email me) and I’ll let Kim know. Thanks, Tommy! 😀 –Diane
The best waterfalls can be found IMO in the UP of Michigan especially in the Keewana area near Copper Harbor. I found I think almost all of them when I was there over ten years ago. Found a hand printed map in their commerce tourist area and well without gps found them. I was there a few years ago and now they have an official map for finding them. Looking is half the battle but once found an epic site.
Add-on to fresh water tip: If your fresh water tank is to either side of the axles, you can use the water to adjust trailer hitch weight for a level ride – – assuming your trailer is not already overloaded.
The listing for Pennsylvania water falls missed a great one. Bushkill Falls.
Though privately owned there are 8 waterfalls along the path. It also has wooden paths and bridges.
Carrying excessive potable water is a waste of fuel and brake linings IMO. My 5/8’s Rv water hose connected at home delivers 6 gals./minute. Starting with an empty tank – or as near empty as possible, I put in 1 min 40 seconds of water. About 10 gals.. This is plenty for travel, washing hands as needed and flushing until parked. It also helps take a little weight off the front suspension, tires etc., which is heavy due to the 454 front engine/transmission etc..
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great weekend and safe travels!
On this day in History, I have personally met and shook James Watsons hand and had a great conversation with him at the Cold Spring Laboratory on Long Island, NY
That’s cool, Larry! Thanks! Have a good night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com