Issue 2639
Today’s thought
“So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Coconut Cream Pie Day!
On this day in history: 1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named “Coca-Cola” as a patent medicine.
Tip of the day
#1 tip on how to maximize the life of RV batteries
By Cheri Sicard
No matter if you are a new or experienced RVer, you probably have encountered times when it just seemed like your RV battery did not last that long. Josh the RV Nerd at Bish’s RV regularly sees RVers who are changing their batteries every year or two!
If you have had that experience, Josh wants to share why that’s happening and what you can do to avoid it and thereby get a better return on investment from your RV batteries. Continue reading.
Ask Dave
How can I make my RV’s roof air conditioner quieter?
Dear Dave,
What is your opinion of the WackO RV A/C Silencer for the Coleman-Mach Air? I have watched installation videos and it appears it directs most of the airflow through the duct system, which makes me wonder if this would create backup pressure on the unit. It appears the reduction in decibels is not that significant quantitatively, but folks report the A/C noise is reduced to their satisfaction. Thanks in advance for your feedback. —Gary, 2021 Jayco Melbourne 24L Read Dave’s answer.
Article and video
The top 5 Las Vegas buffets in 2025
By Cheri Sicard
In this video, the team from Explore Vegas has compiled what they say are the top five best Las Vegas buffets in 2025. Explore Vegas used a detailed rating system to create this list. Each buffet was judged on five important categories… Continue reading.
Featured article
RV tech asks: “Am I a crook, too?” Understanding the facts behind DIY vs. dealership pricing
By Andrew Herrick
Even though I’m a certified RV tech and RV designer, I still read many of the columns here on RVtravel.com. I sift out lots of good nuggets! Just the other week, I read this entry from the Service Centers and Repairs Report: … Continue reading Andrew’s explanations for the difference between DIY and dealership prices. This is very helpful information.
Reader poll
Are you in your RV right now?
Quick tip
Furnace troubleshooting tip
Leigh read a story on RVtravel.com on furnace troubleshooting. This alert reader adds, watch out for flow from the propane tank. “If the valve at the tank is opened too quickly it can trip the limit switch—a safety feature designed to limit the flow if the line is cut or burned allowing a surge in gas. Simply closing and reopening slowly for the first quarter turn may solve the problem by allowing adequate flow. One can also check the flame on a stove burner. If the flame is weak, there won’t be enough gas for the furnace.” Thanks for the LP pointers, Leigh.
Bed sheet suspenders keep your sheets in place!
We have to admit, we just recently discovered these and wondered how we didn’t know about them sooner – they’re amazing! If you have bed sheets that don’t stay in place, these easy-to-use bed sheet fasteners or “suspenders” keep them in place – no more corners that won’t stay down! Learn more or order for a great price.
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Why does RV fridge stop working after awhile even when plugged in?
- RV review: Jayco Jay Feather 25RB travel trailer – Great layout, but what an “oops”
- Video: Amazing free scenic SC river camping at Santee Coastal Reserve
- Featured article: RVers debate ATVs, other motorized “toys,” in campgrounds
Website of the day
The Best Historic Town to Visit in Each State
Love history? Love exploring new and scenic towns? This list from Sherman’s Travel will point you in the direction of the best historic towns in each state across the U.S. Have fun!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
We SO want to tell you that this is a silly, stupid invention… but there’s just no way we can deny that they might actually come in handy.
And the survey says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers close to 5,000 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 50 percent say they eat less red meat than they did 15 years ago (only 3 percent said they eat more, and the other 47 percent said they eat about the same).
• 6 percent think a person’s astrological sign affects a person’s personality.
• 60 percent say a mouse, rat or squirrel has at one point taken up residence in their RV – 31 percent of those people say it has happened more than once.
Recent poll: Is your RV model older than 10 years or newer than 10 years?
Trivia
Did you know that a group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance”? This is because of their distinctive bright pink color and their elaborate courtship displays, which involve synchronized wing-flapping and group marching.
Readers’ pet of the day
“This is my grandpuppy, Bella (Bulldog, age 2.5), who has been camping since she was adopted at 3 months. Even if she is wearing a pink pearl collar, people still comment on how cute ‘he’ is. I’m looking to get her a pink tutu for her walks in the campgrounds.” —Jerri Nagy
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
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Don’t know why you put an article in that won’t let you comment. The article about replacing the A/C fan $75. he rate. Not sure where that is. Most rates are probably around $175. hr plus, than there’s no telling how long it has to sit at the repair facility. Plus there no reason to charge extra because you have it in stock. The article is plenty of reason why not to buy an RV.
Hi, Bob. It looks like your comment was held for approval because it was the first one you submitted from your new email address. The filter didn’t know you were the same Bob M who has 1,499 approved comments. Now that your comment with this email address was approved, they shouldn’t be held up anymore. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Interesting article about RV maintenance costs. I stopped by the local Ford dealer to see their new commercial and fleet service center and learned they can do mechanical maintenance items for a more reasonable price than the RV dealers. Their shop rate was fair and they have Ford certified techs doing the work. The service manager told me that they can do Ford recall and warranty work and provide flash upgrades to the computer systems that run the driveline, something an RV dealership cannot do. They will only work on ‘below the frame’ related items but that is where knowing the shop has quality techs doing the work is important.
Bella is a beautiful Bulldog. She would look adorable in a pink tutu. We have the opposite problem, our male mix terriers are often called she/her. Sometimes you just can’t tell the dog’s gender if you only look at the face.
I ran a side-business for 17 years helping mostly mom & pop businesses with PC/networks. My business wasn’t big enough for deep wholesale prices to me on parts. I frequently told folks where to buy what they needed for close to my cost, and I would supply the labor. But many wanted me to get the parts and deal with any warranty issues. Okay, but know I was going to collect a fee for ordering, stocking, tracking and paying sales tax to the state, let alone dealing with the very few warranty issues. The overhead of operating a small business can be a lot more than people realize.
Re Hunter Thompson’s quote…I am perfectly happy in my “routine, mundane” life. I don’t need alcohol, legal or illegal drugs to wake up, function or sleep. My wife of 55-years (57 years counting high school) is my joy and we are as deeply in love today as ever. Thompson certainly is not, IMO, a role model for anyone.
Bella is a serious CUTIE
I wanted to comment on Andrew’s article but there was only a search box there. I’d like to make a few points. First, many places will break something while your rv is there. Many places don’t work on rigs 10 years old claiming something else could break while they attempt to repair the problem, and repair parts are too hard to find. Lastly, Amazon usually gives you a choice of name-branded parts or generic ones from other sources. When I order my parts I usually specify factory parts from places like Onan or Coleman-Mach. They’re always a few bucks more and I expect that. After 2 bad repair experiences I finally just drove to a factory repair place that did a professional job.
Hi Drew, we automatically close comments on posts older than 180 days. We’re currently reviewing that policy and may change it and re-open older posts to comments. It was initially done to keep spammers out but with our new systems we’ve really reduced SPAM and SCAMs quite a bit. We’ll update our readers when/if we open comments on older articles.
-Kim
Today is also VE day. At least for those of us that care.
Thank you, Gary. It’s the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, the end of World War II in Europe. A very important day, for sure. Have a good evening/night. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
President Trump just signed an executive order making today A National Remembrance Day to put us more in line with the European countries who celebrate it every year. Same with WW I. Congress has to approve it but no biggie there.
You just gotta get in a dig
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great day and safe travels!
Oh my goodness Bella is adorable!
Thanks for sharing.