Issue 2674
Today’s thought
“I had already found that it was not good to be alone, and so made companionship with what there was around me, sometimes with the universe and sometimes with my own insignificant self; but my books were always my friends, let fail all else.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Barcode Day! (Isn’t that exciting??)
On this day in history: 1977 – Elvis Presley held his final concert in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Market Square Arena.
Tip of the day
RV gray tank smells worse than black tank? What to do
By Nanci Dixon
Who knew I could get so excited about flushing the gray and black water tanks? Okay, I know it is a bit odd, but as the designated tank flusher, I am happy when the “gunk” comes out. While I am diligent about flushing out the black water with the built-in flush system, there was no built-in system for the gray water. When I complained to our RV tech about the smell when driving, he said that the gray water can smell worse than the black. Why? Here’s the answer and what to do about it.
Ask Dave
Do I need to change oil in inverter generator as often as recommended?
Dear Dave,
I have a Champion dual-fuel inverter generator (200961) that we carry in our travel trailer. Since our power demands while off-grid are only occasional and not that great, it only gets used about a dozen hours or so a season… My question is: … [I]s it necessary to change the oil seasonally as I have been, or otherwise as recommended by the manufacturer? —John, 2020 Jay Flight SLX 245RLSW Read the rest of the question and Dave’s answer.
Article and video
How to hide a stealth window in your campervan or RV build
By Cheri Sicard
Having a stealth window you can see out of but others can’t see through from the outside keeps a cargo van looking like a work van, but inside, it’s bright and open. During the day, a stealth window lets natural light pour in while blocking eyes from peeking in. At night, when the van lights are on, the curtains deliver extra privacy. This method is a tried-and-true solution for vanlifers who want windows without drawing attention. In today’s featured article and video, the team from Outdoors Embrace shows us how.
Featured article
Boondocking: A comprehensive how-to guide for a great trip
By Nanci Dixon
Every camper needs a boondocking how-to guide. Boondocking is so underrated! Even among ardent campers, boondocking is often viewed as a last resort—an overnight stop when there is nowhere else to stay. Learn all about boondocking in this very thorough guide.
The best book for National Forest Camping
The U.S. Forest Service manages nearly 193 million acres of public land in 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. These areas provide many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Forest Service areas offer some of the best camping experiences in the United States. In this directory, you’ll discover 4,108 select camping areas at 141 forests in 42 states. Learn more or order.
Reader poll
When was the last time you ate at McDonald’s?
Quick tip
Insurance awareness for motorhomers with toads
If you have a motorhome and are towing a car (toad), you must have a policy that covers both car and motorhome. If you are in an accident, most likely both will be damaged. If you have policies with two insurance companies, you are looking at two deductibles and two claims. You are also liable if your car breaks loose from the motorhome and goes off on its own. Claims will be filed by drivers of other vehicles yours has hit, as well as property owners that have sustained damage caused by your errant car. These claims will most likely be against the liability portion of your RV insurance. Your motorhome insurance does not automatically extend to the car you are towing. This is why you should carry liability coverage on both your motorhome and towed vehicle. From “So, You Want To Be an RVer? And Enjoy the RV Lifestyle?”
BUMPER SNICKER: “Next time you wave … use all your fingers!”
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: How do I retract my RV’s power awning manually?
- RV review: 2024 Keystone Bullet 1900RD—lightweight and popular
- Video: Amazing RV remodel on a budget
- Featured article: How observing pavement helped create a retailing empire
Website of the day
50 Easy 4th of July Crafts
Can you believe it’s almost the 4th of July? Where did the time go?! Here are 50 incredibly fun and creative craft ideas from Country Living to make your holiday even more patriotic. You could easily make these in your RV.
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
If you’re into these things, you’re going to love this. If you don’t like these things, you’re going to hate this. You’ll have to take your chances!
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:
• 3 percent make an online purchase every single day. Another 38 percent make an online purchase at least once a week, if not more.
• 10 percent say their slideout(s) have gotten stuck in the out position and they have needed help getting it fixed more than once.
• 35 percent always bring bicycles with them on their RV travels.
Recent poll: Have you ever stayed overnight at a Love’s RV Stop?
Trivia
Ironically enough, alcoholic cocktails were popularized in the U.S. during Prohibition! Funny, right? When the U.S. government banned alcohol, drinking went underground… and so did alcohol quality. Moonshiners and bathtub-gin makers flourished, but their stuff, made quickly, tasted quite foul. Those visiting speakeasies mixed that bottom-shelf gin (most popular at the time), with juices, syrups, and bitters to take out the yuck-factor. And so was born the cocktail!
Readers’ pet of the day
“This is Lexie. She’s a 6.5-year-old GSD. We adopted her two months ago. Her former home couldn’t keep her due to health issues. She settled right in with us. She is on her first RV adventure and so far is really enjoying it.” —Richard D. Butler
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
Yikes!
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
Current fire and smoke map from AirNow
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the Latest News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
If you shop at Amazon.com we’d appreciate you using this link. We get an itty bitty commission if you buy something, but they add up and help us pay our bills (most importantly our hard-working writers!).
RVtravel.com All-Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Great photo of your beautiful dog.
Fascinating trivia!
Lexie looks just like our little girl, and ours lets me drive her RV. All dogs are the best, but GSD’s are even better. Ours is keeping my feet warm right now.
Lexie is absolutely gorgeous!
RVtravel has really had a host of interesting articles recently. May I suggest someone look into the growth of the fledgling Chinese RV manufacturing industry. I recently saw a TV segment on the matter and it looked almost too good to be true. If they can produce the quality apparent in the video, at the prices they touted, it would be the wake up call we all want for our own RV industry. Assuming they could import them of course.
Interesting idea. Would be interested in learning more too.
Richard, Your dog is beautiful!
Lexie is a loved dog, thank you for sharing with us!🐶
Very bad ad placement…. LOL…HAHAHA.
A Pepto ad would have worked better…. hahaha.
Lexie is beautiful, thank you for adopting her!
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great day and safe travels!