Issue 2676
Today’s thought
“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Meteor Watch Day! (You need one of these! And this one is soooooo neat because it connects right to your phone’s camera! Imagine the photos you could take!)
On this day in history: 1953 – The first Chevrolet Corvette rolls off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan.
Tip of the day
Stinky freshwater hose? Here’s the solution
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
We recently traveled out of the Arizona desert country looking for cool air. We found it in the Nevada high country. What a relief! But a couple of hours after setting up camp, we thought we had a weird gray water problem. It seemed like the sink drains smelled terrible!
But some logic set us straight. P-traps would prevent gray tank odors from coming into the coach. The outside tap water smelled fine. It hit us—we had “RV stink hose”! That’s RV scientific shorthand for bad odors emanating from the freshwater hose. Here’s what you can do about it.
More tips from this weekend:
- Are quick-release hose connectors worth having? Oh, yeah!
- How to keep your home safe while you are away
- Avoid disaster and tighten those valve stems correctly!
- Don’t pay for more solar than you need, part two
- Genius golf ball trick solves low airflow issue in RV’s A/C
Ask Dave
Tow bar rattles when starting and stopping. How can I stop it?
Hello Dave,
I am new to “ flat towing” a car behind my motorhome. I purchased a Blue Ox Alpha non-binding tow bar and pull a 2014 Honda CRV that has the proper tow plate installed. Entegra installed a 7500 LB hitch at the factory. There is slight, normal play between the hitch and the tow bar. I’ve used hitch “rattle clips” on other hitch applications and wonder if these type of tow bars can also use these clips or is there a reason not to. Thank you. —Anthony, 2025 Entegra Odyssey 26M Read Dave’s (and Blue Ox’s) reply.
In the RV shop with Dustin
RV air conditioners: Maintenance tips and what to inspect
Join me in my video as I explain more about RV air conditioners and the maintenance they require and why it is very important. There are several steps for inspecting RV air conditioners, some of which are best undertaken by a technician. But watch the video and I’ll walk you through it all.
Article and video
Top 5 RV propane oven tips
By Cheri Sicard
Kristy Michael from the Long Long Honeymoon is here to share her top five RV propane oven tips. This appliance, perhaps more than any other, is much maligned among RVers. Some people never bother to use their RV’s oven at all. But you are missing out on some great functionality by doing so. Here are some great tips for using your propane oven.
These socks don’t stink!
If you don’t believe us when we say these compression socks really work, look at the overwhelmingly positive reviews and maybe you’ll change your mind. These socks provide instant relief to your arches and heels and work to increase blood and oxygen circulation, which helps reduce lactic acid buildup and aids muscle recovery in ankles and feet. Click here to learn more.
The latest news for RVers
- Wall Street Journal alleges serious quality flaws in Forest River RVs
- Public lands sales overruled — for now
- Starlink satellite messaging and data available to all carriers’ subscribers this fall
- Some new Starlink customers face up to $750 fee
- Love’s ‘campgrounds’ are popular with RV Travel readers
To read more recent news, click here.
Featured article
RVers, if you don’t know what balds are, you should! And no, not tires!
By Gail Marsh
Forget what usually comes to your mind when you hear the word “bald,” like: no hair on top of one’s head; a statement that needs further explanation; missing spot of tread on your RV tires. Yes, all of these certainly relate to the word “bald.” However, none relates to these balds. RVers, if you don’t know what balds are, you should! What is a bald? Find out here.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: If you’re not in a hurry to get somewhere, stay put rather than drive into headwinds. Wait until the wind is at your back. Your gas mileage will improve significantly.
Reader poll
Do you enjoy riding scenic railroads?
Quick tip
Hang that sewer hose in your basement
Not everyone has a great storage place for their sewer hose. Reader Mike R. worked out a way to park his: “I bought a plastic fence post at Home Depot. Cut it to fit in my Class A basement. Suspended it from the roof of the basement with nylon web straps. Put an end cap on each end and attached it with a thumb screw then marked which length it contains. It holds a 15′ and a 5′ hose. Each hose is accessible from both ends.” Editor’s note: If you live in an area where your local “Homer” doesn’t stock vinyl fence posts, you can order them shipped direct to your house. Many thanks to Mike!
Website of the day
78 Fourth of July Recipes to Celebrate America
Are you ready for the 4th? Get your grocery shopping done early by knowing what recipes you’ll make ahead of time. These 75 recipes from Country Living look delicious!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Now this is something that would be very cool to have. Think of all the ways you could use this! And in a few years, you’d be really glad you had this for your favorite memories.
Trivia
According to AARP, while tall grasses and wooded areas are prime tick bite locations, in nearly 75 percent of reported Lyme disease cases, bites occurred in people’s own backyards.
Readers’ pets of the day
“Riley, Squirtie, and Junior (2 years) are getting used to their first camping trip in the RV. The two black cats are Bombays. Junior is their stepsibling. Squirtie got her name from being the smallest in her litter.” —David Hughes
HELP! We’re running low on pet photos! 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!
Leave here with a laugh
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
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Concerning the article on tick bites:
I was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease and was very surprised as I never saw a bite and had no ‘target’ or other marking on me.
Thankfully, it was caught early and the antibiotic knocked it out. And it probably came from walking in the woods just beyond my back yard.
-Rich Schroeder
You are very fortunate and thanks for spreading awareness
This is a bad year for ticks in NEPA.
I thought it was for a pregnant lady pushing a baby carriage. Ok; they must be a young couple and still like each other frequently!
We live on the edge of some dense woods. Cans of Off are standard equipment for us when we work in the yard. We like Off because the cans spray upside down.
David – You’ve got a great little cat colony with Riley, Squirtie, and Junior.
thanks for sharing
Leave here with a laugh…spot on.
I was told by the veterinary that there is for dogs a lyme vaccine. Unfortunately none for humans. Although I told her I would be a willing victim to get one as well. She said nope. So unless you are a dog there are vaxx and pills for that. Maine is on high alert for ticks.
Wow! Thank you so much for that 78 recipe link! The spicy corn salad sounds great- along with many others. I noticed that sometimes you can’t read the individual recipes until you subscribe but for $15 it’s pretty cheap. Once again, thanks!
Lyme Disease gets the most attention, but there are other tick-borne diseases that are even worse. Our cousin developed Alpha Gal syndrome after a tick bite. As a result, she can never eat beef or pork again, including all dairy products, without becoming violently ill. She can only tolerate “fins and feathers” (seafood and poultry). She hopes it won’t progress to the point that any accidental exposure will bring on anaphylactic shock.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great day and safe travels! 🙂
I bought a Sprocket last year & love it. The color isn’t perfect, but I just use it to add pictures to my daily camping journal. It is fun to have pictures to go along with the journaling. Fun little gadget!