Issue 2697
Today’s thought
“What’s the good of living if you don’t try a few things?” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Lasagna Day!
On this day in history: 1958 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Tip of the day
A simple fix to stop fighting with your fifth wheel front storage door
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
It’s hard enough to get access to that basement storage in the front of your fifth wheel. Unless your rig is exceptionally tall—or you’re exceptionally short—you practically have to get on your knees to access it. Once you do, you may feel like the proverbial “one-armed paper hanger” as you hold the door open while you reach inside. If the door slips, you’ve got a knot on your head. No more! This simple RV basement door hack will stop all the nonsense.
Ask Dave
RV’s dining area floor is damp. Could it be the drain? What to do?
Dear Dave,
The edge of our dining area has been getting damp. I think it has something to do with the sink drainage. What to do? —Rose, 2011 Chateau Citation Read Dave’s answer.
RANDOM RV THOUGHT: Don’t leave your porch light on all night. Your next-door neighbors will not appreciate it. Others, too.
Article and video
RV etiquette—10 unspoken rules every RVer should follow
By Cheri Sicard
In today’s video, the team from The Camping Loop discusses RV etiquette by sharing the 10 unspoken RV rules that every RVer should know and follow. Yes, when you check into a campground, they will give you a list of rules to follow, but RV etiquette goes beyond just these. Our host says following these 10 RV rules will keep you from ever being the campground [jerk] or the one holding up traffic!
Featured article
Solo RVing as a male versus female. Do stereotypes dictate social interaction on the road?
By Gail Marsh
Ron N. commented: “Being a 77-year-old divorced man, I travel with my 90 lb. yellow Lab, Charlie. I’m a member of a couple of fiberglass trailer groups and attend their gatherings from year to year. I’m very aware of the couples’ picnic table gatherings. Husband and wife couples typically don’t invite single men to join them for dinner or conversation at their site. Single women are more likely to be invited to join a married couple. You are more likely to see two couples enjoying each other’s company. Talk about feeling left out!” Read more here.
Reader poll
Do you ever stay in a hotel/motel on a long RV trip?
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Be a campground host at a Missouri State Park.
Quick tip
Hide-a-bed? Hide-a-pain
Many people find hide-a-beds stashed away in the dinette or couch to be pretty uncomfortable. Here are two suggestions from RVers on making them a bit more bearable: First, unfold a sleeping bag onto the bed and cover with a sheet. The sheet holds the bag in place, making the bed a bit softer. Or, another RVer puts down a piece of 4″ memory foam over the folded-out bed. When the foam isn’t in use, he stores it under, or on, the master bed.
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Did Henry Ford invent glamping and the charcoal briquette?
- RV review: SylvanSport TraiLOFT—The most unique camper on the market?
- Featured article: Staying safe in an active shooter event
Website of the day
Eventbrite
If you attend a lot of events, we bet you already know about Eventbrite; but if not, check it out! Eventbrite lists upcoming events all across the U.S. In a new city/town? Search Eventbrite and find something fun to do!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Have you tried this yet? If you have, we bet you’re addicted. If not, watch out. This is so addictive that you’ll never want to be without it ever again. But, boy, it’s good…
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:
• 46 percent have done damage to their RV while backing up.
• 33 percent have a dash cam on their RV or tow vehicle.
• 42 percent have never stayed at an RV park for a month or longer in one stretch.
Recent poll: If a stranger asked to use your RV bathroom, would you let them?
Trivia
July 10 lasted 1.36 milliseconds less than 24 hours as the shortest day of the year so far. If the planet continues spinning faster, one second may need to be removed. “There’s never been a negative leap second, but the probability of having one between now and 2035 is about 40%,” said Duncan Agnew, a professor emeritus and research geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. —CNN Science
Readers’ pets of the day
“Chance and Izzy, ages 8 and 16 (when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge). Izzy watched everything. Chance watches for a while and then naps.” —Wallace Twigg
HELP! WE’RE OUT OF PET PHOTOS! This feature cannot continue without your photos!
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!
Leave here with a laugh
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“RANDOM RV THOUGHT: Don’t leave your porch light on all night. Your next-door neighbors will not appreciate it. Others, too.”
Thank you for this thought. I hope to see more and more “dark” RV Parks and campgrounds. One more Random Thought: Your bright L.E.D. cap lights, ground effect light, etc – they’re not cool.
Purchase a motion sensor porch light. Only on when someone is there.
We have one down low right near the steps. Only stay on for 30 seconds.
It uses batteries, and I have it mounted with 3M dual lock. Easily removable for travel.
The landing/cap lights are another subject. Why do they need to be left on all night???
PS: It seems the ones with all the lights are normally newbies to camping.
Or ones that just want to show off and say “Look what I have”!!
Solar path lights and/or low-wattage string lights on a timer for early evening area lighting. Motion detection step lights (recommended by RV Travel contributors) for the actual steps. We rarely turn on the bright under-awning LED strip lights.
We have blackout shades on our RV. Even the sun doesn’t bother us.
If we could get RV parks, State Parks, campgrounds in general to include a request at check in for people to turn off unnecessary lights at night, maybe it could be the start of something wonderful. Darkness.
Chance and Izzy are so precious in that picture! Sorry she crossed over the rainbow, yet her love will always be in your heart. 🐶
I just read the comments from the above article on solo travelers or Rv’ers. A most notable comment which spells out why I too read this newsletter, among some other reasons: on 11 Sep 2024 my wife of 58 yrs passed away after a long battle with COPD; the compassion expressed by some commenters and staff of Rv Travel are proof of what Cancelproof stated a year ago in this same article. I have taken the liberty of copying it and re-posting it here: (See next entry….). Thank you Rver friends and staff – whom I have never met.
See above comment:
“Cancelproof 1 year ago”
“This article is why I read RVTravel. The real life experiences of actual RVers. These opinions and experiences allow us to be better equipped emotionally for things we may encounter within our RV tribe as we traverse our continent. Added compassion for our fellow traveler and help to be individually prepared for what we may encounter at different stages of our lifestyle/hobby based on the real world experiences of others.”
6
…I would be hard pressed to say it better as I, 89 yo on the 6th of Aug. am facing the single travel prospect. Singles feel like a 5th wheel in a park full of motor homes! …errr married couples!.
If you EVER see a toad/white JEEP with NV tags TOW4TWO, stop by for a cold one Doug. We are in Glacier NP today, only had 4 nights here and then heading south tomorrow after 31 days on the road including Canada. Our other N-S route includes North Portal (your neck of the woods, I think.)
If agreeable, Diane has my permission to share our email addresses.
Happy trails ✌️ 😎
👍 Nice. Thanks, Cancel. Take care. 😀 –Diane
Thank you, Doug. We have lots of compassionate and caring readers (like you) at RVtravel.com. I think most RVers are compassionate and caring, actually, and our readers are the best of the best. It makes our efforts here even more worthwhile when you and Cancelproof and others express your appreciation for what we do.😊 We also appreciate you all soooooo much. Have a great day.🤗 –Diane
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great day and safe travels!
The comments section in the Solo RVer were unavailable:
I’m a married female whose husband works away from home 8 months a year. The ‘Solo’ issue is not solely tied to the RVing family. Many times I am left out of invitations to join friends, neighbors, co-workers, and/or acquaintances simply because I’d be a solo attendee. I’m not quite sure what the issue is other than others maybe feeling awkward in the situation. I’m in an RV park in Cody WY while he is at work for 6 weeks. Surprisingly, our neighbor is the same neighbor we had next to us when we were in Southern Colorado two years ago. The only invitation I’ve received is for us to come over for a beer when he gets home.