Issue 2705
Today’s thought
“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.” ―Jim Morrison
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Pickleball Day! Here’s a short article all about the sport and its invention, if you’re curious.
On this day in history: 1908 – Wilbur Wright makes his first flight at a racecourse at Le Mans, France. It is the Wright Brothers’ first public flight.
Tip of the day
New water flow meter is perfect for flushing holding tanks
By Nanci Dixon
I’ll admit it, I am rather compulsive about dumping and flushing the black and gray water holding tanks and I have gone through a number of water flow meters. A water flow meter measures how many gallons of water go from a faucet to a water hose.
Inevitably, in time they leak, so I am back on Amazon looking for a different brand. I have learned to avoid buying the 2-pack at a lower price, as I have found out two last about as long as one. Alas, they have tended to last less than a year… if that.
A professional tank cleaner originally showed me a water flow meter and showed me how to use it when we had both our black and gray tanks cleaned. Continue reading.
Ask Dave
RV has two roof air conditioners but only one ceiling duct. Is this a problem?
Dear Dave,
First, I want to thank you all at RV travel for the great job you all are doing. There is a lot of great, useful information everyone can get from reading your articles. My question for you is a little different. Our 2022 Sunseeker has two air conditioner units, front and rear. It has ducted vents in the ceiling. These duct vents from both units must be connected because when the rear unit runs you can feel the air coming out of the front ceiling vent and vise versa. Is this common? … Read the rest of Robert’s question and Dave’s answer.
In the RV shop with Dustin
Be smart: Have your RV inspected before selling it
By Dustin Simpson
Getting your RV inspected before listing it for sale is a good idea. That will help you identify any potential issues or maintenance needs that could affect the sale or price of your RV. Here are some reasons why getting an RV seller’s inspection is beneficial.
Article and video
A budget-friendly portable air conditioner review
By Cheri Sicard
Looking for a truly portable solution to beat the summer heat in a tent, camper, or van? BougeRV steps into the spotlight in 2025 with their BougeRV BUDGET 3500 BTU Ultra Portable Air Conditioner, a compact, simple air conditioner that has one mission—cool the air on a tight budget. While many companies are releasing similar products, BougeRV stands out as one of the most affordable options for campers and RVers. Learn more here.
THE RV GEAR YOU NEED IS ON SALE!
Check out all RV gear sales here.
Featured article
The most dangerous U.S. roads for RVs
By Nanci Dixon
Recently, a reader wrote in and requested an article listing some of the most dangerous roads for RVs. As you would imagine, there are many opinions on which roads should be on that list. But here are the most popular ones: the most dangerous roads in the U.S. for RVs!
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- World debut RV review: 2026 Forest River Sunseeker 2030RP—a first-class B+
- Simple, no-build minivan camper with shower, toilet, and kitchen
- Amazing inflatable motorhome is too cool to fathom!
- Six reasons campgrounds might deny you a reservation
- Tour a 1987 vintage, classic Cadet fiberglass travel trailer
Reader poll
Will your next RV likely have more or fewer slideouts than your present one?
BE SMOKEY BEAR’S FRIEND! One often-overlooked cause of wildfires is parking or driving on dry grass. The heat from your exhaust system or catalytic converter can ignite the grass beneath your vehicle in seconds. Whether you’re towing a trailer, driving a motorhome, or pulling off in your car for a view, stay on gravel or pavement and never park over vegetation.
Quick tip
Bungee cord caution
Sharon B. posts this thought for your consideration: “I am a nurse. I manage many medical cases that originated from injuries. I have a patient who lost the sight of his eye. He almost lost the entire globe if it were not for the fast-reacting doctors at a specialized eye facility. (This injury was not for a standard hospital ER.) The injury was from a snap to the eye from a bungee cord. The injury destroyed his cornea and damaged his retina. So far, five surgeries from accumulated damage. I, too, have almost had a disaster from a snapping bungee cord to the eye. I was SO lucky. My professional recommendation is to USE ONLY STRAPS. There are many wonderful adjustable straps you can get with various lengths. Harbor Freight has a good variety of sizes and colors. Don’t use bungee cords. Save your eyes!”
On this day last year…
- Ask Dave: Is UV protection required on all RV roof materials?
- RV walk-through: Forest River Salem 29VIEW trailer features hidden room
- Featured article: Never lose your cell phone again with these proven methods
Website of the day
OpenTable
OpenTable is the largest restaurant reservation website in the country, so there’s a good chance you already know about it. But here’s a trick you might not know: At the top, enter your desired dining date and time, how many people are in your party, and location, and every restaurant in your area with an available reservation will pop up. Now that’s helpful!
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
You know how you have that one kitchen drawer filled with… Well, we can’t tell you or we’d give it away. But this will make that drawer look MUCH nicer. We promise.
DID YOU KNOW? Muscle loss begins in your mid-30s, at a rate of 1% to 2% a year. While that may not sound like much, these little changes make a difference over the years, contributing to achy joints, injuries, and weight gain — all of which can make daily activities more challenging. As you get into your 60s and 70s, muscle loss can accelerate to as much as 3% a year. SOURCE: Harvard Health Beat
Trivia
Earth hosts an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species, but only 6,495 are mammals. Among those mammals, bats make up 21% of all species.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Missy (Pittie, age 13) is a great travel dog. Looks like she melted to the ground after a long hike.” —Freda James
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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Pickleball was created in he**. What an annoying, constant noise!
But what a great game to play! It has become my favorite thing to do. Great exercise and great friendly people. Try it and you will find the sound to become an irresistable siren calling you to go play!
Missy looks like a wonderful companion. Love pitties! They are sweet family dogs.
thanks for sharing
I agree. Missy looks adorable.
I pulled a bungee cord so hard once it straightened out the hook. Hit me in the forehead. Any lower and it would have got my eye.
NEVER PULL A BUNGEE CORD. Hook one end that’s closest to you and “push” the other end away from you. If the first hooked end lets loose the bungee cord will snap away from you not towards your face.
Great tip! Thanks Impavid!
While we’ve been on most of the roads mentioned in “dangerous roads”, we’ve only done I 70 and Wolf Creek in a coach. The big issue with WC was loss of power in our gasser. As we started up Moki Dugway in a car, we met someone coming down pulling a 25’ trailer. The wife was shaking with fright. Can’t blame her!
When thinking of pickleball: A total of 1110 NEISS cases representing 66,350 nationally estimated pickleball-related injuries were included. The mean age was 64 ± 14.7 years (range, 4-93 years). Most injuries occurred in those aged 65 to 80 years (NEISS cases = 643; NE = 40,507 [61.1%]), followed by those aged 35 to 64 years (NEISS cases = 349; NE = 20,785 [31.3%]). Falls were the most common injury mechanism overall. It isn’t if you get injured, it is WHEN!
A bungee cord can be dangerous. I never put myself in a spot that I can be struck if it was to snap or become unhooked. All it took was that happening one time to learn my lesson.
“Bats are 21% of all species” by count of individual bats? Or 21% of the 6495 species? Certainly not 21% by weight…
There are over 1400 species of bats. So 21% of the 6495 species. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat
Thank you, Emily and Diane! The mystery product looks elegant. It is too big for a drawer in our RV. 🙁 Have a great weekend and safe travels!