America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2796
Today’s thought
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” ―
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Wear Your Pearls Day!
On this day in history: 1903 – Italian American food cart vendor Italo Marchiony receives a U.S. patent for inventing a machine that makes ice cream cones.
Tip of the day
Tips for hanging items on RV walls
By Gail Marsh
Four years! That’s how long I waited to hang something—ANYTHING—on our RV’s interior walls. It’s not that I lacked framed family photos. I wasn’t opposed to clocks, wall art, or mirrors, either. So, what held me back? Fear. I didn’t want to cause damage to our fifth wheel.
RVers tell horror stories about how the mirror they tacked up fell off the RV wall and shattered. Then, too, I’d heard how some mounting techniques left the RV wallpaper ripped or torn beyond repair. Yipes! Did I really need to know the time anyway? So, I put off mounting our wall clock.
But, finally, I had enough! I did a bit of research, and I took on the challenge. Yes, I finally mounted some things on our RV’s walls! Here are our options as RVers.
More tips from this weekend:
- Do you know about Amazon’s secret tips for RVers?
- Buying land: What’s better, an RV or a tiny house?
- 20 items to always keep in your vehicle for winter emergencies
- It’s time to clean those dirty, yellowed or clouded headlights
RV review
2026 Keystone Coleman Light 21RX: It has everything I’d want in an RV
By Gail Marsh
The 2026 Keystone Coleman Light 21RX delivers a compact footprint, a single power slide for extra living area, and basic but solid systems. I think it’s a small RV that manages to live large—it has everything I want and nothing that I don’t. Check it out.
Always cold? Not with this heated scarf!
If you’re always cold or know someone who is (we bet you do), this is the perfect winter gift and accessory—a heated scarf! How nice does that sound? Integrated graphene heating elements deliver fast, even warmth directly to the neck area, ensuring a consistent and comfortable heating experience. The rechargeable battery is long-lasting, keeping you warm all day long. Check it out.
In the RV shop with Dustin
Prevent pests from getting inside your RV’s furnace
This week in the shop, we found a mud dauber nest and a baby bat inside an RV furnace. As a reminder, LP gas attracts more rodents and other critters than you know. Protecting your RV furnace from rodents is essential to prevent damage and maintain the efficiency of the heating system. Continue reading.
Article and video
Common trailer hookup mistakes you might be making
By Cheri Sicard
In this video, we join Ross from RV Tips & Travels to discuss what he says are common trailer hookup mistakes that RVers regularly make. In fact, it’s not only new RVers. Ross provides extensive details in the video, including why he is performing specific steps and why the order in which you perform them matters.
The latest news for RVers
- National Park Service announces 2026 fee-free entry days, changes who qualifies
- Marcus Lemonis steps down, as Camping World announces new CEO
- Grand Design’s fifth wheel frame flex problems addressed
- Starlink debuts mall vending machine selling discounted satellite dishes
- Starlink keeps RVers connected anywhere—Amazon Leo promises even more options
To read more recent news, click here.
Featured article
Why this campground owner defends the controversial 10-year rule
By Gail Marsh
I recently spoke with Mike, a campground owner, about the controversial 10-year rule for RVs. He emphasized that it’s not just about aesthetics, but it’s also about safety and maintaining the campground’s reputation. Our conversation gave me a new perspective on why some owners support this rule.
The ULTIMATE grill-lovers gift
We’re not kidding—where else could you find a 35-piece grill set? This is nuts! If you need a gift for a grill-lover, this has got to be it! It comes with every type of spatula, scraper, turner, press, tongs, brush, baster, knife… you name it! Check it out.
Ask Dave
Twelve days of Christmas RV tools – Eighth day: smartphone and selfie stick
By Dave Solberg
Before smartphones became commonplace, working on cars required a lot of memory and improvisation. For example, when replacing brakes, we’d only work on one side at a time so we could reference the other side if we got stuck. Today, things are much simpler thanks to the camera on your smartphone. Continue reading.
Reader poll
Does your RV have a permanent ladder to the roof?
Quick tip
Mice think RVs make nice winter homes
It’s the time of year when mice invade RVs looking for a warm, dry place to nest. Here are a few ways to keep them away:
• Best method: Seal exterior openings (e.g., underbelly gaps, furnace vents, plumbing penetrations).
• Remove all food, including boxed items, that attract rodents.
• Use steel wool or copper mesh in small entry points like wiring holes.
• Snap traps or electronic traps are the most recommended mechanical solutions.
DO NOT:
• Spread around peppermint oil and Bounce dryer sheets or pieces of Irish Spring soap. Most experienced RVers warn that these methods are ineffective.
• Use poison. It might work, but it can lead to dead, rotting rodents in walls (a horrible smell).
Website of the day
Pinterest: RV Tips
We’ve shared Pinterest with you in the past, but never this page. Check it out. You could spend hours (days! months!) on here exploring great RV tips. Just don’t forget about us back here, okay?
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
You’ve had it out of the bag, you’ve had it over the campfire, but you’ve never (and we mean never!) had it like this before. Woah, baby!
Mystery actress from yesterday
The beautiful actress we showed you yesterday, Irene Ryan, gained her greatest fame in the 1960s as Granny on “The Beverly Hillbillies” TV show. She first appeared on the show as Granny when she was 59.
Trivia
In the late 1990s, there were fewer than 500 roundabouts in the United States. But there are now more than 10,000—and the number is increasing rapidly, with more than 500 roundabouts added to U.S. roads each year for the past decade. —North Carolina State University
Readers’ pet of the day
“Hey, everybody—meet Gabby (age 5)! She came to us in Michigan as a rescue from McAllen, TX. She loves being with people and camping, no matter where we go! Playing fetch is her favorite game as long as treats are available. DNA test shows she has 13 different breeds that make up her background!” —Richard Unger
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.
FREE IS GOOD! Get the RV Repair Woman‘s free Ultimate RV Maintenance Guide with the 10 most common calls the author gets as a certified mobile RV tech, and how YOU can solve them yourself. (Just think of the money you could save!)
Leave here with a laugh
How much does Santa have to pay for parking on Christmas?
Nothing. It’s on the house!
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Leaving poison out for the mice when winterizing your trailer is a bad idea since your pets can find it first and well make for a rather big surprise when you end up with a hefty veterinary bill trying to fix the first problem. I have used cab which is an all natural mice repellent and yes I have seen evidence of mice but nothing of what I have heard of mice making a home for themselves. Plus when I return to open up the trailer for the summer the pine smell is refreshing.
Proven tactics:
Glad to meet Gabby. She looks like a real charmer. Lucky you rescued her.
thanks for sharing
Coyote urine is the best rodent repellent I have found.
How do you get the coyote to pee where you need it? LOL.
With dog biscuits.
Hi, Tom. Like Ken suggests, try dog biscuits. But you might get better results if you buy coyote urine from Amazon.👍🤣 Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I took offense in the comments of the article about people owning an rv over 10 years old being more likely to steal from other rver’s ( although mine is less than 10 years old)and started to comment but then realized the article was over a year old. Maybe rv travel needs a rule on how old of an article can be published it would be about the same.
Gabby is adorable and having all that genetic make-up makes a superdog! Thank you for rescuing.
Ten year rules, yeah keep rig clean and well maintained, keep it insured, no barking dogs or motorcycles, and park towards the back.
However, you could build an RV park with minimum ten years old rule.
Thought I sealed all the holes. But there is one more if you have a slide room that uses a beam and cog rail. The hole through the frame for the encased drive screw is big enough for a small squirrel let alone mice. And the other side of the hole is inside the belly where there are lots of wires to chew and insulation to shred. Problem is the drive screw will flex up/down some moving the slide. I used aluminum mesh self-adhesive drywall patches, and some extra silicon sealer around the edges. Cut a hole the size of the drive. Cut all the way from hole to edge, plus a few other short snips. The hole to the edge allows you to get the patch around the drive; the snips allow for the flex.
I wish my pal Barn Kat was still with me. He would chomp the heads off Mickey & Minnie and any sneaky snakes. He was the Kat’s Meow for sure!
Glue traps work well for catching mice, too. You just have to remember to check them often.
And remember where you put them. They stick to your socks and almost impossible to remove. I won’t say how I know.
Peppermint oil is one of the only chemical deterrents that actually works. Go to “Mousetrap Monday” on YouTube and check out his peppermint oil test. While you’re there, check out the other things he’s tested that don’t work. Spoiler: electronics, flashing lights, and every other chemical repellent he tested failed.