America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2814
Today’s thought
“No man can, for any considerable time, wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one.” —Nathaniel Hawthorne
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Bubble Bath Day!
On this day in history: 1790 – George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address in New York City.
Tip of the day
Cables in a tangle? Use this quick tip to tame them
By Nanci Dixon
The multitude of thin power and charging cables for phones, tablets and computers need to be accessible, of course, but they can easily end up in a tangle, especially if you only have a few outlets to choose from like we do in RVs. Command hooks can help tame that mess. Here’s how I used them.
Article and video
Half-ton pickup towing: How much should you haul?
A lot of people buy a travel trailer, then try to figure out if their truck can handle it. Duane, a certified RV inspector from RV Inspection And Care, wanted to avoid the usual guesswork. Most people don’t buy the tow vehicle and RV together, so the matching part becomes a puzzle. Duane’s point is simple: The numbers are available to everyone, and using them up front can prevent costly changes later.
Featured article
What the color of a dog’s collar says about their temperament
There has been a lot of chatter on our RVing with Dogs Facebook group lately concerning dogs in campgrounds. In particular, dog owners are concerned about how other campers approach them as they walk their dogs. But did you know that the color of a dog’s collar has a meaning? And it could tell you a lot about the dog’s temperament… Click here to learn more.
Please, please, please have good windshield wipers for winter!
Did you know you could buy windshield wipers for your car and RV on Amazon? Here are motorhome wipers, and here are all car wipers. Winter is not the time for bad wipers!
Ask Dave
OK to run generator with rig plugged in during storage?
Reader poll
How often do you go for a walk?
Quick tip
Precooked pleasures
If you’ll be boondocking for a few days away from home, there’s no need to give up nice meals or spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Precook some of your favorite dishes, then pack them up in aluminum foil containers or aluminum pouches. Popped in the freezer, they’ll be ready for you to reheat in your oven or even outside on the gas grill. Surprisingly, pasta dishes work quite well on the reheat cycle. To determine appropriate amounts, when you cook up your meals, place the amount you’d serve at a meal on a regular serving plate, then transfer to your freezing containers. — Russ and Tiña De Maris
On this day last year…
- RV review: New, high-tech Pebble Flow set to hit campgrounds in spring
- Ask Dave: Do I need to keep my stored trailer plugged in?
- Article & video: Genius foil-lined baking pan hack—You’ll never do it any other way
- Featured article: Traveling New Mexico’s U.S. Highway 64: Brazos Summit
These glasses are specifically made for driving at night
Night driving doesn’t have to be stressful. These night vision glasses reduce glare from headlights and streetlights, helping sharpen contrast and ease eye fatigue after a long day on the road. They slip easily over regular glasses (or work just fine on their own), wrap comfortably for better peripheral vision, and are built tough for real travel. A smart add-on for those who drive, walk, or explore after dark—especially in rain, fog, or low-light conditions. They come in multiple frame colors for men and women.
Website of the day
Wisconsin Dells
Thinking of or planning to visit the Wisconsin Dells this year? Their official website is the place to start your planning.
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:
• 43 percent do not consider themselves to be artistic (“not one bit!” they answered).
• 8 percent have between 10-20 keys on their keyring (they need this!).
• 36 percent pay to store their RV somewhere.
Recent poll: Do you make your RV’s bed every day?
Trivia
About 38% of people who undergo surgery in the United States experience financial hardship. New research suggests this is especially true with emergency procedures. The study’s authors report that private insurance appears to not adequately shield lower-income patients from this hardship, while Medicaid enrollees report relatively less resulting burden. —University of Washington
Readers’ pet of the day
“Cash (Vizsla, age 6), when not playing ball, is always ready for a road trip in the RV. She is a very well-traveled pup.” —Tim Brown
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.
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Know someone who is feeling a bit under the weather? (Keep this handy for when you know someone who is!) This will absolutely cheer them right up! We love this!!
FREE IS GOOD! Join the Real Deal E-Club at Sizzler and get a free Add-On Salad Bar with your next meal.
Leave here with a laugh
These made us laugh out loud! Want to buy one for a baby in your life? You can find a bunch of options here.
Bored? Not for long! Here’s a list of every article and newsletter recently published on RVtravel.com. We don’t know what bored is around here—we never stop working! You’ll have fun looking through all these articles, and we bet you’ll learn something, too.
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
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.
RVtravel.com All-Star Team
Click here for information about our staff and how to contact us.
Curious. Was today’s article about color coded dog leashes originally published on April first?
My golden retriever has a blue collar – I guess that means he is in training? Fair enough as goldens are pretty much non-stop learners.
My thoughts about meanings of collar color is that I’ll consider it when the big box pet shops stock all the colors in all the sizes and collar styles for different breeds. With a prominent sign as to color meanings.
The “trivia” of the day is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRIVIAL!!
It is a SHAMEFUL example of the “health care” that the wealthiest country in the world, with the best hospitals, doctors, research, etc., etc., “provide” for their citizens.
No other industrialized country allows for its citizens to have to choose between eating or paying for their health care and becoming bankrupt and homeless.
Chuck, I agree and I don’t think many others disagrees there’s a problem.
The disagreement lies with how to solve it.
The only two talking points seem to be you can go bankrupt from surgery or you can go bankrupt by the tax burden funding someone else’s surgery. Neither are good but funding for profit, shareholder owned health insurance has to be at the top of all time scams.
That said, what’s a viable solution?
Gee, if only a viable solution was out there. Wait. I have an idea! Let’s look at every other industrialized nation in the world and follow what they have done. No brainer.
And yet their wealthiest citizens come to the US for care. Where will WE go to get care?
Our wealthiest are going globally as well but for the average citizen a form of socialized medicine, such as Medicare, works well. As Dane said, look at other countries examples. No need to reinvent the wheel. Also, look at morbidity/mortality stats before responding.
We wont ever solve the riddle if we don’t acknowledge facts first, and fix it from the ground up.
Ground level: We must eliminate the fraud in Medicare and Medicaid.
2nd floor: Break up the Health Care monopolies.
3rd floor: Stop subsidizing Health Insurance companies and alliances.
If we started with that, we could at least build a new Health Care system upon a stronger foundation but as long as the fraud remains at the $600 billion plus level annually, we don’t have a chance.
😎✌️
Dane, I have looked at other industrialized nations. Even with the significant tax burden they impose on their citizens, the quality of service as well as access seemingly pales in comparison.
What “no brainer” country are you specifically referring?
Some cite Canada as a reasonable example but Canada’s total population is less than California and the reviews are mixed at best. Denmark? Less population than South Carolina.
Respectfully, I ask do you think those bankrupted exceeds South Carolina’s population? I’m not defending our current plight, I’m asking for viable solutions to avoid financial distress without compromising quality/accessibility.
And…many people in Socialized Medicine countries STILL carry private health insurance as well so they can get the better care faster. So through taxes they pay for one system and then also pay private insurance anyway.
You do understand that America’s taxes are what subsidizes every other industrialized nation’s Healthcare, correct? If we stop doing that then maybe we can afford to do our own country but we can’t continue do it for the planet and ourselves.
SUICIDAL EMPATHY.
✌️😎
It is going to be interesting to see what happens in some of these other countries when the U.S. stops funding all the R&D of the drug companies and those costs now need to be spread WW. As Trump negotiates with drug companies with “Most Favored Nation” pricing and that massive cash flow from the U.S. dries up, prices for the rest of the world will have to go up.
Yup, it will be very interesting to keep an eye on that.
😎✌️
Respectfully disagree my friend! It’s the Canadian way!
I agree, Vince. On one hand I hate seeing people go broke for health care. OTOH, if someone smokes, eats junk food, never exercises and ends up completely unheathy, why should I support that lifestyle through my taxes?
Chuck says we have the best care…why is that? Because it’s NOT socialized!!!
Dane says it’s simple. Not so if one really digs into the negative impacts of Socialized medicine. The pros and cons are complex.
curious, what idea do u have or what have u done to change the system?
Plus, we dont know what percentage of us pay to store their rv!
C’mon and move to Canada!
We may not be the richest country in the world, but NO ONE EVER will have to choose healthcare over eating. We have our flaws to be sure, but it is still one of the greatest countries in the world to live, IMHO.
Please understand that I absolutely enjoy American friendship and travelling in the US.
Regarding Precooked Pleasures, we frequently make extra for dinner and vacuum pack meal size portions for the freezer. When we leave on a trip our RV freezer is packed tightly with spaghetti, sloppy Joe, meat loaf, Costco rotisserie chicken, bbq ribs, and many other assorted ready to heat and serve dinners.
“If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it is free.”
Government “health care” always results in long waits and rationing like Canada, like Great Britain. Canada’s solution is MAiD…..medically assisted death. It is cheaper for the government to klll you than cure you.
Preachin facts, Dave. Had an uncle choose MAiD last year.
😎✌️
Please. Our healthcare is not perfect, but the point of the article was healthcare or bankruptcy. Won’t happen in Canada.
MAID should be available to anyone who qualifies for it. We treat our pets better than the chronically and terminally ill. If I am so old that I can’t function or even wipe my own “you know what”, sign me up for MAID!
I love Winston Churchill’s quotes. In 1940, after the Battle of Britain, honouring RAF pilots, he said: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”. It kind of makes me think of the few RV newsletter staffers and the volumes of information provided daily to many, many readers.
Aww, shucks, Impavid. That’s very generous of you to say that, although we certainly can’t be compared to RAF pilots who fought for their country. But we will continue to do whatever we can to improve the lives of our RVing readers.👍 Have a great day.🤗 –Diane
Seriously. The color of the dog collar tells the temperament. Ok. I just went with what ever the color of the harness matched the collar. One dog is purple and the other is pink. Although the initial color was pink and green. But the green became frayed. I use to walk a lot but got lazy. Go to the senior center for exercise classes and Tai Chi. Maybe this summer I might do more.
Sadly, the link to A’s windshield wipers, doesn’t give me the option (on the drop down to add a new vehicle) for an RV.
O.K. So I’m another year older today (79) and have been driving for 64 1/2 years. (counting the learners permit). Even with the nonsense in today’s news, I am going to relax by working on my RV. It’s the one thing that gives me pleasure every time I hook up. Feels good even to repair it! All you RV’rs have a good new year.
Happy Birthday and Happy New Year to you, too, Little John. Enjoy your day workin’ on your RV—we agree, it’s the best!
Welcome to the 79ers Club, Little John. Have a great day, a great year, and many happy and healthy miles to come. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Cash is so adorable and being well traveled is stupendous. Keep on camping!
Can anyone cite one thing government does well? Yet some propose forfeiting control of health care over to this heartless, corrupt boondoggle which has u nearly $40 trillion dollars in debt.
Why is our health care system so screwed up? Precisely because of the imperial federal government’s intrusion into it, that’s why. And still some look to Washington for a fix?
Puh-leeze
Excellent “Todays Thought”
I am living that life and it is a wake-up call!
Regarding US healthcare, when we pay out of pocket, we are charged differently (less) than when “insurance” is involved. It’s a real boondoggle. We recently took a cruise with a majority of Canadian passengers. Dinner discussions (we’re all old!) often included talk about Canadian healthcare. They all claimed to love it, but can’t access it when they need it, prescriptions are NOT covered so many pay $600/month for Rx insurance, many cross into the US for CT and MRI scans rather than wait months for them in Canada, or fly to San Diego to board buses to Tijuana to get surgery (paid out of pocket) they would have to wait years for in Canada. ER care is good. Nobody mentioned MAiD.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! Have a great weekend and safe travels!