America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2821 • New issue every weekday
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Today’s thought
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
On this day in history: 1915 – Georges Claude patents the neon discharge tube for use in advertising.
Tip of the day
How to start your vehicle when your key fob battery dies
By Gail Marsh
Modern technology is a marvel—until it isn’t. Recently, a woman in our campground discovered that the battery in her key fob had died.
As a traveling nurse, she was anxious about getting to work. Not only did she need to get into her locked car, but she also needed the key fob to engage the vehicle’s push-button starter. She needed some tips for when a key fob battery dies. Here’s what to do.
RV review
First look: Adventurer X-Series 4×4—a SERIOUS off-road Class C
Today, we look at the new Adventurer 19RD X-Series, from Fraserway RV in partnership with Clydesdale Vans out of British Columbia. Clydesdale has been building heavy-duty expedition-style vans for years, aimed at owners who expect their rigs to survive real off-road use. That background shows up right away in the stance and the details of the Adventurer X-Series 4×4. Wow, this rig means business!
The best marshmallow (and more) roaster!
This is hilarious! Take your marshmallow or hot-dog-roasting to a whole new level with this roasting reel. Give it a crank at the perfect speed, and you’ll have the perfectly roasted or toasted… whatever… in no time! Makes a great and funny gift. Find it here.
In the RV shop with Dustin
Keep your RV looking fresh and new with 303 Aerospace Protectant
Want to protect your RV from harsh elements and keep it looking new? In this article and video, we’ll show you how 303 Aerospace Protectant can be a game-changer in maintaining the vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces of your RV. Learn how this product can help you prevent fading, cracking, and stains while extending the lifespan of your RV’s exterior and interior. Continue reading and learn more.
DO YOU FEEL SAFE STAYING OVERNIGHT IN A WALMART PARKING LOT? We asked RVtravel.com readers that very question. See how they responded. We were surprised at the number who reported they do not feel safe.
Article and video
A no-regrets full-time RV retirement checklist
Three years ago, Nancy, of Making My Own Lane, wouldn’t have believed she’d be living full-time in a 2005 Class C RV, coffee in hand, parked in the Florida sun. She’d dreamed about this for 20 years, but it always felt out of reach. Now, at 63, she travels the U.S. about 200 miles at a time with two small dogs. In the video at the end of this post, she’s honest about what it took to get there. You will love Nancy’s story, suggestions, and checklist.
The latest news for RVers
- Costco enters RV sales through new Camping World partnership
- Honda makes cars and generators—now it’s testing the RV waters
- Starlink ends data cutoffs for RVers—but drops Roam users to slow speeds
- Warning: Two more deaths from defective airbags
- California opens farms and ranches to camping under new law
To read more recent news, click here.
Featured article
In memory of Martin Luther King Jr.—A historic site tells an important story
By Chris Epting
During this month, when we pay particular attention to Martin Luther King Jr., I wanted to recommend the tragic site where he was killed in 1968, which has become a profoundly interesting and well-developed museum. We all know what happened at the Lorraine Motel on that fateful day when King was assassinated. The museum today is dedicated to telling numerous important civil rights stories from Rosa Parks to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to many other important American civil rights icons. Continue reading.
The easiest way to steam veggies
No reason to use a pot and waste propane or water to steam your veggies—use this instead! The microwaveable mini steamer allows you to quickly and easily steam fresh or frozen vegetables. The non-stick surface makes cleaning quick and easy and, bonus, the steamer basket doubles as a colander—nice! Learn more or order.
Ask Dave
Does flame from RV stovetop create carbon monoxide inside the rig?
Reader poll
How often do you stay at a first-come, first-served campsite?
Quick tip
Maintain your equalizer hitch: Change the chains
Probably one of the least-thought-of maintenance items for the travel trailer crowd is keeping an eye on your weight distribution hitch. But think about it: Every turn you make, the chain links at both the spring bars and at the lift assembly “wear” a little bit. After a few years, those points can fail, leaving you in a dicey position. So, recommends longtime RVer and RVtravel.com reader/tip contributor George B., it’s wise to replace the EQ chains and the U-bolts that go through the spring bars. Says George: “I know when I had my travel trailer, I found the links, especially at the spring bar ‘U’ bolts, were half worn through. Kind of scary.” Thanks, George, for helping us keep safe from the weak link!
Website of the day
Find Free Food and Groceries
If you need help getting food or groceries, Feeding America can help. Put in your current area’s ZIP code and find a food bank near you.
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
Just when we thought we’d seen them all, we find one we’ve never seen before! And, actually, all these are quite cute…
Trivia
Wikipedia turned 25 last Thursday, boasting more than 65 million articles in more than 300 languages written, edited and fact-checked by nearly 250,000 volunteers worldwide. Since 2003, Wikipedia has been operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit reliant primarily on donations averaging $11. Wikipedia publishes about 500 articles daily and receives nearly 15 billion visits monthly, but its user base is shifting. Human traffic fell by 8% last year, and roughly 65% of Wikipedia’s most intense traffic now comes from bots, largely scraping articles to train AI models.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Rex (Border Collie, age 10) lives to go camping and loves to play with his ball.” —Bill Ingraham
Help! We are running very low on pet photos! Please send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos, and please do not submit your pet more than once. Thanks!
• Pet Food and all pet products at Amazon and Walmart
• RVing with Dogs group on Facebook. You’ll love it.
Leave here with a laugh
Today’s weather forecast across the nation
THIS MAP UPDATES TWICE A DAY
Visit Current National Radar Weather Map
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RVtravel.com All-Star Team
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Rex is adorable, I can see from the picture that he loves camping and playing ball, hopefully for many more years to come. Keep on camping.
Rex and his picture are adorable.
I have and still do have fob battery issues. The last time mine died I used the key that comes with it and boy did that set off the alarm. But once inside I was able to get the car started and straight to the dealership to get it fixed. Never expected the alarm to go off. Yeah it is embarrassing when half the campground turns to look at you like uh huh. Never again.
I keep a running list of password possibilities because I can never think of a good one when I need one!
Same here. Four pages, all in alphabetical order.
Every so often I will use the same one for different sites.
Rex is absolutely handsome (& beautiful)! Love his markings. 🐾💙🐾