America’s Original RV Newsletter. Since 2001
Issue 2885 • New issue every weekday
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Today’s thought
“It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project.” —Napoleon Hill
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is National Cheeseball Day!
On this day in history: 1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day.
Tip of the day
How to easily refresh your RV’s bedroom
By Gail Marsh
If your RV bedroom feels a little tired, the best (and easiest) ways to give it a refresh are to consider the following areas: window coverings, bedding, lighting, storage, and personal details.
Using light colors, soft textures, clean lines, and smart design makes a small RV bedroom feel calmer and more finished. Read on to see what I mean.
RV review
2026 Forest River Sunseeker 2350LE—comfort for couples
The 2026 Forest River Sunseeker 2350LE is a compact Class C. It makes the most of its short footprint and is best suited for couples or single travelers. If you’re looking to downsize or jump into RVing, this may be a good choice. What’s more, you have the option to choose either a Chevy 3500 or Ford E350 chassis. Check it out.
In the RV shop with Dustin
Checking out the Dicor Butyl Rubber Sealant
Here, I [Dustin] compare the original butyl/putty tape application to Dicor Butyl Rubber Sealant. I share my initial thoughts and the pros and cons of this product. Learn all about it here.
RV Camping in Corps of Engineers Parks
Many RVers consider Corps of Engineers campgrounds to be the best in the country. This guide is just for RVers. Of all the public lands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has some of the best parks and campgrounds available. It’s the largest federal provider of outdoor recreation in the nation! Learn more or order.
BE COOL THIS SUMMER: Run your RV’s air conditioner when you otherwise cannot! Learn why our publisher Chuck Woodbury raves about this.
Article and video
Essential IKEA RV gear for 2026
A lot of RV owners make the same mistake at first. They spend too much on camping gear that looks smart on the shelf, then find out it works worse than regular home stuff. Here, Jason Epperson of RV Miles makes a simple case for IKEA. For RV living, the best buys are often cheap, compact and easy to store, and not fancy. That idea shows up right away in the most-used parts of the rig. Continue reading for all the best products and then watch the video.
Featured article
Around the Campfire: To grease or not to grease a trailer’s hitch ball?
By Gail Marsh
To grease or not to grease a trailer’s hitch ball? That was the question around the campfire a few nights ago. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about greasing the trailer’s hitch ball, and were eager to share in the discussion. Read more.
CUTE FACT: Cows have best friends, and they get stressed when separated. So, yes, that herd you passed might actually be a bunch of road-tripping (er, field-tripping) buddies.
“WHY DO I ALWAYS MISS OUT?” That’s what you’ll say if you miss a super-great bargain today only on something you really want! CHECK HERE!
Ask Dave
What is the difference between a surge protector, EMS, and EPO? Do I need one?
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- New Starlink hybrid plan promises simpler internet for RVers
- Escape 5.0 fiberglass fifth wheel—warm and cozy
- RVtravel.com readers discuss staying at Love’s RV Stops. Stay or pass? Worth it or not?
- Is it legal to drive through a yellow/orange light?
- Earth First Campers Tag-Along—The $5,000 ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of pop-up campers
- The simple fix for a rocking RV
- A visit to the incredible National Museum of Military Vehicles
Fun! The Motor Mixer stirs your beverages
This is funny! We love it! This little motorized stirrer is fun in a mug. Shaped like a vintage outboard motor, it winds up by hand (no batteries!) and gently mixes coffee, tea, or hot chocolate while giving you a grin. Check it out.
Reader poll
In the last 5 years, what’s the largest number of people who have slept overnight in your RV at one time?
IT’S AMAZING AND TRUE! View and participate in more than 2,000 of our previous polls!
Quick tip
RV kitchen drains are different
Don’t treat your RV drains like the ones at home. Pouring grease, coffee grounds, or anything that’s not truly a liquid down the sink (or toilet) is asking for trouble. Clogs, fouled up level sensors, and evil smells are just a few problems you can avoid by treating your waste system kindly.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Quick squeaky motorhome door hack: No more squeaks!
- Ask Dave: What can I run with one solar panel and one battery in my 5th wheel?
- Article & video: The top 5 van build mistakes
- Featured article: Incredible RV transformation: From old, dated rig to a French cottage on wheels
Website of the day
Florida Trippers
This website from local Florida residents will help you plan your trip to Florida… any type of trip! Select the region or city and they’ll direct you to the best restaurants, things to see and do, and more.
? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ?
What if we told you that you could drink beer and water at the exact same time? Or iced coffee and juice? Well, you can!
Trivia
Think you’ve been to a desert before? Think again! You’ve never seen a desert like the Atacama Desert along the northern coast of Chile. The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world. How dry? Some weather stations in the desert have never (we repeat: never) recorded a drop of rainfall. Geologic evidence suggests that certain regions across the desert may not have had rainfall from 1570 to 1971. The desert is bone dry. NASA has used the region to test equipment for Mars missions.
Readers’ pet of the day
“Dash is our fifth Corgi over the last 30 years! We love this breed! Dash is a rambunctious boy (age 1) who loves to run (especially into water!). He has a lazy ear most of the time, but it is never the same one!! He is a great traveling companion!” —Susan L Johnston
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. No blurry photos, and please do not submit your pet more than once.
• Corgi lover like Susan? Click here.
• 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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Quick tip. The same scenario should be followed for your home drains.
The only real difference is you don’t have level sensors at home.
All of the other things will still cause clogs and odors.
Even using hand soap or shampoos with high levels of lanolin, which is waxy substance, can coat the drain lines and cause problems.
A plumber once told me the biggest culprit in clogged drains was soap. It will collect and slow down your drains. Don’t just rinse. Run the water long enough to rinse the p-trap too.
HOT water!!
Dash is a wonderful name and the pic is great! Thanks for sharing
Just adding a note … You periodically recommend the Corps of Engineers Campground reference book. I have it, and it’s fine. I think you should also mention that the COE also has a free website that offers the same thing, for FREE. That page can get updated as things change, but a printed book is a snapshot in time. Two options, user’s choice.
Website?
reservation.gov
I have the guide to look ahead of us and see what might be on our route. if a place looks plausible I’ll go online to further check it out for power available, pad length, etc. There also pictures of campsites for most parks, but they can be deceiving as to condition and slope. Some of the COE camps we’ve encountered are sadly lacking in improvements for modern rv sizes, and general lack of maintenance. I mark these off in the book to eliminate them from contention.
I couldn’t find a place to comment on the section on greasing the hitch ball. We have an Anderson weight distribution hitch which is never supposed to be greased.
Always at bottom of the page
Thanks, James. However, on the Featured (i.e., recycled) article, the previous comments show, but the option for adding new comments is automatically turned off after a few months. (I think it’s to avoid bots filling up the comments, but I’m not sure.) Anyway, in those instances, anyone can still comment at the bottom of the newsletter, as Bonnie did. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I never learn. When I see the ? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ? heading I always click on it. I have yet to find something I can really use or a price that can be justified. It must be the frugalness of my Scottish ancestry. I use “frugal” my wife uses “cheap”. 🙂
Ditto
I was thinking it would be a nice addition to our next yard sale. (My husband thinks we collect enough junk without it, though.)
Dash is adorable and I love the lazy ear, it adds to the cuteness. And I’m sure quite the co-pilot and traveling companion. Keep on camping.
Dash is very cute! Corgis are just the cutest pups. A neighbor had 3 puppies so we saw them out in the yard or the street when they escaped. Noisy little buggers tho.
How fun to have a good furry pup that travels so well
Unfortunately was just reminded of a “major camping NO NO” for me. Was packing up & noted dog pee on my wheel covers. Now what kind of “camper” stands here while their dog pees on someone else’s rig? So offended that I better stop typing now.
Thank you for the great picture of your traveling buddy, Susan. I hope that you have many more adventures together. Thank you, Emily and Diane, for your tireless efforts to entertain and educate us while ensuring grammatical correctness and spelling accuracy. Have a great weekend and safe travels!
Thank you, Neal. We appreciate your kind words and, as always, we appreciate YOU! Have a good night. 🤗 –Diane