Issue 994 • October 25, 2018
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QUICK TIPS
Booze and the border?
Karin Reilly shares this fluid tip: “Nearing the border with Canada, we realized we were quite a bit over on the alcohol allowance. Since we were going to be in Canada only two weeks, we didn’t want to pay duty going into Canada and then back into the U.S. I found a cross-border storage facility. These facilities receive packages for Canadians and it’s significantly cheaper for them to have goods shipped near the border versus across it. We got a sturdy box at Walmart and filled it with our alcohol and tobacco overages and stuffed a bedsheet around the bottles. We taped it shut with packing tape and marked it with name and cell number. The facility charged FIVE dollars to store our box for two weeks because it weighed less than 60 pounds! What a bargain. Just had to be sure to be there during Monday through Friday business hours as they’re only open one Saturday a month.” —Thanks Karin!
How to make sure you get the right replacement faucet
Need to replace a faucet in your RV? Best to remove the old one, then take it with you when you shop for the new. Some RV faucets have different spacing than “house” faucets and you need to ensure the less expensive (or greater featured-filled) ones from the “big box” store will fit.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Unique RV Overnight Experiences at 600+ Wineries, Farms and More
With a Harvest Hosts membership (just $49/year), you can stay overnight at more than 600 wineries, farms, breweries and other attractions in North America for free! Harvest Hosts offers a unique alternative to traditional campgrounds and RV parks. Learn more here.
Today’s brain teaser (answer below): I do not rhyme with any other word. What am I?
Buying or selling an RV? Your best source to buy or sell is RVT.com. See why.
MORE QUICK TIPS
Closing slides in winter conditions
If you have slides, be careful when opening and closing them if camping or living in winter conditions. Overnight snow can collect on the slide-cover awning and must be removed before closing the slide. Snow removal can be quite difficult because the roof areas will also be snow-covered. If possible, use a separate ladder to gain access and make sure to have assistance nearby when using a ladder in winter. You may also find that water pooled on a slide-cover awning may freeze overnight if the temperature drops. The resounding “crunch” noise when you start to put your slide in will not be a comforting sound. Again, the only solution is to carefully break up the ice and remove it. Thanks to Ron Jones, AboutRVing.com.
Keep your battery terminals clean
It doesn’t take much crud on your battery terminal to shut things down. Make it part of your regular maintenance to keep them clean – and your electrical system operating at optimum. Wire brush ’em, and shoot them with terminal spray from the auto parts house.
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
The EASY way to buy window shades
Carefree‘s Simply Shade Window Awning is the first cash and carry complete window awning system that can be bought off of dealer shelves and installed the same day! Simply Shade Awnings fit windows up to 36″ tall. Click here to learn more.
WEBSITES OF THE DAY
RV YouTube
This is a pretty general link, but we figure it could come in handy for anyone looking up, well, anything about RVing. There are DIY tutorials, videos about buying and selling your RV, basic tips and advice, and videos of RVs in the news.
Questions about living in an RV
Thinking about going full time? Here are 21 questions everyone asks about living in an RV. This blog, written by Heath and Alyssa, even has its own Podcast.
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
PRODUCT OF THE DAY: Neat! This is a must-have for DIY projects!
Answer to today’s brain teaser: Orange
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LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
A farmer wrote a letter to his son who was in jail for robbing a bank: “This year, I can’t plant potatoes because you are not here to plow the field.” The son wrote back, “Papa, don’t you dare plow the field. That is where I hid the money I stole.” The police intercepted the letter and the next day they dug up the entire field but found nothing. The son then wrote back to his father, “Okay, now you can plant your potatoes.”
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Staff writer: Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising coordinator: Gail Meyring. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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Lol at all the judgy people in the comments. “You don’t drink the exact same way that I do, therefore you have a problem!”
I think they’re the ones with the problem, they’re obviously close minded and lack empathy, because they’re unable to see any viewpoint but their own.
What I’m wondering is if anyone has tried the vodka in a water bottle, or whiskey in an iced tea bottle trick? Not that I’m suggesting you do that or anything…
When returning to the USA from Canada, be sure that you keep your dog’s kibble in its original bag. The US Border agents seized all of our dog’s food as I had emptied the bags contents into a plastic container for travel. Some ingredients in dog food are banned in the US and the US agents will spoil your pet’s dinner if you are not careful. Luckily, a Vet in Bonner’s Ferry ID had the right prescription food and Zorro didn’t miss a meal.
WOOF1
That happened to us but got lucky when we looked at the guy and said we need to do what? Again when we crossed this was not mentioned at all. So I guess it depends on how pissy the border agent wants to be. Only once did we have this happen. Otherwise our border crossings seem to go swimmingly. I guess we need to figure out what ingredient it is that is banned. Right now ready to explore more of the US then retire to Alaska for the summer.
YIKES!!! I was glad to see the info about Canada since we plan to go there next year but WOW! the judgements. My husband drinks…he has a drink or two each night of whiskey, bourbon or rum. I MIGHT have cumulatively 2 bottles of beer a year and 1 glass of wine. But, we are full timers so there are always 3 opened bottles of liquor. Howver, since we have the benefit of traveling through states with MUCH cheaper prices we will often stock up-2 bottles of each. To look at us then some off you would assume that we are both lushes when in fact we are simply cheapskates, one of whom drinks.
We have been told that a reasonable amount of “open stock” is permitted. e.g. if you have a couple of half full bottles of wine and a few part bottles of spirits in your RV you shouldn’t have any issues. We regularly cross with several part bottles as well as our legal duty free exemption of sealed bottles and have never had an issue.
The key being a “reasonable” amount.
YMMV
Thanks for this. I wondered about open vs closed.
in regard to crossing the Canadian border, one year we wanted to lawful and take one case of beer per person across. turns out that was the year they had a beer strike in Canada. you can guess the rest. Also my brother had a battery store and he told me that so many people use baking soda to clean the posts of their batteries and so many batteries got ruined because of that practice. He said if you just use hot water and the wire brush to clean the terminals you will get a clean battery and also if you keep the top of you battery clean the battery will stay charged longer, just spray down the battery with a garden hose will keep the top clean
There aren’t any words that rhyme with “silver” or “purple” either.
Exactly what I was thinking. Purple and silver
Sliver?
Unless there’s a serious problem with the availability or quality of Canadian booze, I’d leave mine at home and look forward to sampling the local stuff when traveling in a foreign country.
Ron H. Normally I agree about buying and sampling locally however being Canadian myself I say bring what you can across the border because ALL ALCOHOL is darn expensive in Canada.
We travel with our Tiki Bar sign. Every evening at 5ish (Happy Hour) the sign goes up and Margaritas and beer are on tap along with the old standards. It’s a great ice breaker and no one gets enebriated.
Friends of my folks started doing this in the 80’s when they all retired and started full timing. Hey, there would be 30-40 people from all over the campground show up. Some who had never gotten to know they’re neighbors. They are all gone now except for mom who’s 93, but by continuing that tradition I feel it kind of keeps them alive if only in my mind. I don’t drink due to medication, but neither do some others but we all enjoy a beverage of our choosing and each other’s company.
We enjoy an occasional glass of wine, 2 bottles per person would equate to 5-6 months supply for us. We have never seen a sale on alcohol so great that we could save that much money by buying a large quantity such as being discussed here. If we had such a large quantity of alcohol that we had to store it before crossing the border, we would have a drinking problem. I have known a few people in my life that always had a drink in their hand, they were not alcoholics because they didn’t go to AA meetings, they were social drunks. There’s not a politically correct bone in my body. I call them as I see them.
Perhaps because you only drink wine. The difference in prices for hard liquor are great.
You don’t have to call anything. Keep your nasty judgmental comments to yourself!
What I would like to see is a rule that states, “Stick to the subject, no personal comments directed at the Author allowed. I really am not interested in people’s judgements. I subscribe to the philosophy that I seldom have enough information to judge others.
Geez people, stop the “holier-than-thou” judging. We typically have a trailer full of cases of wine and vodka from our trips to Oregon. We fulfill orders from friends (and our doctors – they love wine!). In addition, we take a small bar of our favorite beer, wine, and spirits for our own consumption.
Our trailer is known as the Bootlegger. We drink for the flavor and social entertaining – drunkenness is not tolerated. Calling out someone and saying “you have a problem” is just uncivil and inconsiderate.
Why would you advertise everquote when they don’t have a Silverado 3500 LT 2 wheel drive, and no apparent option for RVs?
WOW! These comments will keep me from giving any advice. People REALLY jump to conclusions. If they are full timers, they carry their bar with them.
If you have to store your booze, I think you got a problem. Just stupid in my opinion. I agree with Willie. Boy, what a problem old Karin has, how to store her booze!
Grange rhymes with orange.
???????
Pete, David is replying to Today’s brain teaser (although he’s not quite correct). —Diane at RVtravel.com
Not quite, David. In “orange” the “a” has the short vowel sound, and in “grange” it has the long vowel sound (like the letter “a” itself sounds). Close, but no bananas (or oranges?). 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Yes, Sister Charles….
😀 Chuck referred to me as the Grammar Police — well, actually a stronger term than that — at our meeting the other day. Sorry … it’s in my DNA. 😯 — Diane at RVtravel.com
Grange rhymes with mange and range. Duh!
What was the name of the cross border storage facility and where was it?
I’m no prude, but if Karin has confessed to having “too much booze” to take to Canada with her, she has too much booze, period.! I’ve seen too many of my camping frinds drink themselves to sleep every night. As we get older, we should really make sure we’re eating and drinking for our health and wellbeing, not eating and drinking ourselves to death.
Actually you do come across as a prude and exceptionally judgemental.. You’re allowed to cross into Canada duty free with 2 bottles of wine per person or 1 bottle of liquor per person (or a case of beer). Many people travel with a well stocked “bar” that contains far more than that. It certainly doesn’t mean they’re alcoholics and drink too much; they just enjoy different beverages.
You’re right Paul, they need to walk a mile in our shoes. Come into Canada with just 2 bottles or from Canada to the U.S. with just 2 bottles. That’s what you’re allowed. We winter in AZ for five months and have rye, rum, vodka, tequila, beer and a little wine for entertaining. Nobody is passing out in their lawn chairs. It stays social.
Your right, you cannot take very much across the border. We enjoy wine and beer, never been drunk in my life.
Let’s not start the bullying or putting people down on this site. The information was very good.