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Laura: The most important accessory for your RV

| Updated Jul 21, 2013

A while ago someone asked, on the Roadtrek Facebook page, about our favorite travel accessory.  I commented that it was my new mattress topper.  However, while it is a wonderful addition and I am sleeping like a baby, I have reconsidered.  On a long and uneventful drive, alone with my wandering thoughts.

th-2 I realized how amazing, useful and necessary is the simple towel. We take towels for granted. They are always at hand (or foot or torso) and we never give them a thought (until you are driving a long lonely stretch and probably not even then unless you have a slightly  skewed view of the universe like yours truly).  Aside from drying one’s self or dishes after washing, towels are perhaps, the most versatile anything and they are essential, especially while traveling in a camper where storage is tight.

Towels come in all sizes, thickness, colors, prints and materials, the most popular being terry cloth, which was invented by an English guy named Samuel Holt in 1848. Maybe his dog was named Terry?

They are superb potholders, pot warmers, hot pads and layered in between them, pot de-rattlers while driving your Roadtrek. They can be baby swaddles, catchers of baby vomit, drool and projectile food. They are good emergency diapers. They are leg or foot warmers, blankets, headgear and modesty wraps in the spa or after a bath.

I have used them as rugs, doorstops and dusters, vent blockers and end table doilies.  Curtains.  Picnic and beach blankets. Hang one over a bright lamp to dim or set “the mood”.

thThey are great for stopping cold air under doors and preventing hot air from coming in around poorly installed window air conditioners.  They make excellent furniture dust covers. How about good frost protectors for plants,  under potted plants for watering overfill and potting plant dirt catchers?  Brass, silver and stainless polishers?  Wax on Wax off rags!  For you business owners, you can have them printed with your logo and given away as promotional gifts and your sales will probably sky rocket.  (I think we might need some Roadtrek towels, hint hint.)

Bug killers, spider smashers and fly swatters (then splat cleaners) unless you are a kind soul then they would be insect, snake, bird or bat in the house capturing devices.

They make excellent placemats, laptop protectors, camera wraps and are good for packing away grandma’s delicate glassware.  They prevent wet dogs from shaking little droplets all over grandma’s velvet wallpaper. They can cover the velvet Elvis eerily staring at you while you try to sleep in grandma’s guest room.

Towels are superb seat cushions and wet swimsuit car seat protectors.  Sun protectors for your windshield if you don’t have one of those fancy ones. Put on the headrest, they prevent dad’s dandruff from soiling mom’s favorite chair.  They make good pet beds and birdcage covers. Draped over chairs or tables they make great play forts for the kiddies.

For you sporting and gaming enthusiasts- how about golf club wipers, sweat bands and bowling ball polishers? You see lots of towels at the Olympics! You can put them under your sleeping bag to insulate from the cold, cold ground if you haven’t bought your Roadtrek yet, or use them under a saddle if your forgot the horse blanket.

You can play tug of war with the neighbor’s Rottwieler for hours with a towel and also threaten one with it.  Not that a towel would really do any good as a weapon unless you are- number one use for a towel- going to roll it up and snap someone with it!

If only they would invent an edible towel.  Or even a magic carpet towel!   But then, we wouldn’t be able to use one to proudly polish our gorgeous, shiny Roadtrek, which would be a crying shame and I would then need a small towel to wipe away my tears.

 

Mike Wendland

Published on 2013-07-21

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

9 Responses to “Laura: The most important accessory for your RV”

September 11, 2013at2:11 pm, Maureen said:

Love this blog….cheers for towels. I just gave my two pups a bath and the first thing on hand is a towel to throw over them. I particularly like the little white towels at IKEA, not expensive and I use them for so many tasks. My friend and I are busy making lace on our bobbin pillows and what do we use as a cover to keep the dust off….little square cotton covers but they are really just another towel!!!!!!

September 11, 2013at1:00 pm, Jane McArdle said:

You are so funny,I will have to rethink this towel issue

July 29, 2013at9:52 am, Laura Robinson said:

Ubiquitous and under appreciated!

July 21, 2013at9:55 pm, Nancy said:

Never gave it a thought as to how useful a towel can really be.

July 21, 2013at8:15 pm, Kristi said:

What a fun read ..Who knew, the towel has invaded my life, and I have been oblivious to it.

July 21, 2013at1:35 pm, Cheryl said:

I know what to get you for a gift! If you forget a paper towel or Kleenex in your pocket and wash it…..throw a miracle cloth in the dryer and it will pick up all the lint! Yep, towels are very useful!

July 21, 2013at11:49 am, Laura H Postema said:

Great post. I may have to reconsider my favorite accessory. Thanks.

July 21, 2013at11:27 am, Campskunk said:

towels and bed linens are Sharon’s area of expertise – i defer to her superior experience and judgement. we have these microfiber bath towel sets that fold up to nothing, and are still going strong after three years on the road – blue for me, turquiose for her. and there are these special miracle cloths that i never get to use because i get them dirty, but are supposed to pick up dirt by magic. i thought that was the whole purpose. i’ll never understand these things…

July 21, 2013at9:39 am, Lisa said:

You’re so funny!

Comments are closed.

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