Let’s continue with a few more tips for getting on the road from my book 301 Ways to Make RV Travel Safer, Easier, and More Fun.
- Figure out a budget and then decide how you’re going to pay for the trip. Make sure you have money in your checking account or can transfer funds while you’re on the road.
- Some police/sheriff departments will do vacation checks of your home on request. We use a dawn-to-dusk light mounted on the garage that lights up our place. A lot of people use timers to turn on lights inside at different times so their place looks lived in. Be sure to lock up everything as good as you can before you leave.
- To help ensure that your home isn’t an attractive target for burglars when you’re away for more than a couple of days, temporarily stop your mail and newspaper delivery. A phone call to your newspaper’s customer service number will do, but you probably will have to notify the post office in writing. Pick up an “Authorization to Hold Mail” form from your local post office, or visit http://www.usps.gov/ and click on “Hold mail.” The post office will hold your mail for up to 30 days, so if your trip will be longer than a month, you’ll need to make other arrangements, such as forwarding your mail or asking someone to pick it up for you. It’s also a good idea to have a neighbor check your doorstep from time to time to clear away any fliers left by solicitors.
- Test your RV’s gas stove, hot water heater, and furnace. Be sure that your propane tank is filled to the proper amount.
- Test the air conditioner and the auxiliary generator to be sure they run properly.
- Make sure the motorhome is regularly serviced and kept in good mechanical condition. Be prepared with a few critical items, such as:
* extra drive belts for engine accessories
* a fuel filter
* spare top and bottom radiator hoses
* a few feet of extra heater hose
* electrical wire and crimp-on terminals
* extra 12-volt fuses for coach and chassis systems
* rolls of duct and electrical tape
* a few clean rags
* flares
* reflective warning signs - Turn on the refrigerator in the RV a day before you begin loading it (two days before in hot weather) to confirm that it is working and sufficiently cool.
I’ll be back with more…
Bernice Beard