So, this is the year you will make your first Snowbird trip. Your journey will require heading south while the roads are still good for RV travel and returning as the winter turns to spring. This will be not only the longest time you have every used your RV, but the first time it will be your only home for an entire season.
Now, before you pack up and leave there are some things you have to tend to. Getting the house ready to be vacant for a good period of time may require you to turn off the water heater and the water main supply. Other considerations include the mail, which needs to be taken care of. It can be collected and forwarded by a friend or family member, or the post office offers this service. You will probably need someone to check your house on a regular basis to ensure it has adequate heat and is secure. Most insurance companies require this to be done in order to be covered.
Setting up all your regular bills, including any credit cards you have for on-line payment, is highly recommended. An alternative can be to arrange automatic withdrawal for your payments; however, not every institute offers this. Also, be sure to suspend any newspaper or like subscriptions that may be delivered to the house. Asking a neighbor to check periodically for any flyers near the front door is also wise. These tend to show the house is currently vacant.
Okay, you are on the road now. Unlike heading for a short vacation where getting to your destination on the planned date is important, no such motivation is present for most snowbirds migrations. So, if the wind is particularly high, or heavy rain is driving down steadily, the snowbird can pack it in at a campground and resume when the weather is more pleasant.
If you have already chosen a destination park where you will be spending the season, do you have an assigned site? If possible, try to get a site that would allow you to face with the front of the trailer or motorhome in a westerly direction. This will assure shade for most of the day beneath the patio awning. A northerly heading would probably be the next best choice as this would provide shade in the patio area during the hotter afternoon sun.
Once you have settled into your new season’s venue you will hopefully start meeting fellow snowbirds. Many of these folks may be regular snowbirds here and may be able to offer tips and local knowledge about the area.
Now you get to enjoy the warm weather and sun. So get out and explore your new seasonal neighborhood. Enjoy!
