On The Road Again.

What to Watch Out For While Traveling

Traveling (Quicklinks)

Checklists

Pool Noodles

Monitoring While Traveling

It rolls around with amazing frequency. Time to pack up, hitch up, and start rolling down the road again. It can become so familiar that it can almost be done by memory. Almost.

Spend much time on the road and around campgrounds and you’ll see and hear stories that are almost unbelievable. I’ve seen people pull away still plugged into the electrical panel. I saw a Class A Motorhome with water running off the roof, from the door, and from the underbelly. The owner was flushing his black tank and left his rig with the water running.

Here are some tips how to avoid being the guy who is the subject of someone else’s joke or story.

Atul Gawande wrote a book a few years ago, The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. He studied the amount of errors in hospitals and surgeries and found that those whose methods included using checklists had substantially less error than those who didn’t. He also brought up pilots, and how they are trained to use checklists every single time they take off and land.

We developed a Redwood Checklist in Google Docs that includes two checklists for Departure - one for the inside and one for the outside; and one for Arrival.

We wanted an electronic checklist because paper lists get lost, get wet, get dirty, and don’t get updated when they should. The Google docs checklist is easy to keep updated and we always have the latest version. We both open the checklist on our phone (almost) every time we move our rig. When we skip the checklist is when we’ve had problems.

A pool noodle costs about $1.00 if you find them at the right time and place, and we’ve found pool noodles to be one of the cheapest, most effective methods for protection inside and out of an RV.

I’ve found that slide edges, the pin box, and awning arms have much less effect when the noggin comes in contact with a pool noodle. A pool noodle cut to the right length with a slit cut longitudinally can be the best form of protection for the obvious reason, and it makes the edge more noticeable. And I had to learn the hard way.

On the interior, we squeeze a poodle noodle between the refrigerator door handles to bind the doors closed when we travel. We put a noodle on the freezer door which compresses against the island with the slide pulled in. That protects the island from damage and keeps the freezer closed.

For cabinets that have contents that tend to shift in transit, a pool noodle on the inside may block the contents from pressing against the door in transit and keep things in place.

Maintaining an awareness of the condition of your rig while traveling is the best way to prevent surprises when on the road.

Fuel Planning. Staying on interstates most of the time will prevent trouble with running out of fuel, but that’s not the best way to enjoy the journey. Don’t avoid the smaller two- or four-lane US highways for traveling just for fuel convenience. Start planning a fuel stop when the tank indicates between 1/2 and 1/4. It’s usually about the right time for a stop with plenty of reserve in case fuel is scarce.

Always look for an escape route before entering a fuel station - if it looks tight, keep moving. It is much easier to avoid getting into a situation than trying to figure out how to get out of a tight spot.

Do a walk-around when stopped to make sure everything is still secured, tires and suspension look normal, hitch is still latched and cables are connected.

Speed. A traveling speed of about 65 m.p.h. maximum is a great recommendation. Some RVers try to keep up with truck traffic which is typically doing 70 m.p.h. or greater, but truck frames, suspension, and tires are all built for durability on the road. Most fifth wheels are built for the lowest possible cost with minimum strength materials, planned for being on the road less than 30 days a year. At 65 m.p.h., fuel mileage will be better, the rig should ride smoother, and the safety margin is higher.

Mirrors, Shadows and Reflections. Most know to keep an eye on the rig through their mirrors when traveling. This can bring early awareness to tire and slide issues. An additional method of monitoring, though, is watching your shadow and reflection in trucks or passing vehicles. Check your roof. Make sure your satellite dish or antenna is down. Look for anything flapping. Always stay aware of how your rig is traveling, and hopefully you will catch any problem early before it creates more problems.

TPMS. The abbreviation stands for Tire Pressure Monitor System. While this subject is covered as its own topic under RV Maintenance, trailer tire failure is probably the most common cause of breakdowns for RVs. A TPMS while traveling will potentially alert prior to a catastrophic tire failure.

GPS. A fantastic navigation tool, it is not always accurate. It is still the best means of navigation while traveling. Be aware of its limitations. For example:

Vehicle navigation systems, without a subscription, rarely provide the latest map data. They are close, but not always accurate. We typically look at the route on our phones before leaving, plug our destination into the truck GPS, and keep the phone map on if there are discrepancies or we choose a different route than the truck determines. It helps prevent surprises.

Use of GPS around Disney in Orlando will likely lead you in circles. Follow the directional signs rather than GPS.

In a downtown area, I used two different map programs. One showed us 1.9 miles away from the destination; the other showed .7 (which was accurate). I don’t understand the why of the differences, I just know that sometimes the system hiccups and provides inaccurate data. Try to check out your intended route before leaving (while you have some time and are not under pressure) instead of trying to figure it out while traveling. And if you miss an exit, just go down to the following exit instead of trying to make a late attack. It’s much safer to press on and turn around instead of making the valiant effort.

Weigh stations. Generally, it’s easy to figure out that RVs do not have to stop at weigh stations. They are for commercial vehicles; however, a few states do not make that very clear. In Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Georgia we have passed signs for upcoming weigh stations and they begin flashing “Take the Exit” or ‘Must Exit”. Those sensors are detecting weight and finding our rig over the commercial limit - but it doesn’t know we are not a commercial vehicle. Bottom line - bypass all weigh stations. They are for commercial trucks, not private RVs.

Watercraft inspection. In most western states, inspection of watercraft is required when entering the state. They are attempting to prevent invasive species in their waterways, and private RVs are subject to inspection if carrying or trailering a boat.

We carry kayaks, and we are required to stop at ALL watercraft inspection stations. They usually ask where the last location the boats were in the water and where we intend to use them. On a few occasions they have sprayed us down with hot water. They usually provide a certificate that can be helpful if you are required to stop at another station in the same state.

In case you think about bypassing these stations, we had a fun conversation at a station in Utah. The inspectors usually have a pretty good relationship with the local sheriff office, and if the inspectors notice a non-stopper, it only takes about 3 miles or less for the sheriff to nab you. It can be a pretty expensive ticket and you’re attitude usually determines whether or not they give you a ticket.

It’s all part of the process of protecting the environment if you want to carry boats.

Fuel and rest stops. Use these opportunities as a chance to walk around the rig and see how it’s traveling. Look at the tires for any abnormality; verify the antenna or satellite dish is down; make sure the bike racks are tight. Always use the truck lanes at rest stops and fuel stops. They will accommodate large RVs and give you plenty of room for inspection.

Meals while traveling. We attempt to avoid sit down or fast food meals while traveling, and always try to have our lunch supplies on the accessible side of the refrigerator. It’s not exaggeration for a stop at a restaurant to turn into a 45-minute to 1-hour stop.

Conversely, we can stop at a rest stop, fuel stop or large parking lot, grab the sandwich stuff out of the fridge, both get our restroom breaks in while the sandwiches are made and a leisurely walk-around to see how things are traveling, and we’re back on the road without a major change in our time schedule.

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