We are new owner's of a 2014 Canyon Star. Here is our first attempt RVing.
We heeded the advice of friends and took the RV out on a trial run to a nearby campsite...Airport Park in Concordia, KS. It was very close to Walmart enabling us to pick up items we had forgotten to stock.
We started the day out early, arriving at the storage facility at 7:30 a.m. We learned our first lesson. Always check to ensure the plugins at the storage facility actually are providing power. Our battery was dead. Now we learned lesson number 2...if pulling in front first, allow enough room to pop the hood. Better yet, in the future back in. Lesson number three, when playing around with the RV always remember to raise the leveling jacks, because if you have no power in the battery, and can't get to the battery to jump start it, you might have to have someone hook onto you and pull you back a few feet. The storage facility loaned us a 100' extension cord and we plugged into a different outlet and eventually the RV started and the leveling jacks were retracted...we were ready to go. A few minutes after the RV started, we learned lesson number 4. When playing around with the RV be aware of your gas tank. Even if your wife gripes and complains about the heat and humidity, do not run the generator to power the AC to keep her happy. The RV ran out of gas before leaving the storage space. Never park an RV without at least a half a tank of gas. I ran to Walmart to buy a 5 gallon gas can, but alas, only 2 gallon cans were available. I bought 3 of them and I was off to QuickTrip to purchase 6 gallons of gas. I was back to the storage facility in no time. We gave her all 6 gallons and Rick turned the key...click, click, click. The battery was dead again. Nothing was going to ruffle our feathers on this 101 degree day. A nearby RV service facility was able to pull us back and hook up a charger. We waited on the white rock lot with the glistening sun reflecting all around us. The sweat pouring from our faces just added to our glow from the pride of ownership of this new home on wheels. We left Wichita at 1:08 pm.
The trip to Concordia was uneventful and the Airport Park is a beautiful place to spend a few days. Rick got the electric and water hooked up and we were set. We had a lovely visit with my mother and a wonderful lunch with my Aunt Lois. My son (with severe disabilities, hence, the wheelchair lift equipped Canyon Star) was happy and the cats were adjusting to their new surroundings. As all good things come to an end, it was time to leave Concordia and head back to Wichita.
We were loaded up and I noticed Pistol, the young and enthusiastic feline was missing. I was concerned she had gotten under the bed and couldn't get out. I tried everything to garner some response from her but to no avail. I went outside to ask Rick to help in my search when what to my wondering eyes should appear, a small, delicate black cat snooping around the nearby culvert. I was exuberant to have found her so easily, or so I thought. As I approached her she ran into the culvert and out of my sight. We spent the next 3 hours coaxing her to no avail. I was off to the conveniently located Walmart buying canned Tuna when Rick called. Pistol, as the loved kitty was previously known, was sitting in the bedroom window peering out of the RV. We had spent 3 hours trying to retrieve someone else's cat! Pistol is not the name I am currently using when referring to her.
We left Concordia at 11:15. All in all, we had a great time and are looking forward to future trips and I finally have fodder for a Christmas letter!
We heeded the advice of friends and took the RV out on a trial run to a nearby campsite...Airport Park in Concordia, KS. It was very close to Walmart enabling us to pick up items we had forgotten to stock.
We started the day out early, arriving at the storage facility at 7:30 a.m. We learned our first lesson. Always check to ensure the plugins at the storage facility actually are providing power. Our battery was dead. Now we learned lesson number 2...if pulling in front first, allow enough room to pop the hood. Better yet, in the future back in. Lesson number three, when playing around with the RV always remember to raise the leveling jacks, because if you have no power in the battery, and can't get to the battery to jump start it, you might have to have someone hook onto you and pull you back a few feet. The storage facility loaned us a 100' extension cord and we plugged into a different outlet and eventually the RV started and the leveling jacks were retracted...we were ready to go. A few minutes after the RV started, we learned lesson number 4. When playing around with the RV be aware of your gas tank. Even if your wife gripes and complains about the heat and humidity, do not run the generator to power the AC to keep her happy. The RV ran out of gas before leaving the storage space. Never park an RV without at least a half a tank of gas. I ran to Walmart to buy a 5 gallon gas can, but alas, only 2 gallon cans were available. I bought 3 of them and I was off to QuickTrip to purchase 6 gallons of gas. I was back to the storage facility in no time. We gave her all 6 gallons and Rick turned the key...click, click, click. The battery was dead again. Nothing was going to ruffle our feathers on this 101 degree day. A nearby RV service facility was able to pull us back and hook up a charger. We waited on the white rock lot with the glistening sun reflecting all around us. The sweat pouring from our faces just added to our glow from the pride of ownership of this new home on wheels. We left Wichita at 1:08 pm.
The trip to Concordia was uneventful and the Airport Park is a beautiful place to spend a few days. Rick got the electric and water hooked up and we were set. We had a lovely visit with my mother and a wonderful lunch with my Aunt Lois. My son (with severe disabilities, hence, the wheelchair lift equipped Canyon Star) was happy and the cats were adjusting to their new surroundings. As all good things come to an end, it was time to leave Concordia and head back to Wichita.
We were loaded up and I noticed Pistol, the young and enthusiastic feline was missing. I was concerned she had gotten under the bed and couldn't get out. I tried everything to garner some response from her but to no avail. I went outside to ask Rick to help in my search when what to my wondering eyes should appear, a small, delicate black cat snooping around the nearby culvert. I was exuberant to have found her so easily, or so I thought. As I approached her she ran into the culvert and out of my sight. We spent the next 3 hours coaxing her to no avail. I was off to the conveniently located Walmart buying canned Tuna when Rick called. Pistol, as the loved kitty was previously known, was sitting in the bedroom window peering out of the RV. We had spent 3 hours trying to retrieve someone else's cat! Pistol is not the name I am currently using when referring to her.
We left Concordia at 11:15. All in all, we had a great time and are looking forward to future trips and I finally have fodder for a Christmas letter!