About to actually become an RVer

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What type of rig do you guys have? What kind of repairs etc. have you been working on?
Don’t forget after dumping the gray and black waters to close the valves on your motorhome.
It is the Class C Y2K Dutchman 29’ that is in my signature line.

I have been on the forum and YouTube for 4 months repairing water damage etc. so I feel reasonably informed, but this is where the book learning meets the real world. ;)
 
This is not working out as planned. It looks like this trip to the frozen north will either not happen or it will be an overnight at some Walmart. That would mean I have to sanitize my water tank and haul water. Not sure if that is the best intro to the wife.

I did leave a message at the Wayne County Fair grounds but I am not optimistic. At this rate I will have to drive to Florida to empty my waste tanks.
 
This is not working out as planned. It looks like this trip to the frozen north will either not happen or it will be an overnight at some Walmart. That would mean I have to sanitize my water tank and haul water. Not sure if that is the best intro to the wife.

I did leave a message at the Wayne County Fair grounds but I am not optimistic. At this rate I will have to drive to Florida to empty my waste tanks.
I take it The Ridge didn't work out... I don't know where it is in relation to your location, but the Jonestown, PA KOA off I-81 is definitely open and has full hookups. A little cheaper than The Ridge too.

 
I think at this point it will be Walmarting in Wayne County NY or going to a state park about 30 miles from here and spending a couple of nights and dumping the tanks.
 
Hope you enjoy first overnight in your RV. Dealing with any problem is part of the fun. And, I think you are well prepared. Enjoy!!!
 
You might want to find a campground that has full hookups for your first trip so that you can refill and dump your fresh water tank a couple of times to get rid of any risidual borax and soap. Some state parks have full hookups, meaning electric, water, and sewer. That would make it easier for you and your wife.

However, remember that RVing is an "adventure." This means things do go wrong, but this happens to everyone, and they are very seldom unrecoverable from. Plus, they provide you with endless stories to tell friends. For example, on my first trip, I had packed flashlights but could not find them. I flushed out the winterizing chemicals from the fresh water tank, and had flushed the two waste tanks, but did not get around to turning on the hot water heater and filling it with water until after dark. I had forgotten to put in a plug on the outside access, and had water running down the side of my motorhome while I frantically went through boxes. I was rescued by a couple of men who did have flashlights and knew how to put the plug in!! I was even able to take a hot shower that night, so all worked out well.

Lesson learned is to ask your camping neighbors for help. Nearly every camper will be more than happy to lend a hand and save you from a disaster!
 
You might want to find a campground that has full hookups for your first trip so that you can refill and dump your fresh water tank a couple of times to get rid of any risidual borax and soap. Some state parks have full hookups, meaning electric, water, and sewer. That would make it easier for you and your wife.

However, remember that RVing is an "adventure." This means things do go wrong, but this happens to everyone, and they are very seldom unrecoverable from. Plus, they provide you with endless stories to tell friends. For example, on my first trip, I had packed flashlights but could not find them. I flushed out the winterizing chemicals from the fresh water tank, and had flushed the two waste tanks, but did not get around to turning on the hot water heater and filling it with water until after dark. I had forgotten to put in a plug on the outside access, and had water running down the side of my motorhome while I frantically went through boxes. I was rescued by a couple of men who did have flashlights and knew how to put the plug in!! I was even able to take a hot shower that night, so all worked out well.

Lesson learned is to ask your camping neighbors for help. Nearly every camper will be more than happy to lend a hand and save you from a disaster!
You put Borax and soap in your fresh water tank?
 
I do NOT have a place to hook up a sprayer, just a standard waste hose and a clear coupling I added to get a sense of the shape of my tanks. I 1/3 filled the tanks with water, Borax, and Dawn 3 months ago to make sure I get them properly cleaned out.
You put Borax and soap in your fresh water tank?
As I read it, he put it in his waste tanks for some reason, probably the advice of our resident "experts."
 
Borax is perfectly fine for the waste tanks. It's cheap, works and is easily and safely stored.
 
If you thought I put Borax and Dawn in my freshwater tank I apologize for not being clear. Borax and Dawn are well-known products to soften the water, reduce build-up and degrease tanks. If you are interested in looking it up -->
 
Ok, this sounds like a commercial….
I like the Rhino hoses. I like their sewer fittings. I especially like the silly wrench.
Dump Black, then Grey. Then disconnect from RV and wash down from that end . Lastly, disconnect from sewer, rinse everything. Put the cover on the campground sewer. Rinse everything, stow the slinky and fittings, rinse the gloves, and done.
You left out putting the obligatory rock back on the dump station cover/lid ;>)

Rock on the Dump Station lid.... Long Long Honeymoon

Charles
 
Since we could find no open camp sites within 50 miles of where we wanted to go, I was undecided what to do. I used the new battery monitor to calculate the amp draw of the furnace, TV, fan, etc and calculated our battery would provide what we needed/wanted without shore power.

I filled and drained the fresh water tank twice because I could not pour any Clorox solution in the fill spout and we were only going to use it to shower. The tank looked good with a visual check.

After finding good reviews of a Walmart on RV Parky in Macedonia NY my wife said she was up for the trip. All this threw us very late how ever because our RV was anything BUT turnkey ready, I decided to load my large portable air AC compressor, throw food and clothes in the RV and head 185 miles north.

It was dark when we left at 5 pm. All went well getting here other than hitting one hump in a 2lane back road that felt like we might go air borne. I was going 50 mph in a 55mph zone. Thankfully I was not going 60. As it was it even dumped clothes hangers off the clothes rod in the closets so you can guess about the Refrig, etc.

I had called ahead to confirm we could park. Both on the phone and in person, Everyone at this Super Walmart was VERY friendly and accommodating.

The shower drain is very sluggish but the wife is still sleeping sound so I consider “all is well”. I will check our battery status in a few minutes to see how we did on our one - 100AH battery. More later.
 
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Why did you take your large portable air AC compressor? Did you mean generator?
I hope things are going well for you guys. You have a lot of courage doing what you’re doing. I wouldn’t. I would have spent a few days in it about 50’ from home just in case.
 
Gonna be pretty windy here today.
We drove 2days from Mistletoe St Park Georgia to beat the winds, got home Wed. 2- 450+ mile days about 10 hrs each.We stop about every 2 Hrs.
You are probably staying way east of lake Erie so the winds will not be as bad for driving
 
Actually the highest gusts are at Rochester and we are only about 12 miles to the east BUT the temp is a crazy 54 degrees.

We watched a few hours of local TV, and ran the DC portable fan all night but We ran those off of a “Rescue 1060” portable power pack. I set the thermostat at about 60 degrees and the battery only got down to 67%.

The Fresh water tank indicator said empty this morning. I wondered how much water my wife used. A visual check showed the tank was 2/3s full.
Heck showed it is 2/3 f oh gif
 
Why did you take your large portable air AC compressor? Did you mean generator?
I hope things are going well for you guys. You have a lot of courage doing what you’re doing. I wouldn’t. I would have spent a few days in it about 50’ from home just in case.
No, I meant a 2 gal 140 PSI compressor. Ii took it in case I had to emergency winterize or if I had a tire pressure issue. Few stations have a straight chuck which I need.
 
FYI, I now have little plastic hooks at my side door where I keep a very good flashlight. I also keep one in the pocket next to the driver's door and one hanging on the wall next to my bed, but lower than the mattress. This way, if I ever have an emergency in the dark, I will be able to grab a flashlight on my way out and be able to see what I need to see in the dark! No tripping over anything and injuring myself.

Another tip is to have a first aid kit, clearly labeled, and stored in an easily accessible place. I learned this after cutting myself while making a sandwich at a small scenic rest area and had trouble stopping the bleeding. My first aid kit was in the bottom drawer of my bedroom, which of course was blocked by the mattress when the slide was closed. I grabbed a clean dish cloth and finally got the bleeding stopped, and also found an old bandaid that I put on tightly. When I got back to my campsite, I got my first-aid kit out, wrote "Fitst Aid" on it with a white oil paint marker and put it in an overhead cabinet in my living room.
 
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