Hi, my name is Lee and my wife are from Cincinnati and we'll be heading out in July in a Newmar, Mountain Aire, 2000. I'm so green they picked the color to represent me. My new home is sitting out in the cold now and I wonder how to start it, make sure it is ready to go come June and what our life on the road will be like. Thanks for reading this.
Just starting out
- Thread starter Flash74
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Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
Well Lee,, you started out right,, the mountain Aire is a great machine to have to start with.. We should all be so lucky.!!>>>Dan ( Welcome to the Forum..)
Gizmo100
Well-known member
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- Sep 28, 2018
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Welcome to the RV Forum Lee
My first suggestion would be read as much of the forum as you can. Then plan your first "RV Trip" to happen in the driveway. You will have a much better grasp on things and if needed you can always make a trip into the house to get that forgotten item(s). (like the Salt and Pepper)
Don't over buy the things you 'Think" you need. Remember they have Walmart's everywhere.
And don't be afraid to ask questions.
My first suggestion would be read as much of the forum as you can. Then plan your first "RV Trip" to happen in the driveway. You will have a much better grasp on things and if needed you can always make a trip into the house to get that forgotten item(s). (like the Salt and Pepper)
Don't over buy the things you 'Think" you need. Remember they have Walmart's everywhere.
And don't be afraid to ask questions.
DonTom
Well-known member
And with the Wal*Mart credit card, you can get cash out as needed at any Wal*Mart. $100.00 per day, I think it is.
I find Wal*Marts to be very handy on RV trips. It's about the only time I ever go to Wal*Marts.
-Don- Auburn, CA
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
Hey Lee - I bought my well used RV last summer. I got a couple of checklists off the library here that I customized for my own use.
I would say that a departure checklist for the RV is critical. I have a simplified one for simply preparing to drive. Interior secured, doors latched, basement lockers, closed, antenna retracted, jacks up, awning stowed, trailer lights & trailer chain. etc. I have a checklist that gets down to paper towels and paper clips but that is information overload. Forgetting paper clips is no problem. Launching with the awning out is a big problem. So the departure "driving" checklist has to be complete and simple, separate prom provisioning checklists and used every time you launch. I have gotten in the habit to take a walk around tour every time before I start the engine, even if it's just a gas stop.
On this trip for example I got distracted and my brother shouted at me. Forgot to hook up trailer chains and lights.
Based on advice here I camped in the driveway for a week before my first trip.
They key is to not leave the RV and cheat by using the house. OK I did shower and go potty in the house after like a couple days (had to at least check the bathroom systems).
That first trip was Dayton to Biloxi MS for 9 days and went great! I am now in northern Florida having escaped the freeze.
For a closer adventure I can recommend Caesar's Creek. Booking on-line through the state system is easy and for the first couple times you are close enough to home to be able to get something essential ferried to you. We did probably 4 long weekends at Caesar's Creek with the boat last summer.
I would say that a departure checklist for the RV is critical. I have a simplified one for simply preparing to drive. Interior secured, doors latched, basement lockers, closed, antenna retracted, jacks up, awning stowed, trailer lights & trailer chain. etc. I have a checklist that gets down to paper towels and paper clips but that is information overload. Forgetting paper clips is no problem. Launching with the awning out is a big problem. So the departure "driving" checklist has to be complete and simple, separate prom provisioning checklists and used every time you launch. I have gotten in the habit to take a walk around tour every time before I start the engine, even if it's just a gas stop.
On this trip for example I got distracted and my brother shouted at me. Forgot to hook up trailer chains and lights.
Based on advice here I camped in the driveway for a week before my first trip.
They key is to not leave the RV and cheat by using the house. OK I did shower and go potty in the house after like a couple days (had to at least check the bathroom systems).
That first trip was Dayton to Biloxi MS for 9 days and went great! I am now in northern Florida having escaped the freeze.
For a closer adventure I can recommend Caesar's Creek. Booking on-line through the state system is easy and for the first couple times you are close enough to home to be able to get something essential ferried to you. We did probably 4 long weekends at Caesar's Creek with the boat last summer.
Welcome Lee & Wife! As mentioned, reading on this forum is a great start. Also reading & learning about your motorhome is important. We found a forum specific to our motorhome that also has great info. We are getting familiar with our coach by just going out for a drive. We also drove to another town about 40 miles from us and parked in parking lot close to a Red Robin. Had grandson & wife over, ordered dinner & had a great visit for a couple of hours. Any small increments of time in it helps learn about it. We will park in the driveway but there are 2 KOAs, one actually in town & the other about 5 miles from us. That way we would be close to home if needed.
As suggested, have a check list that both of you know. Wife should know some of the basics of setting up as well (if she want to). I would like to learn how to drive, DH is a bit ( a bit??) hesitant.
As far as what it is like to be on the road, it is pretty great! I'm sure other will chime in on that one.
Excited for you & look forward to hearing about your adventures!
As suggested, have a check list that both of you know. Wife should know some of the basics of setting up as well (if she want to). I would like to learn how to drive, DH is a bit ( a bit??) hesitant.
As far as what it is like to be on the road, it is pretty great! I'm sure other will chime in on that one.
Excited for you & look forward to hearing about your adventures!
Isaac-1
Well-known member
As I see it you need to do 4 things:
1, Preventive maintenance and repair, check the age on the tires (replace if DOT date code shows them over 7 years old), if you don't have a good maintenance history change all the fluids (not just oil, but everything, power steering fluid, etc.), inspect for common drive train and suspension issues, battery condition, etc. Check for any rubber components that may have aged out, lots of these tend to sneak by, generally anything made of rubber will need to be replaced after 12-15 years max, this may include things like the fuel line running to the generator, or the propane regulator which has a rubber diaphragm.
2, Familiarize yourself with the RV, know what all the switches do, learn how all the systems work, how to hook up water, electric, how to dump the tanks, know how big all the tanks are, testing for correct function and repair when you find a problem is part of this as well, driving down the road in the middle of nowhere as the sun sets is no time to discover that the high beam headlights don't work.
3, Provision the coach, this is where some shake down trips / driveway camping really helps, though I think a local campground near a Wal-Mart is probably a better option than driveway camping. Again the middle of nowhere is not the time to realize you have plenty of canned food and no can opener, or that your drinking water hose is too short.
4, Education, watch RV videos on youtube, participate on the forums here, learn all those little tips and tricks, ranging from trip planning, finding campgrounds, to DIY repairs. Being able to fix stuff yourself, even simple stuff can make the difference between having a miserable time vs a minor annoyance. I don't think I have yet to go on a trip where nothing broke, on our last big 3,000+ mile trip these things included the passenger side power seat (broken power lead wire), the furnace starter short cycling during an early season arctic blast (bad over temperature switch), and a hydraulic fluid reservoiur started leaking (crack in the plastic). Any of which could have led to a miserable experience if not for my ability to diagnose the issue, and either repair it or come up with a work around.
1, Preventive maintenance and repair, check the age on the tires (replace if DOT date code shows them over 7 years old), if you don't have a good maintenance history change all the fluids (not just oil, but everything, power steering fluid, etc.), inspect for common drive train and suspension issues, battery condition, etc. Check for any rubber components that may have aged out, lots of these tend to sneak by, generally anything made of rubber will need to be replaced after 12-15 years max, this may include things like the fuel line running to the generator, or the propane regulator which has a rubber diaphragm.
2, Familiarize yourself with the RV, know what all the switches do, learn how all the systems work, how to hook up water, electric, how to dump the tanks, know how big all the tanks are, testing for correct function and repair when you find a problem is part of this as well, driving down the road in the middle of nowhere as the sun sets is no time to discover that the high beam headlights don't work.
3, Provision the coach, this is where some shake down trips / driveway camping really helps, though I think a local campground near a Wal-Mart is probably a better option than driveway camping. Again the middle of nowhere is not the time to realize you have plenty of canned food and no can opener, or that your drinking water hose is too short.
4, Education, watch RV videos on youtube, participate on the forums here, learn all those little tips and tricks, ranging from trip planning, finding campgrounds, to DIY repairs. Being able to fix stuff yourself, even simple stuff can make the difference between having a miserable time vs a minor annoyance. I don't think I have yet to go on a trip where nothing broke, on our last big 3,000+ mile trip these things included the passenger side power seat (broken power lead wire), the furnace starter short cycling during an early season arctic blast (bad over temperature switch), and a hydraulic fluid reservoiur started leaking (crack in the plastic). Any of which could have led to a miserable experience if not for my ability to diagnose the issue, and either repair it or come up with a work around.
