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bobcat12

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Hi - We are going to pick up our first motorhome in Texas next week.  We live in the Kansas City area.  I have been reading the message boards and library and love all the info.  I am wondering how to determine where to stop for gas in a 37" RV!  Also after driving the RV home, do all the tanks need to be empty before storing in a climate controlled area? How do you find a place to empty before storing?  Any tips for travelling with dogs appreciated too!  We have two large dogs who will be on most trips with us. 
 
Welcome to the board.

A lot of info left off here.  Is it a diesel or gas rig?  A class A or class C?  How new (or old) is it.....what year?  How many gallons is your fuel tank? 

Either way, keep an eye on your fuel guage.  For the first tank I'd try re-fueling after 2/3 tank is gone.  Once you know how many miles you went and how many gallons that took, you'll have a good idea of how many miles to the gallon you're getting.  Do that over two or three tank fulls and you'll have an even better idea of how many miles you can get out of a tank of fuel.  By the way, any time my vehicles are sitting for more than a day or so in the winter months, I try to top off the fuel tank......to minamize the condensation in the fuel tank.

Climate controlled?  Is it climate controlled or temperature controlled?  I mean are they controlling relative humidity and all?  Just curious what something like that costs.  Tempreture controlled.....how cold does that place get down to at night?  If it stays up above freezing around the clock then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.  Do they have an emergency back up generator to keep it warm if they loose power?  Something to think about.  Even if they lost power and it got down below freezing, they'd probably have the power back on before it was a hard freeze inside.

I've only stored our boats and now our 5th wheel indoors.  I believe all the indoor storage facilities here in Sacramento have a dump station on site.  The two I've used (am using) have valet service so they dump for you, wash it for you, fill your fresh water tank, tire pressure, etc. if you want that done it's all included in the $127 a month.  Personally, I'm skeptical that it'll be done right so I'd rather do it myself.

You may want to get the protable kennel (folding fence type thing) at any of the pet stores.  They work well for keeping the dog outside without having to tie them up all the time and don't take up a lot of space when folded up.

Hope this helps a bit.

 
As far as gas,  I'd say look for a station where the pumps are parallel to the street, but we've found that every Pilot or Flying J will have enough room so you can gas up at the end pump (usually gas or diesel) fairly easily. Diesel will be at the RV or truck pumps.

Ernie
 
Okay - I did forget some major details!

It is a new Thor Motor Coach Outlaw 3611 (gas) with 80 gallon tank.  We are going to Alvarado, TX to pick up. The "garage" will be the dog room so all the dirt and water after swimming are not in the main area. We will have dog crates secured in the garage for travel.  The RV storage facility is "underground" stays about 60 degrees.
 
We live in south KC, but the RV will live North at Innerspace Storage in Independence, MO
 
I-35 has two Food/Gas Plazas between Emporia and Wichita and another between Wichita and Oklahoma. All are RV friendly.

There's a Love's Travel Plaza on I-35 at the Hy 59 exit at Ottawa. A full tank of gas should get you there  from Texas if the dealer gives you a full tank (520 miles). Loves has a weigh scale also, so if the MH is full of gas and propane and all the water tanks are empty, this should give you a good base weight. Scale cost is about $10. You'll be disappointed later (very) if you don't weigh the rig before you store it.

If you need to dump tanks you could do it at Olathe RV Center (913-856-8145) located right at Exit 207 in Gardner for about $10. Then you could weigh at the truck stop at the 151st exit in Olathe. The Olathe truck stop is difficult to find without a second pair of eyes. Exit at 151st, then turn left on Hy 7 at the first light (before you get to 151st). Go over I-35 and then take the first right at the light. Truck stop is about 1/4 mile ahead on the right.

Call Olathe RV for their hours if you will be arriving late.
 
Finding gas stations you can fit into isn't that big of a deal.  Major truck stops along the Interstates have competitive gasoline prices and almost all of them either have separate RV islands or enough room at the car pumps where you shouldn't have any problem getting in or out.  With a 37 ft. motorhome you'll monopolize two car spaces - usually if you pull up to the forward pump the rear one will be near your fuel filler.  I cheat and stick my head out of the drivers' side window to check before I turn off the engine.

When you go to leave, remember you're about twice as long as a car and sitting in a different position further to the front than you're used to, so you have to think about how the rear wheels will track when you make a sharp turn.  Usually this means pulling straight forward almost a full car length beyond the end of the curb before starting a sharp turn.  Then watch your rear wheels in your mirror while you're turning and make sure they'll clear whatever's alongside you.

Watch the weather, make sure your propane tank is full and the furnace works well before you start out.  There's nothing wrong with stopping and waiting a while, even overnight if the weather turns dicey.  Again, truck stops are a good choice if you can't find an open campground.  Make sure you park on the car side, not in the truck lot, so you aren't stealing a spot a truck driver needs to get off the road.  Truck stops usually have several restaurants and you're sure to get up to the minute road reports.
 
Lou Schneider said:
When you go to leave, remember you're about twice as long as a car and sitting in a different position further to the front than you're used to, so you have to think about how the rear wheels will track when you make a sharp turn.  Usually this means pulling straight forward almost a full car length beyond the end of the curb before starting a sharp turn.  Then watch your rear wheels in your mirror while you're turning and make sure they'll clear whatever's alongside you.

BE sure to watch BOTH sides as the swing of the rear can be quite large depending on the overhang behind the rear wheels.  Many get caught by this and do damage to both the MH/RV and adjacent property.
 
Thanks for all the info and tips!  The RV is now home (in it's storage facility).  My husband did great, driving home from Texas.  Can't wait to take our first trip!  I will show my ignorance now, why were we advised to weigh the RV?
 
The manufacturer is required to provide the motorhome buyer with the weight of the MH as built, the maximum weight the MH is designed to weigh when loaded and the maximum the MH plus any vehicle or trailer being towed can weigh and still be operated safely. These weights are usually posted on a sticker to the left and below the driver's window. Exceeding these weight could damage the chassis, overload the tires or axles or prevent the driver from making a safe stop. It's nice to know what the MH actually weighs and how the weight is distributed on the axles when it is brand new from the dealer with full tanks of gas and propane. This will help you determine how you will load the MH and even how much fresh, grey or black water you will haul before dumping. Actually, the weight of my MH is one thousand pounds heavier than listed on the title. It was nice to learn this before I started loading it.

The library above covers all of this, and the language associated with it, in detail. And, you found the right forum to get your questions answered.

Like you, I'm anxious to get out there and have some fun!
 
Welcome to the forum!

Just wanting to add to the info here. If you happen to have a smartphone such as an iPhone there are great apps that can help you locate dumping stations and camp sites.
Allstays Camp and RV is one of my favorites
I also use RV Checklist (as recommended here by Donn) to help me set up and break down for trips. It is wonderful. I can suggest others as well if you are equipped.

I am so excited for you both!

 

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