First cross country road trip - HELP
My parents literally just bought a new $100k 25' RV and are ready to hop in and drive cross country from SC to BC, Canada. (We will be there and they want to join us). My dad went to pick it up and al...
Forum Discussion
Take a deep breath, and pass along to them a few things that might help. Posting here was a good first step on your part.
I have driven our 27 foot RV across the US twice, and have driven across the US five times in our car and those trips are the basis for my responses. First, driving the RV will take practice. Skill will improve with experience. The thing to remember is to take it easy and try to stay on Interstates until they have a good feel for the RV. These roads are built to accommodate the big rigs, so there should be no problem with narrow lanes or low bridges. Try to avoid larger cities until he feels comfortable with traffic. Take the loop highways around the cities when possible. Remind your folks that they should not expect to travel as far or as fast as in a car. Personally, I get more fatigued driving the RV than a car, so I try to limit my driving to 6-7 hours per day on long trips. Talk to them about rear end swing, which is how the very back of the RV will swing out to the opposite side when turning. The pivot point is the rear axle. This is very important when parking and especially at gas pumps. If time permits, ask them to take the RV to a local campground a couple of times before the long trip to practice backing up into sites, hooking up, leveling, dumping the tanks, and learning how to use the appliances and generator.
With respect to the trip, many RVers just pick up and go with little planning. They go where the road leads them. Your folks will be driving through civilization through the US, where just about any kind of help is available. Rvers mostly are a friendly group and will offer to help and answer questions.
To be safe, ask them to plot on a US map their intended route. Do they expect to stop along the way to sight-see or are they driving directly? Ask them to call every night at a specific time; a time after they have arrived and hooked-up. It will help re-assure you, and they get the chance to tell you about their adventures for the day.
By the way, if they are crossing the border into Canada with the RV, you or they might want to read the posts on the RVing in Canada and Alaska forum here. Scroll down on the main menu and you will find it. Important reading for them will include the posts on what you can take and cannot take across the border.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I usually hang out on the Class C forum.
Bob
I have driven our 27 foot RV across the US twice, and have driven across the US five times in our car and those trips are the basis for my responses. First, driving the RV will take practice. Skill will improve with experience. The thing to remember is to take it easy and try to stay on Interstates until they have a good feel for the RV. These roads are built to accommodate the big rigs, so there should be no problem with narrow lanes or low bridges. Try to avoid larger cities until he feels comfortable with traffic. Take the loop highways around the cities when possible. Remind your folks that they should not expect to travel as far or as fast as in a car. Personally, I get more fatigued driving the RV than a car, so I try to limit my driving to 6-7 hours per day on long trips. Talk to them about rear end swing, which is how the very back of the RV will swing out to the opposite side when turning. The pivot point is the rear axle. This is very important when parking and especially at gas pumps. If time permits, ask them to take the RV to a local campground a couple of times before the long trip to practice backing up into sites, hooking up, leveling, dumping the tanks, and learning how to use the appliances and generator.
With respect to the trip, many RVers just pick up and go with little planning. They go where the road leads them. Your folks will be driving through civilization through the US, where just about any kind of help is available. Rvers mostly are a friendly group and will offer to help and answer questions.
To be safe, ask them to plot on a US map their intended route. Do they expect to stop along the way to sight-see or are they driving directly? Ask them to call every night at a specific time; a time after they have arrived and hooked-up. It will help re-assure you, and they get the chance to tell you about their adventures for the day.
By the way, if they are crossing the border into Canada with the RV, you or they might want to read the posts on the RVing in Canada and Alaska forum here. Scroll down on the main menu and you will find it. Important reading for them will include the posts on what you can take and cannot take across the border.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I usually hang out on the Class C forum.
Bob
