Nervous Newbie

bikendan wrote:
Create a Arrival/Departure checklist and post it near the door.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

There are many steps to complete before driving off. Many steps involve only the RV, but the tow vehicle requires steps, too. Miss one step and you're in danger of damaging something - usually something expensive.

I also believe you should camp in your driveway for several days/nights, to get used to everything. You'll find you have needs and wants. The needs you can pop into the house and add to the FW. The wants you have to decide case by case if the FW really, truly should have it on board (everything you add adds weight).

One thing that's very important: learn to take Navy showers. If your FW shower head does not have a cutoff switch, add one, or replace the shower head/hose with a model that has the cutoff switch built in. Wet yourself thoroughly, turn off flow, soap up, turn back on and rinse. You want to use as little water as possible, because the gray tank is not very big on any RV, and dumping tanks every day is really not a good idea, if you can avoid it.

After a year, you'll find yourself removing things you thought you needed and never used. Believe me - we've all done it. Just try not to replace it with something else (keeping the weight down wherever possible).

Welcome to the RV world. It's really fun, and beats hotels by a country mile.