Itinerary, Travel with Pets

[Classy_C_to_be]

I am learning so much from this site!

My husband, son and I plan on traveling this Spring/Summer. We still as yet need to buy the right vehicle, but we have determined it should be a Class C. I am currently researching floor plans and all the myriad details of this new lifestyle. It is exciting, but also a bit mindboggling to read of all the things we need to be aware of in order to make this a successful and fun trip.

The itinerary at this point in time is largely unplanned. We have a list of old friends we'll want to visit along the way in various states, as well as the main national treasures we shouldn't miss. Not only do we want to have fun, but are on the look-out for a place to relocate eventually. We will be traveling with a cat and our Boston Terrier.

So this is an open forum for your suggestions on quaint places to visit, eateries to patronize and friendly cities/towns/areas to consider for relocation along the way.

We can use any and all advice you may have, and thank you for your wisdom in any area you choose to reply with.

[rmasonschneider]

OP if you don't mind, would ya tell us atleast which way you're headed?

[Classy_C_to_be]

You're all getting us excited to get going. Thanks for all the input. We have our first realtor in today to check out the property/house. I hate to see it go, but think this'll be an awesome adventure. It'll be a while before we're ready to leave, so if you are so inclined continue the advice. I can use any and all!

[DaCrema]

We have two dogs, a small poodle mix (19 lbs) and a young standard (70 lbs). We looked around a lot and settled on a older Lazy Daze mid bath because of the length and layout. At was going to get a 24 ft RV because it would be easier to park, but the extra two feet made a world of difference in livability.
The Dogs love the RV. We live on the east coast and often have to pay extra for the dogs in parks. I keep a copy of vet records in the RV for each dog. I put a new copy in each spring. Most places have wanted to see a copy of the rabies certification when I checked in.
Getting an RV was originally my wife's idea because she missed the dogs so much when we traveled. It did take much to convince me to start looking. Good hunting.

[Tothill]

We have a 27 foot C with a different layout. We have twin beds in back and dinette and over cab bed. We chose this layout as there is a solid door to the back bedroom and when the kids were younger, we could put them to bed and not disturb them.

Now the kids are big, but it is nice to have a private place away from the rest of the family once in a while.

We have had up to 5 adult sized people a 70# and a 20# dog plus two cats on one trip of 3 weeks.

The adults sleep on the over cab bed, very comfortable with a memory foam topper and the 5th person (usually grandma) sleeps on the dinette.

Cat box goes between the front seats when we stop. The cats generally do most their business outside. We have never had an issue with dogs and the cat box.

Speaking of cat boxes, make sure you sit on the toilet of the RV you are thinking of buying and 'go through the motions' of getting the job done. There is not a lot of room in most. While you are at it, check out the shower. Get inside and pretend you are washing your hair, dropped the soap etc.

[MarshaNichols]

How exciting for you and your family!! I am a solo traveler and wish I had started RVing 5 years ago! When I bought my first RV (2012--17' class B), I camped for 2 nights with friends who taught me most everything I needed to know...electrical, plumbing, dumping, before/after a trip, driving in winds, mountains, traffic! It really is easy but you just have to be ready for anything! Last year I bought my C (Born Free--24') and it's wonderful. My dog (stays in a crate) and I traveled for one month along highway 66 from CA to Oklahoma City and then south and west...4,500 miles! It was fun researching my route. I was able to visit with friends I hadn't seen in years.

Regarding the dog: I always travel with his medical papers. He has been chipped since a puppy (he's 1-1/2 yrs. old). Having to keep him in a hot RV is a BIG concern...just relying on A/C is not smart as it's not uncommon for a campground to lose power, etc. I bought a battery powered fan (Ryobi) that is WONDERFUL!

Campgrounds: I mostly stay at KOA's...never, never stay at the one in Abilene...like a dirty trailer park! There is a KOA (Oklahoma-EAST) that is great...you get off the freeway and are all of a sudden in a pine studded forest! Go to the "Roads and Routes" forum...it's very informative.

Have fun...go slowly, get off the highways, do your research...happy trails!

[MarshaNichols]

bsinmich wrote:
Why a C over an A. If you have no experience look at all the options first. If you plan a lot of travel you will want more storage. With an A you get a lot more storage plus bigger tanks. Mileage is not much different with a gas A either.

However, there are many places an A can't go that a C can!

[jorn]

Get some "practice" in before making a major trip.

Take your pets for short runs in the RV, for example when you go get propane, etc. Make it fun. I took our Zoë on such trips when she was a puppy, and made a big happy deal out of it each time. She quickly turned into an excellent traveller, always looking forward to the next exciting place the camper takes her.

Similarly, take the pets on that first shake-down trip. A 1-2 night camp to practice how to behave around the campsite, how/where to sleep at night.

You all need to know how to work together to make the experience fun. 🙂

[DaHose]

Our dog Charles is chipped and we had a similar experience to what dogfolks did.

Charles got out for about 20 minutes. Neighbor down the street called animal control and they brought him straight home with a comment about what a good dog he is. Chips just make sense.

Jose

[Dog_Folks]

pompomgirl wrote:
Be aware that chips don't necessarily stay where they are put. A vet told us that one of our dogs had no chip, and we knew absolutely that we had given him one. Turns out it had migrated down to the bottom of one front leg! Most people looking for one wouldn't look there! He now has two, with one where it's supposed to be, on his back.

That is true with the older chips. The newer ones do not move nearly as much, but it is possible.

Any true animal professional is trained to check the whole animal, from the foot up. Even if the chip moves, it still works.

[pompomgirl]

Be aware that chips don't necessarily stay where they are put. A vet told us that one of our dogs had no chip, and we knew absolutely that we had given him one. Turns out it had migrated down to the bottom of one front leg! Most people looking for one wouldn't look there! He now has two, with one where it's supposed to be, on his back.

[Classy_C_to_be]

All of this is extremely helpful. I know myself enough to say that I would be a pansy about even thinking of driving an A. We plan on towing our old '01 Tacoma with our three kayaks loaded in the bed. Driving the C this way will be challenging enough for me, and I agree I need to get behind the wheel occasionally.

I ordered the cat harness (awesome!!), and the dog is used to sleeping in his crate, which is a collapsible.

Keeping the generator going for the animals while we're checking out the sights for a couple of hours is do-able, right? How long does the charge last if we want to boondock the same evening? Is there a good manual to learn all what you mentioned in your PS Bordercollie? I know it's basic stuff to ya'll, and I'll learn once we get out there, but would like a basic how-to to get the idea of what it all entails before I'm out on the road and need to know.

Selling a house, buying a C and learning all about it, then figuring out an itinerary before we leave in a few months or so. It is fun learning about and exciting too. There's also some stress to get it all straight. I appreciate all y'all's input!

I haven't heard about any sweet off the usual chart places to boondock or check out for relocation. Any suggestions in that department?

[Bordercollie]

Don't buy a rig that is too long or too short. We like the room, sleeping comfort and versatility of our 27 foot Class C rig.It has a rear bedroom with "RV queen" sized bed. It is reasonably easy to park in shopping malls, near restaurants, and often on the street at antique shops, etc. as well as in public parks, theme parks, tourist attractions,and most important of all, in our driveway. Most Fed and State camps allow 27 footers if there is any length restriction. Your 30 year old son will probably be OK sleeping in the overhead, not for folks with bad knees, etc. The cat box can probably go in the shower. Dogs will sleep on the dinette seats or floor. It ain't like living at home with two dogs, a cat and three adults. We have collapsible steel pens for our two dogs, with tops, and set them up outside under the awning when camped for a day or two. They fit into our large cargo bay in our Tioga 26Q Class C. Fleetwood quit making Tioga and Jamboree 26Q models in 2009, other brands still make similar length/floor plan Class C's. If buying new, insist on spare wheel and tire in a secure mount. Buy a name brand rig. Almost all class C's are based on a Ford E-450 chassis with Ford V-10 engine. Almost all brands use the same brands of air conditioners, appliances, furnaces, etc. Don't let them sell you an extended warranty unless you can study the policy/contract and understand the loopholes and exclusions and requirements for records keeping. Most RV'ers save money in a bank account for eventual repairs, upgrades, maintenance, DMV registration and insurance.

PS: You/your husband will need to learn about monitoring and maintaining the 12 volt DC electrical system including the converter/charger, the "house" batteries and the engine starting battery.You will need to understand the starting and shut down procedures for your roof top air conditioner, furnace, water heater and RV generator, how to dump the "black" and "gray" waste water tanks, periodic sanitizing of fresh water system, how to deploy and stow the awning, and basic troubleshooting when things don't work properly. You will need to learn about short-lived RV tires (they need to be changed every 4-6 years for safety reasons regardless of mileage or appearance) Best to learn these things before you take off on your first long trip by practice camping in the driveway or near home. Buying, owning and caring for a motor home is more like owning a cabin cruiser, it's a hobby in itself and can be a lot of fun and enjoyment if you do it right. Drive some Class A's and C's and spend some time in them pretending you are camping, get to know the features available in different brands, lengths and floor plans.

[Free_Range_Huma]

Here's my 2 cents:

(1) Seriously consider this harness for your cat. Cats can too-easily slip out of (or just plain hate) other ones. So I'd start with that one.

(2) After lots of serious consideration, we bought a class C rather than an A, as well. One of our biggies was STAIRS. We too easily trip over them. My DH actually fell out of a 5th wheel we were looking at a year ago--it was raining and the stairs were wet, and he still slipped and fell off of them in spite of holding onto the hand rail. Took months for all the injuries to heal.

The steps in a class A are usually much more substantial than a 5er, but there's still too many. We bought a C with NO exterior steps at all and it feels much safer to both of us.

While it's nice to have all the basement storage of an A (and you may want to give that a lot of thought, with 3 adults onboard), it's like driving a bus. Class A folks will tell you that "you get used to it" and that may be true, but why, if you don't have to? And there's no way around the ants-under-the-magnifying-glass effect, with the sun inescapably beating down on you through that huge windshield while you drive. There's a reason most class As have fans mounted in the cockpit.

I'm a firm believer that every adult who lives in an RV should be able to drive the rig, because you never know what could happen out there. One day it may be time to move, you have no choice in the matter (for whatever reason), but your husband and son are both sick as dogs, and you aren't.

I'm not the first woman to sit in the captain's chair of a class A and say, No, I'm not doing this. I don't even wanna learn. My DH, who's normally comfortable with driving all sorts of things, just sat there and thought, What was I thinking of?

I'm feeling obligated to point out a few of the negatives of class As, because after this, and on so many other threads, you'll mostly hear all the class A folks telling you all the positives about them. But in the end, everyone will tell you the same thing, which we repeat like a mantra: The Floorplan Is Everything. So if you fall in love with the floorplan of a certain class A, you'll somehow magically learn to live with whatever you thought you didn't like about the vehicle type before you found your One True Love.

P.S. I found this article to be helpful. It's aimed at people who intend to FT on a limited budget, but I loved the unique way he made his readers consider the details of their intended lifestyle. There are plenty of other which-RV-is-right-for-me? articles out there, and they pretty much give all the same info. This one was different.

[2dogtravellin]

We travel extensively with our 2 large dogs in a small Class C (hence my name). Like others have said, it's important to have a copy of their vet records, especially their vaccinations, with you.

Here's some things we've learned: It'll take longer to get where you want to go. We stop much more frequently when we have the dogs with us. If we don't take them for at least a short walk every 3-4 hours they get restless and start to roam around and fuss at each other.

National parks are not dog friendly. Dogs are not allowed anywhere but paved areas. Keep this in mind if you like to do long hikes. The dogs will have to be shut up in the rig. Be mindful of the temperature. When we went to Arches NP in July, we kept the generator on and the air conditioning on high whenever we left the RV.

Some parks with have breed specific rules. Quite a few do not allow pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans and other "dangerous breeds".

Dogs take up a lot of room if you don't have much space. We have 2 75-pound collies. Between the 2 of them we had no floor space left in our 21 ft Class C with a queen bed in the back. We now have a 24ft rig with 2 couches on order in hopes of having some more space.

You'll have to be creative to figure out a place for the cat box that will be dog proof and secure. Let me know when you figure that one out, please. We have one cat that might be a good traveler, but the placement of the box might be an issue.

Above all, have fun! We love taking our dogs along with us. They seem to like it as well.

I just went back to your original post and see that you have a Boston terrier. Well, that negates a lot of what I said about big dogs and breed specific rules... but the rest applies about stopping and national parks.