Lessons from the road...

[Chock_Full_o__N]

C'mon, you know you've learned some. I have a few recent ones, such as:
The navigator should navigate. DH driving:"Why are we in SC?" Eep.

Carry at least 2 of those critical items DH:"hand me the WDH tool so I can put these bars on?" Me:"What tool?" The tool I left on the bumper yesterday

Make a list and check it.twice. . Me about to pull out of a.campground:"Why isn't the rt tail light lighting up? It was working awhile ago." Never assume.

[ctpres]

DON'T leave containers with liquid in any position but straight up when driving in mountains. Good chance they will leak. Hand cream, soaps etc. can be a real mess to clean up.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Don't park a DP on a nice grassy site until you have checked it first. Even if it was fine last year.


Here is the whole story.

[pnichols]

... you can't have too much stuff along ... only not enough weight carrying capacity and/or enough room for the stuff.

We bought a rig that had more of both weight and storage capacity than would usually be required for the two of us. We keep it constantly loaded with all kinds of spare parts and "Plan B" items. We can't see having an otherwise great trip ruined, or made unpleasant, or cut short because of "something" we could have easily had along with us. Life is becoming too short for there to always be a "tomorrow" or "another time" to try again.

[jrs1871]

It is actually amazing how many folks have had a Blackwater Bob moment. Those sewer flush things are great but you don't want to walk away with the water coming in and the flush valve closed. Yep folks, that stuff does flow uphill and will come out the roof vent is no one pushes the lever on the stool to see what that funny noise is.

[Mootpoint]

Yep!!!!
Although, we have a friend called Blackwater Bob. Aptly earned. My experience is pale by comparison to the experience that earned him that name. Think Robin Williams in RV. :E

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Mootpoint wrote:

Don't try putting 40gal. of blackwater in a 20gal. tote tank.
Yes, I speak from experience.

:B I'll bet that was some experience, too.

[BruceMc]

Keys.... yep, just after getting our current MH, we had it parked out front, and I closed the side door. I had been fiddling with the lock levers, and you guessed it - I locked us out, keys swinging in the ignition. Fortunately the bedroom windows were unlocked, so a short ladder from the garage helped me make my passage through after sliding both the window and screen wide open.

And lots of other things, but this is the one that first came to mind.

[Mootpoint]

Pay attention to tank levels.
Don't try putting 40gal. of blackwater in a 20gal. tote tank.
Yes, I speak from experience.

[Matt_Colie]

Hide a door key someplace so you can get into the coach when the other half has the key.

Corollary:
Keep a full set of keys (house and everything) inside the coach, but someplace people would expect to find them.

Both of these have served us well over the years.

[Water-Bug]

I've learned that Murphy loves to go camping too. 🙂

[ericsmith32]

My wife is always asleep at the wrong moment.. I'd rather run over something than wake her up!

[Gene_Ginny]

When DW offers to move the vehicle forward a bit after unhitching make sure she knows how to release the parking brake. A 4Runner can really jump if you mash the gas hard enough while the parking brake is set.

[bukhrn]

Jim Shoe wrote:
I carry a set of Toad keys in the MH and a set of MH keys in the toad. Seeing the only set of keys to a vehicle in the seat of that locked vehicle is not fun. Don't ask. 🙂

That's what we do.

[Chock_Full_o__N]

Jim Shoe wrote:
I carry a set of Toad keys in the MH and a set of MH keys in the toad. Seeing the only set of keys to a vehicle in the seat of that locked vehicle is not fun. Don't ask. 🙂

Ugh.I'm need to take you up on this piece of advice. I drove several hours out to the middle of nowhere to go camping with my 78yo mother and her old lady friends one time. I had no sooner got there when I stepped out and slammed the door closed & locked with my keys and purse sitting on the front seat of the truck. Thank goodness my cell phone was in my pocket! And that I had roadside assistance with GEICO. They sent a little guy out there with some kind of un-lock thing and rescued my purse, with all my meds in it.