Ten Things Every Novice RV Traveler Should Know

Considering taking the RV plunge? You’re not alone. 61% of Americans say they’re planning an RV road trip or vacation this year, up from 13%, according to a recent Wakefield Research report. If you are about to set off on your first grand adventure, here are some handy hints whatever the size of your rig.

1. Take it slow, especially during the first few days.

No matter how many times you read a manual, it’s daunting to roll the big boy out of the dealership for the first time and set off. Keep to the right on highways and set the cruise control at a reasonable speed. My cruise control typically lives at 60 MPH even if the speed limit is 75 MPH. (You’ll save gas that way, too.)

Do everything slowly – turning, backing up, and stopping. If not, you’ll quickly be reminded when you take your first fast sharp turn and your stuff goes flying all over the floor. Your drawers and cabinets should all have latches, but even latches are known to bust when hit with centrifugal force. Get in the habit before takeoff to look for anything that can fly, fall or sail, and secure it. Anything that can smash, like a nice camera, should always be stored in lower bins in the event of a hasty turn or quick stop.

Keep a fair distance from everyone else on the highway. People can and will cut right in front of you in an RV, but if your speed is reasonable and there’s enough room, it won’t be so nerve-shattering.

2. Pack light

Less is more on the road. The items of clothing you should pack the most of, as a matter of fact, are socks and underwear. Everything else is negotiable. Bring one “good” outfit for when you go out to dinner or such, but otherwise, dress down and comfy. Life on the road is rough, and you may find yourself naturally paying less attention to things like keeping ultra-clean like you do at home, especially as time goes by. Don’t forget a laundry bag and quarters. You feel better driving in clean clothes than smelly ones.

3. Set aside more money than you think you’ll need

You’re almost certainly going to forget one or a few essential items and will have to re-buy them when you’re 250+ miles from home whether it’s a hoodie, heavy boots, a flashlight and the list goes on. The price of gas varies around the country, too; some fill-ups cost far more than others and when you’re low on gas and dead tired from the road, you’re probably not going to drive around looking for a bargain, so the extra dough will come in handy.

You’ll also likely pass through towns where you want to buy some memento or gift for someone, or yourself. You’ll come upon live shows you want to attend, too, and food that costs more than your budget. The list goes on.

4. The internet can be spotty and sometimes non-existent

Despite how long the internet’s been around, the powers that be still haven’t figured out how to deliver non-stop, strong service through the mountains of Colorado or the deserts in Nevada and elsewhere, so be forewarned. One of the great pleasures of long-distance RV travel is the ability to listen to long podcasts or books on tape, but you should expect a few buzz-killing outages along your journey if you’re listening on Spotify or YouTube.com.

I load up my ancient iPod with whatever I feel like listening to before I set off and hook it up through the system so I don’t experience those kinds of interruptions, but there are also times where your Facetime or other net-based activities will come to a temporary halt. Ask your carrier about roaming plans for the time you’ll be on the road to help you stay connected, and look up available connections for road purchase. If you really need a fast connection to get essential work done, find a local library, or a Starbucks. (You’ll have to buy a coffee, though.)

5. Consider night travel if traffic is particularly horrendous.

Heavy, unrelenting traffic is a miserable thing no matter what you’re driving, but it’s a fact of life. If your journey isn’t presenting you with a particularly stunning scenescape, consider spending days off the road, exploring local attractions and relaxing, and nighttime for making the best time and gas mileage possible. There is an extra aura of excitement and adventure at night as well. Finally, if you’re a novice, nighttime is actually a great way to really get the feel of your rig without the added pressure of traffic on all four sides of the vehicle.

6. Get off the road before you start to nod

Long-distance driving is exhausting – ask any truck driver. If it’s 10 PM, you still have 200 miles to go to your destination and you’re beat, cut it short and find a place to bed down for the night. Some RVers check into a hotel every 7^th day or similar, just to get a needed break from their rig, do laundry, sleep late the next day and eat a nice breakfast. But if you just need a place to stop and get some sleep, pull into town and look for other Rvs in parking lots, truck stops and, in some locales, Walmart. If you spend a night in a Walmart parking lot, it’s courteous to shop there the next day. And if a Walmart has no RVs and you see signs reading “No overnighting,” go elsewhere.

7. Try before you buy

No matter how excited you are about buying or renting an RV, it pays to test out a variety of vehicles before you plunk down a bundle. Some folks like to live large and others, like me, prefer the small, practical units, but the only way you can know that is to actually drive one. Go online and find forums where you can read others’ impressions of your particular unit, both pluses and minuses. Recreational vehicles are not all the same not only in size but design, comfort and practicality.

8. Keep the manual handy

Any good RV dealer will provide you with a thorough orientation of your unit, but until you’re actually rolling, some of it may not make sense to you and the only way you’ll understand is when you have to, say, cook a meal, activate your propane tank and shut it off, dump your waste water tanks and so on. That’s when the manual is your friend, as obvious as that may seem. Also, go on YouTube and enter the name, model and year of your RV; chances are someone has made a video providing an overview of the rig and will answer the many questions you have about the small details.

9. Clean every day, and keep it dry

Even if you don’t see dirt on the floor, it’s there, and the more you stay on top of it, the less it’ll get in your bedding and elsewhere. The same goes for dirty dishes and the RV itself. It doesn’t take long to wipe down all surfaces, put things away and stay on top of it before it gets overwhelming. Besides, if you’re renting, the place you rent from is going to have it in the contract that the RV will be as clean inside as when you took possession of it.

Also, wet clothing or towels, etc. are to be kept as much to a minimum as possible because of mold, the deadly enemy of RVs. If you have wet clothing, put it in a plastic bag until the next time you stop for a few days and can thoroughly dry it. Damp RVs usually end up stinking, too, and no one wants to live in a smelly RV.

10. Be extra kind to yourself and your fellow passengers

Being on the road is stressful, to say the least, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed and start snapping at each other. Take some time to deliberately stop, breath, slow down and recharge your spiritual and mental batteries. Some people like to put meditative music on, others make a point of having deliberate quiet time, but above all, don’t let tempers ruin the trip. Head off bickering before it starts. Ice cream helps, too.

Do you have any tips for novices that I’ve left out? I’d love to read them in the comments section.

Ride safe!