Gulf Stream Owners RV Forum - View Single Post - Looking for E/W/S tips to cope with crippling anxiety about fist outing

RVNewb · 06-19-2022, 08:44 PM

P.S.

For any other newbs out there, here are my checklists. Your mileage may vary; these are specific to my Class C Gulfstream Conquest motorhome so be sure to customize it to your particular needs and rig…

ARRIVAL CHECKLIST
Always have groceries for dinner/breakfast ready or packed on arrival day; don’t arrive to a campsite with an empty fridge

Get partner outside with a walkie talkie for all back-in sites, especially if it’s night

No kids allowed to go outside rig until parked, satisfied with level, and engine is off

Check if level; adjust with tiles before hooking up anything.

Parking brake engaged, engine off, and then kids can go out of the rig

If you used leveling gear, put its storage bag near your gas/brake pedal; makes it harder to forget the level gear at the site and drive away without it.

Hook up electric

Get a person inside the rig to wait near an open window (or use a walkie talkie) for remaining steps

Ask person inside to turn on AC (high blast, cold as it will go) and close all other windows and roof hatches.

Ask person inside to turn on hot water heater.

Ask person inside to (carefully) open fridge and freezer and catch falling items

Hook up water (Turn on campsite’s water once, turn it off. Turn it on a second time, turn it off. This gives you feel for water pressure if you don’t have a regulator. Watch how far you are turning or pulling the handle, to get an acceptable water pressure. Connect your water filter and hose to the site but not to the RV. Turn on water a third time and let it run a moment, to clear your hose of old, hot water inside that hose from the prior campsite. Connect water to RV.)

Ask person inside to test water

Advise person inside that their part is done

Reusable gloves on, then connect sewage. If black is full, dump it. If grey is 2/3 or more full, dump it. Reclose grey valve to save up some grey for flushing line after tomorrow’s black water dump.

Awning out, if you are in an area of no or low wind. Look around. Does anyone have an awning out? If no one does, this may be a warning about wind gusts that can rip your awning right off. If you’re only there one night, consider skipping the awning.

Ask a kid to grab a clothesline (if park allows it) and hang up any towels, swimsuits, or other items that are still wet or damp and need to be dried before being packed away as dirty laundry

Send another kid to the bathhouse to find out if showers require coins or tokens etc. and whether there is a laundry facility

Start dinner

************************************************** **********

DEPARTURE CHECKLIST
Advise passengers: go store all shoes (other than the ones on their feet) in the designated “shoe closet” (downstairs/exterior storage). Clears up walkways and makes getting out for a hike about 20 minutes faster.

Advise passengers: Last chance to brush and/or flush

Retract awning

Turn off hot water heater

All countertops clear

All windows shut, all blinds/curtains open

Double-check all roof hatches are shut and all roof fans are off (if it rains, you’ll know if you skipped this step, if you find your bed is wet with rain water)

Securely latch/click-shut the freezer and fridge (and in our case, add painter’s tape because those worthless latches broke about a week into the trip)

All seatbelts pulled out of couches and ready to use

Driver and all passengers have water they can reach without stopping the rig

All kids inside before you remove leveling gear (since this will involve rolling forward or backward a bit).

Return leveling gear to RV storage.

Turn A/C off before unplugging electric

Unhook water, drain lines, connect ends to each other to keep dirt/dust out of line

Septic: Check inside gauges (or have someone call them out to you) before going to septic area. Gloves on; dump black if full, then dump grey. If black is not full, just dump grey. Spray septic hoses with disinfectant. Connect sewer hose to itself so remaining liquids stay in hoses rather than spilling in RV. Store all septic items; gloves off. Keep a bottle of sanitizer and a bottle of pump liquid soap handy by the septic area; wash hands after removing gloves.

06-19-2022, 08:44 PM	#11
RVNewb New Member Join Date: May 2022 Posts: 6	Checklists for rv travel P.S. For any other newbs out there, here are my checklists. Your mileage may vary; these are specific to my Class C Gulfstream Conquest motorhome so be sure to customize it to your particular needs and rig… ARRIVAL CHECKLIST Always have groceries for dinner/breakfast ready or packed on arrival day; don’t arrive to a campsite with an empty fridge Get partner outside with a walkie talkie for all back-in sites, especially if it’s night No kids allowed to go outside rig until parked, satisfied with level, and engine is off Check if level; adjust with tiles before hooking up anything. Parking brake engaged, engine off, and then kids can go out of the rig If you used leveling gear, put its storage bag near your gas/brake pedal; makes it harder to forget the level gear at the site and drive away without it. Hook up electric Get a person inside the rig to wait near an open window (or use a walkie talkie) for remaining steps Ask person inside to turn on AC (high blast, cold as it will go) and close all other windows and roof hatches. Ask person inside to turn on hot water heater. Ask person inside to (carefully) open fridge and freezer and catch falling items Hook up water (Turn on campsite’s water once, turn it off. Turn it on a second time, turn it off. This gives you feel for water pressure if you don’t have a regulator. Watch how far you are turning or pulling the handle, to get an acceptable water pressure. Connect your water filter and hose to the site but not to the RV. Turn on water a third time and let it run a moment, to clear your hose of old, hot water inside that hose from the prior campsite. Connect water to RV.) Ask person inside to test water Advise person inside that their part is done Reusable gloves on, then connect sewage. If black is full, dump it. If grey is 2/3 or more full, dump it. Reclose grey valve to save up some grey for flushing line after tomorrow’s black water dump. Awning out, if you are in an area of no or low wind. Look around. Does anyone have an awning out? If no one does, this may be a warning about wind gusts that can rip your awning right off. If you’re only there one night, consider skipping the awning. Ask a kid to grab a clothesline (if park allows it) and hang up any towels, swimsuits, or other items that are still wet or damp and need to be dried before being packed away as dirty laundry Send another kid to the bathhouse to find out if showers require coins or tokens etc. and whether there is a laundry facility Start dinner ************************************************ ******** DEPARTURE CHECKLIST Advise passengers: go store all shoes (other than the ones on their feet) in the designated “shoe closet” (downstairs/exterior storage). Clears up walkways and makes getting out for a hike about 20 minutes faster. Advise passengers: Last chance to brush and/or flush Retract awning Turn off hot water heater All countertops clear All windows shut, all blinds/curtains open Double-check all roof hatches are shut and all roof fans are off (if it rains, you’ll know if you skipped this step, if you find your bed is wet with rain water) Securely latch/click-shut the freezer and fridge (and in our case, add painter’s tape because those worthless latches broke about a week into the trip) All seatbelts pulled out of couches and ready to use Driver and all passengers have water they can reach without stopping the rig All kids inside before you remove leveling gear (since this will involve rolling forward or backward a bit). Return leveling gear to RV storage. Turn A/C off before unplugging electric Unhook water, drain lines, connect ends to each other to keep dirt/dust out of line Septic: Check inside gauges (or have someone call them out to you) before going to septic area. Gloves on; dump black if full, then dump grey. If black is not full, just dump grey. Spray septic hoses with disinfectant. Connect sewer hose to itself so remaining liquids stay in hoses rather than spilling in RV. Store all septic items; gloves off. Keep a bottle of sanitizer and a bottle of pump liquid soap handy by the septic area; wash hands after removing gloves.