Whether seasoned or beginner RV travelers, we all want to ensure that our summer RV adventure goes off without a hitch. A slight snag may seem a significant setback for beginners, while seasoned RVers might only feel it’s a minor inconvenience. Regardless, any issue with your motorhome adventure can dampen your spirits and potentially ruin your summer trip.
We understand that when you pull your RV out of storage at a place like I-10-RV Storage, the desire to hit the road as soon as possible is tempting. However, this may lead you to make an impulsive decision, like disregarding trip planning. Unfortunately, forging ahead with no plan leads to numerous scenarios that could cause mistakes and ruin an adventure.
Fortunately, the team at I-10 RV Storage is here to help you prevent common mistakes that could ruin your summer RV adventure. Let’s look at what you need to know so you can plan accordingly.
Summer RVing is a tradition that allows people to explore the nation while enjoying creature comforts in their homes on wheels. However, these homes on wheels can present problems during summer exploration if common mistakes are not avoided.
So, to prevent your trip from becoming a disaster, we’ve shared five common mistakes summer RVers make and how to avoid them.
Similarly to owning a house and needing regular maintenance and repair, an RV also needs routine TLC. RV maintenance is essential not only for your comfort, but also for your safety. Often a tire may require replacing, or heaters and AC units need re-gassing or repairs while you’re out adventuring. These minor issues on your RV can quickly add up, and before you know it, you’re hemorrhaging money that should be spent on your trip.
Ideally, to avoid overspending on these issues, you should set up an RV maintenance plan or keep a savings account specifically delegated to your recreational vehicle’s repair and maintenance. This will prevent you from panicking about unforeseen events that could cause you to pay out to fix or replace items in your motorhome during your trip.
In addition to an RV emergency fund, you must ensure your motorhome undergoes routine maintenance. After taking it out of storage, you need to have checks done on it to determine from the outset if anything needs to be fixed or replaced. Often, you will need a professional to resolve any maintenance issues.
However, if you are knowledgeable enough or handy enough to conduct your repairs, you can find many manuals, videos, and websites that can help.
Trust us; there is nothing wrong with wanting to be prepared for everything. However, some RV owners tend to overpack, which leads to space issues. It’s pretty easy to build up clutter when you overpack; ironically, this sometimes leads to missing essential items.
By remaining organized and only packing what is needed for your summer RV trip, you will avoid this overpacking problem. We recommend you prioritize packing only essential kitchen supplies, toiletries, and appropriate clothing.
The easiest way to ensure you don’t overpack is to create a checklist and stick strictly to packing those items. Additionally, when making your list, you should consider that some items may be available at specific stops along the way, so you won’t need to pack them. Moreover, you should include multi-purpose items to optimize space and reduce weight.
Not planning your route correctly can lead to a wide range of issues. RVs are awkwardly sized and often large, so you can’t stop just anywhere along your trip. For this reason, you need to plan your trip carefully and the route you will take, including the places you will stop. This needs to include gas stops and overnight stopovers. Also, make sure the areas you intend to stop are RV-friendly, specifically for your rig.
Additionally, RVers are increasingly dependent on technology to plan their best route, but this can be problematic. While we are not saying you should not use Google Maps or similar software, we recommend that you don’t entirely rely on it. The navigation apps have glitches and problems that may cause you to get lost, along with other possible issues hindering your trip. Ideally, you should manually map out your route as a backup in case of this problem.
Rules and regulations have been a big problem for many motorhome travelers who ventured out on their summer trips without reading and understanding them. Each region has laws and rules regarding driving restrictions,
weight limits, waste disposal, and RV parking. If these rules are not followed, you may encounter issues surrounding denied access, fines, and even crimes that could lead to trouble with law enforcement.
Fortunately, trouble with rules and regulations can be avoided by researching the regulations for each state on your route. If you need help finding reliable web sources, tourism boards and the DMV offices often have this information readily available.
Another alternative is to join RV forums and clubs to ask more experienced RV owners for advice and resources for the information you need. It is also essential that if you plan to camp anywhere, you check the rules of the campsites before making a trip there.
An RV is much heavier and larger to drive than standard vehicles. You must pay close attention to turns, speed, and braking distances. Not doing so could put you and others in danger due to the high possibility of rollovers, mechanical failure, or collisions. One of the biggest mistakes RVers make is not practicing safe driving or understanding how to drive their rig correctly.
That’s why it’s recommended that you undertake a defensive driving course specializing in RV use to ensure RV travel safety. This will allow you to drive confidently and improve your skills in operating your motorhome.
Another element of safe driving is ensuring all your systems are operating properly. For this reason, it is vital to check your tire pressure, fluid levels, brakes, and lights to ensure your motorhome is fully functional.
Lastly, when planning your route, avoid clearance bridges and narrow roads, and stay informed about bad weather forecasts to avoid driving in dangerous conditions.
Extending the life of your RV resources while out on a summer road trip is important. Sometimes, you could go long hours with no stops or places along the way to fuel up both your RV and yourself. So, conserving all resources is essential. Have a look below to learn how to do this so that you do not make any unnecessary mistakes:
Remembering these essential points will help guarantee that you will be fully prepared for your summer RV adventure. It is important to note that even expert owners make these easily preventable mistakes. So don’t be too harsh on yourself if any of these have happened to you.
When your summer adventure ends, I-10 RV Storage has your back with covered RV storage facilities. Our facilities offer high-grade, secure RV storage, and we have affordable rates for Arizona RV storage and Phoenix RV storage spaces. Finding the best storage space for your motorhome is as essential to us as it is for you, so we’ll do all we can to meet your storage needs. Contact us to find out more.
