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Maryw164 · 10-02-2009, 11:26 PM

We never plan to leave much before 12 noon, as we are not early risers. We always wait too long to start a project on the AS and don't allow enough time to get everything done, so we are always rushing around at the last minute trying to finish. Then as Terry said something always seems to conspire to make us late. On our last vacation it was having to re-adjust the hitch in sweltering 105 degree heat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by overlander63

Leave on time? You're funny!

Inevitably something happens, usually a day from hell at work, lights suddenly stop working on the trailer, flat tire, something conspires to make us late. The last time I wanted to leave work early so we could leave at 2, I not only didn't leave early, but had to work an hour later than I was supposed to. Instead of leaving at 2, we left at 5:30, in rush hour...

Terry,

You forgot to mention the brush fire that added to the traffic

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

When we bought the trailer we thought we would come home from work, grab the trailer, and go almost every weekend. I think we've done that once in the six years we've owned it. But someday...

That was sort of our plan too, but life has other plans and it always seems there is something else that gets in the way. We are looking forward to "someday" too.

Mary

overlander64 · 10-03-2009, 01:44 AM

Even before buying the Airstream, it was unusual for me to leave anything other than an hour late. Once the Airstream became involved, one hour would be a minimal delay. Today, I typically end up giving up on departure on the planned day and head out the next. I am to the point of scheduling my departure a day earlier than the must leave date to be certain that I will get away on what should be the schedule. . . .

Kevin

stillcove · 10-03-2009, 04:39 AM

It's Saturday Morning about 6:30 am and I just read all the answers to this interesting question again. I guess the answer is how many other thing you have to do to prepare to leave home for a few days as to weather you get out on time. We need to leave on Monday morning for a week long trip to Ky. As I sit here typing I am thinking of all the things that need to be done before we leave and my guess is that unless I don't go to sleep again between now and Monday at 8 am I might get finished on time. Because of the rains we had for two weeks we are behind on the fencing for the horses. We spent about 10 hours a day on fencing this past week and still didn't finish. So we had to go to plan B as to how they would be taken care of while we are gone. The 17 horses that will be left at home will be in two locations and 4 different pastures. So of course we have to make sure all locations have water and food. The dogs are also in two locations: farm and house. They have to be taken care of wether we leave on time or not. Then we have to pack everthing we need for us for the week and for the horse. Cart, harness, feed, blnakets, buckets , well you get the idea. Then this morning we will be going to an auction to buy more fencing. There went a good part of today. I don't know how we ever get away much less on time. Maybe if we could have and extra day each week we could catch up. Or not. There are always more projects.

mwells4654 · 10-03-2009, 05:09 AM

So far we leave on time. I am a stickler for time - If I say I am going to be somewhere at at 12:00 I will be there from 11:30 to 12:00 - I hate to be late. Drive new girlfriend crazy with my time thing. I am sure it will change as we spend more time together - The only time she is on-time is when she has to be at work. Otherwise - who knows when she will be ready. (LOL)

**Kevin245** · 10-03-2009, 06:46 AM

I travel extensively with work, my schedule is controlled by deadlines, meeting times, and flight schedules. As such we're not "set" on precise departure, or arrival times unless it impacts others we are meeting, and traveling with.

We love the life of leisure that comes with RV'ing.

Regards,

Kevin

Gene · 10-03-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillcove

The 17 horses that will be left at home will be in two locations and 4 different pastures.

Have the horses tow the Airstream—problem solved.

Gene

Chief · 10-03-2009, 10:36 AM

Interesting.....some of the responses.

As with a previous poster, 30 yrs. in the Air Force made me very punctual.......and it is very frustrating when others aren't. If I tell you that I will be somewhere at a certain time......you can take it to the bank. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that not everyone is as "time conscious" as I am. But, if a person is consistently late, I consider that to be an insult and just leave without them.

Some would consider me a bit anal, as in the following example. We are leaving Tuesday morning for our first regional WBCCI rally. The Airstream and TV are washed, tires checked, gear stowed in TV and wife's clothes packed. We just need to add the perishable food to the reefer, hookup, and hit the road......and we have three more days before we depart.

Chief

Nuvite-F · 10-03-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

My approach is that we always leave on time whether it be the crack of noon, 1 pm, 10 am, or whatever.

A great philosophy! Never forget we are doing this to have fun.

I was amused by the choices on the poll:

We are always hooked up and (mostly) loaded the night before, but we still seldom leave when we planned to.

We have dogs, but the dogs are seldom the reason for late departures. In fact, the dogs get so excited when we are getting ready to leave that we usually put them in the truck an hour or two before we leave. Once they are assured that they're going, they settle down and go to sleep. (They always go, but they were all stray or rescued, so they have understandable anxieties.)

The only time we are rigid about departure is on winter cross-countries when the short length of daylight and need to stay ahead of the weather are factors.

See you down the road (usually behind schedule),
Nuvi

Caryl · 10-03-2009, 11:22 AM

I voted for 2 hours late. I have determined that it is packing up on the day of the trip that delays us. But since we have a tentative trip planned this week end , I am changing the order of things. I am going to pack clothes and food the night before this time. I already have the back of the truck packed and it will just stay that way until we go.

Isadora · 10-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Yhe Argosy has it's own set up, so all we have to do is put in food, the laptop, and a few clothes and we are set to go. If we are going somewhere special that requires "decor" I get that all together and packed the week before we leave, so it isn't a last minute thing. She gets a good cleaning whenever we come back from a trip, so it's ready whenever we are.

All best laid plans. We are still always almost an hour or two behind our planned leaving time. Or should I say Jim's planned leaving time, I have my own plans and that is usually when we leave!

Happycampers · 10-03-2009, 05:22 PM

Our Argosy is completed outfitted.... just clothes and food to be packed. We usually sleep in the trailer the night before and are up early and on the road on time and sometimes a little earlier..... Marvin dislikes tardiness... so guess I have gotten much more punctual in our 8 years of marriage...

Mikethefixit · 10-03-2009, 06:24 PM

Well I start on Monday if we are leaving Thurs or Friday. I start my checklist like tire pressures and the like. We have at least 5 complete set of clothes for each of us in the Overlander at all times. The trailer has its own set of small appliances and pots and pans and grocery's(cereal,peanut butter,jelly ECT) that don't spoil. Perishables are loaded the evening before departure.
We have so far been able to depart pretty much on time or before projected departure time. We never ever get in a hurry. HASTE MAKES WASTE.
Roger

3streams · 10-04-2009, 11:44 AM

I'm loving all the answers! I was always early for everything... before I married my husband who never focuses on time and have thus become less punctual. Although I pack most items the week of- and a lot of stuff stays packed in the camper all season, we never seem to get going on time. The dog will come around the corner covered in something so foul that they must have a bath before going, or the trailer rear left turn signal had no intentions of working today, or any other of things that happen at the last minute! Most of the time it's last minute things around the house- watering plants or doing dishes. But we don't get stressed about it- it's all for fun and leisure.

henw · 10-04-2009, 02:42 PM

I pack and load the AS the weekend before. Truck too.
Hook-up is the night before departure. Only things to do the day of are a few last minute items, and, unplug the trailer.

Tom

Mike Leary · 10-04-2009, 02:46 PM

Full timers have no such quandries.

AlumaCave · 10-04-2009, 02:50 PM

I love this thread, I'm always on time. My significant wife is always on time except when we go on vacation. Like others, my dog gets it. He knows two days ahead that we are going on a trip and he will sit right next to the trailer door for days until we let him in. I am hooked up and packed the night before and then must wait until she gets ready.

We did leave on time once. We were 1.5 hours away from home when we realized we had forgotten our meds, yes we turned around and started our trip 3 hours late.

halimer · 10-04-2009, 05:35 PM

We normally leave within 30 minutes of our scheduled departure time. The main reason for leaving on time is our location, we are currently leaving on Long Island, NY and have limited escape routes and through New York City. The commercial routes through the NYC are limited and range from poor to horrible. The earlier in the morning we escape the less traffic there is on the main route out of Gotham.

wbrownrr · 10-07-2009, 07:59 PM

This thread is sure to generate some... errrr... ummm... discussion... around our house. Whatever we do, we never get going at the planned time. Oh well, it never seems to ruin our enjoyment of the trip. It's all about attitude!

danalee · 10-08-2009, 05:42 PM

I plan out trips around rush hours so its pretty essential that we leave on time. If anything I tend to be early. I have a friend who I always tell to be ready an hour before she really has to so we are on time. When not traveling I don't pay any attention to the time and enjoy being relaxed.

HeadnOut · 10-08-2009, 07:02 PM

I run my own business so when I do get some time to get away, I make sure I am ready. I have to say that the wife is ready to roll when I am. Everyone says I am O.C.D. I just call it being a control freak.
I usually start going over all functions of the camper the week before, I try to avoid any surprises at camp if I can.
The truck is gased up the night before, the camper is loaded the day before....all I do is hook up and HEAD OUT