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Spinonedad · 10-13-2016, 01:36 PM

Forgot an important item

Throw a step stool in your TV

It will save you allot of frustration your first trip out if you decide to put out the awning

**Rocinante** · 10-13-2016, 02:34 PM

Checklists are your friends. We have them for packing, arriving in camp and leaving camp. Ours can be found on our home page: http://www.casarocinante.com

Keep a notepad of some kind and note things you wish you had brought. Also note things you brought but did not need.

Have a wonderful time!

NY24 · 10-13-2016, 04:00 PM

For the newbies and marginally experienced; find and attend an RV Boot Camp. It will be time and money VERY well spent. The Escapees RV Club run an EXCELLENT RVBC (often over a weekend). Other groups offer Boot Camp too. Mistakes make with RVs are often expensive and, sometimes dangerous. In RVBC, all the systems found on modern RVs are explained and demystified. RVBC graduates are safer, more knowledgeable RVers (and smarter RV buyers if they complete RVBC before they shop).

Gneiss Guy · 10-13-2016, 04:18 PM

Yeah, that checklist thing. Don't just make one out ... use it ... every time. Look at any examples you can lay your hands on, then make your own, in an order that seems logical to you. Modify it as you find the need.

McDave · 10-13-2016, 05:04 PM

If you're inexperienced in backing up, get some practice, maybe in a big empty Sears parking lot after the store is closed. Mark off a section as an RV parking space and practice backing into it at an angle. Before I got the hang of backing into parking spaces, there was usually someone who would take pity on me after watching me make 5-6 tries, and would offer to back it in for me. But don't count on that. Pull well past the space you want to back into before starting to back up. Either use a spotter or stop often and walk around and look to make sure the trailer is backing in the right direction. It is easy to back up too far and crash into a post or tree limb, so slow way down and check every few feet, if necessary, if you don't have a spotter. If you're pulling out of a space with bushes close on each side, onto a narrow trailer park road, it can be a challenge to turn wide enough to avoid getting scrapes down the side of your trailer.

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banderabob · 10-13-2016, 05:15 PM

Hope to meet SpinOneDad down the road, like the way he thinks. Lots of good response info already provided. Experience
first trip 4 years ago is check the tires. We had 4 year old tires on the AS that I did not check and had a blow-out, major inconvenience on I-10 in the Imperial Valley desert, plus damage to the under-skin. Other than that, parse what is important from the other responses and ENJOY!

Candominium · 10-13-2016, 05:42 PM

What Dames7 said. You don't want to be 300 miles from home on that first trip. Hill Country should be fine.

2fromtexas · 10-13-2016, 07:54 PM

Best place in Galveston is Dellanara RV park. Just got back from there 2weeks ago. You are right on the beach. State park there-would not recommend

wgjairstream · 10-14-2016, 04:38 AM

We are also trying to carve out some time for our initial shake-down trip. We plan to follow the advice of dames7, which was also suggested by a friend.

Bob662, I would also like your sample checklists if it's not too much trouble. Please email them to me at wgj8407@gmail.com Thanks

dames7 · 10-14-2016, 08:41 AM

On our shake-down we found that our water pump was not working and a leak under the sink.

I fit the leak and stop by the dealership on the pump, a wire came loose on the pump, it was a easy fix for them.

You want to turn everything on (electric & water) several times and most important is to look for water leaks.

I own a 50ft sail in Hawaii and have made the trip from the main land and back a few time, the best I did was 19 days out. And we had problems, nothing I could not fix because I knew every inch of the Boat and how everything work, as I know about my AS.

One of the worst things AS did is the lights in the outside compartment, they are very easy to turn on when you put stuff in there and don't realize that they are on, run batteries down.

Always when towing down the road, turn your lights on, I see a lot of others traveling with no lights, not safe thing, like being out at sea with no moon very dark and the shipping lane waiting to get run over.

Don't worry you will be a pro in a few trips.

Bob662 · 10-14-2016, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wgjairstream

I would also like your sample checklists if it's not too much trouble.

They're on the way!

dames7 · 10-14-2016, 08:58 AM

And Duct Tape a must have for any unforeseen problems, like the one I had 3 weeks ago, tripped while setting up the AS, broke right wrist in two places. So took some card board and tape made a cask for 1 day until I could get to the VA in NM to check out the damage, and yes broken.

So, lesson is make sure Wife can set-up and take down and hook-up and drive, we were at the Balloon Fest in NM with 150 AS people and lost account of how many people ask me "WHAT HAPPEN", good news got a lot of help from them so we could enjoy our time there.

Mattirs · 10-16-2016, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob662

Send me an email address and I'll forward the checklists we use, plus another as a "sample" from an experienced camper.

Matti@kuicmail.com, My wife & I are making our maiden voyage also and would love a copy of your check list. Hope this posted correctly, this is my first post though I have lurked for a few weeks. Matti

DMP54 · 10-17-2016, 12:34 AM

As newbies to trailer camping ourselves, when we picked up our FC last year, our dealer gave us a copy of the "Newbies Guide to Airstreaming" by Luhr and Cornelius. It is very helpful, funny, includes checklists, and we refer to it all the time as we are ramping up our knowledge of AS camping. Practice setting up the awning and remember to offset it. We forgot to do that once and were enjoying a rainstorm in the trailer when one of the arms broke. The aftermath was very scary- fortunately no one was hurt, but that was "learning the hard way" for us. Hope you enjoy your trailer- we love every minute

Mark Lem · 10-17-2016, 03:39 PM

Would love the checklist also as we just bought our first camper (Airstream 30)

VaTravelers · 10-21-2016, 08:29 PM

Spend some time with your TV. I popped a turbo intercooler hose on my F-250. That occurred on the way home after a wonderful first adventure in our 28 Serenity Intl. The trailer performed flawlessly. Some things just happen but I highly recommend give your TV as much scrutiny as your trailer.

sjski · 10-22-2016, 06:41 AM

First of all, thank you SO SO much for all of the great advice! We have read, re-read and read it a 3rd time. We've printed out the wonderful checklists and watched many YouTube videos. We've packed everything we can think of (leaving behind the kitchen sink, since we have one, haha) (yes, we've got wine!) and we're loading up the TV. I'm taking my laptop, mainly for the how-to videos we might need, and also to post any updates on our first AS adventure! So check back, everyone, and see how we're surviving! We're a bit nervous and excited all at once! Watch out, South Texas, here we come!

mccrosti · 10-22-2016, 07:00 AM

Make or find a checklist use it! Don't rely on memory ( hmm did I pull up the stabilizers?) do a walk around each time you stop, also I like the idea of going someplace close to home for a shakedown cruise.

Mostly have fun!! You're about to embark on an adventure! Our Airstream forefathers took half the stuff we consider absolutely necessary and survived just fine. And don't forget to let us know how it all went for you.

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PKI · 10-22-2016, 08:26 AM

The check lists. And add every new item you find you need.

Driving - look before you leap. Every time. If you can't see, stop, get out and look. Look up, look down ..... look all around. You trailer swings, so watch it. Your best safety tool is a spotter. Don't move if you can't see your spotter. Gas stations, camp sites, parking lots ........ And did you catch - LOOK DOWN? The plumbing for the dump valves may not clear driveway transitions, parking stops, curbs, tree roots. Take care and keep the plastic in place and the aluminum shiny. One last thought - stay back from the car or truck in front. Yes it takes longer to stop and some space helps with that, but we also had a truck run over a tire tread that was in the road. We missed most of it, but the stone guard caught it a bit. You need space to dodge that kind of debris.

Good luck with your shake downs. Travel safe. Pat

Toasterlife · 10-22-2016, 08:35 AM

could you please send me copies of your checklists - our e-mail is 1green1grey@gmail.com

We have been airstreaming off and on for a couple of years now, once we are on a trip we get into the swing of things but the first trip of the season i go crazy trying to think of everything. Plan to get The Toaster out of storage and heading to Big Bend next month.

Big Bend is big on our bucket list

many thanks