What Advice Do You Have for Our First Trip?

[lovetokite]

Originally Posted by mojo

FWIW, your Airstream has a water pressure regulator already built into the freshwater connection. ........

cannot believe no other member addressed this previously...

[Kittycatcat]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Welcome to the fun!

.........

Keep a list of places you stay, what campsite number you had, and other "good" campsites you would want to be at at that campground. This makes it easier when making reservations the next time. Google maps/earth is good to look over the campgrounds when choosing a site.

We keep an old-fashioned composition book which we labeled "Captain's Log" - we write down each campground, date, site #, cost, and a brief note about services (e.g., no water at site or this other site #xx would be great next time). We also write the brand/model of camper we were using at the time as a heading for each new page.

Only problem now is the ongoing debate over who's this "Captain" - maybe I'd better move the apostrophe over a bit (Captains').

[m.hony]

Some campgrounds still require an external inline water pressure regulator even though the trailer has a built in water pressure regulator.
The water pressure regulator has to be replaced periodically.

[Kittycatcat]

We stay at or under the max speed rating for our trailer tires (in our case it's 65mph - depends on the tires you have).

Water filter - we attach one right at the faucet with a short hose (sometimes these faucets are down in a hole and the filter won't go there). We never got around to hooking up the under-sink filter that came with our 27FB, but I like the outside one anyway - easy to replace. With our old SOB, we learned the hard way to use a filter after we got a campground with very silted water.

Also, we wrap breakables like coffee cups, glasses, etc., with something soft, or place between non-breakables to cushion them. They will dance around in the cabinet when on the road. I also use plastic storage containers to corral canned food and anything hard that I don't want bouncing around a cabinet or drawer.

Also consider a surge protector that will also check if the power connection at a campsite is wired correctly - ours cost about $100 for the 30amp version, but I consider it cheap insurance.

[UnklJoe]

We recently stayed at a campground in Flagstaff, AZ, and they asked if we had a pressure regulator; we didn't (though I knew about the one in the AS). They loaned us one as they said their water pressure would occasionally go over 100 psi--which could rupture the hose.

So, we've purchased one to place on the hose bib before the hose, if for no other reason than to protect the hose. We haven't been at a site with water yet, but I feel better.

We also use a Camco in-line filter from the water supply; I notice many others do, also.

The x-chocks are amazing--just used them for the first time, and they worked great; very stable, no more creaking when walking around in the AS.

I see you're in Aurora. A great "shakedown" place for you would be Carter Lake, in Larimer County. Most of the sites have electrical hook-ups, but no water (bring your own--we camped there last weekend and the water at the Ranger Station nor the toilets was turned on yet). It's close enough to I-25 and several RV stores if you forget anything (there are two near CH 119, and one further North at Johnson's Corner).

A garden kneeling pad is very helpful for some jobs (like setting up and retracting the stabilizer jacks--for which a cordless drill motor with a 3/4" socket is also very helpful).

Using the propane to keep the fridge cold while towing--well, it's rumored to be illegal in some states (how they would know.?.?.?). The thing is if there is an accident and the propane is not shut off at the tank valve(s), then a ruptured propane line could cause fire/explosion issues. Most of the RV'ers I've talked to seem to use the propane when towing to keep their fridge cold. (We bring the trailer to our home the night before we leave to load up, and hook up to shore power and turn on the fridge with the AC power to cool the fridge/freezer over night. Works great!)

Things WILL move in the AS, if not secured. The shower head will come loose and fall, and possibly break. (We keep dog beds in the shower when the dogs are using them and while towing, and we just unhook the showerhead and put between the beds.) Toiletpaper and paper towels will unravel; haven't figured out how to stop that, except to remove the rolls when towing. We have learned that putting anything on the beds will make then find their way to the floor when towing. We use the space beneath the dinette to store many things and that helps to contain them somewhat.

And, the bit about keeping the stress level low and enjoying yourself--GREAT advice.

Enjoy!

[VT Wanderer]

We have put together a detailed list of equipment that we may need on various trips. If you would like a copy please email me at: sgraner@aol.com Besides the Newbies book to Airstream (very good), I got the RVing for Dummies Book = funny but really educational. Safe journeys.

[openroad118]

....and make sure all the doors, drawers and cabinets are CLOSED before taking off, and the outside door is slammed and locked. and bring disposal gloves when handling the toilet hose. First stop, do a walk-around checking hitch, windows and doors. Stay in the middle lane to avoid the ramps and speeders. Keep headlights on in daytime. Remember when turning right, RV wheels will go over the line...same for going left. Store cases of wine and beer on the shower floor. Be nice to the people in the SOB..they're human too. Invite the single older guy in the 20' AS over for drinks around the fire.

[Pat.Mann]

Newbie's guide has good checklists.

Don't let someone interrupt you during hitching or unhitching - you're bound to miss a step. If they do, go through all the steps from the beginning to make sure you really did them all.

Take it slow. We thought it was enough to spend 3 or 4 days at each spot. Not really - remember there are everyday things that need to be done regularly just like at home - laundry, shopping, cleaning the trailer, defrosting the fridge, etc. We ran into someone that always stays about a month at each spot before moving on (they always check in at the local senior center - often meals, socializing, meeting locals, regular activities of interest locally). That's probably a bit much for some places, but longer is better, within reason. Particularly when camped near a city or a large national park or birding area that you're visiting, it takes a while to explore, find out the good places, and get to know a place so you'll remember it. You can even read a book.

On your personal checklist - make sure the water pump is off before you tow out from anywhere. If you're one of those that leaves the gas on while traveling (we are not), you will need to leave the 12v electric system in "Use", not "Store" to power the fridge electronics, so the pump will have power. The bouncing on the road can turn on the water at the kitchen faucet and empty your fresh tank into the trailer. If you're lucky, the faucet won't have been shaken so it's no longer pointed over the sink. We weren't lucky.

We travel with the gas and power off - we see it as less chance that the trailer will explode, which could delay your trip for days. That means frozen things thaw out, cold things warm up. The temp on the fridge display of course is the temp of the air, not the contents, which stay a bit colder. The remedy to thawing out on the road is to take it slow and plan your shopping - stay long enough that your freezer is empty before you leave for the next site, or the last frozen thing is for the arrival dinner. If we're moving fast, we'll buy milk by the quart and eggs by the half dozen. The fridge and particularly the freezer is not that big.

If you turn the gas off while traveling, you may forget which tank you were using. I loop a Gear-Tie around one of the handles on the active tank so I know which one to turn on at the next stop, so we don't wind up with both tanks empty. We have a luggage scale to check the tank weight - ours are about 52 lbs full, 22 empty.

Dry camping in the cold - you can't always depend on solar (we only have a 100-watt briefcase folding panel); you need a generator particularly if dry camping in subfreezing temperatures for more than a day or two. You need the furnace to keep the pipes from freezing, and you need a lot of battery for the furnace fan. We carry a very small electric heater so we don't have to use a lot of gas when we're hooked up ($16.00 at Walmart), and a Little Buddy gas heater if we're dry camping - it takes the first 7 hours, runs out of gas, then the furnace comes on for the last 2-3 hours at 45 degrees, recharge when quiet hours end in the morning. Our first time with no generator, we had to run the tow vehicle hooked up in the middle of the night to keep the furnace fan running to prevent the pipes from freezing and the batteries from fully discharging.

Batteries - the stock charger in Airstreams (shame on them) is a single-stage charger and methodically destroys batteries by pushing current into them whether they need it or not. Dry camping in the cold where you're discharging and recharging quite a bit is probably the riskiest - check your batteries weekly or more often and refill with distilled water as needed. Otherwise check every couple of weeks or monthly. It's only $400 or so to replace them, but every $400 counts to us.

Tires - a TPMS can save you a lot of grief, can warn you before a blowout.

Mileage - we save a lot of gas - and nerves - going 55 rather than 65 (the limit for our standard trailer tires) or faster (like the GPS assumes you're going on those long, straight highways on the prairies).

Enjoy it all!

[Johndews]

Congratulations! Two suggestions:
Never move your AS with the door open, with the tow vehicle or the jack.
Limit what you purchase until you get some experience and know you want and
need it.

Good Luck!

[LBOskiBear]

I'm also in the refrigerator/gas off camp when towing. One solution is ice packs - I have a half dozen plastic "blue ice" things that I use. I keep them in the freezer at home so that I can keep things cold as the fridge cools down at the start of a camping trip.

I use them to keep things cold while traveling and, lastly, when I transport any leftover food home at the end of a trip.

Also - the freezer tends to get cold really fast - sometimes I keep things in the freezer compartment at first until the refrigerator section gets cold enough.

You'll find out what works best for you.

[larryglarson]

Yes, you got a lot of wonderful advise, take it relax have a good time, but take your time, be careful and get the 2 books they are available through Airstream life. You will get a lot of controvercial advise on this forum, people mean well but the truth is we all have our beliefs. Mine, I never use city water, I use my fresh water tank. I never put water in this tank unless I check it out first. By using my fresh water tank I know I do not have to depend on the gauge for my Grey and Black water tank, when my fresh water tank is empty there will still be room in both, so I do not need a pressure regulator. Just one man's opinion. As soon as possible make check lists and use them every time you hook up or set up. Check you owners manual for samples.

[coasttocoast]

take
a leatherman oht
a channel lock 7 piece ratchet screwdriver
a large ratcheting pair of pliers
2 biolite power lite minis
a spotlight flash light powerful enough to shine a beam out the side windows when looking for your camp site number
lots and lots of paper towels
lots and lots of wine
your leica
walkie talkies

look look and look again before driving
use a spotter when backing
move the stupid picnic table out the way before backing


happy trails

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by PandM

Hi Friends--

My husband and I just bought a 25FB Flying Cloud...our first Airstream and first trailer. We're learning rather serendipitously about certain dos and don'ts. For example, a friend told me we should use a pressure regulator to avoid possible pressure spikes from a city water connection. No one at the dealer told us this. I actually found this site and joined when I checked online to verify the information.

So...what do we really need to know that no one has told us? You probably have a couple of ideas about things no one told you when you bought your first trailer. Would you share some insights about how to travel safely and take care of our new Airstream? For example, a couple of people have told us they leave the propane on when traveling to keep the fridge cold. I know that's not advisable, but does everyone do it anyway? What other kinds of things do we need to know?

Many thanks! Peggy

When arriving at a new camp site, put the stabilizers down LAST.

When leaving, put the stabilizers up first.

Despite KNOWING better, I don't know how many times I jacked the front with the tongue jack with the back stabilizers down.

Fighting yourself is not helpful.

[Rgentum]

"Make your first trip close to home that way you can dash home if needed to get something major."

_____________________________

Our first trip out from home (Seattle area) was the AS rally last summer in Lewisburg, WVA, some 2.5K miles away. No problems --- there's always a Walmart nearby. And even if it is something major, the point of all of this, I believe, is "to deal with whatever comes up & enjoy the process." Don't sweat it. You may come to believe it's not that major after all.

[coasttocoast]

i forgot to mention the oxx coffeeboxx.

[dames7]

One night we got in very late to our camp grounds due to a major accident on the road, When I size up this back in spot with lots of trees and a very narrow pad and being very tired I decided to just park at the ranger station and wait until day light.
The best thing I did that day, this site was for dry camping and I had reservation for full hookup.
The ranger took care of me and just to remind me to make the right decision when you have a long day in a new camp site

[dames7]

Blue ice does not work in western states, when it's 104° outside it's 115° inside of my Airstream. We only travel with propane ON for the fridge.

If you don't it will take 2 days to get it cold enough to freeze anything.

[Journalist]

Run the fridge while towing. Vacations are too short to spend the whole time fighting food poisoning because you didn't keep the food in the refrigerator at a safe temperature. If a propane line were to rupture or become damaged while towing, the OPD valves in your tanks will trip the safety valve and shut off. If the flame in the fridge blows out, the fridge will automatically shut the flow of gas off as well. The likelihood of food spoiling and making you sick is about 100,000 times higher than the possibility of an explosion from a propane leak while underway. There are multiple safety features built into the propane system, don't be afraid to use it.
The best advice I can think of: Make a checklist for setup and tear down and USE IT! No matter how often you camp, there are a lot of steps to both. It's easy to overlook a simple step that can ruin an otherwise wonderful experience. Before ever firing up the tow vehicle, I always go over my list twice and check to make sure everything is secure. While stupid mistakes make for entertaining stories, they aren't so much fun to experience.

[Piggy Bank]

Granted we have a smaller rig with smaller refrigerator.

We got 2 Yeti coolers. 45 for frozen with dry ice. Larger one for cold food.
Both of these will last forever and keep food at temperature. No worries about food spoilage or food poisoning.

Low tech, and 100% reliable.

We use the blue ice packs (can re-freeze in our AS freezer) with a small soft side cooler for day outings.

We did 10 day trip to/from Yellowstone last year. This worked perfectly.

[Lonekingfish]

I realize there is a built in water pressure regulator, supposedly set to 65lbs. However, my local AS dealer tech said high pressure water hydrants can "test the limits of the built-in pressure valve" and eventually "break the sink valves."

His recommendation was to purchase a simple brass On/OFF valve (a little T shaped thing) and attach it to the end of the water hose by the trailer.

When hooking up to water, turn OFF that brass valve. Then slightly open your sink faucet(s) to to bleed out the air and leave it open just a little. Then turn on the water at the hydrant and slowly open the ON/OFF valve to let water flow in. Turn off your faucets once water starts trickling inside.

It seems like good logical preventative advice. Might not be necessary but I'm doing it heretofore.

Safe travels!