Show us your CHECKLISTS

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by mayco

Thank god my wife is a big believer in lists, lists, and more lists.

Just so long as you don't get recursive and make a list of all your checklists!

[SteveSueMac]

Well, orcs - you and Captain Sully are on the same page:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news...patient-safety

And them there was that time I left my checklist on the campsite picnic table :-(

Added a new item to the checklist after driving 10 miles away and 10 miles back to pick it up :-)

[Rich W]

The only tow so far has been to bring it home, then to storage. The PO helped me hook it up and gave me some reminders / tips, so I wrote them down as soon as I got home. On the cold days it gives me something to do. Here is what I have so far. I still want 'return to base' and 'winterize' checklists. I want to review what others have posted and update if necessary:

PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST

INSIDE
o A/C, furnace & water heater off
o TVs face down on bed (bring TV from home)
o TV Antenna down
o Fantastic Fan down and locked
o Rear vent closed and locked
o Windows closed
o Fridge on propane (or off), microwave - closed
o Cabinets (all) closed
o Access doors closed
o Counters cleared (kitchen and bath)
o Bathroom door closed
o Drain board in sink, cover installed
o Water pump off
o Sink cabinet bungee installed
o Main power off
OUTSIDE
o Propane tanks off, lid down and locked
o Battery box closed / locked
o Front window cover down, locked
o Water, water filter, power, phone, cable, sewer disconnected, pipes and cables stowed
o Awning retracted, secured with bungee cord retainers on extenders
o Hitch installed and locked on, safety chains installed crossed, break-away cable installed
o Mirrors installed on tow vehicle
o Lights Connector plugged to tow vehicle
o Tongue latch engaged and lock installed
o Tongue stand out, stored
o Levelers up and landing pads stowed
o Stabilizer bars installed, security pins installed, bar retention locks and safety pins installed
o Wheel covers stowed
o Chocks and wheel locks removed, visual inspection of tires
o Brake controller installed and set
o Back up camera installed and on
o Dump station
o Black (Right pull lever), grey (left pull lever), white water (if water tank was used) (in order)
o Flush black tank, hose w/red band
o Hoses, black water pipe & support stowed

ARRIVAL/SETUP CHECKLIST

OUTSIDE
o Wheel chocks (starboard side) and wheel lock (port side) installed
o Tongue stand in place on 2X6 block, yellow landing blocks in place, lower tongue to remove WD bars
o Tow vehicle disconnected, WD bars, clamps, pins, retainer clips and hitch stowed
o Place level bubble in center of trailer floor, crank levelers down to level trailer
o Water filter installed
o Wheel covers installed
o Test electric power 30 amp, 50 amp with testing device
o Water line hose or fill potable water tank
o Electric, sewer, phone, cable connected (whatever is available)
o Propane tanks on
o Awning extended (stow bungees), ground straps and screw in posts; happy lights installed
o Stow vehicle mirrors installed in tow vehicle
INSIDE
o Main power on
o Roll yard carpet out under awning
o Put AS stored items under awning (BBQ, chairs, table etc._
o A/C, furnace & water heater on
o TVs mounted in wall brackets (fore and aft)
o TV Antenna up
o Fantastic Fan, rear and bathroom vents open
o Fridge on propane / electric (depending on hookup, if not already on)
o Sink cover stowed
o Sink cabinet bungee stowed under sink
o If using water tank, turn on pump (control panel), else pump is off
o Bleed air from water lines kitchen and bath
o Open windows to vent humidity

[AtomicNo13]

Vodka stored in the upright position in the freezer...no loose olives rolling about. Ice made for happy hour tonight! Big Airstream attached;
Antenna down, step up, wife kids and dogs in. Phone charged and in the truck.

Where are my keys? (Casually looking in the rearview mirror at the lpg bottle cover!)

Enjoy the day!

[triterra]

For us one last go around of the trailer tapping on each window and storage door, including the main door ($2 flip latch that saved the suicide door which made losing one of the hatch doors seem like an small inconvenience). I try to remember to not place the WEight distribution (pipe handle) and screwdriver on the Tv bumper, it seems to roll to a hidden unknown location!
The next camper has also lucked out by me driving off with out my large 6x12"x 24" block for the jack, I think the pull forward and recheck is a good one.
My husband I agreed early on that a second set of eyes on the walk around is a must. No hard feelings or pointing fingers just thanks for watching my back.
Keep up the great ideas!

[Skater]

We have a packing/preparation checklist.

One side has all of the consumables in the camper that we might occasionally run out of - from obvious things like food, toiletries, and supplies of trash bags, to things we usually don't carry like kites and a beach umbrella for beach trips, an electric heater for the winter, happy hour snacks for rallies, and so on. The items are grouped by their location in the camper to make it easier to check things. With my wife's help, we can check the entire camper's supplies in just a few minutes.

The other side has a "to-do" list. It's broken into three columns, one for "a few days before the trip", a second one for "day before", and the last one for "departure day". The "a few days before" column includes things like checking tire pressures, checking/filling the propane, filling the water tank, working on the packing list, setting up the cat's cage in the truck, starting the fridge if necessary, and so on. The "day before" column includes things like hitching up. The departure day column includes things like "load cat", "sunglasses" (something that's easy to forget if it isn't sunny when we're leaving, and I only have one prescription pair), and "jack retracted".

All three columns are grouped into three sections - house, truck, and camper. House includes things like "stop mail" (a few days before), "doors locked", "lights off", "computer off", "trash taken out", "HVAC vacation mode", and "dishwasher started" on the departure day.

We don't need to, say, stop the mail for a weekend trip, but it's easy enough to just cross things off that aren't necessary for that trip.

I started the list after a couple trips with the B190 where I forgot something relatively important, like my razor or my sunglasses, so I've been building it for 6 or 8 years now. We update it a couple times a year as needed. I can post it up here if people want to see the gory details.

We don't have a campsite departure list.

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

Where are my keys? (Casually looking in the rearview mirror at the lpg bottle cover!)

Keys on the LPG tank? Oh I've been there!

I'm not a list person and my attempts at maintaining said lists failed miserably early on in my Airstream days - I kept leaving the darned things behind. Routine tends to suffice for me and I've had no mishaps since instituting a "pre-flight visual" before every day's traveling.

[m.hony]

Routine-
Do everything the same way every time.
Go around the trailer counter clockwise on the outside, and then go through the trailer clockwise on the inside...

[AtomicNo13]

I suppose my routine is to pack up pull out 75 feet and check the site for stuff the kids might left behind or things which have naturally fallen off the Airstream. I find the pullout walkaround is more final than a frequently interrupted checklist.

[Ultradog]

Gas up the pickup.
Bring diesel for tractor.
Drive 115 miles.
Open camper.
Turn on breaker in panel on pole for shore power.
Either fire up furnace or open windows depending on what time of year.
Get tractor out of shed and mow.
Or,
Go fishing.
Or
Go hunting.

[Rich W]

I know many of you have been doing this for years and years, but us newbies and list people in general, need a list. There are many safety items to consider when towing something this large and many other things to remember so you don't damage your nice trailer. (like, look up! I managed to ram a tree limb into the Zip Dee awning when I brought my AS home the first day.)

I've towed a bass boat for years and there are many things I know how to do without thinking about it; chains, safety clips, light check etc. I hope that someday I'll be that good with my AS, but I'm getting older and I find that even with my boat, I have forgotten things I have known to do for years. The checklist will help me to develop the 'auto pilot' mode that many of you veteran AS folk enjoy today.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by richw46

The checklist will help me to develop the 'auto pilot' mode that many of you veteran AS folk enjoy today.

I hope NONE of us has an "autopilot mode." That's another way of saying, "turn off your brain but keep working." When I'm doing something, I want my brain— what's left of it, at least— to be fully engaged in the task.

I had a professor in college who told us, "Everything you learn here you'll learn three times. Once when I tell it to you. Once when you read it. Once when you actually do it on your homework." He was right. You remember things you hear in a differnt part of the brain from the things you see which are in a different part of the brain from the things you touch. So to really learn the checklist, have someone read the checklist to you out loud. Repeat the checklist item back to them out loud. And always touch the item you're checking rather than just looking at it. Then next time, switch out, and you do the reading whle your partner does the repeating and checking/touching. That way, you engage more parts of your brain in the checklist, and you will learn it better.

[gmw photos]

For those that can walk around the trailer and do all the checks the same each and every time, I suppose that works for you. It does not work for my simple brain, because it's "not the same", if I have to stop part way around to lock a storage door, or pick up a chock, etc. That interruption of my routine would probably make me forget the what the heck I was doing ! So my checklist ( which is laminated on bright colored paper ) is in my hand as I do my walk around.
I wrote my checklist so that it follows my logical walk around the entire rig.
And yep....gotta remember the most important thing: dog in truck !

[BeachHouse]

Twice we forgot the dog food and had to make an emergency trip to the store. Last weekend it was 12 miles away. And, the big one for us was not to check the window latches (window was closed). We lost a window somewhere between Atlanta and Nashville. I don't forget that one anymore.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

And always touch the item you're checking rather than just looking at it.

Good point; no matter what your "process" is, actually touching the item in your list is important.

[rodsterinfl]

I made a list for camping. It was refined from one that someone offered on the forum. I created it for my use in regular, unhitched or boon docking (see key).

It keeps me in order instead of running around and helps when someone else is with me to offer assistance.

Obviously I skip items that do not apply for the type of camping I am doing. When I was in Fort Wilderness I did not unhitch as everything was there and no motor vehicles are used except to exit so all the * items were skipped; however, that too can change if I take the scooter per se as I have to unhitch for clearance. It is not perfect but it covers my tasks.

[Hittenstiehl]

Rod and Rich I like your list's and picked up hints and list style from both of you thanks for adding to it.

[rodsterinfl]

A land grouse!

[PharmGeek]

We leave in 2 weeks for Florida 1 week trip with my wife and 2 small children

I've started constructing our supply and grocery list - it gets lengthy but at least most if it is already in the trailer from my previous use so far

I'll share it for fun when I finish

[SL4BLLT]

When we bought our 1972 International back in 1995 we were fortunate to also have with the Airstream purchase the original Owners and Service manual.

So for years we have used page 55 and 56 "pre-travel check list". The one thing we try to ensure we do the most is found on page 56 under motoring essentials. And that is; "Do not make your vacation trips a mileage marathon! Stop and relax frequently.

See attached as Airstream has got it right for many years ensuring Airstream owners are ready to go and even leave the "second home" the place we pay taxes on in tip top shape waiting our return.

SL4BLLT