Dec. 22, 2013 - Jan. 1, 2014
Hello Everyone!
We took our 2000 Kountry Star out on its maiden voayage, with us anyway! We went to the Dallas, Texas area for Christmas and stayed for a week or so, and then traveled back to Colorado.
Here's what we learned: (Keep in mind that this is our very first RV)
1-Take WIDE turns. Before we even made it out of town, I "gently modified" a little concrete pole that was there to protect fire hydrant. It did its job. I did some good damage to the right rear section and bumper of the new RV. It's getting fixed before our next trip. Learned my lesson on the turning thing right out of the gates. I mean...I KNEW I had to turn wide...but, seriously, the little concrete pole thing was only as high as the fire hydrant. Geez. I'm used to them being taller...like 4 feet or so, protecting the money taker at McDonald's from a rogue tight turn driver. You know? Anyway...lesson learned.
Hello Everyone!
We took our 2000 Kountry Star out on its maiden voayage, with us anyway! We went to the Dallas, Texas area for Christmas and stayed for a week or so, and then traveled back to Colorado.
Here's what we learned: (Keep in mind that this is our very first RV)
1-Take WIDE turns. Before we even made it out of town, I "gently modified" a little concrete pole that was there to protect fire hydrant. It did its job. I did some good damage to the right rear section and bumper of the new RV. It's getting fixed before our next trip. Learned my lesson on the turning thing right out of the gates. I mean...I KNEW I had to turn wide...but, seriously, the little concrete pole thing was only as high as the fire hydrant. Geez. I'm used to them being taller...like 4 feet or so, protecting the money taker at McDonald's from a rogue tight turn driver. You know? Anyway...lesson learned.
2-Cars need to freakin' ACCELERATE when they merge! "Hey! Right foot! Use it!"
3-There a lot of button and valves and other doodads on an RV. Why are there 2 switches for the water heater? Ooohhhhh! LPG or Electric. Got it.
4-Dumping was easier than I thought. However, sadly, the Owner's Manual did not come with my coach, but Newmar has them all online! And thanks to Kinkos, I made a spiffy binder. I followed the directions in the manual and everything went as planned. Nothing like in the movie, "RV." So very thankful about that. Have a 15' Rhino hose. Love it.
5-Wind sucks....I mean...it blows...and when it blows hard...it REALLY sucks. "Texas! Enough with the crosswind already! Same goes for you, New Mexico!"
6-The pets were not as keen to travelling as we hoped. "Happy Traveler" capsules helped as did a "Thundershirt" for the Cocker. But still...the dogs were not comfortable. Time will fix that...well, it BETTER fix that! The black one slept in her dog bed to my right on the floor the entire trip and the buff one sat on the DW's (using that for the first time...cool) lap, panting and sitting, and standing and more panting... By day 4 in the motorhome, she mellowed quite a bit. Enought to actually lie down and look like she was sleeping. The dog that is.
(Taken at an RV Park while no longer in motion.)
3-There a lot of button and valves and other doodads on an RV. Why are there 2 switches for the water heater? Ooohhhhh! LPG or Electric. Got it.
4-Dumping was easier than I thought. However, sadly, the Owner's Manual did not come with my coach, but Newmar has them all online! And thanks to Kinkos, I made a spiffy binder. I followed the directions in the manual and everything went as planned. Nothing like in the movie, "RV." So very thankful about that. Have a 15' Rhino hose. Love it.
5-Wind sucks....I mean...it blows...and when it blows hard...it REALLY sucks. "Texas! Enough with the crosswind already! Same goes for you, New Mexico!"
6-The pets were not as keen to travelling as we hoped. "Happy Traveler" capsules helped as did a "Thundershirt" for the Cocker. But still...the dogs were not comfortable. Time will fix that...well, it BETTER fix that! The black one slept in her dog bed to my right on the floor the entire trip and the buff one sat on the DW's (using that for the first time...cool) lap, panting and sitting, and standing and more panting... By day 4 in the motorhome, she mellowed quite a bit. Enought to actually lie down and look like she was sleeping. The dog that is.
(Taken at an RV Park while no longer in motion.)
7-RV Parks are FUN! We didn't get to stay at any one park for longer than a night, but the people I met while breifly there were all so friendly.
8-Lunches on the road in the RV are way better than stopping at fast food restaurants! We pulled over, the DW made some grub. We ate. It was very relaxing. Loved it. Dogs seem to like mealtime as well. Who knew?
8-Lunches on the road in the RV are way better than stopping at fast food restaurants! We pulled over, the DW made some grub. We ate. It was very relaxing. Loved it. Dogs seem to like mealtime as well. Who knew?
9-RV + Slippers = :)
10-You have to be prepared for little things to "go wrong." Not cataclysmically...just a little. For example...one of my dash heater vents popped out and fell on the floor while going down 287 in Texas. At the next stop, I reached up behind the dash, held the hose, and screwed it back on. Fixed. Also, the 4" fan in the basement for the heater decided that it didn't want to work anymore. Screached like a banshee, and then stopped working. Solution? Order a new fan on Amazon and install when I get home. In the meantime, go to WalMart, my new best friend, and buy a remote temperature sensor, a clamp light, and a 60w, 75w and 100w light bulb. The basement heater VENT still worked without the fan and still pushed some hot air into the tank bay. With the remote sensor, I could see the temperature of the bay inside the coach. i bought the clamp light and bulbs in case the hot air without the fan wasn't enough. And...you know how I learned about light bulbs? You guessed it....YOU GUYS! Thanks! That leads me to the next thing I learned...
11-The Internet/smart phones and iRV2 are indispensable when travelling. With them, we were able to see if RV parks were open in the off season, call said parks, find the nearest WalMart or rest stop or fuel, look up why my basement fan won't turn on anymore (fuse under the fridge? WHAT!?), etc. Anyway...Technology rocks.
12-Walmart IS my new best friend. You can buy almost everything you need there, from food to fuel, to temperature thingys, to fuses, to little Pina Colada smelling turtles...AND, they let you eat and sleep in their parking lot if you so desire! Bonus: Every purchase comes with a WalMart logoed RV garbage bag, which can hang nicely (Only temporarily, of course. ) off of a drawer handle using a carabiner, purchased at WalMart!
10-You have to be prepared for little things to "go wrong." Not cataclysmically...just a little. For example...one of my dash heater vents popped out and fell on the floor while going down 287 in Texas. At the next stop, I reached up behind the dash, held the hose, and screwed it back on. Fixed. Also, the 4" fan in the basement for the heater decided that it didn't want to work anymore. Screached like a banshee, and then stopped working. Solution? Order a new fan on Amazon and install when I get home. In the meantime, go to WalMart, my new best friend, and buy a remote temperature sensor, a clamp light, and a 60w, 75w and 100w light bulb. The basement heater VENT still worked without the fan and still pushed some hot air into the tank bay. With the remote sensor, I could see the temperature of the bay inside the coach. i bought the clamp light and bulbs in case the hot air without the fan wasn't enough. And...you know how I learned about light bulbs? You guessed it....YOU GUYS! Thanks! That leads me to the next thing I learned...
11-The Internet/smart phones and iRV2 are indispensable when travelling. With them, we were able to see if RV parks were open in the off season, call said parks, find the nearest WalMart or rest stop or fuel, look up why my basement fan won't turn on anymore (fuse under the fridge? WHAT!?), etc. Anyway...Technology rocks.
12-Walmart IS my new best friend. You can buy almost everything you need there, from food to fuel, to temperature thingys, to fuses, to little Pina Colada smelling turtles...AND, they let you eat and sleep in their parking lot if you so desire! Bonus: Every purchase comes with a WalMart logoed RV garbage bag, which can hang nicely (Only temporarily, of course. ) off of a drawer handle using a carabiner, purchased at WalMart!
13-Always pack your sense of humor! Brandi (The DW) asked me, after I hit a pole and put the bumper back on with 2 bungie cords, a vent fell out, a fan stopped working, one of my little speakers fell off its mount on the highway (fixed with a zip tie) and a fuse that needed replacement, "Is it always gonna me like this? Little things here and there that need to be fixed?" I replied, with a Cheshire Cat like grin, "Yup. Probably." And then I smiled some more. She smiled back. That's all I needed.
Addendum: On our first night, when I connected the city water, water came spewing up like a geyser in the bathroom. Apparently, the faucet was broken. Now...I was outside, while Brandi was inside. I guess she started yelling for me to turn off the water, but I couldn't hear her. Eventually, she went to the bedroom window and pounded on it until she had my attention and then yelled, "Turn it off!" So I did...and then we used up all almost all of our towels mopping up the floor in the RV. Luckily, it was only wet on the vinyl floor and not the carpet. Bought a new faucet before we even got to my father in law's house the next day. Where? WalMart! It was only $10! Hooray!
14-Finally. I learned that I LOVE RVing! I got to spend precious quality time with my 3 favorite ladies. The trip itself was a lot of work, but at the same time, super relaxing. I don't need to explain that...because, if you're a motorhomer, then I'm sure you already know what I mean. We already have 2 more trips planned for this year before the summer is over...and we can't wait!
Addendum: On our first night, when I connected the city water, water came spewing up like a geyser in the bathroom. Apparently, the faucet was broken. Now...I was outside, while Brandi was inside. I guess she started yelling for me to turn off the water, but I couldn't hear her. Eventually, she went to the bedroom window and pounded on it until she had my attention and then yelled, "Turn it off!" So I did...and then we used up all almost all of our towels mopping up the floor in the RV. Luckily, it was only wet on the vinyl floor and not the carpet. Bought a new faucet before we even got to my father in law's house the next day. Where? WalMart! It was only $10! Hooray!
14-Finally. I learned that I LOVE RVing! I got to spend precious quality time with my 3 favorite ladies. The trip itself was a lot of work, but at the same time, super relaxing. I don't need to explain that...because, if you're a motorhomer, then I'm sure you already know what I mean. We already have 2 more trips planned for this year before the summer is over...and we can't wait!