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1 |
Rent an RV
for a short trip: it’s the ideal way to explore your true needs before
buying. |
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2 |
With the
purchase of a new recreational vehicle – whether self-contained or towed –
consider taking a professional driving course attuned to the specialized
demands of safely and efficiently operating an RV. The money-saving tips
on driving, maintaining and repairing your RV will more than offset the
tuition. |
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3 |
Practice
your new skills in a vacant parking lot and/or on roads less traveled. Make
your first trip with your new RV a short one, a trial run of sorts. |
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4 |
If you plan
to take pets along on your longer trips, be sure to prepare the pet with a
series of short jaunts in the RV. (offer a treat after each of these
little shakedown cruises). Bring along a familiar blanket or toy to make
the pet feel at home. |
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5 |
If you run a
diesel engine, pay careful attention to cool-down periods (with the engine
running at idle) after especially hard pulls. |
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6 |
Resist at
every turn the impulse to park, uninvited and unnecessarily close to
another camper. |
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7 |
Diluted
bleach poured into the freshwater tank, drained, refilled with water and
drained again will prevent odors over a long winter. |
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8 |
Take two
coolers - one for beverages, one for food - a particularly important
consideration on longer trips. Think about investing in a thermoelectric
cooler. |
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9 |
The ultimate
economies of a long trip accumulate - a consistent 90-kmph traveling speed
for best fuel economy, a keen eye for campground discounts (such as those
that often accompany early arrivals or those that apply to the members of
various campground chains or those that belong to senior travelers) and
thoughtful use of the free public sleepovers for travelers applicable in
some provinces. |
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10 |
Families
traveling together can enjoy glorious, stress-free time in great big
dollops. Maximize the enjoyment with on-the-road games that can quickly
become family traditions: memory games, trivia games, imitations,
charades, whatever. Here’s a starter, perfect for everyone regardless of
age, driver not included: shout out a letter . . . "S", for example. The
first person to spot three things that begin with that letter (a general
store, a swamp a sunset)
gets to choose the next letter. |
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11 |
Take along
good reference books that will help you better understand and enjoy the
flora and fauna, the local history, the skies overhead in the geographical
areas in which you travel. |
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12 |
Save wear
and tear on your air conditioner: park in the shade whenever possible. |
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13 |
Always pay
particular attention to your loads: overloaded trailers can seriously
damage the towing vehicle, and overloaded motor homes can cause tire
failure and worse. In the latter case, electronic tire-monitoring systems
can keep you apprised of what’s happening where the rubber meets the road. |
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14 |
Plan trips
to out-of the way places. To small towns, kilometers off the highway, for
after-harvest festivals, arts-and-crafts gatherings and other local
celebrations. |
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15 |
A checklist
of desirable gear to take along on your journey follows. Keep a customized
list of your own, adding and subtracting items according to your specific
use or non-use. Simple is best, especially on the road. |