rvcityblog posted on September 15, 2011 07:00
Here a few travelling tips from one of RV City's Sales Consultants
STEP 1: Make sure you have all your proper documentation and proper registrations and insurance up to date and especially have your passport with you.
STEP 2: Pack only what is necessary. We always seem to end up taking to many clothes or stuff that we never use.
STEP 3: I always like to make sure that my vehicle is ready to go and has had a safety check, tires are in good shape, lube and oil change done and the windshield in good shape with no big cracks (IN the southern States they will stop you and issue you a summons to have it repaired in a specific time or get a fine, it happened to me and my cousin both on separate occasions).
STEP 4: Make sure your RV is checked out and ready to go. Have the wheel bearings checked or repacked to make sure you don’t have any problems down the road.
STEP 5: Fill the LP bottles before traveling, you can never know when you might hit a storm or colder weather that could slow you down and cause your RV to use more propane to keep it warm.
STEP 6: depending on what time of the year you are leaving and this one is optional. I recommend that you start out with your unit winterized till you get past the snow line and into warmer weather. I have found even in October to hit cold weather or go through some storms with freezing cold temperatures. I carry a 5 gallon jug of water to cook with, make coffee, wash dishes and to flush the toilet with. We once had a bad experience where we left Edmonton when it was in the –20’s. We had water in our unit, which had heated tanks and thermal pane windows. I left the hot water tank winterized for safety sake in case while I was traveling down the road and if the pilot blew out from the wind it would not freeze up and crack my hot water tank. On the trip down we had no problems everything was going great but when we got to Las Vegas and I went to put water in the hot water tank the water line from the water pump to the hot water tank was against the outside wall in a heated compartment had froze at that spot and cracked and I got soaked from water spraying out in all directions. Fortunately it was an easy and inexpensive fix after we cleaned up the mess but it did teach me a lesson. A person never knows how the cold wind can effect your RV.
STEP 7: Drive only what you are comfortable with and pace yourself accordingly. I have been going down south for 7 years and have found that if I set the cruise control on my vehicle at 99 km’s an hour it got the best fuel economy and was a more relaxing driving experience.
STEP 8: Crossing the border: You can check with US Customs before leaving to see what is allowed and what is not allowed. I recommend that it is simpler to just take what you need and to not take any liquor, meats, or any fresh vegetables and fruit. We have checked in the past what is allowed and not allowed but it seems to be a different story at the border. It seems it is up to the custom agent on what he thinks is allowed and not allowed. For food we take a little bit of milk, bottled water, pop, bread, some boxed cereal, canned food, pasta and sauce that is easy to cook. We always hit the Wal-Mart Supercentre in Helena Montana to stock up on our food supplies there. We find it is usually cheaper for groceries there then back at home. Remember you can always buy what you need down in the states and it is usually cheaper there then back at home. Why risk it at the border and have it confiscated.
STEP 9: If you are taking your pets with you make sure you have all their tags up to date and their vaccinations up to date and documentation to prove it. You could be asked at the border crossing. Another point to bring to your attention is not to stock up on dog food. Numerous people have told us that they have had their dog food confiscated at the border. I recommend just taking enough for a couple of days and avoiding that situation.
STEP 10: Check the weather channel before you go and look for days that look like clear weather all the way down. I have in the past left a day or two early to beat a storm or delayed a couple of days and wait till a storm has cleared. It is not fun to drive an RV through a storm. Some people will even just sit for a day or two and wait out the storm before moving on if they get caught while traveling. Remember you have lots of time and why push it.
STEP 11: make sure you have your travel insurance and out of country medical health insurance up to date. Know your time limits of your health plan. You can only be out of country for a maximum of 182 days. If you are longer then that out of the Country your Alberta health care can be cancelled. I also know of a fellow Canadian who stayed in the US for longer then 182 days and was penalized by the US Customs and not allowed back into the US for at least 1 full year. He was lucky it could have been worse then that.
STEP 12: For your wardrobe I suggest taking summer wear as well as some fall and spring wear. Remember you are in the desert and it can be very warm when the sun is out and get quite chilly after sundown.
STEP 13: The final step. Go down and have the time of your life. Do all the things you have dreamed about. But remember be safe. You are in a different Country with some different cultures. Do not go into areas that do not look safe. I always say that there are some areas in Edmonton that I would not go to after dark. Think the same way when you are down South. For the most part the Southern States are quite safe in most areas. The Mexican border towns can be dangerous and I suggest visiting them only in the tourist areas.
Bon Voyage.
Glen Leeder RV City Sales Consultant