A cross-country RV trip can be one of the most exciting trips of your life. However, without proper planning, it can quickly turn into a nightmare. Here are some things you must know before embarking on your trip.
Know Campground Locations
Before you take off on your cross-country RV trip, you must mark out the campgrounds you plan to stay at along the way. Making reservations is a good idea so that you aren’t looking for a room late one night.
If something does come up at these campgrounds, they will be able to contact you and let you know to make adjustments to your schedule.
Even if you have reservations, make a list of backup campgrounds along the way to contact should something come up or you not make it as far as you intended in one day. According to RoverPass, there are more than 15,000 RV parks and campgrounds in North America.
Review State Laws Where You’ll Be Traveling
As you map out your journey across the country and back, you’ll have a plan of the states you will visit and drive through along the way. It is important to look up any unique driving laws that those states may have so that you are compliant and reduce your chances of being pulled over.
No matter what state you are in, you can expect the highway patrol officers to have the same equipment for your protection and theirs. In 2000, only 3,400 (11%) of highway patrol vehicles had in-car cameras, vastly different from now.
About 72% of all state patrol vehicles are estimated to have car video systems.
Check The Weather and Conditions
As you pack for your cross-country RV trip, make sure you are packed for the weather you will encounter. To maintain your health, you need to dress for the weather you will encounter.
One of the best ways to pack for weather is to pack layers that are easy to remove and add throughout the day and the trip. You must also ensure you have some coats for areas that may be very cold or chilly.
Areas with a lot of rain should also have a raincoat packed for everyone on the trip.
If you are going to an area with a lot of precipitation, watch for road conditions when you are traveling and prepare for things that you may not have where you live. For example, rock slides are some things that can happen and can be very dangerous.
Soil erosion can also happen, and that can be anywhere with a ledge. Two factors determine how much soil erodes off of a landscape: the amount of soil exposed and how long it’s been in that condition.
Know the signs so you can protect yourself when traveling.
Plat Out Fuel, Dump, and Rest Stops
When you are mapping out campgrounds and places you want to see along your trip, make sure you also take notes of places for fuel to stop along the way, dumping stations for your RV, and rest stop areas where you can stretch your legs and walk your pets if you have some traveling with you.
Some large travel centers are great for food, gas, and relaxation when getting off the road. There may also be long stretches without any stops, so you need to know when to fuel up so you aren’t stranded.
Several campgrounds will have dumping stations on site. However, you may reserve a place that is more primitive and doesn’t have one. You need to know where stand-alone stations you can visit in an emergency.
You’ll probably use your phone to enter these addresses in the GPS, but if you happen to have a paper map, just put a star along certain areas so you know you can pull over, especially if traffic is stopped and you want to take a break for a while.
Enjoy Your Cross-Country RV Trip
Once you’ve checked off all the places you need to know along your trip, you can feel confident once you pull out the drive and start on the trip. Always have a backup plan and do some research on the areas in which you plan to stay so you have minimal surprises and lots of preparation.
Your health and safety will thank you for it.