PARKING AT HOME OR IN STORAGE

WHERE DO I PARK THIS THING?
If you'RE lucky enough to have the space in your own backyard, you’re a huge step closer to making the pack-up and planning that much easier. Many covenant communities don’t allow parking RV’s on the streets – they don’t in our neighborhood. So we took some spare space next to the house (see if you can get it near an electrical outlet and access to the water hose), cleared and leveled the ground and surrounded the space with an extra tall fence and gate. We finished the space with pea gravel and set up cement stones for the drive in and leveling once parked. It is very convenient and provides super easy access for trip readiness. If you can’t park it at your home, there are RV storage stations available in most major cities. The closer to home the better.

BACK IT UP BABY . . IF YOU CAN'T SEE MY MIRRORS, I CAN'T SEE YOU!
Get yourself a pair of good side mirror extensions for your towing vehicle – or permanent ones if you prefer. If you go for the extensions, do some shopping for the type and size recommended as a “best fit” for your truck mirrors. Permanent mount mirrors are nice – but expensive – and may require drilling a couple of holes into your doors – ouch! They also may tend to get in the way during everyday driving around town. I guess it would depend on whether you use your towing vehicle as your everyday ride. Paying a little more for removable extensions is a good idea . . remember, you get what you pay for. Cheap mirrors will blow forward – or blow off – in high winds. Many will also have squirrely mounts which tend to deteriorate over time – you might only get one or two seasons out of them. There is also the issue of vibration when you’re driving rough roads or in windy conditions. Spend some time checking out the reviews on mirrors – it’ll be worth the time.
If you’re traveling partner is the one that will direct you when backing into your backyard, RV storage space or camp space – it’s best to discuss and work out the hand signals in advance. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve witnessed huge fights between teams when trying to do the back -in thing. And invariably, the driver needs to jump out of the truck several times to check the progress and location when backing. My husband and I worked on the hand signals after our first attempt at backing it into the backyard – which consequently was our first RV fight. Starting a trip – or ending one for that matter – on a fight, is the pits. If you can’t see his mirrors – he can’t see you or your hand signals. Customize your “right”, “left”, “straight back” . . . and don’t forget the “how close” and “stop” signals too. It’s also a good idea to make some kind of mark or identify a spot on your trailer and on the truck for lining up the hitch. It’ll save a lot of time and a lot of heartache.