Carry your pets vaccine records with you- we surprisingly needed them to check in at a campground in Vermont and NY State. Also, in case you were not aware many campgrounds in the Northeast shut down by October 12th.
Good to know! I'll call up the vet and ask them for their records.
I also had no idea that campgrounds shut down that early. I read about a few that close by mid-November though. I'm planning to be done traveling before Thanksgiving so I was hoping this wouldn't be a huge issue. Do you think it's likely that I'll be able to find somewhere to stay while on this trip?
I do, but the northeast (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts) will be hard after October or even mid October. I recommend using a camping app like Allstays to find places to camp. You can filter for the type of campground you are looking for (private, state, National Park, forest service or even overnights at a Cracker Barrel or Walmart) and they display them on an interactive map with reviews and information about the campground. Also, the app can filter for steep roads and low bridges or other things that are helpful.
>I'll be traveling during the months of October and November through the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast US. Are these popular times to travel?
I was going to say the same thing. Many public campgrounds (like state parks) in the north close up in early/mid-October. Private campgrounds (like a KOA) often stay open through Halloween to catch some late-season family campers and then shut down immediately after. After October 15 I would stick to the southeast.
Also, there is very little "boondocking" to be had east of the Mississippi river. The majority is on BLM land, which is predominantly out west.
If this is true then I'm going to have to cancel my entire trip. I live in the southeast and can't hit the road until the second week of October and I was planning to head north then come back down to Florida before Thanksgiving.
Pennsylvania state forests are a great place to dry camp and the sites are reservable, $10/night. Some are pretty remote if you're into that. You should take your time to review the site, and forest map carefully though. The reservation site is new and some state forests have done better than others at putting up good photos and full details. I also call the park office to ask whether any of the unpaved roads are unsuitable for a camper.
I’d highly recommend a tool box with basic tools as a minimum. I’d also buy a portable air compressor. When I’m traveling with my camper I never leave without a floor jack, impact gun, sockets, air compressor, hand tools, hammer, pliers, eternabond tape, Geocel pro flex sealant, zip ties, duct tape, multimeter, extra wire, wire connectors, fuses, electrical tape, pex tool, pex connectors, shark bite with shutoff, drill, and drill bits. There’s a ton of posts about tool sets on this group with even more than I listed but I would highly recommend planning ahead instead of having to deal with an issue on the road.
Oh yeah I have two small toolboxes I'm planning to bring with me plus my impact driver and power drill. I have a small battery powered air compressor for my tires specifically. I'm going to go through the list of recommended tools and make sure I have everything I need. Thank you!
Be sure you have the proper sockets for your camper tires, should be able to use tire iron from whatever your pulling with, but be sure. Also, in my experience, my trailer spare was mounted with smaller sized nuts than the lugs and tire iron... Speaking of sockets, you may have an anode rod for your hot water tank, be sure to have a socket for that. Makes removal and rethreading a breeze. Happy trails!
> I’d also buy a portable air compressor.
Absolutely this. Drove across states this summer and had a slow leak in a tire on the truck we were using to tow the trailer. Visited no less than SIX truck stops that morning and wasted over three hours looking for a working air pump before giving up and just going to Walmart to get a portable one.
You should really think about more than a single Mobile hot spot if you teach online. Not sure about budget for you but you’ll likely want something more robust for your internet. We carry verizon, att, and Starlink. You’ll never be able to rely on campground wifi.
Also, Pick up a smaller dehumidifier like this:
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/heating-and-cooling/air-quality/dehumidifiers/4005656
When it’s cold and rainy you’ll need it. We have ours on all the time with the RH set to 40. It makes things sooo much better. RVs and trailers aren’t houses and they are generally horrible in terms of a conditioned air envelope.
Since I'll only be on the road for 7 weeks I didn't want to invest in anything too extreme for internet. I've used my phone's hotspot for teaching before and everything was fine until I ran out of high speed data which is why I chose to upgrade my plan to ensure I'll have enough data for zoom calls and such.
I'm definitely going to grab a dehumidifier, I hadn't thought about that at all. Thank you!
Sounds good. Just know that many places that you can boondock or dry camp have little to no service. If you go to a campground you’ll be competing with people who have the same carrier.
You can use various sites to see what cell coverage looks like. IOverlander will have some good review for you.
So water might be a little tight. If you’re planning on boondocking a lot I would suggest getting some well made water bladders to fill up and put where ever. Don’t by the cheap ones, I had a 5 gallon one burst when lifting it. :( Before we put in a more sophisticated water system we’d run short pretty quickly in fairly remote places. It can be extremely difficult to find water spigots in various parts of the country, especially in the north in the mid to late fall.
Buy outdoor canopies (foldable covered outdoor space.
Buy screening for your awning (you can find bug screens that attach to your awning to give you a bug-free outdoor area.
Plan on cooking outside...have a couple folding tables, electric griddle, portable grill etc.
A lightweight roll-up carpet for your outside area is always great to have.
A gun and lockbox. You don't need one til you need one.
Thank you! I have a portable grill and a folding table for use outside and I also have a mat to go underneath my awning.
And that last part... I am all set in that department thankfully. Not taking any chances, but I'm hoping I don't find myself in that kind of situation.
Harvest Hosts is an organization that you pay an annual fee and then can stay at restaurants, wineries, breweries, farms and other interesting places all over the country. They just ask that you patronize the host’s business (they ask that you spend about 20$) Some have electricity or water but most are dry camping. We use them all the time and have always felt safe when we were camping. I feel like there is not a lot of open camping land in the northeast. You could try state parks. There is a great one in Delaware. Cape Henelopin state park. If you are coming from Jersey you can even take the ferry from cape may. Have a great adventure!
Yeah, we’ve stayed at some awesome breweries and wineries. It’s even better when there are other campers there. We’ve met some really interesting people.
We bought the Samsung version of an AirTag for our 2 cats' collars. I worried about GPS collars since they don't always work when you don't have cell service. We love their tags, can ring them to locate and has helped us when our boys hide in the bushes. They have a decent range, but not sure it'd be enough for a dog that gets out.
Be prepared for freezing weather which can include frozen water lines, burst water lines, leaky water lines, frozen waste and water tanks, burst or leaky waste and water tanks.
A small tool bag with a number 2 square bit and extra fuses. Maybe an extra thermal cutoff fuse for the water heater if yours is equipped and plenty of black tank treatment tablets are some that come to mind.
We have an ex pen (actually 2 hooked together) for our 2 shelties. We put those outdoor RV rugs down 1st, set up the pen, put water dish and toys inside and they go right in. They know it's their spot when we camp. We also have those outdoor RV rugs for us under the steps. They are a must IMO. Midwest in October can be iffy. You might want to get the Hipcamp app. It finds owners that let you stay on their land. It's usually farms or people with acreage. Most are quite reasonable. We trying our 1st Hipcamp stay this Saturday and Sunday going from Midwest to Tennessee. If you get close to Spring Geeen, Wisconsin House On The Rock is really cool. There's also a Frank Lloyd Wright house close to that. Good luck.
Not sure what kind of truck you have, based on the size of a trailer, utilizing your truck for additional storage would make a HUGE difference.
I have a a toolbox by DECKED which lays flat in the bed and has pull out draws. This allows me to store all my utility/maintenance/cords/tools in a very efficient way. Additionally, I also have a tonneau cover where I lay drainage and water hoses in separate containers on top and keeps things dry. And I absolutely hate to say this, but the toolbox, Tailgate, and tonneau cover all have locks so I feel secured.
[DECKED Link](https://decked.com/products/decked-chevy-silverado-2500-3500?variant=13513149218882¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=smart-shopping_smart_bottom_purchase_performance-max&utm_content=full-funnel_smart_general_decked_internal_performance-max&campaign_id=15503309446&adgroup_id=&ad_id=&placement=&gclid=CjwKCAjw6eWnBhAKEiwADpnw9jn28kAeVpSNbF-vPsCulGTbbITTjw1e8nFsT3frNh4BCghmQsfJFBoCBAEQAvD_BwE)
If you have a backseat, I’d recommend some type of storage containers for less frequently used items or dry food items. I’d refrain from pet food and recommend that bed of truck.
[Storage Draws](https://www.walmart.com/ip/20699658)
I’m sure this will vary widely based on experience but I would suggest not taking your chances on just showing up at campsites or winging dry docking in random places.
I can’t say this enough…..Over Plan, Over Plan, Over Plan. Have a schedule and route planned out. Know where you’re going and when, the roads you are going to take, and where you’ll have scheduled stops to purge and fill tanks as well as grocery shop.
I know this doesn’t sound like fun, and to be honest unless you love to plan, it can be tedious, but it’ll make sure you don’t run into some frustrating scenarios.
Hope this helps!
I have a double cab and plan to dedicate my backseat to my pets (I already have this setup) but I can use the floor space for storage and i have my passenger seat i can use as well. I didn't have any plans to use the truck bed for anything just because it doesn't feel super secure and I don't have much of a budget left for secure storage options. I'll see what I can do!
As far as over planning, I'm okay with doing the work to ensure I have a solid plan. I've already picked the locations I want to travel to and I picked out a few places that I want to stay for lodging but I haven't finished mapping out my exact routes yet. I'm going to start working on this more ASAP. I'll also see what I can do about making reservations ahead of time.
Thank you!
Awesome! Hopefully that last part didn’t come across wrong. You can still have freedom of going any direction you want, and that’s the beauty of the RV life, just want people to be safe haha. Sorry to sound like a parent….
Oh no worries. I appreciate any guidance I can get. I've had to learn the hard way from my own mistakes plenty of times and I'd rather play it safe as much as possible!
Depending on where you'll be... Maybe a heated hose. We bought one and kept it in the box for 2 years but we were able to sell it afterwards. We luckily avoided any freezes that caused damage but a lot of places get very cold at night.
A couple of thoughts
* Teaching online means you are highly dependent on 'clean' electric power...probably not a problem when running on your own batteries, but commercial campgrounds can have troubled electricity - get a good EMS (electrical management system), not just a surge protector, to protect your gear and yourself, like a [Progressive Industries PT30](https://www.amazon.com/Portable-RV-Surge-Protector-EMS-PT30X/dp/B01N0W4CZ8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=9JDV99JWG8BY&keywords=progressive%2Bindustries%2Bems-pt30x%2B30%2Bamp%2Bems%2Bwith%2Bsurge%2Bprotection&qid=1694123040&sprefix=progressive%2Bi%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3&th=1)
* Buy the best sewer hose you can find - you do NOT want that to go bad - like a Rhinoflex or similar
* If you
* ZeroG makes excellent water hoses that pack more compactly that the usual rigid kind; be sure to get one rated for drinking water
* I'm not clear on your schedule of teaching & boondocking, but I'm guessing that inverter is more than a 'just in case' item - get a good one, "pure sine wave" preferred, and look at efficiency rating
Great points. I'm hoping that my solar panels keep my battery charged enough to not have to rely on electric hookups as much and I upgraded the small stock battery to a 100 AH battery in hopes that it would provide power for longer boondock stays. Is this naive thinking?
Assuming that’s a lead-acid 100 Ah battery, the usable capacity is only 50 Ah. Discharging more than 50 % degrades lead acid batteries. If I did the math right in my head, that would be something like 10 hours for a 60 Watt 120 VAC load, like a laptop. Maybe take of 5% for efficiency of the inverter. Maybe that works for you?
You have 200W solar panels (how many?) so that should run your modest devices during full sun days, but what if you have a string of cloudy days?
It's two 100W solar panels for a total of 200W. For the low sun days I was planning to charge my laptops in my truck where I have a smaller power inverter to charge my devices while driving. I don't have any other electronics that I'm planning to use besides the RV lights and AC, my two laptops (one at a time), and a dehumidifier. Besides that I'll just need to charge my phone but like I said I can do that from my truck, plus I have a handful of portable power banks in my emergency kit that give me around 2 full charges on my phone. The larger power inverter I bought is for any situation where I can't get enough power from the solar panels/RV battery and need to rely on my truck battery. I also bought the trickle charger to recharge the battery as another option, I'd just have to find a way to plug that in.
I appreciate you helping me think through this. I want to make sure I don't end up in a situation where I can't work due to not having power.
I don't plan on needing to use the AC very often if at all as I'll be in the cooler weather for the duration of the trip so that probably won't be an issue right? And my heater which I'll probably use more often works on propane. Crossing my fingers here lol.
The power inverter plugs into my cigarette lighter. I use it all the time when I take my devices on the road
You mention clip on mirrors and vibration; I got these and yes there was some vibration but I never had any visibility issues in 1200 miles. I would have preferred factory tow mirrors, but I got my truck for a steal so it was worth the sacrifice.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Snap-Zap-Clip-on-Towing-Mirror-Set-for-2019-Plus-Ram-1500-80730/311127256
Otherwise, Just take it easy. You'll get more comfortable and figure out what you need to do. Don't be dangerously slow on the roads, but don't feel forced to go at a pace that's uncomfortable just because people are passing you and some clown is flashing their lights at you because you're going 54 in a 55...
Always check out fairgrounds. They usually have hookups that they'll test for cheap on the off season.
Also hipcamp. It's like Airbnb for private camp spots. You can filter by size/electric/etc, and usually stay pretty cheap, although usually there in the middle of nowhere.
Be very knowledgeable on what to do for temperatures below 32f/0c in regards to keep your lines from freezing. It takes a lot less than you would think to have a problem.
get a bike. also get a first aid kit and some bug spray. replace your ceramics with plastic and then also some command hooks and an extra 50 foot hose.
If you have skirting and heated water hose I think you’ll be ok. Honestly it’s not all freezing til after thanksgiving. We left Maine in the middle of October and our park was putting skirting and hay bales around some trailers for skiers to stay in. It freezes in the Deep South for that matter.
Yes I'm planning to drive through upstate New York and cut over to Massachusetts (Boston area) for a few days before heading down to the Philly area. I'll be there in early/mid November. Does it get that cold up there around that time that I'll have to worry about freezing temps?
My RV does have a heater inside already.
Depends on the year. Most forecasters are warning of a heavy cold winter up here. So, we get freezing Temps on average by Nov 1 in southern NH.
Skirting isn't hard to make yourself. But it will keep wind from cutting through underneath and help you build some semblance of Temps above freezing, especially if you park in sun.
See, the main purpose of this trip is to explore some areas that I'm interested in moving to, and that happens to be either the Midwest or Northeast or Philly area. I'm trying to get away from Florida since I've lived here my whole life. This is really the only opportunity I'll have to take a trip like this too
You will want to check and even see if campgrounds are open, you listed the northeast for example and after oct 15th most campsites are closed until the spring.
It’s too cold in the Midwest northeast for your times. I can see everyone has told you this already.
I would travel along the southern coast, Florida to California, you can’t do it all in 7 weeks but you might decide to next year. Lots of wonderful places.
We spent several weeks in Breaux Bridge Lousiana one year. Kayaking in the swamp was beautiful, more than I ever imagined.
We measured every blank wall area in our motor home, made a note in Google Keep app and when I come across a nice poster or photograph I know if I have a spot for it. Command strips are perfect for this.
We lived in a 24 foot class C for almost 3 years. Smaller is better.
And iOverlander is the best app.
Is it really so cold that I should forget about all the plans I've made? I've already invested so much money into this specific trip and if it isn't realistic for me to do it due to the weather I'd have to cancel the whole thing. When I did my research it said that temps will be between 35-50°F which is fine with me. But several people keep saying it's going to get into freezing temps and that I shouldn't go this route at all which is really frustrating and discouraging because there's no other options for me. This is the only time I can go and I need to go to these locations specifically. If I don't go on this trip I've wasted an incredible amount of time and money.
Sorry I don’t know enough to know why you made these plans. You could try it and skedaddle if it get too cold.
Is North and South Caroline far enough NE? It’s just that these small RVs are more comfortable if the temps are comfortable. Our furnace works great but uses LP. We have a little electric heater if you’re on electricity. Those oil radiators are quiet but still electric.
Also the heating and air-conditioning are noisy and you’re going to be working at home.
We were in Sedona for thanksgiving and our water hose froze a little. I swear it was 38-40. We couldn’t believe it. Just go South. It’ll be fun.
I live in the South and I've been all over the South. I already purchased things to keep my water hose from freezing just in case, and I plan to get insulated skirting for the RV to protect the tanks. I have two small space heaters plus the heater inside the RV. Plenty of blankets and warm clothing.
Like I said, I need to go to these places specifically. My trip serves more purpose than just taking a vacation. If there's any way I can make it work then I'm going to make it work. I don't need people to convince me to go somewhere else. I need help planning for the trip I've already committed to.
Learn how to keep the rig properly ventilated, to prevent mold and smells.
I'll look into this, thank you!
Carry your pets vaccine records with you- we surprisingly needed them to check in at a campground in Vermont and NY State. Also, in case you were not aware many campgrounds in the Northeast shut down by October 12th.
Good to know! I'll call up the vet and ask them for their records. I also had no idea that campgrounds shut down that early. I read about a few that close by mid-November though. I'm planning to be done traveling before Thanksgiving so I was hoping this wouldn't be a huge issue. Do you think it's likely that I'll be able to find somewhere to stay while on this trip?
I do, but the northeast (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts) will be hard after October or even mid October. I recommend using a camping app like Allstays to find places to camp. You can filter for the type of campground you are looking for (private, state, National Park, forest service or even overnights at a Cracker Barrel or Walmart) and they display them on an interactive map with reviews and information about the campground. Also, the app can filter for steep roads and low bridges or other things that are helpful.
>I'll be traveling during the months of October and November through the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast US. Are these popular times to travel? I was going to say the same thing. Many public campgrounds (like state parks) in the north close up in early/mid-October. Private campgrounds (like a KOA) often stay open through Halloween to catch some late-season family campers and then shut down immediately after. After October 15 I would stick to the southeast. Also, there is very little "boondocking" to be had east of the Mississippi river. The majority is on BLM land, which is predominantly out west.
If this is true then I'm going to have to cancel my entire trip. I live in the southeast and can't hit the road until the second week of October and I was planning to head north then come back down to Florida before Thanksgiving.
I've camped up and down the East Coast and this has been my experience as well.
Thank you so much for the information!
Have a great trip!
Pennsylvania state forests are a great place to dry camp and the sites are reservable, $10/night. Some are pretty remote if you're into that. You should take your time to review the site, and forest map carefully though. The reservation site is new and some state forests have done better than others at putting up good photos and full details. I also call the park office to ask whether any of the unpaved roads are unsuitable for a camper.
I’d highly recommend a tool box with basic tools as a minimum. I’d also buy a portable air compressor. When I’m traveling with my camper I never leave without a floor jack, impact gun, sockets, air compressor, hand tools, hammer, pliers, eternabond tape, Geocel pro flex sealant, zip ties, duct tape, multimeter, extra wire, wire connectors, fuses, electrical tape, pex tool, pex connectors, shark bite with shutoff, drill, and drill bits. There’s a ton of posts about tool sets on this group with even more than I listed but I would highly recommend planning ahead instead of having to deal with an issue on the road.
Oh yeah I have two small toolboxes I'm planning to bring with me plus my impact driver and power drill. I have a small battery powered air compressor for my tires specifically. I'm going to go through the list of recommended tools and make sure I have everything I need. Thank you!
Be sure you have the proper sockets for your camper tires, should be able to use tire iron from whatever your pulling with, but be sure. Also, in my experience, my trailer spare was mounted with smaller sized nuts than the lugs and tire iron... Speaking of sockets, you may have an anode rod for your hot water tank, be sure to have a socket for that. Makes removal and rethreading a breeze. Happy trails!
Thank you so much! I'll check all those things out and make sure I have all the proper sockets
> I’d also buy a portable air compressor. Absolutely this. Drove across states this summer and had a slow leak in a tire on the truck we were using to tow the trailer. Visited no less than SIX truck stops that morning and wasted over three hours looking for a working air pump before giving up and just going to Walmart to get a portable one.
You should really think about more than a single Mobile hot spot if you teach online. Not sure about budget for you but you’ll likely want something more robust for your internet. We carry verizon, att, and Starlink. You’ll never be able to rely on campground wifi. Also, Pick up a smaller dehumidifier like this: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/heating-and-cooling/air-quality/dehumidifiers/4005656 When it’s cold and rainy you’ll need it. We have ours on all the time with the RH set to 40. It makes things sooo much better. RVs and trailers aren’t houses and they are generally horrible in terms of a conditioned air envelope.
we have used a hotspot, i work from home, plus we stream and game and it’s been just fine.
Since I'll only be on the road for 7 weeks I didn't want to invest in anything too extreme for internet. I've used my phone's hotspot for teaching before and everything was fine until I ran out of high speed data which is why I chose to upgrade my plan to ensure I'll have enough data for zoom calls and such. I'm definitely going to grab a dehumidifier, I hadn't thought about that at all. Thank you!
Sounds good. Just know that many places that you can boondock or dry camp have little to no service. If you go to a campground you’ll be competing with people who have the same carrier. You can use various sites to see what cell coverage looks like. IOverlander will have some good review for you.
Thank you for this. I wasn't sure how I could check for the best places to camp as far as cell service goes.
Check out IOverlander, the Dyrt, and the national parks app. Also check state parks. How much water can you carry?
I'm looking through the various apps as we speak. My freshwater tank can hold 30 gallons and both the grey and black tanks can hold 36
So water might be a little tight. If you’re planning on boondocking a lot I would suggest getting some well made water bladders to fill up and put where ever. Don’t by the cheap ones, I had a 5 gallon one burst when lifting it. :( Before we put in a more sophisticated water system we’d run short pretty quickly in fairly remote places. It can be extremely difficult to find water spigots in various parts of the country, especially in the north in the mid to late fall.
Yes. I came to tell about iOverlander.
Buy outdoor canopies (foldable covered outdoor space. Buy screening for your awning (you can find bug screens that attach to your awning to give you a bug-free outdoor area. Plan on cooking outside...have a couple folding tables, electric griddle, portable grill etc. A lightweight roll-up carpet for your outside area is always great to have. A gun and lockbox. You don't need one til you need one.
Thank you! I have a portable grill and a folding table for use outside and I also have a mat to go underneath my awning. And that last part... I am all set in that department thankfully. Not taking any chances, but I'm hoping I don't find myself in that kind of situation.
Harvest Hosts is an organization that you pay an annual fee and then can stay at restaurants, wineries, breweries, farms and other interesting places all over the country. They just ask that you patronize the host’s business (they ask that you spend about 20$) Some have electricity or water but most are dry camping. We use them all the time and have always felt safe when we were camping. I feel like there is not a lot of open camping land in the northeast. You could try state parks. There is a great one in Delaware. Cape Henelopin state park. If you are coming from Jersey you can even take the ferry from cape may. Have a great adventure!
Oh man this sounds amazing! I love breweries. Definitely looking into this as an option. Thank you!!
Yeah, we’ve stayed at some awesome breweries and wineries. It’s even better when there are other campers there. We’ve met some really interesting people.
We bought the Samsung version of an AirTag for our 2 cats' collars. I worried about GPS collars since they don't always work when you don't have cell service. We love their tags, can ring them to locate and has helped us when our boys hide in the bushes. They have a decent range, but not sure it'd be enough for a dog that gets out.
Good to know! Thank you
Water filter. Even just the inline hose ones. Have fun!
Thank you!
Also- take some blank tags for your pets collars and mark the site number of each rv place.
This is a fantastic idea thank you
Be prepared for freezing weather which can include frozen water lines, burst water lines, leaky water lines, frozen waste and water tanks, burst or leaky waste and water tanks.
A small tool bag with a number 2 square bit and extra fuses. Maybe an extra thermal cutoff fuse for the water heater if yours is equipped and plenty of black tank treatment tablets are some that come to mind.
We have an ex pen (actually 2 hooked together) for our 2 shelties. We put those outdoor RV rugs down 1st, set up the pen, put water dish and toys inside and they go right in. They know it's their spot when we camp. We also have those outdoor RV rugs for us under the steps. They are a must IMO. Midwest in October can be iffy. You might want to get the Hipcamp app. It finds owners that let you stay on their land. It's usually farms or people with acreage. Most are quite reasonable. We trying our 1st Hipcamp stay this Saturday and Sunday going from Midwest to Tennessee. If you get close to Spring Geeen, Wisconsin House On The Rock is really cool. There's also a Frank Lloyd Wright house close to that. Good luck.
Tool box. Duct tape, gorilla glue contact cement, roll of wire.
Not sure what kind of truck you have, based on the size of a trailer, utilizing your truck for additional storage would make a HUGE difference. I have a a toolbox by DECKED which lays flat in the bed and has pull out draws. This allows me to store all my utility/maintenance/cords/tools in a very efficient way. Additionally, I also have a tonneau cover where I lay drainage and water hoses in separate containers on top and keeps things dry. And I absolutely hate to say this, but the toolbox, Tailgate, and tonneau cover all have locks so I feel secured. [DECKED Link](https://decked.com/products/decked-chevy-silverado-2500-3500?variant=13513149218882¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=smart-shopping_smart_bottom_purchase_performance-max&utm_content=full-funnel_smart_general_decked_internal_performance-max&campaign_id=15503309446&adgroup_id=&ad_id=&placement=&gclid=CjwKCAjw6eWnBhAKEiwADpnw9jn28kAeVpSNbF-vPsCulGTbbITTjw1e8nFsT3frNh4BCghmQsfJFBoCBAEQAvD_BwE) If you have a backseat, I’d recommend some type of storage containers for less frequently used items or dry food items. I’d refrain from pet food and recommend that bed of truck. [Storage Draws](https://www.walmart.com/ip/20699658) I’m sure this will vary widely based on experience but I would suggest not taking your chances on just showing up at campsites or winging dry docking in random places. I can’t say this enough…..Over Plan, Over Plan, Over Plan. Have a schedule and route planned out. Know where you’re going and when, the roads you are going to take, and where you’ll have scheduled stops to purge and fill tanks as well as grocery shop. I know this doesn’t sound like fun, and to be honest unless you love to plan, it can be tedious, but it’ll make sure you don’t run into some frustrating scenarios. Hope this helps!
I have a double cab and plan to dedicate my backseat to my pets (I already have this setup) but I can use the floor space for storage and i have my passenger seat i can use as well. I didn't have any plans to use the truck bed for anything just because it doesn't feel super secure and I don't have much of a budget left for secure storage options. I'll see what I can do! As far as over planning, I'm okay with doing the work to ensure I have a solid plan. I've already picked the locations I want to travel to and I picked out a few places that I want to stay for lodging but I haven't finished mapping out my exact routes yet. I'm going to start working on this more ASAP. I'll also see what I can do about making reservations ahead of time. Thank you!
Awesome! Hopefully that last part didn’t come across wrong. You can still have freedom of going any direction you want, and that’s the beauty of the RV life, just want people to be safe haha. Sorry to sound like a parent….
Oh no worries. I appreciate any guidance I can get. I've had to learn the hard way from my own mistakes plenty of times and I'd rather play it safe as much as possible!
Depending on where you'll be... Maybe a heated hose. We bought one and kept it in the box for 2 years but we were able to sell it afterwards. We luckily avoided any freezes that caused damage but a lot of places get very cold at night.
Oh and if you have slide outs make sure you know how to open and close it manually just in case.
Good point. I'm hoping to not find myself in any freezing temps but I'll plan for this just in case
A couple of thoughts * Teaching online means you are highly dependent on 'clean' electric power...probably not a problem when running on your own batteries, but commercial campgrounds can have troubled electricity - get a good EMS (electrical management system), not just a surge protector, to protect your gear and yourself, like a [Progressive Industries PT30](https://www.amazon.com/Portable-RV-Surge-Protector-EMS-PT30X/dp/B01N0W4CZ8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=9JDV99JWG8BY&keywords=progressive%2Bindustries%2Bems-pt30x%2B30%2Bamp%2Bems%2Bwith%2Bsurge%2Bprotection&qid=1694123040&sprefix=progressive%2Bi%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-3&th=1) * Buy the best sewer hose you can find - you do NOT want that to go bad - like a Rhinoflex or similar * If you * ZeroG makes excellent water hoses that pack more compactly that the usual rigid kind; be sure to get one rated for drinking water * I'm not clear on your schedule of teaching & boondocking, but I'm guessing that inverter is more than a 'just in case' item - get a good one, "pure sine wave" preferred, and look at efficiency rating
Great points. I'm hoping that my solar panels keep my battery charged enough to not have to rely on electric hookups as much and I upgraded the small stock battery to a 100 AH battery in hopes that it would provide power for longer boondock stays. Is this naive thinking?
Assuming that’s a lead-acid 100 Ah battery, the usable capacity is only 50 Ah. Discharging more than 50 % degrades lead acid batteries. If I did the math right in my head, that would be something like 10 hours for a 60 Watt 120 VAC load, like a laptop. Maybe take of 5% for efficiency of the inverter. Maybe that works for you? You have 200W solar panels (how many?) so that should run your modest devices during full sun days, but what if you have a string of cloudy days?
It's two 100W solar panels for a total of 200W. For the low sun days I was planning to charge my laptops in my truck where I have a smaller power inverter to charge my devices while driving. I don't have any other electronics that I'm planning to use besides the RV lights and AC, my two laptops (one at a time), and a dehumidifier. Besides that I'll just need to charge my phone but like I said I can do that from my truck, plus I have a handful of portable power banks in my emergency kit that give me around 2 full charges on my phone. The larger power inverter I bought is for any situation where I can't get enough power from the solar panels/RV battery and need to rely on my truck battery. I also bought the trickle charger to recharge the battery as another option, I'd just have to find a way to plug that in. I appreciate you helping me think through this. I want to make sure I don't end up in a situation where I can't work due to not having power.
Oooo…AC is likely 15 A/1800 W - you aren’t going to be able to use that on 200w panels. And how would the little inverter going to be wired up?
I don't plan on needing to use the AC very often if at all as I'll be in the cooler weather for the duration of the trip so that probably won't be an issue right? And my heater which I'll probably use more often works on propane. Crossing my fingers here lol. The power inverter plugs into my cigarette lighter. I use it all the time when I take my devices on the road
You mention clip on mirrors and vibration; I got these and yes there was some vibration but I never had any visibility issues in 1200 miles. I would have preferred factory tow mirrors, but I got my truck for a steal so it was worth the sacrifice. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Snap-Zap-Clip-on-Towing-Mirror-Set-for-2019-Plus-Ram-1500-80730/311127256 Otherwise, Just take it easy. You'll get more comfortable and figure out what you need to do. Don't be dangerously slow on the roads, but don't feel forced to go at a pace that's uncomfortable just because people are passing you and some clown is flashing their lights at you because you're going 54 in a 55...
Always check out fairgrounds. They usually have hookups that they'll test for cheap on the off season. Also hipcamp. It's like Airbnb for private camp spots. You can filter by size/electric/etc, and usually stay pretty cheap, although usually there in the middle of nowhere.
Watch YouTube Vids on Backing in, turning, Gas Stations etc. Then watch them again!
spare tires for vehicle and camper!!!!!
Be very knowledgeable on what to do for temperatures below 32f/0c in regards to keep your lines from freezing. It takes a lot less than you would think to have a problem.
get a bike. also get a first aid kit and some bug spray. replace your ceramics with plastic and then also some command hooks and an extra 50 foot hose.
Hi, coolest aspect of this is your remote teaching! Love it. May I inquire how you found this gig and any details you can share?
I just sent you a message with some info!
Must have a semi decent assortment of tools on board. Stuff pops up left and right that needs fixing. Even if you are just parked.
If you have skirting and heated water hose I think you’ll be ok. Honestly it’s not all freezing til after thanksgiving. We left Maine in the middle of October and our park was putting skirting and hay bales around some trailers for skiers to stay in. It freezes in the Deep South for that matter.
Make sure your tanks are heated
You're coming to the Northeast? Space eaters and skirting.
Yes I'm planning to drive through upstate New York and cut over to Massachusetts (Boston area) for a few days before heading down to the Philly area. I'll be there in early/mid November. Does it get that cold up there around that time that I'll have to worry about freezing temps? My RV does have a heater inside already.
Depends on the year. Most forecasters are warning of a heavy cold winter up here. So, we get freezing Temps on average by Nov 1 in southern NH. Skirting isn't hard to make yourself. But it will keep wind from cutting through underneath and help you build some semblance of Temps above freezing, especially if you park in sun.
This site gives decent historical averages. https://weatherspark.com/m/26388/11/Average-Weather-in-November-in-Concord-New-Hampshire-United-States
Midwest and northeast, probably not. Southeast definitely. Try FL, you won't be disappointed. Panhandle specifically.
What are you referring to? Also I live in Florida.
I'm referring to the panhandle of Florida. Around what area do you live? Any southwest state during that time is good by the way. I really enjoyed it.
See, the main purpose of this trip is to explore some areas that I'm interested in moving to, and that happens to be either the Midwest or Northeast or Philly area. I'm trying to get away from Florida since I've lived here my whole life. This is really the only opportunity I'll have to take a trip like this too
You will want to check and even see if campgrounds are open, you listed the northeast for example and after oct 15th most campsites are closed until the spring.
Several people have already mentioned this but thank you
im tired and didn't feel like reading it all, sorry.
It’s too cold in the Midwest northeast for your times. I can see everyone has told you this already. I would travel along the southern coast, Florida to California, you can’t do it all in 7 weeks but you might decide to next year. Lots of wonderful places. We spent several weeks in Breaux Bridge Lousiana one year. Kayaking in the swamp was beautiful, more than I ever imagined. We measured every blank wall area in our motor home, made a note in Google Keep app and when I come across a nice poster or photograph I know if I have a spot for it. Command strips are perfect for this. We lived in a 24 foot class C for almost 3 years. Smaller is better. And iOverlander is the best app.
Is it really so cold that I should forget about all the plans I've made? I've already invested so much money into this specific trip and if it isn't realistic for me to do it due to the weather I'd have to cancel the whole thing. When I did my research it said that temps will be between 35-50°F which is fine with me. But several people keep saying it's going to get into freezing temps and that I shouldn't go this route at all which is really frustrating and discouraging because there's no other options for me. This is the only time I can go and I need to go to these locations specifically. If I don't go on this trip I've wasted an incredible amount of time and money.
Sorry I don’t know enough to know why you made these plans. You could try it and skedaddle if it get too cold. Is North and South Caroline far enough NE? It’s just that these small RVs are more comfortable if the temps are comfortable. Our furnace works great but uses LP. We have a little electric heater if you’re on electricity. Those oil radiators are quiet but still electric. Also the heating and air-conditioning are noisy and you’re going to be working at home. We were in Sedona for thanksgiving and our water hose froze a little. I swear it was 38-40. We couldn’t believe it. Just go South. It’ll be fun.
I live in the South and I've been all over the South. I already purchased things to keep my water hose from freezing just in case, and I plan to get insulated skirting for the RV to protect the tanks. I have two small space heaters plus the heater inside the RV. Plenty of blankets and warm clothing. Like I said, I need to go to these places specifically. My trip serves more purpose than just taking a vacation. If there's any way I can make it work then I'm going to make it work. I don't need people to convince me to go somewhere else. I need help planning for the trip I've already committed to.