The Labor Day holiday has always been an opportunity to take time off from work and get away. As owners of a Class C RV, taking to the road, seeking out cooler climates, and getting away from the city, it is something you look forward to. But before each trip begins, we are diligent to make sure our vehicle is ready for the road trip ahead. My wife is excellent at confirming that we are stocked up and I make sure the tires are checked, engine is serviced and that we have whatever is needed to connect to services once we arrive. My father-in-law refers to these as blue and pink tasks. We see it as a team effort and often make sure we have each other’s back during the process.
On this particular journey, my wife made a discovery as we are loading the RV. A few months ago, we made the investment in adding a 50 amp circuit to our home, so we could power up the RV and run the air conditioner when we are parked at the house. As is her tendency to work up a sweat, she is going through her mental check list and is working away in the RV‘s bathroom when a gentle, warm breeze cascades over her brow. Turning her eyes skyward, she could literally see the sky. Thinking the vent above the bathroom was probably open, she cranked the handle, and the handle went up, but there was no vent cover… it was gone!
On the day of our trip, we are compelled to make a quick visit to Camping World and learn that there are many, many vent covers styles and configurations. Luckily, it turns out that ours was a standard size, not overly expensive and a repair that we can make before hitting the road. A bit of a late start, but with only a delay of a couple of hours, we are on the road to Payson, AZ.
Each trip is different in one way or another. Arriving in Payson, we checked in and were ‘escorted’ to our site by a camp resident who guided us to back into our space. This was the first time we had been valeted into a spot and I wasn’t sure if we should tip them or not. We did not. But to be fair, I did check with my father-in-law and his experience is that some sites provide that service, just to make sure that everything goes smoothly.
I have got to say that everyone at the site was very nice and helpful, however we are learning that utilities may vary as you try new places. Our water pressure dropped to less than 20lbs and internet was marginal at best. It turns out that over the holiday weekend, they had over 300 campers on site and so we are all competing for limited resources. Inconvenient and lesson learned, but the truth is, we tend to spend most of our time in our Jeep, checking out the area. We made the most of this trip and visited the Mogollon Rim, Winslow, AZ, hiked down to the Tonto Forest Natural Bridge and saw a herd of elk on a dirt road in the middle of the forest.
My wife and I like to eat at local restaurants and visit the antique shops while learning about the town. I have found that in most towns, as long as you are respectful of the people and their culture, that they are inviting and can often share ideas on things to do or visit while in town. I highly recommend that you take the time to leave your campsite, connect and explore.
After an extended weekend, it was time to pack it up and head back on the highway towards home. Rather than hook up the jeep to the RV at the site, we decided to drive into town and find a nice flat parking lot and take our time to make sure the Jeep was secure for the trip. What we soon learned, is that Payson is the crossroads for all holiday traffic in the area and well, before you knew it, we had us a convoy of trailers, RVs, toy haulers, campers, lined up for miles exiting the city. Holiday traffic always requires patience and safe driving habits.
When we got home, we do our normal routine of dumping the tanks, off-loading food from the fridge, and preparing a load of laundry. Also I like to walk around and check the RV after each trip. It turns out that was a good idea as I found a crack in the sidewall of one of our tires. So we have that on our list to replace before our next journey on the road. Actually I plan to replace all four of the rear tires just to be safe.
Owning an RV can be expensive and like any investment, it requires care, maintenance and attention. But the reward is also very special and unique. As we get one more trip under our belt, I can feel a certain level of confidence and ownership starting to settle in that ‘yes’ we can do this. For my wife and I, the ability to take these trips, share these experiences, and travel on these adventures, well it is a blessing we don’t take lightly. Every trip is another page in our journal that helps shape the story of our life together.
