After all of the great advice regarding towing, I am pleased to say that our first trip out was a success! We pulled out Friday after work and ventured 52 miles from home to the Hillsborough River State Park just south of Zephyrhills, FL. The weather was beautiful, the park was calm and relaxing, and the people we met were just great. RV'ers are really the nicest!
There were no surprises with the TT, everything worked perfectly, the tow was slow, steady, and smooth. The gas mileage was a bummer, but expected - 9 mpg. We did a quick CAT weigh-in on our drive out to the park, we are under the GVCW (TT and TV) by 800lbs loaded up, so I am pleased with our packing skills.
Set up was a breeze - wow, what a difference from the sweat and struggle of a tent! Can I tell you how much I LOVE a hot shower and AC! We were called out as newbies by a nice passing couple, they said our TT was way too shiny and the packaging still on the propane tanks was a dead giveaway. We have since torn it off and a propane tank cover is on the way.
Some things that were really useful to have -
Walkie talkies for the backing in and hitching up process.
A good dirt mat at the steps, although in cleaning the TT yesterday, MAN we tracked in a lot of grime.
The 4 inch memory foam topper and a good mattress pad on the bed.
Awning lights. You could find our site at night, that's for sure. i think we are going to unscrew some bulbs.
A stong fan outside under the awning to ward off dusk insects.
Water pressure regulator and 90 degree brass coupler on the TT to lessen wear on the water inlet.
Chock blocks - sounds dumb, but we added those to the cart at CW last minute.
Flameless candles. Made the inside really pretty at night.
Universal tow mirrors, although I was still the passenger-side spotter for the crazy Florida drivers who tear up the non-passing lane then cut you off.
The little weather station that I bought. We were entertained, even if we could just open the door and feel the day. Plus, it made a nice clock without having to hang anything.
The multitude of bins that I had placed under the bed and dinette. Breaking down and packing the loose stuff inside the TT took under 10 minutes. Everything has a home.
Lounge chairs in a bag - we were in those thigs for hours!
Rollable aluminum table from Sierra Trading Post - that thing is light!
Pop-up hamper - didn't think that was a necessity until I filled it up when we were breaking down. Very nice to just pick it up and go straight to the washer at home.
Coffee percolator, for when no electric is available - it made REALLY good coffee, though kind of a pain to clean!
Some things we bought on the way home at CW - 45 degree clear waste hose connector. Let's just say that we were not convinced we had flushed the tanks thoroughly, and upon flushing when we arrived at our storage (dump station on site) we were correct. Tornado tank rinser. Again, we will be clean. Smaller foldable white water hose. Grey hose for waste tanks. Y splitter for water.
Some things I am buying after that trip. Propane tank cover. Awning pin (I am paranoid about that thing unraveling). 22" LCD TV - as good of an idead as the PCTV HD USB stick for the laptop that I have is, it kept freezing up because of CPU stress - too irritating. Doorway basket/key hook as we found that we were constantly grabbing for four things - the headlamps, the keys, the OFF spray, and my chapstick - I want them all contained and accessible. Grill stand - no grills on park tables, and I didn't want it under the awning. Hitchin' poles, because "an inch to the right" to DH translates to him differently than my interpretation of an inch.
We are looking forward to more weekend trips in the near future, we have three planned out over the next month.
Thanks again for the advice, and I look forward to posting back with more great trips soon!
Melissa
2008 Keystone Hideout 23RKS
2005 Nissan Titan 4x2 KC SE w/o BT
12,080 GCWR loaded for the woods
What a great trip you had! You never forget your maiden voyage. Thanks for the write-up. It was very interesting to read. You've got a great looking rig, congratulations.
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