Escapees July-August 2022

camping chair chat

RVers’ Sharing Tips, Opinions and Advice from the Road Submissions sent by e-mail can be directed to departmentseditor@escapees.com. Rally Preparation Tips Two Month Checklist

I love rallies! For so many reasons. Picking out the things I want to do, learn and ex perience while I’m there. The anticipation. And even as an introvert, I look forward to connecting with people who share interests, hobbies and enthusiasm. Once you get past the initial excitement and before you can start looking forward to the rally, there are things you should put in place. Things that help you stay focused on the excitement and not things that will stress you out later. H opefully, you were able to register or plan ahead for your upcoming rally. If not, no worries, but you may want to combine some of the checklists into shorter ones so you can still arrive refreshed and ready to go. Three Month Checklist • Make your RV departure checklist in advance. This way, you have time to order parts or know if some thing is not working before the rally. • Make your RV arrival checklist. Now you’ll know that when you go to set up, everything is packed and ready to go. • Plan your route and ensure you have all the tools to get you there, such as maps, GPS, reservation numbers, etc. Know how many hours you can drive per day and how much time you need for stops and breaks. Plan enough travel days, so you aren’t rushed. Allow an extra day or two for bad weather or mishaps. • Will you be boondocking or have full or partial hookups? Be sure to prep your RV for this scenario. • Create a packing list of items you don’t have that you think you may need. This way, you can take your time fi nding the best items for the best value and check them off your list as you fi nd them. Create a central area where you can begin storing rally items with your checklist.

• Review your travel itinerary. You can’t review it too many times. One time I had an extra day between stops because I had the check-out date wrong. If you review, you can catch these issues and still have time to correct them or compensate for them. • Research the area where you will be attending the rally. Are there other things you might be able to see while you are there? Do you have other hobbies or interests you can bring to the rally or do on-site? • Will the rally have special events that will require special items? What about coffee talks in the morning—do you need to bring a chair? Are there specialty nights where you might want to wear something you don’t usually pack? Add this to your packing list. • See yourself physically going through complicated events. Is there seating and do you need to bring your own drinks (what cups do you need?), how will you carry everything? Again, add these items to your packing list. How will you get from one rally activity to the next? One Month Checklist • Review your travel plans. You can’t review them too many times. One time I had us coming into a location a day later on our schedule and departing a day earlier. If you review, you can catch these issues and still have time to correct them. • Reach out to groups where other rally attendees will post their travels and plans. Exchange ideas, make connections for meetups and smooth the way for meeting people before the rally or along the way. • Print out any parking tags, reservation numbers or anything you need a physical copy of and start a travel document folder. • Do a thorough cleaning of your rig inside and out. Or, better yet, will they offer rig washes on-site that you want to take advantage of? • Check the weather for your departure. Do you need to delay or adjust hours or days due to high wind, fl ooding or other issues?

Opinions contained in “Camping Chair Chat” are not necessarily those of the Escapees RV Club, its o ffi cers or the membership in general. This column is for Escapees magazine readers to share thoughts, ideas and helpful hints. Escapees RV Club accepts no responsibility for what is expressed here by any person, group or company. If accepted, submissions will be edited for magazine style and formatting. Submissions that are sent by e-mail can be directed to departmentseditor@escapees.com. ESCAPEES Magazine July/August 2022 20