Escapees May June 2015 Demo

“While these tips may not ensure against all woes, they will eliminate many unforeseen circumstances that could really put a crimp in your RVing adventure.”

Develop a last-min- ute multi-point check for the last person out the door.

than expected temps so it will cycle on and off during warmer days. • open cupboard doors that share an outside wall if you expect it to get extremely hot. • turn off both propane and electric heat for safety. • unplug electronic devices in case of unexpected lightning. • my number one “weather” tip: Close your awning, no matter what the expected weather, unless it is extremely secured. (Note: Always close your awning, secured or not, during strong windstorms. The arms may not bend, but the fabric will shred. I’ve seen it happen in a split second before my eyes, and believe me, it’s not a pretty picture.) 4 Check to make sure you have all your technical gadgets with you, including: • a fully charged cell phone so you’ll be able to communicate in case of an emergency. • a fully charged digital camera (if you don’t use a smartphone) to take ample photographs and videos. • your phone’s car charger and charging plug in case you’re out longer than anticipated. • all parts for a fully functioning GPS, including plugs, batteries, etc.

Turn the water off at the outside water connection because while you are gone:

5

1

• Turn the outside light on if you’ll be returning to the rig after dark. • The coffeepot and teapot should be turned off and unplugged from the wall to avoid any electrical appli- ance mishaps. • The water heater, both propane and electric, should be turned off to avoid issues discussed previously in section two. • All stove-top burner and oven con- trols should be in the off position. • The refrigerator and freezer doors should be completely closed to avoid automatic shut-off and spoil- age of contents. • The heat should be turned off or the A/C set at the appropriate setting. • The stereo should be turned off to avoid overheating. In our rig, these checklist items flow in a counter-clockwise direction, one after another, so we can always have a quick circle check before clos- ing the front door. While these tips may not ensure against all woes, they will eliminate many unforeseen circumstances that could really put a crimp in your RVing adventure. Now, get out there and explore this big, beautiful world.

• your hose might fail—leaking, spraying and wasting water. • a faucet drip or leak may overfill a tank if the valve is closed. • the black-water tank could fill and spill (and possibly burst) if your toi- let is leaky or not properly closed. • on a hot day, water line pressure in your hose, and in turn your RV plumbing, will increase. • if a pipe connection leaks or bursts and the water is left on, you will return to a flooded RV. 2 Turn your water heater off while you are gone to: • save propane or electricity. • preserve the electric heating element – less use = longer life. • decrease tank mineral deposits; they increase with heat. • keep water line pressure down and reduce the risk of interior lines leak- ing at connections. • save your heating element in case of water-heater tank leaks or failure. • practice safety by turning off heat-related appliances. 3 Be aware of weather in the area you are visiting and: • adjust vents for possible rain or wind (if you do not have Maxx Air vent covers or a Fantastic Fan). • crack windows, if applicable, to fos- ter air circulation and adjust blinds to avoid blazing mid-day sun. • set A/C five to 10 degrees cooler

Evanne is sure she got the wanderlust bug from her grandparents who traveled the U.S. in their city bus conversion in the 1940s as what we now call “work-camp- ers.” In 2000 she and her husband, Ray, set off on their own adventure, affectionately called Operation Sunshine, from hip but rainy Portland, Oregon, in search of a sunny place to settle down. Thirteen-plus years later, they’re still roaming the country, sharing interesting destinations and cooking up delicious RV kitchen recipes in their popular RV TV series, RVCookingShow.com .

58 . ESCAPEES | May/June 2015 | www.escapees.com