Escapees September-October 2023

camping chair chat

Looking Out for Your Future Self Ever run out of water in the middle of a shower? Ever have your car battery die in the middle of nowhere? Encounter a pack of wild dogs? Break down on a farm? That one happened just last week. No matter how long you’ve been on the road, some thing inevitably goes wrong. I’ve found a way to laugh at these moments, because everything always ends up working out, and I usually get a great story out of it. My hus band and I have been on the road for over 2 years with plenty of these kinds of sto ries to tell, but we’ve also found some ways to prepare and prevent. Each set back is a learning opportunity, so I gathered up a list of items you can get to be ready to take on the road’s challenges. • 7 Gallon Jug of Water: I must make this one fi rst, since it’s necessary for survival and all… but no joke, this one has saved me a dozen times. Having an extra 7-gallon jug on us always is such a great peace of mind. They are selling a great one at REI! • Portable Water Pump: Let’s face it, things in RVs break. When our water pump broke last Spring we had no way of putting more in our tanks. That won’t happen again. Having a portable water pump on hand helps ensure that. • Air Compressor: The nomadic lifestyle can take you anywhere, and with that comes climate fl uctuations. Swings in temperature can affect the pressure of your tires, not to mention the overall wear and tear from full time travel. I recommend having a portable air compressor. You can save yourself a trip to the gas station and fi ll it up whenever you need. This can be taken a step further by installing onboard air, because why even leave the tow vehicle? • Download Of fl ineMaps: Despite it being 2023, unless you have Starlink, you can still run into service issues. There are few things worse than pulling into an unknown campsite and you suddenly lose service

and direction. I recommend downloading of fl inemaps of places you’re going to and places you frequent. • Noco Boost Battery: If I had a quarter for every time, I left the passenger side mirror light on I’d have at least a few bucks by now. Oops, accidents happen, and car batteries die, now I make sure we have a battery on hand. This boost battery is lightweight and portable, it also doubles as a portable charger. It’s been our holy grail. • Pod lights: Any additional lighting you can install on your rig/vehicle will help with navigating the dark campsites at night. • Tools for Every Emergency: A socket set, impact wrench, air impact gun, these are just a few examples of what you might need. I recommend researching for your own rig and individual needs. Last week, our equalizer broke at a Harvest Hosts location. We were stuck there for days waiting on a tech until we fi nally went to Home Depot and got the right tools to get the job done. If it wasn’t for that sawzall, we’d probably still be at the farm. • Pet Medication: This one applies to pet owners on the road. My little guy has had two rattlesnake encounters and lost his eye in a dog fi ght, hehas been through it. He’s a very happy pup now and fully recovered, but I’ve learned a lot and recommend keeping dog medication on hand for emergencies, pain pills, stress relief, fl ea/tick, all the meds that meet your needs. Keeping them inside the rig acts as protection when we’re boondocking hours from the closest veterinary hospital. • Cash and Quarters: To end on a lighter note, having cash and quarters on hand is always a smart idea. If you’re like me and fi nd yourself in an endless cycle of laundry, you know most laundromats in America still use quarters. I really look out for my future self on this one and make sure to have a roll of quarters in the rig for laundry day. In addition to these items to have on deck, I also recommend having AAA or Good Sam membership for when all else fails. Been there! Hitting speed bumps is inevitable, but that’s all they are. Following some of these tips and having a positive attitude can get you out of just about anything. Kelley Welch #173565

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.

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ESCAPEES Magazine September/October 2023