Real New And Really Lost

I am new to the site and new to the RV world. In fact, I am yet to take out my trailer. I am waiting on some free time. I plan to motor South for about three weeks in December and was wondering if anyone could help explain how I go about getting set up in some of the campgrounds in and around FL. I am currently an inactive reservist (VSI) but have access to the bases but have never stayed in any of the Famcamps and don't really know what I need to do. My wife and I are going to take some short trips the next couple of months to some of the state parks here in Kentucky to get used to everything.
Any advice and guidance welcomed.

My advice to you is to take a weekend one night trip to the closest campground to your home you can. This will allow you to find out what you forgot, don't have, need, and don't need, and what needs to be serviced or repaired. While on this overnight set up the entire rig, use everything, build a campfire, wash dishes, do your whole morning routine in the bathroom, make coffee (if you drink it), cook three meals inside and outside, run the AC and heat, add water, dump out everything you will do on your three week trip.

As you do all of this make a list of what you need, and don't need so when you get home you can restock your rig the way you need it stocked. Also make any adjustments to water temp and fridge temp that you need to.

The wife and I do this every year and you would not believe how much better this one trip can make the rest of the season.

Do not be afraid to ask someone else with a camper at the campground for advice if you aren't sure how to do something. Most RV'rs did not learn RVing from Mom & Dad so we know it can be a bit daunting.

Enjoy your trip.

If you know where the campgrounds are located at which military base, just go there with your ID cards when you go through the gate. While there you can check out the locations. Most of the ones in Fl. don't take reservations and you go on the first come first served. Some you have to wait in their overflow area for a while until a hookup comes open. Then you move into the site as they come open . Some will let you stay a week or two and some a month and some more. It just depends on the campground and how many campers are waiting to get in. All you need is the ID card.

Do not be afraid to ask someone else with a camper at the campground for advice if you aren't sure how to do something. Most RV'rs did not learn RVing from Mom & Dad so we know it can be a bit daunting.

This is good advice. As matter of fact, you will find that most RVer's will be more than glad to help you, especially the guys. It's a macho thing that we like to share what we have learned and what we know about this here lifestyle we call RVing.

mrazor> I?ll pass along some suggestions that will ?delay? the unhappy event where you break something, hit something, or do something dumb. It will only delay that process, because if you keep at this RVing thing, it will happen eventually. There are only those that have and are going to have it happen to them. Present company included.

First. Take your time! Gotchas happen more frequently when you are in a hurry.

Don?t get distracted from a task. For some unknown reason, it?s an unwritten law that while you are trying to sit-up or break down a fellow camper will come up to you and interrupt your process. Re-focus when they leave or you may skip something.

Make a printed checklist for set-up and tear down. List items in a pattern such that you go from one end of the rig to the other without skipping around. It?s best to divide it into inside and outside tasks. In this last month on the road, I have observed three RVs driving down the highway with the antenna up. I doubt they used a checklist.

Leave an extra day for doing nothing in your trip schedule. If you pack it full, sure enough something will happen that will keep you from making it home on time. Another unwritten law.

Teach the better half how to give proper back-up instructions. Flailing arms do not make for good directions. Better yet, buy a pair of two-way radios and use them for the task. When you get that down to a science, you can sit around your site and watch the show while other couples try to communicate with failing arms.

And perhaps the most important thing to remember?Do not go down a two-lane road if you don?t know where it leads. RVs don?t do u-turns very well.

Ask fellow RVers about something they have that you find interesting. 101% of the time, they will be glad to explain it.

I have assisted half dozen friends get into RVing. I have checklists and advise information in printed form. If you would like copies, please email me off line and I?ll send them to you.

Welcome to RVing. The count down to the ?something? now begins.

That part about teaching your better half to give directions is probably the most important part. I had a hard time convincing my better half to stay in my mirrors so I could see her. Any time she stepped out of my mirror vision, I stopped and sat there until she asked what was wrong and I could again explain to her the importance of staying in the mirrors. She does very well now and makes it much easier to back into the site now.