One of my first RV adventures involved traveling cross country. I drove from California to Alabama, in about 4 days. My trip started Monday night and came to an end early Friday morning. This trip was a mission trip, the goal was to drive the RV back home to Alabama so that I can finish repairs before continuing my travels. Along this trip I ran into many obstacles and adventure. This experience was very insightful, and lead me to learn much about RV road tripping.

Carry Cash

This trip was already one for the books, yet the surprises kept coming. Two days into the trip, I found out that I had been a victim of bank fraud. This was all the money I had left. I called the bank and they were not able to issue an immediate credit, due to the type of account it was. I was told that my information was most likely stolen while using my card and PIN number at a gas station. Since I was out of money and all the way in New Mexico, I had to find the money. Thank goodness I have wonderful family and friends who rallied together and made sure I had enough money to finish the trip home. With all that being said, I would advise carrying about 3-4 days worth of cash, depending on how long the trip is supposed to be. And if you must utilize your card, I was advised to not utilize my PIN number, but run it as credit. Due to the fact that you do not know when your bank account could be compromised, carrying at least a days worth of cash seems like the best option.

“Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations”

be Aware of Weather

This is a very important tip. Before my road trip, I did very little research on the weather. This was important because I was traveling across so many states, so there was bound to be significant weather changes. On Monday, while still in California, the weather was quite warm for a November day. By nightfall, driving into New Mexico, the temperature dropped significantly. It is important to be aware of desert weather that can be warm during the day and harshly cold during the night. The next night was spent in Mew Mexico; that night the temperature dropped below 10 degrees. My RV, still requiring work, does not have a functioning heating system. I was able to do some small things to stay warm, but overall it was almost unbearable. Also, my trip was delayed until it got warm enough for my RV to stay on. It was too cold in New Mexico, so my RV would crank up but did not want to stay on. Once it warmed up a tad bit, my RV stayed on. As I started the drive through New Mexico it began to snow. I had never driven in the snow. And here I find myself driving in the snow in my RV. I passed several accidents that day and was stuck in track for 3 hours because of it. Many of the accidents were semi trucks. On the last day of the trip, I ran into a thunderstorm in Mississippi. It would not have been so bad but my roof leaked, as well as lack of defrost. This made the last leg of the trip very stressful. Overall, knowing as much about the upcoming weather can help significantly in either preparing or avoiding such things.

“There’s nowhere to go, but everywhere…” -Jack Kerouac

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead can be a bit tricky. On this trip, I knew I was going to be visiting the Grand Canyon, so I was able to somewhat plan it into the trip. My goal for the first night was to get a significant distance into Arizona, so that we would have a short drive into The Grand Canyon, the next morning. I ended up stopping about an hour and a half outside of the Grand Canyon. One thing I failed to calculate is speed limit. Because of how large my RV is, I did not feel comfortable driving past a certain speed limit. This slowed the trip down significantly. Planning stops can be difficult, especially when stopping for gas. Sometimes there may not be a gas station for a long stretch. In cases like this one may have to stop prematurely for gas to ensure you can make it to the next populated area. Overnight stops can usually be planned the day of, but if you plan to park or make a reservation for several days, the earlier the better. Most RV parks are very accommodating to overnight guest, while others are not. Also for those with older rigs, it is important to know if particular RV parks will accept the age of you rig. Many RV parks accommodate for late arrivals as well, where you can park for the night and pay the next morning. This is also a great time to mention discounts. There are several discounts available. Two popular ones are the AAA discount and the Good Sam discount. These come in handy for those one night stays.

“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” -Helen Keller

Co-Pilot

Picking a traveling buddy may seem trivial in comparison, but it is very important. Since this trip was mostly business, I wanted to get it done as efficiently as possible. This would have been made easier if I had a co-pilot who was comfortable driving the RV as well. From California to Alabama is approximately 2000 miles, plus the Grand Canyon detour. I drove every single mile. This was taxing on me. It is obviously doable but not without complaint. If you do not have a partner who can drive, be sure they can remain attentive. Even if they nap, be sure they are someone who can pop up when assistance is needed. This may not be an issue for those traveling with a significant other. All in all, a compatible partner, who is capable of driving, is the ideal set up.

“Sometimes all you need is a good friend and a full tank of gas.”

Food and Eating

For me, snacks are important. It helps me to have snacks while I drive. I try to refrain from drinking too much, to avoid extra stops. I find it productive to grab food and gas in or near the same location. For RVs, it is impossible to go thru most, if not all, drive thru restaurants. This is usually an easy fix by simply parking in the parking lot and walking in. At gas stations with food stops this is fine, but being that I traveled during a pandemic, some places were closed or only accepting drive thru orders. Picking what to eat is important. I find high protein foods to be helpful in providing energy. Eating greasy or heavy foods may make you sluggish. Cooking in your RV can be beneficial when stopping at night.

Overnight Stops

On this trip, I wanted to try put different types of stops. Out of the 3 overnight stops I made, 2 of them were free. The first night I stopped in Arizona at a rest stop. The particular stop was quite packed and I found myself parked amongst many trucks. The rest stop was quiet, minus engines running. I felt safe enough, and was not bothered by anyone. The fact that it was a crowed rest stop gave me a sense of security, knowing that there were potentially eyes everywhere. I slept well at the rest stop. The next night I stopped at an RV park in order to plug in and charge necessary electronics. The RV park was not luxurious, but it was all I needed for an overnight stay. It was quiet. I was also able to use my AAA discount to get a few bucks off my stay. The last night, since all my money had been taken from my account I needed a very cheap stay. I spoke with a trucker friend of mine about staying at truck stops. He recommended some popular locations such as Pilot, TA and Flying J. Oddly enough Texas was busy that night and most of the truck stops were very packed. I was able to find a spot next to a semi truck. The truck stop was very busy and a little noisy but I was so tired, so the noise was not a bother. It was acceptable for a free stay, and since these truck stops are usually gas stations, there was food and facilities readily available. One great thing about truck stops are the fact that they have showers. You usually have to pay to utilize them. Overall, all overnight stops made where good. I have nothing negative to report about any of them. Of course the RV park is probably the most ideal, but for those on a budget, rest stops and truck stops are just fine.

“You will never know, until you go”

Take Your Time

If you are not on a deadline or any rush, I say take your precious time. Stop to sight see. One thing I regretted was traveling at night. I wanted to be able to see as many views as possible. I feel as though I missed out on many views due to driving at night. This also made me realize traveling in the summer, with longer days is more ideal. The winter may be better for longer stays, while the summer is better for hoping around.

Road Trip Tips