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Thread: First Trip

  1. #1
    Left The Driveway
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    First Trip

    Hi All,

    We'll be taking our first trip next month and it will be a long one. Three days travel time to our destination. The question is: should we travel with water tanks full or empty? Full means less setup/take down time and possibly less chucking. Empty means less weight.

    Thanks for the help,
    Pat

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Dave and Monica's Avatar
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    We carry a small amount of fresh water to use the bathroom on the road, but we're always camping where fresh water is available. If that's not your situation, I would still tow with minimum water and fill the FW tank near the campground.

    Dave
    Dave and Monica - Gore Bay, Ontario
    Vitus the Hungarian Vizsla
    2014 Reflection 337 RLS #129
    2008 F250 V10 CC Lariat RWD

  3. #3
    agoutdoors
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    I usually prefer to travel with no water or very little...if nothing else its less weight to pull up and down mountain passes. Remember a gallon of water is 8 lbs, so depending on your tank size you could be looking at 500-1000 lbs. of extra weight...and if you are on a water meter at home you pay for it, versus going to a camp site and using the water there as part of the camping fee!

  4. #4
    Big Traveler
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    I would echo both previous responses. We pull enough weight around, any unnecessary weight is best avoided. But, we too usually camp where there is water available.
    Scott and Jan Platt Ocala, FL
    Cameron(Son) & Chica(chihuahua)
    2014 Reflection 337RLS
    2015 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD 4X4, Crew Cab, Dually, Diesel
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  5. #5
    Fireside Member Bruce & Terry's Avatar
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    We learned to bring at least some fresh water, even if staying where we have hookups! Things happen, such as power failures that can sure put you in a world of hurt if you need water! One campout there was a regional outage that lasted a day and a half. We also have a small honda gen that is sufficient enough to recharge the battery, and we bring that as well....you just never know!

    One trip to Louisiana, we were on the Natchez Trace Parkway and we broke down just outside Tupelo, MS. We didn't have onboard water because this was in December and the trailer was still winterized....but we brought the large water jugs you can buy at the store. Spent the night in one of the turnouts! Was shocked the next morning when we woke up and found out it was 15 degrees outside! With the gen & jugs of water, we were fine! We always pack as if something like this might happen!
    2012 F250 Lariet Crewcab
    2015 Reflections 29RS

    Retired from towing: 2003 F250 7.3L Lariet Crew Cab
    Past RV's: 1990 HiLo Classic 27ft, 2009 Laredo 245RL

  6. #6
    Long Hauler
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    We're very fortunate to have a city park campground downtown and a state park in our county. Have you considered setting your trailer up prior to taking a long trip? It might help you discover how to handle the trailer's systems--and spot any problems prior to getting out on the open road.

    RV service is often hard to find in unfamiliar locales.

  7. #7
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
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    If 500 lbs of water is going to put you over your limit or affect your ability to pull a trailer up a hill you need a bigger truck.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    Its not that it is going to put me over my weight or enough truck to pull it (as I have a Ram dually) but it is every bit of extra weight increases the amount the truck has to pull and 500# is 500# that if you are gong to a full hookup site is not needed. All that is needed if going to a full hookup is enough to go potty and enough to get you through a night if something should happen to delay you.I have learnt over the 45 years that we have camped if we don't need it or really want to take it, then it stays home. The wife has threatened to leave me home as most of the time I'm not need or really wanted along.
    Butch

    I try to always leave doubt to my ignorance rather than prove it

    2020 Imagine XLS 17MKE
    2020 Red and Black Ram Rebel

  9. #9
    King Pin
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    I usually camp without hookups, and frequently, there is no place to get water while on the road to our destination. So I'll often run with the tank full, and an extra 18 gallons in containers in the back of the truck.

    Jim

  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bamaman View Post
    We're very fortunate to have a city park campground downtown and a state park in our county. Have you considered setting your trailer up prior to taking a long trip? It might help you discover how to handle the trailer's systems--and spot any problems prior to getting out on the open road.

    RV service is often hard to find in unfamiliar locales.
    We have a County campground 20 minutes from home and this is exactly what we did. It made our first trip much less stressful.

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