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ESCAPEES
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May/June 2015
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www.escapees.comEvanne 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
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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.
5
Develop a last-min-
ute multi-point check
for the last person
out the door.
• 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.
1
Turn the water off at
the outside water
connection because
while you are gone:
• 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
“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.”