Hi Lenora,

She's lovely! Before you sent out on your first trip there are some things you need to be sure you have - maybe they came with the rig but if not here's a small list:

Water hoses - at least two 25' ones - I was glad I had a spare when I was at a CG where one 25' was just a couple feet short. You can get flat ones that wind up and don't kink and are very easy to store - I got mine at Wal Mart. Get spare washers for the hoses too.

If your rig has a sewer washer get a seperate inexpensive hose to use for that purpose only, and disposable gloves to wear when dumping.

A water pressure regulator - which screws onto the water hose at the end you connect to the water supply (CG faucet) It's another inepensive item that you could save you a lot of grief.

A water filter that screws into the hose and takes sediment and other stuff out of the water before it enters your tanks.

Spare sewer hose and the right connectors if you need to hook them together - test it out to make sure it hooks up before you need to use it. A sewer hose support- some campgrounds require them.

Holding tank treatment for your black tank - there are lots - doesn't much matter which kind - pick one and follow the directions.

A heavy duty extension cord for outdoor use - in case your electrical hook up cord doesn't reach. And adaptors so you can plug into any amp outlet (Laura posted pictures) - get one of each type it's not worth having your trip botched by not having the right one.

Spare Fuses in all the sizes your rig uses to be able to replace them if and when you have to.

Spare light bulbs to fit any lights that don't take standrd bulbs (most likely all of them).

Leveler blocks (they look like legos) which are great for tweaking the leveling of the rig.

Levels - to check if the rig is level front to back and side to side - you can get stick on ones inexpensively at Wal Mart. I mounted one on the A/C unit for side to side as it is right in the middle of the rig and one over the refrigerator as it also in the middle for front to back. Your rig needs to be level for the proper operation of your refrigerator. Otherwise it can be damaged if run for a period of time off level.

A fire extingisher - or make sure the one you have is current.

Chocks for the wheels - although these may not be as essential for a MH as they are for a trailer it's good insurance, especially when changing a tire.

It's also a good idea to have a lug wrench that fits the lugs on your rig - even if you have someone else change a tire - they may or may not have the right wrench if the lugs are different from the usual (trailer lugs are!).

I also carry a reasonable complete tool box, screwdrivers, pliers, hammer, hacksaw, axe, shovel etc. and small sledge hammer for driving dog tie out stake into the ground. Plus dog tie out. And don't forget duct tape and WD-40 you can fix almost anything with those two things.

Happy camping!

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Louisa & Jasper Joy 28'2007 Airstream 2002 GMC 4x4 5.3 liter shortbed pickup

Glad the list was helpful. It's the kind of stuf that if you don't have it - it could create a pain in the butt especally if you are a long way from a place to buy an additional water hose etc. It's a case of small aggravations taking up a lot of time that you could otherwise be having fun instead of figuring out how to solve the problem because you don't have something that's a basic necessity - like a lng enough water hose!

Fire extinguishers usually have a gage on them that tells you whether they are good or need to be recharged - or to be safe just go to Home Depot and buy a new one - they aren't very expensive. It should be mounted close to the exit door.

The fuses are different for different rigs - your best bet would be to go to a dealer that sells your brand (I forget what kind it is) and you can get them from them - also they will know where they are all located and what type you need (there are probably several that you need - all fuses are not created equal!) - or they should! And you should know where they are located too, cause they are probably not all in the same place.

Did you get an owners manual with your rig? If so be sure to read it - it will teach you a lot. I was just amazed about what I learned about the systems in my trailer by reading the manual - and I keep it handy in the trailer because I can't possibly remember it all - but I know where to look it up.

Most of the stuff on that list is not expensive - I think the levelers, sewer support and water hoses were the most expensive - about $30 each. The rest of it is small potatoes. Have fun shopping.

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Louisa & Jasper Joy 28'2007 Airstream 2002 GMC 4x4 5.3 liter shortbed pickup

You might want to contact Gulfstream and see if you can get an owner's manual from them - also search on line. One of the nice things that Airstream does is they have all their manuals for most years on their website and they can be downloaded. I did that and used the copy to mark up, pull out pages when I was winterizing etc. and it saves the orginal in pristine condition. Also ask the previou owner if they have it - if they bought it new they might.

I don't know about a surge protector - I don't have one - but as I plan to boondock mostly it's not a big concern for me. In the meantime you can use the voltage check thingy that Joella mentioned to see if the voltage is adequate and it would be a good idea to unplug when a major thunderstorm is around as they can be a surge problem when they strike. I lost a TV last year when lightening came into the house on the cable and blew it - I had just unplugged my computer - thank heavens!

Also check to see what your rig requires for amps to operate when you are plugged in. Mine is 30 amps, but when plugged in at my house the service is only 20 amps. That's o.k. for most stuff - like lights and stereo and I don't run the fridge at home. Check to see what the amps are when you plug in at yur storage facility. When I want to cool it down in prep for a trip I run it on propane. I don't run the A/C at home at all because that should have 30 amps and running it on 20 is likely to damage it.

Somewhere I think I read that the problem with low power and surges is only at older campgrounds where the service may be old - but I'm not sure about that. Maybe someone else can give you better info.

It all sounds complicated - but it's not rocket science and once you get familiar with it, it won't be so mysterious!

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Louisa & Jasper Joy 28'2007 Airstream 2002 GMC 4x4 5.3 liter shortbed pickup

Lenora

I too may be a pollyanna - but have never had a surge protector - in almost 60 years of RVing - including my brother and dad - no one has ever had a surge issue. Although, in a T storm - I'd unplug! I am however, going off to Home Depot today to buy one of those little circuit testers - $10 I'm willing to spend on this - other than that - just positive thoughts!

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To new adventures! Kerry

Maybe we've always been lucky, but in all the years we've been RVing we have never had a surge protector. Like I said, maybe we've been lucky, but to tell the truth, I've never talked to anyone who actually needed one. Good luck, no matter what your decision.

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Just when the caterpillar thought life was over, she became a butterfly.