Leaving Your Camp Site

When you think that you are finally ready to leave your campsite, take a few more moments to be sure that you are really ready to leave. A final walk-around inspection can often help to prevent some embarrassing moments (since all of us have occasional lapses of memory now and then—some of us more frequently than others).

Now it is time to fire up your engine and let it warm up for a few minutes.

Don't Forget to Bring in Your Slides. Before you get too anxious to raise the levelers or back off your leveling boards, remember to bring in your slides (if your rig has slide-outs). Especially on some of the earlier RVs with slides, retracting them can be a problem if the RV is not level. Many of the early slides were prone to binding and sticking if the rig was not level.

Because of the heavy electrical load required to activate the hydraulic pumps on those rigs that have hydraulic (rather than electric) levelers, most manufacturers recommend that you have the engine running before activating the pump.

TIP: Remember to leave a window open or a ceiling vent cracked a wee bit before you start to retract your slides. Some motorhomes are built tightly enough that there is no place for the air pressure to eacape (and it is possible to pop a seal).

Back Off Leveling Boards or Raise Hydraulic Levelers. While your engine is warming up, you can back off your leveling boards or raise the hydraulic levelers.

If you used leveling boards, be sure you remember to pick them up and stow them in one of your bays.

If you have hydraulic levelers, don’t rely on your jack sensors—double check that your jacks are raised when you perform your final walk-around check.

Do a Final Walk-Around Check. When you think that you are ready to leave your campsite, take a few moments to perform a walk-around check.

Your final walk-around check should include such items as:

• No personal item left around the campsite
• Any loose trash picked up (including cigarette butts, yours or not)
• All outside storage bays securely closed
• Tire covers removed and stowed
• Roof TV antenna(s) fully lowered (sometimes they stick when only partially lowered)
• Roof vents closed (open an inch or so is OK)
• Utilities have been disconnected
• Hydraulic levelers fully retracted
• Patio and window awnings retracted and secured
• Tires appear normal
• Check your exit path for low-hanging tree branches or other obstructions

If everything seems to be stowed and secure, then you are probably ready to finally leave your camp site and head toward your next destination. Remember to not be in a hurry— enjoy the scenery on the way.