How long to break camp?

[Bigdomino]

I am new using a travel trailer. New Whitehawk. Had had motorhomes for years. Was a full timer.

I am wondering how long you guys take to break camp? I am talking from the time you start to close up the rv until you pull it out of the park.

I need to work on my sequence of events when packing up.

Interested in how you do it and how long.

Thanks.

Steve

[Doug]

I think it probably takes me 1 hour, including dump station (20mins) if no wait. Here's a mental checklist I use for setup/shutdown.

CAMPER SETUP CHECKLIST

PARK CAMPER AND CHECK LEVEL
CHECK ELECTRICAL REACHES
ASSEMBLE LYNXS BLOCKS
BACK UP ON LYNXS BLOCKS
DISCONNECT WDH
LEVEL FRONT TO BACK
PUT DOWN STABALIZER PADS
PLUG IN ELECTRIC
TURN ON PROPANE
EXTEND SLIDEOUT
CONNECT WATER AND FILL HW TANK
CONNECT SEWER
TURN ON STOVE BURNER
LIGHT HW TANK
CHECK FRIG
OPEN RANGEHOOD VENT
EXTEND AWNING

CAMPER SHUTDOWN LIST
PUT IN AWNING
CLOSE RANGEHOOD VENT
TURN OFF HW TANK
CLEAN TOP OF SLIDEOUT
CLOSE SLIDE OUT
UNPLUG ELECTRICAL
DISCONNECT WATER
DISCONNECT SEWER
RAISE STABALIZERS
CONNECT HITCH AND WDH
PULL FORWARD AND GET LYNXS
CHECK SITE FOR MISC
DOUBLE CHECK WDH


Doug

[Marcm157]

I leave myself 2 hours for break down and hookup. Depending on whether I am at a full hook up site or not, I adjust the time slightly but on average 2 hours. Stow tables, chairs, outdoor mats etc then clean grill and stow it. Once all gear is loaded on truck or in storage compartments I dump my tanks and do a thorough flush of my black tank. Disconnect utilities and hitch up the WDH. Final interior sweep making sure all is ready to tow. Exterior walk around ensuring all doors and storage compartments are locked. Check hitch setup and hit the road.

[RogerR]

To me the answer is it depends.

If it is an overnight stop it us usually quicker as I rarely hookup to water or sewer. Sometimes we stop at casinos, Walmart, etc. and just drop the jack to level front to back.

If we stay a while more stuff is hooked up, longer time dumping, rinsing, etc.

But the one item we do every time is to check that all lights, turn, stop and tail are working. My wife also double checks my chains, hitch ball lockdown pin and proper connection of the hitch. If we can we pull out of the spot and go back for a walk through in case we missed something.

[robkelly]

I'd have to say it depends too, but on average we're probably 45 minutes to an hour. DW takes care of the inside, I get the outside stuff

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by RogerR

To me the answer is it depends.

If it is an overnight stop it us usually quicker as I rarely hookup to water or sewer. Sometimes we stop at casinos, Walmart, etc. and just drop the jack to level front to back.

If we stay a while more stuff is hooked up, longer time dumping, rinsing, etc.

But the one item we do every time is to check that all lights, turn, stop and tail are working. My wife also double checks my chains, hitch ball lockdown pin and proper connection of the hitch. If we can we pull out of the spot and go back for a walk through in case we missed something.

This is a great idea. I've left water "Y" valves, Pressure Regulators etc. that a simple walk through would have found...

[Gone campin]

We were tested on this last year - camping about an hour and a half from home and tornado warnings were posted. It was coming in from the opposite way from home, so we would be going away from it - we quickly decided that we would rather be at home than in a travel trailer with 2 little kids during weather like that... It took us 20 minutes from the time we decided until we were pulling out of the campground. We made it home just as the torrential rains and wind started. The place didn't end up having any tornadoes, but we were glad we decided to go home.

[Marcm157]

Originally Posted by Gone campin

We were tested on this last year - camping about an hour and a half from home and tornado warnings were posted. It was coming in from the opposite way from home, so we would be going away from it - we quickly decided that we would rather be at home than in a travel trailer with 2 little kids during weather like that... It took us 20 minutes from the time we decided until we were pulling out of the campground. We made it home just as the torrential rains and wind started. The place didn't end up having any tornadoes, but we were glad we decided to go home.

My wife was hit by a large falling tree branch during a freak wind storm Easter Sunday. We packed up in less than 30 minutes - Still can't find some of the stuff that was just thrown in anyplace it would fit!!

[FeatherFam]

On the road, we are up and out in about 30-45 minutes. When we are camped for several nights or more, we take our time breaking camp. We clean everything and put everything away carefully. I also use it as a time to inspect things inside and out, top and bottom. We usually take a break and have a cup of coffee while we wrap things up. We do not get in a rush. Rushing kills the spirit of it all for us, and we both enjoy the process of set up and take down. We are weird that way. Usually, it's back to the job life, so we savor the moments.

[Nighthawk 96]

I too have fairly detailed check lists for leaving home, and leaving camp ground. Similar to Doug's but more detail. Make sure antenna is down. I have water in my hot water tank before I leave home and make sure propane is flowing to all appliances. I run the fridge while on the road. Walk around is the last step, to make sure nothing is left behind and site is clean.

I allow an hour to break camp

[A2Z_Adventures]

Less than an hour is our typical out time. We can make it as short as 20 minutes of we are hustling.

[2nOZ]

Originally Posted by robkelly

I'd have to say it depends too, but on average we're probably 45 minutes to an hour. DW takes care of the inside, I get the outside stuff

After the DW takes care of the inside as I take care of the outside, we then swap roles and I give the inside a second look while she gives the outside a second look. We figure about an hour.

[rkresge]

2 hours or more. But that includes things like taking down and stowing our canopy, folding and stowing the carpet, draining and thoroughly flushing the black tank, and finally getting the trailer hitched up. That alone usually takes me about a half hour.

Overnight stops while traveling, maybe 30 minutes - we don't unhitch, set up the site, or much of anything other than electricity and minimum water hookups.

Roger

[Ruth]

45 minutes to an hour. We each have our items to put away and both of us work on emptying and flushing tanks. Hitching up the TT takes about 10 minutes.

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[TWP723]

Usually 2+ hours. I take my time packing up. I want to make sure I don't miss anything. What I hate is early checkout CG's. 10-11a.? Have to wake with the roosters and start packing up. We try to stay at CG's with later checkout times. Normally, 1 o'clock. The only downfall is, later check IN times. But, is what it is. Regardless, I take my time. You shouldn't sweat packing up!

[mike837go]

Not sure at all on how long it takes us to be ready to head home. The dump station is 7 miles from our camp site and can be busy.

We usually pack up the 'outdoor living' stuff (chairs, table, grill, etc.) the night before heading out.

I keep the tools associated with arrival and departure (WDH lever, level, chocks, stabilizer wrench, etc.) together.

Departure consists mostly of picking up and stowing the things that we brought with us. Then raising the stabilizers and hitching up. Turn off the propane just before messing with the tongue jack.

[Bassdogs]

After a stay of more than a few days, I begin the evening before to dismantle and stow outside stuff [chairs, grill, any outside lighting, hose] loading it in the back of the TV and such. Wife does the same inside stowing pots and pans, etc. She stores a lot of stuff in the shower. In the morning while she is doing breakfast, I'm staging the WD bars, pulling the power cord, dismantling the sat tv antanae, and what ever else is loose outside. I preposition the TV if there is room without blocking traffic. Dogs are hooked up outside to allow for final inside arranging and cleaning. Final stage is to exit the inside and complete closing up the TT and stowing totes in storage.

However you do it, have a routine and don't get in a hurry. That's when accidents happen and things are forgotten. After the TT is hooked up, we do a final walk around and the wife rechecks my stuff [kind of like not proof reading your own letter] and I put an eyeball inside. Dogs in the truck and I pull out of the site while DW is looking over the empty site. I suspect allowing an hour is enough to complete the shut down if you are reasonably organized. If you have kids, get them out of the way or assign them their own duties. Phones are off and we quickly dismiss neighbors etc so we can stay on task.

All of this sounds great, but some of the things we have forgotten: sway bar laying on the TV bumper, dogs water bowl, and the always popular stairs down. Last word of wisdom is to look high and low, catch windows left open and clothes lines etc and and things hanging in the trees. We have bought and left bird feeders more than once.

[01tundra]

About 30-45 minutes for us typically.

This includes me working all of the outdoor duties and my wife securing the interior, prepping linens for the wash and vacuuming/cleaning.

We get our TT ready for the next trip during breakdown. All we do is drop the camper at home, grab the pile of linens just inside the door and head up the driveway to the house.

If we just had to cut and run without prep for the next trip we could be out in about 15 minutes.....at least 5 minutes of which would be me going over my mental checklist 42 times......

If it's a trip with dogs, kayaks, bikes, etc then it takes more like an hour.

Like mentioned above, worst thing is to get in a rush and miss something. Saving a few minutes isn't worth the risk. We just inherently break camp fairly quick because we've been working as a team at this for several years prior to owning a TT.

[sennister]

I agree that it is going to depend. Typically we are heading out sometime late morning. Because of this the night before we are packing away the stuff we don't need the next day. This gets us a head start. I would say we are hitched up and ready to go in about an hour if we are taking our time. Then it is off to the line at the dump station. Who knows how long that will take. That might be another hour before officially leaving the campground if there are a bunch of people waiting. Of course if you site has sewer then that speeds up the process but I don't think I have ever stayed at a place with full hookups like that.

[Witt74]

Usually, I take 1-2 hrs to break down camp. Like others have stated, I pack up any outside stuff we won't be using the night before. DW takes care of the inside, me the outside. We usually have sewer on site, and I flush the tanks really well while I have the 3" connection hooked up.Hook up the truck, disconnect sewer, water, elect., pull the chocks, do a couple of walk arounds, check 5 times and make sure the antenna is down and we're ready to boogie. Best breakdown time was about 30-45 min..