Shakedown cruise

[KillerIsMe]

Well my Friends, we've had the 23BHM for 18 days now, and those 18 days have seen quite a few camp driveway nights. But now it's come time to pull up stakes and take the old Prairie Schooner out on the road. Yes my Friends, the Killers gon' go campin'! Nervous? You bet. Trepidation? Much.

For our first time we're going all out - we're going to Rome! Well, Rome, Pennsylvania. But still, Rome!

Anyways, the campground is only about an hour from home so any egregious forgetfulness can be easily overcome. It's also a full hook-up site and a pull-through spot. I have my Y connector, pressure regulator, FW and black tank flush hoses, and an in-line water filter. I have my PI surge protector and 50-30 dog bone just in case. We have 20' of sewer hose and connectors for the trailer and the ground. We have Andersen-type levelers, wheel chocks, and some bricks for under the stabilizers and tongue jack. Am I missing anything?

About hooking up: should I plug in the surge protector first and see if there are any errors before plugging in the trailer? And for the septic, do I have to put a rock on the elbow to hold it down in the ground? When I connect the water how do I go about getting water into the black tank? Do I go inside and flush 20 or 30 times, or should I hook up to the black tank flush and run water in from there, or do I take a 5 gallon bucket and dump it right down the toilet? Along those same lines, at the end of our stay when I send the women away and do the tank flush thing how will I know how much water is in the black tank? Can you look down the toilet and see the water level? Also, should I have a pressure regulator for the tank flush hose (I don't, but I'm going to the World of Wally today and can pick one up)?

Now some of you may want to cover your eyes here because this next question is rather delicate: We live in a rural area, "rural" being an understatement. We have rats, bats, bobcats, black snakes, rat snakes, king snakes, rattlers, coons, possum, ground hogs, skunks, chipmunks, moles, voles, foxes, rabbits, deer, coyotes, bears - if it lives in Pennsylvania it lives on our property. So I keep a gun beside the bed. I'm not trigger happy by any means, but around here you can't just call animal control (or the police, for that matter). So, um, uh, is it OK to take along a .22?

So many question. So, so many many questions. You folks on here are a wealth of knowledge and experience and any advice will be enormously appreciated by the the Missus and me.

[bearcat77]

A few possible things:
X chocks
Trailer extension cord
A lock for your surge protector
Lots of extra fuses
Cordless drill, ratchet set, tools
Something better than a 22[emoji6]


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[Greg&Nancy]

For the question about dumping black/grey tanks. I got a clear 90° elbow connector so I can enjoy the plop plop dumping of the nasty stuff down the stinky slinky. When the flow stops, I give it a few more mins to drain then go on to dumping the grey one.

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[NVGun40]

Prior to leaving, dump about a gallon or water and some RV tank chemicals into your toilet (we also do the same by dumping a gallon with the tank chemicals premixed down the kitchen sink), this helps for break down and more importantly, odor control. Then at the camp site, only dump when the tanks get 3/4 to full, otherwise leave the valves closed.

As for a .22 (or otherwise)... we always take along something, or even a couple of somethings (DW loves her custom compact 1911 .45 ACP and her family heirloom Ruger Blackhawk .357 magnum) and I always have my off duty carry, and we leave a custom .177 pellet rifle (1500fps) in the TT for "plinking".

[us71na]

I'm not opposed to firearms, in fact I hunt with some. However, many campgrounds do not allow firearms and will ask you to leave if they find out you have them. I suggest you leave it at home and go camping. We've camped for over 40 years all over PA and never had the need for a firearm while camping or hiking.

[Bstar1952]

"About hooking up: should I plug in the surge protector first and see if there are any errors before plugging in the trailer?"

Hope someone answers the OP's above question.

As far as bringing a gun remember, "when seconds count, police are only minutes away." Of course not the police's fault but reality.

[M&A]

Originally Posted by Bstar1952

"About hooking up: should I plug in the surge protector first and see if there are any errors before plugging in the trailer?"

Hope someone answers the OP's above question.

Turn the breaker off, pug in the EMS and check. If good, turn the breaker back off and plug the camper cable into the EMS, then turn the breaker back on. Verify all LEDs/indicators are still good. Enjoy the night!

[2nOZ]

Originally Posted by M&A

Turn the breaker off, pug in the EMS and check. If good, turn the breaker back off and plug the camper cable into the EMS, then turn the breaker back on. Verify all LEDs/indicators are still good. Enjoy the night!

We do the same. We plugged into one breaker box and it indicated an open neutral. There was no one to fix it so we moved a spot over.

[SkyBound]

I'm really enjoying the .17HMR for pest control, far better than a .22LR. Any time I bring my family into a threatening environment I bring what it takes to keep us all safe, and by the sounds of things so do you. I just about took out a black bear with a slug 2 summers ago after I watched it charge towards my wife holding my baby girl as they jumped into the trailer. This was at a registered park with a known bear problem (terrorizing people every night) and a no gun policy. Their staff failed to provide adequate safety for the guests (firing chalk pellets at the bears with paintball guns each night) and that's where I draw the line. The night before a bear climbed up on the roof of a guy's truck and caved it in, and then slashed open the soft tonneau cover as he watched. I don't need any more trophies on my wall but I shoot to kill when property and family are in jeopardy. Oh, I live in Canada lol.

So yes, bring a gun if you are a responsible, sane, and sober.