By Sima Nimer
One of the nice things about RVs is that they let you travel leisurely in any season, choosing various destinations and enjoying the scenery as you go. However, the time of year that you travel can affect how to plan for an RV trip.
If you enjoy experiencing the stark sights and serenity of cold, winter landscapes while travelling in your RV, here are five tips and tricks for making your next wintertime road adventure a cold weather success.
- Anticipate the Conditions of Your Destination
If your destination is an RV park that’s well-maintained in all seasons, and the roads to get there are well-travelled winter weather probably won’t delay you from arriving safe and sound, or give a snowdrift permission to use your parking space.
However, if you’ll be traveling to a nature spot, where road maintenance isn’t high-priority, know exactly what type of destination you’ll encounter before you depart. If you’re facing a blizzard, delaying your trip by a few days could make it safer and more leisurely.
- Always Have Reliable Cell Phone Connectivity
Cell phones are everywhere, but cell phone towers are not. If you plan on parking your RV in an area where cellular connectivity is sketchy or unavailable, consider investing in a satellite cell phone that works anywhere you go.
The phone won’t be cheap, but it will ensure that you stay connected to the outside world, no matter how remote the road you travel becomes. It can also serve as a bridge to your loved ones; you can let them know how your journey is going and that you’re traveling safely.
- Carry a Reliable, Portable Electricity Generator
Using an energy-efficient, portable generator to supply electricity to an RV is often more economical than keeping the RV running to do the same thing. Having a generator can also bail you out of difficult situations, such as needing to charge a drained vehicle battery in a wilderness spot, or needing to conserve gasoline, when bad weather halts travel. It can get a little confusing with so many different models on the market, so be sure to take your time to do some research beforehand to find out what suits your needs best.
Having a portable generator can also let you perform some interesting activities on your adventures. If you wanted to, you could travel to a Rocky Mountain retreat, plug an electric guitar into your generator, and sing John Denver songs all night long. That’s pretty cool for an RV winter camping experience!
- Pack at Least an Extra Week of Needed Supplies
If there is even a remote possibility that a winter storm could leave your RV stuck in a winter wonderland scene for a while, plan to pack at least seven extra days of needed supplies beyond what you anticipate requiring.
If the forecast is especially inclement and shows no signs of letting up, you can use your satellite cell phone to alert others. With that said, if you’re traveling in a relatively moderate climate, like the Midwestern U.S., you’re unlikely to get snowbound.
- Make Plans for Both Indoor and Outdoor Activities
The confines of RV winter camping provide cozy warmth and a sense of security, but they can also make you feel a little stir crazy if you spend most of your time in the live-in cabin, gazing out at a gray sky that wouldn’t seem so uplifting if you weren’t on vacation.
Even if you’re not exactly the outdoor type, try to plan at least two to three hours a day for activities outside the vehicle, preferably ones that expend some physical energy to help you relax, such as taking extended walks to photograph new scenes.
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Sima Nimer
Sima is a keen traveller and freelance writer.
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