The air is fresh and every inch of the country reminds you of the first time your television went from black and white to technicolor. The beauty is astonishing and you love the fact that the office can’t reach you this far out. All your electronic devices have lost signal hours ago and you feel like you’re finally free. But wait! A loud cracking sound brings the RV to a skidding halt. You’re sitting on a dusty road with no cars in sight. In fact, you can’t remember whether you’ve seen a car coming this way in all the time you’ve been on the road. You step outside to see the damage and realize the dirt road may have been a bit too much for the RV, as the leaning indicates a broken axel. Did this have to happen? What could you have done differently to minimize risk?
Leave an Itinerary with a Trusted Friend
The trips that are unplanned tend to be the best, but what happens if something goes wrong? Those who create fun adventures for others know the importance of staying updated at all times in order to ensure that the trip is fun and safe for all. But going at it alone means that someone needs to know your whereabouts in the event of an emergency. Some planning is required and quite necessary especially if the family comes along. Leaving an itinerary with a family member will shorten the search area in the event of a storm or accident, and will also allow quicker response times should the family not check in at a certain time every day.
Research the Area
During the long trips through the desert or the back roads in the country, it will be helpful to know where the local communities are based should walking become the only option. Those long summer days can feel endless when the nearest town is 30 miles away, however, with a little bit of research and just a change in the direction could lead stranded vacationers to a nearby community. One of the best ways to get to know the community a bit better – apart from looking up their local website – is by doing a bit of research on TripAdvisor. This will give you an indication of nearby accommodation, which is a sure sign of civilization. It’s also a good idea to have a look at the weather patterns for the area in general, as well as a prediction of what could be expected during your stay. Hello Weather for iOS or WeatherBug for Android provide up to date information, as well as live camera feeds of certain areas and can be downloaded as an app as well.
Think about Tech
Ensure that the RV is equipped with a working RV radio and get to know the different channels. The radio is not only a great way to tune into all those local music stations, it also allows you to communicate with others on a variety of different channels through the mouthpiece. Camping World has handheld options that can tune into your chosen channel, should you wish to hike, allowing everyone to remain in contact. There is also the option of purchasing a satphone for those who intend on going down the road less traveled on a regular basis.
Be Camp Ready Anywhere, Anytime
From breakdowns to snow storms, the weather conditions of the different states in America can range from desert sandstorms to tropical typhoons. Doing some research on the different conditions will make a difference in both comfort and survival levels should Mother Nature dish out all she has to offer. Guests need to ensure they have enough resources to last them through wet and dry conditions, with or without fire until help arrives. Basic camping and survival skills will go a long way to minimize risk.
