On The Road Again & Girls At the Wheel

Goin’ places that I’ve never been.
Seein’ things that I may never see again
…I can’t wait to get on the road again.
On the road again
(Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again” 1980)

Yours truly commands the wheel

Oh yeah baby -> it’s up with the jacks, on with the cowboy hat and off to the road we go. Yesterday we started off our 2011 season with a gorgeous, weather-perfect drive back to Alafia State Park and like natural-born nomads we revelled in the feeling of the wind in our hair (or, more precisely in our case, the bounce of “the beast” on the road). Even the RV seemed happy, having become rather fat and lazy during her winter sojourn. After all, the whole point of being on wheels is using them, n’est ce pas?

Since we had a longer drive yesterday (250 miles compared to our usual realxing 150 or so), hubby and I shared the work at the wheel going 50/50 on the drive. I actually love driving and started learning to wrestle the monster early last year back in Quartzite, AZ (our very first boondocking trip). There were a few first-time nerves, a bit of practice getting used to turns and some freaky initial moments on the freeway but after a while I got into the groove and started enjoying the road just as much as Paul.

Paul enjoys the other side of RVing

Another bonus to wheeling power are the rather  surprised looks I get from truckers and other RVers on the road.  You see, it seems men do most of the driving in larger rigs and I think that’s a shame. Not only is RV driving rockin’ fun, but I consider it an important safety net to make sure both partners can take the wheel. Should something happen to either one of us, both of us are able to run the RV and I’ve wanted it that way since we started.  I self-learned the art, through practice and geometry but there’s plenty of places to learn for those that seek other means:

1/ Empty Parking Lots/Roads – If you’re taking the RV for your very first spin a big, empty parking lot or a lonesome road are great spots to try. Wide, open spaces allow you to get a feel for the turning radius and practice driving without pressure from other cars on the road. I started on BLM land in AZ, progressed onto deserted and low-traffic roads and then finally took the wheel for a freeway. Going slow and taking your time is my driving motto, and I still drive that way today.

2/ Online YouTube Videos – For those who like visual aids, there are LOTS of excellent online videos that teach RV driving. Just google “RV driving” on YouTube and check out the links. There are even safety and maintenance videos too, as well as excellent tutorials on tire blowouts and other specialized topics.

3/ RV Driving Course – Although you can legally get into an RV in most states (depending on size) without a special license, doing an RV driving course can be a really positive and useful experience. Of course, I never did one (rather typical of me, mind you), but I’ve heard great things from others. Google the web for hits and ask for references and checks from others who’ve taken the course. A good tutor should always have excellent references.

So, this is a shout-out to the gals out there. If you aren’t already driving I encourage you to give it a go. If you need a bit of motivation here’s my own little message to get you started, once again proving that girl power is the way to go (click the video link):

Girls at the RV Wheel from Paul Novell on Vimeo.

The Story of the Big Tree that Wouldn’t…

Paul poses w/ the victim of our tree encounter

It was a dark and stormy night….

Well, OK maybe I’m just being overly dramatic and wishful. It was more like a perfectly clear, windless and very bright sunny day. With ne’er a weather forecast to blame the young enthusiasts left their campground in the giddy knowledge that all could be handled. After all, the intrepid voyagers had been on their trip for many months, had bounded great mountains, crossed hair-raising ridges and penetrated deep forests. In other words they were Experts, Kings of the road, Masters of the wheel and so on. You get the picture…

All that stood between them and their next adventure was a few turns and a couple of trees. Now, granted the trees were a tad tight, and I’ll begrudgingly admit that a few of them were even somewhat worrisome, but after all these were mere trifles for the WheelingIt Gods.

See those gashes? Beware the tree....

All went well of course. Turns were conquered, trees glided by and much self-congratulation was in progress….right up until the tree that wouldn’t. You see, it was the last turn, the last curve and just a few inches to the left of where it should have been, and the darn thing wouldn’t move. It just wouldn’t! It wasn’t even the bottom that was an issue, it was a sneaky curve at the top where the tree was hanging lazily into the road. There was a heavy crunch, a sound a bit like fingernails running down a blackboard and a nice, long squashed metal bit (formerly not squashed I might add) spinning off to the side.

Paul jerry-rigs a temporary fix on the awning cover

Yes, after many faultless months yours truly had just encountered our first collision and our back left slide-cover was the victim. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who’d done this. This particular little devil of a tree showed ample evidence of other RV encounters with multiple big gashes on the side. Despite the company, however, our egos deflated like great, big popped balloons and we were left gaping stupidly at the damage.

Now, overall it wasn’t too bad and I could say the lesson let us off easy. It was only the outer metal cover of our slide awning that was crushed and we can order the parts online, but the impact on our egos was everlasting. There’s probably many excuses I could make, but in the end it was simply the result of overconfidence. The tree that wouldn’t has taught us to look up and always, always have a spotter on the road.

So now, when we see other RVers missing bits of their rig rather than chuckle privately about their mistake, we humbly commiserate and go over to share our story. After all we’ve been there…and chances are we might be there again.

P.S. I’m sure you’re dying to know who was driving. As an honest woman I can’t possibly give such a sensitive and painfull piece of information away, but I’ll just say it wasn’t me…..

A Meander Down Hwy 12 (Utah)

The night before we rode down Hwy 12 in the monster Paul didn’t sleep. I, on the other hand, snoozed like a petrified log mostly because Paul hadn’t told me why he wasn’t sleeping. And, I started the day naive and happy like a newborn baby. It wasn’t until part of the way into the drive that I started to have an inkling of the reason behind Paul’s red eyes and nervous tics. By the time we passed Bolder Mountain summit I understood, and when we were finally safely parked at Singletree Campground the devious man showed me the “Mountain Directory” so I could read for myself. 

You see, Hwy 12 is quite the drive. It has outstanding scenery, highly varied landscape and stunning viewpoints sprinkled with super-narrow roads, large, steep grades and warnings that trucks should not, unless in dire need, drive along here. All this, my lovely hubby had hidden from me. The “mountain book” is sprinkled with descriptions like “steep”, “10-12% grades”, and “long descents” which Paul had spent the entire evening stressing about. 

In the end it wasn’t quite as bad as it seemed, and I must admit Paul did an outstanding job which was superbly supported by our fabulous Cummings 420 engine and exhaust breaks. But, it’s not for the faint of heart and may not be the first road you’d want to take your 40-foot RV (with tow) on. As for me, I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and I’ll still sleep like a baby….provided Paul’s driving, of course. 

Here’s a visual snapshot (taken from the passenger seat) through our RV window on the drive. 

Scenery just east of Bryce Canyon

 

Twisted, grey-rock sections between Tropic and Escalante

 

Lower section near Calf Creek Falls

 

Hogsback...a ridgeline section of Hwy 12 where cliffs drop-off steeply to either side of the road

 

Wooded section going into Boulder Mountain area

 

View near top of Boulder Mountain dropping down towards Singletree and Torrey