Top 10 tips from newbies...

So, slowly but surely we have been learning the ways of life on the road. Mainly by sheer screw-ups and naivete.

So here are our top 10 tips from newbies:

10.- Develop a sign language to hitch and un-hitch. Shouting does not seem to work and after a while just raises the tempers: "You are too far!....closer! more!...my left? or your left?

You need to move this much....

...in this direction.

9.- When getting microscopically close to hitching and it is not happening because the moon is not aligned properly, use the jack-slider to zero-in. This may be relevant to Hensley hitch users only.

8.- After getting a couple pants christened with hitch grease stains, we develop this idea: The Hitch Bra! (a plastic groceries bag)




7.- Do not leave the water pump "on" while traveling....the sink faucet turns into a water sprinkler after the first railroad crossing or big bump.




6.- Buy a pair of "Mop Slippers" to mop after leaving the water pump on.




5.- Get an elbow for your city water inlet.



4.- Get one of those mesh filters to catch the gravel and dirt before it goes into the trailer plumbing. I have been amazed after I unhook and see this mesh full of gravel!



3.- You may think that gray water is not that bad. At least not as nasty as black water. Well...we started to notice that out gray water was getting -extra- smelly, rotten smelly. After close examination, we realized that small food solids were making it into the gray water tank. We found these sink strainers in a 99 cent store. We put strainers in the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and in the shower sink. This last one catches all the hair.




2.- Now, you may ask...how did you "closely" inspected the contents of your gray tank?
Well, enter the "Flush King" clear elbow adapter. I saved the yuckiest tip for last.
We bought this accessory by mistake, the Airstream has its own integrated black water flush system. But we found that this clear elbow has 3 advantages and uses:

- It lets you see when the tanks are "done" emptying, and how good or bad the flow is going.

- The angled elbow puts less stress in the pipe fittings.

- Once you are done dumping, you can close the black and gray valves, connect a water hose to the Flush King elbow and run water through to clean the mouth of the gray/black water outlet, and let water run to clean the sewer hose. The Flush King has a check valve that does not let the dirty water go into the water hose.



1.- Well, at the insistence of my wife...one more tip:
"Do not sweat the small stuff"