The summer is a time when many RV owners want to hit the road. The wanderlust is on them, and that’s probably truer this year than most, with the coronavirus still raging across the country.
If you’re gassing up your RV and getting ready for a vacation, you probably can’t wait to leave the routine behind and forget your troubles. Family time should help ease any stress that you’re experiencing.
As you’re getting the RV ready, you should remember to take a few particular items. If you don’t have them, a time might come when you wish you had.
First Aid Kit
The trusty first aid kit is something that every RV owner should have. It ought to include, at a minimum:
- Different-sized bandages
- Tweezers
- Safety pins
- Gloves
- Crepe rolled bandages
- Sterile gauze dressings
You never know when someone in your party is going to hurt themselves. That could be a bruise, bug bites, lacerations, or even something more serious like a concussion.
A first aid kit can handle some of the less severe injuries a traveling companion might incur. Remember, though, that if something more serious happens, you need to find the nearest hospital or urgent care facility.
Some Canned Food
You might plan on taking the RV camping, or maybe you’re not going anywhere too rugged or off-road. Whichever the case might be, though, it’s a smart idea to have at least a small stock of canned goods and snacks. That might be something like:
- Canned chili
- Soup or stew cans
- Vegetables
- Canned chicken or hash
These are the sorts of food that you can make on a hot plate easily enough. Because the manufacturers load them with preservatives, they’ll stay edible for several months, if not longer.
If you strand yourself somewhere and there are no restaurants or grocery stores for miles, you’ll feel glad that you have these supplies. You can always supplement the canned good with snacks like granola bars, pretzels, chips, dried fruit, etc.
Bottled Water
Bottled water is something that every RV owner should have on board if you’re hitting the road this summer. If you’re taking the vehicle camping, you don’t know if there will be close drinking water access at the campsite.
Even if you’re not roughing it as far as you know, having some potable water handy is never a bad idea.
You can get a bunch of twenty-ounce water bottles and some gallon jugs. Just stow them in a cabinet or somewhere else that’s convenient.
Road Flares
You should also have a flare gun and road flares in the RV. You never know if you’re going to break down somewhere, and then you can use the flare gun to signal for help. If you are off-road in the woods, bringing these along could literally save your life, and your passengers as well.
You could also set up the road flares around the RV if it breaks down along the highway at night or in the rain. Reduced visibility means other vehicles can hit you, and flares show them where you are, so there’s less chance that will happen.
A Flashlight and Spare Batteries
A flashlight is good to have on board an RV, as well as spare batteries for it. Flashlights are great for camping, as you can take one along to light your way as you explore the area around the vehicle. Having it for night hiking is a must as well.
You might even want to have multiple flashlights, one for each family member. You can’t be too careful, and you can easily stow the spare batteries somewhere out of the way until you need them.
Napkins and Paper Towels
It might surprise you how many people forget to bring paper towels and napkins along when they go camping or traveling in their RV. It’s more than likely you’re going to be eating in or around the vehicle at some point.
You’ll want the napkins or paper towels to wipe your mouth as you eat, and there are bound to be some spills, especially if you have some little kids along for the ride.
Depending on where you’re going on your trip, there are all kinds of other things that you might want. If you’re getting out in nature, you might want some binoculars. You may need a Swiss army knife. It’s a sound idea to have some matches, as well as a bottle opener, a can opener, cooking utensils, and plates.