We returned early from our shakedown trip to Inks Lake because of weather. Originally, we had intended to be lakeside for a full week, but three days in it became clear that the weather was going to hell and would be nasty for our scheduled return. So we broke camp early.
The trip was a roaring success. Our new RV performed flawlessly and even the cats had a good time, acclimating quickly and settling in. We went for a nice hike, ate well, sat around talking with our camping buddies Lynn and Rhonda Heenan, and in general had a relaxing and fun time. I didn't want it to end, but I also did not want to be driving my brand new 36' fifth wheel on icy roads.
Daytime temperatures were in the 60's for most of the trip (it got cooler as the week went on) but it was cold at night so our furnace got a workout. I had installed the mopeka propane tank sensors on our LP tanks so I had an up-to-the-minute readout on our tank levels. I highly recommend the Mopeka system. It provided a text and graphic readout of tank levels which eliminates all guesswork and more importantly, loss of head during the night. I've also go the SeeLevel holding tank sensor system for a more granular readout of how full our black, grey and fresh water tankage is, but have not had a chance to install it yet. Will do that soon.
Another lesson we learned is that the controls on our theater chairs are way too sensitive. All I had to do was move around a bit and the chair would suddenly start massaging me or heat up my butt. I like heated seats, and I like chair massage, but I don't like a chair that turns that stuff on just by looking at it. So we unplugged our two theater seats. Another lesson learned is that just because a RV is new doesn't mean everything works right off the bat. Our shower leaked. I had to spend about an hour caulking the shower door frame. I got most of it, but will need to circle back and re-caulk the corners. Also, the bedroom area has no shelves to hold a glass of water at night nor our smartphones and eyeglasses. The phone and glasses we learned to place on top of the window valance, but I had to buy and install fold up beverage holders to install on the inside walls of the bed slide. They have worked out well.
In the living room we have installed two small lamps for atop the side stands at each end of the couch. They add a bit of warm lighting to the space and look pretty good. They are touch controlled and offer three illumination settings. Vicky is experimenting with curtain material and planning on a variety of curtains in our living area. We also have some custom throw pillows that our daughter Kristin created for us. The rig already has a nice, warm and homey feel to it.
Check out our planning section to see a full list of the improvements we plan to make to our rig.
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