First Long Tow... FL to CA

[mike.t]

Be safe and enjoy the trip.

[lisaz]

FYI, for all the times when there is no cell service or internet, you can download Google maps for your whole trip, before you leave, and then use them when you're off-line during your travels! It's right inside Google maps...

[chboone]

If you haven't towed the trailer much since the tire change check the lug nut torque before starting on you trip and each time you stop.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by lifeisbear

Outstanding questions:
-Should I get road side assistance?

Do you feel lucky?

I have 60+ years of AAA membership, and added the RV Premium when I got my MH. And I'm still on the fence about getting CoachNet as a backup. Coachnet has two levels, one for towables ($180 a year), a higher priced one for MHs. If you already have AAA you might want to see if you can add RV Premium for a month.

Originally Posted by lifeisbear

-Should I get a generator and dry camp where able?

It's your wallet. I picked up a used Honda 2200 for $600... put a new air filter on it, did the 50 hour maintenance, used it for a few months, my needs changed, and sold it for $700.

WalMart, Cabellas and CrackerBarrels are good for overnight. If it's a WM or Cabellas have some stuff in your cart when you ask the managers permission. If it's CrackerBarrel then ask the manager in between dinner and dessert.

Originally Posted by lifeisbear

-Should I get a rear camera?

If you plan on backing up then my opinion says it's a necessity. If you have a second person that can function as a spotter then a pair of cheap FRS walkietalkies might be useful.

Originally Posted by lifeisbear

-Should I get a TPMS system?

I have one. And since you have a 2-axle trailer and you are on a cross-country trip then I'd try and carry TWO spare tires already mounted on rims and balanced. Do you know someone that you can borrow a second one from for the trip? If I were in your shoes I'd rent one if I had to.

Originally Posted by lifeisbear

-Aside from RV living basics is there anything TOW related that are a must?

Have a functioning toilet and a functioning fridge in the trailer.
Being able to make a comfort stop on your schedule at your convenience is nice.

If you like audible entertainment than have your own stuff with you. I have 80 solid hours of my kind of music on my cellphone (connects to my car radio) in case the audible pablum on the AM or FM dial is intolerable.

Google says Pensacola to San Diego is 29 hours. You're towing a trailer, I'd add 30-35% which makes it almost 40... I'd plan on 45 to 50 MPH and 6 hours of driving per person per day. If you do better than that then consider it a bonus. If you find yourself getting tired don't push and attempt to keep to your schedule at all costs. Include some extra time... you may only make a a 100 miles on one or even two days... the highway may be down to one lane or you might break down... or something unexpected... I once blew a head gasket with NO warning half way between Ludlow and Needles... 50 miles from nowhere. Thank God for AAA and my ham radio (there was no cell service where the truck died... I was able to reach a station that called CHP and AAA for me). And thank God I knew someone who lived in Needles and had a guest room... and he knew a good local mechanic. The blown head gasket still converted a 5 and a half hour trip (Pasadena to Needles) into a 5 and a half day trip.

Like the other guy said, plan on 10 MPG. If you do better then consider it a bonus. If you have an easily changed fuel filter than carry a extra filter or two and a wrench. My friend with the DP got a bad batch once and plugged a filter 80 miles from the station... and plugged a second one 70 more miles later. He carries five filters and a wrench.... If you already own a 5 gallon fuel container you might want to take it with you.

Have good sunglasses and a suction-cup attached adjustable sun visor if you are going to be driving west in the afternoon or east in the morning. I drove west from Portland to Tilamook (Oregon) every friday afternoon (and the reverse on monday mornings) for four weeks and discovered why it's called the Sunset Highway... at that time of the year you are driving right into the sun for miles.

Have some emergency cash with you. You might blow a tire and damage a rim beyond use and need to buy a new set, and the tire store might have a fubar'd credit card machine that day... (it happened to me). As I said above I'd be carrying two complete spares... and if I blew a tire I'd replace it the next day.

You have new tires... check your trailer lug nuts at 40-50 miles into the first day.

Adjust your schedule to avoid hitting cities (especially Houston) at rush hour. I'd consider doing that one between 2 and 4 AM.

One trick on refueling - have your co-driver use Google Earth StreetView while you are a few blocks away to check out the gas station. See if there is a RV-preferred entrance or exit.

Quick story: A friend was towing a 5th and was low on fuel. GE showed that the gas station had a weird departure angle... "5th wheel unfriendly" was a polite term.
So he dropped the 5th in a out-of-the-way corner of a WalMart parking lot a few blocks away and left his brother with it just in case... He drove to the station and filled up the pickup with diesel, and came back to pick up the 5th... found a cop chatting with his brother... Once the situation was explained and the 5th re-connected all problems just went away... A wave, and a "Have a nice day!" and the cop left.

Mike

[YC1]

TPMS would give you great peace of mind. Ours saved a brand new tire with a loose shrader valve. It was losing air slowly and might have been missed.

Lots of great advice. We have been back and forth between N. Calif and Central Fl several times. It is a long trip for us. It takes ten days but that is 3500 miles or so. Your trip will be a couple of days shorter.

I found using RvTrip wizard it is easier to break the trip into a day or two leg at most.

[tribeless]

On your trip to Pensacola, take note of the closed rest areas and bad sections of pavement. I10 through Louisiana is terrible. You may want to detour around.

[tuffr2]

You will have just over 12 hours of daylight now. With the time change sunrise is around 7:30am and sunset around 7:30pm

It is easy to get on the road at 6:30am IMHO. 10 hours of driving puts you around 650 miles a day. I have done this 3 days in a row but not 4 or 5 or 6.

Good luck

[Seon]

As for a generator, rather than buy used, check Wen 2000w generator that's less than $400. Having Roadside assist is a plus on your long trip. Suggest you check tire dates, anything over 5 yrs is questionable especially if your trailer's been parks for a long time.
I'd allow extra day(s) for end to end travel just in case there's an unscheduled stop for repairs.
Be safe.

[propchef]

Originally Posted by tribeless

On your trip to Pensacola, take note of the closed rest areas and bad sections of pavement. I10 through Louisiana is terrible. You may want to detour around.

This.

I did West Palm to SFO twice, and the worst part was I-10 through NO. The second time I went around via Baton Rouge and the I-12. Another thing I remember is that the exit ramps on I-10 in east TX are very SHORT and one caught me completely off-guard and it was a true Code Brown moment trying to get the rig slowed. I was pulling a 12k lb, 8 ft wide commercial kitchen with surge brakes and a very heavy tongue. I was pulling with a Ram 2500 gas and I averaged 7 mpg for the trip.

Yes, I'd get roadside. I had a tire fail but luckily noticed it while fuelling.

I stayed in KOA cabins the entire trip and left the rig parked in from of my cabin. I didn't unhitch the whole trip. I averaged 600 miles a day and did the entire trip in 6 days both times. The second time we did it in a Hyundai Elantra pulling the biggest towable Uhaul trailer available. That trailer broke down in Arizona. Avoid UHaul. The Hyundai did great.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure.