Home Away From Home
What can you expect in the way of RV parks and facilities as you travel across America? Fortunately, the world of RVing is a big and popular business these days and the folks that cater to the RV traveler are ready to provide all the comfort and products needed to make your journey as fulfilling as possible. For the most part, RV parks are well equipped, very clean, and well organized. Full-hookup sites (water, electricity, and sewer) are usually the rule, not the exception. Many parks these days also have satellite TV (usually a plug-in on your utility box), and more and more parks are adding Wi-Fi, either at your site, or in the office/clubhouse. Unless you're camping in a somewhat remote national forest, county, or state park, the majority of the parks you will encounter should have all the amenities you want to make your stay a pleasant experience.

Depending on where you stay and the time of year, you may encounter crowded conditions or sparsely populated campsites. If in doubt, it's always a good idea to make reservations a few days in advance (or in the case of holidays, several weeks), and a good campground directory, such as Woodall's, is an excellent tool for choosing park sites. You may want to check out a few parks in the area you plan to stay before making a final choice-all parks are not created equal, and remember this will be your home away from home. Make sure that the park can accommodate your type and size of RV/trailer, and such facilities as a store, showers, laundry, clubhouses, playgrounds, pools, etc., are always a plus.

Keep in mind that each RV parks has its own list of do's and don'ts, and such things as using generators, alcohol consumption outside of your unit, loud noise late at night, etc., are usually frowned upon. All parks have strict speed limits (5-1/2 mph is common), for obvious reasons. Be a good camper and adhere by the rules.

Driving Conditions
Naturally, driving an RV/5th wheel/trailer down America's roadways is much different than traveling in a car. Driving a diesel truck/5th wheel combo on the interstate highways of Wyoming is a relaxing way to rack up the miles, but traveling with that same rig through the heart of Baltimore can be a harrowing experience. Know what you are getting into before you go. Will you encounter bridges that are too low for your RV's clearance? Are there tunnels that restrict the movement of vehicles carrying propane tanks? Are the streets wide enough to fully accommodate your rig? Can you turn around safely when you need to? Keep in mind that many states have separate speed limits for vehicles in the act of towing, and trucks/trailers often are restricted to the right-hand lanes. Make it a point to know the driving laws of the states you're traveling through.

A little preplanning and route selection is often the key to worry-free road trip. And don't forget about the weather forecast. You really don't want to be driving that 35-foot 5th wheel through 50-mile-an-hour side winds. Stay another day at your campsite if the weather is threatening.

Fuel Availability/Costs
Fuel prices across the United States, especially diesel fuel, are appalling these days, and the fluctuations between states are often amazing. While you may be paying $3.69 per gallon for diesel fuel in Southern California, and well above the cost of premium gas, in Texas it may be $2.99, and less than regular unleaded. When you're filling up a fuel tank of 40 gallons or more, this really hits home. Be prepared for fuel prices to be all over the board, and make sure that fuel availability-especially diesel-allows you to get safely from one place to the next.

Go Ahead & Do It!
When all is said and done, traveling the U.S. in an RV or trailer can be one of the best experiences in the world. Like anything else in life, the experience is what you make of it, and the happy experiences (or problems) you encounter along the way are often a result of your own planning and preparations. You'll meet thousands of fellow RV travelers along the way, and the camaraderie that develops between seasoned veterans is a wonderful experience. Of course, everything you do before your trip (choosing your rig, planning your trip, packing the proper essentials, keeping safety utmost in your mind) contributes to a memorable experience.

You'll find some entertaining and worthwhile travel articles in this issue, and we'll keep them coming in the months ahead. We hope everything goes smoothly as you travel America's highways-and we'll see you on the road!