Wanna be ready to travel

[Gma7673]

Hello!!! DH just retired, we bought a 2012 Thor Serrano 31X and I'm the major driver. I plan to retire 12/31/22 and away we go. I grew up camping, he didn't. I still have lots to learn about this. Maybe I can train him.

[coachray]

Congrats and welcome to the forum

[Gma7673]

Thank you, I have done so much reading. I hope I'm ready.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Gma7673

...I have done so much reading....

That's the smartest thing said here all year.

Practice at home:
Hook up the slinky and dump your tanks two or three times as practice.
Play with the aux start switch.
Turn on the ac and mess with the thermostat to see if it is all good.
Gas off, gas on, water heater works.
COOK in the rv a couple of times whole home(if you're going to cook in it.)
Spend a weekend in it at home.

Do everything at your comfortable home that you can with an idea towards breaking something.
THEN the reading combines with experience BEFORE you hit the road.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by Gma7673

Hello!!! DH just retired, we bought a 2012 Thor Serrano 31X and I'm the major driver. I plan to retire 12/31/22 and away we go. I grew up camping, he didn't. I still have lots to learn about this. Maybe I can train him.

Been married 35 years and my wife just got me house trained... . Is it the trainer... or the trainee??

Wow that's great! Next June is our target for getting the wife retired and hitting the road!! Can't wait!

[Gma7673]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Been married 35 years and my wife just got me house trained... . Is it the trainer... or the trainee??

Wow that's great! Next June is our target for getting the wife retired and hitting the road!! Can't wait!

She's ahead of me. We've been married 44 years next month.

[Gma7673]

Originally Posted by ducksface

That's the smartest thing said here all year.

Practice at home:
Hook up the slinky and dump your tanks two or three times as practice.
Play with the aux start switch.
Turn on the ac and mess with the thermostat to see if it is all good.
Gas off, gas on, water heater works.
COOK in the rv a couple of times whole home(if you're going to cook in it.)
Spend a weekend in it at home.

Do everything at your comfortable home that you can with an idea towards breaking something.
THEN the reading combines with experience BEFORE you hit the road.

We're planning to spend a weekend at a local campground as a "test"

[Jimbo56]

Just make sure your hot water heater is filled before experimentation.

Best wishes!

[lwmcguir]

Duck pretty much nailed it

Trial runs on everything

Welcome and enjoy the experience

There is a huge learning curve for sure

We're getting close to our 60th year of RV lifestyle, only weekends and vacations for the first 45 or so years and on our 12th RV so we tend to keep them awhile

By the way I am not trained yet

[Gma7673]

So much to learn. When I grew up camping we had a tent and a Coleman stove.

[Bob Denman]

Welcome to our campfire!

[Gma7673]

Thanks

[TripleGGG]

Originally Posted by Gma7673

Thank you, I have done so much reading. I hope I'm ready.

You are already way ahead of most. Great group of people on this forum. Havent seen a question asked yet that there weren't some great answers.

[71_340]

You have the right approach....educate yourself about the ins and outs of RVing and stay local the first few times.

Congratulations on your RV. I did look at two different Serranos and they were beautiful coaches, especially the interior. I hope yours was well maintained.

[Gma7673]

Originally Posted by 71_340

You have the right approach....educate yourself about the ins and outs of RVing and stay local the first few times.

Congratulations on your RV. I did look at two different Serranos and they were beautiful coaches, especially the interior. I hope yours was well maintained.

The coach is very well maintained. The faux leather on the driver and passenger seat is pealing but other than that it's like new. We put new shoes all the way around for peace of mind.

[Lt Keefer]

Sounds like you got a handle on things. I would suggest you drive it when ever you have the opportunity. Take it to the big box store next time you head that way. Do your shopping, then have eat a meal in the coach. When I got my first class c, I drove it to work once a month. It gave me plenty of windshield time and I got used to the driving quirks of the old beast. Practice, practice, practice.

[Gma7673]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Just make sure your hot water heater is filled before experimentation.

Best wishes!

When I read this I googled how to make sure the hot water heater is full.

[lwmcguir]

Originally Posted by Gma7673

The coach is very well maintained. The faux leather on the driver and passenger seat is pealing but other than that it's like new. We put new shoes all the way around for peace of mind.

3M makes a vinyl/leather restorer that adds back a shine and hides some of the loose fibers

I have always used 303 protectant on mine, a holdover from the vinyl seats requiring protection from UV and elements in our boats

Some batches of pleather simply come apart like bonded leather and other batches last for years. Seems to be across all RV furniture

Luckily all our seats still look like new even with a puppy onboard for several years

[Gma7673]

Originally Posted by lwmcguir

3M makes a vinyl/leather restorer that adds back a shine and hides some of the loose fibers

I have always used 303 protectant on mine, a holdover from the vinyl seats requiring protection from UV and elements in our boats

Some batches of pleather simply come apart like bonded leather and other batches last for years. Seems to be across all RV furniture

Luckily all our seats still look like new even with a puppy onboard for several years

It's too late for any treatment. I told DH maybe we could just peel the rest off and let that be the new look.

[saddlesore]

1st !!!!... WELCOME TO OUR CAMPFIRE!!!!! ...
Pull Up A Stump and Sit A Spell!
While You research "3,2,1 Cake"