Arrival and Departure Checklists

[garysd]

I've been gathering up information on the web about the process those with RV experience use for arrival and departure at a campsite to help me begin developing our own lists. I've come across some good lists here on the forum, but I always have difficulty locating them again using the search function. If anyone has a link to any of them, I'd love to know what they are!

But I did come across a link to a checklist by Frederick Simson (creator of the Trailer Weights in the Real World spreadsheet) on the FGRV forum. The file is Checklist 8.0.pdf and you can find it at this thread. It might be based on his older trailer, a 1978 Fiber Stream 16 according to his signature, and the posting date is 03-09-2008. But I still found it worth reading. You probably have to be a member of FGRV, and signed in, to download it.

Gary

[Losangeles]

still havent found a way to email out my checklists.... out of my list app... sorry

[garysd]

John, sometimes our devices seem to create their own black holes. But thanks for trying!

Hope all is good with you!

Gary

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

still havent found a way to email out my checklists.... out of my list app... sorry

Can't you just copy the checklist and then paste into an email?

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Can't you just copy the checklist and then paste into an email?

nope. can't. not possible.

[garysd]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Can't you just copy the checklist and then paste into an email?

gbaglo,

I thought of that, but it's six pages long and when I copied it into my text editor much of the formatting was jumbled. I really didn't want to clean up that many pages of text on the forum. I also thought of uploading the file here, but that may not be well received by the community since I was not the creator.

I've been a web developer since the late 1990's and I've come to respect what others have created. Which was the reason I linked to his original post.

Gary

[gbaglo]

I started out with a six page list and over time I split it up. Most of the stuff remains in the trailer and doesn't have to be checked off every trip.
I now only print out the "Food" page to make sure we have ketchup, salt and pepper and coffee...
I have separate lists for fishing, canoeing and the pontoon boat ( to make sure I don't leave the oars at home ). I'll print those out depending on planned activities.
Wife neglected to bring socks on one chilly camping trip.

[Jim Bennett]

The only list I have is the one for departing home. It is under two pages, double column, but most stuff on it gets crosses off right away knowing it is already (or still) packed.

Didn't need a list for at orientation, just let Roger lead us through the elements that were new to us, and had him skip what we were already good with. Nor do we need a list for both setting up or tearing down camp, know that one routine well by heart. I do a final walk around after Lisa and I have said all is done, for one more check, and have found a couple minor things.

Lisa does up the food list, usually based on the trips needs if a short one, or just a few days if a longer one. We then restock as needed making a list along the way.

No booze list either, I just make darned sure there is enough, or at least a store handy.

[Jim Bennett]

My brother may think I need a better check list for some things though. Stopped for fuel and supplies with 6 of us in my truck headed canoeing. After a few minutes after leaving the gas station one nephew asked "Where are we going." "Duh, canoeing Colton" I responded. "But what about Uncle David?" Back to the gas station we went.

[garysd]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Didn't need a list for at orientation, just let Roger lead us through the elements that were new to us, and had him skip what we were already good with. Nor do we need a list for both setting up or tearing down camp, know that one routine well by heart. I do a final walk around after Lisa and I have said all is done, for one more check, and have found a couple minor things.

Jim,

Being newbies, and I mean newbies, I don't think ETI would spend most of the day to lead us through all the elements that are new to us. Someday, hopefully by the end of this year, we'll have more experience and won't need a checklist to get us through arrival and departure. I am a fast learner, but it helps me to have a process to follow.

Gary

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by garysd

Jim,

Being newbies, and I mean newbies, I don't think ETI would spend most of the day to lead us through all the elements that are new to us. Someday, hopefully by the end of this year, we'll have more experience and won't need a checklist to get us through arrival and departure. I am a fast learner, but it helps me to have a process to follow.

Gary

For sure, being total newbies, you want lists for everything until you gain more familiarity with things. Escape will lead you through all you need at orientation, they have really stepped up the game there.

[garysd]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

For sure, being total newbies, you want lists for everything until you gain more familiarity with things. Escape will lead you through all you need at orientation, they have really stepped up the game there.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Gary

[Ron in BC]

The other part of that is that humans are amazingly adaptable. It's one thing to worry about new things beforehand but most folks muddle through the first few experiences and then laugh about their worries later.

Ron

[garysd]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

The other part of that is that humans are amazingly adaptable. It's one thing to worry about new things beforehand but most folks muddle through the first few experiences and then laugh about their worries later.

Ron

I agree completely! Muddle we do, and later laugh. Hopefully, anyway.

Gary

[GregandTeresa]

We have lists for both arrival and departure. I find that I can get too easily distracted by everything going on around me, so it's best to make sure that everything gets checked off before I pull away. Oh, and there was that one time on arrival that I forgot to unplug the pigtail from the Pathfinder before pulling away. So my wife now insists on the lists.

[C&G in FL]

After a while, it all becomes automatic. We have checklists that have been revised for each new trailer, but no longer use them. When we are ready to leave, she secures everything inside and I do the outside. But we both always do a final "walk around." I do, however, have a couple of placards in the cab of the truck. For example, if I do not disconnect for an overnight stop and lower the stabilizers, I place the "Raise Stabilizers" placard on the driver's seat. I also have a placard that when hooked up to city water reads "If leaving, turn off water." I keep that in front of the gauges directly in front of the steering wheel. Obviously, departure is more critical than arrival. When arriving, if you "forget" to do something you just do it when you realize it needs to be done.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

After a while, it all becomes automatic. We have checklists that have been revised for each new trailer, but no longer use them. When we are ready to leave, she secures everything inside and I do the outside. But we both always do a final "walk around." I do, however, have a couple of placards in the cab of the truck. For example, if I do not disconnect for an overnight stop and lower the stabilizers, I place the "Raise Stabilizers" placard on the driver's seat. I also have a placard that when hooked up to city water reads "If leaving, turn off water." I keep that in front of the gauges directly in front of the steering wheel. Obviously, departure is more critical than arrival. When arriving, if you "forget" to do something you just do it when you realize it needs to be done.

Hi: C&G in FL... Between the two of us we have "Half a good mind". The first things forgotten are the check lists!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[azjack]

Check lists have been part of my life and I have proven to myself that I can forget something. The last thing we do as we shut the door is to go over each of our lists that are in the door jam. If need be I can do the inside one and Nancy could do the outside list then I never have second thoughts.
Jack with a label maker.

[dunnet]

Here is a copy of our checklist, we are new at this and it has helped. We print out the Departure list separately and we still refining it. Thank you to all who posted your lists you might see some of yourself in ours.

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by dunnet

Here is a copy of our checklist, we are new at this and it has helped. We print out the Departure list separately and we still refining it. Thank you to all who posted your lists you might see some of yourself in ours.

Nice list. Thanks for sharing. It will help those of us new to trailering.