Maiden voyage: FL to WV and back; thoughts and observations

Floridaloha

Just returned from my maiden voyage in my new 2016 T@B Outback. Traveled just over 2000 miles to and fro FL to close on my new summer mountain cottage in WV. I was the one who posted a while back about being a nervous newbie and got some great advice from the veterans here. Just wanted to share my experiences.

1. Towing the T@B was a piece of cake. My TV is a 2007 6cyl awd Mitsubishi Endeavor and it performed like a champ.
2. Cruise control eats lots more gas for some reason. Throws the car into higher RPMs that using my foot does not at the same speeds. I decided to stop using it. 
3. Ideal cruising speeds were 65-70 mph. Never experienced any sway even at passing speeds over this, or in winds.
4. Harvest Hosts is a great thing to join. I stayed at a wonderful winery in Booneville, NC called RagApple Lassie Vineyards. Fantastic wine, great hosts, nice facility about 10 miles off the freeway. Cute cafe in town for breakfast on the way back to the road. If you want a referral to Harvest Hosts you can use my Floridaloha name. You will get a free month and so will I. Membership is just $40 a year. 
5. Once on the way up and once on the way back, my brake cable came loose due to rough road conditions, and dragged for a while on the freeway. I would strongly recommend figuring a way to not have it drag on the road if this happens to you. A zip tie to a chain might work fine. My cable got damaged but not enough to keep it from working. 
6. I had one night I wanted to use the Alde but I could not remember how to get it started. Because the light didn't go on (it isn't supposed to) I didn't know if it was on or not. I now know how to use it and will practice at home on a chilly night.
7. Some flexible rubber trim on the T@B came loose. I'm sure this can be fixed. 
8. I had almost no practice backing up before I left and was able to back up successfully about four times due to the information shared here. I never felt concerned I could not do it. So thank you, everybody! I still need practice backing into tight spaces.
9. My local RV dealer in WV was a peach...Roy's RV in Elkins/Beverly WV. They helped me figure out why I could not unhitch the T@B when I got there, they stored the T@B for 2 weeks when I was there in a secure locked facility at excellent rates (I did not have room for it at the house). They were nice and funny and helpful and reasonable. I ended up buying a Fan cover from them and a few other things in their shop because I wanted to give them the business for being so great.
10. I had to brake hard just once, in fog. I was amazed at how well and straight the rig stopped even in short distance. 
11. The 3" gel foam mattress topper worked well, I put a comforter over it, and then I slept with a comforter on top of me. I was cozy down to the low 40s with no issues.
12. I was extremely glad to have the indoor bathroom for middle of the night and early morning use! Problem now is that I have to dump it somewhere...gotta figure out where. 
13. I stayed in a WalMart parking lot one night in Fayetteville, WV on the way up, and it was fine. Lots of campers and truck drivers around. 
14. I learned that some state parks have very narrow and rough roadways in and out. I scraped the fender on one side a little tiny bit. I was glad to have the Outback model to take the bumpy roads. 
15. I did not use the fridge at all. I had two coolers with food and snacks and ice and they worked well. I didn't want to mess with it this time around.

That's it for now, I had to go home a different way due to Matthew that took me quite a bit more time, but offered some unexpected pleasures as well. I was in a hurry up and back, so I didn't get to fully enjoy the T@B experience for leisurely camping. I will be sure to do that now that I'm home and can take some long weekends away around the state for fun. 

Thank you again for all the great advice that made my maiden trip a lot better. I felt confident and everything went better than I expected. 

Nancy

Nomad

Glad things went mostly well.
5) How were you hooking the brake cable? I've always put the loop thru the chain hooking slot on the TV and then into the chain hook. Only way it's coming loose is if the chain hook breaks.

Smullis7

Great to hear.  We just did a trip from CO to PA and back.  We learned that the frig will keep things chilled all day!  We put it on power or propane at night and turned it off when pulling out in the morning.  The seal around the frig did start coming loose at lower elevations, but seems fine now that we are back at altitude.  It was very relaxing to stop for lunch at rest stops and chill out in the Outback (M@bel).  We stayed at a couple TA truck stops along the way.  Both were great for an overnight.  One night when we stopped, M@bel was only 50*.  We turned on the Alde and took the immediate chill off by lighting the burners on the stove for @ 3 minutes.  The best part of the whole trip was that my 6'2" husband figured out how to maneuver around...even took a shower...and now actually enjoys traveling with her.  :-) 

jgram2

Your trip sounds great, albeit quick. I starred your first post because we shared so many concerns and the helpful replies were leveraged, helping us and likely many other newbies. And thanks for this follow up! Judi 

AldebaranJill

PXLated said:

Glad things went mostly well.
5) How were you hooking the brake cable? I've always put the loop thru the chain hooking slot on the TV and then into the chain hook. Only way it's coming loose is if the chain hook breaks.

@PXLated Would you be able to post a photo of this method?

Nomad

Next time I hook up I'll have my brake cable say "cheeze" :-)