Newbie help with the acronyms

[lbffl]

I recently purchased a Rockwood Roo 19 and was using Google for web searches on RV and camping in general.

As my wife and I love camping, we have always been tent campers and this is the first RV of any kind for either of us.

Our reasons for buying a one are that I am disabled with a crutch. Not a big deal because I can get around fairly well, but I am not getting any younger and the ground is becoming less forgiving. We have two young children and the youngest is also like her father with the same disability.

I found this site and it seems that there are frequent posts which is helpful to me.

From the posters I saw, it seemed like everyone is on either of the coasts and not very many in the midwest (I am from Des Moines, Iowa). Today, I found a couple of posters that were from Ames and Polk City which is close in proximity to me.

Now though I am having a difficulty with all the TV, DH, DG, DD, DS, etc. acronyms. Is there a glossary for these?

Also, since we just bought it, my family is excited to start using it. The RV dealer asked when we wanted to pick it up. Being from the midwest, how "soon" can we start camping?

In addition, any extra advice (other websites, towing, cooking, setup, campsite locations, etc.) would be very helpful and much appreciated.

As I said, we are tent camping converts and only went two-three times a year. The typical memorial, july 4 and labor day weekends. And we always went with a group where they did reservations, menus, campfires, etc. All we did was show up and setup.

Thanks,

Chad

[SkipP]

Chad, Welcome to the site! Glad to have you aboard.

As far as acronyms, here's a pretty helpful site:
http://www.title-3.com/Shorthand.htm
 
(ton's of camping info on Tim's site too, checklists, etc.) HTH!

[Kelly]

Welcome Chad!

You're right ~ a lot of posters here are from the coasts.  Glad to have another midwesterner!  I'm from the Twin Cities area.  I'll help where I can, but I know lots of others will jump in with help.

With a hybrid you can start your camping season a little earlier than some ... up here most CGs (CampGrounds) open some time in April.  It's a little too cool (and damp) for my tastes that time of year ~ I prefer to extend my season into the fall.   We spend a weekend in October at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park in southeastern Minnesota.  It's a very nice quiet park and absolutely beautiful in the fall.  Haven't camped much in Iowa ~ are you looking to stay close to home?

Here is a link to a forum specifically for Hybrid owners.  You might want to check things out there.  


Again ~ Welcome to PUT.  Good to have you at the fire.

[4campinfoxes]

Welcome to the board!  We camp similarly to Kelly - although the campgrounds often open in April, we usually don't get out until May.  We try to camp into the fall & have good intentions each year but somehow the kids always get busy!  I would also recommend Forestville/Mystery Cave in Minnesota, it's not too bad of a drive from Ames.  There's a nice SP (state park) in Albert Lea, MN too which is even closer.  We do a fair amount of camping in Wisconsin & Minnesota, mainly because the SPs take reservations & the Iowa ones don't.

In our area, we often camp at Saylorville, Red Rock and other Army Corps campgrounds - again because they take reservations.  Nothing worse than loading everything up & not finding a decent campsite!

Sharon

[tlhdoc]

Welcome to PUT.  I hope you enjoy your trailer.  I am from the east and I have never camped in your area, so I can't help you out with campgrounds.

[cyclone]

Welcome to PUT!  I live in TN now, but I grew up in NE Iowa.  It's been years since I did any camping up there (as a child we frequented Beeds Lake, Pine Lake, and Clear Lake State Parks).  In college (guess where!) we often headed to the Ledges for hiking, rappelling, etc. but never camped out.  Enjoy your new adventures!

[brainpause]

Welcome to PUT!

Probably the most common misconception (in my humble opinion, or IMHO) that newbies have is about how to level their camper. Many believe that those little crank-down thingies on the corners are called Levelers. They are not. These are STABILIZERS.

See Tim's page at http://www.title-3.com/Level.htm on leveling. When I learned to do it correctly, it was MUCH easier.

See Tim's page, but condensed, you level left to right with boards/Lynx levelers/BAL leveler (you choose) BEFORE you unhook from TV, then level front to back with the tongue jack. Then you put the stabilizers down. So see, no stabilizers are used in leveling. (As a footnote to any readers with a popup instead of a hybrid, you should raise your roof before putting the stabilizers down.)

You will learn a lot here, and we hope to learn from your experiences too!

Larry