Airstream 390 - Manual (Page 33)

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D - 7
CAMPING
Overnight Stop
In time you will develop a knack for spotting wonderful little roadside locations by turn-
ing off the main highway and exploring. There are many modern recreational vehicle
parks, including State, County and Federal parks with good facilities, where you may
obtain hookups of electrical, water and sewer connections. Directories are published
which describe in detail these parks and tell what is available in the way of services
and hookups. On overnight or weekend trips, chances are you will not use up the ca-
pacity of the sewage holding tank, deplete the water supply, or run down the batteries
which supply the living area 12 volt current.
Longer Trip
On a longer trip, when you have stayed where sewer connections and utility hookups
were not available, it will be necessary for you to stop from time to time to dispose of
the waste in the holding tank and replenish the water supply. Many gas stations (chain
and individually owned) have installed sanitary dumping stations for just this purpose.
Booklets are available which list these dumping stations.
When you stop for the night, your Airstream motorhome is built to be safely parked in
any spot that is relatively level and where the ground is firm. Your facilities are with you.
You are self- contained. Try to pick as level a parking spot as possible.
All you need to do to enjoy self-contained luxury is to:
1. Turn on the LP Gas supply and light the appliance pilots if required.
2. Turn on the water pump and open the faucets until the air is expelled from
the system.
3. Deploy the slide out if so equipped and you desire the extra space.
Before moving on, turn off the LP gas and the water pump, check you campsite,
both for cleanliness and also to be sure you haven’t left anything behind. Make sure
everything is properly stowed.
Hydraulic Leveling Jacks
Some models are equipped with hydraulic leveling jacks that can be deployed. Com-
plete instructions are included with the Owners Packet. Be sure to read the directions
completely prior to operating the jacks. The jacks will be able to level your unit in most
modern campgrounds. However, their capabilities are limited, and in some situations
you will have to use planks to level the coach.
Winter Traveling
Traveling in your motorhome during the cold winter months can be a most exhilarating
experience. There are, of course, certain precautions that must be taken as you would
in your home in low temperatures.
1. You must have a plentiful supply of propane gas.
2. If your stay is longer than overnight, you should endeavor to have 120-volt electricity
available. The batteries, fully charged, will not last more than about 15 hours in
freezing weather. Of course, you can run your generator to recharge the batteries, or
even use the generator continually. Since the generator starts off the same battery
as the engine, it is recommended to start the generator prior to shutting off the
engine. This will prevent running the engine battery down should there be a difficulty
in starting the generator in the cold temperatures.
3. Minimize use of electricity if 120-volt power source is not available.