Exp. RVers: Suggestions for House rules for renting an RV

[pizzamancer]

Two best days in a man's life: the day he buys his first RV, and the day he sells it!

BTW, if anyone would like a copy of my RV House Rulz, PM.

Having rode in the Dragon Wagon, I have to say that this guy was a complete prick about his rules and cleaning the RV. It contributed to having an AWESOME burn.

Thanks DP!

You should have seen him laugh at the couple who came by on Tuesday and asked if we had any water because their RV tank ran out.

[Canoe]

I forgot.

IMPORTANT: Potable Water in an RENTAL RV.

Only fill the RV water tank with potable water. But, DO NOT CONSUME (drink or cook with) THE WATER OUT OF THE RV TANK!!!
You don't know where prior fillers got their water...

Use the tank water for showering, flushing and dishes.

Bring drinking/cooking water in safe containers for drinking and cooking, as though you're in a tent.

[illy dilly]

I forgot.

IMPORTANT: Potable Water in an RENTAL RV.

Only fill the RV water tank with potable water. But, DO NOT CONSUME (drink or cook with) THE WATER OUT OF THE RV TANK!!!
You don't know where prior fillers got their water...

Use the tank water for showering, flushing and dishes.

Bring drinking/cooking water in safe containers for drinking and cooking, as though you're in a tent.

Or even easier, is just make sure there is a charcoal filter on the line to the galley sink. If there is a drinking faucet and a regular faucet at the sink even better. If the folks at the RV rental place can't tell you when the charcoal filter was changed, stop by a big box hardware store and buy one. They are $15 bucks, and easy as shit to change. You shouldn't even need tools.

Or,
Once you rent the RV, throw about 10-20 gallons in the fresh water tank, with a couple caps of bleach.
Drive around for a while. Then run the fresh/bleach water through the galley sink, into the gray water. Stop at a truck stop pay the $4.95 to dump the couple gallons. Then when you get to Gerlach fill the tank full.
Any bleach that will be left over will be diluted into 80-100 gallons.
If you're very afraid of putting bleach in your drinking water, use a couple cups of vinegar.

[shroom]

very good thread! I hope to try burningman in an rv next year, did the tent thing last year.

[Savannah]

*bump*

[AbundantChoice]

I also can't stress enough the need to have a good organization system once you hit the playa, i.e. "your clothes are in this mini-closet, my clothes are in this mini-closet, snacks are in this shelf, this drawer is for communal glowy crap" etc etc. It's reallllly easy to let stuff get disorganized, which will quickly fill the common areas, then the sleeping areas, and eventually all hell breaks loose. This tends to be a much bigger issue in the 2nd half of the week.

Also, if you are giving lifts to BM to other people in your camp that are tenting it because you have the big RV and all that, be aware that some of them will feel like the RV is their second home by the time you get to the playa, and will be in your RV constantly during the event, trying to use your fridge/food storage for their stuff, napping, etc. This can lead to bent noses as Person X goes "wait.. why am I paying for 1/4 of this RV when I actually spent *less* time in it and used it less than Person Y who wasn't even part of our RV to begin with, and isn't paying anything?"

But yeah, RVs have their pros and cons. I'm going back to a Kodiak canvas tent this year.

[illy dilly]

It's reallllly easy to let stuff get disorganized, which will quickly fill the common areas, then the sleeping areas, and eventually all hell breaks loose. This tends to be a much bigger issue in the 2nd half of the week.

Amen!

Our 'house rule' was daily RV cleaning/pick up is:
9:30ish to 10:30ishAM- its starting to get too hot to sleep, but its not too hot to pick up and organize a lil bit.
4:30ish to 5:30pm- for everyone that is not cooking dinner. The RV has cooled down by then, dinner is being cooked/RV being picked up, so right after dinner everyone can start getting ready for the evening.