What do I need that I may not have thought about? I’m going to be on the road 5-6 months for my first run. Thanks!
I've lived full time in a bus or a van while traveling for the better part of the last 6 years. So I hope these help.
Get a
PF Black gym membership, if you don't work out, whatever. Use it for their massage chairs and their showers. Carry a lot of
wet wipes, maybe for your butt, definitely for your wings and motor (if you catch my drift). It's amazing what simply wiping down will do for morale when you're maybe low on water, not near a gym or shower, and want to feel human again.
Generator? Carry
extra fuel if you have the space to do so safely. I don't know the details of your setup.
I've had propane setups as well as total electric induction for cooking, but I also carry a
jetboil and some extra fuel canisters for the "just in case" moments.
Quarters. Make sure you have them for laundromats. Even if you have an onboard washer dryer, if you're boondocking I bet it'll see very little use and you'll get to know your favorite and least favorite laundromat.
I'd make some
blackout window covers if you don't already have them. Sew some of the thin pink R.5 or R1 FOAM (not fiberglass) house wrap insulation into them.
Reflectix won't do s hit. I don't care what anyone tries to tell you. They'll give you privacy, dampen some sound, and help regulate your temperature much better than a curtain would.
I'm an advocate for familiarizing yourself with apps like
OnX Offroad and
iOverlander. I used to enjoy what was going on with Sekr/Vanlife App, but they went all cash grab and started exploiting people within their organization for gain. Their entire app accesses information from iOverlander and integrates federal land map overlays (for a subscription) that you can get from like 25 other places for free.
Think normal emergency stuff.
First aid kit,
flare,
flashlight,
fluids for your vehicle, maybe some
extra serpentine belts (I've had to help a friend get out of a s hitty situation due to a serpentine belt failure on the side of the road in Ocala) and some
tools to do repairs if needed.
I'd also carry some bulk items like
oats,
rice, and
pasta. You never know if you get stuck or stranded somewhere and you can really do well with those three shelf stable foods. As long as you have some water at least.
A
shovel and
traction pads. Needed those more than once. Or a really good recovery service. I've been really lucky with Good Sam on several occasional as well.
Something for personal safety, but also just trust your gut and instincts. I've had a lot of weird encounters over the road. Several that could have ended horribly.
If I think of any additional I'll chirp back in.
