Driving Highways and Rural Country Roads

From towing a 40-foot fifth wheel across a mountain pass to maneuvering a luxury coach through city traffic, here’s how to de-stress while driving your RV in challenging situations.

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Story by Jason Betzing

We have a love affair with popular highways. From Route 66 to the Loneliest Road in America, they are an iconic part of our culture. In 2019, we covered 17 U.S. States and more than 10,000 km (6,000 mi). From dusty desert routes past cattle guards through major metropolis’ like San Francisco and Chicago, we've learned how to make driving on rural roads and through congested city traffic a lot easier and the trip more enjoyable.

Timing is Everything

The day of the week you travel can make a huge difference. Weekends commonly have increased traffic causing frustration and stress as Fridays and Sundays are usually busy as people head to and from their weekend getaways. The time of day also plays a role to enjoy smooth travels. In more populated areas, morning and afternoon rush hours at the speed of "crawl" can also be stressful. Knowing this, we prefer to travel Monday through Thursday and tend to get on the road after 8 am or 9 am. If we have to travel through large metropolitan areas, we try to get through late morning.

Avoiding road fatigue is an important aspect of RVing. As RVers, there is more stress. Long days, driving sun up to sun down is draining. Add parking and setting up in the dark to the mix, and it's not my kind of party. Many RVers follow their own rules to optimize enjoyment and minimize stress, and we're no exception. During the last year on the road, we pushed hard, traveling eight to 10 hours a day. We'd get off the road exhausted, only to start the next day still tired from the day before.

To combat our common road weariness, we altered our mindset to more fun and less fatigue. We affectionately call our travel style the "Lazy Method." Our planned destinations are now approximately three hours apart without the pressure of getting on the road at a certain time because even if we sleep late (thanks Captain Morgan), we're still off the road and at our next destination by happy hour. This has increased our enjoyment exponentially – and happiness is what RVing is all about.

Country Roads

Traveling down scenic country roads is definitely appealing. The reduced traffic, diverse scenery and unique places we've found are always enjoyable. However, there are a few things to consider when veering-off the highway. Country roads have challenging curves, low clearances, weight limits and even narrow roads that aren't all that RV-friendly. If, for some reason, you need service, it may take a while longer for road-side assistance. Gas stations tend to be randomly sprinkled across the landscape, so always be sure your fuel tank is topped up.

Highways

Highways provide more certainty since they are standardized. The routes are direct and big-rig friendly. There are frequent services such as fuel, food and rest stops, and they are more convenient if you need road-side assistance. Direct routes usually have (but not always) better road conditions, higher speed limits and smooth transitions between highways, which allow for quick, convenient travel. Just be sure your tires are rated for the speed you like to travel.

Add-Ons

Our EEZ tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) has alerted us several times concerning pressure and temperature on all our ten tires. We consider this system essential for a couple reasons. First, if you are towing and the trailer tire or towed vehicle tire goes flat, there's a chance you won't notice, which could cause more damage to the tire as well as to the rim. Secondly, for dual axle trailers, one tire blowout can damage the tire next to it and even the trailer itself. Constant monitoring and getting off the road quickly in the event of a mishap can save you thousands.

Navigation systems are another great tool to have. Many folks use RV-specific models where you can customize the route based on the length and height of your motorhome or trailer. GPS systems designed for commercial trucks or RV-specific navigation apps are other ideal options.

We have used Google Maps on my smartphone for the last two years with zero problems. However, we travel mainly on highways and choose to explore backroads without the RV. But no matter what system you use, always carry a traditional road map just in case you lose a signal and have to go "old school."

The rearview camera we have on our fifth wheel has been a game changer. Being able to see behind the RV adds an extra layer of confidence while changing lanes and backing up. However, we've have also found that you don’t always get what you pay for. Our RV was pre-wired for a specific brand, which came at a premium price but only lasted about 18 months. The replacement was a fraction of the cost with more features and a robust design. Some functions to consider include night vision, sound, adjustable lane overlay, and range.

Roadside assistance is a service we happily purchased for the RV and truck. It's relatively inexpensive and is one of those buys you'll be happy to have when you need it. We have used it a few times, but the most significant was when the truck blew a fuel line while towing. We needed a 70-mile tow of the truck and trailer to an RV park to drop off the RV, and then tow the truck to a repair shop. Roadside-assistance covered hundreds of dollars in tow bills.

Practical Tips

Perhaps the most important tip – no matter what type of road you encounter - is to know your RV. Learning (and having quick reference to) its height, length, width, and weight should almost be second nature as narrow roads, low bridges and soft terrain come quick during travel. As a result it’s pertinent to:

  • Maintain your tires (and don't forget the spares), bearings, brakes and suspension.
  • Ensure tires and rims are load- and speed-rated for your driving habits and application.
  • Always know how much fuel you have.

Highways and byways are an inherent part of our culture and represent freedom and adventure. This is the exact reason why many choose to enjoy the RV lifestyle. However, taking roads less traveled (or even a busy highway) in an RV can have its practical challenges. With these tips you'll "get your kicks on Route 66" and avoid "heartburn on highway 1."

Jason Betzing and his wife sold it all to live their Full-Time RV dream. Jason retired at 40 and decided winter is a drag and world travel is more fun than shoveling snow. He loves helping people through sharing authentic, first-hand experiences. Connect on Instagram @FullTimeFire, on Facebook @MilesTwoGo or on his blog at https://www.MilesTwoGo.com