RVing in the COVID-19 Era

The world of RVing, along with the world at large, suddenly has been thrown into a state of major change.

With the onset of the COVID-19 era, we are all driving down uncharted roads as a result of this global pandemic.

For RV owners and trailer enthusiasts in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais, this has essentially meant a “shelter in place” for an indeterminate period of time. If you were looking forward to hitting the open road this spring or summer in your RV, motorhome or trailer, your plans have most likely been put on ice.

What does the world hold in store for Canadian RVers when coronavirus physical distancing requirements begin to ease? While we don’t have a crystal ball, we have been speculating a bit. That’s the focus of this article, along with some RV tips and trailer advice for fans of RVs in Ottawa and surrounding communities.

Spring RV Service in Ottawa & Tips to Keep Your RV in Top-Top Shape

At the time this article was written, COVID-19 social distancing measures were in place in Ottawa and across Ontario and Quebec.

For RV owners, as you know all too well, this has meant that your RV is all but guaranteed to be sheltering in place either in storage or in your driveway / on your property.

Have you performed your annual RV spring service and maintenance yet?

If you have, you’re in good shape – except that you’re probably getting pretty antsy to hit the road in your RV or trailer.

For those who’ve yet to perform essential spring RV maintenance, we’d normally suggest to bring your RV in to Travel-Mor in Ottawa. However with COVID-19 concerns and social distancing in Ottawa, we understand and appreciate if you want to stay home.

Please know that our service department continues to operate, albeit with enhanced health & safety measures.

• We are following all Government of Canada and Province of Ontario COVID-19 safety protocol
• We are providing RV service in Ottawa with curb side drop-off and pick-up
• Please call or email us to book a service appointment

Should you wish to do your own RV spring maintenance, give our previous article on spring maintenance tips a read. In short, you’ll want to ensure that the following systems and components on your RV or trailer are in good working order:

• Batteries
• Water systems
• Safety components
• Tires & Brakes
• Powertrain & Generator
• Seams, Seals & Gaskets

If you are diligently following the Stay at Home directives from our governments – first off, thank you!

Also, some RVers may be wondering whether it’s okay to take a short trip in their RV, so long as physical distancing were maintained.

Well, as of publication date, there have been no mandates against this. However, it’s worth considering the potential strain on emergency services this could cause were you – heaven forbid – to get into an accident. OPP has posted on social media the request to curtail non-essential travel.

Further, the province of Quebec has essentially placed a limit at the Ontario-Quebec to enforce essential travel only, so RVing here would be out of the question.

For short hops within Eastern Ontario, at the end of the day it’s up to you (for now).

An important note specific to RV owners in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario & the Outaouais: If you are not driving your RV during this time, and it is parked for long durations, it’s a good idea to start the motor every now and then – maybe once a week – and even to drive it around the neighbourhood or localized area. This will help keep the battery fresh. Also keep an eye on the air in your tires, and fluid levels in the engine.

Social Distancing in Your RV – At Home

We have heard of some Ottawa RV enthusiasts practicing good social distancing by staying at home – in their RVs or trailers.

This has a couple of benefits.

For one, you can have a nice little ‘staycation’ by spending quality time in your RV or trailer without leaving your driveway.

• Just be sure to limit the occupants of the RV to members of your household
• Do your best to maintain physical distance even within the RV
• You’ll also want to sanitize the RV periodically, especially wiping down high-touch surfaces
• And of course, wash your hands often and thoroughly

There’s also the concept of an RV as a quarantine space.

If – God forbid – you, your spouse or a household member are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, your RV or trailer could potentially be used as an isolation or quarantine unit.

If you are in this situation, some tips to pass along include:

• The person with diagnosis or symptoms should remain in the RV or trailer for at least 14 days
• Nobody else should enter the RV or trailer during this time
• After the quarantine period ends, be sure to thoroughly wash and sanitize the RV or trailer

We’ve also heard of RV owners lending their rigs to front-line workers, such as doctors or nurses, who need to quarantine from their families. This is a noble, heroic effort, one which we salute.

Be sure to follow all other COVID-19 health and safety protocol as set forth by the federal, provincial and municipal governments. Stay tuned to their updates and make the necessary adjustments and changes to stay safe and healthy.

RVing in the New World of COVID-19

If you’re like us, you’re probably doing a combination of reflecting on great memories of RV trips in the past; and dreaming of your next RV adventure.

When will that be?

What will RVing look like in the new world that COVID-19 has brought?

None of us truly knows yet.

What’s likely, for starters, is that at least your first RV trip will probably be a shorter one.

The US-Canada could be closed to non-essential travel for some time, and health insurance may not cover you outside of Canada anyway. Even long-distance RV travel within Canada could be problematic as a second wave or third wave of COVID-19 could force social distancing measures and travel restrictions back into place.

So when things do ease up to the point where RV travel becomes possible, we might suggest starting with a short trip within Eastern Ontario. Maybe an overnight or weekend RV road trip down to Thousand Islands, along the St Lawrence or up to Algonquin Park or the Kawarthas.

Eventually, perhaps when a vaccine or proven treatment for COVID-19 were to become available, your RV travels could once again expand to fulfill your RV aspirations.

In the meantime, we’re all dreaming of that next RV adventure.

Should you have any Ottawa RV service needs or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.