Are You Ready to Hit the Road? Not Yet….

Your safety and wellbeing are a priority to us. Most of us are city folk, used to having a gas station at the next off ramp, or an AAA truck right around the corner. Guess what… you’re heading up the mountains! Heaven forbid, you have an auto issue that you cannot handle (our last TWO camps each had a flat tire on a campers’ vehicle – ouch!).
Be smart and schedule your next auto service call in advance of Sept. 21 and make sure all is healthy on your vehicle.
1. Steep, narrow, winding roads, high altitudes and unpaved surfaces (such as Camp’s parking lot and on-site roadways) can put a vehicle through rigors it is unaccustomed to. While the Highway 38 up into the mountains is well-paved, hazards still do exist – from blind curves to rocks in the road to critters!
2. Cell reception can be sporadic, another reason to have a vehicle in tip-top shape.
3. Check your vehicle's brakes and replace worn pads to prevent brake fade when descending steep hills.
4. Have the engine, transmission and final drive checked manual to lessen the strain mountain driving will put on them. If fluid service is required, consider using synthetic fluids to protect the engine under variable weather conditions and produce better fuel economy.
5. Inspect the wiper blades and replace if necessary, as mountain climates are subject to sudden, filthy rainfall.
6. Check the battery for corrosion and remaining charge, as high engine temperatures caused by climbing steep terrain with heavy loads can wear a battery down.
7. Open that trunk to make sure you have a spare tire as well as tools for changing a flat.
8. Put a number of bottles of water in your car for drinking and snacks for emergency. If you get into trouble and a service vehicle is called, it may take a while to get there.