Now, before I launch into this diatribe about what tools I carry, I will tell you what I know you all want to hear: Eleanor arrived this afternoon, feeling fine. So 2/3 of our Tour family is back together. Emma will follow on Friday.

What I really want to talk about is tools. People often ask us what we carry with us to deal with those little household repairs and roadside situations that can crop up. I composed a list of what I carry in the trailer for your general info. While I can't promise that this tool kit will deal with every emergency that could happen, it does suffice for 90% of what we encounter -- and the rest I leave to professionals.

In a small blue fabric bag from Sears, I have the following items:

-- small hammer
-- screwdriver set
-- drill bits and screwdriver bits for cordless drill
-- tape: electrical, duct, & masking
-- Gorilla glue
-- (2) medium sized adjustable wrenches
-- Reese hitch lube
-- 3M silicone lube and graphite lube
-- set of allen wrenches
-- retractable safety knife ("carpet knife")
-- pliers
-- small wire cutter/stripper tool
-- plenty of misc screws, washers, and grommets
-- one small bungee cord
-- rivet tool
-- small tube of Parbond, aluminum color
-- small tube of GE Silicone II sealant, white, for kitchen and bath area
-- assortment of "bullet hole" stickers

AND

-- a small plastic "tackle box" or similar with internal compartments, with:

spare 1156 bulbs, glass fuses of varying amperage, several large cotter pins, single-sided razor blades, misc screws, several hose washers, 3/16" POP rivets, Olympic rivets, mini 10w Halogen bulbs for the reading lamps, extra 303 Protectant samples for the Fantastic Vents (keeps 'em from sticking), automotive blade-style fuses (various sizes, open your Magnatek to see which ones you need).

I have used almost everything on the above list in the past year. No kidding! Things loosen, jiggle free, crack, and pop in thousands of miles of travel. With this kit you can fix almost any small problem without assistance. Without a kit like this, you could spend a lot of time visiting repair shops for little things, when you'd rather be having fun. And even if nothing goes wrong, the kit is useful for those little upgrades and personalizations you'll want to do.

Also strongly recommended:

-- cheap 12v air compressor with a looooong cord
-- lug wrench (and be sure you have a spare tire and know how to change it, or you'll end up waiting hours for roadside assistance someday!)
-- cordless drill -- very handy for setting stabilizers with appropriate socket and adapter

There are many other pieces of equipment you'll want to have, but I'm only including the tools and parts here. Obviously you need extension cords, chocks, etc., but I'm assuming if you own an RV already you've figured that stuff out.