It's that time of the year. Memorial Day weekend is almost here, and with it, the unofficial beginning of the summer season.

Before I move on to the main topic, just a reminder of what Memorial Day is all about. And that is to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military.

It especially hits home with those who have lost a relative or friend while serving to keep our freedom alive. For me, that person is my Uncle Jim Randall who lost his life while serving in Vietnam in the early 1970s.We will never forget those who laid down their lives for our country.

Now, onto the subject at hand. Many of us will be making plans for the Memorial Day weekend, and some of those plans include towing a boat to a waterway, whether it be a lake, river or whatever. Others will be heading out towing a camper.

But before you do, please make a thorough check of your boat and camper/travel trailer/RV. Make sure your tires are properly inflated, and in road ready condition. Too many accidents occur because of tire issues when towing.

Also, check your tail lights. Do they all work? How about your turn signals and flashers? They need to be operating correctly. It's the law and it's for your safety as well.

Make sure your ball and coupler are securely attached, the pin clip is locked in, and the chains and wiring harness are hooked up properly. And sway bars are a great idea to help keep that travel trailer steady while driving down the road. Also tow mirrors help a great deal by allowing you to see the sides of your trailer and beyond.

Of course, make sure your tow vehicle is powerful enough to handle the weight of whatever you are towing. Blowing out your transmission or engine or both is not how you want to start your summer travel season.

For more towing trips, especially for first timers, visit the Uprooted Traveler website.

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