A toad, for those of you who have not yet dedicated yourself to RV culture, is an automobile that’s towed behind a motor home. Our toad is a green Saturn Vue hybrid (the hybrid engine’s the least we could do to offset the RV’s 9 MPG). When we pull up stakes and roll ‘em out, we connect the Saturn via an elaborate set of wires and bars. Here’s the simple 20-step procedure:

1. 1.Find a flat, broad spot to do the hook-up.
   

2. 2.Beth drives Saturn around to the back of the RV
   

3. 3.Dan pulls all the stuff we need to hook up the car out of the storage compartment.
   

4. 4.There is a permanently attached Y-yolk on the back of the RV. This must be man-handled down into its horizontal position (by Dan).
   

5. 5.Beth inches the car up to the back of the RV
   

6. 6.Jam 2 receiving pins into Saturn bumper
   

7. 7.Dan connects pins with yolk using two other pins.
   

8. 8.Pull out the usual emergency stop plug at the Saturn’s bumber and install the stop cord that attaches to the RV. If the car ever gets away from the RV, this plug will be pulled and the car will automatically stop.
   

9. 9.Dan hands stop plug to Beth who stows it in the car.
   

10. 10.Beth backs up car to lock both yolks in place so they are both fully extended. They check the pins at the end of the yolk to see if both of them have “popped” so ensure both are fully extended. If one of them doesn’t fully extend, turn Saturn steering wheel so tires pointing in that direction.  (see step 18 for completion of this task)
    

11. 11.Beth puts on parking break on Saturn and places it in Drive. Let Saturn engine run for 3 minutes. This lubes up the transmission for towing. During those three minutes Beth sits in the car and listens to the Oprah channel on XM and Dan hooks up the wiring harness between the RV and the Saturn which controls the breaks and lights on the Saturn so they mimic the RV breaks and signal lights.
    Dan hooks up two large coiled safety cables between RV and Saturn.
    

12. 12.Dan joins Beth in the Saturn and chats while we wait for the rest of the three engine-warm-up minutes.
    

13. 13.Turn car off, leave key in ignition.
    

14. 14.Emergency hand break off .
    

15. 15.Switch gear to neutral.
    

16. 16.Turn off radio.
    

17. 17.Flip down auxiliary power switch that we had installed under the steering wheel  so we don’t drain the battery while the car is rolling.
    

18. 18.Get out of car, Beth stands at back of RV while Dan goes to RV drivers seat. Dan starts up RV and moves it forward just a bit so that the second yolk pin “pops” to indicate that both yolk arms have extended fully. Beth gives the Thumbs Up.
    

19. 19.Test break lights and blinkers. Beth gives the Thumbs Up.
    

20. 20.Dan opens RV door to lets wife back into the RV.
    

And we’re off!

Other tidbits to note:

1. •No, the Saturn doesn’t use up any gas as it rolls.
   

2. •No, the Saturn doesn’t rack up miles as it rolls.
   

3. •Yes, we always tow the car, instead of having one person drive the car while the other drives the RV.
   

4. •Yes, Beth drives the RV, too. But Dan drives most often. But Beth is proud to say she was behind the wheel as we drove through NYC in bumper-to-bumper traffic during the rain!