Fishinghat
Western Washington, USA
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Joined: 10/03/2002
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We leave Seattle for Yuma, Arizona just after Christmas, and have been doing that for over six years. As others have posted, frozen water pipes can be an issue for some coaches, but that's what gallon jugs are for. We've had to hold up at a Wal-Mart due to snow a few times, but only for a few days and we get to meet a lot of other stranded RVers at the same time. So, it's not so bad.
Holiday Rambler Navigator DP, Hummer, and Honda VT1100C Shadow
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The Bayfield Bunch
Bayfield Ontario
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Joined: 01/20/2002
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We live in southwesterh Ontario, Canada. Last year we left for the southwest on November 15th & missed a huge snow storm by less than 24 hours. Just got out in time. We are soooooo fortunate that we do not have to wait until after Christmas. Waited until December one year.....never again!!!!
Kelly & Al
2003 Damon Challenger, model 329 Chevy Workhorse 8.1 & Allison transmission. Towing '03 Hyundai Santa Fe 4 cyl 5 speed.
3 lovable doggy guys. Max, Checkers,& Cora..aka, Buddy Bear, Swamper, & Motormouse.
http://TheBayfieldBunch.com
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jrs1871
Kansas
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Joined: 11/22/2007
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That is the great thing about being retired, your schedule is flexible. Plan a tentative departure date but keep a close eye on the weather. As others have posted, you are far enough north some campgrounds will be closed so you may be using good old Wally World, Flying J or the like. Take a couple of gallon jugs of water for drinking and flushing, leave it winterized until you are past danger of hard freezing and away you go. Above all, don't fret about having to sit a storm out for a few hours or even a day or so. No destination is so important as to risk your safety. Have fun and safe travels.
We have left as late as first week of January. One year we had to use a hair dryer to melt ice so we could open the TV doors, the roads were clear but because we had hitched up two days earlier the TV and RV were coated with ice that didn't melt off until about 6 hours down the road. Then we started leaving just after Christmas and now that the grandkids are teenagers (and think grandma & grandpa are hopelessly uncool), we will be leaving the first part of December.
* This post was
edited 09/21/09 06:59am by jrs1871 *
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petlvr
Foster, RI
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Joined: 07/14/2009
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Thank you so much for all your advice. Greatly appreciated. Those of you who also travel down from the North/Northeast -- if you know of any campgrounds that are open late in the year, that would be great. We do have the 2008 Trailer Life catalog but it's in the motorhome (which is not stored at our house). Some of the campsites previously mentioned -- Flying J, WallyWorld, i have not heard of before and I am not sure where they are.
We will be traveling with a dog and 3 cats. All I keep picturing is The Clampetts 
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don&pat
randolph,ma. usa
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Joined: 10/13/2003
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there a koa at ex 100 in penn on 81 call pine grove open all year it has great food
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Les Curren
U.S.A.
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Wally World is WalMart stores parking lots and Flying J is one of the truck stops. You will see many of them along the way. I don't recommend Flying J truck stops or any other truck stops for that matter. Noisy places for the most part and very rude employee's. Ok to stop for fuel but thats about it.
Not all Wally World's will let you overnight in the parking lot but most will and usually there will be other RV's parked there as well. Stay as far away from the store as possible and you will be fine.
But it is strickly for overnight parking not camping.
In Arizona's Phoenix area you will be near the big city and have more access to groceries and such at cheaper prices but your campground will be more expensive. Along the Colorado River the groceries will be a little more expensive but the campgrounds will be cheaper.
You picked the better Interstate to cross the country on. I-10 is a little slower but a lot safer for RV's. I-40 May be faster but it is the truckers winter route from east to west, and you can run into blizzards crossing Northern Texas and New Mexico. There isn't much to slow the wind and snow down coming out of the Canadian Arctic but a few fence posts.
Traveling in December can be bad for the first couple days but after that you shouldn't see any bad weather along I-10. Most Rver's don't hit Arizona until after Christmas.
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The_Painting_Teacher
Cape Cod, MA/St. Augustine, FL
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Too late? Absolutely not! We leave from Cape Cod on Dec 31, Jan 1 or Jan 2 depending on the weather and the day of the week. If you're headed south, you'll find a campground open in Clarksboro NJ, Cherry Hill MD, Dumfries Va, Fredericksburg VA, and most places further south; and there's lots of hotels/motels with RV, bus, truck parking along the way also. Pick your day and time and you can head south on Rte 95 until you decide to take a right and head west. Safe travels and good luck. Camp on!
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jim & pat
avenel nj
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i have left in early jan in past years to the rio grand valley. you will be traveling the same routes i take. early dec in jersey the weather is cool but not many early storms. always got to watch the weather. fron ri i would take the tappen zee bridge to the gsp then njt to del I 95. take exit 4 get onto rt 1 southto middletown.rt 299. drive thru town to rte 301 south to bay bridge. stay on rte 50 to I95 south. you will pass under washington drive to I 85 south. i find this rte the best getting thru.use the good sam trip planer for driving time and plan your stops. have a great trip
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larry barnhart
wenatchee. wa usa
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It would be for us. We leave Tuesday.
chevman
chevman
2001 35 ft avalon alpenlite RK
2005 3500 2wd duramax CC dually
prodigy
easyrider/reese airhitch
trailair center point suspension
JT Strong Arm Stabilizers
KSH 55 inbed fuel tank
Garmin 2720
scanguage II
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inpath
Ontario
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Joined: 08/03/2005
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I think you are the person who questioned about the Kitty Kat Kabana. We did the southwest last winter. First stop was North Padre Island for a week. Endless beaches. No power and cold water showers, but a dump station right there and the price is right. Not many people. Spent a week there starting Nov 26. It is first come first serve.
Then, we went to a place we had heard about - Winter Haven in Brownsville, TX. Loved it. Spent a month there then back to North Padre Island for yet another week. Then we slowly made our way west until we got to Carefree Manor RV park in Apache Junction AZ for a month. Great area and a great little park. That was booked in advance just like Brownsville was. Then we checked out Quartzsite for a couple of weeks then on to Rancho Los Coaches RV in CA outside of San Diego. CA is expensive, but we stayed there for another month then up to Las Vegas to get rid of the last of the money. Stayed at Arizona Charlies which was an RV park attached to a Casino with free buses to the rest of the attractions. Then Grand Canyon for a couple of days, but we were early returning and it was down to 15 the one night but with a heated basement, we were not concerned. We just make sure the hot water tank is full of hot water before retiring and that gives a light heat throughout the insulated basement area. Then home by April.
Have fun!
By the way, between parks, we stay at Wal-Marts (there are sites on-line which tell you which ones you can't stay at), camping worlds and Flying J's. Every third night we pull into a half price (Passport America) park to empty tanks, refresh water and make sure the batteries are recharged.
* This post was
edited 12/06/09 09:20am by inpath *
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