Hello from Connecticut! 2022 View 24D

CamperCarol · 07-25-2021, 11:39 AM

Anxiously waiting for my new 2022 View 24D - looks like it will be coming in mid-late November and plan on chasing 70 degrees after the holidays.

I have been camping for about 50 years - had a 22 ft Minnie Winnie (no slides, real basic) that I took across the country with my 3 kids (single grandma raising her grandkids). They grew up and we needed more space so I bought a Class A with lots of slides and gadgets, which I loved, but the kids grew up even more - college, work, boyfriends, etc. I gave my Class A to my nephew who has 3 young kids and they are on their way across the country making memories as I write this. Thought I was done with traveling, but it's in my blood and so now is the time for me. My job is remote, so as long as I have cell service and wifi, I'm good to go wherever the road takes me. I hope to meet some of you on the road!

DavidM · 07-25-2021, 12:35 PM

Where do you plan to "chase 70 degrees after the holidays"? I too live in Ct- Litchfield and we would like to do just that. This is what I have found about SE US camping in the winter:

I don't want to stay at commercial RV parks. They are crowded, expensive and all are fully booked for the winter in Florida by now. Virtually all public campgrounds with full hookups are now fully booked for next winter. They usually are booked the day the reservation window opens.

You can find places at public no hookup sites at the last minute in NC. When we bought our new Thor Axis this January we booked several nights in April at Carolina Beach State Park in NC near Wilmington and Jordan Lake near Raleigh, NC. We didn't try Florida because even no hook up sites get booked almost immediately.

This year we are thinking about the west. Maybe leave in March for New Mexico or Arizona and move up north as the spring thaws. The west offers USFS, COE and BLM campgrounds which in the past we have found accessible without reservations made far in advance.

David

CamperCarol · 07-25-2021, 02:11 PM

Hi David. Just going to watch the weather and make my way to the San Diego area of California. Lots of public lands and forest roads - plan to boondock a couple of days and stay at Harvest Host sites (esp the wineries

) and moochdock at friends' homes. Thinking about Thousand Trails, but haven't made my mind up yet. National parks do reserve some sites for first come, first serve. Even if you can't find a site in a private park, they will generally allow you to use water and sewer dump for a fee. As climate change intensifies, we might be looking at camping in CT in Jan/Feb - I hope not!

TJFogelberg · 07-25-2021, 04:53 PM

We bought a Thousand Trails zone pass in Fall 2016 - got a deal (4 year sign up) $425 for 2 zones. Fell in love with the "system" and $ it saved us. Bought a used Elite membership in late 2019 which opened us up to the entire country. We add the "Trails Collection" for added Encore parks, many in Texas, Arizona, and Florida. I recommend starting with the Zone Pass (only a 1 year commitment) to see if the "system" works for you. Is there anyone out there camping Jan-Mar on a Thousand Trails contract? We use it primarily Sept-Dec which is not a busy time in most places. Wondering when we retire if it will work during those prime snowbird months.I know the parks are very busy Jan-Mar in all the snowbird places. NC is not warm enough for me in the winter.

Diesel-Lover · 07-26-2021, 10:09 AM

CamperCarol, some how on reading your post the tunes from Cheers and Welcome back Cotter are playing through my head! Stopping in at friends is becoming more and more difficult with HOA regulations and it burns. So far some of our friends are able to request a few nights pass from the HOA to allow us to park on the street in front of their house or on their drive. In one new development we got to park in an area that was going to be built, they had just laid out the roads, beautiful views... just like boon docking about half a mile from civilization given the lay of the land we could not even see the rest of the development!

Welcome to the forum, stay safe. First item is a wheel and spare with the tpms

CamperCarol · 07-26-2021, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJFogelberg

We bought a Thousand Trails zone pass in Fall 2016 - got a deal (4 year sign up) $425 for 2 zones. Fell in love with the "system" and $ it saved us. Bought a used Elite membership in late 2019 which opened us up to the entire country. We add the "Trails Collection" for added Encore parks, many in Texas, Arizona, and Florida. I recommend starting with the Zone Pass (only a 1 year commitment) to see if the "system" works for you. Is there anyone out there camping Jan-Mar on a Thousand Trails contract? We use it primarily Sept-Dec which is not a busy time in most places. Wondering when we retire if it will work during those prime snowbird months.I know the parks are very busy Jan-Mar in all the snowbird places. NC is not warm enough for me in the winter.

Sounds like something to try. Thanks for the recommendation!

CamperCarol · 07-26-2021, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

CamperCarol, some how on reading your post the tunes from Cheers and Welcome back Cotter are playing through my head! Stopping in at friends is becoming more and more difficult with HOA regulations and it burns. So far some of our friends are able to request a few nights pass from the HOA to allow us to park on the street in front of their house or on their drive. In one new development we got to park in an area that was going to be built, they had just laid out the roads, beautiful views... just like boon docking about half a mile from civilization given the lay of the land we could not even see the rest of the development!

Welcome to the forum, stay safe. First item is a wheel and spare with the tpms

Not sure about carrying a spare, but I have ordered TPMS

Diesel-Lover · 07-26-2021, 06:02 PM

Hi Carol,

If at all possible it would be a strategically advantageous thing to have a fully ready donut as its a pain to buy one on the fly and odds are it will be an odd one not matching the rest in tread design and perhaps even size and weight and or speed rating. The road service folks do not always carry all assorted tire brands/sizer and ratings. Was on the side of the road with a flat, they only had a "slightly different tire" size/weight rating/brand .... they could offer even after being told during the placement of the service call. Only way to get the correct size was to wait till monday and hope the local tire dealer had one, or buy the current one and no they would not be taking it back once we used it to go to the tire dealers parking lot! So we were stuck with an odd tire of poor quality for a very high price!

An expensive and frustrating lesson. Paid up and Moved on at slow speeds to discount tire in the next big town and got the correct tire.

CamperCarol · 07-28-2021, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

Hi Carol,

If at all possible it would be a strategically advantageous thing to have a fully ready donut as its a pain to buy one on the fly and odds are it will be an odd one not matching the rest in tread design and perhaps even size and weight and or speed rating. The road service folks do not always carry all assorted tire brands/sizer and ratings. Was on the side of the road with a flat, they only had a "slightly different tire" size/weight rating/brand .... they could offer even after being told during the placement of the service call. Only way to get the correct size was to wait till monday and hope the local tire dealer had one, or buy the current one and no they would not be taking it back once we used it to go to the tire dealers parking lot! So we were stuck with an odd tire of poor quality for a very high price!

An expensive and frustrating lesson. Paid up and Moved on at slow speeds to discount tire in the next big town and got the correct tire.

Thanks for the advice - I will look into getting one. Sounds like inexpensive insurance.