Community Forums

eng-rv · 09-01-2012, 04:18 PM

My wife and I are RV newbies. We plan on traveling south from NH on Rt. 95 in late Jan. Any good ideas on how and where to spend the first few nights before we get to the frost free zone? We would like to stay in our 5th wheel if possible. Someone mentioned Flying Js.

Thanks,
Eng-Ret.

trackman · 09-01-2012, 04:25 PM

As long as you do not throw out the grill and all the slides any walmart is available for pretty secure free parking.

bluepill · 09-01-2012, 04:51 PM

The Rand McNally Atlas sold a WalMart has a listing of WalMart and Sam's Club stores by location. Also includes phone numbers so you can call ahead to confirm if parking is allowed. Sam's are generally quieter because they close earlier. Cracker Barrel, Home Depot, Lowes are also possibilities.

clyon51 · 09-01-2012, 05:38 PM

We always use Pilot/FJ for our overnighters on the way south for the winter. Gas in the morning, a store, dump station and restaurant make it very convienient.

mikf · 09-01-2012, 06:07 PM

it is best to have reservations once you get to Fl. have fun.

mhs4771 · 09-01-2012, 07:15 PM

If you plan to boondock the first night or so, make sure you have full tanks of propane and some good heavy duty batteries if you plan to run the furnace to keep things from freezing up, including you and the DW. We did it in early Feb 2011 from Western NY. Set the thermostat between 55 and 60 while on the road during the day to keep the underbelly (thus water lines) warm. We spent the night at a CG with power vs running on battery power all night. We now leave towards the end of Oct to beat the cold.

georgetown350 · 09-01-2012, 07:25 PM

We usually travel south in late Dec each year, so we keep the coach winterized ( pink juice in the lines), we bring bottled water to use in the toilet and sink ( a little water dilution wont cause anything to freeze)....... most times we get far enough south that the overnight temps are above freezing ( hopefully )..... we normally spend one night at a Flying J and the next night we are in Florida....... as far as the battery's and furnace go we might be considered the minority, we will stop at a Flying J, run the genny and of course the furnace until bed time, then shut everything off. We bundle up big time ( very toasty unless any skin is exposed to the cool air).... we wake up to a 40 degree coach sometimes cooler, fire up the furnace and genny and away we go... toasty and warm.

tomwalt · 09-01-2012, 07:40 PM

I-95 has 2 nice $25/night campgrounds in North Carolina that we use a lot.
1) RV Resorts at Carolina Crossroads is $25 after 6PM. Located at I-95 Exit 171 (Roanoke Rapids area just South of the Virginia border) This is $25 after 6PM. All nice pull-thru sites. RV Resort @ Carolina Crossroads
2) I-95 Exit 98 (NC) is RVacation, an old KOA (but it is well maintained). They book-up, so call by the afternoon if you plan to stay there. http://www.rvacation.us/

5Beethoven · 09-01-2012, 07:49 PM

We keep our 5th wheel winterized until we get to warmer climes, moteling it from MA to NC usually.

montara24d · 09-02-2012, 08:01 AM

No two years are the same. We head south on the first Sat. after New Years day, from Eastern Long Island N.Y. One year it was -5 when we left, & got all the way up to 5 above on the N.C., Va. border, which is our 1st nite. We didn't pump the pink stuff out till we got to Fla. There have been years when we pumped the pink juice out at home & put some water in the 5th wheel prior to leaving. Just keep an eye on the weather, & make a last minute decision.
JOHN

MickBrennan · 09-02-2012, 08:53 AM

Here is a link to a 95 Guide and a few itineraries and time tables. It's fairly accurate and construction is updated frequently.
Have you considered using I-78 to I-81 to I-64 to I-95 to miss the major congestion and traffic? it is a little longer but fewer tolls and way nicer driving.

bdaball · 09-02-2012, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eng-rv

My wife and I are RV newbies. We plan on traveling south from NH on Rt. 95 in late Jan. Any good ideas on how and where to spend the first few nights before we get to the frost free zone? We would like to stay in our 5th wheel if possible. Someone mentioned Flying Js.

Thanks,
Eng-Ret.

Welcome fellow Northeaster to IRV2. Not sure what part of NH you are leaving from but this schedule has worked for the last three years for us. We prefer 95 over 81/84 through Pa. Neither way is wrong and I'm sure are aware that the weather plays a big part in our schedule.

We commit to a long day day one and two then back off once we hit non-freezing weather.

day#1, Maine to Ashland VA. Cracker Barrell, approx 700 miles for us. Cost is free.

day#2, Pedro's South of the border, Dillon SC. Approx $24.00. We de-winterize and wash off the road salt.

day#3, Brunswick Ga,Golden Isle Rv park, (Passport rate $24.00). Just off 95 with a Fly-n J next door.

Do come back and post often. Not sure of your destination but there are many IRV2 Northeasters who gather throughout Florida in the winter. Feel free to PM me FMI.

Also do not forget the Northeasters Wicked Good Rally which is usually in June. I believe it is going to be in Connecticut in 2013.

Bill1374 · 09-10-2012, 10:27 AM

We do the same trip at about the same time. Leave some flexibility for departure just in case a storm lands. From northern NY, we can make Petersburg, VA the first night and stay at South Fourty. There is also a park north of Richmond, one in Fredericksburg and one in Dumphries (35 foot max) we've used. Second night is in Ga and third afternoon we're at our park in Fl.
There is a Flyin J at Carmel Church, Va exit 104 also.

Bill

caissiel · 09-17-2012, 08:02 PM

WE usualy leave in mid November, but one year we left boxing day and drove to Maine and sleeped in the last turnpike rest area and we were lucky the temperature was at freezing. But we travelled many times with well below freezing temperatures.

We usualy rest the next night on Highway 78 in Hamburg PA while parking at Gabalas on the hill.. They have water, dump and lots to shop for.
Then we never take the same route and slowly make our way down in none freezing weather while charging the batteries while on the road. One year we took 18 days to make it to Florida and never needed a CG, we were happy campers on the road. And the first place we used our passport of america member card, spend the winter.

In freezing weather we always carry some jugs of water, for meals and toilet flush until we dewinterize the unit. The tanks will never freeze, anyway we dump in warmer weather anyway.