Community Forums

whit66 · 08-22-2019, 03:10 PM

I have an odd question, next month we will be pulling our 5th Wheel about 8,000 miles round trip for 60 days.. We start from the South Lake Tahoe area and hit many areas among them Moab Utah, Durango Colo, Santa Fe, Colorado Springs, Lantana TX, Memphis, Nashville, Roanoke Rapids NC, Asheville, San Antonio, Tucson and a few more spots..

My question is can I get your thoughts on taking this long of trip? The longest we have taken is about 3500 round trip.. Would love to hear some lessons learned.... A bit nervous of the unexpected

Thank you

Bob_C · 08-22-2019, 03:31 PM

Have done it 3 times and will do it again in 2 weeks.......watch your tires.....

rk911 · 08-22-2019, 04:27 PM

take time to rest and by rest I mean "do-nothing-days". stay in camp and just chill. we do that roughly once a week while we're out.

whit66 · 08-22-2019, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Have done it 3 times and will do it again in 2 weeks.......watch your tires.....

Thank you! I will be checking them often

whit66 · 08-22-2019, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rk911

take time to rest and by rest I mean "do-nothing-days". stay in camp and just chill. we do that roughly once a week while we're out.

Great advice! Thanks

NevadaNick · 08-22-2019, 09:46 PM

When we went to Alaska we had a rule that we stopped for the day by 3pm. Didn't matter what time we left. Less stress and we always were able to get a spot to park.

twogypsies · 08-22-2019, 11:03 PM

Don't think of your trip as 'one long trip'. Break it down into sections and think of it as many short trips. It's no different.

Don't drive and sitesee continuously. Stay at your RV and relax, read, take walks for a couple days. Siteseeing will wear you out more than the driving. It looks like you're going to bigger cities. That, in itself, will wear you out - fighting crowds and traffic. Try to take some secondary highways rather than interstates. It's slower driving but you'll see more interesting things.

It would be very helpful if you both took turns driving. That's what we did all the time.

Arch Hoagland · 08-22-2019, 11:12 PM

On long trips like that we calculate $100 a day for everything.

That includes gas, RV park, food, tours, junk, etc.

We put it all on a credit card and pay it off when we get home.

How long will you be on the road? The RV parks in some of those areas will close for the winter...ask me how I know.

Busskipper · 08-24-2019, 07:09 AM

I have an odd question, next month we will be pulling our 5th Wheel about 8,000 miles round trip for 60 days.. We start from the South Lake Tahoe area and hit many areas among them Moab Utah, Durango Colo, Santa Fe, Colorado Springs, Lantana TX, Memphis, Nashville, Roanoke Rapids NC, Asheville, San Antonio, Tucson and a few more spots..

My question is can I get your thoughts on taking this long of trip? The longest we have taken is about 3500 round trip.. Would love to hear some lessons learned.... A bit nervous of the unexpected

Thank you

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Don't think of your trip as 'one long trip'. Break it down into sections and think of it as many short trips. It's no different.

Don't drive and sightsee continuously. Stay at your RV and relax, read, take walks for a couple days. Sightseeing will wear you out more than the driving. It looks like you're going to bigger cities. That, in itself, will wear you out - fighting crowds and traffic. Try to take some secondary highways rather than interstates. It's slower driving but you'll see more interesting things.

It would be very helpful if you both took turns driving. That's what we did all the time.

Except in my case if the DW drove that would be STRESSFUL

One more thought is to possibly extend the time period - 90 days????

Might think of it also as a loop trip - saving Utah which is still pretty hot in September till you return in the Winter - If possible try to make the Rockies in the last week of September - Aspen - https://lynn.smugmug.com/Travel/Colo...pens/i-tsVRkXg - this alone is worth the trip. JMHO

I'd also consider Washington DC and all the sights there - Cherry Hill CG - Williamsburg will also provide a little history - Ashville and the Biltmore - but don't forget the Lake Toxaway area - Just Beautiful - might even remind you of Lake Tahoe a little, you are almost to the Atlantic so you really should try to see and enjoy it - also the Fall and the Blue Ridge Parkway - Holy smokes - better add Another 30 days!!!!!

Big cities in the east are more than a Pain and need to be avoided or planned around - so keep that in Mind.

Texas is Big and IMHO requires a Plan to avoid Big Cities and find a good route - We tend to end up near Texarkana and avoid Dallas - Only Once - Then when you hit New Mexico/ Santa Fe then into Utah - Best trip to Zion we ever took was just before Christmas - .............................on and on.

Most important is to Enjoy the trip not make it a trip to Check off the Boxes

Best of Luck,

doc · 08-24-2019, 09:21 AM

Can't give thoughts on a 5er, but have done long trips in a MH. Take a break for a couple of days when you get to an interesting area. There will be days of boredom and nothing but concrete and asphalt. Other days of absolutely beautiful mountains and countryside.
Take lots of photos and share them with those of us can't do those extended trips much anymore

Mr.Goodbar · 08-29-2019, 02:11 PM

If you're traveling I-40 through Tennessee, avoid Nashville at peak traffic periods (M-F 7-10 am and 3-7 pm).

If you aren't stopping in Nashville, take I-840 around the south side. Other than the peak traffic times, going thru town isn't too, bad. Check TDOT website http://www.tn.gov/tdot
for construction zones.

If you are camping in the campgrounds on the NE side of town, take Briley Parkway from I-40 on the west side around the north side of town. Briley Parkway is "like interstate", but still avoid peak periods.

DO NOT TAKE I-440 for any reason. There is a MAJOR widening project underway and there WILL be delays.

whit66 · 08-29-2019, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Goodbar

If you're traveling I-40 through Tennessee, avoid Nashville at peak traffic periods (M-F 7-10 am and 3-7 pm).

If you aren't stopping in Nashville, take I-840 around the south side. Other than the peak traffic times, going thru town isn't too, bad. Check TDOT website http://www.tn.gov/tdot
for construction zones.

If you are camping in the campgrounds on the NE side of town, take Briley Parkway from I-40 on the west side around the north side of town. Briley Parkway is "like interstate", but still avoid peak periods.

DO NOT TAKE I-440 for any reason. There is a MAJOR widening project underway and there WILL be delays.

I will be coming into Nashville from Memphis! Staying at the Two Rivers Campgrounds ! One route is the 40 to the 155 seems like a loop, another route seems to be 40 to 70 north through Clarksville to 24 then end up north of Nashville

rk911 · 08-29-2019, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whit66

I will be coming into Nashville from Memphis! Staying at the Two Rivers Campgrounds ! One route is the 40 to the 155 seems like a loop, another route seems to be 40 to 70 north through Clarksville to 24 then end up north of Nashville

Two Rivers is very nice...they have had live entertainment in their pool area once or twice a week during the summer. hope they still do. fyi...last time we were there our site did not have a breaker on the pedestal. many of the breakers were located in remote locked panels. that may have changed..just FYI.

whit66 · 08-29-2019, 08:09 PM

What route would you recommend coming from Memphis

Quote:

Originally Posted by rk911

Two Rivers is very nice...they have had live entertainment in their pool area once or twice a week during the summer. hope they still do. fyi...last time we were there our site did not have a breaker on the pedestal. many of the breakers were located in remote locked panels. that may have changed..just FYI.