Community Forums

Afubar · 02-21-2013, 08:03 AM

Will be heading out the 1st of March and am wondering about the weather, road conditions, and what to look out for in that time frame. Any places to avoid? How about driving thru cities. Have already driven thru Salt Lake City, Vegas, and Phoenix, any cities worse than those?

Also, am wondering about RV parks for extended stay in the Rayne, LA area. Am heading there for the Cajun Fest around the 8th of April but would like to hang out in the area for a while.

Thanks
Kaye

F117plt · 02-21-2013, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afubar

Will be heading out the 1st of March and am wondering about the weather, road conditions, and what to look out for in that time frame. Any places to avoid? How about driving thru cities. Have already driven thru Salt Lake City, Vegas, and Phoenix, any cities worse than those?

Also, am wondering about RV parks for extended stay in the Rayne, LA area. Am heading there for the Cajun Fest around the 8th of April but would like to hang out in the area for a while.

Thanks
Kaye

Don't know if it will work for you, but Cajun Palms RV Resort is about 30 miles east of Rayne. A really nice park. Closer would be the KOA just west of Lafayette.

Wayne M · 02-21-2013, 08:37 AM

Kaye,
Take a look at Frog City RV Park just East of Rayne. Chek RV Park Reviews.

Any of the cities that you will be going through will be about the same as you have been through. If you hit them during the rush hours, it will cause a slight delay. Example: Houston, TX, rush hours are 7-9 a.m., and 3-6 p.m. and also the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. are the lunch crowd but not as bad as the rush hour. I have traveled the Houston roads for many years and unless there is a major accident the delay at most is 15 minutes. Stay on I-10 right through Houston. Have your camera ready as it is a pretty sky-line. If you decide to stay anywhere in the area, give a holler and I'll suggest some CG's.

Afubar · 02-21-2013, 08:44 AM

thanks GBFleming, will check that one out.

Wayne, Have been looking at that RV Park. So far, seems to be the best bet. Don't know where I'll overnight yet in the Texas area. I try to drive between 200 and 250 miles per day. Any further and the body gives out. lol.

What about weather?

Thanks
Kaye

offshore · 02-21-2013, 01:20 PM

East of Rayne about 20 miles at exit 115 you will find Cajun Palms RV Resort, believe me you will not be disappointed. Check out their web site www.cajunpalms.com

Afubar · 02-21-2013, 03:54 PM

Okay, checked out the Cajun Palms site, nice, but a little too upscale for me. Looking for smaller,more hometown. Don't care for the pools, hot tubs, tennis, also looking for dog friendly.

Thanks, keep the ideas coming.

Kaye

ItascaRVer · 02-22-2013, 09:24 AM

The city of Rayne has its own campground just south of I-10. Reasonable rates. Check out their website. www.rayne.org/rv_park
As far as I-10 there is a bit of construction in Orange Tx. and some rough spots just accross the state line in Louisiana, but all in all it is in very good shape up to Lafayette. After Lafayette it gets a bit rough to the Atchafalya Causway.

Wayne

Wayne M · 02-22-2013, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afubar

thanks GBFleming, will check that one out.

Wayne, Have been looking at that RV Park. So far, seems to be the best bet. Don't know where I'll overnight yet in the Texas area. I try to drive between 200 and 250 miles per day. Any further and the body gives out. lol.

What about weather?

Thanks
Kaye

I'm the same with the driving mileage. I like the 250 limit. You only have about 1300 miles to go. You do know that it is about 850 miles from the West Texas border to the East Texas border, right?

I just did a little research and here is what I would be looking at if I were making the trip. This is without thought for discount campgrounds - just getting there.

Casa Grande to Deming, NM 284 mi
Deming to Van Horn, TX 222 mi
Van Horn, TX to Fort Stockton, TX 120 mi
Fort Stockton, TX to Junction, TX 198 mi
Junction, TX to Schulenburg, TX 216 mi
Schulenburg, TX to Highlands, TX 116, or to Lake Charles, LA 237 mi
Lake Charles to Rayne, LA 59 mi.

You could also look at stopping in Las Cruces, NM then on to Fort Stockton and bypass Van Horn.

Trust me that from El Paso, Through Van Horn, Fort Stockton (Armpit of TX..oops!) and over to San Antonio, there is not a lot of places to choose from. Also, Fuel up at half a tank or so when traveling from West Texas to San Antonio. It is 550 miles from El Paso to San Antonio.

If you are not in a hurry and have not been to San Antonio before, it is a nice place to stop and spend a few days, especially to visit The River Walk during daylight and night time. A drive through Hill country is always nice.

The route I gave above is the onestop-night and some you may not want to stay more than one night.

As for weather, yes, Texas has weather and if you don't like it just wait 5 minutes. Acutally in march you may get a few showers. We used to have a time share up at Lake Conroe around the 2nd week in March. In all the years we had it we never got rained out. A few showers here and there but it was always a good week. The rest of the month was similar.

The wettest month is June, but super cells can come through at any time. Streets are prone to flooding as the area around here is very flat. Bayou's and drainage ditches are about the only thing that can drain off heavy rains. The fill up and sometimes the process can take several hours.

I don't like driving in heavy rains especially within city limits. I suggest pulling over and stopping for a few hours in a parking lot somewhere until the cell travels through. Just make sure to pick a parking lot that is on the "high" side. Feeder roads (access roads) around here can fill up with water pretty fast.

Happy trails.

Afubar · 02-23-2013, 06:53 AM

Thanks Wayne,

That's exactly the type of info I needed. I've spent time in San Antonio before. Fort Sam to be exact. Love the River Walk.

Wayne M · 02-23-2013, 08:06 AM

We love Fort Sam RV Park. Not to happy with all the "Joint" buildup and construction. We have not been there in about a year and a half but may be going sometime in March.

A little story about Fort Stockton. We were on the road and for one-nighters we will see if there is a Passport America CG on the route. DW found one in Fort Stockton, right off the freeway a little bit. We got there about 3 in the afternoon and as I'm following the signs we rolled up to the "office." It was about the size of a small back yard storage shed. I walked in, gave my name, filled out the paper work and he said, " That will be $11, but if you want cable it is $2 more." I opted for cable.

We got our assigned site number and directions on how to get to it. As we are making our turns we noticed that there were a lot of permanent residents, many in house trailers with the typical outside uncovered, un-sided storage. (thrown about). I found our spot and about 3 feet from the left track of the site, at the entrance to the site was a telephone pole, a regular size one. The right side of the track was crowded also (more on that later). DW get's out and becomes the ground guide. I pull in, get out to check my clearances, make a move to clear the pole for my electrical bay, then go back in, jacks down, slides out. Now it's time for DW and pup to change places with me. Me on the outside and her on the inside to finish setting up.

As I step out she exclaims, "Look, we have the premium site!"

I looked around and shaking my head said, "What are you talking about?"

She said, "We have a patio!" Now let me explain the close quarters on the right side as I was pulling in. There was an abandoned house trailer slab next to the narrow site we pulled into. Our coach step was about 1 inch from touching it and level with the slab. We had a patio.

It was only for one night. If they had put a hot top on that slab I may have stayed longer (NOT).

ivykrewe · 02-23-2013, 09:52 AM

Wayne, i stayed at that same luxury resort in Ft Stockton. I think i will pass on it next time.

Afubar · 02-24-2013, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItascaRVer

The city of Rayne has its own campground just south of I-10. Reasonable rates. Check out their website. www.rayne.org/rv_park
As far as I-10 there is a bit of construction in Orange Tx. and some rough spots just accross the state line in Louisiana, but all in all it is in very good shape up to Lafayette. After Lafayette it gets a bit rough to the Atchafalya Causway.

Wayne

Thanks, that's were I'm headed for the Cajun Fest, not sure that I can stay there for longer, they don't have sewer at the sites, only a dump site on the way out.

Kaye

I will try to avoid the Ft. Stockton luxury rv site. lol

Wayne M · 02-24-2013, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afubar

Thanks, that's were I'm headed for the Cajun Fest, not sure that I can stay there for longer, they don't have sewer at the sites, only a dump site on the way out.

Kaye

I will try to avoid the Ft. Stockton luxury rv site. lol

And miss the wonderful experience! Go for it - you will have stories to tell at the campfire.

Edited: The one to avoid is Parkview Mobile Home and RV Park. This reviewer summed it up nicely; "This is a slap your neck red and put in a plug of chew type park....."

So, when traveling and we have to stop in Fort Stockton, we stay at http://www.ftstocktonrvpark.com/. It satisfies our overnight stop. Just close the windows or the coyotes may keep you awake. (four legged kind)

mel s · 02-24-2013, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItascaRVer

The city of Rayne has its own campground just south of I-10. Reasonable rates. Check out their website. www.rayne.org/rv_park
As far as I-10 there is a bit of construction in Orange Tx. and some rough spots just accross the state line in Louisiana, but all in all it is in very good shape up to Lafayette. After Lafayette it gets a bit rough to the Atchafalya Causway.

Wayne

Try: City of Rayne RV Park