TX to WI, 911 run

[Mr Lars]

Needing to make an unplanned run from Midland TX to Madison Wi, due to my fathers failing health.
We have a ‘95 Bounder, 35ft UWB
Not sure how long we will be there, both wife and I are not currently working, so timeframe is open ended.
As most everything is closed up there this time of year, the challenge is where to park for what may be a few weeks, and the weather.
Would we be better off to take our Chevy Suburban and CRV on the tow dolly(so no need to constantly borrow vehicles), try and bunk in friends/family or hotels?
Or load up the ‘Beast’ and head for the Frozen Tundra?
Just wife, small dog, and I.

[jacwjames]

I did a quick check on Madison Wi campgrounds in the Goodsam website. Only 2 of the 10 I quickly checked were open. I would check on site availability before even trying to take your RV. Winter camping without the right preparation can be disastrous.

I spend a week getting coach ready to live when I moved to Northern Michigan in late March. Weather was brutal, if I hadn't taken the time to prepare I wouldn't have survived.

It probably would be safer to drive a vehicle. You might consider hotels instead of trying to find places to stay, probably safer for everyone.

[jpstakun]

For what it costs to drive your RV up there, I would fly up, get a hotel room for a couple or 3 days, rent a car, pay my respects and fly back.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Mr Lars

Would we be better off to take our Chevy Suburban and CRV on the tow dolly(so no need to constantly borrow vehicles), try and bunk in friends/family or hotels?
Or load up the ‘Beast’ and head for the Frozen Tundra?
Just wife, small dog, and I.

Why do you need two vehicles? Suburban and CRV?

I definitely wouldn't take the RV. Take one vehicle. Get a room at an 'Extended Suites' or similar so you can do some quick meals on your own. They have good monthly rates.

Sorry to hear this.... best wishes and stay safe.

[F76Marion]

Mr. Lars,

I have a lot to add here, all based on experience.

If you cannot confirm a FHU place, seriously reconsider your plan.

Before you even attempt this, do you know how to winterize your coach?

If you are in a FHU site, run out of the potable tank only and drain the water hose after you use it or you may end up with a long iron bat to try to stow.

Before you set out, provision for three days...
If the weather goes bad, plan to hunker down for a day at least and maybe two. So why three? Because if it is two, it may be three before you want to get out on the roads again. With an all weather towed, that is less critical, but you might not get hold up near convenient supplies.

About travel, Co-Drive.... If one of you is the navigator, that takes a lot of stress off the driver. This matters a lot going through cities. The navigator can also use a smartphone to track incoming weather.

If you are headed for an FHU park, have an electric heater so you don't run out of LP.

The thing I had not counted on was the "get home" that mattered most in the last case (DW's mom). Other times we had bivouacked at relatives, but she really liked being at "home" at the end of the day. With my case, I got routed back to a house I had lived in for a long time prior to leaving town, so it was not so bad. I did still have DW to lean on and that helped.

If you take your coach, I wish you hours of boring driving and the best possible outcome.

Frank

[JohnLoves2Sk]

Unless you have experience with an RV in sub-freezing weather, I would recommend you leave it winterized, and fly or drive the Suburban, and get a hotel for a shorter term stay.

If you are going to be there a while, and you are comfortable dealing with cold weather issues in the RV, and you have relatives that will loan you an extension cord in their driveway, taking the RV is an option, as it will save you hotel costs, and you will have your own space to be.
Expect to go through a lot of propane; weather forecast has temps in the teens overnight for the next couple of weeks, and you can't turn the heat down much when you are not in the RV, because you will need it up to keep the tanks warm. (I have a friend that had a black tank freeze while he was staying in his TT in Pullman - he's still a bit traumatized from the recovery experience. Not something you want to deal with right now.)
Read your manuals about low temp operation - mine have guidelines about furnace settings and low outdoor air temp.
Find a dump station that is open before you go! Freeway rest stops have free ones in my state, open year round. Heading to a dump station 2x a week and topping off propane on the way back might be a good distraction from your situation if you need to clear your head.

RV parks - if you can bring a toad with you, and your rig will handle the cold, it's an option, but call ahead and make sure they are open. Many close in weather this cold. Also, its a big city, you won't be as close to family.


I'm sorry you are having to go through this. Good luck, be safe.

[Mr Lars]

I grew up just outside of town, so am familiar with southern Wisconsin winters, wife says if we go, she wants to stay a couple-three weeks or so. I am a truck driver by trade, and drove many years, every nite, all winter long. I know it will take a boatload of lp, just trying to balance out the convenience factor vs hotels. I have winterized in the past, but being where we live now, I just keep the heat low if temps drop below 32 for more than an hour or two.

[Argosy]

I live straight east of Madison in Michigan. At first I thought no way, but it's been an unusually mild winter so far, very cloudy and the snow melts within days of falling. I looked at Madison's weather and the 30 day forecast looks about like what we've had.

You've dealt with it and it's not as severe as normal. I can see wanting to have 'home base', you know it will guzzle propane, all the negatives.

The only thing I'd suggest is get or line up anything you will need for winter living before you leave. Stores here have clearanced winter clothing, etc. I'd have electric heaters, electric blankets, heated water hose in hand or ordered to be delivered to a friend or relative.

Good luck with whatever you decide, the trip however you make it, and especially your father.

[Bigd9]

If you decide to hotel it, best check, double check to see if your "small dog" will be able to stay in the room. Some hotels say yes, others not so much. Many of the hotels that allow pets charge a service fee, sometimes a one time service fee, and others it's a daily fee.

If leaving the small dog in the room while you are gone, is the dog the type that hotel cleaning people can do their jobs, or will your dog be a problem?

Best of luck no matter what you decide

[Mr Lars]

The dog is a female Maltese, she doesn’t like being alone, couple hours at the grocery store, then back home is all she can handle. We will leave our cat with our son who lives here in Midland.

[Jkjavelin]

Yes, it's been mild in Wisconsin lately, but I'm in Milwaukee and they say the Polar Vortex is on the way for next week. We had one 2 years ago and lows were 23 BELOW zero farenheit then. Not good in an rv.
JK

[fagnaml]

Mr.Lars --

My wife and I had a similar need to travel from Houston to Denver this past November when my mother-in-law's health was declining rapidly due to a bad Shingles infection combined with her significant COPD. We flew to Denver via Southwest Airlines as then they were not selling middle seats, wore N95 masks and safety glasses while flying and stayed at a Residence Inn by Marriott (their long term stay brand). We didn't think about the cost of short notice flights nor hotel costs nor rental car fees as providing care for my mother-in-law was our only priority. I couldn't imaging trying to get our motorhome ready for an emergency trip and then negotiating snowy/icy roads in northern New Mexico and along I-25 during a very long two day drive.

When elderly parents need care, timing is the most important aspect of providing the needed care. Costs for travel, etc. needs to be secondary. Fortunately we had developed a very sizeable amount of emergency savings as we knew the day would come that our elderly parents would need help on short notice with us being 1300 miles away.

I highly suggest flying, long term stay hotel and rental vehicle for your urgent visit to Wisconsin to provide the prompt help your father needs.

Prayers for your father that God gives him the comfort he needs. And prayers for a safe journey for you.

[Persistent]

All excellent advice above!

One area not covered is dumping waste. Baraboo is an hours drive from Madison. It is the nearest public dump site that I know of that is still open. There is no water there in the winter and the dump openings may be frozen under ice.

The old Camping World, now Gander, dump site near DeForest may or may not be open, but again water is not available there.

Wisconsin is not like Texas. Definitely have a reservation and make sure they are able to provide water and dumping in extremely cold weather. Jan and Feb are the coldest months here.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[Yosemite77]

I live in Northern Illinois. It’s been a relatively mild winter, with about half the normal amount of snow thus far. Given that late January/ early February are when temperatures are the coldest, along with the shift in the polar high and corresponding winds, I’d definitely leave the RV at home.
If you like your relatives, I’d advise staying in a hotel. Otherwise, save some money and stay with them.