Camping season blues

[Markb5900]

I really hate this time of year sometimes.
I know I can’t put water in the rv yet because of temperatures still to low and I don’t want to run the furnace.
My right brain is yelling Let’s go somewhere, and my left brain is saying, you know you have to wait!!

[Jagiven]

I suspect we'll be going out for the first time of the season in three or so weeks. It comes home from it's winter vacation (fairgrounds indoor storage) April 2. I'll flush and put water in it. If needed, I'll blow the lines, and a little antifreeze in the traps.

[colby]

Ours comes out in 3-4 weeks, whenever they get to it in the storage building. I'll de-winterize then and get it to the dealer to check a few things. Then, some mods before we head out in June for the first trip. Limited camping this year, too much going on with family (weddings, some moves, etc.) Two trips planned, and hoping for one or two weekends...

[JFlightRisk]

Like Colby (who's 347 kilometers or about 250 miles north of us). we have to be really patient for ol' man winter to finally depart for the year. We're ready to get going too, but it keeps SNOWING here!

I feel your pain...

[LukeDagny]

Head South. I returned Monday from an 18 day trip to coastal South Carolina. Sunny and 70+. It was 27, grey and windy this morning

[Route 66 Traveler]

Almost hate to mention this but we are at the FMCA rally in Tucson,AZ and it’s pushing 80 degrees! We’ve been here since last Monday and the are over 1000 RV’s here; million dollar Class A’s, lots of Super C’S, 5th wheels and travel trailers like ours. Looked thru some beautiful Class A’s… my favorite was $780,000! I couldn’t even afford to pay the sales tax and fill the fuel tank! It’s only money…..

[stinger608]

Originally Posted by Markb5900

I really hate this time of year sometimes.
I know I can’t put water in the rv yet because of temperatures still to low and I don’t want to run the furnace.
My right brain is yelling Let’s go somewhere, and my left brain is saying, you know you have to wait!!

Oh man, I can relate Mark!!!!!
We still have, at the very least, another month to 6 weeks before dewinterizing the TT.
This time of year is hard. Days like today get well up in the 60's and yet by Sunday night..........1 to 3 inches of snow and low of 18.

[KCSA75]

Originally Posted by Markb5900

I really hate this time of year sometimes.
I know I can’t put water in the rv yet because of temperatures still to low and I don’t want to run the furnace.
My right brain is yelling Let’s go somewhere, and my left brain is saying, you know you have to wait!!

I feel your pain. Between the weather not cooperating and other things on the calendar it just hasn't been in the cards. Last night I made an executive decision. I made a reservation for the second weekend in April and told DW we're going camping .

[gypsmjim]

We camp year round. No problem not having water. We have a jug for drinking and we can get by a couple days without a shower. Our furnace is the best part of the RV. We use it all the time.

[CAG]

Snow, ice, winterizing? What is that?

Now I don't recommend that you all move here because the rest of the world is and we are becoming LA but being a California, Hawaii, Arizona boy for my entire 78 years, except those 12 I was forced to live in Kansas and met my wife BTW, I see no, LET ME REPEAT NO reason to live where it freezes.

We camped year around, in a few instances of hunting in temps below 10F we dealt with keeping water flowing but those times were not difficult so I guess I am bragging here but since the rest of the US is moving to FL, why not join them. Don't move here, we don't have the water and building is beginning to get second looks.

[stu stoner]

Leaving April 4th for eclipse viewing in Indiana.....have not dewinterized the RV yet, will do next week.....hopefully the weather will be good and not winter weather.....but you never know!

[Lonetraveler]

Have Wonder Lust real bad since February. The Midwest weather teasers has been hard on me. Going to dewinterize today. Have a week long trip scheduled the first week of April down the Natchez parkway. Going to flush and sanitize all water lines and tank, then drain all water because extended forecast shows 2-3 nights between now and April 1st a little below freezing. Will add a little heat at night.

[wiscampsin]

CWS = Camping Withdrawal Syndrome. Thankfully it's curable.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by CAG

BTW, I see no, LET ME REPEAT NO reason to live where it freezes.

since the rest of the US is moving to FL, why not join them. Don't move here, we don't have the water and building is beginning to get second looks.

We like boating, camping, swimming, etc. But we also like snowmobiling, skiing and a white Christmas.

Yes, we have snow, but we are prepared for it and we don't see any issues. Even with the energy costs to heat our home, the overall cost of living is still quite low.

What we don't have is oppressive heat, earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes and hurricanes.

I used to travel worldwide for my job, working in factories all over. When I worked in Arizona, we had to work nights because we could not stand the heat in the day.

Lots of friends drank the coolade. One friend moved to Fort Myers and the last hurricane destroyed their house. Another friend went to Charlotte and the first year they lost all their trees in another hurricane. My son moved to Nashville and last year their house was hit by a tornado. An old buddy moved to Phoenix and only lasted 2 years before they moved back.

Different strokes. If anyone knows of a panacea, let me know. I've probably been there, and since I didn't move there I can tell you why.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

We camp year round. No problem not having water. We have a jug for drinking and we can get by a couple days without a shower. Our furnace is the best part of the RV. We use it all the time.

Yes. We use our furnace way more than our A/C. We can certainly do without the A/C but we don't typically camp south of Tampa and then only in Feb. Summer finds us in Maine Quebec and Newfoundland.

We came home from FL and did not winterize again. We got home Mar 11. We got away with that for a week and then with the start of spring the temps plummeted to 10 low and 29 high and its been that way since . Now we will have to shovel some crap again ( six inches to two feet)
Visiting FL in Feb we have learned that at 84 and above we wilt. Fortunately that is rare here. Not moving. Lakeshore house all paid for and boats. And not squooshed in.. acreage bounding hundreds of acres of conserved land.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

We like boating, camping, swimming, etc. But we also like snowmobiling, skiing and a white Christmas.

Yes, we have snow, but we are prepared for it and we don't see any issues. Even with the energy costs to heat our home, the overall cost of living is still quite low.

What we don't have is oppressive heat, earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes and hurricanes.

I used to travel worldwide for my job, working in factories all over. When I worked in Arizona, we had to work nights because we could not stand the heat in the day.

Lots of friends drank the coolade. One friend moved to Fort Myers and the last hurricane destroyed their house. Another friend went to Charlotte and the first year they lost all their trees in another hurricane. My son moved to Nashville and last year their house was hit by a tornado. An old buddy moved to Phoenix and only lasted 2 years before they moved back.

Different strokes. If anyone knows of a panacea, let me know. I've probably been there, and since I didn't move there I can tell you why.

And with all of the whining about heat 40,000 people move to the Phoenix metro a year. In 1970 out state population was 2.5 million. We are now 7 with 5 million in the Phoenix area. I guess oppressive heat is in the eye of the beholder.

[FISTEP]

Originally Posted by Markb5900

I really hate this time of year sometimes.
I know I can’t put water in the rv yet because of temperatures still to low and I don’t want to run the furnace.
My right brain is yelling Let’s go somewhere, and my left brain is saying, you know you have to wait!!

When we camp in freezing temps, we don't use the fresh water tank or plumbing. We take jugs of water inside that we use for everything. I put a generous amount of antifreeze down sink and the toilet and use the jugs to flush. Paper plates and very frugal use of water for washing, and cooking and eating tensils keeps grey water to a minimum.
We can last a few days like this and at least get a short break in. It's takes a bit more work and thought but it's worth it. This will work for a handful of degrees below freezing but not crazy cold.
We definitely use the furnace, though. What is the reasoning behind not wanting to?

[tnka trk]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

We camp year round. No problem not having water. We have a jug for drinking and we can get by a couple days without a shower. Our furnace is the best part of the RV. We use it all the time.

We bought an oil filled electric heater and rarely ever use the furnace anymore. It’s silent, keeps the temperature constant and generates plenty of heat even on medium and I don’t have to listen to the furnace cycling on and off all the time. Also a bonus not having to refill propane all the time.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by tnka trk

We bought an oil filled electric heater and rarely ever use the furnace anymore. It’s silent, keeps the temperature constant and generates plenty of heat even on medium and I don’t have to listen to the furnace cycling on and off all the time. Also a bonus not having to refill propane all the time.

What does your electric bill look like?

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by tnka trk

We bought an oil filled electric heater and rarely ever use the furnace anymore. It’s silent, keeps the temperature constant and generates plenty of heat even on medium and I don’t have to listen to the furnace cycling on and off all the time. Also a bonus not having to refill propane all the time.

I have four 20 pounders. I refill 2 every year. The other 2 are just in case.

When we had a gravity "space heater" it was hot there and at the roof, and cool at the other end of the trailer. Our built in forced air furnace was a godsend. The noise when the fan blows is not enough to drowned out the TV, at at night I'm sleeping and don't hear it anyway.

The base rate for our electric is $22 a month, whether we are there or not. When we are there 2 weekends a month (4 over-nights) I use up about $2 of electric. If it's Winter and the furnace is running, that adds another dollar.