Winter RV Travel - WE HOPE

[Chip867]

Hello All,

Well we have two summer trips on our resume. First was a short excursion to a nearby campground for 6 nights of camping to learn how to set up, use and hitch up our Zinger 270-RL. It went really well. We then packed up and left Southern Ontario for Regina, Saskatchewan to visit family and friends. What a trip! The scenery north of Lake Superior was breath taking. There were a few white knuckle moments but everything went great. We camped 15 nights straight. Since then the trailer has been cleaned and is ready to go. We have at least to short trips planned before September.

We are also hoping to take the trailer south to Florida this winter. The only problem is we cannot leave until February. Yep, the middle of the deep freeze here. We are seeking advice as to whether or not it is a good idea to pull the trailer out of storage when the weather is so cold (below freezing). It will be left winterized during the trip down.

We are hoping that someone on the forum would be willing to share their winter RVing travel experience and wisdom.

Cheers for now.

[fhenn]

I would leave it in storage until the day you leave. now if some one or a bunch of snow is there than take it home. Load the clothes and other stuff the is not bothered by the coldThe day you leave bring in the food and other stuff such as seasoning. might want to load up enough till you get south and than load up and buy the stuff. I have run the furnace while driving

[Loneoak]

We have been going to Florida for seven winters now, five years with a Jayco and two with the Crossroads Cruiser. We leave at different times (anywhere from November to late December), but it is usually quite cold when we go and the unit winterized. Like fhenn said, load everything except the freezables beforehand, then add those at the last minute.

We do not run our furnace on the road. We find the freezables fare just fine. I put all the stuff in boxes and place them in the shower for lack of a better place.

We actually stay in our trailer the two nights on the road. The first night we are in Virginia and the temperature us usually around the freezing mark. The second night is in Georgia and it is milder. We leave the unit winterized and carry water in jugs for flushing the toilet and brushing teeth, etc.

When we arrive for the night at Walmart, we turn on the furnace, put the cat in the trailer, and go for dinner. By the time we get back the unit is nice and warm.

We have never had a problem. No need to pay for motels and schlepp your stuff in and out. We both drive the rig so we do 12 hour days and it takes us two and a half days to get there (Tampa area).

[Chip867]

Fhenn - thanks for advice. Reassuring to know that others successfully head south once the cold weather has already set in. We travel with two small dogs. They don't like the cold so I will be making sure the propane tanks are full.

[Chip867]

Hi Loneoak - great advice. I would never have thought about the jugs of water until of course I needed them. Also never even thought about stopping at Walmart's on the trip down. Where I live in Ontario our Walmart lot has rv rigs in the lot often during the summer. Southern Georgian Bay area. I assume the best practice would be to check in with the on duty manager to make sure it is permitted at any particular location ??? It would be nice to save on motels on the way down by putting my head down on my own pillow.

[Loneoak]

Yes, we go to the customer service counter and ask if it's o.k. to park there for the night. Some Walmarts they tell you where you can and cannot park. We try to park along an edge where there is a grassy area or something so we can a slide or two out. Our Walmart stops are Harrisonburg, PA and Jessup GA. As you can see, we avoid I-95!

We used to park at Cracker Barrel in Harrisonburg when we had the Jayco and we barely fit in their designated RV spot. Now with the Cruiser we are four feet longer and definitely don't fit anymore, so now Walmart for it's us.