RE: Maggie Valley NC
I've stayed at Winngray several times and didn't have any issues with them. Also an excellent restaurant in Waynesville is Maggie's Galley,, and if you're looking for higher-end dining, try the Old Stone Inn.
RE: New Orleans
X2 for Bayou Signette State Park. It's been a while but, we enjoyed our stay there. We did not like the campgrounds on Chef Monteur Highway, if they are still even there. In fact my wife refused to stay there, which is how we got to Bayou Signette. :-D
RE: What's the trick to cleaning black tank level indicators
Not wanting to sound like a hollow drum, but check on Mr. Bruni's GEO Method. If you need to use our gauges, it will help more than anything I've tried. Barring that, I agree with Skip, after a while you'll develope a feel for when you need to dump, and probably never look at the gauges. The toilet "burp" is a sure sign.
RE: Wood Pads under MH Tires ?
My driveway/trailer parking area has a slight side to side slope. So, I use boards under the low side and nothing under the other. I have noticed no difference in the servicability of the tires. But, that's just my experience, your results may vary.
RE: bed size
If you get a short-bed, you may need to get a trailer with an extended hitch box, or get a slider hitch for the truck. The width of the trailer, from center is wider than the distance from the hitch pin to the back of the cab, so if you turn too sharply you can damage your truck and/or trailer. In my opinion, it's not a lot more of an issue than jack-knifing a tow-behind trailer. Lot's of people do it, and with a little care, don't seem to have too mauch of a problem. On the other hand, I do have a long-bed, and have gotten into situations that would have been an issue for a short-bed truck.
RE: Selecting a 5ver For Double Tow
Do check, because some manufacturers will void your warrantee for a double tow. Like others have mentioned, some 5'ers come with an optional rear hitch. My dealer recommended I stay below 150 lbs tongue weight on my double towed trailers.
RE: Planning Trip To Wisconsin
From my experience no matter what you plan, 16 and 18 year old teens will think it is lame. We've enjoyed staying at the Playful Goose in Horicon. Horicon is where they make John Deere lawn tractors, and is home to the Horicon Marsh, the world's largest reed marsh (so they say). My grandchildren enjoyed the pontoon boat trip out onto the marsh. And we did enjoy touring some of the cheese shops and cheese factories in the area. Oh, and there is a meat market in Horicon, that I don't remember the name of, that makes some great bratwurst.
RE: Florida Trip Planning
The smoke can get quite bad at times. You have to be especially careful when travelling during foggy times. The combination of fog and wildfire smoke can be deadly, much more thick and intense than regular fog.
RE: Water heater not distributing hot water
If you have an outside shower, or an inside shower with a shut-off at the shower head, make sure your valves are fully shut off. The showers can act as a mixer and blend hot and cold water, and usually cold is the shortest path for the water to take. This seems to be a commone problem.
RE: 411 from Knoxville to Atlanta
411 is a nice drive, although a 2 lane highway, with several small towns. As for Atlanta, I would recommend going straight thru on I-75. The bypass, I-285, has way too many trucks. Stay in the dead center of the interstate when going through. The right lanes will exit on you. If you have more than one person in your vehicle, you may want to get into the left carpool lane. If Southbound, stay away from the morning rush, and mid to late aftrnoon, as it can get quite congested on the section called "The Connector", from where I-75 and I-85 merge until where they separate on the south-side of town. Unless there is an accident, you may find that the speeds can be quite high. Also be aware that the lanes are quite narrow for a wide vehicle such as a camper. They added lanes without expanding the overall width of the expressway, by narrowing the lanes. Since I live near there, I've done it a lot, and in my opinion, even at it's worst, it's still better than Chicago.
RE: My take on Fort Wilderness Disney campground
Disney fun fact, you don't have to get the buffet at Trails End. If you want somethng lighter, you can request to sit in the bar and order wings and/or nachos which were cheaper than the buffet. The wings were great, and the nachos were ok. Or you can get a pizza for take-out. The pizza was good.
If you're on a budget, and can be flexible on dates, you can get reasonable rates during a less busy time of the year. Stay away from spring break or peak holiday times. Eat a meal or two in the camper to save money, and drink water instead of soda or iced tea. Water is free in all the quick serves or sit-down restaurants. That alone saves a bunch.
Time saving tips:
-Never go to The Magic Kingdom on Monday - busiest day
-At Epcot, don't stand in line at Spaceship Earth, hit it in the afternoon when there are no lines.
-Hit the popular rides during the parades, or when the large shows are in progress. Never try them right after a show lets out or a parade ends.
-Use the extra magic hours, to hit as many rides as possible in as short a time as possible.
- Get a Fast Pass for the most popular rides
-Watch the crowds, and go the oposite way.
-If you go into a park and it is real crowded, go to a different one, it may not be.
These have worked for us.
RE: Tree got my A/C today
Well, I took vengeance on the offending branch, and it is no more. I was able to straighten some of the metal, and straightened(some) and zip-tied the broken and mis-shaped plastic, and it actually looks pretty good. I think if I take it back off tomorrow and put some Gorilla tape behind the broken stuff, I might get away with it. Good thing, we're going back to tehFort in Disney World with it in a couple of weeks.
RE: Tree got my A/C today
Watch your height fivers.
Hope this makes you feel better :B
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e13/kenn209/4c86af68df8b9image.jpg height=620 width=433
Thanks for the thought, but, somehow, that doesn't really make me feel better.
Tree got my A/C today
I was backing into a camp-site, and though I thought I had room, a tree branch caught the corner of my rear A/C and crunched it pretty good. I was able to sraighten some of the metal and the plastic is broken, but, it still works. I just hope it doesn't leak. Fortunately, I stopped before I did too much more damage....I hope. I didn't see any tears in the roof membrane, but it did get scuffed-up a little. Now I have to get the campground management to let me cut-off the branch so I can get out of the campsite.
Watch your height fivers.
RE: 8.1L question
If you think you love your Allison now, just wait until you haul your trailer in the mountains. The first time you step on the brake on a downgrade, and your Allison's grade braking takes over, you'll fall in love all over again. IMHO.
RE: Stopping on Long Distance Travel
Hi there Bob...I went to the Wal-mart web site and used the store locator and found these...figured that this is wher we would stop and get a couple hours sleep before heading on down.
Glad to meet you guy...always like to meet fellow campers who are close. Where do you like to camp?
:C
Not to coopt the thread, but, I think this one has been beat to death anyway. R Shaefer Heard and Amity COE parks on lake West Point during the summer, and Avon park Fla during the winter.
RE: In the shop....
OH Bob, I know! And hubby is getting shoulder surgery in about 6 weeks. I got caught bad on this season.
lucky you! enjoy that trip!
I know about the surgery thing. My wife had a knee replaced in June, and that really put a crimp in our camping this year.
GSMNP was great and the leaves were peaking on the west side of the mountain. It did get cold though....time to head south.
RE: Help so I won't have to dress 2 dogs up as cats
I have 3 small dogs and go to Florida. I have found a park for this year that allows multiple dogs,however they are considering changing their pet policy. I was told I could put out a small,low fence but they've changed their minds...it happens. Last year I stayed in a park that allowed any number,any size...there were a lot of dogs!! I like the idea of seperating the dogs/no dogs areas of a park. Good luck with your search,I understand completely.
Meg we and several others, staying at Lake Letta RV Park in Avon Park, put-out small dog fences. This past year, there was even a small "doggie park" exercise yard erected. The park managers are dog people as are a number of residents. I think two dogs are the limit, but, the manager may make an exception.
RE: Welcome Back Florida Snowbirds
LOL. But I not a local--I'm a snowbird.
Locals drive in the left lane 10mph below the limit, going past "slower traffic keep right" signs every three blocks.
Ha,ha, thanks Luke, I guess it's not just me noticing it. I've been of the opinion they must teach that in the colleges... drive to the left and pass on the right. It seems endemic in Florida, more so than other places I've been. Then again it may because of us slow snowbirds clogging the right lanes.
RE: Camping around Daytona or Orlando
You could check over on US 27. From Clermont south, there are a number of trailer parks, and being in the middle of the state, should have some open spaces. I'll be down near Avon Park, and I know we had spaces available all last winter.
