Want to tow a Jeep
Instead of the TT, next snowbird season I plan to tow my '02 Jeep Wrangler to FL. I prefer to flat tow with no dolly.
What towbar setup do I need? I see a lot of Jeeps being towed by MHs, so I'm guessing it shouldn't be a problem. I would guess I should put the transfer case in N.
Thanks, Ken
Moved to Dinghy Towing forum from Towing.
RE: Big jump in gas prices in MI.
I'm camping at Prince Gazzilian (sp) state park in PA. Just filled up with diesel a few hours ago, and will head home to MI tomorrow. The price was $3.86 at a carry-out a couple miles from the Crooked river campground. I didn't notice what the gas price was, but think it was lower. MI is always higher it seems.
I paid $4.59 in Brighton, MI last week on the way down at a Shell station just off 23. I hit a high one, seems the normal was $4.05, the same day I filled in Toledo, OH for $3.60, right down town after getting off I-75 because of an accident.
Its hit or miss, there is nothing we can do about it, unless we stay home and lay on the couch.
RE: Weber Q regulator question
Looks like you have the info above, many of us have done this. I just want to add that the QD outlet on your trailer might be a hard to find ($$) prepietory fitting. Just remove it and get a common QD setup from Home depot or your propane dealer. My Jayco had an odd ball fitting that I replaced.
The removal of the regulator is very easy. I also bought a regulator for a 20 lb tank, put a QD on it for times I'm not taking the trailer. I also tapped into my house propane and put an outlet behind the house and use it while I'm home.
RE: 10 Favorite Photographs from our South West Desert Travels
Great pics! This shows how RVers are taking advantage/excuse of winter to explore this great country, while others are sitting home on the couch wasting away. We are blessed!
RE: installing a house toilet in our trailer
Not sure what you don't like about the RV crapper, if its the fiberglass, then there are other options.
My Jayco came with a porcelin crapper which was a selling point for me, along with the 90 gal FW tank.
RE: Snowbirds returning
Waterbug, looked for morells before the snow, must be too dry.
SnS, probably did pass somewhere, had some rain, but mosly good weather coming back.
Back home, snowed hard yesterday then melted. Then got a couple more inches overnight, had blowing snow most the day, woodburner going strong.
Lesson learned: come back two weeks later next year, see how that goes...
RE: 10 Worst States for Retirement!
Bottom line: "There is no perfect place".
Thats the reason many of us snowbird. During the summer its hard to beat the weather here in northern lower Michigan, very few in my area have air conditioners. But, the winters can be brutal.
And, its hard to beat the winters in Fl or the Southwest.
Snowbirding gives you the best of both worlds.
RE: $18k - What would you buy?
18K would buy a real nice used rig. I know you said new, but there are a lot of TTs out there that were used for a couple camping trips, and thats all, still good as new. TTs take a real big depreciation hit the first couple years, I can tell you that from experience.
Snowbirds returning
I got back Monday from Florida, saw mostly Ontario licened RVs on the road, and a few Michigan taking I-75.
One stop was at the Jackson State Park near London, KY, nice place, I got the last space not taken and felt lucky, the place was full. But, down the road a few more miles was the Renfro Valley if it was full. It was a weekend, but was surprised so many campers this early in the season.
Other stops had plenty of open spots.
Beautiful weather here now, but they saying possible snow on Sunday, aaugh..., hope its the last hurrah.
RE: Why snowbird vs full-time?
I would like to snow bird. I live in az but being single it might be a lonely life without my friends. My family is in the midwest where it's too humid for my liking so summers there is out of the question. Still tossin it around. Being 60+ it may not be the safest thing to do, traveling so much alone.
Nah! I'm 65, single, and have been on the road a lot of winters. Most the RVers on the road in the winter are retired retreads like us. Since your in AZ, I would guess you would be a sunbird, going north in the summer, many do that.
I like camping in a state park near my grandson during the summer, he camps and rides his bike with me, and has a good time with the kids in the campground. I try to do that a couple times a year.
RE: When do snowbirds go south ?
I'm like some of the posters above, I started out just a couple months, and every year stay longer. This year I left right after Thanksgiving in a snow storm (wont happen again!). Not sure when I will return. It gets longer every year.
I live half way between Kalkaska and Lake City, neighbors back home keep me informed of the weather, they had cold blowing sleet today. When the weather breaks, I'll head back.
There are no rules, leave when you want, come back when you want. Check out the southwest, and Florida. Have fun!
RE: SnowBirding fo Dummies
golfknut, those things are not a problem, you will work them out. I am mostly paperless for bills, but thats not a big deal at all, your bills will follow and you can pay by check, if thats what your want to do.
Before I leave I fill out the "stop mail", this can be done for up to 6 months. I make it out for the full 6 months as I modify as I move around. When you get to your RV Park, go to the local PO and fill out the "forward mail" form. Your home PO will forward the mail that has accumulated, and any new as it comes.
The PO has other options, like boxing it up once a week and forwarding it as a package, but it charges for that service. The option above is free.
When you go from one RV park to another, if you know where your going, fill out another "forward form" actually two, and send them to your home, and the current RV park address. Always keep all your bases covered. If you don't know where you are going, use the "stop mail" as above. Then when you get there, do the Forward again.
When you head home, fill out a "forward" for your current PO. And another "stop" mail for you home, but this time put the date in the box that you want them to start/you expect to be home. All your mail will be as before you left.
It sounds more complicated than it is. A visit to the PO a week before you move on, and just ask, they will have all the answers.
As for taxes, I get my my stuff through the forwarded mail, put it all in a big envelope, and send it back home to my tax guy, and let him figure it all out. But, you could do it on you own computer with one of the many available programs.
It would be silly to come home early just to file taxes, if nothing else, just do an online "file for extention". It takes just a couple minutes, and it extends you to October. As long as you don't owe them, there is no problem.
Of course, if there are records of any kind that you will need for the taxes, take them with you when you leave.
RE: Searching for the impossible?
Short answer: There ain't no perfect place.
I'm in Florida (Palm Bay), and it seemed all winter they were saying "record highs", definitely not the coldest winter. I was here three or four years ago, and it was real cold. I went to Phoenix and enjoyed a real warm winter there. This year they were cold. You never know.
AZ is cheaper for RV parks, aren't so packed in. But, have high winds, and colder nights.
FL is higher priced, hardly room to park your truck, but have warmer nights and hardly any wind.
Do you like jungle or desert, dry or humid, etc, etc. Most snowbirds spend time in both areas, decide what they like, and go for it. If we all like the same thing, we would all be there. You have wheels, no reason not to go to both.
Just my opinion, I'm surly not as experienced as most snowbirds.
RE: What's your " OH man did I mess up"
About four years ago, going from Fl to AZ on I-10 or 20 somewhere, I get off needing diesel fuel. A lone station in TX, I pull in and fill up. There is a 5er behind me, but see its not a drive through.
I decide I'll just pull ahead and go over the curb, bad idea! The tilt had the curb catching my Y dump valve. I get back on the road and look in my mirror and see a sewage streak behind me. Only a couple days worth, but not good.
I pull into a shopping center, tanks are empty now, I walk back and get the parts laying on the road. (thanks to the Michigan 5er for helping).
I get to my destination north of Phoenix a couple days later, and I manage to assemble all the parts, nothing broke, just popped apart.
All assembled, I'm at Ben Avery RV park, my arms are covered with sewage, I go inside and turn on the water to clean up, and no water. The campground host comes by and says that they shut off for a repair, it should be back on in a couple hours. I have baby wipes and do the best I can. I turn on the water in the sink so I can hear when it comes back on so I can shower and clean up.
Water doesn't come on in several hours, and I forget about it, go to bed. I wake up to pee about 2AM, and step into ankle deep water in the trailer. Water came on, filled grey tank, and kitchen sink was flowing over. All the kitchen drawers were full of water, etc.
I went out and opened the grey and let it flow, and went back to bed, clean up in the morn. One thing good about the desert, everything was bone dry by noon the next day.
Its funny now, but at the time I was seriously thinking "this ain't worth the trouble".
RE: Passport America vs Enjoy America
PPA has always more than paid for itself for me. I have GS also, but the 10% off, it would take a lot to get the money back. I keep it for the CW discount.
Always call ahead when your on the road to make sure they are still a member, and that the discount applies at the time.
RE: Storing RV in south for summer
Just disconnect the battery and take it inside the trailer. Put a solar charger in the window (about $25 at Harbour Freight). Many storage areas around, prices really vary, shop around.
Or, figure on staying into May, no sense running back to shovel snow, lol.
