RE: PUP camping in NC
I am pretty sure that you can camp at the COE Campgrounds in Va from Nov.1 to April 1 for no charge as long as it is in the primitive areas.(The W/E sites are locked out). State parks are open year round in Va.
RE: best CG at the Outer Banks
2nd for Camp Hatteras-be prepared for wind, great facility for Kids, but take a lot of supplies as the nearest big box grocery (Food Lion) is 18 mi in Avon.
RE: Myrtle Beach to Williamsburg-best route?
Got a scenic route if your interested. Pick up Rt 40 in Stony Creek, Va to Waverly, Then 460 East to Rt. 31 North, Wakefield. Rt 31 North takes you to Surry, where you pick up the free ferry to Jamestown/ Wiillamsburg. Fast-no, but fun when you hit the ferry, very rural route, but few lights and traffic.
RE: 08 Keystone Passport 280BH opinions
We've been on 2 vacations with ours so far. Both times with major rainstorms and no signs of slide leaks. Found a dripping water line that caused some water, but that was all. No doubt you get what you pay for, but this unit (2009) tows very well and is a nice layout for our ever growing group. Try to have a good relationship with the dealer as they will make the repairs for Keystone as needed, important to keep them in your court. Don't take delivery until all your PDI issues are cleared up. Maybe they'll let you spray water on it with the slide out to check for possible leaks. Look under the refer vent, thats where we found our water leak. Make them hook everything up to check water line leaks, a/c issues, furnace, etc.
RE: Oceanfront/Bayfront campgrounds in VA...
Depends on what you want to do. Beach vacation with the family is more First Landing, possibly Kiptopeke. Cherrystone is fun, but good for fishing crabbing, no beach, but good pools and lots of kid activities available. We did a long weekend at Outdoor Resorts in Sandbridge, and were impressed with their facility. Its on the Back Bay with a Beach access pretty much across the street. Pricey, compared to others. I'm sure you know the hookup situation at each.
Most of the beach stuff, restaurants, shopping, etc is in the Va Beach area.
RE: 2009 Myrtle Beach
We are going down this Friday to Piriteland. My brither in law has a 35' fith wheel and pulls it with his toterhome. 63' total. Sounds like it should be fun getting it parked !
Hope you are not in the Inland section, you may need a 2nd slot!
RE: Northbend COE Park info??
We've stayed at most of the COE parks around Buggs Is. Lake and like North Bend, Rudds Creek, Occeneechee (SP), and Longwood in that order.
It really depends on what you want to do on the Lake. If you have a boat, any place is nice, Occeneechee has the best boat ramp area. If you bank fish, most are pretty good, North Bend has a fishing pier.
North Bend has more beach and swim areas than the other parks. We feel like we get more bang for the buck at North Bend, but stock up on supplies as the nearest grocery is 25 min. away in South Hill.
RE: 2009 Myrtle Beach
Avoid the Inland section of Pirateland. Very crowded, they do not avoid putting in units that are too large for the site. I thought people might be exagerating about the golf cart problem, but it is beyond ridiculous. Plan carefully before you decide.
RE: Keystone Passport 280BH VS Coachmen Captiva 290BHS
Just the fact that you might be having some doubts about weight suggests that your 2nd choice might be overweight for your TV. Look at the type of travelling you are going to do, i.e., long distance, hills vs. flat, car full of kids, etc. We take 1 long trip a year so even though our setup maybe close, we feel ok because we don't over tax the TV. As far as the Passport, the slide is not the same as the Zeppelin, in fact it is nothing like the Zeppelin, from the ground up. It's more like the Heartland North Trail. It does use a cable system, but the slideout is only 18", not 3' like the larger slides. I know there are some people with issues, we are not, so far we like it just fine and feel we get a lot for the weight and the money. Make an informed decision, but run a search on any other brand, and you'll see plenty of other issues with just about any manufacturer. Document and maintain a healthy relationship with the dealer.
RE: Passport 290 BH Owners - Likes/Dislikes Experiences?
We have the 290BH. The bunk sizes are 33 X 74 and it is a curtain that separates the room. We've spent one weekend in it with one issue, the labels for the black and gray tanks were backwards. Made for a stinky drain when I filled my tote. You are going to get some feedback on warranty issues. There is an ongoing sticky about exposed wood under the wheel well. It's true. If you have any doubts at purchase, have the dealer re-treat it or undercoat it before delivery. There is another about a leaking slide issue. Ours does not leak as we had it in a major rainstorm for 2 straight days. If you are worried aboout this, have your dealer throw in or install a slide topper. We tow with a 2006 Suburban, tows great. The unit
is comfortable, light, has the space and amenities we like and so far has performed well. It is not the new "Zeppelin". If you have a lot of warranty doubts, purchase an extended warranty. Most people that have these units with no issues love them. This is my third TT, the others from Fleetwood and Gulfstream, both with major warranty issues.
I've seen others on this site, Forest River, Jayco, other Keystone, I think you get the picture. Every manufacturer has units with issues.
If you purchase, maintain a good relationship with the dealer as they will be the people responsible for the warranty repairs as needed. Its good to be informed of these issues, but remember that there are thousands of these units out there, I'm sure most are doing well. As for us, we really like ours, but we are early in the Passport process.
RE: Looking for Beach Spots in Southeastern US
Hunting Island, SC- I'm sure you'll get many replies that say the same. Best Beach in the area. Be sure to take plenty of supplies as the nearest store is 25 minutes away.
RE: 2003 GMC Yukon XL 1500 Pulling Passport 280 BH?
Check out my sig, we've got the next step up and it tows just fine. We use a Husky WDH and a pretty loaded 'Burb. Look into the spread on the trailer axles. They spread them an extra 10" to distribute the weight. It makes a difference. I've towed a few campers and while I wouldn't say it was easier, it's not any harder than the 23 footer I traded in. I travel in 3rd w/ tow gear on. 11.5 mpg. Pull the trigger, and take advantage of the prices.
RE: Bath tub yellowing... is there a fix??
Have you tried a "magic Eraser"? If that doesn't work, you could try it with a hydrgen peroxide product like oxy clean or carpet cleaner with peroxide. As before try in a small spot 1st. Sounds like the dye in the soap caused the stain.
RE: Cherrystone Campground
Because they don't have beach access, Cherrystone has everything else. Pools, game room, movie night, lots of other kids, makes it a good choice for kids. We did a couple of day trips to the Kiptopeke beach access, where there were small waves. You could try the sandbridge area for good beach/surf activities. Sting Rays does not have a good menu for kids, FYI.
RE: Keystone Passport 280bh fails miserably
Chris,
I know a lot of what you are going through is venting because its frustrating to attach yourself to these TT's only to find a sub-standard day at work for one has caused a financial and personal burden for someone else. Ask Keith99RS, we both had the same TT unit that had a major slide issue, mine was fixed, his was replaced. We both sounded a lot like you, but we worked through them by doing the right things, partnering with the manufacturers and dealers to get them onboard to a common cause, getting our TT's fixed. Your getting some push back here because a lot of people own and like these units and are also personally attached, and may never have to go through what you are experiencing. If they are like me, they really want to know how the manufactuer and the dealer are handling this so they will have constructive info should the need arise. I also bought mine through Mcgeorge, so I really have a dog in the hunt. Good luck and keep us up on the details.
RE: Keystone Passport 280bh fails miserably
What did McGeorge's do to fix the original leak? You're not the first person to have the slide out leak on a 08 Passport. We just bought a 09 Passport and "hoping" they fixed the issue. Would a slide out topper work in this case? Sorry to hear about your troubles. Good luck and keep me posted on your progress.
RE: Passport 290BH bunk size
33 X 74. Day one, sure is long, it took a couple of tries to get it in the driveway. A lot roomier than our G Breeze. 1st trip next week!
RE: Half way point b/w philadelphia & myrtle beach??
Try one of these:
Americamps- Ashland, Va
Pocahontas-as mentioned (not off I-95)Chesterfield, Va
South Forty- Petersburg, Va
Jellystone Rv Park-Emporia, Va
RE: West Virginia to Hatteras NC
Careful going down 460, around Disputanta they are doing a lot of road work, down to 1 lane in some areas. Also a heavy Police presence, so keep the pedal soft. Also, to avoid Richmond altogether, try South 288 off of 64E, then take Rt. 10 to 295 through Chester. I'm not sure if it cuts any time, but it keeps you out of the congestion.
