RE: First Long Trip
We are leaving tomorrow on our third long trip in our fiver...thought I'd share what we do...
My kids are 11 & 7 and we have a DVD player in our truck, so they tend to get through longer driving distances now than they used to when they were younger. They also bring their summer reading books, some puzzle/activity books and their pillows...so they nap, read, play, or watch movies along the way.
We travel in 200 mile "bursts" which is roughly 3/4 of a tank of gas and about the "bladder max" for all of us - including the dog! LOL
I pack snacks, sandwiches, and softdrinks & bottled waters in a softsided cooler that we keep in the truck with us and if meal time or snack time doesn't coincide with a 200 mile stop then we have our "rolling picnic". Occassionally one of the boys reaches "bladder max" before the 200 mile mark (especially after meals or snack times), and that's when those water bottles (now empty) come in handy...Thank God for little boys! ;-) And tinted windows! LOL
As for laundry and clothes to pack. Typically I pack for 1/3 to 1/2 the number of days we're on the road, which is usually 2 weeks max, so that's anywhere from 5 to 8 days of clothes and I build in laundry days into our itinerary...not much fun for me, but the kids and DH enjoy some quiet campground time amidst all the sightseeing and other activities. It's not all that bad for me either - especially if the campground has plenty of machines or the coin-op laundry isn't busy. (oh...plan on doing laundry mid-week - less crowded!)
As for food...I have learned that the fridge/freezer is only good for 4 days worth of food, so I menu plan in 4-day blocks, and prepare my grocery lists in advance adding only the staples that may have run out over the 4-day period, so on the 4th or 5th days I can zip into the store get just what I need to feed us for another 4-day menu block. Sometimes I adjust the menu along the way to enjoy local specialties or locally fresh produce...and I always build in a couple of dinners out or lunches out based on our itinerary of sightseeing/activity.
The bottom line is it helps to be organized up front...and honestly I find the prep for trip helps build the anticipation of the trip for me...and ultimately results in a successful and happy trip for the whole family.
Good luck with your trip...we're heading out in the morning for a two-week tour of Cincinnati, Indianapolis and northern Indiana, and Lexington, KY. Can't wait!!
Recommendations for Crystal River, Florida?
Headed to "swim with the manatees" in November. Taking a couple of my son's scouts and their moms on this trip. We'll be staying in our fifth wheel and would like to find a nice campground, convenient to local attractions and offering some on-site ammenities for the boys to enjoy. I've done the usual online campground directory searches and found 4 or 5 parks, but reviews run the gamut and I can never tell if some are "paid endorsements" while others are folks out with an axe to grind. Any sincere reviews and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
RE: Does anyone own a 2005 pilgrim 320bh 5ss??
We're on our third Pilgrim product...we started with a Pilgrim fiver, then an Open Road fiver and now have a Legends fiver...have loved them all, just upgrading. IMHO You can't find the quality at this price point in any other brand, and we looked and looked. Many comparable floorplans, but the details really sold us...solid cabinetry work, attention to little details like crown molding, nice fixtures, etc. that give the units a more "finished" look. And Pilgrim has stood behind their products on the occasions we've needed their help - especially recall once when we were in Louisville, KY and they steered us to the closest dealer that would be able to help us out and covered warranty work done by a dealer other than our own! Very helpful. We're also customers of Jim Brown's in Jonesboro...great dealership, great service work. Jim and his crew are great folks! Good luck with your decision.
RE: silverback 35L4QB
We have a similar floorplan by Pilgrim International - the Legends 37 QB4S. We had seen the Silverback and considered it, but I didn't like the way the entertainment center/wardrobe running down the middle was set up (Maybe that has changed)...the Legends has the entertainment center/wardrobes across the rear wall of the unit which opens up the floor space for some chairs or pillows or even more bodies to host a "sleepover". That sold us...otherwise the units are very comparable.
Good luck with your decision!
RE: 5th w 80" in Bedroom
The Open Road and Legends HP series by Pilgrim International have plenty of head room...great units, too...we're in a Legends now, but previously owned an Open Road.
RE: Going without my husband
I often take our two kids on my own...I've gone all over western Georgia for Spring break; from Georgia to TX on another Spring break; made a long weekend trip to Savannah with another mom and her son with us, and recently traveled to Florida for New year's without the hubby (His vacation time is restricted to the summer months). I've never had a problem. I just recommend using common sense, staying on your toes, and being as prepared in advance of the trip with reservations, information, roadside assistance info. etc. in the event you have any issues. Otherwise go have fun!
RE: What to do in Savannah
Since most have replied regarding eats, I'll tell you about what there is to do. I just spent four days in the Savannah/Tybee area with my kids...tons to do! Just northwest of the City is a small town called Pooler that boasts the Mighty Eighth Air Museum...great museum detailing basically the beginnings of our Air Force with the creation of the Mighty Eighth out of Savannah.
In Savannah, the RiverWalk is worth a stroll and some shopping, but it is under construction in several spots right now - undergoing a facelift. As for parking, you can buy a parking pass for 8 dollars that lets you stay the whole day at any of the public parking lots. I also recommend a walking tour. We did the Ghosts and Legends tour in the evening, and while the weather was brisk it was a perfect way to enjoy the architecture and hear some of the many legends and stories surrounding this historic city.
The birthplace of the Girl Scout movement is located at the National HQ for Girl Scouts - the Juliette Gordon Low House...it's a nominal fee to tour and learn about this girl's upbringing and how she came to found the girl scouting movement. The Savannah History Museum is supposed to be very good, but we did not have time to get it in during our last visit.
A visit to Skidaway Island State Park is nice...and be sure to visit the fossil of the sloth in their little museum and walk some of their trails out to the marshes. Not far from Skidaway is the remains of a "tabby" house at Wormsloe...the home of one of the original colonists to arrive with Oglethorpe to the Savannah area. There's a good introductory movie about the history of the site and then a nice walk on the grounds to see the ruins. The oak-lined mile and a half driveway is beautiful!!
Not far from either of those attractions is the University of Georgia's Marine Education Center Aquarium, which has just undergone a renovation and just reopened to the public in October. We did not see it, but it's on our list for next time as well.
We spent a day at Tybee starting with a "Beach Discovery Tour" at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. The tours are on Saturdays and Mondays at 10 a.m. and well worth it...we spent about and hour and half with a researcher from the center looking for sealife and shells in the low tide waters, as well as tidal pools along the breakers - we saw a TON of stuff...and the dolphins chose to also entertain us during the tour. We also seined for stuff just off shore....we rolled up our pant legs and got in up to about our knees...water was cold, but the experience was a lot of fun for the kids.
The Tybee Lightlhouse and Museum is another must see.
Fort Pulaski is another must see and of great historical significance. Again, another great introductory film sets the stage for the visit there. They also do demonstrations within the Fort's walls. On our visit we caught a "musket firing" demo...a uniformed guide gave us a thorough understanding of how involved shooting the weapon was and gave us great persepctive on how challenging fighting in the Civil War would have actually been because of the complexity of the weapon.
We didn't make it to Oatland Island Education Center, but that is also on our list for the future. It's a nature preserve. It's just off Tybee Island headed back toward Savannah.
You'll obviously get to learn about Ft. McAllister while staying there, we didn't get to do that, but it's supposed to be very interesting. Also, Fort Jackson in Savannah is supposed to be very good.
Well, that's what I learned while researching my visit to Savannah. Everything I've mentioned has websites and can be easily searched online for times of operation, fees and access. With a week, you should be able to see and do a lot. We had only 4 days, including two half days of travel to get there, but we made the most of it.
Enjoy your visit!
RE: GA'RVers Winter Rally, Feb 22 & 23, 2008 at Twin Oaks
Just got back from Thanksgiving in Asheville, NC (BEAUTIFUL!)... toured the Biltmore and enjoyed some frosty weather to get us in the holiday spirit!
We're still on the fence about the Winter Rally..and Little Ocmulgee is too far for us for just a two-nighter...being that we're north of Atlanta we have to easily tack on an extra hour to the usual drive times just to get through the city, so that's beyond our driving limits for just a weekend...and Twin Oaks is pushing it too, for that matter.
How about the new and improved High Falls? They've made improvements to some of their loops, put in new bath houses, etc.
Or Indian Springs...
Just throwing out some other ideas...
RE: Best made Fiver, bunk model
I'm partial to the one in the sig...and the quality for the price point is outstanding...and the manufacturer stands behind their products when there are problems. (This is our third Pilgrim!!) This will be the last bunkhouse we'll need before the kids move on.
Pilgrim Legends 37QB4S-H5
RE: Where are all the kids?
Junmy said it...we got kids here in Georgia...and mine are among them...sure we missed a few prime weekends due to Fall baseball, but we also missed a few Saturday games for big camping plans, but that's all behind us now and we've been out every weekend since. Actually staying home this weekend to prepare for Thanksgiving, but taking the holiday on the road.
I think there are occasions where the kids are busy gaming inside or glued to a t.v. too, but the weekends are their unwind time too, so I don't begrudge them that time while on our camping trips. The gaming systems are pretty much permanently in the camper, so our trips are really the only time they get to play them (this helps keep them from being distractions at home when homework and chores need to be attended to)...if there are other kids on the trip and the weather's nice the kids are usually outdoors "fighting" the enemy du jour...robbers, bands of wild indians, aliens, or rogue knights...and if the weather's inclement or they need a break from the great outdoors they come in and "fight" the same evil forces on screen! :B
Oh...and the dog is along for the ride too!
RE: GeoCaching
Laughingfrog - here and there - and we love to geocache...at least my boys and I...can't seem to twist my husband's arm to join us - even though he used to love to go hiking and we often end up on some long walks/hikes in the North Georgia mountains doing these.
Now, every time we plan a trip I run a pocket query for caches in the vicinity of our campground...sometimes we get to do them and sometimes we're just having too much fun relaxing to bother, but either way we're ready for the hunt if the mood strikes us...
Just did about 7 caches in the Savannah area and have some loaded and ready to go for our trip to A H Stephens State Park this weekend...
Fun, fun, fun...happy camping and geocaching!
RE: Camping with teenage girls *giggle, giggle*
Thanks for sharing those great stories, rekindling some of my personal childhood camping memories and reaffirming why we're camping with our kids!
For us the opportunity to bring along friends for the kids is a four-fold blessing...1)our kids want to go camping with us more often and hopefully for many years to come...2) our kids do not become dependent on us for entertainment and enjoy the company of friends in a different environment...3) we get to enjoy the childish *giggle, giggle* and other kid talk (which from our point of view elicits a chuckle)...and 4) we love the opportunity to share our love of camping with kids whose families don't - for whatever reason...and who knows maybe it will be enough to get them out camping one day with their kids!
Can't wait for our next trip...Happy Camping!
RE: Handy Hints, Gadgets, Products & Gizmos
Bay leaf oil?? Where does one buy this? Don't recall seeing it at the grocery store, so I'm thinking it's more of an "essential oil" the kind used in aromatherapy?? Please let us know....
I'd rather wipe a little oil than leave bits and pieces of bay leaf sprinkled around...
Bet it's expensive, otherwise I'd consider a pump spray bottle...:B
RE: Wanting to buy 5th wheel but going crazy...need help
We (and insurance co.) don't believe it was manufacturer defect, but accident damage at the dealership in Michigan that they patched and sold without disclosure...but of course proving that is "our word against theirs", so insurance just filed the claim as road wear damage.
To look at the camper you wouldn't think there was anything wrong because we were not in a wreck and the camper shell was unblemished, but literally Jim Brown told us how lucky we were to not have lost an axle on the drive down to his shop (we were actually taking it to him to work on the sagging tank problem when he discovered that the axle was barely hanging on...)He was at a loss for how this damage could have happened without being in a hard hitting side impact wreck!!!
We were very thankful that no one - us or anyone else - was injured as a result of this damage...and thankful that the insurance company paid off enough for us to pay off the balance of our loan, and thankful that Jim had the Legends on the lot when all of this came down - placing an order for one of these units could have taken 6 - 10 weeks for delivery and we would have missed prime fall camping and possibly our Thanksgiving plans, so everything really did work out for us...of course, we're starting from scratch again with a loan, but we could have ended "upside down" on our previous loan and unable to take out a second RV loan (I didn't realize they don't issue multiple RV loans!), so we could have been out of camping for quite some time. All in all a happy ending for us.
RE: Wanting to buy 5th wheel but going crazy...need help
BK&Family - I'll go one further...and NO, I don't work for Jim or Brown's Camping...but we not only have bought a couple of units from Jim, but we just bought the 4-slide bunkhouse you're looking at...been on two trips so far and a third four-day trip to Savannah is planned the first weekend in November, another trip in mid-November and then a long trip to Ashville for Thanksgiving...and so far WE LOVE IT!!!!
I have boys ages 6 & 10...plenty of room for them and to take along some friends...and I'm positive the camper will be worth EVERY penny the first time we go out and it rains all weekend long! The kids can't complain with that bunkhouse room - enough space to play and even get a little rough - as boys tend to do! ;)
As a matter of fact on the Savannah trip I'm towing it solo and taking along a Mom and her son from our Adventure Guides troop (YMCA scout program)...so we'll have plenty of room and privacy for everyone!
As for Brown's we bought our first fiver - a Pilgrim from him and couldn't have had a nicer experience - purchase and/or service-wise. Our second unit was an Open Road, but we bought it from a dealer in Michigan because it was "such a good deal"...Brown's agreed to service that unit as a "warranty transfer" and Jim always treated us right even though we didn't buy the fiver from him.
Well 15 months later and by no fault of our own (we were not in any kind of wreck!) that unit had to be totaled due to structural damage that we now believe was the reason we got the "great deal"...
Within two weeks insurance paid off and Jim had us in the Legends...and I researched a TON of bunkhouse floorplans...what sold me?
Quality - yes, there are some similar floorplans, but look at the cabinetry and interior finishing touches and you'll see a big difference
Service - not only has Brown's been an outstanding dealer (and I firmly believe you buy not only a camper but a dealer when you buy one of these things!) but Pilgrim has stood behind their product and bent over backwards to satisfy when things weren't 100% just right.
Reputation - Well, aside from the fact that this is my third Pilgrim unit and I've loved the other two...I've been hard-pressed to find too many people reporting bad experiences with Pilgrim units...yes, a lemon occasionally sqeaks by Quality Control, but I can't say that Pilgrim isn't willing to rectify any problems.
The Legends 37QB4S-5H is a sharp looking camper...and yes, the four slides and length scared us, but so far it's been an excellent purchase for us!
Good luck with your decision...and we'd love to see another Legends on the road soon! Yolanda
RE: No campfires allowed boo hoo!!!
Here is Georgia we've had a fire ban all summer and now with the drought in crisis mode we have that to contend with as well, but I'll have to say we don't care much for a fire when it's already 80 - 90+ degrees outside, so we didn't miss them this summer. Now this fall it would have been nice, but here in Georgia they will allow us to use charcoal for cooking, the portable propane "fires", and even the screened firepits like people use on their patios, so it's not a complete ban. Was pricing those screened firepits at the local hardware box stores and they run about $50 - 150 depending on how elaborate you want the thing. The one thing that is holding me back on the purchase though is storage...those things aren't too compact and they'll be sooty, so don't know how or where I'd put it.
Anyway...you might check to see if they specifically ban ALL fires, you may have some options! Have a great trip.
RE: After Christmas in Florida
The Florida panhandle is very nice - we stayed at Topsail Hill Preserve State park near Destin - excellent campground...also can recommend Henderson Beach SP in Destin...we actually have friends from here that spend Christmas and New Year's there. I think the other state park in the region is Grayton Beach (don't quote me on that), but we've heard nice things about that one too...
You can reserve those via recreation.gov and book specific sites with the amenities you need/want...
Good luck and Happy New Year!
RE: Mom with kids looking for other Moms with kids.
God Bless You for your willingness to camp solo with the kids. I do it often with my two sons because my husband's work prevents him from taking vacation time from September to May, so I often take the kids on a Spring Break trip and long weekend trips when they have time off from school. As a matter of fact I've got a trip planned weekend after next to Savannah with the boys...and ironically I'm taking a mom and son from our Adventure Guides circle with us (Someone posted here about the program - it's great here in Georgia and my sons enjoy the activities and I enjoy the bonding time with them).
Here in Georgia we have several camping groups - some affiliated with national camping organizations and others just online groups (Yahoo alone has 3 Georgia camping groups)...and what we have done is attended rallies with those groups...often there will be kids along so they're happy, and I feel more secure camping with the group...but I'll admit I don't have any problems going solo if necessary. Maybe you can find similar groups in Florida as a start. (Do a Yahoo Groups search for Florida Campers or Jacksonville Campers, etc.)
Good luck and don't give up on having great camping experiences with your kids while your husband is away! (and God Bless him for serving our country!!!)
RE: Summer 2008 Vacation Planning - need information
WOW...thanks to the poster about the Hocking Hills area - that looks beautiful...I'm starting to think that rather than Cinncinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago, we might do a little more exploring in Ohio...I never thought much about the state, but it really seems to offer a diversity of activities and history. Maybe the trip will be an Ohio/Indiana trip.
A lot to consider - and a big THANK YOU to all who have shared their thoughts on good places to take the family! Really looking forward to planning this trip.
RE: Table/chairs vs booth for a dinette....
We've had both...and prefer the booth! In our newest fiver we have a U-shaped booth, which is even nicer.
The table and chairs looked nice in our Open Road, but were not easy to get in and out of because the spacing between walls and table was limited, so we had to swivel and dance around the first chair to get to the inside chair. I will say they had ingenious storage under the seat pads and in a lift-top panel on the table, but nowhere near what a booth provides.
The storage is invaluable, and on the off chance we need an extra bed it's nice to have.
Now with the U-shaped dinnette we've seated six for cards, and have even more storage across the U. (Ours has cabinet doors to the interior side and compartment doors on the exterior side, so we can access the under seating space inside or out, as well as from the top - like most - by removing the cushions and lifting the hinged doors.)
