Sad time of year...

[tcmsu]

As the cold weather starts to move in, it seems that summer is finally over. We've got one more weekend camping trip scheduled, and then the trailer gets winterized, and put into storage....This was our first summer with the trailer and we've already got memories that will last a long time. Just seems sad to have to put it away.

Guess I'll just have to start dreaming about what upgrades I'll do next year, and of course, plan more camping trips, and of course look forward to our first trip to the fort......

Anyone else sad that camping season is just about over? (And no I don't want to hear about 12 month camping seasons down south...)

Thanks for listening...

 

[LONE-STAR]

Sorry to say it but our main camping trips are in winter months. No mosquitoes in the winter plus the camp fire feels good doesn't make you sweat .

 

[Disney Campers]

(And no I don't want to hear about 12 month camping seasons down south...)

Thanks for listening...

The seasons just starting

 

[OK GRUMPY]

We are just beginning down here! That would be a depressing thought if I was putting up the camper for the winter. You see down here in the South it's a whole lot more enjoyable to go camping in the Fall, Winter & Spring. I can't really do it in the summer unless its on the Beach or in the creek! LOL!
You go on and dream about next year , I'm glad you are making those memories and your looking forward to more keep it up
I'm kinda excited going out this weekend:

 

[bradisgoofy]

I just put the insurance down to storage. I've only been working 4 days a week (32 hours) since just before Labor day, so no fall trips for us. The season is over until next spring.

 

[Rhonda]

The seasons just starting

Exactly!!

 

[Shan-man]

Man tcmsu, you need to move up that trip to the Fort from early-summer to mid-winter! You need to have a break from the cold and snow, a bright point in the long, dark winter. Instead you are leaving your locally temperate summer camping for a sweltering Florida June? May thoughts of the June sauna warm your winter toes! LOL

I do share some of your sense of the season ending. We are far enough north that I need to drain the tank and water-heater and blow the lines out. But I can't winterize since we are off to the Fort in 2 months... well, I could, but it would be silly. I may winterize when we get home since Jan-Feb have the most hard freezes. Until then I will just set up my dehumidifier in the bathroom and open cabinet and pipe access panels... it puts out enough heat to keep the pipes warm (in NC, at least) and helps the MoHo smell fresh after being stored.

 

[tcmsu]

I'd love to move up the Fort trip, but the thought of towing through snow or storms just doesn't sound like fun to me.....Plus the DD is getting old enough that taking her out of school probably isn't going to happen.

At least its the first week of June.......

Winter dreams: Fort trip plans and electric jack and dual cam sway for the trailer,

On the other hand, if anyone needs a nice summer trip next year because it's to hot down south, Northwest Michigan is hard to beat in the summertime..........

 

[twoWDWfools]

We have our FtW trip in 2 weeks then it'll be time to winterize it. Just hoping for a shorter winter this year so can get it back out sooner.

 

[ntsammy5]

I love getting up in the morning and brushing the snow off the tent!

 

[U.P. North]

tcmsu,

looks like you will be at the fort a week prior us. We will be pulling in on June 13, 2009. Where in Michigan are you? Kinda curious as to what your route of travel will be and I have been looking at the best way down there with a couple over night stops. we plan on leaving mid afternoon thursday and driving 4 to 5 hours and then driving all day Friday and then arrive at the Fort on Saturday mid to late morning or early afternoon.

BTW, we have our last camping trip of the season planned for Oct 24 - Oct 26 at Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio. then it is winter prep time

 

[tcmsu]

U.P North....We're right around Grand Rapids so we'll be coming right past South Bend on the trip. We're pulling in on the 6th and leaving the 14th...Maybe we'll cross paths on the 13th. We're planning on Leaving Thursday the 4th - last day of school for DD and DS, and pulling in to the Fort on the 6th. Four or five hours on Thursday, long drive on Friday, short drive on Saturday arriving mid-day.

We haven't really decided on a drive path yet. Trying to decide between 65 down to Tennesee and then over to 75, or down 65 into Alabama and then cutting across the panhandle. The first night I'm hoping to get somewhere in between Indi and Louisville. I found a great webiste (besides the Dis...) at www.roadcamping.com. It lets you put in any state, highway, etc, and find campgrounds on your route. Either way we go there appears to be campgrounds we can pull into.

This will be the first time we've attempted a trip this long with the trailer so we're not really sure what to do.. Thinking of the "mountains" and towing makes me a little nervous, but I'm guessing we won't decide on a final route until May '09...

Have you done the trip before? Wondering what everyone else has experienced with this same road trip?

 

[BRDof3]

As the cold weather starts to move in, it seems that summer is finally over. We've got one more weekend camping trip scheduled, and then the trailer gets winterized, and put into storage....This was our first summer with the trailer and we've already got memories that will last a long time. Just seems sad to have to put it away.

Guess I'll just have to start dreaming about what upgrades I'll do next year, and of course, plan more camping trips, and of course look forward to our first trip to the fort......

Anyone else sad that camping season is just about over? (And no I don't want to hear about 12 month camping seasons down south...)

Thanks for listening...

I hear ya, tc. I'm in Nebraska and we're counting the days until we're shut down. We just bought the trailer 3 weeks ago, made it out once plus a couple of times in the driveway. Seems a shame to have to mothball it now.

I would also love to camp at FW in the winter, but I also know you can't count on the weather here. A few years ago my brother and I were playing golf on Dec. 24th, but that is not the usual, fer sher!

We have one more planned, for next weekend. As far as I can see that will be the last.

 

[bradisgoofy]

Hey tcmsu, may I suggest, take I-65 all the way to Montgomery, AL. Take I-85 east to exit 9 ( Route 271 ) south, about 5 miles, to US-231. This is a four lane 65mph road that passes round a couple of big towns but does not really slow you down too much. There is a Flying J on the south side of Dothan, AL that is a good place to stop and eat and get your last tank of cheaper fuel before Florida. Then continue south to I-10. Take that east to exit 225 ( US-19 ). US-19 is another four lane 65mph road that passes through some small towns. This is the favorite part of the trip, for me. There is almost no traffic and it goes through some beautiful Florida back country. Go south to Chiefland, FL where you will take ALT US-27 south. This will bring you back to I-75. From there it is on to the Florida Turnpike and then the Western Way Tollroad ( 429 ) and the WDW western entrance. This is only a little longer then I-75 through Atlanta, but I HATE Atlanta and that goes for I-75, too. We have done this route in our 38' motorhome the last two trips and there are no mountains. Other then Nashville, there are no major cities to go through either. I've always taken I-65 to I-24 to I-75 when going to Florida, but I have found taking the above route I arrive more relaxed and enjoy the trip more.

 

[U.P. North]

U.P North....We're right around Grand Rapids so we'll be coming right past South Bend on the trip. We're pulling in on the 6th and leaving the 14th...Maybe we'll cross paths on the 13th. We're planning on Leaving Thursday the 4th - last day of school for DD and DS, and pulling in to the Fort on the 6th. Four or five hours on Thursday, long drive on Friday, short drive on Saturday arriving mid-day.

We haven't really decided on a drive path yet. Trying to decide between 65 down to Tennesee and then over to 75, or down 65 into Alabama and then cutting across the panhandle. The first night I'm hoping to get somewhere in between Indi and Louisville. I found a great webiste (besides the Dis...) at www.roadcamping.com. It lets you put in any state, highway, etc, and find campgrounds on your route. Either way we go there appears to be campgrounds we can pull into.

This will be the first time we've attempted a trip this long with the trailer so we're not really sure what to do.. Thinking of the "mountains" and towing makes me a little nervous, but I'm guessing we won't decide on a final route until May '09...

Have you done the trip before? Wondering what everyone else has experienced with this same road trip?

Sounds exactly like what we are thinking. We did drive down in 2000 or 2001...whatever it was and drove straight thru without the camper. We went down 65 to 75 thru the mountains. We did drive this summer to Gatlinburg, TN with the camper thru the mountains and it really was not to bad, but that is when we decided we needed to trade in our TrailBlazer for something that is more beefier (Toyota Tundra). The mountains really don't bother me, it is driving thru Atlanta towing the camper that does. We have some time to think about it, so I am gonna pay attention to this thread and maybe we can compare notes.

 

[tcmsu]

Well the final camping trip has now been completed, we're in the process of cleaning out the trailer. I blew the lines out earlier this afternoon and am going to be putting in the antifreeze later this week.

What makes it harder, was that it was 80 degrees today in Michigan, the sun was out all weekend, and I'd just love to keep camping....It was great to have one last camping weekend, and just have to look forward to next year......

 

[bwvBound]

Anyone else sad that camping season is just about over? (And no I don't want to hear about 12 month camping seasons down south...)

Sorry ... wish you were here!