Hello Everyone!
Just taking a moment to introduce ourselves, as we purchasing a new (to us) 2003 26.5 RB!
We'll be driving it home from California to Florida in February over a period of 8 days (short notice, so that's the best we could do for time off of work), and am seeking any guidance from the community in terms of good places to stop (or avoid) overnight (limited sightseeing if we have time).
Mostly, this trip is about getting the rig home in a safe manner at a safe pace.
I somehow caught the LD bug many years ago while I was in grad school (was supposed to be studying but was actually spending my time researching rental RVs as my now-wife and I were planning a trip to a music festival. This was back before my wife and I were married, and somehow found whatever LD forum was in operation back then. There was a wealth of info that helped us make our trip a success even though it was just a Cruise America rental).
Fast-forward to today (almost 15 years later), and our family is in a position to properly afford/handle owning an RV, kids are now 7 and 5 years old, so figured this was a great place to start. Obviously, buying new isn't even an option right now, so we were extremely lucky to find this particular unit which has been factory-maintained its whole life. We're buying from some really great folks who are the original owners, and who have truly loved this RV since new. It was never actually put on the "market," but we were connected to the owners by chance through someone who knows them. They had made the decision to sell only a couple of days prior to that.
So, our maiden voyage home is about a 2400-mile trip, and since we've never done such a long-distance trip in an RV and never even stayed at campgrounds on the two occasions we've rented a class C over the years, we would really appreciate guidance from the community, as other than just searching for KOAs (seems hit-or-miss) and checking the reviews on Trip Advisor, I don't think I really know even where to start planning this route.
Thank you again to all! I've been checking out Lazy Daze forums for over a decade which has kept the bug alive and also kept me appreciating the wonderful community associated with LD, and hope in the future to actually have something useful to contribute back to this group.
Jason
Welcome Jason to the Forum.
We have several members from Florida who have made the cross country trip several times.
I hope they comment and provide some advice on potential routes and the best places to stay overnight.
Good luck with your trip and ownership of a Lazy Daze.
Larry
Congrats on your new-to-you LD, Jason! I hope you and your family have many positive memories with it in the future!
We purchased our 2017 MB a little over a year ago and did a similar route that you will be making, only in the opposite direction. I flew to Orlando, made the purchase, and drove (formerly Bossa Nova, now Nocona) it back to Tehachapi, CA. As I recall, it took me ten days but it can easily be done in eight, especially if you have a second driver (I was alone). Just know that driving a larger vehicle than you are used to is much more tiring than driving a car. You may want to peruse this thread for some possible ideas. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have:
Bossa Nova's New Home (https://www.lazydazeowners.com/index.php?topic=35826.msg224512#msg224512)
My Advice:
Take I-10 to stay away from cold weather.
Determine how much non-travel time you have and pick a handful of things you want to see along the way. Prioritize things that are far from home, as you're less likely to revisit those.
Make it fun. Put some books or table games or food or whatever that the kids don't get at home but will associate with RV trips.
Don't overdo it. The last thing you want is for the rest of the family to dread returning to the RV after the first long trip.
This site is full of wisdom for traveling long distance with a family in a RV:
20+ summers of RV road trip travels across the USA and Canada | Lolo's... (https://www.cross-country-trips.com/)
Long Driving Days Tips - Avoid consecutive long driving days | Lolo's... (https://www.cross-country-trips.com/tips/avoid-consecutive-long-driving-days)
Enjoy!
Rich
congratulations and wish i bought a motorhome when kids were young ... good move.
on recreation.gov when you scroll down there is a section for Trip Builder. In my last three trips and next two trips I used this tool very extensively. I stayed in KOA only once and there is no comparison between commercial campground and campground recreation.gov offer (at least for our need). Other tool I use is google map, you can search for RV camping/state park etc. close to current view.
Before getting the RV last Feb I collected few apps which does help finding good campgrounds but with recreation.gov and google map I never had to use any other app.
As for sight seeing, I keep this map handy .... I change the sharing so that you can see parks on your way ... although it says parks but it has two tabs/legends one is for parks and other one is the campsite research done by a couple few years ago, they are now travelling in Europe.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1BMcV-fP28M7AnOaiLkIR9d78A2MdgdOm&usp=sharing
Wishing you a safe travel and enjoy new motorhome (to you).
Wow, thank you all for the warm welcome!
Thank you for the wisdom and pointers (which we'll follow), and the recommended links -- I'll be checking all of that out today!!
Jason
Jason,
Over the past 6 years of travel in our ‘15 RB, I have cut back on long hours behind the wheel.
A good rule of thumb for MPH is on average of 45 mph. This accounts for rest stops, gassing up the rig (never travel with less than 1/2 a tank of gas-never know where gas stations or traffic jams will be).
For your 8 day 2400 mile journey, at 62 mph (averaging out to 45 mph as noted above) this will work out to 300 miles a day around 6.5 hours of daily drive time.
300 miles a day is a comfortable pace. I’ve done 10 hours or more during a one day journey. This pace takes a lot out of me. No more.
Enjoy your nu-2-u RB. Drives easy. Watch the tail swing of the rig. It swings pretty wide. Take the driveways on an angle if possible. Dips in driveways (gas stations etc) can drag the rear skids a bit.
Nuff said. Enjoy the journey.
Kent
Jason,
The "Finding a campground apps" we use the most in North America are:
<https://www.allstays.com/> This site shows (on a map) both private and public campgrounds along with fuel stops and more.
<http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/> This shows most of the government (city, county, state and federal) campgrounds.
<https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/> There is a $50./year fee for using this site but is well worth it and gives one a chance to meet other RVing friends.
Yes, it winter and you do want to travel as far south as possible back to springtime here in Florida. It is way early but trees are now budding and we are getting a few orange blossoms on out trees.
We have overnighted in a few Texas, Alabama, & Florida rest areas. Even though there are no "Overnight parking" that is not usually enforced.
You can also get a WalMart app that shows their locations and phone #'s. Call ahead and ask if they allow overnight stays. Cracker Barrel allows overnight in their RV parking area.
What part of Florida are you returning to?
Jason,
The "Finding a campground apps" we use the most in North America are:
<https://www.allstays.com/> This site shows (on a map) both private and public campgrounds along with fuel stops and more.
<http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/> This shows most of the government (city, county, state and federal) campgrounds.
<https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/> There is a $50./year fee for using this site but is well worth it and gives one a chance to meet other RVing friends.
Yes, it winter and you do want to travel as far south as possible back to springtime here in Florida. It is way early but trees are now budding and we are getting a few orange blossoms on out trees.
We have overnighted in a few Texas, Alabama, & Florida rest areas. Even though there are no "Overnight parking" that is not usually enforced.
You can also get a WalMart app that shows their locations and phone #'s. Call ahead and ask if they allow overnight stays. Cracker Barrel allows overnight in their RV parking area.
What part of Florida are you returning to?
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the links, I'll take a look. We're heading back to the Gainesville area.
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On our way home, depending on when we depart the Los Angeles area, we might either stop near Joshua Tree or (if we leave early the next day), somewhere in AZ about 300-400 miles from LA. From there, I'll need to fill in probably 2 separate overnight stops until we get to Canton, TX KOA maybe.
I'll be following the advice of Kent and Rich and taking it easy in terms of miles per day as best as I can.
Reading all about "Nocona's" voyage home right now, great info!
Welcome to the Neighborhood Jason. If you decide to take I-10, which is the route we’d take, try to avoid El Paso, and especially San Antonio, and Houston during rush hours. Those cities will add considerable travel time to your trip.
Safe travels.
I-10 is the route to take in winter; just be aware that the road is in marginal-to-poor condition in every state that it goes through. You've received some good information and suggestions from others, and you have some time before making the trip to do additional route and "stays" research. There are many current traffic check web sites, including each state's DOT website; this is only one:
Real-Time Traffic Conditions : I-10 Exit Guide (https://www.i10exitguide.com/real-time-traffic/)
Understand that traveling in a motorhome is slower than car travel, not only because of road conditions but also because you will not be driving at the same speeds (or, you shouldn't be, IMO) as you do in a car. Try to stop every couple of hours to walk around and stretch; and, with kids, add time to stop, feed, and run the starch out of them. ;) You will be driving a large vehicle, and you are likely to be unfamiliar with how it handles and responds; judging distances and clearances and lane position will take some practice.
Definitely plan your driving time to avoid the heaviest traffic around large cities, and plan your overnights in advance as well as you can. There are a LOT of RVers on the roads now, far more than in the past, and places to stay may be scarce and far between. I also suggest driving on the top half of the tank and fueling before you stop for the night; that way, you can get on the road early in the morning without being concerned about having to stop for gas soon after you get underway.
Be sure to post a "trip report"!
P.S. I agree with Mike Coachman's suggestion of the Allstays app; very useful.
As others had said I-10 for winter route is ok. Take it easy. Enjoy the ride. Keep your blood sugar up. Getting into a 'spousal discussion' on the road is never a good idea.
Joshua Tree is a good stop. The land just before the entrance off of I-10 is BLM land - free camping.
Don't buy a full tank of gas in California. Az is cheaper even on I-10. There are Costco's all along the I-10 - they will save lots of $$.
Escapees RV Club (Home) · Freedom Driven (https://www.escapees.com/) has a few RV Parks on your path. They has cheaper LP gas.
BTW welcome aboard.
glen
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On our way home, depending on when we depart the Los Angeles area, we might either stop near Joshua Tree or (if we leave early the next day), somewhere in AZ about 300-400 miles from LA.
Reading all about "Nocona's" voyage home right now, great info!
Thanks! If departing Los Angeles later in the day, about four hours east on I-10 is a free dry camp area called Chiriaco Summit Campground. Reservations are not needed, just check in with the host when you arrive. We stayed there on the last night back from our Arkansas trip. While there, you can visit the General Patton museum if desired.
Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chiriaco+Summit+Campground/@33.6633592,-115.7273564,15.64z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x80da79af8e4bb497:0xd3c97e5b4c5803be!2sChiriaco+Summit,+CA+92201!3b1!8m2!3d33.6608533!4d-115.7213795!3m4!1s0x80da79a5e62f8951:0xe098d7b91ff0023c!8m2!3d33.663256!4d-115.7232644)
General Patton Memorial Museum - Chiriaco Summit (https://generalpattonmuseum.com/)
Note that Escapees parks, if overnights are even permitted, require membership in Escapees.
Jason,
Wow! 8 days isn’t much. Me and the lady flew to Grand Junction, Co and bought our ‘01 RK back in November. We went to Salt Lake City for some batteries and a 2 day visit with friends which did not leave much time for sightseeing although we were able to squeeze in Arches, Canyonlands and Mesa Verde National parks with a quick jaunt into Santa Fe. The rig drove like a dream! Easy to drive, smooth and comfortable. A stove top coffee maker while not plugged in and an electric heater when we were because the coach heater is rather loud were my favorite quick additions.
As the others have said, San Antonio and Houston are not fun in rush hour. There is boondock camping in Schreiner park in Junction, Tx and it has a river and playground which can be found on freecampsites.net.
Happy travels
Chris
Thanks again everyone! I'll check out the Chiriaco Summit Campground -- seems interesting and gets us walking distance to grab some dinner. The kids would enjoy checking out the military hardware too.
Joan, I laughed at your comment about running the starch out of the kids. So true! Especially for our two boys. They'll enjoy this adventure, but we're definitely going to have to focus on helping them burn off their excess energy every day if we want to keep it that way! If I don't get to post along the way, I'll be sure to let everyone know how it went when we get back. I'm still planning this out, and will probably try to place reservations at specific parks
And Glen, thanks for your suggestion...we don't have a Costco here in our town, so never got a membership, which doesn't mean getting a membership is not an option of course. But we do have a Sam's membership (at least some/most have gas, I think). Do folks find it worthwhile to seek out a Costco or Sam's on a trip, or mostly just stick to the Flying J type places?
The current owners, again we're so lucky to have been put in contact with them -- they're amazing people -- have filled up the gas tank specifically so we don't get hit with filling up in CA. And, they're letting us ship a few things out to them in advance so that we don't have to carry as much on the plane out there.
Greg, or anyone familiar with LA traffic, if we're leaving LA (Harbor City) on that first day (it's a weekday), heading toward Joshua Tree, by what time do we need to depart to avoid really bad traffic -- by that I mean stop-and-go/parking lot traffic?
After we arrive in LA mid-morning, we're going to spend a couple of hours getting an orientation by the current owners, so likely earliest we could leave is around 1-2pm. I'm thinking that's probably pushing it?
Don't buy a full tank of gas in California. Az is cheaper even on I-10. There are Costco's all along the I-10 - they will save lots of $$.
BTW welcome aboard.
glen
Just FWI, gas at Coachella Costco (I-10 Exit 131 ) was $3.90 on 12/28/21 and 1/7/22. Gas in Quartzsite was $3.69 on 1/2/22
Hi Glen, sorry you weren't at Q.
Joel
Escaping LA
Every day is different, but looking at traffic at 5pm today, it’s 3.5 hours from Harbor City to Chiriaco Summit. So leaving at 2pm would imply arriving at 6pm. Yes, that’s a long time, arriving in the dark, tough for a first stop. Do you have an option to stay where you pick up the rig for the night?
In addition to the BLM campground at Chiriaco Summit, there is also BLM camping at the Joshua Tree entrance, the exit before Chiriaco Summit.
I purchased my LD near LA. Actually not far from the mother ship, picked up a tee shirt for each the wife and me. I also picked up a good plug in power protector. Spent one night in town close to help (the PO suggested it). The costs at the LD for the line protector was not that different than online. I forget the brand but the folks here will know what is good, also that was 2011.
The second stop was Joshua Tree. Third was Elephant Butte NM. After that kinda beelined through TX staying in the rest areas. Texas has to many nice campgrounds, don’t do that. This was also the point at which I turned a bit north taking I40 as I was heading to VA.
Have a blast! You have plenty of time for the trip and a day to two at selected camps. This is a get acquainted trip more than a discovery trip. Be sure to check in with the SELD Facebook group. They are a wonderful group and have a treasure trove of campsite info in the SouthEastern USA.
John
Do folks find it worthwhile to seek out a Costco or Sam's on a trip, or mostly just stick to the Flying J type places?
It's hard to save anything on gas if you have to travel out of the way to buy it. Flying J / Pilot typically has competitive prices, often has RV lanes, and you can save a little with a rewards card.
You can save much more by filling up in states with lower fuel taxes.
Gas Taxes by State 2021 (https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/gas-taxes-by-state)
Rich
If there are no winter storms predicted for the southern plains or lower Mississippi Valley, I-40 is a good alternative to I-10. It's good road, Oklahoma City is the biggest city between Albuquerque and the Mississippi River (1100 miles<>), and it's relatively small and easy to get through. Plenty of Love's, Flying J's or Pilots along the way. As others have said, driving on the top half of the tank is comfortable, so gas price isn't as issue. It's a must have. Good luck with your maiden voyage. Hope it's a fun and pleasant trip for all however you go!
Bill
As Dave pointed out, the drive from Harbor City to get anywhere near Joshua Tree is a long one; it's also unpredictable in "on road" time, not only due to traffic, driving a large, unfamiliar vehicle, navigating unfamiliar freeway systems, and hoping to get to a stopping place before dark, but just dealing with the overall excitement overload of picking up the rig, including trying to absorb a lot of information in a pretty short time while one part of your head is focused on getting out of Dodge can make the process more stressful.
Just a suggestion, but you might want to ask the sellers for ideas of a nearby place to spend the first night and begin the trip east the next day. There's no good time to drive the freeways, but traveling between about 9:30-10:00 and 2:30- 3:00 is usually less congested. Usually; no guarantees!
Safe travels!
As a money saver, often we stay at Cracker Barrel parking lots for free and "boondock". Try to find a somewhat level surface so you are comfortable walking around and sleeping in the RV.
"...there is also BLM camping at the Joshua Tree entrance"
---
Just a caution on this area: soft sand is not necessarily readily apparent on either side of this little road. As some can attest, it can be pretty easy to misjudge the surface and get one's rig mired in deep sand. :(
"...there is also BLM camping at the Joshua Tree entrance"
---
Just a caution on this area: soft sand is not necessarily readily apparent on either side of this little road. As some can attest, it can be pretty easy to misjudge the surface and get one's rig mired in deep sand. :(
We spent three days, last week, at Joshua Tree, the boondocking area at the south entrance is very soft. Passing by, I saw a bus buried up to its axles.
It had rained recently and the sand was moist, which normally provides better traction and floatation.
I suggest walking the access road or using a toad to find a spot with a hard surface before commiting your LD to it.
Larry
We’ll second the idea of staying close to your pickup point the first night, then cross LA EARLY the next morning. We live on the west side, and when we head east on the I-10 we always try to be moving by no later than 6:00 am. The lighter traffic reduces the stress load a lot! A GPS might also be helpful in navigating the So Cal maze of freeways, as would a paper map of the freeway system for an overview. Have fun! — Jon&Loni
Thanks for the advice yet again! I talked with the current owners to inquire about places to stay near there, and they actually offered to let us just stay in the RV, plugged in, at their home overnight that first night. As I've said, they are just the most amazing, genuinely kind people.
Leaving LA around 6am the next day won't be too difficult as that's 9am Florida time!
So that changes things. Now it's on to planning the first stop about 300-400 miles out from LA. Since our departure time has changed (and is now more appropriate) and our main focus remains getting back to FL at a safe and comfortable but time-efficient pace, we'll have to skip Joshua Tree this time.
Jason
I’d still be targeting the Joshua Tree area first day, to get a feel for the new vehicle, still close enough to the resources of LA/mothership to address things, but that’s just me.
Quartzite works at about three hundred miles, there should other Laze Daze owners around.
Pretty sparse after Quartzite for a first day destination.
If Joshua Tree is a "firm" plan, I suggest not taking a chance on getting a site; making a camping reservation is advisable, IMO.
Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm) has the information you need to find out about the campgrounds in Joshua Tree and make a reservation through rec.gov.
Whatever you decide to do, try to avoid the large cities during commutes times. Your first challenge will be Phoenix. I’ve found about 300 miles a day works pretty well. Don’t trust the travel times Google implies, it will take a considerable amount longer.
For the first couple days until you get used to the vehicle, if this were me, I would top off the gas tank at Ehrenberg, just across the AZ border, then would overnight at Quartzsite, leaving the next morning to get through Phoenix after the morning commute. One of the fun parts of RV traveling is the planning!
We haven't tried driving through Phoenix since they opened the new section of the 202 on the south-west side of the metro area. We usually take the 85/I-8 bypass around the Phoenix metro area.
Art
Welcome to the LD Forum.
IMO it would be wise to absolutely avoid Phonix morning/evening commute traffic.
We had business in Mesa (suburb) of Phonix a few months ago.
It took us almost three (3) hours to traverse the city in our LD from west to east. And we thought Las Angeles was difficult. The traffic is insane!
Take the bypass if at all possible.
Cheers and Happy Camping,
Tony R. (aka codefour)/font]
Hi Jason
Welcome to the family. I still remember the first trip from Boston area back to Michigan when we bought our 2004 MB in 2011, a long while ago. The trip was very exciting. Now looking back, I could have planned and prepared better. There is a useful website "allstays.com" allows you to find free overnight stay such as Walmart stores, gas stations, truck stops, etc. There are also private rv parks, state, county, and city parks where you can stay overnight with shore power and water.
Walmart Locations Store Details & Parking | Walmart Store Locator (https://www.allstays.com/c/wal-mart-locations.htm)
Have fun for your trip
Hi Jason, no one has mentioned getting to I-10 from Harbor City, but if I were you I would be asking for advice not only from the seller, but from those on this list familiar with the LA area. That may very well be the most challenging part of your trip. I agree with the advice of staying the first night at Quartzsite and avoiding Phoenix via the bypass using I-8. Take it easy and have a great trip.
Rich - ex 2000 MB - Birch Bay, WA
Rich’s comment about getting from Harbor City to I-10 is on point; navigating the freeway systems needs pre-planning. Freeway signage on SoCal freeways is generally good, but having the routes in one’s head in advance will help to avoid confusion. I’d use a current, detailed paper map with “exploded” sectional views of the road systems, but others might prefer to use Google (not consistently reliable, IMO) or other.
One other note -- Indian Casinos. There is one just outside Palm Desert off of I-10 . You can't miss it very large signs. It's hard top parking lot camping but the price is great. Free. It's a very large parking lot. Many long haul truckers spend the night there also.
Home - Spotlight 29 Casino (https://www.spotlight29.com/en/)
glen
.
I have no idea of youe new LD’s overall condition or mileage. I assume you have seen this LD and it has been mechanically checked out and is ready to roll out on an eight day trip.
2400 miles is a longs way to take an unknown LD of this vintage. We have owned our 2003 LD for 19 years and know a bit of the types of issues that can occur. Todays project, rebuilding the leaky toilet.
How old are the tires? Are the batteries in good shape, along with the brakes, cooling system, transmission-mounted parking brake's oil level, and suspension?
If you answer “no" or "I don’t know" to any of the above, you need to have a plan B if a mechical breakdown occurs.
Shops willing to work on motorhomes can be tough to find and when you do, it may be days or weeks before shop time and/or the parts are available. Not to rain on your parade but things happen on long maiden voyages with used rigs, it’s best to be ready in case something happens in the middle of nowhere..
Definitly get a towing plan before you leave, we have used CoachNet for two decades, with good results.
Best RV roadside assistance | Committed to your safety | Coach-Net (https://coach-net.com)
Safe travels
Larry
Hi everyone,
Thanks for the continued advice, I’m actively listening to all of it, and making adjustments based on your advice. I continue to be grateful for this community and it’s combined wisdom, which is clearly evident with each post. It’s quite humbling.
Yes, I’ll be going over the LA exit route in-person with the current owners, (in addition to the pre-planning I’m currently doing). Since we’ll be camping overnight at their house, there will be time to do that comfortably.
—————————-
Larry, I agree with everything you said. The chassis has been maintained religiously, and all was recently checked out at the local Ford dealer. It has 63,000 miles on it, and the front-end suspension was reconditioned in the last year as well. The current owner drives it on a 20-mile trip every week, also religiously every week since new when not on a trip, to help avoid issues that can happen from sitting too long.
The tires (all 7 including spare) are brand new Michelin Agilis LTs.
We have a Good Sam Roadside assistance plan in force.
There are inherent risks in all of this, trying to plan for unexpected occurrences as much as possible, but I do trust — to the extent possible — that the mechanicals are ready for the journey based on my conversations with the current owner. There are no guarantees of course — something perfectly maintained and working perfectly today can be a total disaster tomorrow.
The coach itself has been maintained by LD and Todd confirmed that. That includes resealing the roof at LD last spring, new A/C, etc. Again, all that is helpful information, but things can still happen.
I will ask about the parking brake fluid. Had not thought of that and appreciate the heads-up!
I’m a lifelong LA area dweller and know our crazy quilt of freeways pretty well. The hardest part for those unfamiliar with the area is all the jumping around from freeway to freeway, especially near downtown LA. It’s not unheard of to use up to six for a single trip! Luckily, you have a easy route to the 10 from Harbor City by taking the 110 North to the 91 East which will eventually take you to the 10 East. Weekday work commute traffic on the 91 East usually eases up after 9AM. Good luck!
Larry, I agree with everything you said. The chassis has been maintained religiously, and all was recently checked out at the local Ford dealer. It has 63,000 miles on it, and the front-end suspension was reconditioned in the last year as well.
The tires (all 7 including spare) are brand new Michelin Agilis LTs.
We have a Good Sam Roadside assistance plan in force.
Since no mention of the preparation was mentioned, I wanted to make sure that you have a good chance of arriving without issues. Too many who have done similar trips only have a breakdown(s) along the way.
Do have the parking brake oil level checked, it is an invisible item that few mechanics know about. Leakage in the brake unit is common and if the brake's oil reservoir runs dry, the bearings will seize and tear the unit up, stopping you in your tracks. Sometimes the seize-up is so severe and sudden that it rips the tail housing off the transmission, about a $8000 repair and a few weeks to acquire the needed parts. Best to be avoided.
The transmission-mounted parking brake was used between 1996 and 2007.
Before is a link on finding and filing the braking brake oil reservoir, I suggest printing the photos and text and giving them to the mechanic. Many here have had to do this after their mechanic swears there is no such thing. The parking brake has a small oil reservoir, only a few ounces. A small leak can drain the reservoir in a short time.
As mentioned, very few mechanics know about the parking brake or its need for oil, this type of brake has not been in widespread usage for over 60-years.
Parking brake oil fill | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157627503762313/)
Have an uneventful trip
Larry
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick note as an update and a chance for me to say thank you again for all the wonderful advice (which we followed). We have returned to Florida with our new-to-us RB from California. The trip, while not as long as we would have liked, allowed for a safe pace on I-10 (which is an absolute piece of garbage for almost its entirety -- we were warned on here to expect that), and allowed for us to stop and see some really great state parks and things like Caverns of Sonora. Kids loved it all.
The RV performed flawlessly down to the last detail, but it does need some suspension upgrades for sure. There were no surprises -- a testament to the maintenance this rig has had its whole life and to the quality of the original construction.
I've been reading the posts about suspension upgrades (Larry and others) and I'll be lining up the other preventative maintenance items that I've read on here (hoses, fluids, pulleys, endcap/window sealing, etc) and thinking about which direction I want to go in, in terms of spark plugs (it has the IC2E head, chassis manufacturing date of 1/2003).
Thanks again for all the great advice in getting us ready for this trip!
Jason
Nice to hear you have the IC2E heads. We have the same on our May ‘03 TK chassis.
Congrats and glad you made it back safely and trouble-free! Enjoy your new rig!
I'm proud to belong to this tribe! What a lovely welcome to a new owner traveling cross-country!
Kristin - from Alaska for a few weeks in Arizona to escape from the snow and ice -- one could only hope for this much help to travel with a new RV! Love you guys!
Southwest ideas are welcome too, for some of us!
Congrats on your shakedown cruise.
One down ,《buffer overflow》to go.
See you down the road
Yay another Florida owner of the most wonderful LD.
Not sure if you are in possession yet but this Saturday is the annual Yalaha Bakery Southeast Area LD get together. 10am.
Yalaha Florida
Thanks again!
Spartan, we unfortunately will not be able to make it to Yahala this time, too much catching-up at work to do. (The cost of a short-notice 8-day vacation, to go grab this rig when it became available to us, but well worth it.) Thank you for the invitation!