I could use some help please...

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

WOW, so much information! I'll have to read it all a few more times to absorb it all. Thanks everyone!

Has your DH tried one of those over the ear alarms to keep him from going to sleep? I can't remember what it's called, but my sister and I bought my dad one because he drives from Orlando to Ohio straight through twice a year, so we wanted to be sure he stayed awake. If he even tilts his head funny, the alarm goes off. Even if he didn't drive more than he does now, at least you might not feel you have to be watching him every minute. That's probably more stressful for you than doing the driving yourself!

As far as where to stop, I would figure out how many hours you would comfortably be on the road before you need a break, multiply that by about 60 (miles), and that would be approximately how many miles you should go before stopping for the night. So if you feel comfortable at 7 hours (drive time, not including meal breaks, etc.), then you would be able to travel 420 miles before stopping, and should look for RV parks in that vicinity. We've found this to be a pretty good way to estimate where our overnight stops should be on road trips.

I don't think the alarm would work- first off he's the type to sleep thru his alarm at home and I have to nudge him to wake him up because it woke ME up. LOL and so he wouldn't wake up but me and the kids would = me still not getting any sleep. LOL
Yes, it's more stressful for him to drive once he gets tired- and he gets tired quickly when he's driving- than for me to just drive myself! That's why last time (in vehicle) I did most of the driving.

I know it sounds weird- but we're probably comfortable driving more than 7hrs. I drove right at 7hrs (straight- me alone with 3 young kids, one toddler that was nursing at the time and another time when they were a bit older more recently) just to get to my sister's house STILL in Texas. Us Texans are pretty used to driving long distances for anything really. Last time Jeff drove about 8hrs during the day- started getting "noddy" (as I call it- visibly getting tired) and I drove the other just over 16hrs straight... only stopping to eat at one restaurant and a few stops at gas stations for gas and potty breaks and snacks- ate food from the cooler the rest of the time. It was a breeze really... too bad driving puling the trailer wouldn't be as easy. I was a bit tired when we got there- but we didn't have anything planned for that day besides checking in our rented house and going somewhere to eat. LOL

Even if you weren't making the trip to FtW - you need to learn how to do everything related to pulling the trailer. You need to know how to get the RV prepared to hook up - then to hook it up - and how to drive & back it up - as if you were making a solo trip without the help of your DH.

If you can - go for several test drives so that you are comfortable with handling the trailer. Go to an empty parking lot and practice backing. Drive it at night. Do everything you can think of in regards to driving before leaving for that long drive to FtW. Especially - get some interstate driving in. Some semi drivers love to "swoosh" people driving RV's and a trailer can get pretty squirrely & start swaying - even with sway bars and stabilizers.

In other words - practice a lot before leaving. Don't learn as you go.

It's a good idea to know these things ahead of time in case DH is not able to drive & you HAVE to.

eh..... I'm not really interested in learning all that. I know I probably should- but just don't wanna. I mean especially if I'm not driving at all on the trip to Florida... seriously just don't have the desire to even though I probably should. LOL There is no way I'm ever going to be able to hook and unhook it. nope, nevah gonna happen. LOL
IF I drove at all during this trip- it would only be driving on interstate and need to be able to pull in/out of a rest stop or something to switch drivers. And even that is what I'm scared I might not be able to do. i'm not fond of driving in big cities even in my vehicle! I do it.. but I'm not fond of it. While doing so I'm always wishing I was home in my small town. LOL Me no likey that bumper to bumper stuff and exits all wacky where if you miss them then you're basically LOST trying to find your way back somehow. LOL

Look for KOAs along your route. They are usually a decent place to stop at and have a late check in system. We have arrived as late as 2 am and it is not a problem. They have a list of open campsites and a form to fill in with your billing information. You can either go to the office and settle up with them in the morning or if you need to leave before the office opens, they will just bill your card.

We also have stayed overnight at FlyingJ truck stops. Most of them have an area for RVs but not everyone is comfortable with that.

I hope this helps and happy camping.

Al

What are KOAs? Sorry I have no idea.
Thanks for the info though... one time we went camping we did arrive late like that but we were there late enough for the office to be open on the day we left. Another time we went to one place- can't remember for sure but I think it was a state park type place- and that one closed at a certain time so we were booking it trying to get there in time and barely made it. Not sure what we would have done if we didn't make it in time. LOL That's what I'm worried about- that even if we guestimate pretty closely that we need a place that we're not left stranded with no place to go for the night if we miss a cut off time... we need a place that it's okay to arrive late!

For finding campsites along the way I recommend RVParkReviews.com, they have scads of guest reviews of thousands of Parks.

Thanks! I'll check it out!

If you would like to make the trip in 2 very very long days, I would suggest traveling as far as Lafayette, La. which would take about 8-9 hours from Dallas assuming you will be coming down I-49 from Shreveport. There is a KOA near Lafayette, but I would call for a reservation. The trip from there is about another 12 hour day. If you want to go longer the first day I would stay at Bay St. Louis (Hollywood Casino has a nice campground with pull throughs so as not to have to unhook). From there it is about an 8-9 driving day. Naturally, everything depends on traffic and how many stops you make along the way! The absolute worst part of the drive for us is having to go through Baton Rouge which should be avoided between 7-9 in the mornings and 4-7 in the afternoons. Good Luck.

Our definition of very long days might be different. We were thinking more like a very very long day Sat (longer than you're saying really I think) and then sleep somewhere somehow.. and then a shorter long day on Sunday. DH is a morning person- so we were thinking if I DON'T drive at all (which I probably won't- ateast I don't want to LOL) we will take off mega early- all of us others getting more sleep in the vehicle because I needn't worry about him getting sleepy until late afternoon atleast or evening. Then on Sunday same thing- we can start out really early and me/kids can still get more sleep if needed. I'm a nightowl and tend to sleep later anyway so I thought that might work. Just needed to figure out where to go overnight.
But now that I think about it- even though it will be May it will be NIGHT TIME and likely not as hot duh.. so maybe we could get away with pulling in a rest stop or truck stop and sleeping there overnight even without a/c?

Do you think those times you mentioned will still be problem times on the weekends? Just making sure because those sound like rush hours due to normal workday hours like during the week?

The only time we made it from Lafayette in 12 hours was when we weren't pulling the 5th wheel. Those times took us closer to 14! Were you pulling when you made that good time? Maybe it was the time of day we went through certain cities?


The KOA is Lafayette is very convenient to the I-10 (and costs 45.00 per night). And you would need a reservation because alot of locals visit over the weekend. For that $, I'd rather pick a hotel whenever I got tired enough to stop.

There just aren't too many campgrounds between there and the one in Milton FL that are close to the interestate.

See this thread for someone a while back looking for the same thing.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2043560

thanks!
To us $45 is way less than we could find a hotel for our family of 5 to stay overnight. That still seems like a bargain to us. LOL if we can find a bargain type hotel (I can live with anything except BUGS- for a short time overnight!) then we'd probably do that.... but most places we'd have to smuggle in our 5th family member. LOL
Thanks for the link- i will check it out!

 

[clkelley]

KOA - Kampground of America

www.koa.com

 

[clkelley]

eh..... I'm not really interested in learning all that. I know I probably should- but just don't wanna. I mean especially if I'm not driving at all on the trip to Florida... seriously just don't have the desire to even though I probably should. LOL There is no way I'm ever going to be able to hook and unhook it. nope, nevah gonna happen. LOL
IF I drove at all during this trip- it would only be driving on interstate and need to be able to pull in/out of a rest stop or something to switch drivers. And even that is what I'm scared I might not be able to do. i'm not fond of driving in big cities even in my vehicle! I do it.. but I'm not fond of it. While doing so I'm always wishing I was home in my small town. LOL Me no likey that bumper to bumper stuff and exits all wacky where if you miss them then you're basically LOST trying to find your way back somehow. LOL

I know you are not interested BUT you really need to. If your spouse gets sick or injured and you have to get that rig home somehow, it's either learn to do it yourself or hire someone.

Also, GPS navigation systems are WONDERFUL and have gotten really inexpensive. Even with your spouse driving, lets say you get detoured on the highway, they will automatically find a new route for you and get you going again, or if you miss that critical exit, it will get you back on the highway in the correct direction in no time!!

(One time driving to Disney, there was something going on the interstate and we were told to get off by the state troopers. My navigation realized I was no longer going the way I was supposed to, recalculated the route, and got me right back on the highway within 25 miles.)

Some of then sense when you are stuck in traffic on the interstate and after going less than 5 MPH for 1 mile, will reroute you off the interstate to get try and get past whatever the backup may be.

 

[Shan-man]

I have to agree with Carol on this one... you need to learn how to at least drive your rig enough to get yourselves out of a jam. My wife refuses to even get behind the wheel anymore (used to be she'd drive rest area to rest area, at least) and the last time I had an allergy attack we just parked in a drug store parking lot overnight until the meds took effect. I would say at a minimum you should learn how to drive through town, particularly how to negotiate intersections and turns. With some forethought you can avoid situations where you need to back, and there are probably very few situations that would require you to know how to hitch-unhitch by yourself, so those things can be put on the back burner (IMO). It's nothing a little practice can't fix!

 

[testtubes]

I completely forgot about the exit off I-10 at Lake City onto I-75 toward Ocala.
This driving area was very relaxed compared to a couple of stretches on 10!!
On our trip last December we left on a Thursday and returned on a Tuesday. If you are going through Baton Rouge on a Saturday, it shouldn't be too bad but there is ALWAYS traffic when approaching the bridge until the I-10 splits with I-12. Another clarification-take I-12 to save time and hook back up with 10 farther east. This avoids going down through N.O. which you don't want to do.
If you want to drive the most your first day, there is a KOA about 25 miles past Tallahassee with pull throughs. Good Luck.

 

[rlt7272]

I would suggest one overnight stop just to recharge. There are a couple of KOA's we found in LA and the FL panhandle. We will be making the trip from OKC in mid March and I have talked my wife into driving part of the way as long as it is highway driving. As long as your trailer/truck are step up properly, towing is a breeze. Go take some practice runs and you will be making trucker turns and running with the big rigs in no time.

SOmeone said it in an earlier post but it is very important that you know how to handle your truck/trailer incase of an emergency. Go thru everything with your husband from hook up to set up. If nothing else it makes you more aware incase your hubsand pulls bonhead moves like me (forgetting to plug inthe the trailer/truck connector, not raising the jacks, forgetting the wheel chocks, you name it, I ahve dont it, but thanks to my loving family nothing has been torn up).

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I completely forgot about the exit off I-10 at Lake City onto I-75 toward Ocala.
This driving area was very relaxed compared to a couple of stretches on 10!!
On our trip last December we left on a Thursday and returned on a Tuesday. If you are going through Baton Rouge on a Saturday, it shouldn't be too bad but there is ALWAYS traffic when approaching the bridge until the I-10 splits with I-12. Another clarification-take I-12 to save time and hook back up with 10 farther east. This avoids going down through N.O. which you don't want to do.
If you want to drive the most your first day, there is a KOA about 25 miles past Tallahassee with pull throughs. Good Luck.

I'm using directions on this thread (as well as others by Shan-man, etc. on other threads) to map out our trip now using everyone's suggestions.
I don't think I can use this one though? From what I'm seeing on the map I'm making up our directions from- we're travelling on I-20 all the way to meet up with I-10 in the Mobile area- that's further up than I-12 and we wouldn't be going thru N.O. anyway...... correct? That's what I'm seeing on the map. So I'm a bit confused because I can't use the suggestion you gave since I-20 (which we'll start out on) meets up with I-10 way PAST where you're saying to get off on I-12? Am I reading the map correctly?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

KOA - Kampground of America

www.koa.com

And..... is this website not working right now? It only lets me get to step 3 of reserving a website then says "done with errors" on the lower left of browser and doesn't let me "do" anything to get to step 4.
I hope it's not because everything is booked. The one we were thinking we'd drive to and stay the night during our trip to FL shows on their website having some memorial day celebration at noon on the 23rd. We're trying to book overnight on the 22nd though. IDK if the website is just not working right now or what.
Nevermind- I called and booked but have to call back tomorrow for reservation number- their entire system is down and closed on Sunday so that's why the website wasn't working earlier. But it's all booked and mapped out. Now to finish packing! LOL

 

[PrincessNana]

I haven't kept up with the entire thread, but if you're traveling on a holiday weekend or just a holiday, they may have a two night minimum. We usually pay for the two nights although we only stay one night.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I haven't kept up with the entire thread, but if you're traveling on a holiday weekend or just a holiday, they may have a two night minimum. We usually pay for the two nights although we only stay one night.

they are having some sort of celebration there on Saturday at noon- and when I called at first she said they had a THREE night minimum and I was like whoa- we just want to arrive late and leave early- then some guy in the background told her that was fine and she booked it for me. We'd have to change our plans and find another campground if they'd made us pay for 3 nights just to sleep there about 8hrs LOL

 

[kaguilbeau]

Bibbidy - I know your trip is coming up soon. I hope you have a wonderful time.

What route did you decide to take from Texas? And where did you decide to stop for the night? We're along I-10 in South Louisiana.

Have fun!