When is it too early to start packing?

[jaredjohn4]

When is it too early to pack? Our next trip to the Fort is in 182 days. Last spring break we had just gotten our new camper and threw EVERYTHING that had been in our pop-up camper that we had used for 10 years into the new camper, then drove south not knowing what we needed. Slowly we have been taking things out over the summer, making modifications, and refining what we are taking with. So right now, I guess I’m packing for spring break. In about 3 weeks I'll winterize the unit.

Family schedules didn’t work out (or maybe they did) for the next trip. I’ll drive by myself and check-in at the Fort Friday, 3/10/17. Saturday I’ll go to the airport and pick up DS and his girlfriend who will be on college spring break. After a week, I’ll take them back to the airport and send them back to Illinois. Then I’ll have a week by myself to explore anything I’ve missed over the years. Then 3/25/17 DW will fly in for a week on her spring break. It will be the first time we really have vacationed alone in 19 years. After another week, we’ll check out on 4/2 and head back north to the cold. 23 days at the Fort! Maybe the last time to do this if they keep raising the prices. I hope when I get home, I don’t have to re-winterize the camper. We’re starting to check out other places in Florida that might be warm for spring break that are also somewhat near a major airport. I’d like to go back to Key West (it’s been 40 years), but I remember it as a fairly long drive.

 

[bama_ed]

jaredjohn4,

Wait, waywayway WAIT just a minute.

I was feeling sorry for you running here and there towing by yourself on the way down, pickup up family at the airport and taking them back, being all alone, and waiting for DW...

.... and then it occurred to me.

"check out on April 2, arrive March 10, that's (carry the 2)...."

23 days at the Fort for you.

Quite simply, we are in the presence of greatness. I bet you sold this to your family as a hardship for you being the taxi driver/chauffer plus the lonely side. You're so bad.


I salute you!

Bama Ed

PS - yes, I'm jelly...

PPS - I stopped at the Fort in both directions back in 2011 when we towed our popup to Key West. It was a great trip if you want any pointers (sure others can help too).

 

[PaHunter]

Never too early to pack....well maybe not the food.

 

[Teamubr]

When is it too early to pack? Our next trip to the Fort is in 182 days.

182 days? There's lots of camping to do in between! Actually, I buck the trend of many. I don't start packing until a week or so before we leave. The camper is pretty much stocked except for perishable food and our clothes. I can have that stuff done in an hour or so.

In about 3 weeks I'll winterize the unit.

Awe. That makes me sad. Not sure where you live, but we have another trip planned the first weekend in October (3 weeks) to northern Indiana on the way to the factory to get a little crash damage repaired. I hope to get another trip in once we pick it up in mid-October before I have to winterize. I live outside St Louis and October and sometimes into early November can be great camping weather.

We’re starting to check out other places in Florida that might be warm for spring break that are also somewhat near a major airport. I’d like to go back to Key West (it’s been 40 years), but I remember it as a fairly long drive.

I've driven to Key West several times from StL. It is a LONG drive, but I'm also considering taking the camper to some of those amazing places I see pics of. I love Key West. If it's been 40 years for you... it hasn't changed much. We were just down 4 years ago. Flew into Ft. Lauderdale and drove down. That's the right way to do it, but the airfare for a 42 ft camper is a bit extreme.

As for winterizing when you return in April, if you live where you need to winterize the beginning of October, you'll likely have to winterize in early April. The average last freeze in StL is April 15th. I started the camping season this year in mid-March and had to re-winterize twice.

j

 

[PaHunter]

Will a 42 ft camper fit in Fat Albert ?? Seems you should have arranged that during the trip to the Gulf.

 

[tiggerdad]

Wait, you get the peace and quiet of towing by yourself!? Holy smokes you're one lucky dude.

 

[jaredjohn4]

It's been about three years now that schedules just haven't worked out for somebody. I have the time, so I drive, sometimes with people, sometimes without. Other family members on tighter schedules fly in, then fly out again. The last few trips we have been working on things that we have never done before. This time I'll have time to explore some areas that the rest of the family might not find quite as fascinating. Not everybody in the family gets excited about finding the long abandoned railroad tracks around the fort. I guess I'll just have to take one for the team this year and have some me time.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Since we live in northeastern Ohio and are going to Disney in 148 days or so I will pack before we winterize the trailer for the season. We still have some repairs to do on it but after those are done and before it heads back to storage I will pack everything except for food, toiletries and clothing. Trying to leave Ohio in February may not be fun. So yeah, I'll be packing what I can.

Enjoy your trip, I am joining the jealous club. 23 days is awesome.

 

[JETS70]

Uhhhhhhhhh...........Just got caught up on this thread. Is it ever to early to pack???? Also.........23 days at the Fort, towing alone, no "are we there yet?", " how fast are you driving?, "I'm hungry", "I gotta go to the bathroom". A whole week at the Fort to explore, nap, eat, nap, organize the campsite, nap. Gosh tiggerdad you called it.........."One lucky dude!"

 

[peg110]

Hmmm... I wish I could get my DW to buy into that type of trip....

Yeah, sure the drive down could be a bit boring, but I think I could manage it. There is so much I'd like to do at the Fort and the parks that DW or the kids don't want to do, so I don't get to do it (or don't make a big deal about it). I think I could handle a week alone at the Fort. I too am "Jelly" as Ed puts it.

We are going down in November this year. I will have to Winterize soon but I don't think it's to early to pack. DW has here "Disney" outfits that are JUST for the trips. We won't pack the perishables until it's much closer and depending on the weather her in the Northeastern PA. I no longer fill the lines with the RV anti-freeze though. I blow the lines out..... I hate the way the anti-freeze makes things taste even after a heavy bleach sanitizing.... I still get that anti-freeze taste/smell.... So air hose.... here I come.

 

[North of Mouse]

I blow the lines out..... I hate the way the anti-freeze makes things taste even after a heavy bleach sanitizing.... I still get that anti-freeze taste/smell.... So air hose.... here I come.

We agree! Haven't used antifreeze in many years (just in the traps). Dh always just blows out the lines. We have well water that we use (no taste/smell) so we also can't stand the chlorine smell. We do use a small dilution to sanitize the lines, but running the water and flushing the lines takes care of the taste/smell.

 

[peg110]

At least, however, the chlorine smell will dissipate rather quickly in comparison. I can't stand the taste of the chlorine either, but if I had to choose, I'd take the chlorine over the anti-freeze any day.

Funny thing is, I have one of those Brita Filter bottles (water bottles) and that anti-freeze taste STILL comes through it.

 

[Teamubr]

I no longer fill the lines with the RV anti-freeze though. I blow the lines out.....

Paul and NoM,

I've always been afraid NOT to pump antifreeze. I never knew if you could actually blow ALL the water out. The luck I have, just enough water would collect in a low point, freeze during one of our 0 degree weeks over the winter and split a line. And naturally the split would be in the only place you can't get to.

I figured blowing the lines was OK for those living in the warmer winter states where it might get a little below freezing over night, but Paul, you get pretty cold up there. NoM, I'm not sure where you are from, but Paul's NE PA is cold enough.

I don't notice the taste of the antifreeze. I don't drink much of the water from the tanks. Our home water is nasty, so we drink bottled or tea. We just cook and wash with it in the camper. I just think its a pain to have to pump and then flush everything. The new 5er is plumbed for a washer/dryer hookup in the front bedroom closet and I had to remember to flush those lines too. Almost forgot the first time I rewinterized this spring.

j

 

[peg110]

I was leary too... And I won't say that I still don't have concerns about blowing the lines out. The key from what I read before attempting it, is to make sure you do it multiple times. After you have drained the tanks (hot water too)you start at a sink/faucet, blow it out...wait a minute or so (as water will settle back) and then do it again. I do a "round Robin" of faucets until I get nothing out of any of them. That way the little condensation that remains is insignificant.

We bring bottled water to, but I drink a lot of coffee and I hate dumping the bottles into my coffee pot. You'd think the heat of the coffee brewing (and I use an older camp style percolator too so it's really boiling) would kill the Anti-freeze taste.... but nope!

 

[parrothead64]

I use this and have no problems with antifreeze taste. Also, we started buying the gallon jugs of water to take camping for coffee, less expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40207-...73766656&sr=8-1&keywords=water+line+sanitizer

 

[peg110]

I use this and have no problems with antifreeze taste. Also, we started buying the gallon jugs of water to take camping for coffee, less expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-40207-...73766656&sr=8-1&keywords=water+line+sanitizer

While that's a good option for a system that has been treated with Anti-Freeze, I don't want to use the Anti-freeze at all. A couple of gallons every season followed by a gallon (or more?) of that solution to get rid of the taste, adds up to increased costs that I just don't really want to spend. Especially since we like to travel to the fort in November, so for us, we'd have to winterize well before we left (as it gets that cold), then De-Winterize right before the trip.... Then Travel down and back, and Re-Winterize for the rest of the season, and potentially de-winterize again in the summer....

I already have a compressor and the blow out plug was less then $8.00 https://www.amazon.com/Camco-36143-...qid=1473768740&sr=8-1&keywords=camco+air+line

I may, however, try the sanitizer to get rid of the anti-freeze taste from the Manufacturer.

 

[4077]

While that's a good option for a system that has been treated with Anti-Freeze, I don't want to use the Anti-freeze at all. A couple of gallons every season followed by a gallon (or more?) of that solution to get rid of the taste, adds up to increased costs that I just don't really want to spend. Especially since we like to travel to the fort in November, so for us, we'd have to winterize well before we left (as it gets that cold), then De-Winterize right before the trip.... Then Travel down and back, and Re-Winterize for the rest of the season, and potentially de-winterize again in the summer....

I already have a compressor and the blow out plug was less then $8.00 https://www.amazon.com/Camco-36143-...qid=1473768740&sr=8-1&keywords=camco+air+line

I may, however, try the sanitizer to get rid of the anti-freeze taste from the Manufacturer.

It's funny...I have never noticed anti-freeze taste. However, we NEVER use the fresh water tank. Haven't used it once. So, the only antifreeze leftover "flavor" would have to come from the lines....I guess that is probably not enough to get the taste....? I dunno....

 

[PaHunter]

I like Paul also blow my lines out with a compressor. This way has worked for the last two years and no problems. We have also traveled in Feb both years to the Fort and Immediately upon return blew the lines out. We were not supposed to go this year but.......maybe....

 

[peg110]

We were not supposed to go this year but.......maybe....

Hope is good...

 

[jaredjohn4]

Last year when we headed south for spring break there was snow on the ground in northern Illinois and the storm was coming. We hit the rain in southern Illinois and at home they got 2 inches of snow. It had melted by the time we got back, but another late cold snap force us to re-winterize it. This year I hope to only do it once. I don't want to take anti-freeze with me, but it sure would be nice to winterize when it is 70, not 30.