Cold Weather Camping Problems

[JudyJB]

I had scheduled doctor and dentist appoints last week in my old home area west of Detroit, Michigan. After three days, including some time visiting old friends at lunches, I headed down to Cleveland area to visit my son and his family. I just wanted to share some of the problems I have had.

First, there are not many campgrounds to start with in the Detroit suburb area. Last week, almost all of the ones there were closed for the season, so I ended up driving 33 miles each day back and forth to Sterling State Park south in Monroe, MI. Normally there are full hookups, but they had only electric sites. It was really deserted and only two other units were camped there in this huge area. I was told I could get water but could not use the dump station for black water, only grey. Temp went down to 24 both nights there.

My son lives in a gated really expensive area with rules about motorhomes only being allowed for 24 hours. Had to keep the furnaces running because temps were belong freezing last two nights in the driveway. The $750,000 house across the street was having an open house today, so after two days in the driveway, I decided it was easier to stay in a nearby state park where I am now for a couple of days while I catch up on online work. Electric only here also because of the freezing weather, but at least there are a few other units because this place has winter camping and dump site is fully open. MOST of the Ohio state parks are now closed, however!! And there are no commercial parks around that I could find that were not full of permanent residents only and seemed more like mobile home parks instead of RV parks.

I got a propane refill only 5 days ago, and am already down to 1/4 tank, so I am heavily using my electric heater tonight. Low temps are supposed to be 32 tonight and 34 tomorrow. Daytime temps are around 55. After dinner with my son tomorrow night, I will leave on Tuesday morning for Cincinnatti and Georgia and Florida, but the only place I could find between 200 and 300 miles away from here along my route is 269 miles away, so I am going to have to drive that entire distance on Tuesday, which will be a long day. Temps will be a bit warmer down there, but I am still going to have to find propane along the way.

Anyway, I did not expect to have such problems with campgrounds and running through propane so fast. Will be really glad to get down to warmer places!! I will make sure I schedule any doctor appointments earlier in the year next time!! Too cold and too late in the year to be traveling in this area. Brrrrr.

[Liz]

Hurry south, Judy!

[lak99]

Judy,

I just left Walled Lake, MI on Monday and spent last night at Twin Lakes Park KOA just off
I-75 in Bluffton, OH. They have water at the office but the rest of the sites have electric.
Not bad for one night. If you want any more info just let me know.

[Rufflesgurl]

Judy - Instead of driving 269 miles in one day could you spend a night in a WalMart parking lot? You could probably find propane way before you drive a full day. Good luck. Put your long johns, sweaters and socks on!! Good luck. You'll love the sunshine in FL by the time you get there.

By my daughter's in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's only one decent RV park - actually it's a mobile home park but they used to let passers by spend time there. Now, you can only stay for a month. How weird is that. Told the people in their office that I didn't want to buy real estate, just needed a place to stay for a few nights. RV parking in front of my daughter's is limited to 36 hours. So, I don't take my MH up there too often any more. Good luck trying to find places to spend the night.

Linda,

[Sandersmr]

Judy - Instead of driving 269 miles in one day could you spend a night in a WalMart parking lot? You could probably find propane way before you drive a full day. Good luck. Put your long johns, sweaters and socks on!! Good luck. You'll love the sunshine in FL by the time you get there.

By my daughter's in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's only one decent RV park - actually it's a mobile home park but they used to let passers by spend time there. Now, you can only stay for a month. How weird is that. Told the people in their office that I didn't want to buy real estate, just needed a place to stay for a few nights. RV parking in front of my daughter's is limited to 36 hours. So, I don't take my MH up there too often any more. Good luck trying to find places to spend the night.

Linda,

269 miles - it really isn't that far. I drove almost that distance and back for the TX GTG - assuming 50 mph, allowing for stops, it's still less than 5.5 hours.

[JudyJB]

Bluffton is a bit out of my way, so I am going to try the 269 miles. At least it is all expressway from here so I can make good time.

I was born and lived all my life in Michigan, but after spending the last 5 months in warmer climates, I am just not adjusting well, so Florida here I come!!

I am spending a few nights with some relatives in Northeastern Georgia, but that will be considerably warmer than here!! Can't wait to get below the freezing areas!!

Glad I have lots of down comforters with me! I think I will be fine the two nights I am here with what propane I have left, but I hate to cut it tight. Electric heater just won't cut it without furnaces.

[Bethers]

Judy, you don't have to worry about things freezing when temps are only getting to where you say - you don't have to worry about using the propane heat for those temps. As long as you are keeping the inside warm - and I mean 40 + degrees, you're fine. Unless you are in way below freezing temps and the temp will STAY there, you really don't have to run the propane furnace all that time. Use the electric heaters to keep YOU comfortable and don't go through all that propane.

I didn't even use my propane heater when temps were in the teens all day and night for 3 or 4 days - just opened my cabinet doors and kept the electric heater on - Unhooked from water - kept at least 1/2 a tank of water in my fresh tank - it never froze. Now, I did have my propane furnace set to come on if temps dropped to below 50 in the rig - just in case I lost power, for example.

Believe me - all of us working at Amazon's locations over the years - were not going to be paying a fortune for our propane when they pay our electric. And we weren't got to let things freeze and cause damage in our rigs, either.

[Sandersmr]

I am spending a few nights with some relatives in Northeastern Georgia, but that will be considerably warmer than here!! Can't wait to get below the freezing areas!!

Where in Northeastern GA? I have an uncle with a lake house at Lake Burton near Clayton. That's a really pretty area of the state.

[JudyJB]

My aunt and uncle live in Sautee Nachoochee, near Helen, so not too far from Clayton. They live in a gated community and the road up to their house is narrow and steep, with their driveway even worse, so I will have to park somewhere down at the entrance, maybe near the pool which is closed for the season. You are right that it is pretty there. It is right at the lower part of the Smoky Mountains.

My dad's mother died when he was 18 and then his father died when he was 22, so my dad and mother who had just gotten married, raised his youngest brother from the age of 9. I am 13 years younger, but he was more of an older brother than an uncle, at least until he got married and moved out. There were three girls, but the youngest two moved in with the 17 year old and sort of raised each other.

[Sandersmr]

I've camped at Unicoi near Helen. That's a nice state park. I've also gone on up and have hiked to Ruby Falls. Of course, Helen is a must see for the tourist vibe -

[Acadianmom]

Judy, does your motorhome have an insulated curtain that closes off the cab area. I find that blocking off the cab makes a big difference in the heat loss. I don't do much winter camping but I have also hung a blanket over the curtain for more insulation.

Martha

[JudyJB]

No insulated curtain, I am afraid. I did get a fresh tank of propane today so I am set for a while. I will be leaving early tomorrow anyway.

Bethers, does that apply even though my water tanks and water pump are in my outside storage compartments? The compartments are ducted through the furnaces, front and back, and I was told I need to use them when the temps dropped belong freezing. You are right that the temps have not been that low, but I did have some ice from washing my vehicle on the outside of one of the compartment doors. I figured the stuff in my cabinets and under my sink would be fine because the inside of the coach is going to be warmer than those compartments.

Anyway, early tomorrow morning, headed SOUTH to warmth, and I will be able to shift into my shorts and t-shorts soon!!!

[Sandersmr]

Hate to tell you but the forecast I've gotten for Atlanta is high in the low 60's - and the mountains are going to be cooler. You are going to have to wait until after you visit your aunt and uncle before you get shorts. I'm not even going to pack more than one or two pair

[Carolinagal]

Sorry, Judy, don't think you will be in shorts around Helen. Not far from where I live and I was into my heavy coat by 4:30 pm and early morn was frost everywhere. I'm still in the cold country but see warmer times coming soon.

Hoping it will be warm in Fl this yr. !!!

CArol

[Colliemom]

Judy, another trick to try is to put some of those shrink wrap plastic film windows on the inside of your windows. They can go a long way to keeping the cold at bay. I did that on my screen door last fall when I was camping at Aloha and it worked great. I was able to leave my TT door open and just use the screen door during the day and even into the mild evenings we were haivng up there. Ran my electric heater in the morning to take out the chill and was fine.