Looking for some help deciding on a destination

[trailertraveler]

4 hours ago, Grassy said:

If needing a zip...I can always use the most famous one..90210

 

59 minutes ago, chirakawa said:

If you use a credit card to pay at the pump, you'll need to enter your zip code which matches the billing address for the credit card. 

Master Card and several other websites recommend this

Quote

If prompted for your ZIP code, just enter the three digits of your postal code plus two zeros. So for example, if your postal code is A2B 3C4, the 5 digit number you should enter is 23400.

   

[Kirk W]

4 hours ago, Grassy said:

If needing a zip...I can always use the most famous one..90210

If the zip code entered does not match the one of the billing address the card will be rejected. 

[orca]

When i first started to snowbird 7yrs ago i had a real frustrating time filling the motorcycles at gas stations. Sometimes the cc worked sometimes not. I tried the 90210 but nothing.  I had to always have the cash because sometime even the cashier needed a zip. Once i found using the three numbers in my postal code followed by two zeros i have never had a problem. 

Filling the rv is another  story because i hate leaving my cc with the cashier while i fill!

[Barbaraok]

orca,

We have one credit card that we use only for fuel and rv parks while we are traveling.   Nothing else, so when (it is not if any more) it is compromised, we are not without another card and can help the bank zero in on where we were at.  Since we use FlyingJ/Pilot for most RV fill ups (or Costco here in the NW) we very seldom have to leave the card.

[2gypsies]

3 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

orca,

We have one credit card that we use only for fuel and rv parks while we are traveling.   Nothing else, so when (it is not if any more) it is compromised, we are not without another card and can help the bank zero in on where we were at.  Since we use FlyingJ/Pilot for most RV fill ups (or Costco here in the NW) we very seldom have to leave the card.

I'll go one further. We use two credit cards.  One is for AutoPay bills. The other is for purchases anywhere - fuel, food, restaurants, online, etc.  The AutoPay one has never been compromised.  The one that we use for everyday purchases has been a few times over many years.  When it is, it is no big deal.  We're never responsible for paying charges we didn't make and a new card/new # is sent - usually overnight.  Therefore, we don't have to contact any of our bill-paying companies to alert them of our card being cancelled and a new one/new # needs to be used.  It all works very smoothly.  Doing it this way, we don't have any qualms about giving our card to a fuel station or restaurant server.

[Bill w/bus]

Another thought, Quartzite Arizona should be on your bucket list. Plan being there by mid January. That's two and half months to get there. 

I was just trying to outline a trip that would get you to some of the great places. 

 

Enjoy

Bill

[SWharton]

For many years we had a Bank of America CC and it would be compromised pretty much yearly and new ones would be sent to everyone. Since we switched to a smaller institution several years ago we have never been compromised.

My take on this experience is that the hackers don't bother with the little guys, the hackers get more bang for the buck going after the larger institutions.

[chirakawa]

3 hours ago, SWharton said:

For many years we had a Bank of America CC and it would be compromised pretty much yearly and new ones would be sent to everyone. Since we switched to a smaller institution several years ago we have never been compromised.

My take on this experience is that the hackers don't bother with the little guys, the hackers get more bang for the buck going after the larger institutions.

First of all, the credit card from those "little guys" is issued and underwritten by the "larger institutions".    Second, the majority of the time cards are compromised it is by a clerk, waiter, vendor, etc. who the cardholder presented it to or to a hacking device on a fuel pump, atm, etc. which doesn't care where it was issued.

[Grassy]

18 hours ago, Bill w/bus said:

Another thought, Quartzite Arizona should be on your bucket list. Plan being there by mid January. That's two and half months to get there. 

I was just trying to outline a trip that would get you to some of the great places. 

 

Enjoy

Bill

Thanks..  we have heard a lot  Quartzite..     

Already anxious to go

Folks,

We *really* appreciate all your help. The DW and I are now sifting through comments and links trying to get our ducks in order. First time is always the hardest

Just needs to be a bit cooler here.. record high temps with humidity...

 

[Kirk W]

5 hours ago, Grassy said:

we have heard a lot  Quartzite..   

While Quartzsite isn't really our "cup of tea" it is still something that every RVer should see at least once. You don't have to stay out on the desert as we have never done that since Pam doesn't do well in dusty environments. I just call one of the RV parks a few days before we go.

[Pat & Pete]

This is as close as we care to get to Quartsite :

[chirakawa]

I can't imagine any reason I'd ever want to be that close to that many people.  To each his own.

[Grassy]

It is kind of funny..we just got back from a site that has 950+ plus spots. 

There wasn't a rig within 1000 feet in from to to our left. To our right, we had an unobstructed view of the ocean w/o a rig in site.

We are going to have a lot more questions.. should I start a new thread or continue this one on ?

 

Thanks

 

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, Grassy said:

We are going to have a lot more questions.. should I start a new thread or continue this one on ?

Wouldn’t hurt to start a new thread but either way works. Might get more responses. 

[2gypsies]

2 hours ago, Grassy said:

It is kind of funny..we just got back from a site that has 950+ plus spots. 

There wasn't a rig within 1000 feet in from to to our left. To our right, we had an unobstructed view of the ocean w/o a rig in site.

Where is this place?

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

Where is this place?

Please .

[Lou Schneider]

On 7/25/2018 at 6:04 PM, Pat & Pete said:

This is as close as we care to get to Quartsite :

That's the center of town during the peak week of the Big Tent RV show.  The population drops off drastically before and after the show.

Plus they're not showing you the 25 square miles of BLM managed Long Term Visitors Areas just to the south (the photo is looking west).  That's half as large as the entire City of San Francisco and you can be as close to, or as far away from your neighbors as you wish.

[Pat & Pete]

34 minutes ago, Lou Schneider said:

That's the center of town during the peak week of the Big Tent RV show.  The population drops off drastically before and after the show.

Plus they're not showing you the 25 square miles of BLM managed Long Term Visitors Areas just to the south (the photo is looking west).  That's half as large as the entire City of San Francisco and you can be as close to, or as far away from your neighbors as you wish.

Still , I content to simply avoid the hassle all together . It just doesn't interest me in the least .

[Al F]

On 7/20/2018 at 8:40 AM, Grassy said:

We have now retired and will be heading south this November however, we are having problems deciding on a destination.

While all out friends seem to be going to Florida, we would like to explore Texas and New Mexico.

One require we have is that around Christmas, we would like to be within an hour of a major airport so our kids could fly in.

Any RV parks that you recommend ?

Thanks

Ian. 

 

On 7/21/2018 at 7:20 PM, Grassy said:

..................We want to explore rather than stay long term in any park so we can explore the states.  We also want to reevaluate our 5th and truck as well.  Locally, we are probably pushing the limits of size but I suspect we will be small there...  when we get back in the spring.. the house gets sold and we move closer to our kids. 

Thanks for the airport info..  my son is Army (EGS) and is based out of CFB Gagetown at the moment and my daughter is about 45 minutes from Toronto.  I suspect my son will have to fly to Toronto before heading south.

We appreciate you comments.

Thanks..

BTW, would it be worth joining the Escapees since we can only spend 6 month is your country ? 

Coming back to your original questions.  Also starting new topics being sure having a pretty specific question for each topic helps keeping things on topic.

Anywhere along I-10 from Jacksonville, FL to San Diego & LA area is great in the winter.  Yes you may have some cold days, with early morning temps below freezing but it usually warms up into the high 30's to 40's.  Then you will run into periods of 60's and 70's (sometimes 80's) with bright sunshine.  In the cold weather you just hunker down for a few days and then enjoy the good weather. 

As far as comments about this place is too cold in the winter (i.e. southern NM) go to https://www.wunderground.com/  enter in the towns and cities you will visit and then click the "calendar" .  Going to the calendar will allow you to select any month in any year for the last 20-30 years and see the actual daily highs and lows for every day that month.  Review the daily temps and see if this weather is what you will enjoy.  So much of the time the horror stories of cold or bad weather are about a few or several days, not about the good days that are between the bad weather.

For an excellent winter trip, start in the Florida panhandle and follow the coast to Corpus Christi.  There is lots to see and do for 6-8 weeks for this trip.  New Orleans, Lafayette, and Abbyville, LA is a wonder full area to spend 3-4 weeks.  Great food, swamp tours, etc.  In fact this area could easily take four months. 

From Corpus, head to San Antonio, and then west on US-90 to Del Rio and Big Bend NP.  Lots to see and do in Las Cruses, NM.  NM state parks are very nice. 

San Antonio, TX for Christmas is a very good option for the kids to come visit.

For RV Parks to stay at, start with http://www.rvparkreviews.com/

 You mention exploring, rather than stay for weeks on end in one place.  State Parks, National Parks, county and small town parks are good options.  Dry camping and boondocking provide lots of scenic places to enjoy without lots of crowds.

If you join Escapees, for a nominal fee of about $15 you can get a listing from https://daysenddirectory.com/  which gives detailed info and directions to free or very low cost places to stay.  Many or most places are dry camping or boondocking.

[Grassy]

Thanks all.  We will be as specific as possible.

I believe we will be. ..I have read great things about Escapees..

The park was in Prince Edward Island. Twin Shores..  it actually has 3 beaches depending on what you like. Dogs allowed on all three. 

From my door.

to the left and this is what we saw out the back..

to the left of us..

These slots are particularity long for this area..