wayne77590

And makes me happy to be on my way.

I have been a PA member for 8 years and have saved $$ by having it. Yes, there are restrictions on some parks as to days you can stay, how many nights and especially not very good in the Northeast as they are so seasonal the summer months are typically not recognized as PA CG's. However, in the Southern states restrictions are less. For $39 a year if you stay at 3 PA parks you get a 100% return on your investment. Not a bad deal at all. Yes, PA parks are just like KOA and many other private parks. Some are okay, some mediocre and some bad but even the bad one at $15 a night for a one night stay is really not that bad. Consider this example: Loretta Lynn Ranch RV park is $36.50 a night. Passport America is good Sunday through Thursday at $18.25 a night. So even if you are staying a week you pay $18.25 for 5 nights and the $36.50 for two nights. That is more than a 100% return on an investment of $39. One more example: Niagara Heartland RV Resort, Gasport, NY is about 30 miles from Niagara Falls. There standard rate is $32.00 a night. PA rate is $16.00 a night with a 2 night minimum and unlimited stay at PA Rates. A week in the Niagara Area would be $112. That savings pays for any inconveniences of being 30 miles from Niagara Falls and the ride up to Lake Erie and along the water way is worth the drive. They do charge a deposit for electricity but I got money back. Deposit was $4 a night for electric when we stay there (twice). So don't cut PA short. Look at there web site www.passportamerica.com, look at the areas you travel in and see if it is worth the $39. If you are going to join, give me a holler and I'll give you my membership number for "my" discount. p.s., the PA website lists the restrictions for each campground.

The America's Independent Truckers Association (AITA) has been on-line for years. I have found it to be one of the better sites for traveling. I hope the link helps you. I'm in WA state right now so that is what comes up but just scroll up to change states. p.s., Nothing is 100% assured so pay attention to the yellow low clearance signs. The AITA site has been accurate for my travels but one never knows. Also it has been reported that resurfacing the roadway can raise the entrance and exit to the underpass by an inch or two. Typically the underpass surface is cement whereas the approaches are blacktop. If the sign says 13' 6" and you are 13' 5" - well pay attention and maybe go around. p.p.s., There are no listings for low clearances in Texas on the AITA site but if you Google search for the words 'Texas Low Clearances' you can get a district by district listing and I can tell you that there are low clearances in Texas. Any other state that is missing from the AITA site can be search the say way, just to be sure. It wouldn't hurt to search individually for each state for back up confirmation of the AITA site. What's that old saying, "Buyer Beware?" Well the internet is a good searching tool but it is not always accurate.

I have also had the teeth of the watchamacallit break (not the motor teeth) - don't know how - and had to have that replaced. More than one thing can go wrong with the step(s). I stlll think I got the better of the price world at $79 for the motor. We have a 3 step and when the site is level and the jacks are just used as stabilizer the bottom step is about 4 inches off the ground. Makes for an easy access.

Watch for the yellow low clearance signs. Better to have to unhook and turn around then try squeezing under the bridge I believe that all the Interstate highways have bridges that will clear an 18 wheeler and they are close to 13'6". I had a 5th wheel that was 13' 5" and most definitely watch the yellow warning signs. With that said, I have the Garman 760LMT GPS system in the MH. I put in the specifications of my MH, width, height, etc. and it will now warn me when there are low clearances. My RV Height is 12' 4" (No AC up top) so except for those old time bridges I'm pretty safe. Love the Garman. It also warns of sharp curves and other things.

I had a Kwikee step motor go bad. Winnebago wanted over $200 for the motor. I found the exact same motor on-line for $79. I don't have that information with me but if anyone is interested then when we get home I'll get the information.

Another problem is that we always remember the bad things but don't remember the good things. Most that post regarding CW are mad at them and post the negatives. Those that have positive things to say usually do not post. I used CW once back in 2008 and the experience was very good. I don't live close to a CW so I use other local RV repair services.

Please tell me the officer did not clock you driving a motorhome.

Hey two Bill's, Yep some of those C'rats had some old dates on them. Surprisingly the cans were always intact with no rust showing on the outside. I wonder why they can't make metal that way now-a-days. Spent first 200 days at C-1. Only two of us Marines there most of the time. It was a FSB (Fire Support Base for you non-knowers) and manned primarily by the Army and ARVN's. Army would have 8'inch and 175's and every once in a while the Marines would rotate in with 105's and 8'inch. I think my hearing loss is attributed to the time I was walking through the compound and was about 20 feet behind a 175 when they pulled the lanyard. I jumped so high I thought I had to tuck my feet up my rear. My last 5 months was on Hill 55.

Welcome Tom & Judy.

You are posting so I'm glad you are alright. Maybe calling the dealer or manufacturer will give some insight as to present day value.

Not so bad when you go out in the 'ville and get a big bag of rice to cook up with every meal for mixin'. That and some tobacco sauce and it was all palatable. I liked the ham cakes. I'd scrounge the cans of bread from others that didn't like the canned bread, poke a couple holes in the top and put a few drops of water on top, set it on a fire and the bread would come out like it was just out of the oven. Slice and put the ham slices and cheese and it was a nice sandwich. (Of course hot sauce, and a little rice on the side)

And c4 is great for heating C-Rats. (VN '68-69)

We just finished a ride up Hwy 410 in Washington to near Mount Rainier. The falling rock signs were all over the place and typically followed by a "Rough Road" sign. They fix the roads that are damaged by the rock fall with asphalt but the don't do a good job of smoothing it out. It is quite a rumble strip. Maybe later on in time a good road crew will go in and fix them right. Building a bunker in VN there was a 6-8 foot boulder or more in the way. A piece of C4 about the size of a thumb was used and it pulverized the boulder. EOD placed it just right. Must be the shock wave?

Bill, I live 21 miles from LaPorte Tire (when I'm not traveling) and I have used them for replacement tires. Cliff is very easy to work with. I believe they have a Michelin National Account and I used the FMCA program once. Last year there were no Michelin in any ones inventory so I switched to the TOYO M154.

Verizon Warns huge data plan to switch or else. Verizon overhalls its data plan. Verizon doesn't seem to be the less expensive way to go anymore. According to the article, there 24Gb plan is $110 a month. I have AT&T 30Gb plan for $70 a month for my MiFi. Problem is we cannot turn it off when we re not traveling but we typically go out every month and this trip will be 4 consecutive months.

I'm just thinking out loud here, but would a piece of "inconspicuous" tape on the windshield be a possible solution? When the tape reaches the outer line you would still need to judge 9 more inches. Like I said, just thinking out loud.

You mentioned race cars. Are you profiting from racing and do you have decals from sponsors, etc., on your vehicles. If so you may be determined in some states to be a commercial vehicle and in that case you will have to stop at all the weigh stations and conform to commercial laws and require a CDL. Most of the time it is going to be determined by the officer of the law watching you go buy and what mood he is in. If you are not legal in your state you will not be legal in most other states.

The thermostat control uses a vacuum type pump to open and close the AC/Heater door. If there is a crack in the line or "other" it can cause warm air to come in. It is usually located under the front "hood" and looks just like an old time windshield wiper vacuum. There should be one line going to it, usually green but could be read. Check for any vacuum leaks. Cheap fix if found.

Happy to hear it is fixed Michael. Way to go. Blake, I live in Texas City and presently on the West Coast and at Fort Lewis Fam Camp, WA and it is 62˚ right now. We left Texas to get away from the heat and we succeeded.

Earlene's idea of roughing it is no Walmart within 5 miles. It's a different form of camping.

Maybe to much wine!

Kander2015, Running WOT (Wide Open Throttle) up grades will cause the engine to run up in temperature. Slow it down, drop down a gear and try and maintain 2000 rpm. Here is something I do when I see a long or steep grade coming. I'll push down on the accelerator until I reach my cruise control speed, then I take it off of cruise control. At this point I never move my foot on the throttle I just let the engine do all the work and on occasion I help it by down shifting an extra gear maintaining that 2000 RPMs. I have run up to 217˚ and as soon as I slow down and down shift to maintain 2000 RPMs the temperature starts dropping.

Okay Carl, I got it the first time. Hee hee! Gremlins at work again.

Most of us tow so a one night stop would require un-hooking. Not a problem, but not convenient either.