nctox

2mahams, You need to research this a little bit more. I live and am licensed in NC. The website clearly states that even though a CDL is not needed to operate a recreational vehicle, the operator must have the appropriate CLASS (my emphasis) license. If your RV is 26001 lbs or over, then you must have a Class B license. The usual license for operating autos/small trucks is a Class C. Tim

I installed the Amp-L-Start on my RED last year in place of the Battery Minder that came with the coach. I have been very pleased with it. I keep my coach connected to shore power while at home, so the ALS keeps the chassis batteries charged while the coach is not in use. If I remember correctly, the ALS DOES NOT drain the house batteries if the coach isn't on shore power. Read the documentation referred to earlier in this post. My manual is in the coach right now, or I would quote it in reference to this. Tim,,, On edit: I just checked and it states in the above link that the ALS shuts down if no house battery charge is available.

I grew up around Atlanta and still have to visit family there, so I am required to go there often. I will not go through Atlanta unless it is 0300 on a Sunday morning! I know other RVers who will drive through instead of taking I285 around it just timing it to miss rush hour. Usually I285 on the east side is better than the west side as far as traffic flow. There will still be many heavy trucks and heavy to moderate traffic, but it moves along, unless there's an accident blocking lanes. It has been my experience that the earlier on a weekend, especially Sunday, you attempt any route around ATL, the easier it will be. Sunday afternoon won't be as bad as a weekday, but it will be close. Good luck.

Bluebirds, I attended Camp Freightliner after I had owned my Allegro RED for a year. I wish I had gone sooner. There is much to learn about the chassis that you may or may not glean from the Freightliner owners manual. The two day class is very well organized for each type of chassis that is represented by the attendees. My wife did not choose to attend though some did and I think they were more the "hands on, sometime driver types". We parked in the service center sites for the first day, because we had the 12 month service done the first day, then moved to the Spartanburg KOA for the last day. The staff at Freightliner will run a shuttle to the KOA every morning and evening for those staying there. I can't help you with a route from Indy, but the campus/service center is right off Interstate 85 in Gaffney, easy to get to. I highly recommend the class/seminar, especially if you want to do ANY regular maintenance. Tim,,,

We did a "first time buy" of a smaller DP (34') and decided to buy new for a couple of reasons. Before we bought, I joined several forums and read them daily. I learned of typical problems and their solutions, as well as which MHs had the best reputations for service and reliability. I considered the difference in expense of new vs. used, and then weighed the security of warranties for new vs. the chance of getting stuck with a problem coach due to my lack of experience and knowledge. We chose new for the above reason and a DP due to most opinions on the differences in quietness, ride, etc. I do not regret our decision. We are happy with the 2012 Tiffin and have many more big plans for travel. We will most likely never be full-timers, but we do enjoy our motor home.

Please excuse the dumb questions, as I'm a virtual dinosaur in this area. We are planning an extended RV trip and have a few concerns about bill paying, banking, etc while away. We both have Verizon smart phones that have hot spot capability. We normally bank online from home, so we feel comfortable with that aspect. Is there a security advantage to using a mifi device (like Verizon's Jet Pack) for banking and financial transactions, over using the hot spot created by our smart phone? Are there better mifi devices available that will work with Verizon? Thanks Tim

I tow a 2012 CR-V and I installed a fuse switch, but it probably wasn't necessary. I towed the car a few times without pulling the radio fuse, and all was well. Then after a two day trip, I tried to crank the CR-V and found the battery was too weak to do so. When I returned home I ordered the fuse switch and installed it. After giving the situation some more thought I'm convinced that I must have inadvertently left the climate control on, and possible the fan running on that trip where the battery was drained. I still use the fuse switch, but I really think if you only drive for 5-6 hours a day, and start and run the engine each morning, you probably don't need to pull the radio fuse. Honda recommends pulling the fuse for lengthy towing, IIRC over 8 hours. Tim,,,

If you have a residential fridge, then you have an inverter and that will power the fridge while underway. I'm not aware of any reason to turn off the fridge while moving. I had not thought about the ice-maker situation mentioned above. That might be a good idea if you ever encounter any ice cubes frozen together.

We just crossed it back in March or April in our MH. It's no biggie. There are no restrictions, other than if the bridge is closed due to high winds. That doesn't occur often, and when it does there are warning signs flashing before you pass the last exit. I lived in the area for appx 17 years and crossed it many times before we bought the MH. I remember very few times the bridge was closed for high winds.

I can recommend Riverview RV in Vidalia, LA. It is just across the river from Natchez. We also stayed two days at Barnes Crossing RV park in Tupelo, MS. I would recommend it, and will probably stay there again. We didn't travel any farther north on the Trace than Tupelo, so I can't help you there. FWIW, the drive along the Trace parkway was one of the most pleasant drives we've made in our short year with the mh.

Another vote for the Honda CRV. We did install a fuse switch so we wouldn't have to pull a fuse, after having a dead battery on one trip. I realized later that I had forgotten to turn off the climate control and the fan had run the whole day. Probably the only reason that the battery was dead.

Actually in NC, a Class B (non CDL) license is required to operate anything over 26001lbs. I just got mine last year, with pretty much the same requirements as the OP, but without the confusion about what material to study. I was given a CDL handbook and told to study just the general driving safety and air brake sections and then tested on those areas. The driving test was really just a short drive thru the small town and a couple miles on rural roads and back to the licensing office. I did have to demonstrate the air system check, i.e. show the air pressures and when the low air alarm sounds, etc, but all in all I thought it was a pleasant experience. It's too bad some of the folks in PA apparently don't know their job.