Good fuel stations near the FMCA Campground?

[raypesek]

We're doing our first night there on Thursday so I was hoping someone could advise if there are any good fuel stations nearby. We're 38' towing a car and use gasoline. We'll be coming in from the north on I-71 and prefer to fuel up as close to the campground on the way in because 6 MPG.

Thanks,

Ray

[rsbilledwards]

Use Gas Buddy  APP

[raypesek]

1 hour ago, RSBILLEDWARDS said:

Use Gas Buddy  APP

I do but it doesn't help with locating a true "RV friendly" fuel stop for a gasser. I've already learned to take what the Pilot/Flying J app says with a healthy bit of skepticism. I figure someone on the forum has stayed at the FMCA campground and could give a pointer.

Ray

[rayin]

Flying J's company-owned stores RV pump lanes have gasoline and diesel fuel, easy in-easy out. The franchise stores may/may not have RV pump lanes. Those are identified on the PFJ website.

[rossboyer]

If I remember correctly, there is a station on the south side of Hwy 32 near Roundbottom Rd where the FMCA campground is located. Unfortunately, I have never bought any fuel anywhere nearby. I live about 175 miles away, and I fill up before leaving and after returning home.
 

But just about 2 blocks past Roundbottom road is a United Dairy station to get gas for your towed auto. Also, they sell the Homemade Brand of ice cream which I think is the best we have found all across the country. I particularly like the Strawberry Strawberry or Peachy Peach. At home I only vanilla or Butter Pecan are available, but they very good, also. 

[charlieiam]

Getting into and out fuel stations is more driver skill than station facilities.   A 38' motorhome towing another vehicle should be able to get into most stations very conveniently making a counterclockwise circle on the outside pumps; if the motorhome fuels on the driver side, if not make a clockwise circle.

[raypesek]

On 9/21/2020 at 7:56 PM, CharlieIAm said:

Getting into and out fuel stations is more driver skill than station facilities.   A 38' motorhome towing another vehicle should be able to get into most stations very conveniently making a counterclockwise circle on the outside pumps; if the motorhome fuels on the driver side, if not make a clockwise circle.

Agreed but the stations where the pumps are lined up with the store and the store has parking directly in front, like all of them, can be a bit more difficult. We've had to wait to clear a pump because someone decided to park right in the area where we needed to turn. Couple that with the 42-degree wheel cut and an alleged 68' turning radius, well, we'd rather make it a bit less complicated by planning ahead.

Ray

Edited September 23, 2020 by raypesek

[rossboyer]

Really, I should have suggested that you purchase fuel before or after your stay at FMCA out on an interstate although those locations are usually a little higher price. Which route will you be taking in and out of the campground?

[raypesek]

1 hour ago, rossboyer said:

Really, I should have suggested that you purchase fuel before or after your stay at FMCA out on an interstate although those locations are usually a little higher price. Which route will you be taking in and out of the campground?

Good question. We'll be coming in from I-71 north tomorrow. We'll likely do the interstate fuel-up on the way in. It looks like FMCA is less than 10 miles from I-71 exit 99A. The next day is about 300 miles which will take us below a half-tank when we hit Nashville but that's OK.

Ever since 9/11 I prefer to fuel up on the way in rather than the way out. Always be ready to escape.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, folks.

Ray

Edited September 23, 2020 by raypesek

[rossboyer]

Suggest that you turn south on I275 to hwy 32 at exit 63. Hwy 32 is probably the best route to Roundbottom Rd, but be sure to follow speed limits. There is a steep down hill that is easy to go over the speed limit. The right turn onto Roundbottom road is a sharp turn. A 45 ft motor home with a towed auto can make the turn. Just take the turn slowly. Cross over a railroad track and I think the second right turn is the entrance to the grounds. Hopefully, you have gone online to FMCA.com to reserve.  All sites have 50amp, but the upper level 15 sites have full hook up on concrete. The lower level is on asphalt, so don’t use your jacks. Display your FMCA ‘goose egg’ on the front to make it easier for the staff to check. All sites are back in. 

[raypesek]

Thanks! Yes, we have one of the electric-only sites reserved but we're only staying one night. We keep the goose egg in the windshield all the time. These are the RVTW directions but I have not yet checked the GPS routing:

9:

Take left exit 99A toward Cincinnati onto I-71 S. Go for 96.2 mi.

10:

Take exit 9 toward Red Bank Rd/Fairfax onto Red Bank Expy. Go for 2.0 mi.

11:

Continue on Red Bank Rd. Go for 0.8 mi.

12:

Turn left and take ramp onto Columbia Pkwy (US-50 E) toward Milford. Go for 0.7 mi.

13:

Continue on Wooster Pike (US-50). Go for 1.3 mi.

14:

Turn right onto Wooster Pike (US-50). Go for 1.1 mi.

15:

Turn right onto Newtown Rd toward Little Miami Golf Course/Bass Island. Go for 0.5 mi.

16:

Continue on Church St. Go for 0.1 mi.

17:

Turn left onto Valley St. Go for 0.3 mi.

18:

Turn right onto Round Bottom Rd. Go for 0.1 mi.

19:

Arrive at Round Bottom Rd. Your destination is on the left.

Ray

[rossboyer]

You can use that route. When you leave do use the reverse of the one I gave you to get back to I275. Let me know after both which was best. I travel in from Indiana, so the one I gave works best for me. We will headed southwest last week in October. You are more than a month ahead of us. 

Safe travels. 

[raypesek]

18 minutes ago, rossboyer said:

You can use that route. When you leave do use the reverse of the one I gave you to get back to I275. Let me know after both which was best. I travel in from Indiana, so the one I gave works best for me. We will headed southwest last week in October. You are more than a month ahead of us. 

Safe travels. 

Thanks. I'm going to use yours because it's how FMCA says to go and it looks a lot simpler. I appreciate the extra detail you provided. That RVTW one must be the "scenic route".

I thought we could use jacks on the asphalt if we had pads and we have SnapPads. I'll check when we arrive. I always use manual leveling and barely lift the wheels.

Edited September 24, 2020 by raypesek

[rossboyer]

I have used about 14x16 thick wood blocks under mine there without any problem, but be sure to use blocks or pads. 

If you have satellite TV, the lower sites all receive well. Four of the sites on the upper level reception is blocked by trees  If you use over the air, aim antenna about 15 degrees left of the gate. For the iPhone there is an app “HTV Towers” that is very good to assist in aiming  

Don’t forget to watch your speed. The zones change several times along Hwy32 by the time you get to the campground. 
 

Safe travels. 

[raypesek]

Thanks, Ross. Yesterday and today definitely did not go as planned...

Yesterday I-71 south was closed south of Columbus, OH due to an accident and stayed closed for at least a few hours. Fortunately Garmin Drive gave us a heads-up so we took I-270 W around Columbus to I-70 west. Then we took I-675 south and picked up I-71 again. Not too bad and only added about 25 minutes to the trip.

The we saw the separate exit 63A and 63B exit signs and learned too late that they are the same exit ramp, just going in different directions. So we proceeded on to the next exit, 65, I think.

My wife was driving and wanted something to eat so she pulled into a McDonalds with a parking lot that was a tad too small. So while she went inside I unhooked the car and then we lined everything back up and got out OK. The gas station at that exit next to the McDonalds was pretty tight but she is a good driver, having been a firefighter for 26 years.

But there was no real way to make a left turn to get back to the interstate so when the GPS said to take a right on 8 Mile Road (I think it was), we did. Hilly and winding to say the least. And narrow. But we made it OK while taking the back way.

There is a Circle K a mile or so from the campground that could be OK in a pinch but it has a pretty small island at one of the exits. As we left this morning we saw there is  BP on 32 that has possibilities but it's off to the side a bit and I could not get a good look.

And then today, about 2.5 hours out of Nashville and right after we left a rest area, my 2020 AWD Equinox decided to text me saying I needed to get the anti-lock brakes and the stability control system serviced within the next seven days. And I cancelled OnStar as of yesterday.  I did some quick research and the main cause  seems to be a bad wheel bearing. We pulled off at the next exit about four miles away and I shot the hubs. The passenger front was about 135 degrees F and almost too hot to touch versus 100 for the other three. So tomorrow I get up early to take the car to a local dealer. And by the time we actually got to the campground, the errors seen in the car had all cleared themselves and all wheel hubs were the same temperature. Go figure.

Whew.

Ray

Edited September 26, 2020 by raypesek

[rossboyer]

At least you are safe!

[raypesek]

Yup. I got the car into  dealer today but because the codes cleared themselves they could not do anything. Interestingly, one of the DTC codes indicated that the Stability Control System was active too long, "too long" apparently meaning fifteen minutes. It applies the brakes to the wheels when it thinks you're in a skid and apparently sometimes the hydraulic actuators hang up. That would explain why one wheel was 35% warmer than the other three (135 degrees versus 100 degrees).

But the dealer did not think so but I don't think they understand the system very well.

Well, at least I have something to tell a different dealer. if it happens again. 

Ray

[raypesek]

So we made it to the FMCA campground this evening the normal way, I-275 to Rt 32 using exit 63A. Interestingly, our fully-updated Garmin RV 785 simply did not want us to take Exit 63A and Rt 32 to Round Bottom Road. It did everything it could to avoid that route, including trying to divert us on to Bells after we got off on exit 63A. As we proceeded anyway we saw why.

Garmin thinks there is a 5-ton weight limit somewhere on Rt .32 but we saw no signs. I'm guessing it used to be that bridge as you go own the hill but we saw no signs at all.

That being said, my new glasses are waiting for me at Costco right now.

Ray

Edited October 1, 2020 by raypesek