::) Was just wondering what others might be planning to go and do this winter....
We are looking at going to southern Az. Nov-Jan.
Just trying to see what winter plans others might have. :thumbsdown:
Barry & Donna
We will be in Parker Jan 15 -Feb 15 along the river . The rest of the winter will be in that general area . There is some good off road / trail riding for your Jeep . I off road every day in my side by side Can Am . That is a very large BLM section of the state . Brad Metzger
lots of foretravels can be spotted spending the winter
in the foothills of yuma az. lots to do, lots to see, and
easy access to tucson, san diego, vegas and of course
algodones mexico for excellent dental, drugs, eyeglasses
etc. plenty of rv parks or you can rent residential fenced lots
for a very reasonable price.
Brad, we had looked at the Parker area and decided this year for the High Desert and a stay at Fort Huachuca...
We are for sure looking forward to some long jeep rides in the area mountains.
I have been watching your ATV travels and sure dose look fun!
Hope you enjoy your time and be safe...
We are packing in early this year due to the birth of a grand Son #13 but still a great experience.
Barry & Donna
Anne and I will be arriving at Escapees North Ranch in Congress, AZ at the end of December and staying until April with lots of coach, Mini and motorcycle travel from there.
Heading to Mexico after New Year. Several Weeks in San Carlos, parked across the street from the beach. Then down to Mazatlan for a couple of months, parked on a point overlooking the Ocean. Walk to fresh seafood and all the shrimp you can eat.
Another thing about Parker AZ. , is each Feb. , the big time off road truck races are held there . This is the one when Chevy and Ford go head to head . All the tire company's have big displays also . Brad Metzger
From the middle of February to the end of March - Galveston Tx, San Antonio Tx, Marfa Tx, El Paso, Tx, Las Cruces NM, Tucson AZ , Carlsbad NM, Lometa Tx , and Nacogdoches, Tx, and then back home, pretty much in that order. Planning a week in Galveston and a week in Tucson, and a couple days in the rest. At least we are going to try to hit all those places.
Wow after 2 years of renovations it's hard to believe we actually have some winter plans and destinations!
Heading for Ladies Driving School in Nacogdoches in 10 days and after that we'll poke around Texas for a while before slowly making our way back to California...scheduled to be at a seminar on February 6th in Orange County. I wouldn't be surprised if we spend some time in Quartzsite in January...it being on the way and all...LOL!
Going to spend the rest of the winter back here at Pio Pico so Don can finish consolidating his stuff in storage and springtime heading north to Canada along the west coast, checking out the sights as we go.
Now if we can only make it through this next week or so....we are nowhere near ready to hit the road yet...just got the baseplate put on the Fit yesterday and Don is out looking for a dual hitch receiver to accommodate the bike rack...
Hope to see some of you on our travels! ^.^d
Tys
Tys - Awhile back I bought a Roadmaster dual hitch receiver for Our Fit and bikes and have used it for about 5k miles. I like how the bikes ride high behind the coach and are protected. Inconvenient engine access however. Now there are dual receivers at half the cost I paid for the Roadmaster - I'm sure Don can evaluate their quality.
Mark: Don was looking for one that would allow him to open the hatch while the hitch was in place but so far we haven't found one because the hatch door swings out before it swings up. An alternative might be to put a hitch receiver on the back of the Fit and carry the bikes that way...any thoughts on that?
Tys
Why I tow a pickup with the bike in the bed ;D
We have a hitch receiver on the Fit as well. It is great for short distances and use it around Chicagoland regularly. Have towed about 500 miles that way and I just never felt comfortable with that setup.
With the bikes right behind the coach you can keep a close look on them with the camera but with the bikes at the end of the Fit there is not enough detail on our monitor to see if any problems developed with the bikes/rack. Maybe you have a better camera/monitor. Set up the bikes behind the Fit and check it out thru your setup.
Presently our plans are to be in AZ ranging from Benson, Tucson, Yuma and maybe Quartzsite starting in December. However, our plans are always cast in Jello. Can't beat Los Algodones, MX for the dental work.
Regarding our bike rack, we have a dual hitch for the coach but after trying both, I prefer using the hitch on the back of the towed. I don't like the heat on the bikes that comes out of the back of the coach.
October in Punta Gords, FL seeing grands then to Vero Beach for a SOWER project at Life for Youth. Probably do the Brooksville rally in January then back to Vero Beach for a couple of months thru Easter.
Nov. we will be in Destin, FL and then Jan 15th to April 1 - Spring, TX. (winter time with the kids and grand kids). We don't know where we will be from Dec. 1 through Jan. 15th. Looking for ideas. Keep them coming.
We have been carrying the bicycles on a Thule rack behind the Jeep but we are going to try a double receiver behind the coach. It is such a hassle moving the bike rack around so we can open the back to get groceries and stuff. I know we should have a 4 door Jeep but........
I have a Hollywood 4 place bike rack that mounts in the hitch receiver. When mounted on the back of the coach it interferes with opening the engine cover to check fluids even when I fold it down towards the rear. Mounted on the back of the Jeep it prevents me from opening the rear door. With it lowered down I can get at most of the stuff stored behind the rear seat. If we are going to be somewhere for a while and take the bikes off the rack it is just a single locking pin to pull to remove the rack and put it in the basement or if space is tight, lock it to the coach hitch or a picnic table. Then we have full access to the back of the Jeep.
Winter plans: Winterize and store the coach in the barn with periodic exercise as weather allows and then off to AL, GA, FL, NC, SC, KY and TN and the Smokies in late Feb and in no particular order. About 2 - 3 months.
Roger
Talking bikes, assuming non motored types, we used to put on roof rack of car, howsomever have not used a bicycle in years.
Would eliminate the issues of being in the way.
My usual plan is to make the Arcadia Rally at Arcadia, Fl for the New Years Eve Party, my old bussin friends from the "CCO", Convertged Coach Owners, have been meeting in southern Fl for 25 years and it has turned into this rally with more than just buses. Yes from junkers/fixer-uppers to very fine examples of creativity & workmanship quality.
Everyone enjoys the low key, low cost gathering.
For me, its an enjoyable 2-3 week escape from the business including visit with son who has been full time with Disney @ Orlando 25 yrs, after Jan 1, he can be free'r as the rigors of Disney slow after the big holiday season.
Arcadia Rally 2014, Bus Rally (http://www.arcadiarally.com/)
Should add, This year, the Tin Can Tourists may also visit, these are the happiest RV types.
Tin Can Tourists (http://www.tincantourists.com)
Fine example of a 1955 GM Senicrusier redone, massive labor & $$$$, is now 45' & 8.5' wide.
The origional was 40' & 8'.
Regarding engine access with hitches. I had Xtreme drill out the rear grille in place and replace them with 6 dzus fittings. Now I can remove the grille with a standard screwdriver in a couple minutes and check all my fluids, belts, etc. I can't change the air filter or service the air dryer though.
Hi Guys,
I have a Thule bike rack with all the accessories that I no longer need. Call anytime 308-440-5154.
Well, seems everytime I put a plan on papter it changes within a few minutes. So, at the present, THE PLAN is to return to our new home in Tucson prior to mid October. Would like to fly into Phila, repack a small storage container of stuff we kept when going full time and have it shipped to Tucson-that week is flexible...FMCA rally in California sometime in January. If we hit a cold snap will do a couple weeks in Mexico. Spend a week +/- @ FOT (NAC) for upgrades - headlight conversion, sofa, electric refrigerator & am sure DW has other ideas. Grandkids in 3 states and a son in another so holidays we will be staying in Tucson.
A number of our Foretravel friends will be stopping and visiting all winter and we have an open invite to anyone that would like to meet up with us. So if passing through give us a shout....
Have signed up for Alaska Motorcade so need to see when we will start our spring migration north.
I lived in Tucson from 67 to 75 and loved it. Enjoy your new life there!
Hi all,
We like the Yuma foothills in January, to see our friends from CO and an aunt from WY. We split February between Tucson and the Escapees park at North Ranch near Wickenburg, AZ. The first of March we go to Lake Havasu for a great bluegrass music festival on the beach. In 2012 there were five FTs there I think, almost a rally. ;D We may stay in AZ thru the end of March this year. We would love to connect with other FT folks somewhere along the way.
We are in Tucson AZ from now until the beginning of May. Faith is working at St Joseph's for the winter. Never been here before and so far so good. We are staying at Tuscan Meadows Mobile Home park on the eastern side of Tuscon. There is an old Travco here in storage with Alaska plates on it. Looks to be in very good condition. Bob
Zapata, TX, leaving next week, back April, God willing and the creeks don't rise. And the weather is good. And the coach runs good. And our reserved site is good. And our health is good. And our friends coming down later is good. And our knees, after these surgeries, heal good.
And Rocket damn well better calm down or we'll leave him (not really, but he is sitting here watching me type so I am trying to scare him). He gets frantic every time we go out to the coach to put something in place or do some thing to the coach.
Looking at AZ / TX for January to May , would prefer upscale park near to small town . Any suggestions
Sunbeam Lake RV Resort in El Centro, CA - 67 miles West of Yuma on I-8
best, paul
Will be at Disney and the Fort Wilderness camp ground over Xmas. Been there many time but never over Xmas. It will be interesting as I know it will be very busy.
After that, skiing in the Santa Fe area in late Feb.
Great news Tys.
Just a thought, maybe too late: We used a dual hitch receiver to carry our bikes on a bike rack behind the coach and hated it. Hard to get the bikes on and off and interfered with coach engine access.
The solution: had a hitch installed on the toad and carry the bikes on the car. Big bonus, we can drive to a lot of great bike trails such as the rails-to-trails and then off-load the bikes.
Or get a Honda Element and carry two full-sized bikes inside.
best, paul
--
"When you arise in the morning, think of
what a precious privilege it is to be alive...
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
~ Marcus Aurelius
Yup, my vote for Element and carry inside. Hated the rack on the end of the Element for reasons of access. Put one on roof, too hard to get them on and off, and hit bikes twice on overhangs forgetting they were there (OK, me once and PJ once...)
Inside they go, with seats folder up out of the way. Works for us.
We carry two mountain bikes inside our 05 CRV. I just pop the front wheels off and bungee them in an upright position. Keeps them clean and safe and we still have room for beach chairs, coolers etc.
In an Element no need to pop the front wheels off.
I took 3 full size bikes to Mexico inside our Element.
best, paul
Since this will be our first winter in many years that we will be "home" instead of trying to find the warm weather let us know if you will be in the Tucson area...Always fun to meet up with fellow Foretravelers... Of course, if the weather gets cold here in Tucson we will be heading either west to San Diego or south to Mexico... you may see that I don't like COLD... Looks like we will be here to the end of April before heading north...plans still in Jello.....