Most winters when we head South from central Illinois in late Jan. We can catch a day when it might be above freezing so that we can hook up the car and load the MH without freezing ourselves or the stuff in the MH overnight. Also, so we can camp without freezing the 1st night or 2 headed south. This year is different. We could load the MH and leave the furnace on overnight but hate to do that if it is below 15 or 20. Do most of you just go ahead and tough out the bone chilling temps and leave anyway or do you try to wait for a window of normal weather?

We are in the same boat! Planning to leave Monday, below zero. We are going to load all the stuff that can stand to freeze whenever we can, and not heat the MH. Then load the food and liquids the morning of departure. It will delay us getting going and it will be crazy cold hauling stuff from the house, but it beats waiting for a thaw. On the bright side, the travel forecast looks clear.

We left for the south with temperatures in the teens. Used electric heaters and furnace to keep things warm overnight. I have full hookups at home. So this is not a problem. If I did not have hook ups. I would be concerned about the battery/batteries being able to keep furnace running all night. Another options is to run generator all night. This way you could use electric heaters and furnace.Come on down south. South TX has been great this year.

ronfisherman wrote:We left for the south with temperatures in the teens. Used electric heaters and furnace to keep things warm overnight. I have full hookups at home. So this is not a problem. If I did not have hook ups. I would be concerned about the battery/batteries being able to keep furnace running all night. Another options is to run generator all night. This way you could use electric heaters and furnace.Come on down south. South TX has been great this year.We would sure miss the 2F temp and foot of snow we got overnight. We are over 6' for the season a and more coming tomorrow.

We are leaving for FL on Feb 10th & keeping our fingers crossed for moderate weather, but in the event we have extreme cold or nasty weather in the forecast, we might leave a day or two early. We would plug in an electric heater overnight to keep the coach somewhat warm for our departure in the morning. We would load the Refrigerator, clothes & much of everything so we could just pull out early in the morning & get on the road.Can hardly wait. Was four below this morning.

1donald wrote:Can hardly wait. Was four below this morning.The beatings will continue until the morale improves.

Leaving in Winter? | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

pnichols
Explorer II
Jan 29, 2014
Well ... in light of the remarks above ... let's not hear any jokes slamming California or Arizona.

In California at our stick house we've had 40 degree nights and 70 degree days for around 3 months now. Right now we're camped in the Arizona desert and they've had the same temps (and higher) since fall.

For what it's worth, I was raised in Michigan and got tired of snow INSIDE on the window sill next to my bed ... so I came to CA centuries ago, bought a convertible back then, and could drive with the top down starting mid-spring.

The U.S. in general has really been getting some strange weather the last several years. I wonder if it's going to get better or worse going forward in the future??
ronfisherman
Moderator
Jan 28, 2014
Snowman9000 wrote:
We bugged out on Sunday after lunch, just to beat today's extreme freeze in Chicagoland. Spent last night in a Red Roof Inn in St. Louis. Way too cold to use the MH. Spending tonight in the Red Roof Inn in Tulsa. Way too cold to use the MH. Spending tomorrow night in the Red Roof Inn in Amarillo. Will be way too cold to use the MH. (Red Roof Inns allow pets for free.)

Finally on the fourth night, Wednesday, we will be down to a latitude with reasonable temps. Jeesh. It was not any better if we had dropped straight down through Little Rock and central TX.

Be careful. Ice and sleet predicted for much of TX today.
Snowman9000
Explorer
Jan 28, 2014
We bugged out on Sunday after lunch, just to beat today's extreme freeze in Chicagoland. Spent last night in a Red Roof Inn in St. Louis. Way too cold to use the MH. Spending tonight in the Red Roof Inn in Tulsa. Way too cold to use the MH. Spending tomorrow night in the Red Roof Inn in Amarillo. Will be way too cold to use the MH. (Red Roof Inns allow pets for free.)

Finally on the fourth night, Wednesday, we will be down to a latitude with reasonable temps. Jeesh. It was not any better if we had dropped straight down through Little Rock and central TX.
mumkin
Explorer
Jan 25, 2014
This thread reminds me of why I head south in October... early October...
GrumpyandGrandm
Explorer
Jan 25, 2014
ronfisherman wrote:
ron.dittmer wrote:
This discussion is make me sick.

I paid my dues for over 40 years. :R
Have you heard my story about having to walk 3 miles up hill both ways to get to school in -20 weather. :E
Not any more. Been retired for over 9 years. Started leaving cold country first year.
Your turn is coming. Until then you can read the winter escapades of us Snowbirds. :B
I forgot to tell you the high for today in RGV is 36°F. :(
Our RV site.

You need to come to Florida at least the high was 56 today.:B
ronfisherman
Moderator
Jan 24, 2014
ron.dittmer wrote:
This discussion is make me sick.

I paid my dues for over 40 years. :R
Have you heard my story about having to walk 3 miles up hill both ways to get to school in -20 weather. :E
Not any more. Been retired for over 9 years. Started leaving cold country first year.
Your turn is coming. Until then you can read the winter escapades of us Snowbirds. :B
I forgot to tell you the high for today in RGV is 36°F. :(
Our RV site.
ron_dittmer
Explorer III
Jan 24, 2014
This discussion is make me sick.

We are stuck here near Chicago as I am still a working man...at least an indoor office worker. At nights our outdoor thermometer at home has been consistently reading between -5F & -10F. That dang "Polar Vortex" had it reading -22F. Then there is the wind undoing all my shoveling. I was out shoveling again last night in minus whatever temps with nose running, my snot turned into an icycle. :(

I say, just run down south as fast as you can and avoid more of this.

At least our rig is protected from it all in our heated garage....better protected than myself.
Snowman9000
Explorer
Jan 24, 2014
1donald wrote:

Can hardly wait. Was four below this morning.

The beatings will continue until the morale improves.
1donald
Explorer
Jan 24, 2014
We are leaving for FL on Feb 10th & keeping our fingers crossed for moderate weather, but in the event we have extreme cold or nasty weather in the forecast, we might leave a day or two early. We would plug in an electric heater overnight to keep the coach somewhat warm for our departure in the morning.

We would load the Refrigerator, clothes & much of everything so we could just pull out early in the morning & get on the road.

Can hardly wait. Was four below this morning.
bsinmich
Explorer
Jan 24, 2014
ronfisherman wrote:
We left for the south with temperatures in the teens. Used electric heaters and furnace to keep things warm overnight. I have full hookups at home. So this is not a problem. If I did not have hook ups. I would be concerned about the battery/batteries being able to keep furnace running all night. Another options is to run generator all night. This way you could use electric heaters and furnace.
Come on down south. South TX has been great this year.

We would sure miss the 2F temp and foot of snow we got overnight. We are over 6' for the season a and more coming tomorrow.