PawPaw_n_Gram
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Re: Palmetto Island State Park
Never been. Everyone I know who has stayed there (maybe a dozen) loved it. However, based on a recent hurricane and a major tropical storm flood rains, I would urge you to call the park and talk to them, or the Abbeville Chamber of Commerce, about current status and any possible issues such as electrical power issues. Personally, we have planned to visit Grand Isle SP this winter. Even thought it is currently closed due to hurricane damage, I will not plan on a visit for at least a year. Other LA SP currently closed are Tickfaw SP (we have stayed there - nice), Fontainebleu SP (another we like), Fairview Riverside SP - these three are on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. Also closed is Bayou Segnette SP (just across the river from New Orleans in Westwego) Abbeyville also has a city RV park which is popular with snowbirds. EDIT - Of course being in southern Louisiana swamp land - be sure to take good mosquito repellant. Even in the middle of winter.315Views0likes0CommentsRe: Oregon to charge 25% more for out of state RV campers
Cummins12V98 wrote: wapiticountry wrote: Considering residents pay income and property taxes to Oregon that fund things like parks and out of state campers do not, it seems only fair that residents should get a break. OH and don't you think out of State visitors add considerably to their economy? A big plus for Oregon state visitors is the lack of a sales tax. State sales tax and Corporate excise tax fund most of state government. Local schools and cities/ counties are funded by property taxes. Frankly, it is the most visitor friendly state as far as taxes that I've been to/ spent time in. And their state parks have to be the best in the country, IMHO. Especially fee wise. And I was raised in Arkansas which has a great state park system. Oregon state parks maintain and provide dozens, maybe hundreds of wayside locations. Side of the road interesting pullouts, most with room for a traveling RV. Along the coast for scenic views, in on interior scenic roads. Now I don't LIKE the increased fees, but I understand the need to generate some additional revenue. At least in Oregon it goes to the state parks maintenance and upkeep, not just another source of general state funds like many others, such as my current home Texas.584Views0likes0CommentsRe: Thousand Trails allowing public access???
Our first stay at a TT was in 2013. We did not get a membership until 2016. This might have changed when ELS bought TT, or I think before that. rvonthego.com allows booking at almost all TT cg. Yes, full commercial rates a bit higher than other RV cg in the area in most places. But, I've stayed at Pio Pico, and $75 is a competitive rate for the San Diego area. The shock to the commercial customer is when they arrive at the TT and are told go look for a site. "Oh, sorry all our 50Amp and/ or sewer sites are already occupied. You might be able to move to one if someone moves out." Complaints about commercial customers getting "All the Good Sites" are quite common on Thousand Trails forums and FB.411Views0likes0CommentsRe: MN changing to EZ-Pass
OP - FYI Supposedly a decade ago, all states were required to consolidate to one automated tolling system. Then exceptions and exemptions. Not there yet. EZ-Pass has the system everyone else will be forced to use, but many states can keep their existing system and meet the technical requirements. Most EZ-Pass states do their own billing and such. My EZ-Pass is from New Jersey. Got it in late 2014, and keep it active. Last time I had a charge on it was in IL in 2018, and FL in 2019.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: boondocking near the border
Amistad isn't too remote. Close to Del Rio and the very large/ strong US Border Patrol station at Comstock. An area heavily patrolled by CBP. However, a public forum is not the place to get a decent answer. Call the Val Verde County Sheriff's department. Also call the National Park Service Visitor Center (830)775-7491 and get them to put you in touch with the Law Enforcement division. They can give you the straight answer.588Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing Disaster-AAA
NONE of the towing services own a single wrecker. They hire contractors, and often the contractor works with several tow services. Mostly they are independent or small businesses. Where and when are big factors. I-95 on a holiday weekend, it will be a long wait because the actual tow trucks are busy, and as mentioned, they get to the higher paying jobs as a priority. If you breakdown on I-10 in far west Texas, it is going to be a long time. I've seen a truck that had to drive over 150 miles one way to get to a service call. But how the towing service deals with that on the phone is a factor. We've been happy with Good Sam Platinum the five or six times we've used them over the past 10+ years. VERY IMPORTANT Sign up for the HIGHEST level of service they have. It does make a difference.403Views0likes0CommentsRe: Driving people to boondock by calling themselves a "Resort"
"Resort" = a newer likely parking lot RV park laid out for pull-thru spots mainly. Has a clubhouse or such, a nice pool, and a high price. It is not a campground. One in central Texas for only five year old or newer diesel Class A rigs stays full. They have the site utilities setup for the rig to pull head in - for the sunset views. Brick fire pits, charcoal grill built in, covered picnic table, etc. Biggest complaint they get is people complaining that they don't know how to back their mega-expensive rig out of the parking spot at the end of their stay. But they are almost always full.249Views0likes0CommentsRe: Is there an online listing for Army Corp of Engineers parks?
US Army Corps of Engineers Recreation Facilities The individual park information is from each individual local Project office (What the COE calls a lake/ waterway/ etc.) The validity/ currency of the information comes for that level, and in part depends upon the priority providing more than a basic list is given by each local head (a civilian employee). The COE Districts are headed by a US Army officer, and maybe a few more depending of several things. The priority the District officer puts on this information is also a factor in how current the information is. All this feeds into the Recreation.gov site. One thing you will learn quickly is that there are quite a few non-reservable campgrounds, usually dry CG with no amenities over a pit toilet, maybe even not water, around many COE lakes. You can also see that many former COE CG have been contracted out to other agencies, or even commercial vendors. i.e. Near Mobridge in northern South Dakota on Lake Oahe (Missouri River) the former Indian Memorial CG on a former island in the river is now called "The Bay" and is operated by the Standing Rock Souix Tribe in association with a casino they have nearby. The former Indian Creek CG is now operated as two separate CG by the South Dakota State Parks.723Views0likes0CommentsRe: Interstate highway conditions
Not only do the different states control the money and how it is spent for road repairs, but in many, maybe most states, the actual contracts are issued by county or regional level highway groups. In Texas we don't see it much on interstates, but on state and US highways the change when you cross a county line can be obvious. We do have a state wide highway agency, but they cannot enforce minimum standards for contracts. Since highway money is a source of power by local political figures, the system will not change much, no matter how much money is put into the highway system. Maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age, but until we change the system with term limits, and the people taking back power at the local level, the higher national system will never change.660Views0likes0Comments
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