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Topic: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.  (Read 1085 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #25 –
Quote from: Joan  - 
"...there is also BLM camping at the Joshua Tree entrance"
---
Just a caution on this area: soft sand is not necessarily readily apparent on either side of this little road. As some can attest, it can be pretty easy to misjudge the surface and get one's rig mired in deep sand.  :(

We spent three days, last week, at Joshua Tree, the boondocking area at the south entrance is very soft. Passing by,  I saw a bus buried up to its axles.
It had rained recently and the sand was moist, which normally provides better traction and floatation.
I suggest walking the access road or using a toad to find a spot with a hard surface before commiting your LD to it.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #26 –
We’ll second the idea of staying close to your pickup point the first night, then cross LA EARLY the next morning. We live on the west side, and when we head east on the I-10 we always try to be moving by no later than 6:00 am. The lighter traffic reduces the stress load a lot!  A GPS might also be helpful in navigating the So Cal maze of freeways, as would a paper map of the freeway system for an overview. Have fun!  — Jon&Loni
(Former) ‘06 TK “Albatross.” And (former) Vespa 250.   Alas, no more; both are gone.😕 Great memories remain! 😄
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #27 –
Thanks for the advice yet again! I talked with the current owners to inquire about places to stay near there, and they actually offered to let us just stay in the RV, plugged in, at their home overnight that first night.  As I've said, they are just the most amazing, genuinely kind people.

Leaving LA around 6am the next day won't be too difficult as that's 9am Florida time!

So that changes things. Now it's on to planning the first stop about 300-400 miles out from LA. Since our departure time has changed (and is now more appropriate) and our main focus remains getting back to FL at a safe and comfortable but time-efficient pace, we'll have to skip Joshua Tree this time.

Jason


Jason

2003 Rear Bath
"Razor Crest"
Our first RV, purchased from the original owner 01/2022
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #28 –
I’d still be targeting the Joshua Tree area first day, to get a feel for the new vehicle, still close enough to the resources of LA/mothership to address things, but that’s just me.

Quartzite works at about three hundred miles, there should other Laze Daze owners around.

Pretty sparse after Quartzite for a first day destination.

Dave

2017 TK
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #29 –
If Joshua Tree is a "firm" plan, I suggest not taking a chance on getting a site; making a camping reservation is advisable, IMO.

Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service)  has the information you need to find out about the campgrounds in Joshua Tree and make a reservation through rec.gov.
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #30 –
Whatever you decide to do, try to avoid the large cities during commutes times.  Your first challenge will be Phoenix. I’ve found about 300 miles a day works pretty well. Don’t trust the travel times Google implies, it will take a considerable amount longer.

For the first couple days until you get used to the vehicle, if this were me, I would top off the gas tank at Ehrenberg, just across the AZ border, then would overnight at Quartzsite, leaving the next morning to get through Phoenix after the morning commute. One of the fun parts of RV traveling is the planning!
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #31 –
We haven't tried driving through Phoenix since they opened the new section of the 202 on the south-west side of the metro area.  We usually take the 85/I-8 bypass around the Phoenix metro area.

Art
Art and Barbara
Settled in Atterdag Village of Solvang
2015-2022 fulltime in a 2016 Tiffin Allegro Bus 37AP
2002-2015 2002 LD MB
Art's blog
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #32 –
Welcome to the LD Forum.

IMO it would be wise to absolutely avoid Phonix morning/evening commute traffic. 

We had business in Mesa (suburb) of Phonix a few months ago.

It took us almost three (3) hours to traverse the city in our LD from west to east.  And we thought Las Angeles was difficult.  The traffic is insane!

Take the bypass if at all possible.

Cheers and Happy Camping,

Tony R. (aka codefour)/font]
Tony R
2010 LD RB - Sold to another happy LD Family
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #33 –
Hi Jason

Welcome to the family. I still remember the first trip from Boston area back to Michigan when we bought our 2004 MB in 2011, a long while ago. The trip was very exciting. Now looking back, I could have planned and prepared better. There is a useful website "allstays.com" allows you to find free overnight stay such as Walmart stores, gas stations, truck stops, etc. There are also private rv parks, state, county, and city parks where you can stay overnight with shore power and water.

Walmart Locations Store Details & Parking | Walmart Store Locator

Have fun for your trip
2004 Mid Bath,
2007 Jeep Liberty Towed
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #34 –
Hi Jason, no one has mentioned getting to I-10 from Harbor City, but if I were you I would be asking for advice not only from the seller, but from those on this list familiar with the LA area.  That may very well be the most challenging part of your trip.  I agree with the advice of staying the first night at Quartzsite and avoiding Phoenix via the bypass using I-8.  Take it easy and have a great trip.

Rich - ex 2000 MB - Birch Bay, WA
Former 2000 MB- Now Bullet Crossfire 1800RB trailer pulled by a Chevy 2500HD
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #35 –
Rich’s comment about getting from Harbor City to I-10 is on point; navigating the freeway systems needs pre-planning. Freeway signage on SoCal freeways is generally good, but having the routes in one’s head in advance will help to avoid confusion.  I’d use a current, detailed paper map with “exploded” sectional views of the road systems, but others might prefer to use Google (not consistently reliable, IMO) or other.



2003 TK has a new home
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #36 –
One other note -- Indian Casinos.   There is one just outside Palm Desert off of I-10 .  You can't miss it very large signs.   It's hard top parking lot camping but the price is great.   Free.   It's a very large parking lot.   Many long haul truckers spend the night there also.   
Home - Spotlight 29 Casino

glen

. 
personal fine art photo stuff
TF Mack | Flickr
It's all good .......
2014 Twin King
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #37 –
I have no idea of youe new LD’s overall condition or mileage. I assume you have seen this LD and it has been mechanically checked out and is ready to roll out on an eight day trip.
2400 miles is a longs way to take an unknown LD of this vintage. We have owned our 2003 LD for 19 years and know a bit of the types of issues that can occur. Todays project, rebuilding the leaky toilet.

How old are the tires? Are the batteries in good shape, along with the brakes, cooling system, transmission-mounted parking brake's oil level, and suspension?
If you answer “no" or "I don’t know" to any of the above, you need to have a plan B if a mechical breakdown occurs.
Shops willing to work on motorhomes can be tough to find and when you do, it may be days or weeks before shop time and/or the parts are available. Not to rain on your parade but things happen on long maiden voyages with used rigs, it’s best to be ready in case something happens in the middle of nowhere..
Definitly get a towing plan before you leave, we have used CoachNet for two decades, with good results.
Best RV roadside assistance | Committed to your safety | Coach-Net

Safe travels
Larry

Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
 
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #38 –
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the continued advice, I’m actively listening to all of it, and making adjustments based on your advice. I continue to be grateful for this community and it’s combined wisdom, which is clearly evident with each post. It’s quite humbling.

Yes, I’ll be going over the LA exit route in-person with the current owners, (in addition to the pre-planning I’m currently doing).  Since we’ll be camping overnight at their house, there will be time to do that comfortably.
 
—————————-

Larry, I agree with everything you said. The chassis has been maintained religiously, and all was recently checked out at the local Ford dealer. It has 63,000 miles on it, and the front-end suspension was reconditioned in the last year as well. The current owner drives it on a 20-mile trip every week, also religiously every week since new when not on a trip, to help avoid issues that can happen from sitting too long.

The tires (all 7 including spare) are brand new Michelin Agilis LTs.

We have a Good Sam Roadside assistance plan in force.

There are inherent risks in all of this, trying to plan for unexpected occurrences as much as possible, but I do trust — to the extent possible — that the mechanicals are ready for the journey based on my conversations with the current owner. There are no guarantees of course — something perfectly maintained and working perfectly today can be a total disaster tomorrow. 

The coach itself has been maintained by LD and Todd confirmed that. That includes resealing the roof at LD last spring, new A/C, etc. Again, all that is helpful information, but things can still happen.

I will ask about the parking brake fluid. Had not thought of that and appreciate the heads-up!



Jason

2003 Rear Bath
"Razor Crest"
Our first RV, purchased from the original owner 01/2022
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #39 –
I’m a lifelong LA area dweller and know our crazy quilt of freeways pretty well. The hardest part for those unfamiliar with the area is all the jumping around from freeway to freeway, especially near downtown LA. It’s not unheard of to use up to six for a single trip! Luckily, you have a easy route to the 10 from Harbor City by taking the 110 North to the 91 East which will eventually take you to the 10 East. Weekday work commute traffic on the 91 East usually eases up after 9AM. Good luck!
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #40 –
Quote from: SRQG8  - 

Larry, I agree with everything you said. The chassis has been maintained religiously, and all was recently checked out at the local Ford dealer. It has 63,000 miles on it, and the front-end suspension was reconditioned in the last year as well.
The tires (all 7 including spare) are brand new Michelin Agilis LTs.
We have a Good Sam Roadside assistance plan in force.


Since no mention of the preparation was mentioned, I wanted to make sure that you have a good chance of arriving without issues. Too many who have done similar trips only have a breakdown(s) along the way. 

Do have the parking brake oil level checked, it is an invisible item that few mechanics know about. Leakage in the brake unit is common and if the brake's oil reservoir runs dry, the bearings will seize and tear the unit up, stopping you in your tracks. Sometimes the seize-up is so severe and sudden that it rips the tail housing off the transmission, about a $8000 repair and a few weeks to acquire the needed parts. Best to be avoided.
The transmission-mounted parking brake was used between 1996 and 2007.

Before is a link on finding and filing the braking brake oil reservoir, I suggest printing the photos and text and giving them to the mechanic. Many here have had to do this after their mechanic swears there is no such thing. The parking brake has a small oil reservoir, only a few ounces. A small leak can drain the reservoir in a short time.
As mentioned, very few mechanics know about the parking brake or its need for oil, this type of brake has not been in widespread usage for over 60-years.
Parking brake oil fill | Flickr

Have an uneventful trip
Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #41 –
Hi Everyone,

Just a quick note as an update and a chance for me to say thank you again for all the wonderful advice (which we followed). We have returned to Florida with our new-to-us RB from California. The trip, while not as long as we would have liked, allowed for a safe pace on I-10 (which is an absolute piece of garbage for almost its entirety -- we were warned on here to expect that), and allowed for us to stop and see some really great state parks and things like Caverns of Sonora. Kids loved it all.

The RV performed flawlessly down to the last detail, but it does need some suspension upgrades for sure. There were no surprises -- a testament to the maintenance this rig has had its whole life and to the quality of the original construction.

I've been reading the posts about suspension upgrades (Larry and others) and I'll be lining up the other preventative maintenance items that I've read on here (hoses, fluids, pulleys, endcap/window sealing, etc) and thinking about which direction I want to go in, in terms of spark plugs (it has the IC2E head, chassis manufacturing date of 1/2003).

Thanks again for all the great advice in getting us ready for this trip!

Jason
Jason

2003 Rear Bath
"Razor Crest"
Our first RV, purchased from the original owner 01/2022
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #42 –
Nice to hear you have the IC2E heads. We have the same on our May ‘03 TK chassis.
Steve
2003TK
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #43 –
Congrats and glad you made it back safely and trouble-free!  Enjoy your new rig!
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #44 –
I'm proud to belong to this tribe!  What a lovely welcome to a new owner traveling cross-country!
Kristin - from Alaska for a few weeks in Arizona to escape from the snow and ice  -- one could only hope for this much help to travel with a new RV!  Love you guys!
Southwest ideas are welcome too, for some of us!
1997 MB
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #45 –
Congrats on your shakedown cruise.
One down ,《buffer overflow》to go.
See you down the road
Joel & Terry Wiley
dog Zeke
2013  31 IB   Orwan   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #46 –
Yay another Florida owner of the most wonderful LD.
 Not sure if you are in possession yet but this Saturday is the annual Yalaha Bakery Southeast Area LD get together. 10am.
  Yalaha Florida
mar 🌴❤️🌺
Current 1 and only: 2003 LD Mid Bath 26.5
2017 Winnebago Minnie Winnie TT
2011 Dutchman Colorado 32' TT
2011 iCamp 14' TT
1985 Coachman Catalina 32' RV
Re: Newcomers! Picking up in Cali and driving to FL.
Reply #47 –
Thanks again!

Spartan, we unfortunately will not be able to make it to Yahala this time, too much catching-up at work to do. (The cost of a short-notice 8-day vacation, to go grab this rig when it became available to us, but well worth it.) Thank you for the invitation!

Jason

2003 Rear Bath
"Razor Crest"
Our first RV, purchased from the original owner 01/2022