First Time Snow Birds (sort of) Questions

[Chaplain Kent]

We have reservations in two state parks in southern Arizona this January and have a couple questions. We have been camping over fifty years with all types of RV's and have gone to Florida a few times during the winter but this is our first long term trip to Arizona in the winter.
First, is a route from Milwaukee. We be leaving end of December and will not stay in Motels so want to get somewhere warm quickly. Time is really not an issue, we can take 3 to 5 days to arrive.
Second question is winterizing on the way home. I use the air compressor method and no anti-freeze. Where can I find a friendly air compressor on the way home? We will be returning in February.

[DougW]

End of December you might be all right going down to St Louis and taking I44 down to I40 to go across OK, TX, NM, and AZ, then again it might snow butt deep to a tall man going that way. A more sure route would be St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, El Paso then I10 across NM into AZ.

For a Friendly air compressor, bring your own small one along. It does not take much pressure to blow out the water lines so a small portable one should do the job.

[CHICKDOE]

i believe the AZ state parks have a 14 day limit. so two parks, 28 days. this will be in january. are you then planning on returning home at the start of february?

[richp]

I leave northern Illinois for Quartzsite in late December, going 57 to 44 to 40 to Kingman and then turn south. I stay at KOAs near Six Flags and east of Oklahoma City, Santa Rosa NM State Park, a free county park just outside Winslow, maybe a KOA in Kingman, or else just straight down to Quartzite.

Until I get past Flagstaff, I don't put water in the system because over the years it has been pretty cold and it's easier to manage water jugs for several days than fix fractured water lines or fittings.

Dropping down 17 would get you to lower altitude and warmer weather faster, but means you have to fight Phoenix traffic.

Or, you could slide down to 10 earlier, depending on where in Arizona you were headed.

I second the air compressor idea. A small light one is not expensive, and is just plain handy for bike tires or adding a bit of pressure to a trailer tire. But I confess that early in my winter trip history I have winterized with pink stuff in March at stops in Joplin or even St. Louis -- one or two days out from returning farther north, depending on the weather forecast.

[jdebevec]

Agree on the I-44 to I-40 west route. Except we've hit snow around Flagstaff two years in a row, but snow there doesn't seem to last long.
I also carry a small air compressor, because we travel a lot during the winter and winterize each time on our last night's stop on our way home.

[5picker]

Not sure I've ever run across a "friendly" air supply I'd trust to blow out my water lines.
You might want to pick up one of these two compressors...

These can be had for less than $40 on sale....

[hack522]

We just returned from Phoenix on Sunday. We drove two different routes. Use Google maps as it truly offers the shortest routes including construction and toll details. If you go through Kansas, make sure you take a toll ticket. Our Ipass was invalid there.
One note, we avoided Flagstaff by turning off near Holbrook. Not a major highway but less snow and elevation issues. Finally, I picked up a 12V air compressor to keep in my truck. Used it in NM since tires starting losing pressure. Plugs into any of your 12V outlets.

Safe travels.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Not sure I've ever run across a "friendly" air supply I'd trust to blow out my water lines.
You might want to pick up one of these two compressors...

These can be had for less than $40 on sale....

I agree...these are handy and sufficient for lots of tasks. Current regular price there is $54 & they JUST put it back on sale for $39 in their black friday ad....you will need to print that out to take advantafe...Here's the link: https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogs?cat=black-friday

It is on the inside back cover (pg. 11) AND on the back cover is ANOTHER 10% off for new customers if you are one!



40lbs of pressure is all you should use to blow things out so there's plenty to spare. Have a great trip!

[richp]

These small compressors are likely all be oil-less, which is the real thing to consider. You don't want an oil-lubricated compressor pushing its air through your lines.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by richp

These small compressors are likely all be oil-less, which is the real thing to consider. You don't want an oil-lubricated compressor pushing its air through your lines.

Right you are ...and they are!

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by Chaplain Kent

We have reservations in two state parks in southern Arizona this January and have a couple questions. We have been camping over fifty years with all types of RV's and have gone to Florida a few times during the winter but this is our first long term trip to Arizona in the winter.
First, is a route from Milwaukee. We be leaving end of December and will not stay in Motels so want to get somewhere warm quickly. Time is really not an issue, we can take 3 to 5 days to arrive.
Second question is winterizing on the way home. I use the air compressor method and no anti-freeze. Where can I find a friendly air compressor on the way home? We will be returning in February.

Harbor freight have several choices. The one I carry around was only $30 on sale.

[boogiejack75]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

I agree...these are handy and sufficient for lots of tasks. Current regular price there is $54 & they JUST put it back on sale for $39 in their black friday ad....you will need to print that out to take advantafe...Here's the link: https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogs?cat=black-friday

It is on the inside back cover (pg. 11) AND on the back cover is ANOTHER 10% off for new customers if you are one!



40lbs of pressure is all you should use to blow things out so there's plenty to spare. Have a great trip!

Those are fine for blowing out lines, but if you want to do tires too, I would recommend the 6 gallon, 150 psi one. Especially if you have G rated tires. More money though.

[dahagen]

Interesting you mentioned two state parks in Arizona. Keep in mind that most of them do not have full hookups. And they are more expensive that most private parks with full hookups by the week. I am in Arizona right now and there are a lot of empty spaces since the Canadians aren't able to come down with their RV's..

[mnoland30]

X2 on a compressor. I purchased a ViAir compressor, and could not be happier. I've had several cheap compressors sieze up over the years, but this Viair (12v) will pump up my tires almost as fast as I can let air out. Worth its weight in gold when you have a low spare tire. They all need the engine running while in use.

I once purchased a boat in Phoenix and drove it up the the Grand Canyon in a snow storm. I had to put a small camp stove under the outdrive to melt the ice and drain the engine. X2 on not filling up until you're south of Flagstaff.

Even going between Lordsburg and Deming at Thanksgiving and Christmas, we've experienced serious snow storms. If you're staying in motels anyway, you might as well wait to add water until you're in southern AZ. That said, it still isn't freezing in Albuquerque at night, so you might be just fine.

[KNMIB]

We are in Phoenix now and will head back for Christmas taking 10 to 20 pick up 30 in Dallas to 40 in Little Rock to 55 North to Washington, ll. We have done this several years in February. I carry a small compressor and we blow out in Sikeston Missouri. We stay as far south as we can to avoid snow etc. its longer but we are in no hurry. Sikeston has a Lamberts restaurant so we have a good place to chow down before returning home. Safe travels to all.

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by richp

These small compressors are likely all be oil-less, which is the real thing to consider. You don't want an oil-lubricated compressor pushing its air through your lines.

WHY . an oil filled compressor does not put oil in the compressed air . it's just used to lube the inner workings and unless the piston seals are bad should not allow oil into the air steam . now if you have an oiler in-line for air tools that's different .

[NO3putt]

If planning to stop in NM, rv parks have been limited to number of rvs that can be in park due to virus restrictions. We called 6 rv parks near Albuquerque with no luck, ended up at truck stop.

[KNMIB]

Just got a spot in Lordsburg KOA for Friday night then we will be out of NM

[Chaplain Kent]

Thanks to all for the good responses. We will go south quickly through Arkansas. I really don't like the drive through Missouri and still owe Oklahoma for tolls on the last trip.
We carry a small 90 PSI air compressor and I was going to try it on the water lines. Turns out the schrader connector is screw on and the ancient blow out adapter I made years ago takes a push lock coupling. I don't think they make a male to male schrader extender. Any ideas? I hate to buy a new compressor with a perfectly good one in the MH and garage. I have been blowing out the lines for so many years I can't remember how to use the pink stuff.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Chaplain Kent

Thanks to all for the good responses. We will go south quickly through Arkansas. I really don't like the drive through Missouri and still owe Oklahoma for tolls on the last trip.
We carry a small 90 PSI air compressor and I was going to try it on the water lines. Turns out the schrader connector is screw on and the ancient blow out adapter I made years ago takes a push lock coupling. I don't think they make a male to male schrader extender. Any ideas? I hate to buy a new compressor with a perfectly good one in the MH and garage. I have been blowing out the lines for so many years I can't remember how to use the pink stuff.

I'm not sure I understand all you were saying in the highlighted text above but if your air compressor has a screw-on Schrader coupler on the end of the hose and your old blow-out adapter you made has a quick-lock coupler, use this blow-out adapter instead. (pictured below) It can be had for $6 at Wally World.

Camco Brass Blow Out Plug for RV Winterizing