Starting a new life s a Snowbird

[sky_blue]

I know I haven't posted in a while. I've spent the last year taking care of health and home issues. But Saturday I'll be starting my new 3-4 month journey as a snowbird RVer. I'll be heading south on I-5 from Eugene OR to Yreka, CA. Then down to Sacramento CA. And then over to the Bay Area.

Looking at Cal DOT, they are showing a wind advisory for RVs. But the NOAA maps show the winds at 5 MPH. Which should I trust?

[Bob Denman]

Welcome back!
The best of luck to you...

[ducksface]

It depends on how bad you want to go, vs how bad you don't want to go.

What difference does the forecast make if you're going to go no matter the weather?

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by ducksface

It depends on how bad you want to go, vs how bad you don't want to go.

What difference does the forecast make if you're going to go no matter the weather?

That may be the point. If the weather makes it a white knuckle ride, it's not worth it anymore?

[tmshih]

Make note of where the fires are burning along your route. Last year we drove down I5 past the Paradise fire. The campgrounds were filled with refugees and we went through thick smoke for 400 miles south.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/

[cavie]

Originally Posted by tmshih

Make note of where the fires are burning along your route. Last year we drove down I5 past the Paradise fire. The campgrounds were filled with refugees and we went through thick smoke for 400 miles south.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/

Check out the fire maps. You may want to do a wide detour of CA and go someplace else. Not much of CA that is not on fire or covered in smoke. Many hyways and interstates closed.

[Whirnot]

There is a smartphone app called Windy. Forecasts the wind in any area. Works well for me.

[Mr Sunshine]

Hey, gbrown, welcome back! Hope your health and home issues are all resolved. Happy snowbirding!

[Yaktop]

I’d keep going south, then east.

[vkb]

Normally, we travel between April and October.... we are headed out, this year, around Dec 1...we are watching the weather patterns a week or so before departure....we have our planned stops, but built in enough time to allow for stopping along the way if we run into poor driving conditions.

Does this make sense to those of you who are experienced traveling this time of year? Are we going to run into difficulty getting a place to stop without reservations this time of year? … short of boondocking in a parking lot !

We are in KS (weather has already been iffy)..and are headed to family in Fl.
tugging the Jeep 4 down...I am the map reader/navigator...Ron is my pilot and has been forever !

thanks ! K

[Mr Sunshine]

Originally Posted by vkb

Normally, we travel between April and October.... we are headed out, this year, around Dec 1...we are watching the weather patterns a week or so before departure....we have our planned stops, but built in enough time to allow for stopping along the way if we run into poor driving conditions.

Does this make sense to those of you who are experienced traveling this time of year? Are we going to run into difficulty getting a place to stop without reservations this time of year? … short of boondocking in a parking lot !

We are in KS (weather has already been iffy)..and are headed to family in Fl.
tugging the Jeep 4 down...I am the map reader/navigator...Ron is my pilot and has been forever! thanks ! K

Like Yaktop said, keep going south, then east! You are on the right track. Since you are watching the weather forecast between where you are and where you are going, you should be fine. You are smart to allow extra time if the weather causes a delay. We've made that run after Thanksgiving and enjoyed watching the temps rise as the latitude falls.

You shouldn't have trouble with finding campgrounds without reservations at this time, except at the coast and south Florida. Bring along some suncreen!