Different ways for getting my Airstream from Northern Vermont to Florida

[Overstreet]

The normal migration starts in early October and gets really crowded by November. Then they leave in April.

Yes you can store your AS here in Florida over the summer to pick it up in the fall but why? Wouldn't you use it in the summer? To each their own.

[Jarrod White]

Take a look at Gulf State Park and Luxury RV resort (on Highway 59 about a block from beach) when you’re in the area. I also like the Perdido Cove resort across the state line in Florida. There are many others but these have the best locations in my opinion. Gulf State Park has storage for trailers on site but it can be risky. I lost a 1966 Ambassador to storm surge during Hurricane Ivan in 2004 while parked in storage.

[Tomfeury]

I was thinking of doing a similiar thing as happyhapgood mentioned. We are doing the southwest adventure caravan, which ends in Albuquerque NM in October. I was wondering if it made sense to leave the airstream and TV there, fly home, then come back early spring and continue travel. One issue is we'd have to fly the 2 dogs, a black lab and a korean jindo/bordie collie mutt...

[SMKovalchik]

Most importantly WASH YOUR UNIT when you get to good weather. Even if you haven’t encountered bad roads, snow etc, salt and residue WILL collect on the underside. There are truck washes that will help you out. We have friends who head to FL in Jan each year and wash their units. Sadly the underside is filled with corrosion and a spare tire rack rusted and the entire assembly and tire fell off. We take our unit south in late Oct, spend a week or so, then leave it there and return home until after the Holidays. It’s in sunny FL waiting for us.

[jchodgdon]

We have done the trip south, and southwest a few times. We live close to you in Colchester. There are some year round campgrounds open near Harrisburg, PA. Depending on the weather, we may de-winterize there. We keep an eye on the weather going southbound, until the Carolinas. Stay off the roads after dark, and in bad weather. We’ve never gotten stuck anywhere, even in 2016, we left on Valentines Day, right after the big storm.. The Saratoga casino will let you spend the night in the parking lot near the trucks. Just make sure you check in with security.

[ELeland]

This must be the "Vermont" or Northeast thread.



My3Aussies - I grew up in your area - Orleans, but moved away many years ago. My brother still lives there and my wife and I do get back occasionally.


Since you have the right tow vehicle, I'd hook up and just go for it as long as you have a decent weather window.



I moved to Florida in 1980 and never regretted it. I'm currently working out of my AS in Georgia for a few weeks, back to Florida and then off to get a couple of projects kicked off in Illinois and Indiana in the spring. Again, driving the AS to use as my "office". Once you get that first big trip under your belt, you won't want to stop.


Good luck!


Ed

[pontzdav]

Hey all you wintertime campers. What do you do about road salt?

[My3Aussies]

Originally Posted by SMKovalchik

Most importantly WASH YOUR UNIT when you get to good weather. Even if you haven’t encountered bad roads, snow etc, salt and residue WILL collect on the underside. There are truck washes that will help you out. We have friends who head to FL in Jan each year and wash their units. Sadly the underside is filled with corrosion and a spare tire rack rusted and the entire assembly and tire fell off. We take our unit south in late Oct, spend a week or so, then leave it there and return home until after the Holidays. It’s in sunny FL waiting for us.

Thanks for the great advice of giving her a good underside wash once in the warm weather. We know very well what sand and dirt and gravel does to the belly of vehicles in New England!

[My3Aussies]

Originally Posted by ELeland

This must be the "Vermont" or Northeast thread.



My3Aussies - I grew up in your area - Orleans, but moved away many years ago. My brother still lives there and my wife and I do get back occasionally.


Since you have the right tow vehicle, I'd hook up and just go for it as long as you have a decent weather window.



I moved to Florida in 1980 and never regretted it. I'm currently working out of my AS in Georgia for a few weeks, back to Florida and then off to get a couple of projects kicked off in Illinois and Indiana in the spring. Again, driving the AS to use as my "office". Once you get that first big trip under your belt, you won't want to stop.


Good luck!


Ed

Small world, Orleans's just down the street from me. You are lucky not to be here today. I am buried in 2 feet of snow and temperatures in the single digits! Snow is pretty up to a point! Next January I will be in Florida, Alabama, Georgia,... I'll take any temperature above 50 degrees! Who knows, I might one day sell this property and travel the States in my AS and my 3 Aussies!

[Life is a Highway]

Welcome to Airstream.

After 60 years in Skaneateles NY I know about winter. We left and now live in Florida, visit the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes and leave before the four letter word- SALT-

A 35 year Career in Automotive Technology teaching training and a radio talk show “ The CarGuys " I know what Calcium Chloride, Road Salt Sand and Stones do to the vehicles.

It is why I will never haul my trailer through that stuff. In fact if I visit its in a rental car. The corrosion damage that will occur in every nook and cranny of the frame, hinges, the aluminum. In every crack and crevasse. The brakes suspension etc is not worth the trip in my humble opinion. You should have got out of NY after the Fall Colors left.

If rust and corrosion do not bother come on down to Florida, that is if you can find a place to stay. It’s your decision. Florida welcomes you however the road salt may not bother you but your trailer will not be happy camper

[jchodgdon]

Originally Posted by My3Aussies

I see, that makes sense, thanks for the clarification. There is a lot for me to learn in this new chapter of my life, so excited!

You must remember that when using electric heat, the holding tanks don’t get any heat at all. When using the furnace, they do.

[Cyclist]

A friend of ours in the past has towed his Airstream early in the autumn as far south as North Carolina (Charlotte as I recall) and stored it there after winterizing it. His rational is that although it may snow, it usually won't stick around and he can quickly head south and then de-winterize.

[Johnni0923]

Hi. I noticed your post today because of the three aussies. I too have three. Would love to hear more your experiences at rv parks with three dogs. Can we speak off line? Johnni0923@gmail.com

[My3Aussies]

Hi! I actually am pretty new to Airstreaming , I got my 2019 FC 28 delivered toward the end of July and I only got to go on one short 3 day trip to Grand Isle SP, VT an 1.5 hr west of where I live. I only took the 2 older ones, 9 and 9.5 years, and left the young 1 year old with family. So things went well, I was mainly concerned about barking, but all 3 of them together with the energy of the young one, they were pretty relaxed, maybe happy to have a break from him constantly challenging them and wanting to play when they want to chill. Looking for advice too, I started a thread under the Forum "On the road..." titled "Traveling with my 3 Australian Shepherds". Check it out, there was some helpful information from people who have traveled with dogs from one to four and different breeds.
Starting May though, I am planning few trips and all three will be joining me. Planning to keep plenty of their favorite treats and bones to keep them calm or distracted when people walk by the campsite and start to ask questions about them and kids ask if they can pet them I usually don't like that, not wanting to risk anything bad happening. They love to travel in the back seat of my truck, never complain. Keeping them quiet around other dogs is my biggest challenge. It will be a new chapter . for me. Fun travels with your pups!

[Esko1942]

What? No there dog night, they should keep you warm.