Wayne and Margy's 2019-20 Snowbird RV Adventure

Snowbird RV Adventure Update

Wayne and I want to thank all of our readers for coming along with us so far on our Snowbird RV Adventure. 

For now, however, we are staying home to take care of ourselves and to do our part to help prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus.  Wayne and I send our best wishes to all of you for continued good health, and we mourn the loss of so many people to this terrible disease.

Once the health danger is past, we will be back on the road with more stories to share. In the meantime, you can scroll down to get caught up on our first two trip segments.

Wayne and I planned for months for our first Snowbird road trip in the new RV we purchased last April.

This time of year it gets darker, colder and wetter at our float cabin on Powell Lake. Sun and warmth are calling. Just like the geese, we are migrating south.

An early November departure was perfect. We beat the snow and ice in the mountain pass between Oregon and California, and we were able to skip winterizing our RV. That was a win-win.

We picked a Forest River Sunseeker 2250 specifically for this adventure. We like the small size for maneuverability and easy parking. It's been a perfect rig for us even on long trips.

The overall 24'4" length of the Sunseeker packs in a lot of living space.

We planned a three part trip.

Part 1 - We left Bellingham on November 4. For 43 days we explored and camped our way from Washington State to Southern California. In mid-December, we put the RV into storage in Southern California, went to USC for basketball and then flew back to Bellingham for a break. You can read about this leg of our trip by scrolling down.

Part 2 - Our second leg of the trip started on February. We flew back south to pick up our RV from Pomona Fairplex RV Storage. After a short stay in Pomona to enjoy our old stomping grounds (we lived there for 24 years), we drove to Arizona for more exploring and a stay in Tempe for Arizona State University softball. By late February, we ended up in the Tucson area where we put our RV in storage once again and flew back to Bellingham for a second break.

Camping in public parks gives you more privacy and nature.

Part 3 - Needless to say, the third and final part of our trip that was supposed to start in late March was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Who could have expected a pandemic to catch us mid-way through our Snowbird Adventure.

Private RV parks offer more amenities and full hookups.

When it's safe again to travel, we'll fly to Tucson to check on our RV For now it's safe in electric storage at the Tucson Lazydays KOA RV Resort. -- Wayne and Margy

Snowbird RV Adventure Part 1: McChord to Armitage Park Campground

Part 1: Day 2

Over the Columbia River entering Oregon on a foggy morning.

November 5: Today our Snowbird RV Adventure started in fog. We didn't have to checkout until 11:00 so we waited for it to lift a little.

The second leg of our trip was going to be a four driving hours plus time for a rest and to get gas. That meant we would arrive at our destination, the Armitage County Park Campground in Coburg, Oregon, at 4:00. We would get to our destination before sunset. Since we are still new at parking our rig, having light to get it in place and set up is important.

This was the first long leg of our trip. We like a break from driving every two hours or so. Sometimes we plan a meal stop (with good RV parking) or use one of the handy in and out rest areas along major highways. That's what we chose today. You can see us parking in a pull-through spot next to the big guys.

Taking a break with the big guys at the French Prairie Rest Area.

Our route took us down I-5 from Tacoma to Coburg, Oregon. We never got away from the fog, but the forward visibility was good. We bypassed downtown Portland using Interstate 205 to the east. Again we lucked out, no rush hour traffic. Planning to drive through large cities on weekends or the middle of the day works better.

We chose the French Prairie Rest Area on I-5 south of Portland for our rest break. There are two drive-through areas and Oregon allows 12-hour parking including overnight if needed. Here's a summary of rest area rules by state.

Site #32 at Armitage Park Campground has full hookups and privacy.

We got to Armitage Park Campground before sunset, just as planned. You can make reservations for any Lane County Park up to two days in advance. We pre-selected a favourite site and knew we had a guaranteed spot when we arrived. Armitage Park is next to the McKenzie River. It has a large dog park, picnic grounds, boat launch ramp, walking trails and campground.

Fisherman on the McKenzie River in Armitage Park.

We love this campground and come here often while attending sports events at the University of Oregon in Eugene. 

Trip Mileage Log

Leg - 240 miles

Total - 375 miles

Stay tuned for more of our travelogue blog posts and get some handy tips from two RVing newbies. -- Wayne and Margy

Wayne and Margy's New RV Adventure

Site 45 at Lost Dutchman State Park.

In January and February, Wayne and I went on a Rental RV Road Trip from Bellingham, Washington to Arizona. We were gone for 25 days and loved the experience. You can read about that trip by clicking here.

When we got back, we started looking for an RV of our own. We really liked the Coachmen Leprechaun we rented. It had a comfy layout for a small 24' overall length Class C. We wanted small for easier driving and parking in restaurant and shopping lots.

We looked at several other brands, but kept coming back to the Coachmen Freelander 21RS with a bed slide-out. Our rental had a rear corner bed. While we were leery of the mechanics of a slide, we wanted increased sleeping comfort.

Since Poulsbo RV is the only Coachmen dealer near us, we went to one of their RV shows. And guess where it was, in the Bellis Fair Mall next to our condo. Seemed like kismet. They only had a larger Freelander display, but did have a Forest River Sunseeker 2250SLE. After much thought, we decided it was even better. Forest River is the parent company of Coachmen so we knew the quality was similar.

What changed our minds was: a Chevy 4500-322HP V8 gas engine, more interior storage, a bathroom sink in the living area, a functional dinette, well laid out kitchen, omnidirectional antennae and tank heaters. To put the icing on the cake, they gave us an extra discount for purchasing the show model. We were happy and Kevin, the salesman, was happy.

Inside our new Sunseeker 2250SLE RV.

We drove 30 miles down to the Poulsbo RV in Mt. Vernon to pick her up after detailing. Having the dealer relatively close is nice. Jacob was the mechanic in charge and he gave us a detailed tour of the coach and all of her systems. Like we did with our rental adventure, we took our new rig to the Bellingham RV Park for the first night to test everything out.

At the Bellingham RV Park for our first night.

When you live in a condo, you have to make alternative plans for RV parking. We chose secure Gotcha Covered near Bellingham. You have a choice of outside parking, or under cover with electrical hookups. We chose the latter. It's close enough to our condo for easy packing.

Parked at Gotcha Covered for storage.

On day six day we started our first New RV Adventure. Come along with us and see what we found. Please note, the posts have been reordered for easier reading. -- Wayne and Margy

Wayne and Margy's New RV Trip Log 2

Trip Log Part 2

Albany/Corvallis KOA

A nice day for driving south on I-5 to Oregon.

After leaving McChord Air Force Base we drove south on I-5 towards Corvallis, Oregon. On travel days we like to combine our first gas stop with breakfast.

I use Google maps in satellite view to find freeway close stops with easy access, restaurants, gas stations and RV friendly parking. If we need to shop, I look for ones with a grocery store as well. These days it's not hard to do.


We had reservations for three nights at the Albany/Corvallis KOA. We checked in and went directly to the university for the women's softball game vs. UCLA. Since USC doesn't have a softball team, we can be free agents and root for other PAC12 schools.

KOA's all have a similar layout so you know what to expect.

Because we hadn't yet set up our RV, we used it as transportation to the game. With a small rig we don't have a toad. It took me a while to figure that one out. Toad is the nickname for a "towed" vehicle.  Kind of like a dinghy for a boat.

Site #80 at the Albany/Corvallis KOA.

I called the university parking office and was told we could park in any hourly lot if we paid for two spots due to the length. At $1/hour our total cost was $4 until 5:00 when parking became free. 

Game 2 got rained out so we relaxed in the campground. We tried to use their nature trail to go down to the Calapooia River. There was still evidence of the terrible flooding that occurred last week. It was especially bad closer to Corvallis along the Willamette River.

UCLA women up to bat.

On Saturday, we took an UBER to campus to watch the rescheduled end to the rained out game and the full Saturday competition. It was $22 each way with a generous tip, and a lot easier than disconnecting our rig to drive ourselves.

Sunseeker 2250SLE Bathroom

A separate bathroom.

Today I'll give you a tour of our Sunseeker's bathroom. There's a toilet and shower in a separate room. The vanity is in the main cabin, a feature we really like.

The shower is big enough for Wayne who is over six feet tall. A six gallon on-demand hot water heater quickly provides plenty for a relaxing bath. The Sunseeker has two options for heating water, one electric when connected in a park or running the generator, and the other propane for dry camping (boondocking). It's nice to have options.

The flush toilet uses city water in parks or water pumped from the 35 gallon fresh water tank while dry camping.

A 27 gallon black water tank and a 32 gallon gray water tank hold the effluent until we use a park sewer connection or a sani-dump along the way.

Just outside the bathroom door is an alcove with the vanity and medicine cabinet. I think this is a much better use of space and gives the RV a more open feeling.

The bathroom vanity and medicine cabinet.

A master panel, convenience center, is where we monitor our systems including fresh water, black water, gray water, propane and house batteries. It's also the place where we can turn on the on-demand hot water heater and water pump if needed.

This model has Arctic holding tank heaters that can be turned on for freezing conditions. That sure would have made us more confident on our rental RV trip with all the ice and snow.

Thanks for joining us on this adventure in our new RV. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. -- Margy

Wayne and Margy's New RV Trip Log 3

Trip Log Part 3

Coburg's Armitage County Park

We left Corvallis for 38-mile drive to Coburg, Oregon, just north of Eugene. We stopped at the Shell station. Here in Oregon they pump gas for you. It isn't full service like the old days. Tell them what you want and stay in your vehicle. This station has propane if needed and there's a mini-mart, but no fresh foods.

Site #32 at Armitage Park Campground.

We stayed at Armitage Park on our RV Rental Adventure because it was recommended by a fellow camper in Bellingham, and because we wanted to check it out as a place to stay during sports events at the University of Oregon. That's why we are here this trip, women's softball.

Fixing a steak dinner on a nice evening outdoors.

The sites are well spaced, with many private ones among the trees. In January the maples were bare. Now they are leafing out and green. The grass areas now have lots of tiny daisy-like flowers and bright yellow dandelions that the bumblebees love to visit.

An after dinner fire to enjoy the evening outdoors.

There are full hookups, tables and firepits. A laundry, bathroom and shower facility is available. In January, reservations weren't needed. Now the park is full almost every night. The Lane County Park system has an easy to use online reservation system for their five campgrounds. Online reservations must be made three days in advance or call the park office at (541) 357-5481. The fee is $30 a night with an extra $10 per stay if you reserve a spot online.

Spring on the trail alongside the MacKenzie River.

We stayed two nights. The first we relaxed, BBQed steak and corn for dinner and had a fire with wood purchased at the camp office. The next day we walked the McKenzie River trail next to the park. The water is much higher and faster now, snow melt and rain runoff. Next we headed into Eugene for the softball game.

Sunseeker 2250SLE Sleeping Accommodations

Sunseeker 2250 diagram from the Forest River website.

We chose the Forest River Sunseeker 2250SLE model because it has a short 24' 4" overall length and because it has a slide out for a queen-size bed.

Our rental RV had a corner bed that was difficult to get into, out of and make. We were leery of getting a slide, but the ability to have a walk-around bed swayed us.

The Sunseeker 2250 is rated to sleep six, two in the queen bed, two on a bunk over the cab and two in the convertible dinette.

The dinette table drops down and the cushions become a mattress. Two can sleep here, but in my opinion small children would fit best. We don't use our dinette for sleeping, but we do appreciate the large table for eating, writing, reading and watching TV.

There's ample room in the over-cab bunk for two. A removable section allows for easy access to the front seats while driving, then it can be fitted into place for sleeping. We use our space for storing large items such as coats and backpacks.

The slide-out queen is our bed. We have large windows, storage and overhead lights.

To bring the slide in for driving, the covers from the bottom of the split mattress are released but not removed. The top half is pulled back to clear the area for the slide to be retracted. Putting the bed together goes in reverse. This small inconvenience is offset by the convenience of walk-around bed access.

Have you been thinking about getting an RV? I highly recommend renting one of the style you think is best, a Class C motorhome like ours, a van style Class B, a bus style Class A, a truck camper, a 5th-wheel trailer or a travel trailer. RVs come in many styles, shapes and sizes.

Thanks for visiting part of my world this week. For more great posts from Our World Tuesday, click here.

Also a meme called Through My Lens by Mersad.

A meme I enjoy is All Seasons. Stop by and take a look.

And a Wednesday Linkup My Corner of the World at Photographing New Zealand. -- Margy

Wayne and Margy's New RV Trip Log 4

Trip Log Part 4

Richardson Park Campground

Women's softball at Jane Sanders Stadium at U of O.

The beauty of traveling in an RV is you can change your plans. Originally we were going to head back to Bellingham after the Univeristy of Oregon softball game. We've been having so much fun, we decided to stay near Eugene for another game later in the week.

We didn't want to drive back to Armitage Park so we decided to try Richardson Park 16 miles west of Eugene on Fern Ridge Reservoir. We got softball tickets for the popular University of Oregon vs main rival Oregon State University online at Stubhub. We made reservations at Richardson for the three nights between games, then one more night at Armitage Park.

We picked a pull-through site #42 to get lots of sun.

Richardson Park is 15 miles west of Eugene on Fern Ridge Lake, a large reservoir popular with sailboat owners. There's a marina here and nearby at a day-use section near the dam. We had two wonderful days with lots of sun and blue skies.

The marina with lots of sailboats ready to go out.

Camping opens in mid-April for the 88 tent/RV spots with power and water. A sani-dump is available, but it was out of order we were there. April is early in the season, but reservations are still a good idea. If you use the Lane County online reservation system you need to do it two days in advance. Otherwise call the campground at (541) 935-2005.  Rates are $27.50 a night plus a $10 reservation fee for the stay if the online system is used.

Barbecuing steak for dinner.

We relaxed for three days watching boats, reading, barbecuing and enjoying fires. We soaked up lots of sun in camp and down at the lakeshore. If you're looking for a spot a short ways from I-5 and town, this is the place.

Traveling without a Towed "Toad" Vehicle

An RV friendly parking lot.

Our 24' Bayliner doesn't have a dinghy and our 24" Sunseeker RV doesn't have a toad. A small RV has limited towing capability, plus we decided to use our small RV as our regular transportation as well as our living accommodation.

Our vehicle almost fits into a regular parking spot. We are fine on width, especially if we pull in our mirrors. The length hangs over about two feet, making it necessary to use what we call Canadian parking, pull through and face out.

Google satellite view maps help us find the services we need.

It's best to find large supermarket or mall parking lots that give ample room to maneuver. Google maps is great for this. Zoom in using satellite view to check out the facility. Today we are going to combine a grocery store stop for resupply with parking during the game,

For the last leg, we can use either Uber, a taxi or other public transportation. When we were in Tempe, Arizona, we used the light rail that passed right in front of our RV park.

A toad following it's master.

If you have a camper, 5th wheel trailer or travel trailer you can disconnect and go. We do see other small RVs without toads, but virtually all of the big rigs drag them along behind. The choice is yours. -- Margy

Wayne and Margy's Rental RV Trip Log 1

Our destination, ASU for a women's softball tournament.

The idea to take an RV trip was part of an annual winter vacation we take to Arizona to watch a women's softball tournament at Arizona State University. Typically we travel by airliner and stay in a hotel.

Wayne thought this way would be more of an adventure for us, and he's right. Instead of our one week stay, this time we will be on the road for 25 days.

Trip Log Part 1

Friday, January 25 -- We picked up our 22-foot Coachman Leprechaun at El Monte RV in Ferndale, Washington. We drove it to our Bellingham condo for easy loading of our supplies and food. We then took the RV to Bellingham RV Park for a two night stay. The first night was to give us time to "move in" and get our things organized.

Saturday, January 26 -- The second night was for a Western Washington University women's basketball game and to get an early start on Sunday morning and miss weekday traffic in Seattle and Portland. Today we still had our SUV, which was a good thing. We went shopping to get a replacement water hose (the RV one was leaking) and a few other items. We disconnected our services and emptied our black and gray water tanks before leaving for the basketball game and our last night in the condo.

Staying in a local park the first nights worked well for us.

Sunday, January 27 -- Our good friend Jeanne drove us to the RV park to leave on our adventure. We got an early start so we could get as far south on I-5 as daylight would allow. Our goal is to get to northern California by Tuesday before rain is forecast to arrive in the Pacific Northwest.

Ready to hit the road.

Today was foggy, but with good driving visibility. The RV handled well with Wayne as the driver. I'll take turns as we go along. We stopped for gas in Chehalis, Washington after 180 miles of travel. We turned off the propane before filling at the gas pumps, and back on again after leaving the pumps so our propane refrigerator would keep running. Regarding fuel, we burned 8.18 miles per gallon so we now know how to gauge our future gas stops. What a gas guzzler.

We stopped for the day in Coburg, Oregon, just north of Eugene. There are three RV parks listed on the Good Sam Club app (we joined before leaving to get discounts) and the Allstays app (great for camping, RV parks, and travel services across the United States and Canada).

Our campsite at Armitage County Park.

First we visited the Premier RV Resort. It was large with lots of amenities next to I-5. We then went to check out the Eugene Kamping World park (not the store). It was a little smaller and older, but still a good choice. We did this for future reference.

The McKenzie River on a foggy afternoon.

The place we chose to stay was Armitage County Park just outside of Coburn. The sites are among the trees with lots of grass and space. It has full hookups and takes reservations, but this time of year none were needed. We drove around and picked our site then paid the $30 nightly fee. On the way back from the registration office we walked down to the McKenzie River that runs next to the park. Now we are ready for a well deserved dinner in our cozy abode and a good night's sleep. Tomorrow is another big travel day. -- Margy

Wayne and Margy's Rental RV Trip Log 2

Trip Log Part 2

Monday, January 28 -- We left our site at Armitage County Park by 8:30 am. Traveling in an RV makes packing up much quicker than when we tent camp.  Wayne unplugs our power, water, and cable TV. I make sure everything in the RV is secure for road travel.

We had fog all the way through Oregon.

We've been eating sweet rolls and orange juice on the road rather than cooking something on long travel days. Our goal is to get to Southern California during this period of mild weather, and we'll make it unless something unexpected happens. I-5 is a good choice if you want to get to Southern California as quick as possible. It has four or more lanes all the way. Even through it's a thoroughfare, the scenery is beautiful.

Over the pass to California with Mt. Shasta to greet us.

We drove another 375 miles today. Fog continued until we stopped in Ashland, Oregon for gas. but the visibility was okay for driving.  Using two legs of about 185 miles each seems to work for our bums in the seats and the need to use restroom facilities.

Our Sacramento River site at the Durango RV Resort.

We picked Red Bluff, California, as our destination. I used the Allstays app to select the Durango RV Resort because of it's amenities, location and nearby shopping. We splurged on a Sacramento River waterfront site. As a treat, we walked to Shari's restaurant for an early dinner. When we got back, there were high clouds. Even so, it was warm enough to sit outside until sunset and enjoy our river view.

The mighty Sacramento River heading south.

RV Bedroom -- I thought I would share something about our El Monte RV rental. We picked their 22-foot Coachman Leprechaun because it is small, easy to handle and park, and has the bed on the main floor. It's queen-size and there's plenty of storage overhead for clothes and things you would need at night. The propane heater keeps us warm all night. The door on the right goes into the small bathroom. I'll show you more about that tomorrow.

Our bedroom area at the back of the RV.

Thanks for joining us on our rental RV adventure.  Do you camp our use an RV when you travel? What are you favourite things about getting out on the road? -- Wayne and Margy