Driving Directions Needed ....

[Ray Davis]

I will be driving from FL up to West Point (Highland Falls, NY) in October. I've made the trip from Newark Airport in a car several times, which generally includes going up the Garden State Parkway, over to the Palisades and then up around by Bear Mountain.

I have been told that some of the roads in NJ and NY are not legal for RV. What little info I have found indicates that there are size limitations on the NJ Garden State and that the NY Taconic Pkwy is off limits to RV.

But, the info I have really vague.

I'm looking for someone who may know what is the best route for me, coming up from FL to get to Highland Falls. I will be towing a car, so I'll be around the 60-62 foot mark.

Thanks,
Ray

[rickdesilva]

easy run......Rt. 95 to NJ turnpike to Rt 287 North to NY Thruway north. Exit 16 off the Thruway. After you get off the exit you have to go over the mountain but its not a big deal. Stay off the Garden State parkway. Its bus friendly but the tolls are plentiful and the toll lanes are narrow. We're right at the intersection where 287 meets the thruway in Northern NJ (Mahwah) and about an hour from West Point we have plenty of room, 30 amp and water your welcome to stay but I'm sure West Point has plenty of room.

[phorner]

Rick is right on with the directions. We just drove that route driving southbound from Maine and it's not a bad drive at all.

Having driven the Garden State Parkway, the 287 & NJ Turnpike combination is much better. Another coat of paint and I'm not sure I would have made it through those Parkway toll plaza's :eek:

If you want to avoid the majority of the traffic along I-95 near Washington DC and Baltimore, we take I-95 north to the 495 beltway around DC to US-50/301 East, through Annapolis and across the Bay Bridge, and follow 301 all the way to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. There's a nice rest area on 301 about 20 miles east of the Bay Bridge. It will be a left exit into the rest area.

After you cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge, you can stay straight and enter the NJ Turnpike.

Have a safe trip....

[Ray Davis]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated! I have an EZ Pass that I got for my car when my son first started school up there. Do you know whether:

1. It can be used on the NJ turnkpike or NY thruway?
2. Can I just use it in my bus, or do I have to tell the EZ Pass people that I'm driving a larger than normal vehicle?

Thanks,
Ray

[phorner]

Your EZ Pass should work fine on the NJ Turnpike as well as the NY Thruway. When you applied for the EZ Pass, I kind of remember that you were supposed to identify the vehicle type that it was going on, but that was many years ago.

I have friends that transfer theirs between the car and their RV without a problem, so I would just do the same.

I spent several weeks at West Point during my Army Reserve duty there. It sure is pretty country!

[Jim Skiff]

Ray,

This might work for you.

http://wcbstv.com/national/disappearing.license.plate.2.810549.html

:p

[Ray Davis]

Thanks Paul, when I get my new plates, I'll contact EZ Pass and let them know that I will be using it on an RV and let them adjust the account.

Uh Jim, I think I'll take a pass on the disappearing plates! Were they trying to one-up Bruce (0533), running from a pump at a maddening rate, towing a car with two bright yellow kayaks?

Ray

[wrongagain]

EZ pass will work, but let me tell you, the others are not kidding you about the toll booths.
You pretty much have to come to a complete stop before the tolls, get out, grab a tube of your favorite lubricant, and grease up the sides of the bus, that way you can squeeze between those curbs.
Now keep in mind these are no mere regular curbs, these are super curbs,
at least 16" high.
So,...as you are watching the curb that is no more than 4 inches from your stainless you will hit your mirror on some inane signage about litter.

[Ray Davis]

Ed, is this on all tollways through the area? Or is this the GSPW as mentioned by Paul?

[wrongagain]

Basically it seems to be a western mass and N.Y. area pet peeve.
That seems to be the only areas I have seen that makes me actually take notice.
Its kind of fun, like an optical illusion, you can clearly see other vehicles going thru, but when you get there you just cant figure out how.
Just try to picture driving thru a funnel, a cattle chute, that kind of thing.
But your fellow motorists will happily and cheerfully wait as you breeze thru at a white knuckle 1/10 of a m.p.h.
And don't mistake the horns blowing as anger, they are just wishing you well for a job well done.

[rickdesilva]

Your EZpass will work, I have one in the coach and one in the Toad. Generally the toll booths on the far Right are usually a little wider that the others....just inhale and watch your mirrors.

[wrongagain]

I have yet to have had the privilege of having a wide lane be open.
My experiance with toll booths is they are like shopping check out lines , when I'm there, all lanes are closed except the one with a new trainee.

[rickdesilva]

Ray
one last piece of advice, fuel up on the NJ turnpike, there are no convenient stops on 287 and the cost of fuel in NY is much higher than NJ.

[nrhareiner]

Some information on the toll booths. The NJ turnpike is a toll road. the good news is that you only go through the booths when you enter and leave the turnpike. 287 is not a tool road. 287 is longer than using the GSP; however, the GSP has an endless number of tolls, and is not good for the bus because of the width of the to lanes. They converted many of the exact change lanes to the E-Z pass lanes, without removing the change catcher.

One small bit of advice, watch your timing through Washington area and NJ reference rush hour traffic. This can mean as much as 1.5 hours of delay in your trip.

I spent many years traveling the route you are going to take in the RV. also, you only need the E-Z pass in the bus. It will pick up the correct number of axles including the toad.

Have a great trip

[phorner]

To me, the worst toll booths were along the Garden State Parkway. They're very tight and plenty of them!

The NJ Turnpike is a better choice, in my opinion....

[Ray Davis]

Thanks for all the comments. So, I thought in my last couple of trips, when I've flown in and driven up the GSP, that most of the toll areas also had express lanes. Are those not usable when traveling with EZPass in the bus? I've used them in rental cars!

ray

[Jeff Bayley]

My experience driving through NJ and NY is not so much that your RV isn't allowed on the Parkway's, it's that you'll finally realize the worst fear of rippping your roof off like a tin can. There's many bridges that are not tall enough for us to fit under. I got on some by following the GPS more than once and had some "friendly honking" referred to earlier going on thank goodness. The locals warning me to get off. I guess that's one place where the computer software GPS allowing you to specifiy your height is preferred over a regular GPS.

[wrongagain]

All over the NY area you will see the signs that say,...
"Truckers use expressways, not Parkways, It's the law!"
Then under the parkway part of the sign is a low bridge warning icon.
From what I know a 3/4 ton pickup is not legal to be on a parkway.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

My experiance and opinion with toll roads is:

PURE TAX
There is always a free alternate route
I avoid them like the plague

Many shy away from secondary roads for numerous reasons we are all familure with. When traveling the interstate system, toll or not, you get to see a FEW things. On those other routes the view is much more interesting. The interesting things you come across is endless.

Don't be in such a hurry and don't be afraid of a little 2 lane every now and then. Besides you miss all the good yard sales and flee markets out on the big road:)

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Peg and I will be in the Phoenix area visiting family over Xmas and are considering driving up to visit Vegas for New Years, it is our anniversary, and where we got married 9 years ago. :)

Question is at Xmas time what is the best, safest, fastest route to get from Phoenix to Vegas? Is 93 the best highway to go, or should I stay on I-17 to I-40 and over? :confused:

I have never driven either of these roads in the bus nor in the winter, so I was hoping for your suggestions.

Thanks,

Gary S.

[flyu2there]

17N out of Phoenix can get gamey in the Winter, its a fairly steep and long climb right into snow country at Flagstaff. That route selection is strictly a function of the weather and temperatures...watch out for the Black Ice anytime in the Winter, especially in early mornings.

93 isn't quite as bad however it is slow and you have to watch how you enter Las Vegas, I do not know what the current status of the Hoover Dam thing is but it has been difficult in the past.

I would probably take 10 West to 95 (Quartzite to Parker and transition to the California side ......review your map, you will want to go to Vidal Junction). BTW there is a California Fruit Police Station at Vidal so hide your veggies! That will put you on 40 at Needles, then climb the hill West of Needles and get back on 95. Caution, caution again, just after you get on 95 Northbound (West of Needles) there is a railroad crossing that is marked at 25 mph....that's way to fast. 10 mph is much better...do it at 55 and you will be looking for suspension parts, tires, dishes, television sets, etc. Other than that the roads are all good.

John

[dalej]

it is our anniversary, and where we got married 9 years ago_Gary

Well give the girl an award, maybe a couple for putting up with you Gary. :)

Congratulations Gary and Peggy!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Happy anniversary you two:)

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

it is our anniversary, and where we got married 9 years ago_Gary Well give the girl an award, maybe a couple for putting up with you Gary. :)

So Dale, I guess you know you will be washing your own Toad from now on? !!! :p :D

Thanks Everybody Else for the best wishes. :)

Gary S.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Thanks John for the various routes to LV from Phoenix.

I talked to my dad today, and he said I-40 was closed today, cause Flagstaff got 2' of snow.

Will have to just see what the roads are like when we get there to see if it is worth the trip or not.

Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

Gary,

The I-10 route that John mentioned would keep you in the lower elevations.

But, if you've got an extra day, come down I-10 into Indio, and stay at the Outdoor Resort (or other nice park) for a night in the Palm Springs/Indo area.

Then work your way up to the 15, and head out to Vegas that way. Yeah, it's an extra day's drive, for sure. But, it would be a nice stay in Indio.

Ray

[Sid Tuls]

Hi Ray,

Ray witch Outdoor Resort do you stay at the new one or the older one? They are both great. I'am looking into staying there for the month of Jan 2009.

Thanks

[Ray Davis]

Sid, I have personally only stayed at the newer one, but Ken and Mike stay at the older one (across the street) regularly, and like it there.

I understand that both are wonderful. I spent 4 days at the newer one (for free), using a coupon on the web, on the way back from POG3.

Ray

[Coloradobus]

We call them KOA-One, North side of the street, and KOA-2, Motorocoach Country Club, and Desert Shores is KOA-3:D

[Sid Tuls]

Ray, where did you find the coupon for your stay at Outdoor Resort? I checked the web page and saw alot of them for sale. Thanks

[Ray Davis]

Sid,

That coupon was probably 18 months ago, but they have a 25% off coupon now on the web. Note, it's the Signature Resorts, not the ORA.

http://www.or-indio-vegas.com/

It covers Indio or Las Vegas.

Ray

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Ray, we may just come down to the Indio area instead of going farther up north to Las Vegas this time of year, where it is getting colder by the minute.

We can celebrate our anniversary anywhere, even better with POG Friends.

Where did you say you and some of the other guys are staying? If there are sites available, maybe we can get together to have a mini-mini New Years Rally?

Let me know if there is a group somewhere in the area, that wants to get together. We would probably head that way on either Tue or Wed, New Years Eve.

Last minute I know but sometimes they are the best kind.

But, I guess I better check with the boss tomorrow when she gets home from work, before I misspeak... ! NO WHAT I MEAN. :o :D

Gary S.

[Ray Davis]

Gary,

A group of at least four of us are staying around the Disneyland area for New Years.

Loc and JDUB are coming in from Texas, and Bluevost and I (and families) will be joining them at the Anaheim RV Resort. Loc is arriving on December 28, and JDUB will arrive on the Dec 31st. Ken will be coming Dec 30th, and I'll be arriving the 31st. I'm leaving the 2nd, and I think everyone else is leaving the 3rd.

As of two days ago there was one spot big enough for you left, so if you want to join us there, please call quickly.

Ray

http://www.anaheimresortrvpark.com/

[Ray Davis]

PS: JDUB and Loc will be going to the Rose Parade on the 1st. I believe Kevin Erion scored some tickets for them. I don't know if more are available. I'll be staying at the campground on the 1st, as is Ken Z.

We will be doing a dinner at the Erion's house after the Rose Parade.

Ray

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Ray, where did you find the coupon for your stay at Outdoor Resort? I checked the web page and saw alot of them for sale. Thanks


Sid, here is a coupon that Ray may have been talking about, but this one is only good thru the end of this year. They will probably have something else available for 2009.

http://orindio.com/pdf/OR_renterscoupon.pdf

Gary S.

[Sid Tuls]

Thanks Gary and Ray for the info. I checked into the price of owning and boy are they proud of thier lots. Can't say I blame them because they are great!

[garyde]

Well, I'm a little late in weighing in, but I am going to contact Anaheim RV resort tomorrow regarding Jan. 1, 2, and 3.

[Jerry Winchester]

Loc said he would pay for the gas to heat Kevin's pool, so we are going to wolf down a bunch of beans and get the heated redneck Jaccuzi going.

Gary,

Bring one of your cars with you so we can take it for a spin over to the stripper car wash. I'll bring the quarters. I think these girls work over there.

3867

[Ray Davis]

Gary,

Let us know if you have a problem getting in. There are a couple of other parks in spitting distance, if need be.

It would be great to have you join us.

Ray

[garyde]

I have made reservations for the 31st of Dec. to Jan 3rd.
Jerry, if I could fit my convertible into the bay I would bring it. Let me see, a topless car wash with my top down, hum.
Ray, I reserved space 48A, a back in space. There were a few left.

[Ray Davis]

Most excellent! I know we're doing dinner at the Erions on the 1st, but we should plan something for the 31st! Maybe we could do a mini-pot-luck POG style?

Ray