Dry Camping

[JIM KELLER]

Need some feedback. We have reservations in March at Jekyll Island, Ga. A Country Coach Rally. They advertise Honey Wagon and Portable Water Service. No electric and some of the parking is on pavement. It is a five day rally. I have heard stories about generator fumes and collapsed holding tanks that were sucked out by the Honey Wagon. Our previous camping experiences have always been plugged into shore power so I am a little skeptical but I would like the opportunity to talk with Country Coach people at a company sponsored rally. Does anyone have comments about this type event ?

99 Country Coach XL45

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Need some feedback. We have reservations in March at Jekyll Island, Ga. A Country Coach Rally. They advertise Honey Wagon and Portable Water Service. No electric and some of the parking is on pavement. It is a five day rally. I have heard stories about generator fumes and collapsed holding tanks that were sucked out by the Honey Wagon. Our previous camping experiences have always been plugged into shore power so I am a little skeptical but I would like the opportunity to talk with Country Coach people at a company sponsored rally. Does anyone have comments about this type event ?

99 Country Coach XL45
Jim, No first hand experience on this but from your info I would feel OK about the experience. Arive a little early and keep up on the weather reports. Chose a parking place accordingly, wind direction, and not in the middle of the pack. This would keep the potential fumes clear of you. Country Coach wouldn't want bad publicity of sucking in tanks so they would probably have a savy operation. Go with an empty tank and ask around of others while there checking out the service at say a 1/2 full tank. If you don't like what is provided talk with your people and pull out early. Make it clear to the honey sucker that if he ruins your tank he is liable. Be sure your CO detector is working. I have only been there in a car and can't imagine where they would host a rally. It's all long and narrow with lots of sharp turns. Maybe there is a seperate area for your type event. JIM

[truk4u]

Jim,

We do a fair amount of dry camping and have been pumped out lots of times. We've been to 4 different CC rally's and for the most part, they get local honey wagons to handle the rally, but you have to be careful because these folks are usually overwelmed by the number of Coaches and hire extra people to work who don't have a clue how to pump out a holding tank.

I work my own valves, don't let them do it, and be sure when your ready to close either the black or grey knife valve, they shut off the suction first. You will lose all water in your p-traps, so you will have to run water after getting pumped. Not much you can do about the washer/dryer and dishwasher p-traps, just run them as soon as you can.

As an alternative, when we leave the Nascar races, if there's a rest area nearby with a dump, I just wait and do it there. Or you can just find a local campground and dump, usually about 5 bucks. Most Georgia Interstates will have a dump station somewhere, not sure about I-95. There's a flying J right at Brunswick, exit 29, you could dump there.

As for the generator fumes, there will be a breeze since your sitting on the ocean and wouldn't worry about it. I can't imagine where there putting everyone on Jekyll Island, been there a number of times and it's pretty small.
Take lots of bug stuff, they will eat you alive.

[Coloradobus]

Jim,

Tom is right. We have also been to a number CC rallies both when we had a CC and with the Marathon. During a 5 day rally, you shouldn't come close to filling you black tank. Remember, yellow is mellow and brown flush her down.
We lasted 9 days last week at the Barrett/Jackson Auto auction in Scottsdale staying at the WestWorld campground. They have water and power. We were only at 45% of 68 gallon cap. on the black tank. We were 92% of 86 gallon on the grey. We ran the dishwasher drawer 3X's and took squirt and soap and squirt style showers. We opted out of having the sewer sucker. Upon leaving, we did dump the grey tank. Today, weather permitting, I will take the coach over to our local campground and dump it all.
Did notice a little trick that Newell owner was using at the auction. They had a black plastic tub to pour their grey water in for the sewer sucker to suck out, alleviating having the sewer sucker connected directly to the coach.

[bill&jody]

get joe c to tell you about the dave matthews switch/valve.
wmm

[gmcbuffalo]

I went to a Beaver rally a few years ago and it was great. They provided two repairs to every coach free labor. Didn't fill the waste tank to need pumping. "showers", wet, soap and rinse.

You may not get to pick a parking space. To get the max coach in and organized they will a parking committee to line everyone up.

The Generator was not a problem as long as it quiet one. I went to Burningman once with my old coach and had a shop generator and upset many charging my batteries.

At Quartsite one year I had someone pump out my tanks and they had me put a PVC pipe in the toilet to hold it open so they couldn't collapse the tanks. So make sure your toilet valve is open the whole time, don't rely on the vent on the roof.

GregM

[garyde]

The last CC Rally I attended, they asked us to place an Orange Sheet of paper (they provided)on our windshields if we wanted our tank emptied and to leave open the Bay door. Additionaly , they recommended having your toilet valve in the open position. Well, I did not do the toilet valve, no problem. As far as Generators, people usually run them in the morning and in the evening for a hour or two. Leave your windows closed at that time. Usually, when you arrive, they will guide you into a parking space. Let them know your preferences at that time. Gary

[kmuller]

Jim - I notice you have a 99 coach. This would be a good time to replace your CO detector if you haven't already. Most manufacturers require replacement at 3 to 5 years depending on the brand. In addition, detector technology has rapidly improved since 99.

Also, most coaches only have one detector in the back of the stateroom. We strongly recommend one forward as well. Many folks take a nap up front, particularly when camped, and others may have kids sleeping up front (like Mango Mike). Our ABYC standards require a CO detector where ever someone may sleep. Consider it cheap life insurance.

[JIM KELLER]

Karl, Thanks for the suggestion. I will order one today. And thanks to everyone for the feedback on Dry Camping.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

JIM KELLER;Need some feedback. We have reservations in March at Jekyll Island, Ga. A Country Coach Rally. They advertise Honey Wagon and Portable Water Service. No electric and some of the parking is on pavement. It is a five day rally. I have heard stories about generator fumes and collapsed holding tanks that were sucked out by the Honey Wagon. Our previous camping experiences have always been plugged into shore power so I am a little skeptical but I would like the opportunity to talk with Country Coach people at a company sponsored rally. Does anyone have comments about this type event ?

99 Country Coach XL45

Jim, I was wondering about your camping trip. How did it all go down?;) JIM

[JIM KELLER]

Jim, Thanks for checking on us ! We didnt go. I think we decided we were not the Dry Camping type folks. Something about the Honey Wagon attaching itself to our waste pipes and sucking hard made me feel uncomfortable.

The good news is we signed up for POG III. I dont think I could have been away from my business for two functions back to back and I know I made the right decision with POG III.

Thanks again and hope to see you in Kerrville.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I suppose it is possible to colapse a holding tank but if so I would have to say that would be a design flaw. I think the worst thing that could happen to ours is it could suck all the water out of the drain traps. We have no gray tank. Even the set-ups with dual tanks are vented right?

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

JIM K, That's OK about not going. I was just wondering. A lot of good came from your post on the topic. I for one learned how to go about that kind of pumping situation. Jekyll is something to see, reminiscent of days gone by and you should visit if the opportunity should arise. With only one event possible for you Kerrville is definitely more important. I'll be there wifeless and bussless, but I'll be there! If Corona Kelly shows up I'll probably just sit with her and blend into the crowd! :p
JIM