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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / July 2007Im trying to figure how much money it will take to live as a Snowbird
Trying to get some idea as to the actual living/operational cost of being a Snowbird for 4 winter months (Nov thru Feb) in Texas or Arizona , one person, in a new Class C 25 footer, assuming occasional restaurant eating, mostly low cost CGs/State Parks combined with parking on friends property free of charge, no extravagent living , budget shopping, etc... ???? If you get away for 4 months or so every year, can u give me some idea as to the cost not including the RV purchase price ? If you know of a website pertaining to this subject, please advise. Thanks, Dave. > Trying to get some idea as to the actual living/operational cost of > being a Snowbird for 4 winter months (Nov thru Feb) in Texas or Arizona [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > price ? If you know of a website pertaining to this subject, please > advise. Thanks, Dave. From experience I can tell you that it will cost you less in Texas in The Lower Rio Grande Valley than it will cost you in Arizona. You don't need to look at state parks as they don't usually have extended stay rates. More likely they have limits like 14 days. Here in the RGV, the RV parks offer discounts for 3 month or longer stays. A monthly rate of under $250 plus electricity on the meter is about average. There are more expensive and less expensive parks. The nice thing about the RGV is the openness of our RV parks. The local paper lists the goings on every Monday for the Valley and anyone can attend things like square dance lessons (pay the fee), dances, jam sessions, etc. In AZ or Florida you can't go into another park and partake of dances and lessons if you don't pay for that park. Arizona gets cold at night so you might need to spend more on energy, whether it's electricity or propane to keep warm. The cost of living is very cheap in the RGV, too. groceries, gasoline, etc are much more reasonable. Health care is much more available. There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is having a terrible time with pain and he can't even get seen at the ER in Yuma because it's filled with illegal aliens and the uninsured (he says). We wintered in the RGV in our fifth wheel at a nice park that, for 3 months, cost us about $200 per month plus about $20 on the meter for electricity. The propane people came with their trucks every day but we rarely needed any. The park we stayed in was right in a little town and one could walk to the grocery store, post office, bank and a wonderful bakery as well as several cafes, a pizza joint and two dollar stores so one didn't even need a separate vehicle. The cost of living in the RGV here in Texas is so low that we bought our home here when it was time to stop full timing. The people are friendly, the groceries are less expensive than anywhere else we looked, the health care is good and the shopping in Mexico is fun. Low-cost dental services and, if you need them, drugs, too. Restaurants are plentiful and reasonably priced.  SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life 'From experience I can tell you that it will cost you less in Texas in The Lower Rio Grande Valley than it will cost you in Arizona. You don't need to look at state parks as they don't usually have extended stay rates. More likely they have limits like 14 days. Here in the RGV, the RV parks offer discounts for 3 month or longer stays. A monthly rate of under $250 plus electricity on the meter is about average. There are more expensive and less expensive parks. The nice thing about the RGV is the openness of our RV parks. The local paper lists the goings on every Monday for the Valley and anyone can attend things like square dance lessons (pay the fee), dances, jam sessions, etc. In AZ or Florida you can't go into another park and partake of dances and lessons if you don't pay for that park. Arizona gets cold at night so you might need to spend more on energy, whether it's electricity or propane to keep warm. The cost of living is very cheap in the RGV, too. groceries, gasoline, etc are much more reasonable. Health care is much more available. There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is having a terrible time with pain and he can't even get seen at the ER in Yuma because it's filled with illegal aliens and the uninsured (he says). We wintered in the RGV in our fifth wheel at a nice park that, for 3 months, cost us about $200 per month plus about $20 on the meter for electricity. The propane people came with their trucks every day but we rarely needed any. The park we stayed in was right in a little town and one could walk to the grocery store, post office, bank and a wonderful bakery as well as several cafes, a pizza joint and two dollar stores so one didn't even need a separate vehicle. The cost of living in the RGV here in Texas is so low that we bought our home here when it was time to stop full timing. The people are friendly, the groceries are less expensive than anywhere else we looked, the health care is good and the shopping in Mexico is fun. Low-cost dental services and, if you need them, drugs, too. Restaurants are plentiful and reasonably priced. SignatureJanet Wilder' REPLY: Thats good to know Janet. Ill remember that for sure. I like Texas and southern folks in general ; being in the Bible Belt usually makes all the difference . What are some major towns in the RGV that you would suggest staying at or near ? Thanks, REPLY: Thats good to know Janet. Ill remember that for sure. I like Texas and southern folks in general ; being in the Bible Belt usually makes all the difference . What are some major towns in the RGV that you would suggest staying at or near ? Thanks, Between Brownsville and Mission there are hundreds north and south of US 77/83. We stayed at Twin Palms in Rio Hondo. Not a spectacular place but nice long pull-throughs and the friendliest folks you'd ever want to meet. We still go there often just to visit with our winter friends. We always liked staying on the eastern end of The Valley as it's closer to the beach on South Padre Island (and the fishing boats). But every one has their own favorite places. Some other towns to look for are Harlingen, San Benito, Mercedes, La Feria, Weslaco, Donna, Alamo, McAllen and Mission. SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life 'Between Brownsville and Mission there are hundreds north and south of US 77/83. We stayed at Twin Palms in Rio Hondo. Not a spectacular place but nice long pull-throughs and the friendliest folks you'd ever want to meet. We still go there often just to visit with our winter friends. We always liked staying on the eastern end of The Valley as it's closer to the beach on South Padre Island (and the fishing boats). But every one has their own favorite places. Some other towns to look for are Harlingen, San Benito, Mercedes, La Feria, Weslaco, Donna, Alamo, McAllen and Mission.' REPLY: I pulled out my Frommers Campground Book and had a look at a few of these places ; looks good. The one on South Padre Island is only $8 per night and is very remote they said ; i like that. > 'Between Brownsville and Mission there are hundreds north and south of > US 77/83. We stayed at Twin Palms in Rio Hondo. Not a spectacular place [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > of these places ; looks good. The one on South Padre Island is only $8 > per night and is very remote they said ; i like that. The 'very remote' one has to be the beach north of town. It is a Cameron County Park and you can get a permit to park on the beach, no hookups, lots of blowing sand and salt spray. If you stay there I would be interested to find out how many years it takes you to get the sand out of your RV! <g> The county also has a large full hookup park at the south end of the island and another small one with services just north of town. I would suggest reservations for either of these as they appear to be full whenever we drive by. Last winter the locals were complaining about not being able to use the two county RV parks with services. Prices may go up and maximum stay length may go down. then again another option mentioned was selling/leasing the land and let a developer put in a beachfront resort. However, things tend to move slowly in the LRGV and all changes may still be in the talking stage. Janet should be able to advise you of any recent developments. Ron However, things tend > to move slowly in the LRGV and all changes may still be in the talking > stage. Janet should be able to advise you of any recent developments. AFAIK, the park is still there and nothing is being done about closing it. Subject is being ignored by the local press so I doubt if anything is happening. The entire deal revolves around the ability of the potential developer getting the state law changed to permit casinos. So far Austin is doing its usual constipated thing. I love the beach and the Island, but I'd much rather have my RV further inland where it's not effected by salt water. A nice park that's on TX 100 and less than 20 minutes away is Palmdale in Los Fresnos. There is a good recreation program, nice people, pool and other amenities and the prices aren't too high. That's as close to the beach as I'd want to put my rig. SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life > However, things tend >> to move slowly in the LRGV and all changes may still be in the talking [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > recreation program, nice people, pool and other amenities and the prices > aren't too high. That's as close to the beach as I'd want to put my rig. It seemed to be a big deal when we left about the end of February, but I am not surprised it has died down. There was also a big deal about Dirty Harries and the Oyster Bar losing their leases or having to pay much higher rents. The inference was that prices at both places would increase substantially as a result of the higher rent. Anything happen with either of them? We liked the $5 a dozen oysters on the halfshell at the Oyster Bar on I believe Wednesdays and Fridays (their special on hotdogs and beer on Tuesdays and Thursdays wasn't bad either). Ron > REPLY: I pulled out my Frommers Campground Book and had a look at a few > of these places ; looks good. The one on South Padre Island is only $8 > per night and is very remote they said ; i like that. If you are talking about the county park, you need reservations a long, long time in advance. You might not really want to stay on the Island. The salt water in the air can damage your rig pretty quickly. You will have to wash it several times a week. SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life >> REPLY: I pulled out my Frommers Campground Book and had a look at a few >> of these places ; looks good. The one on South Padre Island is only $8 [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > salt water in the air can damage your rig pretty quickly. You will have to > wash it several times a week. Have you been out to SPI since the private RV park (between the causeway and the county RV park) was purchased by KOA? We talked to a couple who stayed there this past February and they told us the posted rates for '07-'08 winter were over $1,000 a month. If that is true it will be interesting to see how full they are next winter! Ron What other parts of the Southwest are like the South Padre Island area for Snowbird RVing ? By the way....isnt South Padre Island known for that 'girls gone wild' epidemic during school break ? Or, am i thinking of another place down that way , which i heard was .... shall i say....'seedy' ? Thanks. > What other parts of the Southwest are like the South Padre Island area > for Snowbird RVing ? By the way....isnt South Padre Island known for > that 'girls gone wild' epidemic during school break ? Or, am i > thinking of another place down that way , which i heard was .... > shall i say....'seedy' ? Thanks. If you get directions to the "seedy/Girls gone wild places", post em here! I'm single, have an RV, and love wild girls! :) 'If you get directions to the "seedy/Girls gone wild places", post em here! I'm single, have an RV, and love wild girls! :)' REPLY: I dont mean to lower your testosterone level or anything, but, here is a good rule of thumb : 'Girls Gone Wild' = Increased chances of permanent STD(s) and/or fatal STD . So, as Clint Eastwood would say in his movies ..... ' Well, do you feel lucky ? Well, do ya Punk ?!' > 'If you get directions to the "seedy/Girls gone wild places", post em > here! I'm single, have an RV, and love wild girls! :)' [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > of permanent STD(s) and/or fatal STD . So, as Clint Eastwood would say > in his movies ..... ' Well, do you feel lucky ? Well, do ya Punk ?!' We spend the winter near south Padre Island and I take a lot of photos. One nice warm sunny winter afternoon we were at the beach in the county park at the south end of the island. I was using a 100-400 mm zoom lens to take some action photos of some surfers. Between me and the water, but out of the field of view of the lens were several couples in swimsuits soaking up some sun. One of the women saw the camera and made her husband move so that he was between her and my camera. I almost laughed out loud at the though of how that 65ish woman was flattering herself! <g> And then I wondered why she was wearing that swimsuit on the beach if she didn't want to be seen in it. Ron 'And then I wondered why she was wearing that swimsuit on the beach if she didn't want to be seen in it. Ron' REPLY: Im sure she didnt want to feel like she was on display to a guy with a high-powered camera . There are some women who still have dignity and who dont appreciate being gawked at. > 'And then I wondered why she was wearing that swimsuit on the beach if > she didn't want to be seen in it. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > with a high-powered camera . There are some women who still have > dignity and who dont appreciate being gawked at. Any 65-year-old woman wearing a bikini has no dignity at all or they'd keep themselves covered up. Nobody wants to see old, sagging, wrinkled, age-spotted flesh. In most cases these days - obese and covered with cellulite pocks. Ugh! Shad O'Shay >> 'And then I wondered why she was wearing that swimsuit on the beach if >> she didn't want to be seen in it. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Shad O'Shay Clearly spoken by someone for whom 65 is impossibly in the future. -Raf (65) SignatureMisifus- Rafael Seibert mailto:rafseibert@suddenlink.net blog: http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/ Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii home: http://www.rafandsioux.com >> 'If you get directions to the "seedy/Girls gone wild places", post em >> here! I'm single, have an RV, and love wild girls! :)' [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Ron If you drive up the beach on SPI, there is a "Nude" area, up about 12-15 miles. Most of the time there's no one taking advantage, but sometimes.... -Raf SignatureMisifus- Rafael Seibert mailto:rafseibert@suddenlink.net blog: http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/ Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii home: http://www.rafandsioux.com > Texas in The Lower Rio Grande Valley This is where my folks stayed. Your assessment of the area and its costs and amenities mirror what my folks experienced there. Nice place. Signature:) JR >................ Health care is much more available. > There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is > having a terrible time with pain and he can't even get seen at the ER in > Yuma because it's filled with illegal aliens and the uninsured (he says)............ The guy is telling you the truth about not getting seen in the ER because of illegal Mexicans and the uninsured. A typical wait is 5 hours in the ER around Phoenix and suburbs. I waited 5 hours with blood poisoning and when it was my turn, a group of Mexicans stopped in after a recreational knife fight, and that was the end of my turn. I went to another hospital 30 miles away (no trauma unit) and was admitted for 5 days. That was due to the progression of my blood poisoning while I waited in the first ER. >>................ Health care is much more available. >> There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >miles away (no trauma unit) and was admitted for 5 days. That was due to >the progression of my blood poisoning while I waited in the first ER. Similar story here. Three years ago I was having a problem. I have a bad heart and cancer (in remission now). I went to Good Sam in Phoenix at 2AM. The waiting room had nothing but Hispanics. Mostly fat women with snot nosed kids. A couple of old men also. Most of their complaints was the kids' colds. I finally got into a bed at 7AM. Preliminary blood tests showed my blood sodium to be at a level the Doctor said, should have put me in a coma. I was pumped full of saline and the level returned to normal. That whole experience soured me on the illegal issue. I get weary of the sleazy drunk day laborers standing on corners propositoning white women and pissing on the street and sh.tting where ever they want. Some Home Depot's parking lots smell like a dump station that someone spilled at. The situation here is critical, no matter what the idiots on the coastlines say. >>>................ Health care is much more available. >>> There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > The situation here is critical, no matter what the idiots on the > coastlines say. And you checked their papers and determined all the Hispanics in the waiting room were illegals. Wow, I wouldn't have thought someone as sick as you were would have been able to do that! Ron >>>>................ Health care is much more available. >>>> There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > >Ron Well smartass, while they were checking in they couldn't provide SSN's or proper ID. Matricular Councellor [sp] cards at best. That is proof enough for me. None spoke English either, nor did the kids. They had 2-3 Spanish speaking nurses to help and I speak enough Spanish to understand whats going on. If they were legal, they were certainly going out of their was to hide it. >>>>>................ Health care is much more available. >>>>> There's a fellow on a cancer support newsgroup I subscribe to who is [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > Spanish to understand whats going on. If they were legal, they were > certainly going out of their was to hide it. I have met many people who assume that anyone who looks Hispanic is an illegal. In much of the border area a large percentage of the Hispanic population had ancestors who were US citizens long before many anglo's ancestors even got on the boat! Many of the legal Hispanic residents we have met in south TX are equally at home speaking English or Tex-Mex which usually passes for Spanish. Ron >I have met many people who assume that anyone who looks Hispanic is an >illegal. In much of the border area a large percentage of the Hispanic [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >Ron Go ahead and deny the facts. The hispanics here in arizona have already STATED they will take back THEIR country and KILL ALL THE f.cking GRINGOS. Your sad attempts to gloss it over don't mean a GD thing. You are and a.s that can't see the light for the sh.t you smear. >I have met many people who assume that anyone who looks Hispanic is an >illegal. In much of the border area a large percentage of the Hispanic [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >Ron By the way, where do you live? Do you have a clue about what goes on in border states? >>I have met many people who assume that anyone who looks Hispanic is an >>illegal. In much of the border area a large percentage of the Hispanic [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > By the way, where do you live? Do you have a clue about what goes on > in border states? I am probably 'clueless' since I only spend 3 months a year 5-6 miles from the border in far south TX. But I have decided from some of your pervious posts that perhaps you know a lot that isn't so! Ron > I have met many people who assume that anyone > who looks Hispanic is an illegal. Before our VERY eyes, a new sub-culture is developing. I hate it, but understand why it is happening. As a phone installer/repairman, my job occasionally takes me to large, commercial job-sites. On a few occasions, I have used the PT (portable toilet) while there. To my dismay, the omnipresent, derogatory ethnic graffiti is shifting to hispanics in general and Mexicans specifically. Considering the Simpson-Mazzoli "solution" to the problem in 1986, ignoring how much I revere the late, Ronaldus Magnus, I think we can lay at least SOME of this problem at him. :( > Many of the legal Hispanic residents we have met in south TX are equally > at home speaking English or Tex-Mex which usually passes for Spanish. If nothing else, accommodating spanish-speaking immigrants with bilingual signs, to the point of even codifying the practice, is *BAD*. It should be codified just the OPPOSITE: No bilingual public-owned signs with the private sector STRONGLY encouraged to phase-out their bilingual accommodation. The immigrant's failure to speak the common language to at least a modest degree is easily their greatest obstacle to assimilation into society-at-large. Signature:) JR > In article <5b3mnsF2pq1m5U1@mid.individual.net>, "Ron Recer" > <ron48@aol.com> [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > degree > is easily their greatest obstacle to assimilation into society-at-large. I am NOT in favor of bilingual signs. Everyone who lives here should read, write and speak English! Maybe I should just say speak English. I am not sure some of the 3rd, 4th, 5th , etc. generation native born coming out of our schools these days can read and write in English or any other language. <g> I was simply pointing out that many native born US citizens along the border speak English and Spanish. In the part of TX where we spend the winter there is a lot of cross border commerce and being bilingual is an asset. I have been surprised at the number of people who live on one side of the border and work on the other side. Dentist in particular seem to prefer practicing south of the border, apparently because insurance rates/requirements are much less as are the prices the dentist charge. Most would be surprised at the number of Mexican tags on vehicles in the parking lots of Sam's Club, Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, BestBuy, etc. On weekends it seems like 1/3 of the cars have Mexican tags. Ron Health insurance and health related expenses will eat you alive. Camp for free in National Forests up to 3-4 weeks. McDonald's $1 menu. Become a campground host, whole season free. Visit soup kitchens, Bhuddist temple restaraunts (modest donation to eat healthy vegetarian food). Sew heavy duty food bags into your coat and go to all you can eat buffets. You can stock up for three days at least. High school shop classes or Vo-Tech schools for free repairs! Wal Mart parking lots - free camping! Get a ladder and dumpster dive, good pickings at high end restaraunts. Internet coupons. Not counting fuel, repairs and health expenses you could do $300/month. Turn your trips into eBay reselling expeditions. Garage sale items go for 5 times their cost on eBay. Buy lobsters cheap in Maine and sell them roadside in NY. Smuggle cigarettes to Oregon. Cook food on the engine when travelling. It is wasted heat otherwise. Double wrap meat and potatoes in tin foil and place near the exhaust manifold. Stop to turn them every 60 miles or so. Great way to slow cook delicious food. Get a fishing pole for fish a .22 rifle for small game. Stop by farmers fields at dark and grab a few ears of corn or apples. Wild berries bigtime roadside in Washington State around Labor Day. Check out fresh road kill. You don't have to take the whole thing, just hack off what you need from a deer, cow or elk. Horses, dogs, cats are all treated with drugs that make them unsafe for human consumption. Donut shops at the end of the day, you can get them free. <snip> > Check out fresh road kill. You don't have to take the whole thing, just > hack off what you need from a deer, cow or elk. Horses, dogs, cats are all > treated with drugs that make them unsafe for human consumption. > > Donut shops at the end of the day, you can get them free. <snip...puke> Oh My God = :-) > > <snip> >> Check out fresh road kill. You don't have to take the whole thing, [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Oh My God Road kill pizza! http://www.wayodd.com/indiana-man-makes-worlds-strangest-roadkill-pizza/v/5976/ No cyclists' meat allowed!!! Shad O'Shay 'Camp for free in National Forests up to 3-4 weeks.' REPLY: Is this true of all of them ? 'McDonald's $1 menu. ' REPLY: I refuse to give them any business since they are the leading cause of heart disease in this country .'Over 99 billion served' . 'Check out fresh road kill. You don't have to take the whole thing, just hack off what you need from a deer, cow or elk.' REPLY: I think im going to throw up .... > I refuse to give [McDonalds] any business since they are the leading > cause of heart disease in this country. Fer gawd's sake, Dave! Are you *REALLY* that gullible and/or ignorant? There is NO WAY that restaurant chain is the "leading cause" of heart disease. They might make a big part of their income selling fatty foods but that doesn't make them the "leading" cause. Sheesh! Signature:\ JR 'I refuse to give [McDonalds] any business since they are the leading cause of heart disease in this country. Fer gawd's sake, Dave! Are you *REALLY* that gullible and/or ignorant? There is NO WAY that restaurant chain is the "leading cause" of heart disease. They might make a big part of their income selling fatty foods but that doesn't make them the "leading" cause. Sheesh! -- :\ JR REPLY: Sheesh... its sorta like this JR : A steady diet of animal fat leads to high cholesterol levels, restricted arteries, and increased risks of heart disease and stroke. McDonalds is the largest hamburger chain in the USA and worldwide ; their cheap inexpensive hamburgers mean cheap meat...laden with artery clogging trans. fat and saturated fats. So YES...it is very possible for a highly successful restaurant chain that capitalizes on pushing animal fat to be directly responsible for heart disease and other side health problems... . Have a chat with a Cardiologist sometime instead of being suckered into slogans like 'you deserve a break today at McDonalds' . Remember...what goes into your mouth , essentially goes into your circulatory system ... lest you think its bypassed :) It may interest many here that roadkill, if fresh, is donated to orphanages and schools by the sheriff or Division of Wildlife. http://rugstorichesbook.com/chapter_4.html "It made a big impression on me just how poor the local people were. School closed for a while every year so that the students could go out and pick potatoes. Whole families of locals, Navajo Indians from the reservation in Arizona, just about everyone picked potatoes. Hunting season was an important time for everyone too. Folks didn't hunt for fun, they hunted for food. The game warden brought in fresh deer and elk road kill for the school cafeteria. The school lunches were twenty-two cents. Still, many kids were months behind in paying for their lunches, and the teachers refused to release their report cards until they paid up." http://blogs.herald.com/dave_barrys_blog/2006/03/motoring_update.html "In the local article, the writer actually did mention that game roadkill is often donated to homeless shelters in the area. This moose could not be donated because it had been tranquilized, which tainted the meat." http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-8865.html "In AZ, roadkill (if suitable) is often donated to charity kitchens and institutions. We have a lot of it -- deer and elk mostly -- especially along SR260 between Payson and Show Low and other highways in the high wooded areas of the state. The animals move back and forth from the low country to the high country seasonally -- so are often crossing the roads at the times they are least visible to speeding motorists!" http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/004946.html "When I was a kid the Moose road kill was donated to the school and turned into lunch. Given the price of meat in Alaska I can't say I blame them." http://www.travelwriters.com/writers/website/view.asp?idnumber=1588&writerID=5621 "A massive deer appeared out of nowhere as the tiny Mazda sped around thecorner. A crush of metal and the sleek buck was airborne. It flipped and landedhead first on the wet pavement beside the moving vehicle.The stunned driver looked for a place to turn around. When he returned five minutes later, two men were already loading the buck into the back of a pickup. Hunters aren't the only people that like a venison steak. In Canada, accidently killed big game doesn't go to waste. Each province has its own policy about who gets it. In Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta drivers, or the next one on the scene, are allowed to keep it if they report it and get a permit. If drivers choose not to keep it, the conservation officer will take the freshly killed animal, have it properly inspected and maybe cut and wrapped by a butcher before turning to their list of needy families and people with allergies. " > It may interest many here that roadkill, if fresh, is donated to orphanages > and schools by the sheriff or Division of Wildlife. [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > by a butcher before turning to their list of needy families and people with > allergies. " From a summary of the Tennessee deer hunting regulations: "Big Game Found Dead "All big game found dead should be left where found and need not be reported. Individuals wanting to keep big game found dead must first contact the local Regional TWRA office for authorization. Any vehicle in which an illegally possessed big game animal is found is subject to confiscation. Deer accidentally killed by a motor vehicle may be possed by any person for personal use and consumption if the TWRA or a local law enforcement agency is notified within 48 hours." This relatively new rule caused an uproar in Tennessee a couple of years ago. Haven't heard much about it lately. Enjoy your next meal when here in Tennessee. John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee >> It may interest many here that roadkill, if fresh, is donated to >> orphanages and schools by the sheriff or Division of Wildlife. [quoted text clipped - 69 lines] > > John Andrews, Knoxville, Tennessee Thanks John! As you can see, roadkill is a source of high quality, low fat, organic meat. Wild game meat has more calories per ounce than farm raised animals. I believe deer hunting in TN has no limit, it is as many deer you can kill in a week. My last meal in Tennessee was at Waffle House. I didn't enjoy it. The next meal after that was at Stuckey's over the river in Arkansas. That was even worse. The grossest toilet I ever saw was in TN also. But overall it is a nice state with nice people. Yes, i was thinking somewhere around $300 per month if i dont get too crazy eating out all the time. That of course wouldnt include health insurance or RV insurance. Im in the Air Conditioning Trade so maybe i could do some part time work for a Contractor to pay my way for the 4 months im a Snowbird. > Yes, i was thinking somewhere around $300 per month if i dont get too > crazy eating out all the time. That of course wouldnt include health > insurance or RV insurance. Im in the Air Conditioning Trade so maybe i > could do some part time work for a Contractor to pay my way for the 4 > months im a Snowbird. Have you considered work camping? Many of the larger parks hire work campers to supplement their staffs during the season. Air conditioning is needed off and on throughout the winter so you should be able to find something in that line of work. I have seen the info Janet posted on the LRGV. We have spent the last 6 winters down there. You will find RV parks for as little as $125 a month to as much as $650 a month or so for prime months. It all depends on the level of surroundings, activities, etc. that you want. In almost every instance you will pay the park for your electric usage and the last two winters the rate has been around 15 cents a KWH. Propane this last winter was $9 for a 20# tank (we have three 20# tanks instead of two 30# tanks). We only filled one tank this winter as we use a heatpump when possible. The majority of RV parks are roughly between Harlingen and Mission, but some are also in Brownsville, South Padre Island and about every town has at least one. I believe Janet stayed in Rio Hondo. We stay in Mercedes which is about the middle of the main RV area and close to Progresso where most of the Winter Texans cross into Mexico for shopping. The closer you get to the coast the more humidity you will have. As of two years ago there were 39,000+ RV spaces in the LRGV so you should be able to find something you like! Ron 'The majority of RV parks are roughly between Harlingen and Mission, but some are also in Brownsville, South Padre Island and about every town has at least one. I believe Janet stayed in Rio Hondo. We stay in Mercedes which is about the middle of the main RV area and close to Progresso where most of the Winter Texans cross into Mexico for shopping. The closer you get to the coast the more humidity you will have. As of two years ago there were 39,000+ RV spaces in the LRGV so you should be able to find something you like! Ron' REPLY: Sounds like a nice place to scope out. Thanks. > 'The majority of RV parks are roughly between Harlingen and Mission, but > some are also in Brownsville, South Padre Island and about every town [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > REPLY: Sounds like a nice place to scope out. Thanks. send me an email if you come and we'll show you around. We're not in an RV park as we purchased a stuck-to-dirt home here two years ago. SignatureJanet Wilder Bad spelling. Bad punctuation Good Friends. Good Life >> 'The majority of RV parks are roughly between Harlingen and Mission, but >> some are also in Brownsville, South Padre Island and about every town [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > send me an email if you come and we'll show you around. We're not in an > RV park as we purchased a stuck-to-dirt home here two years ago. It's a nice area. We just spent a week in a park in Brownsville. -Raf SignatureMisifus- Rafael Seibert mailto:rafseibert@suddenlink.net blog: http://rafsrincon.blogspot.com/ Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rafiii home: http://www.rafandsioux.com > Trying to get some idea as to the actual living/operational cost of > being a Snowbird for 4 winter months (Nov thru Feb) in Texas or Arizona When my late folks were snowbirding, they imparted the following bit of wisdom: Folks with money stay in Texas. Folks with GOBS of money stay in Arizona. Folks that are ROLLING in dough stay in Florida. I stay home and shovel snow. Signature<sigh> JR |
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