FL to TX 1350 miles in 5 days

Our time in FL, as always, went so fast! Before we knew it, holidays were celebrated and it was time for moving on. We had quite the ambitious travel schedule planned. People might ask – since we are full-timers, shouldn’t we slow down and not be in such a rush? It’s a completely valid question and here’s my reply: I don’t like to shorten our time with my family in FL, neither did I want to miss a single day on the arrival side in TX, so we opted for the 1350 miles in 5 days.

Day 1: 313 miles Clearwater to Marianna FL Walmart

Since we were going to boondock at a Walmart, we weren’t in a huge hurry to leave, in spite of the amount of miles. We lifted our jacks and were on our way by about 9:30am. Things went smoothly until we stopped for a potty break in the town of Chiefland. Bill did his walk around and found this:

You may be looking at the above pic and saying “That doesn’t look good!” or you might be saying “What is that?” It is the hanger that attaches the axle to the frame. The weld broke – NOT GOOD! Thank goodness Bill is so diligent in keeping an eye on our equipment! Long time readers may recall we’ve had this exact issue (and it was the exact same spot!) before, back in fall of 2017 in Campbellsville KY.

The problem was it was the day after Christmas and we weren’t sure we’d find anyone open. And we had lots of miles still in front of us, as this happened about 150 miles from Clearwater. Bill called a place and when a machine answered, saying they were “unable to answer the call right now” he took the car and went to see if maybe someone was in a shop area. The recording didn’t say they were closed, but apparently they were.

On the way back, he noticed a custom motorcycle shop about a block up, so he walked there to see if he could find help. The owner of the shop, Jones Performance Cycles, was there and came to take a look. He said he could help us! Bill, very slowly and carefully, drove to the shop so the owner, Chris, could clean off the old weld. He then told us we would need to drive to his home where he kept his larger welding machine.

Chris hopped in the truck with Bill and I followed in the car. He took it very slowly. Chris led him into his yard and Bill parked beside his garage in the backyard. Chris brought out his welder, and the cord was about 5 feet too short for him to reach the rig. We couldn’t park any closer due to the roofline of the garage. Oh no!

Bill, thinking quickly, asked Chris if he minded if he built an extension cord? Bill explained what he did for a living and said he had plenty of appropriate wire onboard. Thankfully, Chris was willing! In about 10 minutes, the extension was set up and Chris began working on our repair. He did an amazing job!

Afterward, Bill removed the extension and restored his electric panel. Chris hopped back in the truck, and we headed back toward his shop. He got out at the corner and walked back, so we could easily make the left and we back on our way. What a great guy! If you ever need a repair in the Chiefland FL area or a custom motorcycle, look up Chris Jones at Jones Performance Cycles!

What was supposed to be a 5-minute potty break turned into a 2 1/2 hour repair stop, but we are grateful it wasn’t worse. I am also grateful that I opted to route us on RT 19, verses I75. I don’t even want to think about how that could have went had Bill discovered the issue at a rest area on I75. Would have been WAY worse! We would have been driving at full highway speeds and the potential for damage would have been much greater. In addition, we would have either needed a mobile welder to come out or possibly a tow. Either of those would have been significantly more expensive and time-consuming than it was.

Even with the “not in a hurry” start time and 2 1/3 hour repair stop, we still made it to our original planned stop, the SuperWalmart in Marianna FL. We don’t prefer to arrive in the dark, but we figured Walmart parking lots are generally well lit, and we were right. We went in and grabbed a couple items, ate some dinner, watched some TV and fell asleep.

Day 2: 299 miles to Slidell LA Elks Lodge

We woke fairly early and after some breakfast, Bill went to fill the car with gas, and then the truck with diesel. He prefers to go without the trailer, as it is much easier and usually less expensive than using a truck stop. We were on the road around 9:30am.

It was an easy ride, to the Elks Lodge in Slidell LA, which was welcomed after the previous days’ excitement. They have a camp host to greet us and help us decide on a site. We choose to back up so we could have a view of their large pond out our back window. What a beautiful location! Sadly, the lodge was closed that evening, but we didn’t mind relaxing at home.

Day 3: 333 miles to Shreveport LA Elks Lodge

We were back on the road early, considering we had our longest travel day of the five in front of us. I had looked on their website and knew the lodge would be open for business, and there would be dinner. I was happy we wouldn’t have to cook!

Finding the lodge was no problem at all, GPS got us there easily. Parking was also easy as there were brand new, level cement parking sites. Bill got us parked, I got Callie settled after pushing out the slides, and we headed inside for an adult beverage and something to eat.

What a fantastic and welcoming lodge! There was a basketball game on and people were wearing colors! Dinner was pot luck and I felt bad not bringing anything. I was told not to worry as we were guests – AND – as first-time guests, our first drink was on the house. We sat at the bar, chatting with the regulars. One person, in particular, was very interested in our lifestyle and we talked to him for quite a while. Turns out he was the chef and was in the process of cooking his first turducken. We discovered that he was originally from NJ, so we knew lots of the same places. Was a very fun evening!

Day 4: 210 miles to Arlington TX Elks Lodge

Knowing this would be a shorter day, we were not in a hurry to get moving. We wanted to arrive by 3:00, so we left about 10am.

We enjoyed another easy day, as we were arrived and parked by 3:15pm. Dinner was going to be with a friend from high school, Gary, and his husband, Ernesto. They came to pick us up after we were settled. They accepted our invite to take the tour of our home.

Since they know the area better, I was happy when Ernesto offered to drive. Gary had chosen a locally owned restaurant, Babe’s Chicken Dinner House. Gary had been wanting to take Ernesto there and since it was close by, it was the perfect opportunity!

Babe’s did not disappoint! The decor was interesting, it felt like you were eating outdoors, as there were storefronts surrounding the dining room. Food was served family-style, which was nice since you got to then taste everything!

Thanks again to Gary & Ernesto for a wonderful evening! We loved finally meeting Ernesto and catching up! Hope it isn’t so long til we see you next!

Day 4: 195 miles to Live Oak Ranch, Merkel TX

In spite of this being our shortest drive day, I was anxious to get moving! We were going to be seeing Steven & Linda and staying with them at her parents place, Live Oak Ranch in Merkel TX! We were both very excited!

We did heed Gary & Ernesto’s advice and waited until after rush hour(s). Dallas/Fort Worth area is known for its terrible traffic and we all know by now how I HATE traffic!

Once we were on our way, after bottoming out our bicycles on the back getting out of the driveway, it was another easy drive day, straight west out I20. Linda had sent directions, but they got lost in translation somewhere and instead of following the GPS, I attempted to follow hers. Turned out to be a mistake, as she told me the wrong exit number and after the first turn, nothing matched. Luckily we had a phone signal and I called to say “HELP!” She and Steven met us at a corner and led us where we needed to go. Whew!

We got all parked and set up beside the large Live Oak that (I assume) the property is named for. We had a great view out our back window of an open field. We were so happy to sitting still for a few days!

1350 miles in 5 days – we don’t necessarily encourage travel like that. Most people think we are nuts when we do it, but I already explained the logic in the opening paragraph. We don’t do it very often and I’m glad!

Next up: Happy 2020!

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22 thoughts on “FL to TX 1350 miles in 5 days

  1. What are the chances of finding a welder who can fix your axle bracket, but in need of an extension cord. A an RV with enough raw cable and skill to make the cord? When we breakdown I hope you and Bill are following us! ;))
    Hope you are settled and can relax for awhile now.

    1. We have been in TX since early January – with a few flights mixed in. Hope you guys don’t breakdown, or if you do that help is nearby! It was quite the best case scenario if it had to break.

  2. Hope y’all are being safe in these troubling times. Hope you’re being able to find suitable places to park with. No worries. Stay safe.

  3. Great job winding someone to weld your rig. That is one thing we do not miss about our big rig. It is not a matter of “if” it is a matter of “when”. It is one less thing we have to worry about with the smaller rig. Have fun in Texas with C&G!

    1. You are right – things are going to happen – just happy it wasn’t worse! We’ve been having a great time here in TX – more on that later!

  4. The one thing I took to heart was the routine of doing walkarounds at every stop. Without that step, a real tragedy was in the offing. Glad you found it, heartened to know you found someone with the talent and equipment to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. Bonus points for your having the skill and resources to fill in the gap with the extension cord. Lesson learned… develop you DIY talents for this lifestyle.

    Safe travels.

    1. I’m glad we were able to pass along that lesson – Bill started that habit day 1 and his diligence has paid off MANY times! He’s gotten in front of things that could have been way worse. I’m still amazed at how it all just fell into place and now. what could have been a disaster, is just a small blip on the screen. Safe travels to you!

  5. I too check my suspension at every stop. I feel most RV manufacturers don’t make their suspensions beefy enough for the rough roads and poor transitions between roads and bridges that we travel on. Glad you made it safely…stay healthy!

    1. It is a great habit to develop! Sadly, you are right – most suspensions aren’t strong enough – all we can do is try to catch things before the worst happens!
      Stay safe – and healthy!

  6. Those pain in the but hangers! We’ve replaced two also. Who cares how long it took to drive? For any number of reasons we have long and short days. Just how if goes sometimes! You hD nice stood along the way.

  7. Glad you made it safely to TX. I agree the Slidell LA Elks Lodge is a particularly beautiful stop. Friendly folks too. Be safe.

  8. Glad you were able to get things fixed, and what a miracle! We traveled like that a lot, mostly trying to get to one job from another in a short amount of time. Mostly we didn’t want to spend too much money getting there..the old living from paycheck to paycheck adage.

    1. That is another part of it – don’t like to spend money to just sleep. Don’t mind spending some on Elks (good cause) and Walmart (there’s always something we need).

  9. You guys are amazing. That’s a lot of miles for five days. What size fuel tank do you have in the Ford? I’m considering either a tank in the truck bed or replacing the stock tank with a 50 gallon that will fit in its place.

    Wish we could have met up while in Texas. Karen and I enjoyed the lunch visit with Bill in Topeka Kansas way back when. But we missed you.

    I took advantage of a concrete pad campsite. Crawled under the trailer and used an entire can of black auto paint on whatever looked like it needed it. The frame might be powder-coated but all the stuff they weld on sure looks at risk for rust or damage over time.

    1. We have the standard 37 gallon tank – Bill disconnects after we park in the evening or in the morning before we leave and fills up.
      I am also sorry we missed you in TX. We will catch up someday – hopefully sooner vs later.
      I’m sure the painting will help with rust. The only time we’ve really worried about it was when we were parked for a month in OBX, right on the other side of the dunes from the ocean. Bill rinsed everything off before we pulled out.

  10. Glad that long sojourn smoothed out after that initial mishap!! And that you were fortunate to find such an angel to get you on your way. Who thinks to check at a motorcycle shop for an RV repair?! It really stands out that you were able to run into Walmart and get what you needed, without the current drama of staying stocked. How our world has changed since then! Hope you are both doing well!

    1. Thanks Jodee – we are ok. You are so right about how different the world is now. I keep hoping to wake up and it’s all been a bad dream, or maybe I get a check in the mail for my staring role in this bad B-rated film I’m in. Sadly, we just have to let it play out. Hope all is good with you and Bill – looks like you found your place just in time!

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