Trip south figured out...

[GoneCamping]

All the reservations are in place, will head south starting October 11th, arrive at 3 flags in Florida on October 30th.... Total miles are 1,499 and posted time is 23:30 hours of drive time.

[4Campers]

Wow, I know it's early to reserve but if you don't you won't get your spots.
I'm trying to reserve a spot for Sept near us. It's a challenge.

[GoneCamping]

Within the Thousand Trails system, there are a huge amount of members and I have to stay on top of the reservations. A lot of people have a higher grade membership than I do, and as such they mostly have 180 day booking window (some actually have 210 day booking window). I've got the lowest rung of the upgrades and only get 120 day booking window, and with a lot of competition, so tend to book everything exactly 120 days away from my arrival date. Usually I can get 21 nights booked on that which means I have to wait 3 weeks before booking the next reservation. I've got it worked out to a science, and eventually will upgrade again to get that 180 day window!

[4Campers]

Unfortunately, that is how reserving a campsite has to be anymore. Log on before the opening bell and hope you beat others to a site. Saw one lady post her method: she is on her laptop and desktop, husband is on his laptop and phone. Between the four methods logged on they usually get their spot. That sounds more like work!
I am having zero luck finding a site. At this late in the game I know everything for October Halloween sites are gone, and the September sites are very limited or out of my willing to spend $100 for a weekend camp. Sadly, this led the wife and I to discuss selling the pup. It has not come out of the garage this year and it's looking doubtful if it will.

[GoneCamping]

It's a shame you can't get something reserved. One of the reasons I do "Workamping" is they provide a site for the summer, and that get's me around the 'only 1 summer holiday reservation on the books at a time' rule, I get all 3 holidays locked in without having to make any reservation. Winter in Florida is another story, the entire state under Thousand Trails "High Use Restriction" status means I can only stay 2 weeks (instead of 3 weeks), and can only carry 2 Thousand Trails (TT) reservations on the book at a time.

My work around for that is simple, I pay an extra $300 per year for the "Trails Collection" (TC) package, that adds an additional 33 campgrounds to Florida alone (about 100 nationwide), and there is no "Hi Use Restrictions" on those parks. So tend to book them in leap frog fashion going from TT to TC back to TT etc. The only good part is, most everyone else has these same exact restrictions no matter what level their membership has.

[toomanytents]

Oregon State Parks recently made two changes to their reservations.   First was a while back after re-opening post-COVID, they changed from a 9-month-n-advance window to 6 months.  Second, the "clock" now starts (ie, campsites are available) at 6am instead of midnight:01.  I get up early instead of staying up late.

[GoneCamping]

That would work for me, I can't stay awake past 11pm anymore, and I'm up at 6am with or without the alarm clock!!

[4Campers]

We are sad about not getting the pup out this year. Nothing has been done yet as far as spring prep and going through all that for one trip just ain't worth it. My energy level is still low too after my summer of treatments. Ugh.

[toomanytents]

Tim,

It's tough to be enthusiastic when you're energy is low and you can't get out camping.  Bummer.  Hang in there.  Hopefully next year is better!  We always take the opportunity when we drive anywhere to take a "scenic detour" to check out any campground we spot.  We drive through to see if it's a place we'd like to camp.  Much easier to check out when you're not towing a trailer and don't have to have a spot for the night.  Sometimes we decide "no thanks, not our style" and sometimes we find hidden gems that we'd like to go back to.

[4Campers]

Thanks Dave. My energy level is gradually coming back.
We know every campground within 50 miles of home. The only new one we haven't camped at is for big rigs only, and costs around $150 a night. It's right next to an amusement park, Kings Island.
Next Year!

[4Campers]

Hey Cliff- hope you are all snugged in, looks like that hurricane is coming right past you.

[GoneCamping]

I'm up in Maine right now, that thing will pass way out to sea!!! Not concerned about it at all.

I'm more concerned about Thousand Trails canceling my Sturbridge Mass reservations this morning. They canceled everyone that was over 32' long (mine is 34') and what really gets me is, I work for Thousand Trails, the park manager knows me personally, and even after I called to "bitch" about it, she still wouldn't squeeze me in. Kind of pissed me off.

My saving grace is, I can stay here where I'm working for an additional 3 weeks if I want, and a wealthy friend of mine has a trucking company not far from Sturbridge with a 50amp & water hook-up at his shop, and he's already told me I can stay there for whatever amount of time I may need. So problem solved, but still pissed at TT for canceling me.

[4Campers]

Well dang, they must have a short turn around to limit rigs to 32'. Good you found alternate plans, friends come in handy sometimes! Looks like some storm is coming up the east coast though. This year has been the strangest weather. Late August in SW Ohio and it was 56° this morning. That has to be a record low. Forecast to be 90° in a few days.

[GoneCamping]

Yeah, it was only 58º this morning here. But they are predicting near 90º this weekend, and no rain for the next 6-7 days...