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RE: Indiana Flying J Fuel Price
RTFQ in military speak means "Read the Freeking Question"
Indiana and a few other states have add-ons to their fuel prices and not just on diesel.
Road tax, sales tax of up to 6%, then credit card tax.
A good example is a posted price of $2.80 per gal. Fifty gals runs $140 plus 6% sales tax and you're up to $148.40 ($2.969). Add another one of two percent for credit card usage and you're up to $151.37.
They add the credit card charges at the end.
Bottom line figure is up to almost $3.029 some 23¢ a gal higher than posted at the pump.
It's been that way every since I can remember. Another reason I put a long range tank in my truck. There is a website which I don't have available in front of me, that gives the details of all the states tax charges. This include sales and road tax.
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grey`eagle
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11/16/09 08:43am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I-40 in Feb.
Based on 25+ years of traveling I-40 and adjacent vicinity, you're 90% likely to encounter snow in the Flagstaff area.
In TN and NC, you're 90% not likely to hit snow and or ice.
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grey`eagle
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11/14/09 07:36am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Route 83 north out of Texas....
If you decide to take US 83, then you may consider turning NW at Childress on US287, rather than going all the way up to Shamrock.
US827 is four-lane all the way to I-40 at Amarillo.
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grey`eagle
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11/13/09 02:07pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Interstate 20 around Fort Worth & Dallas
If you're coming into the DFW area on I-20 from the east, you'll have no problems with I-20, unless there are 18-wheelers turned upside down.
It's true that that at certain times of the day traffic will be heavier than others.
I-20 bypasses both Dallas and Ft. Worth to the south. A major portion of the truck traffic will be using this route from east to west.
The only time that I-20 gets to the point of being "bad", will be when there is heavy rain or the Cowboys are playing at home. If you happen to come thru when NASCAR is running at Texas Motor Speedway, which up north of Ft Worth, and the Cowboys are at home, then you can expect super heavy traffic. Friday nights are also pretty heavy due to TX High school football.
Otherwise, I-20 is by far the least painless way to get thru the DFW Metro Mess at any given time.
It's not white knuckle but requires your un-divided attention. Also, it used to be that a 50 mile radius was good, but not any more. It more like 75 miles in any direction where you see traffic really begin to get heavy. Just get in the center lane and stay put. Traffic does move fast, just watch what is going on about a 1/4 mile up the road.
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grey`eagle
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11/13/09 09:18am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Texas Hwy 77 south to Rockport.
-snip- Wished I would have turned off in Waco like others said,
If you're still in Georgetown, it's not to late to take an alternate to avoid Austin/Roundrock and SAT.
Take TX 29 N.E. out of G'town (you may have to ask directions on how to find it)
Go about four or five miles to TX 95, then south to Yoakum.
At Yoakum take US77A down to Refugio, then turn south on US77 to the RGV.
If you're headed for Aransas Pass area, then you can turn southeast at Sinton, otherwise stay on US77 to RGV.
These roads are all good roads and well maintained. They show as red roads on the Rand McNally atlas. Most will have wide shoulders with an occasional narrow shoulder but not often.
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grey`eagle
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11/12/09 09:42am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: I'm Super Super Impressed with...
Yep, no doubt about it.
Too soon old, too late smart, especially when it comes to RVing.
But, this forum helps resolve a lot of that quandary.
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grey`eagle
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11/11/09 08:12pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Texas Hwy 77 south to Rockport.
The only suggestion I would have would be to take 77S at Waco, don't wait until Austin.
This is best advise and route you'll ever find.
When we were still living in the northern part of the DFW area, we always cut off on US77 south at Waco.
Going to Rockport area, then it's 239 at Tivoli, if continuing to So Padre, then US77 all the way.
Going down I-35 starts to be a real PITA beginning just about Temple and goes all the way to past San Antonio. You may get thru the Roundrock/Austin boondoggle with no problems and again you might sit in landlocked traffic for no telling how long.
Yes, there's a bypass toll road around Austin, but it's a $20 bill plus change. Pretty hefty for such a short distance.
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grey`eagle
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11/11/09 04:00pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Diesel Availability in Texas on Hwy 90 (west of San Antonio)
I believe that fuel is also available in Langtry.
If not, no problem, it's only 121 miles from Del Rio to Sanderson.
Your best prices will be in Del Rio and Alpine. If you're headed to Big Bend, then fuel at Marathon before heading south. You'll probably need some fuel, before heading north, unless you have an aux tank.
From Marathon heading south on US385 to Park Hdqs is approx 100 miles
To Rio Grande Village from Park Hdqs is another 25 miles, up to Chisos basis is about 12 miles, down to Castolon is about 30 miles and west to Study Butte is about 25 miles, then another 80 miles from Study Butte to Alpine.
Best prices in BB area will be in Study Butte on the west side entrance. There is one station that has diesel in BBNP and that will be just west of Panther Junction, but it's anywhere from 50¢ to 75¢ higher.
There is also fuel in Ft. Davis, but top off in Alpine.
If you don't have an aux tank best know exactly how many mpg you get and how many miles you can safely go between fuel stops. It's one thing to run a gasser out of fuel, it's an entirely different matter running a diesel out of fuel. It not something you want to do.
The best fuel prices in that part of TX will be in Ft Stockton and Van Horn, but both of these are along I-10.
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grey`eagle
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11/10/09 03:43pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: San Antonio to Rockport ?
If, I were already in SAT, then I'd get on I-37 down.
Don't think you have anything to gain by taking US181 other than having to put up with some small town traffic.
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grey`eagle
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11/09/09 07:01pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: hwy 69 thru Oklahoma
We just came back from that area last week. We tried a new, to us, routing that beats US69 hands down.
We got on US169 just above Coffeyville, KS and and followed that all the way thru Tulsa and got on US75 south to the Indian Nation Turnpike down to Hugo, then US271 to TX Hwy 19 south at Paris.
Both Hugo and Paris have bypass loops that made the small town traffic disappear.
Depending on where you are in relation to Joplin you can continue on west via US400, US160 or US166. There is a good deal of construction in Coffeyville, but we passed thru with no delays.
If we were to continue to RGV, I'd stay on TX19 to Palestine, then US79 to Rockdale, then US77 south to RGV.
TX Hwy 19 is a major north south route from North Central TX. There are a few places where the hwy narrows down going thru one or two of the Small towns, but all in all it beats the heck out of going thru the DFW, Roundrock/Austin, San Antonio area.
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grey`eagle
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11/09/09 06:54pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Forums will be down - Saturday night - see post
Since our society is on a 24/7, six time zone area, in North America, it's always a bad time for some.
Never seems to be a good time, you just have to do, what you have to do, when the programmers and webmasters can get to the job.
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grey`eagle
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11/08/09 03:57pm |
Forum Technical Support
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RE: What % Grade Is a Concern For 5er Towing?
First off, you need to compare apples to apples. An 8% grade at sea level is one thing, it's entirely different in the Denver area and still again much different going up an 11,000 pass.
About the only thing that really gets my attention is when the blower (turbo-charger) goes into high mode due to excessively above average temps at the higher altitudes.
Dodge and GMC may be different, but Ford recommends not towing in OD mode. Doing so causes engine lug which reduces flow of the transmission fluid thru the cooler. The combination of these two will trash and engine and tranny in due time.
With these new computer driven tyranny's and the tow/haul modes, there shouldn't be any drastic attention getting events, provided you're within the limits of your TV and rig.
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grey`eagle
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11/08/09 10:27am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: best way around OK city
There's a boat load of small towns in that part of OK that I'd just as soon avoid if possible.
Might suggest turing south at Hugo onto US271 down to Paris, TX., then US82 across to Wichita Falls., then US287 to Vernon.
At Vernon you can get back on US70 to Clovis.
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grey`eagle
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11/05/09 09:32pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: 35 S to 410 Loop (east side) to 37 S towards Rockport
Probably not as bad as the Austin debacle, but there is some construction.
Your best bet is to follow the suggestions above. That is if you're still in the Austin area.
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grey`eagle
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11/05/09 03:11pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Need Advice; Wal-Mart or RV Park along IH20
Wally's atlas shows two stores in Jackson
I-55 @102B and I-20 @ 40/40A.
If you don't have a Wally Atlas, the pull them up on the web and you can print out the directions to each store.
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grey`eagle
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11/05/09 05:20am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Road Atlas
I get a new copy of Rand McNally each year at Wally's.
They upped the price from $4.97 to $5.97 last year, don't know what it'll be this year but whatever the price it's the best bang for the buck.
The Wally version has all their stores listed by state and also shows whether or not they sell gas or fuel. A close by Sam's is also shown.
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grey`eagle
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11/05/09 05:14am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: RGV departure Dec 27
Departing that time of year and with not too much construction, I'd elect to use I-35 in a heartbeat.
First reason - it's shorter by some 70/80 miles which reverts to 1hr 20 minutes further south of Wichita, KS. That's almost to Oak City.
If you do hit serious snow and or ice, you'll be much better off on a divided, limited traffic access that on US81. No question US81 is a good road, but, it not an Interstate.
As far as freezing is concerned, about he only thing you'll have a problem with is canned soft drinks. Even then you can place all the canned drinks and or items that you think will have a tendency to freeze in a large cardboard box something like an apple box.
Put a folded blanket under the apple box, then place another folded blanket on top of-the box and you're good down to -20* below.
We use this technique on the airplanes in places that get a heck of lot colder than IA, NE, KS or OK, and never have a problem.
A couple of winters ago, we spent almost all winter camped in our rig.
There were several days in East Texas where the temps got down to 14/15* at night. The only problem we had was where the water connection was hooked up going into the 5ver. Even then we had water from the stand-by pump. After I finally figured out where the water was freezing, I threw an old blankest over the connection and that stopped the problem.
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grey`eagle
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11/04/09 10:44am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: I29 Sioux City south
We came back on this route 10/30/09.
I'm sure nothing much has changed since my last post.
I-29 Update
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grey`eagle
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11/01/09 07:33am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Iowa to Texas
If you come down I-35 out of OK, then as others stated, I-35W at Denton, TX thru Ft Worth merging back into I-35 at Hillsboro. I35E comes right thru the big middle of downtown Dallas and it doesn't take much of a fender bender to cause miles and miles of six lane parking lot for about 30 miles.
I would strongly suggest that you exit I-35 at Waco, Tx and get on US77 south to Victoria, take the west side loop around Victoria and stay on US77 to Robstown. This is an excellent road with lots of roadside picnic areas in addition to numerous RV campgrounds that are open year round.
This routing keeps you clear of the Austin/Roundrock/Georgetown area, in addition to any traffic in the San Antonio area. Just be aware that I-35 from Laredo, north to North Texas is loaded with trucks, trucks and more trucks.
At Robstown you need to know which side of the RGV you're headed to.
If staying on the So Padre Is. side, stay on US77. If not, cut across to Alice on TX 44, then south on US281. The winter snow birds increase the population in the RGV to a million more plus. US83 that traverses the RGV from east to west can be trying at times.
The US281 suggestion is a darn good route from Wichita Falls, only draw back is that it takes you some 125 to 175 miles out of the way.
For those going to Laredo or Del Rio, the difference is nil. RGV is due south of the DFW area and SAT is southwest by some distance.
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grey`eagle
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10/31/09 11:09am |
Roads and Routes
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Update on I-29 construction
We just returned from our annual round trip between North Texas and Stutsman County, ND.
For those wondering about the construction on I-29, here’s what we found.
From MM10 and NE Rt. 2 just north of the MO/IA state line, all the way to Fargo, there is continuous and on going north and southbound lanes that are completely shutdown. These closings run anywhere from seven to 12 miles at a stretch. There is normally about 50 miles in between the stretches of major road re-building.
The good part is the way they are funneling the traffic between north and south bound sides. The speed limits are normally 60/65 unless they have an area really messed up but this only lasts for a short stretch.
Based on what we observed this time last year and progress made since, they are really making good headway, especially with the rain and now the onset of winter.
But, I would estimate this project to last at least five to seven more years. After all it’s 350 miles from the MO/IA state line to Fargo, which means 700 miles of complete building, plus numerous bridges along the way.
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grey`eagle
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10/30/09 06:21pm |
Roads and Routes
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