Replaced chassis batteries and more at Oregon Motorcoach Center

We had a service appointment at Oregon Motorcoach Center in Eugene, Oregon:

Oregon Motorcoach Center

Several other Tiffins being serviced, which (along with our previous experience here) helps gives us confidence that they know what they’re doing:

Several other Tiffins

Waiting room:

Waiting room

Waiting room

We had them replace our engine air filter, an important annual maintenance item. Plus got them to fix a noise with our driver-side bedroom slide-out.

Lastly, we got them to replace our chassis batteries, as they weren’t holding their charge well. Our original batteries:

Original chassis batteries

New batteries (and nicely cleaned out):

New chassis batteries

Once done, they moved our coach so we could hook up our truck:

Moving our coach

Preparing to toad up

A nice easy half-day service visit.

Armitage Park Campground

We stayed at Armitage Park Campground in Eugene, Oregon. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A nice county park, amazingly with availability for a last-minute booking, as we decided to get closer to Oregon Motorcoach for an appointment the following day.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-05-21
  • Check out: 2023-05-22
  • 1 night

Weather:

  • Partly cloudy
  • High temp of 68°F, low around 43°F
  • Negligible wind

Noise:

  • A little freeway noise
  • No train noise
  • Negligible neighbor noise

Site:

  • #8, pull-through, asphalt
  • Didn’t disconnect toad
  • Level
  • Large site: about 130 feet long by about 45 feet wide
  • Picnic table & fire pit on grass
  • Tall trees

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 50 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Good sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 13 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up, 26 ms ping
  • AT&T: 4 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Verizon: 8 Mbps down, 0.5 Mbps up, 36 ms ping
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used
  • Starlink: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Nice park by the river

We booked a one-night stay here as an interim stop on our way to Oregon Motorcoach for some service and would have loved to stay longer and explore a bit more. The campground was close to the highway but still pretty quiet. The walk down to and around the river, under the big leaf maples, was very pleasant after a day of driving. The only potential negative was that our pull-through site (site 8) had the living area on the “island” between the site and the road, which means it wasn’t very private. The site was perfectly level with good hookups. We camped at Armitage Park in a Motorhome.

Interactive map:

No paper map, but here’s a screenshot from the booking site:

Armitage Park Campground

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

Bees!

Bees!

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Travel from Florence to Eugene, Oregon

We drove our coach just 68 miles, about one hour of driving, from Florence, Oregon to Eugene, Oregon.

We had an appointment at Oregon Motorcoach Center for some servicing, and had originally planned to drive from the coast to Eugene, but decided to make it easier on ourselves by doing that drive the day before, staying one night in a county park. Very fortunate that we were able to snag a reservation at the last minute.

Here’s the map route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map:

Since were were parking under trees, I used my 360 camera to examine the slide toppers for debris:

Preparing to leave:

Preparing to leave

Pulling out of our site:

Pulling out of our site

Driving through the campground:

Leaving campground

Preparing to toad up; I had driven our truck to the toading area by the pool, then walked back to help guide our coach:

Preparing to toad up

Approaching the exit:

Approaching exit

Since we didn’t have a sewer connection, we used the dump station on the way out:

Dump station

People waiting for the Memorial Day parade in Florence:

Waiting for Memorial Day parade

Waiting for Memorial Day parade

Waiting for Memorial Day parade

Siuslaw River:

Siuslaw River

Siuslaw River

A tunnel; always a little nerve-wracking in our coach:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Trees

Jenn driving:

Jenn driving

She has back and side cameras (with our truck visible), a built-in RV-safe GPS, and a GPS on her phone:

Cameras, GPS, phone

Paladin on the steps:

Paladin on the steps

Joining I-5 North:

Joining I-5 North

A fuel stop:

Fuel stop

The 150-gallon diesel tank was only quarter full; we usually don’t let it get below half, but there weren’t a lot of suitable fuel options on the coast:

Quarter tank

Fuel stop

100 gallons of fuel, so I guess it was actually a third full:

Fuel stop

Bridge:

Bridge

Our destination, Armitage County Park:

Armitage County Park

Checking in:

Checking in

Our site:

Our site

Thousand Trails South Jetty RV & Camping Resort

We stayed at Thousand Trails South Jetty RV & Camping Resort in Florence, Oregon. (Campground Reviews listing.)

We were concerned about this RV park, but it turned out to be quite nice. No sewer, but that’s fine for four nights.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-05-17
  • Check out: 2023-05-21
  • 4 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly cloudy
  • High temps ranging between 60-61°F, lows around 52-54°F
  • A little wind, but sheltered by trees

Noise:

  • No road noise
  • No train noise
  • Negligible neighbor noise weekdays, more noise on the weekend
  • Frequent noise from a nearby go-kart racetrack

Site:

  • #E124, back in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked in front of coach
  • Surprisingly level (many sites here are not)
  • Medium site: about 50 feet long by about 30 feet wide
  • Picnic table, fire pit on gravel
  • Tall trees

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 60 PSI water, conveniently located
  • No sewer

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 10-36 Mbps down, 1-3 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • AT&T: 26-38 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 64 ms ping
  • Verizon: 1 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up,138-249 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters
  • Pool

Our review on Campground Reviews:

In the thick of the trees

As is typical for Thousand Trails, this campground was first come, first served. They have limited FHU sites, so good luck getting a sewer connection, as they seem to mostly be taken by seasonal/annual users, but we were still able to get a 50 amp site that was long enough for us. We really enjoyed the ambience of being surrounded by trees, however, the Go Kart track up the road was quite noisy and went late into the evening. Despite that and the lack of sewer connection, we wish we’d been able to stay longer. We camped at Thousand Trails South Jetty in a Motorhome.

Tip for Other Campers: Check out the nearby Oregon Dunes Rec Area, Umpqua River lighthouse, and Heceta Head lighthouse. Chowder at Mo’s is always a “must do” at the Oregon Coast.

Interactive map:

Campground map:

Map

Our site, tucked away in the trees:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities; convenient power and water, no sewer:

Utilities

Other empty sites, some rather short and unlevel:

Other empty sites

Other empty sites

Other empty sites

More sites, with ours visible at the end of the road:

Other empty sites

Other sites

Dumpster:

Dumpster

One of several restrooms:

Restroom

Grey water disposal:

Grey water disposal

A pleasant pathway through the woods to the pool:

Pathway to pool

Pathway to pool

Pathway to pool

Playground:

Playground

Pool; yes, people were actually swimming in it, despite the cold:

Pool

Activity center:

Activity center

Travel from Crescent City, California to Florence, Oregon

We drove our coach 174 miles, about three hours of driving, from Crescent City, California to Florence, Oregon.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

An interactive map, with possible stops marked:

Leaving the KOA campground; the road was a little tight:

Leaving campground

We passed Last Chance Liquors just before the border to Oregon (on the other side of the sign, it is called First Chance Liquors!):

Last Chance Liquors

A strange place to park a boat:

Boat on land

California entry inspection station:

California entry inspection station

Chetco River:

Chetco River

A rest area stop:

Rest area

Jenn driving:

Jenn driving

Misty coast:

Misty coast

Rocky coast:

Rocky coast

Bridge:

Bridge

Bridge

Another stop, at a large gravel area:

Roadside stop

Rocky coast:

Rocky coast

Sunken grade:

Sunken grade

Coast

Welcome to Bandon:

Welcome to Bandon

Another bridge:

Bridge

Somewhat low overpass:

Somewhat low overpass

A parking area:

Parking area

We parked our coach there, and walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch:

Our coach

The Boat Fish and Chips:

The Boat Fish and Chips

Menu:

Menu

We both had clam chowder as an appetizer — notable as the first time I’ve had clam chowder (other than a taste), and the start of my seafood experiments; a separate post about that in due course:

Clam chowder

I had my usual burger and fries (about the last time I had non-seafood for a main while traveling up the coast):

Burger and fries

Jenn had fish and shrimp:

Fish and shrimp

North Bend:

North Bend

Another fancy bridge:

Bridge

Bridge

A glimpse of Oregon Dunes:

A glimpse of Oregon Dunes

Lighthouse mural:

Lighthouse mural

Another mural:

Mural

Yet another bridge:

Bridge

Our destination, Thousand Trails South Jetty:

Our destination

As we often do at Thousand Trails campgrounds, we parked our coach and untoaded, so we could drive our truck around to look for a site:

Untoading

Unfortunately the few full-hookup sites were all taken, so we chose this site, which lacked a sewer hookup; we marked it with our tag:

Chosen site

Driving our coach to our site:

Driving our coach to our site

Our site before backing in; rather tucked into the trees:

Our site before backing in

Tomorrow, our review of this campground.

Open Roads Freedom Pass toll transponders

As we travel around the country, we occasionally encounter toll roads. But different parts of the country have different systems:

Tolls

Our diesel fuel discount program also has a solution to that problem, called Freedom Pass. It is a set of transponders that support toll systems around much of the country:

Freedom Pass coverage map

The transponders come as a package with self-adhesive that can be mounted to the windshield:

Toll transponders

Toll transponders

We have it mounted in the top-center of the windshield, behind the TV (shown here with our Magne-Shade on):

Toll transponders

It works well. The toll charges go on the same account as our fuel purchases. Very convenient.

Redwood State and National Parks

The Redwood National and State Parks is interesting, in that it is jointly managed by the National Park Service and the state of California. Their headquarters are in Crescent City, with a small book store (not a gift store, thank you):

Redwood National and State Parks Headquarters

Redwood National and State Parks Headquarters

We visited several of the component parks, starting with the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, which includes a fun scenic drive through the redwoods:

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

As part of this park, we did a hike to the Grove of Titans:

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

A fun tunnel of fallen trees:

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

It’s a big tree:

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Video of ambient sounds:

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Grove of Titans

Continuing the drive through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park:

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Tunnel:

Tunnel

We headed into Oregon for a side-trip:

Oregon welcomes you

To the Illinois Valley Visitor Center of Oregon Caves National Monument:

Oregon Caves Visitor Center

Oregon Caves Visitor Center

Oregon Caves Visitor Center

Then back into California:

Welcome to California

Though the agricultural inspection station:

Inspection

Hiouchi Visitor Center:

Hiouchi Visitor Center

Hiouchi Visitor Center

Hiouchi Visitor Center

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Since we’d been to the Redwoods National Park, it was time to add its sticker to our coach:

Adding National Park sticker

Adding National Park sticker

Another day, heading down the coast:

Coast

To Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park:

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

A strange historical artifact:

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

360 video hyperlapse of a drive from that visitor center:

Elk on the side of the road:

Elk

Elk

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center:

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center

Lady Bird Johnson Grove hike:

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Lady Bird Johnson Grove

Video hyperlapse of the Lady Bird Johnson Grove hike:

Coastal drive:

Coastal drive

Coastal drive

A bear on the side of the road:

Bear on the side of the road

Bear on the side of the road