A timelapse of driving the coach for the RV Driving School backing and driving classes, and moving sites at the FMCA Tucson 2022 convention.
travel
Freeways, highways, and other roads as we move the coach from one site to another. Plus cat pics.
FMCA Tucson 2022: RV Driving School lessons
Around when we first bought our motorhome, we signed up for a couple of RV Driving School classes, held before the FMCA convention: the first on backing an RV, the second on driving an RV.
Of course, in the intervening months, we had plenty of practice in working together to back into sites, and Jenn had plenty of driving practice, so the lessons weren’t as useful as they would have been at the start, but we did pick up a few bits of information and techniques.
Outside the classroom:
The backing class, a bit less than an hour:
Immediately after the classroom part, we did the practical, where we took our coach to a parking lot on the grounds, and did backing and parallel parking between cones, with Jenn driving and me directing, as usual:
Our instructor:
Perfect alignment; we didn’t hit any cones:
Paladin supervised from the back of Jenn’s chair:
The next day, we did the driving classroom, a four hour lesson:
Then the following day, the driving practical for four hours, with the same instructor:
Paladin on the desk, a little confused by me sitting in a living room chair opposite:
We practiced navigating an empty church parking lot:
And a second church parking lot:
Paladin looking contented:
Watching out the front:
Cruising down the freeway:
Video: timelapse of coach driving from Picacho, AZ to Tucson, AZ
A timelapse of driving the coach 69 miles from Picacho, Arizona to Tucson, Arizona.
Travel from Picacho to Tucson, AZ
We attended the FMCA “Sunsets + Saguaros” annual convention in Tucson, Arizona, so we drove 69 miles, just over an hour, from Picacho, Arizona to the Pima County fairgrounds just south of Tucson, Arizona.
Here’s the route map, going from top-left to bottom-right:
There was a tumbleweed by the side of the road, just before getting onto the freeway (made me think of CGP Grey’s excellent video on tumbleweeds):
Heading down I-10, with mountains in the distance:
Picacho Peak:
Paladin squeaked once, then settled down in his safe space next to my chair (barely visible here):
Trucks passing trucks passing trucks:
I enjoyed the artwork on overpasses along this route:
Passing downtown Tucson:
Half of a manufactured house; we moved over to avoid the wide load:
Approaching Pima County Fairgrounds:
Our exit:
The road to the fairgrounds:
RV driving school sign:
Arriving:
We dry camped here for the classes, before heading to our electric-only site for the convention. Stay tuned for more on the lessons and convention!
Video: timelapse of coach driving from Buckeye, AZ to Picacho, AZ
A timelapse of driving the coach 17 miles from Buckeye, Arizona to NIRVC in Surprise, Arizona, then 92 miles from there to Picacho, Arizona.
Travel from Surprise to Picacho, AZ
We picked up our coach from NIRVC in Surprise, Arizona, and drove 92 miles to Picacho, Arizona, a couple of hours drive.
Here’s the route map, going from top-left to bottom-right:
Paladin wasn’t having a good day, having endured a car trip from the Airbnb, then coach travel:
Driving along I-10, past a stadium:
A freeway tunnel under downtown Phoenix:
An interesting peak:
We stopped for diesel at a Love’s:
Hey, it’s hay:
Jenn filling the diesel via a pump that was falling apart; we haven’t been too impressed with the quality of Love’s stations of late:
Mountains:
Picacho Peak:
An orchard:
Our destination, a KOA:
Video: timelapse of coach driving from Palm Desert, CA to Buckeye, AZ
A timelapse of driving the coach 228 miles from Palm Desert, California to Buckeye, Arizona.
Travel from Palm Desert, CA to Buckeye, AZ
We departed the Thousand Trails in Palm Desert, California, and headed to Buckeye, Arizona.
Here’s the route map (left to right); 228 miles, a 4 hour drive in our coach:
I picked up Paladin; he looked mildly freaked out by the view out the windshield:
A slow crawl uphill through a pass:
We stopped at a rest stop for lunch:
We had a prefab meal for lunch; Jenn called it Lunchables for adults:
Back on the I-10 freeway:
Paladin snuck behind the driver seat and by Jenn’s feet, which is risky, so I made a barrier:
Date palms:
While on a freeway I use the iExit app to find upcoming rest areas. Here’s a screenshot of it while approaching the California/Arizona border, and the first rest area after the border:
About to cross into Arizona (again):
Welcome to Arizona:
We stopped at that rest area:
Continuing through some hills:
Interesting mountains in the distance:
Cacti:
Once again, Paladin settled down in the safe space next to my chair:
Another rest area exit; it’s good to take a break every hour or so on a long drive; we also stopped here to call our next destination:
Leaving the rest area (yes, we park with the big rigs):
Oh joy, road works:
Our final exit for this trip:
As always, the timelapse video of this trip will be coming tomorrow. Enjoy!
Video: timelapse of coach driving from Jurupa Valley, CA to Palm Desert, CA
A timelapse of driving the coach 21 miles from Jurupa Valley, California to a Cummins shop in Bloomington, then from there 71 miles to Palm Desert, California.
Travel from Bloomington to Palm Desert, CA
We picked up our coach from Cummins in Bloomington, California, and headed to Palm Desert, California.
Here’s the route map (left to right); 71 miles, a 1.5 hour drive in our coach:
Some freeway scenes along I-10:
Arriving at our destination, the Thousand Trails Palm Springs RV Resort:
Tomorrow, you guessed it, the timelapse video.
I know this wasn’t a particularly interesting post; I’m wondering if I should skip the travel day posts, since I don’t know how interesting they are to anyone. I have more than enough content to continue daily blog posts, without pictures of freeways. On the other hand, it could be interesting to compare travel in various areas. What do you think? Are travel day posts interesting? Or sometimes so? Or boring? Let me know!