Review of Montgomery South Campground

RV parks vary in amenities and price as much as the hotel/motel industry does. In RV parks as in hotels you can go from Motel 6 to New York Rich. But the key to a good RV park is for the owners to know their niche. In other words, be what you can comfortably be and charge accordingly. That pretty well describes the Montgomery South Campground, though one might suggest the price is a little on the high side.

Sometimes you want all the amenities and none of the hassels. Sometimes you just want a nice place to spend the night where you feel secure. Sometimes a place like Montgomery South RV Park is just right. We spent a quiet night there and with most of the amenities one might expect.

There are 30 sites, most of them gravel, all of them large and pull through. Clean restrooms that are particularly nice with chairs, mirrors and showers along with WiFi and full hookups are included. 30 and 50 amp service is available at all sites. There is no cable, but they indicate five channel are available. They also sell propane, which is a nice feature.

Montgomery South RV Park is between 12 and 14 miles south of Montgomery, Alabama, depending on the map you read. It is located at Exit 158 off of I-65. 1/8 mile east and one mile north on Venable Rd and you are there.

The owner was on site to greet us and in general the staff was very helpful and friendly. The office has a large television and an inviting couch or two. I'm looking out the window of my RV and watching traffic whiz by on I-65. However the noise does not seem to be a problem at all.

I paid $26 with a discount. The park is a Good Sam park and is rated in Woodalls. The accept most major credit cards.

The WiFi signal is not as strong as I would like it to be, though generally it is servicable. There are several acres of pastureland for walking your pet. I think you will find this a great place to spend the night.

Montgomery South RV Park is located at 713 Venable Rd. Hope Hull, AL 36043. Their telephone number is 334-284-7006 and their email address is: resv@ montgomerysouthrvpark.com

RV Fun and Facts is a great site for RV owners and prospective owners. Get the truth about RV costs and ownership. Great tips and links as well.

Check Out That New RV Before Taking It Home

Over a period of several months we attended an RV Show, visited several dealers and spent quality time in various units. After settling on a Class C we drove one identical to the one we wanted. (The unit we wound up purchasing was not at the dealer at that time.) Prior to accepting our unit we conducted a thorough walk through and also drove it. Buying a new unit gives us some comfort since the unit is under warranty. However, before leaving we ran every system and moved everything that could be moved. We used the RV with and without shore power and in general put it through its paces.

To give you an idea of how things can go wrong; we spent some hours learning about and operating systems. The radio was clearly marked Sirius Ready. It was the one thing I didn’t check on prior to leaving the dealership. According to Jayco, Sirius Ready, doesn’t mean the radio is ready. It means the radio is ready for you to purchase several items to make it ready. I will complain, but it is my slip up that let this happen. So again, I say, check everything.

An RV has allowed us to go places we would not have gone without one. We have been in 48 States and several Canadian Provinces. The experiences we’ve had make RVing our favorite mode of travel.

More RV information including a tip that could save you thousands on the purchase of a new RV available at http://www.keanwriter.com

Know What RV You Can Afford

The first decision is whether to purchase an RV, but after that comes what you want and what you can afford. The absolute best advice that I can give is to know what you can afford first. You will be better off having a slightly less opulent camper if you can comfortably deal with the costs. Overspending will result in the RV becoming a burden and you won't have the fun you dreamed about.

Think about how much you can put down and what monthly payments you can comfortably make including insurance and parking fees, leaving room for traveling money. Don't forget the cost of a tag. The tag for my class C in Alabama is going to cost around $800.

Also put something aside to stock your RV the way you want it. This might include silverware, dishes, towels, extra toiletries, and assorted items to keep your RV clean as well as a variety of tools.

Finally, and this is important, put aside at least a few hundred dollars for those unexpected things that you will absolutely, positively want to buy.

Don't overspend and your RV will be a great asset for your entire family.

Is An RV Right For You

An RV is an expensive investment that will not appreciate in value. In other words, no matter how you slice it an RV is going to cost you money. Make certain that this is where you want to spend your hard earned income.
A recreational vehicle, like any equipment, has to be maintained. That means washing, changing oil, preparing it for winter, protecting it when stored, repairing what isn't working and in general keeping it in shape for your use.
Many suggest, and I certainly do not disagree, that one way to learn about RVs is to rent one at least for a weekend. This experience will likely hook you on RVing or send you packing, but that is the purpose. A week would be even better. It will also help you determine what size is right for you. The experience of hooking, unhooking and dumping will bring home the realities of RV life.

I have heard of so many stories about people who spent many thousands of dollars to purchase an RV and took one or two trips before parking it. After a year or two of just sitting they decide to sell it and this costs them a lot of money.

We love taking trips in an RV. It is a kind of freedom and convenience we haven't found in any other mode of travel. But what we love and what you love may be entirely different things. Before making such a large investment, commit yourself to using your RV.

If it is right for you then the money will be well spent.

What Does Ready Mean to JAYCO?

It was right there in front of the RV, just like it was supposed to be. It has GPS, AM, FM, backup camera and DVD and I thought it was Sirius Ready. I thought that because the radio has a sign attached to it that says: "Sirius Ready." So when checking all the gadgets on the RV, I didn't call Sirius to subscribe since I knew that I had a Sirius Ready radio as promised by JAYCO and I could subscribe at any time.

Not so fast English reader. I checked with Merriam Webster who defines the word ready as follow: 1 a : prepared mentally or physically for some experience or action b : prepared for immediate use 2 a : willingly disposed : inclined b : likely to do something indicated
3 : displayed readily and spontaneously 4 : immediately available

Please take special note of 1b: prepared for immediate use and 4: immediately available. That was, in fact my take on the words attached to the radio in my new JAYCO RV. Yes, immediately available.

Upon arriving at home in my new RV I was preparing to call Sirius to have them start my service on my Sirius ready radio when I discovered ready means only that it is ready to have some more parts installed to become ready. In other words in spite of Mr. Webster's definitions, in the world of JAYCO ready ain't ready.

I pass this on to you in case you are thinking of buying a JAYCO RV. If ready doesn't mean ready, one might wonder if two year waranty means two years or if JAYCO has another definition of that as well.