For the last nine winters I have driven the Monarch to Florida each winter in October. The weather is better than later in the fall, most of the RV parks are still open for the season and there is no chance of freezing. This was following the advice of Rusty, one of our experienced Barthmobilers from Florida.

When we discussed pros and cons of draining, blowing out or flushing lines, Rusty would remind us: "The way to winterize your coach is to put on your shorts and drive it to Florida!" It was good advice for me for years. (For him, winterizing meant putting a pair of long pants and a hoodie into his coach.)

When we returned for the winter in December it was always nice to arrive by car with the coach there and ready.

Now that we have the park model in place, the Monarch will stay home this winter. Fortunately, it is a very easy coach to winterize. The PEX plumbing and good drain valves have made it easy. Drain the fresh, black and grey tanks. Drain the water heater. Open the faucets and drain valves. A little antifreeze in the drains and done!

There are plumbing provisions for flushing the lines with antifreeze but I have never done it. In the years before Florida I had no problems.

It will be nice to avoid the 1500 mile I75 drive in the coach, save some time and a bunch of fuel cost. I will bring my boat this year for another way to goof off this winter. No Barth Journey thread this year!

Have Barth, winterized!

Here in Iowa, we had our first night in the 40's suppose you are having closer to the 30's nights. Ole 71 does not have provisions for anti-freeze in the system and PO let the lines freeze, I also replaced with PEX. Gonna try to do the drain everything approach and a bit of drain anti-freeze. Might do a trip south this winter, could end up doing the winterizing twice. It would be worth it to leave these freezing ones ass off winters for aa bit.

If you get caught with an impending freeze and have not yet winterized just turn on the furnace for the night, set it to 55 and you will be fine.

My camper has low point drain valves and I use those to empty the hot water side then close the tank supply and open the bypass empty the water tank. All sink and shower drains are closed so everything exits via the low point drains. I use a small wet/dry vac to empty all traps. My water pump has an extra pickup and I take off the tank pickup connect the other which has about 2 feet of hose to stick in the jug of pink. All valves are off all sink and shower drains open. First the closest valves are opened until pink running, ours is rear kitchen, next is the toilet then, shower and sink. This usually takes about 1.5 gallons.
The boat is closer to 16 to 18 gallons. Each engine takes 5 to 6 gallons until pink exits the exhaust,don't want the mufflers to freeze and break. The hot water tank is disconnected from the supply and supply connected to the outlet hose. Tank drains to the bilge. Water tank is pumped empty, surge tank valve closed pump inlet swapped as with the camper. The head and AC (water cooled) have individual barrel type through hull valves so each has to be done individually, the valves also must be addressed. Most have a drain plug in the side but I use the blower to clear them, that huge bubbling sound is very satisfying. Again a jug for the head and jugs and funnel for the ac.

Lots of work!

Like he said, "Put on your shorts and drive it to Florida."

Or bring it to AZ. Make sure the A/C works. Still hitting 100+ in the afternoons.

yes and the cost of ac is far higher than heating here in golden valley,