From the TT Lake Whitney campground we drove to our old service facility in Harker Heights TX. A couple of years back our friend J.T. Bowyer (previous owner) sold the business to his Service Manager (David Dossey) and Office Manager (Sandra "Sandee" Rohmer), the new and current owners. They have obviously put in a substantial investment into the business and the place shows it as much in looks and organization.
We had a number of issues to resolve, such as the front A/C had started vibrating violently so we had stopped using it (turns out it was a broken fan blade, though it was beyond us how it broke); the mid-coach gravity Dometic 311 toilet was having problems flushing and filling (so we got another one), windshield wipers needed replacing, two LP detect fuses kept burning (needed a new LP sensor), black valve was not closinf off all the way (replaced with a new one). The new one purchased directly from Fleetwood REV (Valterra) came as 1 unit with both a black valve and a grey valve, but each of the two valves leaked, so we had to get two more valves. We'll never buy another part directly from REV.
We had washed and flushed our black tank on the morning we left Lake Whitney so when we got to Lone Star RV Center they could change the black/grey valves; however, despite the service manager telling them to do that FIRST... they didn't. That is one of the things that has NOT improved from when J.T. owned the business. He did manage the techs, whereas these guys seem to just do as they please (including taking Bill's face towel to wipe up the spilled water when they removed the toilet... YUK!!) So since they did not fix the valves on the first day, we were referred to Basin RV Park campground to stay the night so we could AGAIN flush the black & grey tank the next morning.
That was such an EXCELLENT NEW CAMPGROUND that we felt compelled to write this review of it.
It is located at 10502 FM-2410, Belton, Texas 76513 and they can be reached at (254) 218-4044.(www.basinrv-park.com) It does not have a lot of amenities (no pool, playground, etc), but it does offer clean, well-designed and spacious campsites with slabs next to every site and grass around all sites, excellent drainage, plenty of room for dogs to walk on and even a fenced dog park with agility structures (big tubing, steps, ladders, etc to entertain and challenge them). It lies on 10 acres between gently rolling hills of Central Texas. We are unsure of where their name ('Basin') comes from, but it is owned by at least two Aggies (Texas A&M grads), a Texas Longhorn, and others. Therefore there are a lot of Texas A& M logos and decor, all a plus to Bill who is also a Texas Aggie grad. They have daily, weekly, and monthly rates available and offer Premium sites and plenty of parking. There are 91 The Lodge is very well designed with a spacious Recreation Room where guests can watch TV, play games. While we were there we got a chance to participate in one of the monthly Food night sponsored and offered by the park. Ours was a Pizza Party in which they provided over 10 pizzas for the attendees (about 30 were resent and perhaps not more due to that it was a cold evening. They were planning on having it on the ample outside covered porch but the cold weather forced it to be held inside. The Laundry room has 4 washers and 5 dryers. There are separate Men and Women Restroom hallways with separate doors to them (4 complete and full bathrooms in each hallway). Each restroom is ADA-compliant and has a toilet, shower (w/adjustable wand showerhead) with a folding seat within it, and beautiful RV and Texas-designed shower curtains, a stool, a hanging towel bar for own towel outside but next to the shower, and a hook for hanging one's clothes on; the sink has an ample mirror and even a shelf next to it to place one's toothpaste, soap, shaving cream or what have you. The hallway outside the four bathrooms is always so pleasantly scented, as if one had walked into a scented candle display. Each bathroom has its own locking door, and the door that accesses the Men's and Women's hallways, each has it own separate combination entry. Outside the Lodge there is a wrap-around porch with ample walking room so as not to get wet when it's raining. Outside two features pop out (apart from the "ATM" Aggie BBQ Grill cover)... 1. A sign on a planter that says "Mary's Porch" (named for the sweet kitty that lives there) see photo. 2. Around the back of the building there are several drink and snack vending machines (all very reasonably priced... sodas $1.00, chips $1.00) and a 10-lb ice bag cooler for just $1.00, with an 'honor' system collection box on it.... simply put your $1.00 in it, open the door and take your ice bag). There are 91 campsites at the park and usually they are at least 90% filled. We stayed there Monday and Wednesday - Sunday nights and will need to return to Lone Star RV Center to re-install the damaged Dometic 311 toilet that Dometic is replacing, so we will be staying there again Friday - Monday, (November 4th), when we'll move on to TT Lake Medina until November 20th, when we head HOME to the Casita in Benson AZ, for Thanksgiving.
Needless to say we whole-heartedly RECOMMEND it to all our RV friends. If you are in the Temple - Harker Heights - Killeen (Ft-Hood area) you will enjoy your stay here. The Park Manager is Tammy Lytle (Tel: 254-393-1450, Email: info@basinrv-park.com), who is a super nice person dedicated to making everyone feel welcome and at home. She and her husband, Ricky do a great job there.For more information as to the park, check out their website (www.basinrv-park.com) or contact Tammy directly, and tell her WE recommended her to you. If you are a Good Sam member there is a discount on rates too.
Mary (the human) enjoying Happy Hour outside.
Roxy enjoying the outside on her bed.
The Lodge
Our campsite #B-13, close to the Lodge.
Parking where RVs pull in Check-In (and ATVs park)
Trash cans get emptied regularly.
This is MARY...
No... actually that's Bill's reflection on the glass. He IS NOT in the Women's Restroom. LOL!
On one side of the Lodge is a nice covered porch with long
picnic tables, a grill, games and a large green area next to it.
Entrance to the Rec Rm from the backside of the Lodge.
Pets are not allowed inside the Lodge but very welcome on the outside porch.
There's that nice Texas Aggie (ATM) Grill cover.
View from the Lodge (front) toward the front of the campground with Mary (kitty) drinking from the water bowls for the doggies. There are even eye-bolts attached to the tables where a dog can be left outside while owner is in the office, laundry or rec room. It is in the dtails that have gone into the design and operation of the campground that make it so nice... obviously designed by RVers (owners) for RVers.
View from the front porch of the lodge towards the East.
One of the four Men's bathrooms. All are the same, except the
shower curtains are all different, but either 'Texas' or 'RV' themed.
You know they have great taste when their shower floors are the exact same floors as we put in our own shower at our Casita in Benson AZ.
Their showers floor design (above)... and our own Casita shower floor design (below).
Vending machines, Ice machine and even 20lb propane tanks available right there.
Rear entrance to Women's Restroom Hallway.
Laundry Room.
Vending machines: Sodas $1.00, chips, peanuts, cookies $1.00.
The honor Ice Vending machine.
Instructions: 1. Take out a bag of 10-lb ICE,
2. Deposit $1.00 into Money Deposit slot.
Part of the drainage canals to keep the campground dry.
An Aggie (colored) Mobile (Golf Cart)
The doggie enclosed Bark Park
A stray kitty found out that they keep cat food outside (for Mary)
so he comes by to help himself to some too.
And Mary is such a sweetie, that she's happy to share.
You may have noticed that the streets are free of any debris. One step that they take is to hose down the asphalt every morning, including the gravel immediately adjacent to the asphalt. That keeps small items off the streets and the dust down. Talk about attention to detail.
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