About to take my FIRST trip. Please advise..

Oh and I am planning on signing up for "Good Sam" and using their "trip planner"... I know they show all the "Flying Js" along your path. Good to hear that people really do consider them a good choice. Wasn't sure if it was just a marketing thing.

Thank you all! These last posts have been full of EXACTLY what I was hoping for.

From wet-wipes, to "Flying J", to free camping and free parking, to a casino!

Concerns:
I will watch my tire pressure, but my Class C is basically just a van/box truck, so I am hoping I do not have the tire problems bigger rigs have.

I also assume that any Walmart near the eclipse will be PACKED with RV's (might even be full) and I would assume this would make it much safer. I assume the police in the eclipse areas are going to be on extra alert to keep the rv's safe. This eclipse is likely a HUGE boost in local economy.

Have fun and be safe !

If everything has been checked, I see your issues being HEAT and Crowds !

I wonder how many others could not, or did not, get reservations and will be trying the Wal-Marts, rest stops, etc ? You may have plenty of company to share a parking lot with !

Make the best of it !

Tommy,

My first concern is that Manchester (NH) (You do know that every NE state has a Manchester?) To Paducah is like 1300 miles. For three days at over 400 per day is a tough push for a single driver and an unfamiliar vehicle. Push your son to be navigator. It gives him something to do and takes that load off the driver. Start the training TODAY.

I know you are thinking a 400 mile road day is not all that tough. We used to pull the 860 to take the kids to the grands, but that was a car and two drivers and a route that I could still write down from memory. That will not be the case here. You will have to plan stops to water and feed the kid. If you can actually make 300 miles a day, that will be good and it does not include sight-seeing.

Do you or your son have a smart phone? Pay for and get RVparky. You can use the online version while planning. This will tell you about good parking places.

Next, look up a planner called Furkot.
This is a little bit though to learn, but it is free on line and very good at planning. It can line up ONP and fuel stops, but it does not seem to like Walmart, Cabela's and casinos.

Unfortunately, the stand-alone laptop planner/navigators are all gone and not likely to return. You load overlays for many of these from the Discovery Owners site, but three weeks is a little short to learn all this unless you are willing to run an Manhattan Project level of effort.

Other Suggestions:
Plan on four days each way.
Plan to be in Paducah by the evening of the 20th.
There will be no crampgrounds available, they are all sold out already. but there are two Walmarts but only one allows ONP.
There are three Corps of Engineers park near the Land Between the Lakes area, but they will probably be SRO by the time you get there. You can look them up and try to make a reservation.
(The eclipse will be in the early afternoon, but will start about 11 and you will want to get settled.)
Either going or returning, plan to use NY Southern tier and save a small fortune in tolls, but this will not work well with the Niagara stop.

You can make this work, but do not set up too hard a push. That is a good way to end up in a ditch. Try to make it a vacation and not a Bonsia run.

I wish you luck with boring driving and sights to remember.

Matt

No advice, but have fun on the road trip!

Any chance your almost teen got to help decide where to go? I always recommend Cedar Point for that age group.

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Along with the other suggestions check out the casinos. Many allow overnighting and are a good spot for an inexpensive meal.
www.casinocamper.com
will give you a US map showing casino locations that are RV friendly.

Here's some WNY info:
There is a Flying-J before you get to Buffalo, Colden Pembroke 48A exit, that has a RV lot on th other side of the restaurant from the truck's (still is noisy).

Take the I290 to I190 (Grand Island toll $.50/axle) on the 2nd bridge getting off GI exit 21N go straight to Buffalo Ave and turn left back under the I190, and then turn left to avoid a low clearance on the Robert Moses Pkwy. Go to the round about and take John Daly to its end then turn left on Niagara St to 1st St turn right to get to free parking at the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center.

From here you can catch the shuttle $ but worth it to get around easily.

By the way Walmart near the I190 allows over night parking.

Bob

One thought about skipping showers on long drives... ever try those body cleaning wipes? I've used them when hunting, and they work pretty good. Just "handi-wipe" type wipes designed for cleaning yourself. And... I think they are available at Walmart. Why does that seem funny to me? lol