Stopping for grub n gas

With patience and experience you can get in and out of almost all modern stations. (Note the "almost")

There is, however, a special place in Hekk for people who block a Diesel pump with a small gas-powered car. It will make you feel better as you sit there waiting for them to finish up in the store and move; to know where they are going to end up.

We would look for a large parking lot and eat in the MH or we would find a fast food place because they have the ability to take large rigs most of the time. Hubby became a master at sweeping a gas station to see if we would fit. Areas that have a lot of businesses like Home Depot or grocery stores because they often have gas stations near them that can accommodate trucks.

fla-gypsy wrote:
You'll learn quickly how to judge a station on suitability before pulling in. Direction of the pumps, how wide the entrance is, space in front of the pumps for turning radius and how non RV customers park around them all figure in.

X2
It will soon become second nature to you to 'look ahead' before pulling in anywhere with your RV.

We eat breakfast before leaving and stop at fast food places for lunch. And are off the road before dinner. Sit down restaurants can take 1 - 1 1/2 hours to get in and out. Prefer to spend that time getting to our destination. Truck stops such as Loves, Flying J, etc often have one of the major chain fast food places on site. Heading out to an area I am not familiar with I will use Google maps to look for food places in the area I expect to be around noon. Then I look at satellite view and street view to see if I can get my 35' 5er in and out easy enough. Fixing something in the trailer is a sometimes option, but pretty cramped without putting out slides. Has always worked so far.

fla-gypsy wrote:
You'll learn quickly how to judge a station on suitability before pulling in.

X2. And it doesn't matter what you're driving/pulling. You learn to size up the situation quickly.

I am the son of a long haul trucker. Some of the best advice he gave me is to never eat at a truck stop, especially if the truck stop restaurant is called "Mom's" or promises down home cooking. When the DW and I stop, we go to the fiver and make a sandwich, or if we are there for a while we fire up the generator so we can use the microwave.

You'll learn quickly how to judge a station on suitability before pulling in. Direction of the pumps, how wide the entrance is, space in front of the pumps for turning radius and how non RV customers park around them all figure in.

As Cool Canuck said, Truck Stops are the last place I stop. My trailer is 35 and 1/2 feet long. With the cargo carrier on the back the trailer is 37 1/2 feet long, and with truck I'm a total of 59 feet long. I've never had problems getting into anywhere. If it looks too tight, I simply drive on.

We stop everywhere, but sometimes do have to park out a way. But getting fuel has never been a problem. Sometimes a "challenge" but not a problem. I take diesel, and have driven through many normal car gas stations to find out they don't sell diesel. Those are the only ones we've had trouble with.

We stop quite frequently when we travel. A 3 hour drive will take us 8 hours, because we stop so much. Small Mom and Pop stores to mega Wall Marts! Small back road gas stations and restaurants that aren't even listed in a phone book they are so out of the way.

Think of it this way... Semi trucks and cargo trucks have to make deliveries to all these places. Where do they park when unloading. If they can get in and get out, then my 59 foot rig can too.

Does it take a little thought before pulling into that parking lot! Yes, absolutely! If they don't have space to drive completely around their building, we pass that one up. Is there space to park on the side or behind the building, or a lot next to them, or across the road? If so... GREAT!

We have attempted to pull into some fast food restraunts and could not get enough space to park. We simply moved on down the road. It's happened before, it will happen again. No biggie, just move on. But we also have to keep an open mind. A parking lot next door may be just fine. It's really all a matter of how desperate you want to use that business!

But the out of the way, unnamed, and back road places are the best experience! Truck Stops are just too commercial. We absolutely enjoy visiting with the local people and simply talking to them. Everyone loves to talk about their home, and you won't get that one-on-one experience from the big box truck stops at all.

some fast food places have on there signs RV's Welcome .. so you might fit.

others have large parking lots next door to food place. not always paved.

Cracker Barrel also welcomes overnight stays.. check first.. they offer maps with do and do not overnight. so if the service is Slow .. so what you are spending the Night there anyway.. I do.. on longer trips.

and they do have good Hot Food.

for Gas, fuel.. do not stop at City stations.. the outer areas offer more space.
I pull a 30 foot travel trailer.

most fast food shops have a truck area.