I want to buy a small DP somewhere in the 30 - 34 foot range and so far have come up with the following. Not sure yet about new or used!33’ Thor Palazzo34’ Forest River Berkshire & Legacy31 to 34’ Tiffin Alegro34’ Winnebago Forza & SoleiWith a motorhome that size is it reasonable to go without a TOAD? Let me share my thoughts and you tell me if I’m out to the lunch bunch?I don’t want to see the USA in my car, I want to see it from the big windshield of my motorhome. And I’ve not been many places where you couldn’t find a place to park a motorhome to walk downtown and see the sights for a few hours. Or pull into a grocery store parking lot for food etc. I can understand the inconvenience of hooking & unhooking the lines of the motorhome but pulling a TOAD can have its own inconvenience right?We would most likely be on the road a few months a year stopping at places of interest for a week or so. We also have friends and family around the country, most where we can park the motorhome during our stay. From what I’ve seen and checked out so far the 30 to 34 feet should give us enough room without giving cabin fever yet small enough to get in and out of places. I hope I’ve given enough information so you know our plans and thought process. So how bad is it really to not have a TOAD? I know I’m talking theory here, what’s the real world view I need to be looking at?Thanks so much

Well you can certainly get by without one so give it a try. Worst possible outcome is you get a hitch for your car and start pulling it.

I would not leave home without my toad!

A 30-34 foot MH will not fit in a normal parking space in any parking lot. We have been to many national and state park visitor centers that do not have RV parking. Some do but there are enough that don't and many attractions do not have RV parking either. You will also find that very few trailheads have RV parking. 99.8% of the time our motorhome moves, it has Libby behind it. We travel about seven months of the year and normally put many more miles on Libby than the MH. Once you get to a destination, its much better to have a toad than not!

I can't imagine being without a toad on the road. What happens when:1. You're out of beer?2. You get in the refer to fix dinner and find out the tomatoes for the salad have gone bad? It's either no salad for the night or disconnect the MH to go to the store?3. You pull into the parking area at Mt Rushmore and there's no parking places left for a MH, but there's plenty for cars? Do you skip Mt Rushmore?4. You go down to Canyon Land in southern Utah and you can't go down over the edge of the canyons like everyone else because you can't do it in a MH.5. You're camped in Oregon and you hear there's high surf warnings so you want to go down the road (to a safe area) and take pictures of the surf. You're going to pull up the MH for that and then try to find a place on the side of the road to park, and then turn the MH around?6. You're camped in Redwood areas, you aren't going to see a lot because the good LITTLE sightseeing roads don't accommodate MHs. Or if you do try to squeeze down them, you're so busy watching the road, the very large trees on the side of the road that your mirror is about hit and other traffic that you can't do any sightseeing, let alone suddenly pulling over to take some neat pictures of the sunlight coming down through the redwoods.7. Back to the Mt Rushmore area - you can't fit a MH on the Iron Mountain Hwy or the road up to Needles. Two great areas that you're going to miss. Why did you go to that area of the country if you can't see the best sights?8. You're in Yellowstone and you want to pull over to take pictures of the buffalo, elk, rivers, etc, and you can can't because the pull offs are very small - no room to pull over a MH.9. You're in the southwest - what are you going to do, just stay on the paved roads? If you're going to, then you're wasting your time down there.10. You're in an RV park for several days and the sink faucet is leaking so you decide to work on it. While you bought what you thought you needed to fix it, in the end you need more parts or stuff. What do you do then, pack up and unhook everything to make a run to the RV parts store or Home Depot?11. You want to go eat at a restraint. How many good restaurants have parking for your MH? Or, if you get parked, when you go to leave and other cars have parked around you so that you can't get out. What if you want a burger from Burger King, how many of them can you get your MH into?12. You need to take your MH into a shop for some work that will take a day or two. Are you going to sit there in their waiting room (if they have one) or go rent a car?Sure you can get by without a toad, I just wouldn't find it an enjoyable trip at all and would rather stay home.Bill

Alternatives near cities are Enterprise $9.99 a weekend day if available in the area you are in or other sale rental. I just rented a car in NYC for $32.00 a day including taxes unlimited mileageFinding a WalMart parking lot with service to center of city.An example is Nashville where almost all the Walmarts have service to the city center for $1.25.Find a park and ride to the city. For example I believe the Berwyn station near Chicago can accommodate your rig.Find a campground with bus service. Both Nashville and Washington DC have Campgrounds with bus service.Last you can find a place within walking distance of things. Casa Grande Arizona has a few campgrounds like this most notably Fiesta Grande which is mid way between Walmart and Fry's grocery about 1/2 mile away from either.I travel without toad and just a little bit of planning is needed

What's the story with "No TOAD on the road"? | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

JWRoberts
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
Trackrig wrote:
I can't imagine being without a toad on the road. What happens when:
EXCELLENT ADVICE!!!!

1. You're out of beer?
2. You get in the refer to fix dinner and find out the tomatoes for the salad have gone bad? It's either no salad for the night or disconnect the MH to go to the store?
3. You pull into the parking area at Mt Rushmore and there's no parking places left for a MH, but there's plenty for cars? Do you skip Mt Rushmore?
4. You go down to Canyon Land in southern Utah and you can't go down over the edge of the canyons like everyone else because you can't do it in a MH.
5. You're camped in Oregon and you hear there's high surf warnings so you want to go down the road (to a safe area) and take pictures of the surf. You're going to pull up the MH for that and then try to find a place on the side of the road to park, and then turn the MH around?
6. You're camped in Redwood areas, you aren't going to see a lot because the good LITTLE sightseeing roads don't accommodate MHs. Or if you do try to squeeze down them, you're so busy watching the road, the very large trees on the side of the road that your mirror is about hit and other traffic that you can't do any sightseeing, let alone suddenly pulling over to take some neat pictures of the sunlight coming down through the redwoods.
7. Back to the Mt Rushmore area - you can't fit a MH on the Iron Mountain Hwy or the road up to Needles. Two great areas that you're going to miss. Why did you go to that area of the country if you can't see the best sights?
8. You're in Yellowstone and you want to pull over to take pictures of the buffalo, elk, rivers, etc, and you can can't because the pull offs are very small - no room to pull over a MH.
9. You're in the southwest - what are you going to do, just stay on the paved roads? If you're going to, then you're wasting your time down there.
10. You're in an RV park for several days and the sink faucet is leaking so you decide to work on it. While you bought what you thought you needed to fix it, in the end you need more parts or stuff. What do you do then, pack up and unhook everything to make a run to the RV parts store or Home Depot?
11. You want to go eat at a restraint. How many good restaurants have parking for your MH? Or, if you get parked, when you go to leave and other cars have parked around you so that you can't get out. What if you want a burger from Burger King, how many of them can you get your MH into?
12. You need to take your MH into a shop for some work that will take a day or two. Are you going to sit there in their waiting room (if they have one) or go rent a car?

Sure you can get by without a toad, I just wouldn't find it an enjoyable trip at all and would rather stay home.

Bill
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Dec 26, 2015
My thinking... You can see the USA from either the windshield of your RV or of your car. that's your choice.. But consider this.

You drive to a campground, MH gets perhaps 8 or 9 MPG.. You park, unhooking the towed.. You need to make a quick trip to the local Grocery cause you are out of ____ (you fill in the blank) The car gets 30 or more MPG. Is easier to park and maneuver in traffic. Comes in handy if you want to see a movie, or go to church or several other things where the attraction is INSIDE a building so the big windshield makes no difference. And the car is easier to park.
Redterpos3
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
DrewE wrote:
A motorhome seems to me to be about the nicest vehicle possible to have a breakdown in; you have a cozy little hotel room all ready to use even if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere.)

I love this quote!! :B
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Dec 24, 2015
I saw a key statement in your post...."stopping at places of interest for a week or so". Without a toad, it would mean that you need to break camp, disconnect at least a power cord and drive around in your coach everyday. I would say that if you were just stopping overnight at many places, you MIGHT get buy without a toad, but staying in one place a week or longer will soon get OLD while trying to sightsee in a 30'-33' coach.
cpres
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
I use a truck camper, many of my big trips I trailer a motorcycle, our bike with a sidecar is an amazing toad and we enjoy the toad even with a small rig.
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2015
We did it all the time with our 28' Class C! Easy-peasy. It just takes a wee bit of foresight - grab any groceries you need before you get to the campground for the night. We'd eat our "large" restaurant meal around noon, then have a light supper once parked for the night. Since you are able-bodied walkers, yes, you might have to park a short distance from your intended place to visit, but it's not that hard to find parking places.

Regarding staying in one place for a week or so (like visiting a National Park) - that's when you rent a car and explore to your heart's content. The biggest advantage is finding a parking spot at a scenic little turnout that you simply can't get a large RV into; or driving a twisty little switchback up a beautiful mountain.

The only times we hauled our toad along was when the RV was the "means to get to a destination" and would be mostly parked in one spot.
Jim_Shoe
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
My first RV was a Class B Roadtrek. I didn't need anything bigger than that since I'm a single RVer. But it turned out that I'm more into seeing the sights in the places I go. There were times when I left the CG to see something or just make an emergency grocery run for coffee and found my spot taken when I returned. I also found that I was too tall for a parking garage and too long for a single metered spot on the street.
My Jeep Wrangler toad gets way better gas mileage when I'm visiting an area, and is just plain fun to drive. BTW, I removed the rear seat and carry bulky but light weight stuff in the space, like TP and paper towels.
And the chances of having both vehicles break down at the same time aren't very likely.
rdmike
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
Mondooker wrote:
I appreciate all of your comments. You're the ones who have "been there done that" and I appreciate your councel. Use the motorhome for a hotel on wheels and use your vehicle just like you would leaving any hotel. Thank you all so much, very informative!

I think if I ever respond again to a similar post in the future, I would use your quote. If staying in a hotel, would you want a car? My answer is yes. We did 24 states this year and used the toad almost everyday. 5 minutes tops to engage / disengage using one person.
rdmike
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015
Trackrig wrote:
I can't imagine being without a toad on the road. What happens when:

1. You're out of beer?
2. You get in the refer to fix dinner and find out the tomatoes for the salad have gone bad? It's either no salad for the night or disconnect the MH to go to the store?
3. You pull into the parking area at Mt Rushmore and there's no parking places left for a MH, but there's plenty for cars? Do you skip Mt Rushmore?
4. You go down to Canyon Land in southern Utah and you can't go down over the edge of the canyons like everyone else because you can't do it in a MH.
5. You're camped in Oregon and you hear there's high surf warnings so you want to go down the road (to a safe area) and take pictures of the surf. You're going to pull up the MH for that and then try to find a place on the side of the road to park, and then turn the MH around?
6. You're camped in Redwood areas, you aren't going to see a lot because the good LITTLE sightseeing roads don't accommodate MHs. Or if you do try to squeeze down them, you're so busy watching the road, the very large trees on the side of the road that your mirror is about hit and other traffic that you can't do any sightseeing, let alone suddenly pulling over to take some neat pictures of the sunlight coming down through the redwoods.
7. Back to the Mt Rushmore area - you can't fit a MH on the Iron Mountain Hwy or the road up to Needles. Two great areas that you're going to miss. Why did you go to that area of the country if you can't see the best sights?
8. You're in Yellowstone and you want to pull over to take pictures of the buffalo, elk, rivers, etc, and you can can't because the pull offs are very small - no room to pull over a MH.
9. You're in the southwest - what are you going to do, just stay on the paved roads? If you're going to, then you're wasting your time down there.
10. You're in an RV park for several days and the sink faucet is leaking so you decide to work on it. While you bought what you thought you needed to fix it, in the end you need more parts or stuff. What do you do then, pack up and unhook everything to make a run to the RV parts store or Home Depot?
11. You want to go eat at a restraint. How many good restaurants have parking for your MH? Or, if you get parked, when you go to leave and other cars have parked around you so that you can't get out. What if you want a burger from Burger King, how many of them can you get your MH into?
12. You need to take your MH into a shop for some work that will take a day or two. Are you going to sit there in their waiting room (if they have one) or go rent a car?

Sure you can get by without a toad, I just wouldn't find it an enjoyable trip at all and would rather stay home.

Bill

Well said. I could go on and on also. Medical emergency or Dr visit, Rv breakdown or flat, this is the real world.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Dec 23, 2015
I just know that I traveled for 'years' with OUT a toad. Thought I don't need no stinkin toad!

Then when I went full time everyone hounded me about how great it is to to have one and I broke down and got one. Picked up a used Tracker so if I didn't like it I could just sell it for what I paid for it.

All I can say now is. It really makes for a much better RV experience. You are never 'tied' down to the CG. You will see more of the USA because of the ease of having one.

AND they are a HUGE, HUGE asset when and if your MH breaks down. ESPECIALLY if you RV with your pets.

No more freaking out on the side of the road with a dead MH.

Just unhook the toad, throw the MH keys to the tow truck driver and say, call me when it's fixed as you drive away with all the family and pets safely in your toad! :C