making reservations

Personally, we hate reservations and we are in the call ahead in the morning and ask for availability To many things can happen on a trip that might cause a delay, and then your whole schedule is toast.

northmeck0255 wrote:


When we drove a tractor trailer, our instructor (my wife and I drove as a team) taught us to use 50 mph as your average speed. That does a good job of accounting for fuel stops, bathroom breaks, etc.

600 miles a day would work out to 12 full hours a day on the road (if no traffic jams). Much too long for me, but it's your call.

In my mind I was kind of figuring an average of 55 mph, but 50 is probably a better number to use. :).
Thanks.

Lazy D wrote:
I have a question along this line. What is the Max miles you like to drive in a day?
Planning a trip later this month. Google maps says its 1800 miles. Meeting our kids. The soonest I can leave is 4 days in advance. Was considering trying to do 600 miles a day and leave three in advance. We dont necessarily need camp grounds, we can just stop at a wal-mart and find a level spot, kick on the generator and go to bed. With my time line I have to do 450 miles a day, but is 600 miles crazy? This will be our first long haul.
Thanks.
D

When we drove a tractor trailer, our instructor (my wife and I drove as a team) taught us to use 50 mph as your average speed. That does a good job of accounting for fuel stops, bathroom breaks, etc.

600 miles a day would work out to 12 full hours a day on the road (if no traffic jams). Much too long for me, but it's your call.

I have a question along this line. What is the Max miles you like to drive in a day?
Planning a trip later this month. Google maps says its 1800 miles. Meeting our kids. The soonest I can leave is 4 days in advance. Was considering trying to do 600 miles a day and leave three in advance. We dont necessarily need camp grounds, we can just stop at a wal-mart and find a level spot, kick on the generator and go to bed. With my time line I have to do 450 miles a day, but is 600 miles crazy? This will be our first long haul.
Thanks.
D

I usually make reservations but have had times where I didn't. One thing I have found is that if you don't make reservations you run the risk of not getting a site that meets your needs. With that said the camp site 20, 30, 50 miles down the road might have exactly what you need but that just adds more stress to the situation not knowing if the next place will work. You can spend an inordinate amount of time find a spot that meets your needs. If your needs are minimal it gets easier. Fortunately for us we always carry an attitude that we'll take whatever comes and adjust accordingly, less stress that way.

In high traffic areas during peak season I believe it's always better to have reservations than not.

djgodden wrote:
My wife is the opposite, must be in an RV park where it's "safe".

Need I say how we travel?

I (the wife) need a certain level of "quiet" to sleep - so I'd rather be in an RV park, too. But unless it's a heavily-camped holiday weekend, we just call ahead when we have an idea where we'll want to stay for the night. I've loaded the "All Stays" app on my phone and have found it handy for those last-minute decisions

My wife and I are of two minds. I feel that since we have a fully self contained unit with solar I don't care when I park over night. Walmart, casino, welcome center, rest stop... meh. My wife is the opposite, must be in an RV park where it's "safe".

Need I say how we travel?

Compromise, agree that after lunch sometime you will call and make reservations where you think you will be when you're ready to stop for the night. We do this when we are on a road trip for weekend stops. Don't bother during the week.

I make reservations... Used to not do that, a long time ago, but once had an issue with a regional event around the spot I wanted to stop. Ended up driving another (very tired) 150 miles before finding a place to stay that wasn't fully booked. This was two trailers back when we had a PuP, so we were hunting hotels not campgrounds. Ever since, I always have reservations.

Crowe wrote:
Our destination is the same, it's to a family reunion.

In that case I'd just tell them you'll meet them there. If they really feel the need to tail you because they are concerned, then tell them it's on your terms, not theirs.

Now that it's clearer that it's the destination that everyone will be together, not the interim stop or stops, just say we'll meet ya there and be done with it, if that's what you want to do. I thought the trip was intended to be together based on your original post.

If ya'll want to remain together through the stop or stops, just go ahead and make reservations.. not sure it matters one way or the other.

Mike