pilot/flying j overnight parking question

I deep at truck stops and rest areas every chance I get if I'm on a trip that takes more than a day to get to the destination. I have only purposefully stayed in a campground one time on my way home from Yellowstone because my fresh water tank got punctured and I really wanted a shower haha. When at a truck stop or rest area there are a couple things I do.

1. Try to stay away from refers
2. Back in as far as possible to get the trailer away from the running truck
3. Never open my slide.... I'd like it to still be there in the morning. The exception to this is if you are lucky enough to get an end spot with grass right beside it.... Happened to me once on my way to Florida this spring.

I get a laugh out of this, I could care less what anyone thinks about where I stay. I've spent over $100 a night at RV resorts(very few), I've spent $000 in the desert surrounded by Prevost, I've spent time in state parks, a few nights in a truck stops one at a time and one night in a Walmart. I slept just as well in the Walmart as the resorts. Ahhh by the way I'm fugal not cheap!

LEN

I highly recommend getting to RV park. Worth the extra bucks for a good night sleep without all the big rig noise.

So, getting back on topic...

Along the route the OP posted, the numerous FS campgrounds are $5-10 with a pass. Castle Crags state park (nice and cool) is $5, IIRC, and right off the freeway. RV parks are $30. Motels are $60-70 and up.

AC is not needed for camping in the mountains, but sometimes is in the lowlands. It's easy to plan your trip so that you won't need AC at night.

Edited to add: Just checked the Passport America map. It shows about 20 RV parks along your route. Checking one at random, it is $15/night.

parking... what about parking a rig overnight..

have anyone done a RV campground where there are 1 night stays with sites near the gates... easy to park rig.. and easy to depart..

arrive late and depart early and NOT make noise hook ups or not. its about minimum effort after driving 10 hours and minimum effort to break camp and depart.

and NO, I do not use Wal-Marts. never have. but some campground places are a PAIN to backup a rig in the dark.. after 10 hours of driving. and I must pay for that.. NOT.

** what about 5 sites just for 1 night ONLYs.. Drive thru.. maybe electric only.. and NEAR the exit.**

bpounds wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
...I just get sick and tired of people preaching that all the private RV parks are somehow greedy, unfeeling, stupid business wannabe business people because they charge for their services.

Understood, and feel your pain. In the same way, I get sick and tired of being called cheap, because I drive an expensive RV, but am too cheap to pay campground fees. Even though I am probably overnighting in a rest stop, on my drive to a lengthy stay at a campground.

...but but you just said you ARE cheap, LOL!

westernrvparkowner wrote:
...I just get sick and tired of people preaching that all the private RV parks are somehow greedy, unfeeling, stupid business wannabe business people because they charge for their services.

Understood, and feel your pain. In the same way, I get sick and tired of being called cheap, because I drive an expensive RV, but am too cheap to pay campground fees. Even though I am probably overnighting in a rest stop, on my drive to a lengthy stay at a campground.

bpounds wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
It's not about being cheap, it is just everything is too expensive. Now I understand.

I'm curious ... is your park office open at midnight for arrivals? How about 6AM for checkouts?

No, we do not allow late check ins. But you can leave anytime, no need to ever check out.
I never said that ALL overnighting is about money, but when someone says "It's not about the money" and then the next sentence is "We stay at Walmart because all the parks in the area were $60.00" it is about the money and the poster has no credibility.
I fully understand there are reasons to stay at the rest stops, Flying J's and Walmarts of the world, some do not revolve around money, but most often it does. I don't compete with Walmart, Flying J or rest areas on price or even convenience because I cannot match their prices and I am not willing to be open 24/7/365. I compete on amenities and I do very well. I just get sick and tired of people preaching that all the private RV parks are somehow greedy, unfeeling, stupid business wannabe business people because they charge for their services.

Thanks Koda
Never knew this

When going from point A to point B we stay at the pilot/flying, Wal mart, any big shopping mall, cabbalas or such. When we stop we put one bedroom and one living room slide out. I bought some of those bright orange Styrofoam floaters that kids play in the pool with. I put them on the edge of my slides. If need be I will put my levelers down. I run my generator all night because of my CPAP machine. Just because you see a tractor running his engine means he either has his ac or heat on. I drove tractor trailer for awhile and the sound of there engines or refer units do not keep my wife or I from sleeping.
Now as far as using Wal-Mart or any other for sleep I guess you have never run into Mr and Mrs Thomas at a Walmart. That is the Supreme Court justice Thomas.