Regarding free over nights

[upsidedown_Char]

First I have to say this forum is more helpful than most. I've gotten great guidance and really appreciate it.

We are very interested in staying at Flying J and other RV friendly places. I think I read that Flying J offers an RV area. Is that correct?

Is it okay to open slides ? Same question for Walmart, Cracker Barrel and Pilot.

At truck stops in general, are we safe with the doors locked up? Do they care what time you leave in the AM ?

Any safety suggestions ?

We plan to stay at a Flying J on our first trip. I want to top off and get an idea of how much gas we burn per hour on the generator.


Half the time on our boat we didn't bother to lock doors but it was a gated dock and we knew everybody.

[timjet]

I like 300 miles a day or 6 hrs whichever comes first. Plan on campgrounds prefer public parks when possible. Start no earlier than 0900 and done for the day by 1500 or 1600, in time to be ready for happy hour. At least that's our intent.

That was our schedule on the boat from Tampa to the Chesapeake except substitute 50 miles for 300 miles. Worked for us, smelled the roses and had a great time visiting some off the beaten path places.

[copeland343]

Most of the truck stops we have stayed at have put us up front under a light and with a camera on us. Quite and out of the way of the trucks moving around all night. Not had a problem yet except being tired when we pulled in late at night. We don't like getting to campground after 10pm. and waking everyone up so we will stay else where. I don't like parking at Walmart it can get expensive when the wife goes in to get a few things.

[BizmarksMom]

I end up stopping every 3 to 4 hours for fuel, a restroom break, to walk the dogs, get a sandwich, etc... It ends up being about a 15 minute break. I'll lay down for a nap if I need to. Usually, walking the dogs is enough of an energy boost.

So, yes, I'll start rolling around 7 am and go to midnight if I'm in get-there mode. Taking breaks as I need them. I've lived in the West my whole life. I'm used to driving long distances to get places.

Walmart offers a level, free place to park. And in a lot of cases, a bathroom accessible 24 hours a day (a consideration if you're running winterized). In return, they know you'll at least wander in for a cup of coffee in the morning. And while you're in there, you'll probably pick up some road snacks and grab other random stuff you found out you needed. In the newer stores, you can do your grocery shopping. In all cases, it's a pit stop. It isn't my camping destination.

[RPreeb]

2gypsies wrote:

JaxDad wrote:


What's incredible to me is people driving for a few hours and stopping at some c/g in the middle of nowhere at 3pm and sitting around until mid-morning the next day and starting all over again. That '300 mile a day' thing is just unbelievable to me. I couldn't IMAGINE taking 5 days to drive from here to Florida!!!!!

Obviously, you're not retired yet or not a full-timer. 🙂 If so, there's absolutely no need to put in those long driving miles. Plus, as one ages, it's dangerous to others.

Also, any campground in the middle of nowhere has something of interest to check out in the area. We don't go to campgrounds - even for a night - just to sit.

I tend to agree with JaxDad to some extent. I've always been comfortable behind the wheel, even on some pretty long runs. Last summer I drove from Rock Springs WY to my home here in a straight shot, 401 miles, without stopping for anything. Granted that I wasn't towing, but that's still a long run for a then 69 year old man, considering that I started the day in Idaho Falls ID. I was living the old adage about a horse smelling the barn. That's averaging 73 mph for the full trip, and only 2/3 is on the freeway.

I just crank up the tunes and go. I think part of my feeling on it is that I've spent my entire adult life living along the Rockies in Montana and Colorado, and it takes a long drive to get anywhere. I just got used to it, and age hasn't slowed me down all that much. When 2 of my friends and I all got home from our military service in 1971, we took a road trip to get reacquainted, 1500 miles in 3 days and never left Montana.

Even though I'm retired, I'll take each trip as it comes. If there is something interesting, or a pretty place to stop, great. If not I'm moving on until something piques my interest. I'll stop long enough for a good sleep, then on the road again. Driving at only 60-65 with the TT isn't anything like work for me.

[westernrvparkow]

2gypsies wrote:

JaxDad wrote:


What's incredible to me is people driving for a few hours and stopping at some c/g in the middle of nowhere at 3pm and sitting around until mid-morning the next day and starting all over again. That '300 mile a day' thing is just unbelievable to me. I couldn't IMAGINE taking 5 days to drive from here to Florida!!!!!

Obviously, you're not retired yet or not a full-timer. 🙂 If so, there's absolutely no need to put in those long driving miles. Plus, as one ages, it's dangerous to others.

Also, any campground in the middle of nowhere has something of interest to check out in the area. We don't go to campgrounds - even for a night - just to sit.

In your opinion. Others have different views. We prefer to get where we are going, not dawdle along the way. And at the end of day we much prefer stopping at a campground, to sit, rest and recover for the next day's travels. For us, they are much nicer and more accommodating than truck stops, Walmart parking lots and the like.
As for danger, if someone is a dangerous driver it matters little if they are driving 1 mile or 1000. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are responsible enough to know when they need to stop driving. Anecdotal stories aside, there isn't an epidemic of old RV drivers pushing the limits of daily mileage causing death and destruction up and down our highways.

[2gypsies1]

JaxDad wrote:


What's incredible to me is people driving for a few hours and stopping at some c/g in the middle of nowhere at 3pm and sitting around until mid-morning the next day and starting all over again. That '300 mile a day' thing is just unbelievable to me. I couldn't IMAGINE taking 5 days to drive from here to Florida!!!!!

Obviously, you're not retired yet or not a full-timer. 🙂 If so, there's absolutely no need to put in those long driving miles. Plus, as one ages, it's dangerous to others.

Also, any campground in the middle of nowhere has something of interest to check out in the area. We don't go to campgrounds - even for a night - just to sit.

[JaxDad]

jerseyjim wrote:
"...start out very early and drive till, usually, midnight or later." By early you men 6AM....and drive CONTINUOUSLY until midnight or later?

Quite incredible...and just might be a danger to yourself and others....?

I've tried driving 18 hours continuously but the dangled Motorhome runs out of gas after only about 6 hours, and pushing it the last 12 hours just plum Tucker's me out.

Instead I stop every 3 hours, get fuel, a drink, return the last drink, stretch my legs, give my eyes a little change of focus and then carry on.

Generally that works out to 3 hours driving, a break, 3 hours driving, lunch, 3 hours driving, a break, 3 hours driving, dinner, 3 hours driving, a break, 3 hours driving, bed. Rinse and repeat. LOL.

I don't find anything incredible about it.

What's incredible to me is people driving for a few hours and stopping at some c/g in the middle of nowhere at 3pm and sitting around until mid-morning the next day and starting all over again. That '300 mile a day' thing is just unbelievable to me. I couldn't IMAGINE taking 5 days to drive from here to Florida!!!!!

[pianotuna]

My needs are simple. So long as I have adequate power, a place to acquire water, a place to dump wastes, a safe place to park and internet, I'm a happy camper.

For power I have a modest solar system.

For water I have several friends that have easily available spigots.

For dumping there is one free site that I'm aware of, and as I'm over 65 I cn use the Provincial parks (that is an alternate source of free water).

I've had one theft of equipment in 16 years, which to me, means that I'm safe.

I've moved to T-Mobile because it works well where I spend the majority of my time. Because I have a tablet and a cell phone I have 200 gigs of data available to use. For me, that is essentially unlimited access.

Why would I need a campground? Because, in winter, it is more convenient for me to heat electrically than to burn propane.

[bid_time]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
It's no wonder so many campgrounds close, more & more people camping at walmart and gas stations these days its tough for them to stay in business.

Walmart has no interest in putting campgrounds out of business. They are providing a free service; a few hours of no hassle rest for a weary traveler, "free". They hope to make a customer down the road out of the free service. It's not "camping", nor is it a campground; its a rest stop - no hookups. The destination is not the Walmart, its a safety stop for a little sleep before continuing on. I have no problem accepting their hospitality and reciprocating with my business when appropriate. Maybe the whole world should work more like this.

[Dick_641]

Very well said Westernrvparkowner

[westernrvparkow]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
It's no wonder so many campgrounds close, more & more people camping at walmart and gas stations these days its tough for them to stay in business.

Most campgrounds that close are sold and being converted to a higher usage. Many campgrounds were built in desirable locations and the land is worth more than the business. The other parks that close are ones that never really supported a full time business. Most were a place were someone plopped down a half dozen connections on land they owned and called it a campground. They never made much money and the owner just lost interest. The rest never made any business sense in the first place. Someone watched Field of Dreams too many times and bought into the line "if you build it, they will come". That doesn't happen.
However, have a good location, a good business plan and run a good operation and RV parks and Campgrounds are good investments. Walmart and Flying J isn't going to put them out of business

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
It's no wonder so many campgrounds close, more & more people camping at walmart and gas stations these days its tough for them to stay in business.

Really, you think that is and of itself the only problem why they end up shutting down? We've avoided CG's like the plague for the past decade plus = used to love them, but we've found very few where we are appreciated when we check in, many have become rather run down, are in too noisy a built up area to sleep sometimes, and the prices have become exponentially crazy for just a few hours to sleep over night till we reach our destination.

We too feel the same way, would you really appreciate someone pulling in at midnight or later sometimes and disturbing the CG. Some folks are destination bound, with limit vacation time, not all are retired doing the 2-2-2 or 3-3-3 travel modes.

Sometimes, it pays to put yourself in the shoes of others = there's not one right or wrong way as we all know when it comes to RVing/Camping.

[BizmarksMom]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
It's no wonder so many campgrounds close, more & more people camping at walmart and gas stations these days its tough for them to stay in business.

Do you want me pulling into the campground spot next to you at midnight, and then pulling back out at 6 am because I need to get the miles done with? When I have done this at campgrounds, the folks around me didn't seem too happy. As quiet as a person tries to be, there is some noise involved with pulling in, opening and closing doors, and taking the dogs for a quick walk.

That's what I'm doing at Walmart - grabbing a few hours of sleep before I get rolling again. I am not setting up camp there. I am on my way to or from camp.

[Sprink-Fitter]

It's no wonder so many campgrounds close, more & more people camping at walmart and gas stations these days its tough for them to stay in business.