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.

[afidel]

dcason wrote:
Flying J's, cracker barrels, pilot all pretty much have small parking areas where rv's could park overnight (very small).

I've only stayed at one cracker barrel; they are mostly in congested areas so they don't appeal to us. Flying J/Pilot place their rv parking sections (small) in the busy areas so no go for us unless we were really desperate. I won't use any of them if I want a good nights sleep. Even walmart is better than these choices if you find an out of the way spot in their big parking lots.

Welcome centers are better than rest areas especially if they have separate rv areas (from trucks).
Donna

The Flying J we stayed at this trip (Jackson GA) had room for a few dozen RV's, it was well away from both the trucks and the car pumps. We left Cleveland at noon due to forces beyond our control and it made no sense to stop North of Atlanta and fight through city traffic the next day and all the communities on the south side of Atlanta have no overnight parking ordinances. Unless you wanted us pulling in next to you at 2am it was the best choice for our situation.

[Roy_Lynne]

We do campgrounds also, but when we went to Grand Coulee to see the dam; there was little in the area, campground wise, so we stopped at the police station/city hall and asked where we could park and they told us a place to park and it was in walking distance of viewing the laser show in the evening. Sometimes just ask. But again, just park, don't camp.

[free_radical]

DownTheAvenue wrote:
I think using a truck stop for overnight is inappropriate. They are designed especially for truckers, who often live in their trucks for days (even weeks) at a time. They almost always do not have another option to stop. And now with electronic logs, they cannot drive further and "cheat." Taking up a spot at a truck stop leaves a trucker with no place to stop. Go find a Walmart, Cabela's, Home Depot, and the like and park there. Or take a novel approach and find a campground to park!

I never park in spots for big trucks,but in parking lot near the restaurant,,have only pickup w TC so dont take more space then cars..
I dont like cooking so always buy dinner and or breakfast anyways..
Unfortunately Many trucks stops have dirty bathrooms,broken door locks so its not for squeemish

[dcason]

Flying J's, cracker barrels, pilot all pretty much have small parking areas where rv's could park overnight (very small).

I've only stayed at one cracker barrel; they are mostly in congested areas so they don't appeal to us. Flying J/Pilot place their rv parking sections (small) in the busy areas so no go for us unless we were really desperate. I won't use any of them if I want a good nights sleep. Even walmart is better than these choices if you find an out of the way spot in their big parking lots.

Welcome centers are better than rest areas especially if they have separate rv areas (from trucks).
Donna

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Some years back we pulled into a paved snow plow turn-around area in a very rural area to fix dinner and grab a few hours sleep in upstate NY. Shortly after got we there, a deputy sheriff pulled in and waved me outside. When I approached his car, he pointed to the "Snowplow Turn Around" sign and asked me if had seen it. With as straight a face as I could manage, I told him I had indeed seen the sign, and promised that we would immediately leave at the first sign of a snow flake. He looked at me for a long moment and then with a stern look said, "Well, alright then..." and drove off. It was the middle of July! :B

Best chuckle for a long time Dutch, and one I'll be sure to remember to use. Bit like when the border crossing agent threw our half dozen grapes in his open trash can by his window. When I asked why he said "because they are from Chilli", AND ......... "There might be a fly on them". I tell ya, these flies from Chile are hyper resistant, to all the washing and insecticides, travelling into Canadian supermarkets and being ate by millions of Canadians, but the best is yet to come .......... These chilean flies on these grapes having undergone all that, then have the intelligence at that point in time, to know that they are at the USA/Canada border crossing and not fly any further south out of his trash can. Sheesh, there's no hope for just us mere mortals.

Thanks for sharing Dutch, it'll be something I'll be keen to use or some variation of in the future as required.

To the OP our choices for O/Ns when travelling would be: Welcome Centres, Casinos, Cabelas, HD, Lowes, Walmart, Church Car Parks, Small Town Businesses with permission and no ordinances preventing. Some Rest Areas that are security patrolled and feel "safe" to O/N, Most places detailed in Freecampsites.net (our main go to resource). I have also kept spreadsheets on each state/nearest town with notes on those diamond boon docking locations others have shared over the years.

By choice, we'd personally be happy for many reasons, if we never had to stay in an organized CG/Resort ever again but ...... when needs must we obviously do.

[Chuck_thehammer]

When I was younger (40ish)... all of my long trips involved driving ALL Night... nap middle of day.. so 16 hour days if needed. I am still alive and no Accidents .. including motorcycle trips.
Cleveland Ohio to Tampa Florida by motorcycle in 18 hours. 2 days there and return same way.. depart at 8:00 P.M. arrive early afternoon. did this 6 times in 6 years.

Cool air, little to No head winds. No traffic. but that was me and was then.

November 01 2016... departed Cleveland Ohio and arrived Mission Texas... last night November 04 2016, 1800 est. miles.
3 nights at Cracker Barrel all 3 nights.. arrived around 6pm, departed at 6am.

[mgirardo]

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....?

What's incredible about it? We do it several times a year, sometimes with the motorhome, sometimes just in the car. Just because you may not be able to drive that long doesn't mean others can't.

-Michael

[jerseyjim]

"...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....?

[JaxDad]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:

walleyworlddad wrote:
We've never stayed anywhere but campgrounds. We usually have our Grandkids with us, and as much as I'd like to provide them with the 'experience' of being surrounded by nothing but pavement, 1000-watt floodlights, and noisy trucks overnight, campgrounds seem to be the best bet for us (naturally, to each his own). Sure, they cost money, but in comparison to what my motorhome cost, not to mention its upkeep, the cost of a nice safe campground with amenities is insignificant. It's what a true vacation is all about, for us. Happy travels!

You sound like the same as us, we always use a campground. When I get to be too cheap to use the campground I guess I'll quit camping.

I travel numerous times a year, I've seen the view along the way before, i just want to get there, I'm not sight-seeing along the way. I start out very early and drive till, usually, midnight or later.

I'm just far to considerate to drive through a campground full of people on vacation at midnight and again around 6am.

Besides just being considerate, stopping where I do means I can grab coffee, a bite to eat as I drive and I have gas stations close by. I can also stop where I want, not where there's a campground, which given that I travel all year-round might hours apart.

[DSDP_Don]

When we younger and still working and had to drive late into the night to get to our destination, we occasionally stayed in parking lots. As we got older, we found it was just easier and safer to stay in a park overnight.

A lot depends on your situation. If you need to drive late into the night, parking lots might be the way to go. If you're travelling during warm weather, trying to sleep in a parking lot overnight with the generator and A/C running is really a pain and will not be restful. For many, it may be a budget issue, you just have to decide what your comfort and safety is worth. There is always the chance that you'll have low life approaching/annoying and possibly stealing from you when parking in a lot.

I think as you begin to travel more you'll find your comfort level and the decision as where to stay will be apparent.

[goreds2]

This looks like a very good website with the information the original poster needs.

http://www.care.earth/overnight-parking.html

[Dutch_12078]

Some years back we pulled into a paved snow plow turn-around area in a very rural area to fix dinner and grab a few hours sleep in upstate NY. Shortly after got we there, a deputy sheriff pulled in and waved me outside. When I approached his car, he pointed to the "Snowplow Turn Around" sign and asked me if had seen it. With as straight a face as I could manage, I told him I had indeed seen the sign, and promised that we would immediately leave at the first sign of a snow flake. He looked at me for a long moment and then with a stern look said, "Well, alright then..." and drove off. It was the middle of July! :B

[Nutinelse2do]

Cabela's has free rv parking. Most have 24 hour security, dump stations, and fresh water.
We have stayed at Lowes, HD, and many casinos, and churches. I use freecampsites.net frequently, and it has yet to let us down.

Always ask permission from management. Don't set up chairs, rugs, or bbq's. Leave your area cleaner than you found it.

WM or truck stops would be our last, desperate option.

[jspringator]

Last couple of trips I've started overnighting at Cracker Barrel. Quiet and a great place for breakfast the next day.

[dave54]

Another option we have used a few times is pulling off the highway behind a large sand shed. The highway departments place these near mountain passes and other areas where they must frequently spread sand during winter. In good weather they are not used, except the occasional storage of equipment. The building is usually a large metal barn. We pull in tight behind the building away from the highway so no passing motorist can see us. The building blocks any headlights shining in the windows.
Some have signs that say No Overnight Parking, but no highway worker or highway patrol has ever told us to move on.