Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby me&z » Tue May 15, 2018 12:33 pm

We travel I-70 and I-80 between CO and IN. We almost always sleep at rest areas. In MO & KS, overnight is legal but "no camping". In NE & IA overnight stops are prohibited but no one has ever bothered us. We've also stayed at a couple of the big truck stops (Pilot, Love's, Flying J)

http://www.interstaterestareas.com/over ... ing-rules/

Never been approached by panhandlers. Might have something to do with the fact that we travel in an old mini-van (bed in back, no trailer) and a very barky dog. We have window covers made with black fabric (facing out), refletex, and white fabric (facing inside). Blocks light and keeps us warm ( lowest was -7. But bed was warm before we got in).

We use WAZE or Google maps on the phone. WAZE is pretty good (in populated areas) for providing real team traffic, road hazzards, and speed trap warnings. It will reroute you if there is a significant delay. But keep your phone plugged to the charger. WAZE drains batteries fast.

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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby Sparksalot » Tue May 15, 2018 2:19 pm

I've been looking at Allstays lately. I haven't stayed at any of the spots, but it's letting me look at many options at once in a given area.

I'm researching for the trip to Pinedale.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby swoody126 » Tue May 15, 2018 4:19 pm

many Walmarts allow RV overnighters

many municapalities have free traveler's overnight parks

check the interweb for FREE CAMPING

OTR truckers take a dim view of RV's parking in truck stops

and besides you will be wakened by their reefers and tractor engines starting up and shutting down ALL NIGHT LONG

their cabin HVAC/thermostats are hooked to the engines and will cycle all nightr Fr
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby S. Heisley » Tue May 15, 2018 7:35 pm

I've learned to be careful at rest stops but most are still okay. Once, when driving a U-Haul, I had a blow-out on the freeway. I pulled over but quickly realized that this was a mistake. I was on a very slim flat area with a drop off next to it and every time a truck went by, the U-Haul would rock badly. Nobody stopped; and, at that time, I didn't have a cell phone. So, I decided that, since the truck had tandem wheels, I would be better off going slow, with my flashers on, to the next rest stop. Luckily, the rest stop wasn't far and had a pay phone; so, I was able to call for help. Meanwhile a guy walked up and asked if I was driving that truck and I said yes. He introduced himself as "Rick" and said he was from Louisiana. He put out his hand for a handshake and, not knowing what else to do and not wanting to insult him, I put out my hand to shake. He grabbed my hand and started kissing it and speaking French! Fortunately, I had my mid-twenties stepson with me; and, when he came out of the restroom, I called him over. "Rick" made his excuses and left. We got in the truck, locked the doors, and didn't get out again until the U-Haul service person arrived. I still chuckle about that episode; but, I wonder what escape idea I would have had to dream up if I had been alone!

Now days, I have a cell phone (as do most people) and, when I stop at a rest stop, the first thing I do before I even get out of the car is look around and assess the area and people. If something doesn't feel right, I leave, even if the next rest stop is 75 miles away! However, when I am towing the trailer and can park with the trucks, I feel much safer...with one exception..... My tow vehicle and tiny teardrop is usually too small for the trucks to see in between the other trucks and they tend to think that where I am parked is an empty spot. I have gotten an occasional surprise because of that! So, I pull all the way forward and as far as I can to the right. That way, if a trucker pulls in, we can fit in the same spot together! I have often gotten a thank-you for that. These days, the available parking spots fill up fast and are full by 8:30 or 9:00 PM; so, if you want a nap, you need to stop and park before then. IMO, truck stops are too noisy; but, if there's nothing else, I may stop there briefly.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby troubleScottie » Tue May 15, 2018 10:43 pm

Personally, I prefer to use a separate GPS, specifically Magellan 9412T-LM (3rd one in over a decade)

One, this is a 7" version which is about 3x the size of the 4" version and very easy to read.
Two, it displays road speed limit.
Three, it is showing time and distance to destination. I am always running late. Nice to know how late. Generally this GPS estimates and my driving synch nicely.
Four, there is a quick selection scene for a particular outing.
Fifth, appears to generate a good direct path -- you do have to remember to update the maps every so often, unlike Google/smart phone solution. Personally like Magellan's routing over Tom-Tom, Garvin, etc.
Sixth, a nice address book that can be maintained on PC

Although there is a RV version ( helps avoid low overpasses, steep grades, where camp grounds are ), most will do well with any version.

I have used some builtin ones eg the wife's latest RAV4. They are OK: pick a reasonable route -- just a little hard to read due to position on console. I have not gotten used to the information on the dashboard.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby crttaz » Wed May 16, 2018 1:24 am

While I have car camped across the east USA without issue, parking in a perfect spot is never easy. Usually at night on the "car" side of the rest areas there is enough empty spots to park, even with a trailer towards the end of the parking area. One rest area I was at last Thursday/Friday morning had parking spaces on the outside of the normal parking for cars with trailers and such. It was cool enough (below 50 degrees) that I needed my REI Travel Bag to keep warm in the front seat of the Buick LaCrosse Super.

I've never been approached by a pan handler at a rest area, but as a dock worker have met a few lot lizards with no same.

I CANNOT sleep when it is hot. Personally I would love to find a newer car that had electric AC (Prius?) that could be ran from a Honda EU2000 or from the hybrid battery to keep the car cool.

The cabin I stayed at this past weekend in Beaver, PA, it was 45 degrees outside and I slept with the window open, with just my REI travel bag covering me while I slept on top of the covers on the bed. The SHOCK and HORROR when I got home to Cincy on Sunday night and it was nearly 90 degrees. F! THAT!
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby Alice » Sun Jun 03, 2018 4:43 am

If I am stopping fairly early, I usually try for a nice campsite. If rushing on the interstate then I'll pull into a rest area, truck stop or WalMart (some Targets, also), which ever is most handy when I start to get tired. I prefer parking near the trucks in a rest area as I believe they are mere likely to leave me alone than possibly homeless people in the car section. I try to find a spot already occupied by another short RV or trailer. If I am tired enough then the truck noise won't bother me. Some of the major truck stop chains have separate parking for RVs and I like them better than rest areas if there is one nearby. Pilot and Flying J have an app that tells you where they are, they also give 5 cents per gallon off gas for Good Sam members (I drive a lot, otherwise the $25/year or so wouldn't pay off).

Re navigation, I use paper maps or an atlas for rough route planning, then an elderly Garmin for daily routing. I like detours, so I'll set a destination I want to make that night then take whatever other route looks interesting until the estimated arrival time according to the GPS is close to when I want to stop, after which I follow the GPS. I also use phone apps that most state DOTs now have for traffic, police activity, chain controls, and other road conditions. The maps application on my phone doesn't do as much as desktop google maps but sometimes it is fine. The Garmin works much better in remote areas that don't have good cell service and it also has an option to easily search along my route. If I have a good signal, the phone has more current info for searching "near me."

I usually travel by myself (senior woman). To appease friends and relatives who think they need to worry about me, I run an app called glympse. There are quite a few similar apps. It is pretty intrusive, places me on a map anywhere I have cell service and location turned on. It only goes out to a few people and I trust them not to send it further. The deal is if they think I'm in trouble, they can tell help exactly where. (The one time my SO thought I was in a ditch on a winter trip from California to Calgary, he zoomed in to find me circling a Culver's Frozen Custard in the drive-through lane ... that is what I mean by intrusive.) OTOH, my brother feeds the map info into google earth so can kind of follow along the scenery. From that, he decided my trips were interesting and has joined me on a few. He even drove out to the Lake Perris gathering with his wife last March.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby NorthEGPhoto » Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:09 am

I used to do cross-country treks in my car when I was a young idiot. I used to drive till I couldn't and then find a snow-plow turn-around for a few hours of shuteye. (NOT during the winter) should be OK for a short trailer, but keep in mind that big trucks like to stop there to check their loads, so unless you have good sound insulation you won't be a happy camper. park as deep into it as you can to avoid any unfortunate accidents.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby KTM_Guy » Fri Jun 15, 2018 3:13 pm

We stop for lunch or dinner and my wife and kids would eat while I napped. I would get a hour nap and she would get me food to eat on the road. I’m looking forward to being able to sleep in the teardrop at Walmart and some rest areas. It was one of the pluses over a roof top tent.

For nav if I want turn by turn I use Waze but as said above it needs to be plugged in. For off-road nav I use Gaia on iPhone, mini iPad or on a full size iPad. It works great just as long as you download maps when you have WiFi. Latestwill let you layer maps, you can have the main Gaia map on top of the Forest Setvice maps, and even the motor vehicle usage map and know if you are on a legal road. Some maps will even show dispersed camping areas. Very cool and well thought out.

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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby Gold5one » Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:43 am

I never felt right taking up semi-truck parking space in a rest stop with my Weekender-XL. Those truckers need their rest in order to do their job safely. On my last trip back to Florida ( to batten down the hatches before Irma hit), I pulled into a Walmart and rested until midnight, then started driving again. I got all the way through Atlanta and stopped near Macon , Ga around 5am and had plenty of room at the rest stop, as many of the truckers had already departed. I got back on the road for a late breakfast.
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Re: Farm trip with some camping road trip questions.

Postby razorback » Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:56 am

We use Cracker barrel alot. Along I-40 there are a bunch. Ocassional stops at WalMart, in those cities that do not have local restrictions.
Try to us parks or corps parks unless we need to rest just a few hours
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