12thgenusa
Lakewood, Colorado
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The link "Bob's cheap or free campsites" in pianotuna's post contains a nasty virus. Moderator please delete that link.
Dave & Gean
2007 Tundra DC 4X4 5.7
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louiskathy
Oregon (presently)
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We like to pull into a small town and look for the city park... we don't camp there. We just park by the curb. We don't run our generator because there are usually residential houses nearby. We do enjoy the quiet.
Another thing we'll do is pull into a small diner and ask if we can park overnight. If they do....We'll eat dinner and breakfast there and then move on.
Kathy
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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While there have been bad incidents and occurrences in rest areas in the West (and other places), there have also been some in RV parks, campgrounds, state parks, truck stops, etc.
In spite of the picture the doomsayers and naysayers try to present, the risk is actually quite low, IMO. I have napped in the RV, in the bed of a pickup, in the front seat of a Jeep, and the back seat of sedans, in rest areas from Northwestern Washington to Virginia with no trouble at all (except when a heavy rainstorm hit while I was sleeping in the back of the truck, under an aluminum topper. THAT woke me UP!)
However, there IS one state where I do not feel comfortable in most rest areas, and I will NOT sleep there!
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi,
The bob's cheap campsites should take you to a google map. That should not be a virus.
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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Poppy & Nana
Upstate New York
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I didn't have a problem with Bob's cheap campsites! And I just ran a scan and nothing showed up!
* This post was
edited 01/22/12 11:30am by Poppy & Nana *
Leo & Kathy
Upstate, NY
in the Adirondacks
2007 Sunline T-2499
2008 - Ford F250 Super Crew 4x4 or
2003 - Ford F250 Regular Cab 4x4
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Francesca Knowles
Port Hadlock, Washington
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I use highway rest areas a lot-
As a general rule, it's allowed any place that trucks are allowed to "overnight" (sleep).
For what it's worth, on a trip I made last year about 300 miles into California on Highway 101, I did encounter SOME highway rest areas where no one, including semis, was allowed to park overnight.
I knew I was in trouble about 11 o'clock one night when I came across about six semis near Willits that were huddled together in a wide spot just off the highway- on a slight SLOPE!
This was within five miles of a rest stop I'd hoped to overnight in, and sure enough it was posted and patrolled by the CHP.
I took my cue from the "big rigs" and found myself a spot off-highway...nice grassy spot, too!
That's not to say it's forbidden all over the State- farther north on 101 I did overnight in a regular rest area, and a few years back I used several along the whole length of I-5...guess restrictions are a localized kind of thing.
" Not every mind that wanders is lost. " With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien
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feltham
Rochester, NY
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Wow...great replies. I didn't expect so many from such a simple post. Thanks to everyone. Great information and I'll be sure to follow up on most of it. When I originally posted I didn't mention I was hoping to keep the schedule quite flexible. Many of you pointed out that you too use this type of overnight so that you are flexible with your schedule...that's a big plus to us too.
If we see something in the nearby area, we like to stop and check it out. Our boys are always looking at the billboards for obscure advertisments and begging us to stop. Doing this in the past has meant missing a planned stop at a specific campground as it would require our driving into the late hours. Or worse yet, having to miss out on something really neat because we are running behind schedule because of traffic (the worse). Flexibility is a big plus.
Thanks for the links to free/cheap campsites. A big help.
See you all out on the road.
Me, DW & Sons 13, 11, & 7
2004 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Jayco Jay Feather Select 29L (April 2011)
2007 Jayco Jay Feather 26L ('07-'11)
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shakyjay
California
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mowermech wrote:However, there IS one state where I do not feel comfortable in most rest areas, and I will NOT sleep there!
Okay I just have to ask, what state is that?
Personnally I live in California and feel that many if not most of the rest areas are a little seedy. There are some I definitely would not sleep overnight in. Then again there are some I have without a problem.
2007 Rockwood 8315SS
2004 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab Duramax Diesel
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Mowermech writes "However, there IS one state where I do not feel comfortable in most rest areas, and I will NOT sleep there!"
DITTO! I have been through ones state that the rest stops gave me the willies, I am sure everyone who has done some travelling has come across some places that just don't feel comfortable with.
shakyjay writes "Okay I just have to ask, what state is that?"
While I won't share the state, I can tell you I really felt uneasy when I realized that not only did the restrooms have stainless mirrors but stainless toilets too boot!
On top of that the window was at the ceiling height and had steel bars.
Kinda makes you fell like you need to pack some heat just to protect your hub caps. If you feel comfortable with that then good for you, I am not.
I have used some rest stops for "overnighting", in a pinch they can work but I really don't get much rest from the incoming and outgoing along with idling trucks all night.
We have kind of adopted using Walmarts as possible stops although many times there is plenty of traffic throughout the night (who are these folks who shop at 2 in the morning?). While not for everyone in our case actual campgrounds are far and few between on our normal vacation routes. Besides, we are just stopping long enough to get 5-6 hr naps.
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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shakyjay wrote:mowermech wrote:However, there IS one state where I do not feel comfortable in most rest areas, and I will NOT sleep there!
Okay I just have to ask, what state is that?
Personnally I live in California and feel that many if not most of the rest areas are a little seedy. There are some I definitely would not sleep overnight in. Then again there are some I have without a problem.
Especially the rest area on I-15, between Jean, Nevada and Barstow, CA.
I don't like stopping there in daylight, much less at night!
A couple of the ones on 99 between Bakersfield and Sacramento kinda give me the willies, too.
The ones up North aren't bad at all, as a rule. Let's say...North of Corning....
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