I guess I just don't understand why campgrounds-

[Davdeb1]

I think the biggest problem is traveling Tx to AZ. That's a I-10 or I-20 route. So many old rte66 places and so many oil worker places. The oil workers are probably 90% of their business. No owners are around, just work campers running it. If you want nice accommodations in those areas stay away from them highways, and pay at least $40 per night.

[twogypsies]

We love traveling secondary highways. If you would have given me your route I would have found some nice places for you to stop! We never had the problems in the areas you traveled and we definitely didn't pay big bucks for sites.

[Mr_D]

Having stayed in more than one KOA (Keep On Adding) over the years I can honestly say that I'd rather stay in a Wal*Mart or truck stop than pay their outrageous rates.

[Nomad Mike]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Having stayed in more than one KOA (Keep On Adding) over the years I can honestly say that I'd rather stay in a Wal*Mart or truck stop than pay their outrageous rates.

[jimmyjnr]

We always used to look for a Koa when heading west , but got tired of the daily fee for an 8 hour sleep , so now we do Walmart HD etc

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by joemusic321

I know you and I doubt you can avoid the political aspect.

Sure I can. No politics here so no politics. Assuming you know me from where 99% of the discussion is politics then you get politics.

I was going to ignore this post but thought it was worth pointing out the "no politics" here. What I posted was simple fact.

[CampDaven]

KOA has not charged me for add-ons for many years. The worst of them were upgraded or let go. The reviews lead me to the good ones, and an extra 5 or 10 bucks for a good night doesn't hurt. So, less than an extra 100 bucks more to Utah over 2300 miles this Fall is pretty much chump change IMHO.
BTW there are 24 KOAs in TX, 12 in NM.
Cliffy, I know you were doing your best to go camping and relax, and not looking for a place like WM or a truck stop. (I will never know the rare joy of many rumbling trucks, let alone sleep to it! )
Best wishes and happy trails

[BobThompson]

I was going to post a suggestion but I'm not interested in getting in the middle of all the drama. Bob T

[D in Davie]

There are certain areas of the country that are known for old and rundown campgrounds. The North East is one of them. Yes there are a few good ones but not as a rule. The State Campgrounds never have hook ups and were first designed by the CCC during the depression. I think there are two types of campgrounds. The kind that are in the hospitality business and the kind that are in the migratory worker housing business. If you can figure out by reading their web site and a few reviews what type of business they are in you can reduce your chances of being disappointed or worse. On one trip my DW while complaining that my choice in campgrounds were based on the price of a one nights stay, observed that those places seemed popular with the types of people who would prefer to spend their limited resources on beer and whiskey. We then switched from Passport America recommended places to KOA's and reduced our anxiety levels.

[KT4Wextra]

I rarely travel the Interstate Highways and many times right along side an Interstate Highway but I like the road less traveled, I prefer Corps of Engineer campgrounds and state parks and pace my miles I travel to accommodate those choices. I may be traveling from Houston to Phoenix in the spring so may experience the lack of good places to stop but so far traveling from Atlanta to Houston has been a piece of cake, only one private RV park and it is a very nice one in Vidalia, LA, the rest were CoE campgrounds and state parks. Less than 10 miles of Interstate travel, just near my destination. I understand West Texas oilfields and NM desert and Indian reservations may be a problem so I guess I'll find out. I traveled that trip without an RV so it's potluck, granted there are probably not many private RV parks with swimming pools or golf courses on that journey.

[Cliffy]

Again, not looking for 5 star accommodations just clean and neat.

The comment about 2 types of campgrounds seems right on. Here's our route
to look at:
We went 290 out of Houston to TX 6 at all the way up to US180 just north of I20 then west to Hobbs, NM then 18 to 206 up to Tatum NM and then US 380 to I25 and then I25 to Socorro NM, US 60 to Show Low AZ and north to 77 to Holbrook then I40 to Flagpole AZ.

If anyone goes through Holbrook, AZ we found a very very good Mexican restaurant there. Joe and Aggies Cafe, right in town on the main road west. It's a little hole in the wall, oldest continuous running restaurant in Holbrook, 3rd generation family run. GREAT FOOD! We will never pass that town again without eating there.

[Campnfools]

Originally Posted by padre44

To add to the list of things it seems that RV park designers don't think about: Having your site situated so that the awning will provide some afternoon shade. Too often, in parks with little natural shade, the RV will face the west so that the sun shines directly under the awning as it goes down. Also, some park designers seem to forget that water (& sewage) won't run uphill which makes dumping your tanks more difficcult.

Padre44, my wife complains about the sun issue all the time. I admit, I'm not a fan of it but, I can live with it, but she can't, and you know what they say about when Mama's not happy...... Now I do so much research before we put our plan in place and 2 of the things I always ask before making my reservations; is the site shady, and does it face east!!

[joemusic321]

Originally Posted by Cliffy

I understand ROI. I've owned several businesses in my working life.
It doesn't take a lot of money to have <20 spaces and be able to cut weeds and cleanup trash. Prune the trees, paint the fence, even lightly grade the ruts from the lot, all these can be done with little expense. You don't have to offer wifi or TV but the other stuff needs to be done. Even picnic tables can be added to each site with little expense.
Part of ROI is making your business attractive to customers.

ONE national chain of RV parks with a reasonable reputation in the entire country?
With as many RVs as there are on the road it sounds to me that there is an opening here somewhere for someone with vision.

It's necessary to invest to have a return :-)

[Hit_the_Rhod]

[QUOTE=Cliffy: We have a good culling system to find a park to stop at. We spend time every night planning the next nights stop. We call ahead to reserve space IF they answer the damn phone, MANY DO NOT. END QUOTE]

Cliffy, Examining your statement above in post 23, perhaps the solution to one problem right there in your post: If you wait to plan the next nights stop until the previous night, and then you call . . . .and they do not answer the call, after you've stopped for the evening, and after you've planned, and finally called, you think perhaps they may have a life too? Perhaps a better solution would be to call at LUNCH, or before evening, when most businesses are still open, and THEN look at making a reservation! Just a suggestion.

Originally Posted by Cliffy

I understand ROI. I've owned several businesses in my working life.
It doesn't take a lot of money to have <20 spaces and be able to cut weeds and cleanup trash. Prune the trees, paint the fence, even lightly grade the ruts from the lot, all these can be done with little expense. You don't have to offer wifi or TV but the other stuff needs to be done. Even picnic tables can be added to each site with little expense.
Part of ROI is making your business attractive to customers.

ONE national chain of RV parks with a reasonable reputation in the entire country?
With as many RVs as there are on the road it sounds to me that there is an opening here somewhere for someone with vision.

There you have it Cliffy! The ultimate retirement job! Someone with your obvious vision can purchase some land way off the beaten path, in dusty Texas or wherever, set up 20 spaces with carefully manicured lawns, put in a municipal style well with water treatment, security fencing, plant trees, keep them carefully pruned, paint the fence, set up picnic tables which apparently cost very little, trench in water lines, sewer lines, place electrical boxes at all the convenient locations, clear and grade all the roads and run out and repair every time a pothole appears, don't let in wildcatters, or transient workers, only people with half million dollar RV's and there you go, a retirement job that will fetch millions! You can probably do all that and only charge $10.00 or $20.00 per day per site, couldn't you? Oh, and don't forget the pool! You're sure to get your ROI in no time at all!

Or not . . . . Bottom line, you get what you pay for, and there's a reason top rated RV parks charge the big money. If you don't want to pay it, the suck it up and be happy with what you pay for!