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twogypsies · 09-25-2016, 04:02 PM

Awesome trip report and thanks for returning with the update. Agree with you - 250 miles/day is plenty, especially day after day.

You're a great dad and I'm sure he realizes it!!!

JFXG · 09-25-2016, 07:13 PM

MN..... Great report! One question about the truck stop overnights: how would you compare the FJ overnights against WM overnights,-- noise level, amenities (food, etc), company.....
Thanks!

John & Diane, fulltiming since '12 02 DS40, FL, Cat, '04 Element NHSO RVM103

guardrail53 · 09-26-2016, 02:51 AM

MN, great follow-up! Thanks, and glad you had a great trip!
And as a retired trucker, yes, I remember all of those 600 mi. day's! And I guess you get used to them, but as I got older, they were not as fun as when I was younger! Now, in the MH, I am in the same range as everyone else, 300/400 miles a day is plenty! No hurry!
Again, thanks for the update! Rail!

MN_Traveler · 09-28-2016, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFXG

MN..... Great report! One question about the truck stop overnights: how would you compare the FJ overnights against WM overnights,-- noise level, amenities (food, etc), company.....
Thanks!

Hi JFXG. I have struggled a little on how to answer this. The two are really quite different. At Flying J I really felt "safer" (you definitely are welcome to stay, and though there are more people in closer proximity to you, they all "belong" there and I did not find myself wondering if someone was doing something I needed to be concerned about). Noise level: I used earplugs and a noise-generator, so did not really have problems with that in either. The area around the RV parking in Flying J tends to slow down into the late evening and night, so noise levels seemed to be about the same, as you tend to not have the truck engines running like you might in a walmart parking lot. Food: flying J does not really have any significant "grocery shopping" or deli-level takout. But Flying J does typically have a restaraunt (typically Dennys). You might get dinner there ... I sometimes found myself getting breakfast just to get out of the RV (I do like that "Grand Slam" breakfast :-)). In both places I occasionally had opportunity to meet and talk with people (both professional drivers and RV-rs), but definitely at the Flying J people tended more to just stay in side their rig. I guess I would just reiterate what I thought before: the Flying J is excellent for a quick access, quick on/off the road, overnight to just drive, eat, sleep, repeat with no questions about whether you are welcome to stay. The Walmart would be better for a longer stop, with opportunity to replenish food or other consumables.

A couple other thoughts on flying J: I did find it extremely useful to use the satellite view in the ALLSTAYS app to determine whether RV parking is available. Some that supposedly have it are very limited in space. Some that offer it have back-in spaces only (though one of those actually had the spaces blocked by signs that read "RVs only!"). Most that had RV space had plenty of it! Dont count on being able to put out slides though - by doing so you block the adjacent parking lane. Finally, it was rather nice to be able to pull out of parking and slide in to the fueling lane, and have a nice peaceful fueling experience (and maybe take a hose to the windshield) before hitting the road :-) ).

Safe travels all.

dix39 · 09-28-2016, 11:33 AM

I found this thread very interesting to read through. As native West Virginians transplanted to OR via CA, we have made the trip from OR to WV and back almost every year with a TC since the late '70s. Last year we did it with a 26' Flair MH. We have enjoyed nearly everything about every trip and our experiences have been nearly the same as yours concerning travel times and Flying J stayovers. We also use rest areas a lot and seldom stay at WalMarts.

While you were coming West we were going East and we spent a good part of July and August in a campground near Keyser, WV.

I would echo that you are a great Dad, and I am glad you had a good trip.

Best of luck.

Steve

angelbones · 09-30-2016, 07:00 PM

I was browsing through this thread and mainly reading other people's thoughts on a cross country trip. Have no plans to do it the way you did, but we're thinking a much slower longer pace. Anyway, wanted to say thanks for the update. In particular, I noticed your coach in the pictures looked just like ours. Lo and behold it was when I saw your signature. So MN, was your Expedition comfortable for the long trip? Any issues come up with the coach? After doing a long trip like you did, do you wish there was something that the Expedition had but doesn't? Conversely, was there something the Expedition had, and you were glad it was there?

MN_Traveler · 10-03-2016, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angelbones

ISo MN, was your Expedition comfortable for the long trip? Any issues come up with the coach? After doing a long trip like you did, do you wish there was something that the Expedition had but doesn't? Conversely, was there something the Expedition had, and you were glad it was there?

I was alone on that particular trip, but I thin we have enough past trips to answer your question. First , the expedition performed very well during the trip. With the exception of needing to replace the house (not engine) water pump, everything performed excellently. The expedition (36M) has always been a compromise for us: small enough to fit in to almost all of our state parks, but big enough , and with enough power, to go cross country (or to Alaska!!). For two people it is quite comfortable, with enough space, storage room, bathroom , and kitchen capability to allow things to be comfortable. (And enough water and tank storage to allow not filling/dumping gir up to 3-4 days) (on this trip I did not dump or fill until I hit the west coast). Add a third person (like our 18yo son) and things do get "tighter " with the friction, reduced storage , and reduced water capability that implies .

Fuel mileage has always been good: 8.5 - 10 MPG. I can live with that😀. The coach has always driven extremely well (once I got the tire pressures right). I don't even feel a truck passing until it nudges out in front of me ... and it handles wind well in all but the strongest. Small enough to be maneuverable, but well able to handle the open roads (as well as steep mountain grades). It remains (for us) an excellent compromise. (Not to say that we don't keep looking at the 45' mountain aire ... but the we would lose the ability to visit our beautiful state parks!!!

Hopefully that addresses your question?