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12-13-2024, 07:06 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2024
Posts: 367
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ddBeach, congrats! Don't let its be TOO overwhelming or stressful. You worked your whole life, not enjoy the fruits of it. GO with the flow, sometimes it will be fast, sometimes slow. Biggest issue will be your start date in MN. Might have to be flexible on departure due to weather. Make sure ALL your reservations are cancellable. That way you can adjust as needed. (Weather, Breakdowns, "we like it here, let's stay a couple more days," "this place sucks, let's get out of here.")
Enjoy!
__________________
Tony Ramirez
2019 Berkshire40D 380HP,1100W solar,920AHs LiFePO4
'04 37'Sunvoyager-SOLD, '92 30' Pinnacle-SOLD
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12-14-2024, 08:55 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 289
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unplanned Tourist
I have been retired for 13 1/2 years now. We try to organize mid week outings when we're going to be with friends. They're all retired as well. It took a while to get out of that weekend mindset.
For extended travels, we just take whatever we can find that's decent. Then tour around with the toad. It works for us. 
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We've been retired for going on 6 years and doing the same thing with friends.
__________________
2024 Brinkley G 3500 #39
2024 F450
Always in the Dawg Haus
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12-14-2024, 10:05 AM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 192
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The amount of available information for overnight stays seems endless. This is definitely one of the plus sides of technology. In a previous life I spent 12 years as a traveling service tech and paper maps was how i did it. I am 100% certain “as long as a internet signal is available” that last minute/same day overnight accommodations won’t be an issue with all of the available Apps “Harvest Host, Campendium, Hip Camp, Boon Dockers Welcome & ect”
WhenI was in the camper traveling fantasy stage a few years ago, I saw us doing a lot of overnights at the likes of Walmarts, Cracker Barrel’s and such. Now with all of these app’s, I see us nearly never doing that unless absolutely necessary.
After the last 6 months getting our feet wet, I know we can be off grid 3-4 days without an issue, with the exception of the battery supply, which I’m working on upgrading now. I bought two 100ah Litium and now will begin a sensible move to add some solar.
I still have a few months of work “6-7” but can’t wait to hit the road in September. Not having a fixed return date sound glorious after a lifetime of “lets pack it all into a week” back to work Monday BS
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12-14-2024, 10:35 AM
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#32
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 85
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Reserve for next 2 or 3 stops plus destination
15 years ago, our first big trip. I reserved for two weeks of stops. ( about 10) We got 9 miles from home and had a mechanical . We disconnected toad and went home for 3 days while Rv was repaired. I cancelled most reservations and reserved again for first two stops. Then add additional reservation when camped each time. For a must have reservation such as Yellowstone reserve it and allow extra travel time to get there. If you need to arrive at specific date to be at a wedding , funeral, graduation ,reunion etc , go with positive space not space available and arrive a day early.
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12-14-2024, 09:57 PM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 927
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Besides the necessary reservations at hard-to-get destinations (such as Yellowstone in your case), I usually think about how far I want to drive in a day and then spend some time on the campground apps to locate 2 or 3 places I might want to overnight at. That way if I happen to cut my drive shorter than usual, or if the first-choice place happens to be full (which is not often), I already have alternates in mind.
Even so, sometimes I'll decide to change my plans and go a different way. So it's back to the apps for 15-30 minutes. No big deal. Last summer, for example, I reserved some hard to get spots along the MN "north shore" for 1 week and that was all I planned. By the last couple of days there, I got an urge to head across Michigan's U.P. and down the west side of the L.P.
It was easy to get spots in good locations, and I spent several nights near Charlevoix in a site overlooking a lake. I did make a reservation at Indiana Dunes N.P. two days before arrival, but all the rest was 'winging it.'
__________________
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
19' ETI Escape trailer
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12-14-2024, 10:23 PM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,697
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rexlion
I got an urge to head across Michigan's U.P. and down the west side of the L.P.
It was easy to get spots in good locations, and I spent several nights near Charlevoix in a site overlooking a lake.
Attachment 432488
Attachment 432489
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What lighthouse is that? We gave tours at Sleeping Bear Dunes, South Manitou Island lighthouse for 5 summer seasons. Wonderful gig!
Also spent much time in Charlevoix.... and neat little town on Lake Michigan.
Good memories!
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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12-15-2024, 06:35 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bermuda Islands
Posts: 1,706
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We started in 2007 and have been very consistent ever since.
We have been 5-6 months travelling every year. That is well over 2500 nights on the road. Over 260,000 miles. Hundreds of CGs. Five times to Alaska. Can't count the number of times across the country. All with very very few reservations.
You have to play the game. By all means plan. Lay out a route. Have some idea of the attractions you want to see. Any dated events that you want to do? Make reservations for them especially if they sell out quickly. We do bluegrass festivals. Many sell out quickly. Think about where you want to be for the major holiday weekends and try to be away from the high demand areas for them. Weekends the weekend warriors are out. The SPs CPs and NPs within a few hours of major cities are full. Some still have first come sites but the trend is going to everything is reservable. Bummer. Get wherever you are going Thursday. Hole up and let the warrior storm blow by. By Sunday you will pretty much have the CG to yourself. Sunday through Thursday is no problem getting a site, except in high demand destination places like Yellowstone. Hit places like Yellowstone in the shoulder months, when kids are in school. Much better then.
Plan to change your plans. Be flexible. The FHU sites will go first. No big deal. Any RV worth having should be good at least 4-5 days without needing dumping. Next to go will be the W/E sites. Again any worthwhile RV should support two people with water for 4-5 days. Last to go will be the power only sites. This is when you find out how well you are equipped for dry camping. This is also when you find out that size matters. A TC, a class B or a small class C will fit in most any SP dry camping site. 5ers and MOHOs, not so much.
Make plans but go with the flow keeping reservations to a minimum so that you are not driven by your reservations.
Our plans for 2025 are to head westward, again. No idea of the route yet other than it will probably be clockwise from the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Want to do some small town rodeos, visit Canyonlands, again, then loop around the northern states and return to MD. All subject to change except when we have to warm some aircraft seats to return home in October. Nothing like loosely winging it.
__________________
Home: Bermuda
US RV base, MD
2007 Alpenlite 34RLR
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12-17-2024, 05:23 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 564
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Yeah you kinda need to reserve a year ahead for yellowstone, otherwise we've never had trouble finding a place to stay and have had some lovely surprises just winging it. I would suggest, not staying literally in the park. So for example we stayed down in Spearfish to tour the Black Mountains, it cost us (we stayed at the KOA) but we got a spot. When we went to Glacier, we stayed down in Whitefish (which is a super cool little town). We had supplies, we could bike to the funky little downtown, and it was a pleasant ride in the truck to get to the park.
Go ahead and make your reservations in Yellowstone. Valley View, down the road from the west entrance, often has spots if everyone else is full and it's very pretty, closer than it looks. But this far out, you can stay wherever you want. I absolutely love Gardner, close to some truly gorgeous stuff up that way, nice drive in. West Yellowstone is touristy but very close to outstanding fishing (and that's a good time of year for it). If you're staying in the park, watch out for the critters, especially the pit bulls, those things are annoying.
What Google Maps says is a six hour day is a LONG day of driving in an RV but easily doable if you get up early. Do that, give yourself a half day or a day extra, and barring serious weather you should be fine. We are usually looking for a spot around 2pm or so, I just gauge how much longer I want to drive and start reading reviews on places X number of hours out. In a pinch, pull in to walmart, the flying j or even the interstate rest stop, no biggie
There's a bajillion places to stay; doing it on a budget can be somewhat of a challenge.
State parks can be cool, and I've been places that saved a few spots for the "I'm right down the road, got anything?" crowd. Wifey is kind of a princess so we are almost always at a legit RV park, just look for the Mom and Pop places (they pop up on Google maps if you search "RV Campground") -- just read the reviews, I've never stayed at a place that was dangerous or anything, they vary from spartan to gorgeous. It's a tight community, you have a LOT of friends out there and don't even know it yet. Trust in the force.
__________________
2021 DRV Santa Fe 44
2024 Chevy 3500 dually
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12-17-2024, 07:56 AM
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#37
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 192
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TampaDave
It's a tight community, you have a LOT of friends out there and don't even know it yet. Trust in the force.
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That's reassuring input. Thanks.
Here's what I've done so far. I have booked three nights inside of each park "Custer State Park & Yellowstone" Then I've left unscheduled days in advance of each destination and after each, to allow to explore other areas or for unforeseen issues. As you and others have mentioned, we'll find a place, even if its a Walmart.
I was able to get three nights at Blue Bell CG in Custer and three nights at Fishing Bridge inside Yellowstone, yet allowing us a full week at each destination.
The YS reservation was a bit of an ordeal and took three or more emails to get finalized because of their insanity on the total length of my combined truck & trailer.?.?. Gezz
I feel better about what I have set up, knowing we have key spots booked and the flexibility to move around.
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12-17-2024, 08:45 AM
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#38
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Community Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Full timing
Posts: 7,921
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedToRetire
That's reassuring input. Thanks.
Here's what I've done so far. I have booked three nights inside of each park "Custer State Park & Yellowstone" Then I've left unscheduled days in advance of each destination and after each, to allow to explore other areas or for unforeseen issues. As you and others have mentioned, we'll find a place, even if its a Walmart.
I was able to get three nights at Blue Bell CG in Custer and three nights at Fishing Bridge inside Yellowstone, yet allowing us a full week at each destination.
The YS reservation was a bit of an ordeal and took three or more emails to get finalized because of their insanity on the total length of my combined truck & trailer.?.?. Gezz
I feel better about what I have set up, knowing we have key spots booked and the flexibility to move around.
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Just so you will know, at Yellowstone the nearest Walmart is 100-miles, one way trip. So, a 200-mile roundtrip. It is in either Bozeman, Mt. or Rexburg, Id.
__________________
2018 Road Warrior 427
2013 Can Am Spyder RT Limited
2017 Ram 3500 w/Aisin w/4:10
2 Dachshunds DJ (RIP 9-12-19) & Joey (RIP 5-14-21)
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12-17-2024, 09:14 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Fulda, MN
Posts: 1,836
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I didn't read all the responses so I may be doubling up on this. I was at the buffalo roundup a few years ago and it is something to see but I won't put up with the traffic to see it again. It will take at least an hour or more to get into the parking lot and that or more to get out. The Custer State Park cg's were supposedly full, so we stayed at a cg in Custer. When we drove by the park cg's they appeared to be less than half full.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Adventurer 32v, P32 Workhorse
2005 Winnebago Adventurer 38J W24 Workhorse 8.1l, 5 Speed Allison MH2000
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12-17-2024, 10:38 AM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 192
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hamm2018
Just so you will know, at Yellowstone the nearest Walmart is 100-miles, one way trip. So, a 200-mile roundtrip. It is in either Bozeman, Mt. or Rexburg, Id.
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Good to know. Come very prepared if staying a week!
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12-17-2024, 10:40 AM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2024
Location: NW Pennsylvania
Posts: 192
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David 70
I was at the buffalo roundup a few years ago and it is something to see but I won't put up with the traffic to see it again.
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We have decided to go earlier in September and skip the round-up this trip. Thanks for the information
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12-17-2024, 12:34 PM
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#42
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2024
Location: Nevada
Posts: 275
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Okay you have done some shorter trips to test out your rig and get familiar with it.
Do your maintenance. Come up with a schedule that is not demanding.
Follow the 300 mile, 3 o'clock rule.
Think of a 3 week trip as a series of 4 day trips tied together.
Relax you can't see it all. Do not worry about "missing something." You will go back to the places you like.
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