Walmart's Parking

[Dunner]

Probably about 35 miles. Driveway's full.

[rvjimzhr]

I really meant to finish my comment by saying: Why not use Walmart as it was intended...a quick stop w/o frills when you're down to the wire, arriving late and leaving early and have no need for more expensive services a park might offer. Stop, shop, eat, sleep, leave your slide and awnings in, get up the next morning and leave. that way it's more likely the rest of us and our next generation will have the same privilege. Now I'm done.

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by rvjimzhr

I really meant to finish my comment by saying: Why not use Walmart as it was intended...a quick stop w/o frills when you're down to the wire, arriving late and leaving early and have no need for more expensive services a park might offer. Stop, shop, eat, sleep, leave your slide and awnings in, get up the next morning and leave. that way it's more likely the rest of us and our next generation will have the same privilege. Now I'm done.

So THAt'S what Walmart was/is intended for.... and here all along I thought it was for putting cheap goods in the hands of American consumers!

Thanks for setting me straight, RVjim!

[rvjimmy]

Maybe if I could find a spot right in front of the store and leave all my slides in the local police will think I'm shopping. This way in the morning I won't have so far to walk for Donuts. Jim

[RedneckExpress]

Originally Posted by mikell

I own a campground about a mile from Wal Mart and it hurts a bit to see the lot full on Saturday morning but they are 100 yards from the e way exit and free. Now when I go by at 5 in the afternoon and there's 3-4 camped in a circle with awnings out (I have Seen this) I hand them a card and tell them were down the road a mile and have a dumpstation and whatever then they whine because it's $10 to dump. Don't worry about my $700 a month water and sewer bill.

I'm done

$10's about average for dumpstation, though I did pay $15 at a KOA near the 1880's town or whatever's name was in South Dakota. I'll usually locate an RV park with one and a place to reload my fresh water and pay the fee as I travel along the way, but I do shop around for the least expensive dumpstation, if possible.

Originally Posted by 2Labs

We've overnighted - sort of - in the Walmart in Richmond, VA ..us and about 100 other motohomes and campers were there for the night before the NASCAR race. We got their really late, probably about 1am and after making a little dinner and yes, putting out the slides so we had some room in the living and bedroom area, went to sleep for only a few hours.

I woke up at about 6:15am and the place was EMPTY. Everyone was already on their way to the track to get the best camping spots they could. I quickly woke up the DW, closed up the slides and we high tailed it outta' there in hopes that we wouldn't be too far back in the line.

We ended up being the first RV in line at Lot J and got there about 5 hours before the lot opened. I just pulled up to the gate and parked,and crashed on the couch for a nap ... about 30 minutes later I got a knock on the door from a State Trooper on duty for the race weekend asking what we were doing there?

Duh! (No I didn't say that) ... we were waiting for the campground to open. He called in to the track and we finally got "permission" to wait at the gate. Well that's a good thing since Motorhomes and Campers started lining up behind us while he was calling in. By 9am, there were dozens of other RV'ers lined up behind us waiting for the campground to open.



We were the first one's in the campground that weekend, and got the best spot .. but we were also the first ones that got stuck in the mud! It rained something fierce the days leading up to the race weekend, and within an hour, there were dozens of motorhomes, campers, fifth wheels and tag axles stuck in the muddy grass. The race track called in the troops and had about 1/2 dozen small to HUGE tow trucks pulling people out and into their spots ... all at NO cost to the campers!



It doesn't take much wet ground to get a 12 Ton motorhome stuck! There was no way we were getting out of this relatively minor hole without some help.





And yes, the 4x4 towing the fifth wheel was stuck AND the tag axle in the background, yeah they got stuck too. The track had to call in a triple axle monster rig to pull them out!

I camped in a field in about the same condition, perhaps a tad squishier back in April 2011, definitely not a place for towables or 2 wheel drive motorhomes or those equipped with highway tread tires.

I dropped it in low and drove in slow and steady and back out slow and steady. I was ready to air down for extra flotation, but the mud tires did their job and air down wasn't needed.

When I leveled up using my blocks I ended up having to double the number as they sank about 6" in before stopping when I rolled the front end up onto them.

I have entries about it in my blog, for those interested, it's last year, called the Hoodstock Jamboree.

[Nitrohorse]

Walmart allows full use of slides and awnings while camping on their property. If they didn't, it would be posted on signs in the campground and their website. My belief is to use their facilities to the fullest extent. In fact, bbqing in their lot is not only tolerated, but expected as it's part of the camping experience.

[Possum]

Originally Posted by RedneckExpress

$10's about average for dumpstation, though I did pay $15 at a KOA near the 1880's town or whatever's name was in South Dakota. I'll usually locate an RV park with one and a place to reload my fresh water and pay the fee as I travel along the way, but I do shop around for the least expensive dumpstation, if possible.

I may be totally out to lunch rememory wize but I seem to recall dumping our tanks at a rest stop just about at 1880 Town. It was on the exit side of the reststop just before the truck RV lane and the car lane joined up to become thye highway merge lane. Denise and I ended up staying the better part of the day looking at the various displays and eating in the passenger train restaurant. We would have stayed the day if we could have Wallydocked close by (obligatory on topic line)

[RedneckExpress]

Originally Posted by Possum

I may be totally out to lunch rememory wize but I seem to recall dumping our tanks at a rest stop just about at 1880 Town. It was on the exit side of the reststop just before the truck RV lane and the car lane joined up to become thye highway merge lane. Denise and I ended up staying the better part of the day looking at the various displays and eating in the passenger train restaurant. We would have stayed the day if we could have Wallydocked close by (obligatory on topic line)

Yeah, I found that one. All those dump stations are gone :'(.

[georgetown350]

CAMPING, not "parking" at WAL MART - YouTube


To the French who watch this, I don't endorse this video. The only thing wrong in this Walmart parking lot is the guy with the camera. Walmart police on patrol.

[Nitrohorse]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

CAMPING, not "parking" at WAL MART - YouTube


To the French who watch this, I don't endorse this video. The only thing wrong in this Walmart parking lot is the guy with the camera. Walmart police on patrol.

I laughed when he called them "offenders". Offenders to what...his rules in life or Walmart's rules?
Anyhow, I thought the video was a nice overview of the spaciousness and serenity at that Walmart location. Hopefully his video will increase RVing and sales for WM.

[bluepill]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

CAMPING, not "parking" at WAL MART - YouTube


To the French who watch this, I don't endorse this video. The only thing wrong in this Walmart parking lot is the guy with the camera. Walmart police on patrol.

I guess his Mommy never taught him to mind his own business.

[GWinger]

I agree with the above couple of posts. SO WHAT, if you have you slides out or run a genny? Some RV's you can't get through the thing without opening a slide. Walmart managers NEVER have said to me,...
"Yes, you can park but DON'T PUT OUT YOUR SLIDE(S)!
That self-appointed Walmart policeman needs a 'fat-lip'.
All the 'Walmart Campers', I hope, would THANK the manager and show him/her their cash register slips too.
GWinger

[Midniteoyl]

He turns around rather quickly at the end. Wonder if he was about to get punc... confronted?

[DonDee]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

CAMPING, not "parking" at WAL MART - YouTube


To the French who watch this, I don't endorse this video. The only thing wrong in this Walmart parking lot is the guy with the camera. Walmart vigilante on patrol.

Self appointed, self righteous busybody who needs a hobby. (Maybe a life)