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Vegas Teacher

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I am getting ready for my first trip with Semi and the trailer. It will be a short trip over to Flagstaff where I am going to do the switcherooski marathon address: http://www.active.com/flagstaff-az/cycling/races/switcherooski-2017 anyway Flagstaff is only 6 hours from Vegas and will be a short but decent pull next weekend. In my hunt for a campground I thought hey I will call the KOA they deal with big RV's and 5th wheels not a problem. O.K. When we went over combined vehicle length vs. trailer length and the actual size of the 780 from tip to tail they just could not get past the fact it was a semi. My Toyota Tundra is on 2 feet shorter than my semi and my trailer only 23 feet long it would have fit fine in the space allotment. I even asked if I had a 30' bumper tow on my Tundra if that would work and that was not a problem. They just could not wrap their small heads around the fact the semi was not much bigger and had a tighter turning radius then a lot of smaller dually pickup trucks. I even offered to park my truck in a different part of the campground say maybe the overflow parking by the office. Their reply is it if full right now, so I said this is not until next Friday, they said we never know what is going to happen, I said can you just put a cone across two parking places on the end and they say it is a dirt lot we don't have specific parking places in it.

So I let them know what I thought of their customer service - I can't use that language in the forum. I am only 45 but I am moving up into the cranky old man group quite nicely. I hope to fit in at the WCR this summer. But seriously we need to do something to educate people.

Well has anybody stayed near the Flagstaff area before with your HDT? If you have let me know of a good campground that is Semi Friendly.

 

Thanks,

Vegas Teacher  -  Cory Ossana 

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I live in the Phoenix area and have had poor luck finding an RV park with lots of room and friendly owners in Flagstaff.  Flag for years had a poor reputation for traveler services.  The local money maker was squirting oil on a shock absorber and then talking up the danger of failing shocks.  This was 20 years ago, but suspicion lives on.  

In cooler weather Dead Horse State Park south of Flag has full hook ups, a great location next to the Verde River and great camp site spacing.  

John McLaughlin

2010 Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, singled and decked

2014 Lifestyle 38' Fifth Wheel

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I have to agree on Black Bart's though have not been there with RV for several years. Recently though a fellow Escapee posted they have improved sites with some long pull throughs that should accommodate our longer rigs. By the way if you are there or close do dinner at Black Bart's wait staff and buss people are hired from NAU so they sing and a great time had by all. Because they all take to sing etc. Don't expect fast service but worth it. I have gone there for dinner and fun not to camp and stay at Little America. 

Have stayed at Flagstaff KOA a long long time ago. It is a older park at the time had shorter 5th wheel pulling pulling with long bed 1 ton dually it was very tight. Consequently with my slightly illegal 67' would not attempt. Perhaps they have improved this but feel probably have not I am thinking. Enjoy Flag will sure be cooler!

2019 Thor Chateau 28E on a Ford E450 chassis. Maybe awhile but will get a new picture forgive one up there it is my old rig.

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I've seen HDT's pulling 5'vers in several KOA's east of the Mississippi. Most recently at the Jacksonville North/St Mary's KOA in Kingsland, GA, a mile from the Florida border, and last fall at the Jonestown/Hershey KOA in Jonestown, PA. Don't lump all KOA's together, most are independently owned and operated, setting their own rules.

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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As stated, all KOA's are not equal.  The one north of Carlsbad, NM handled us with ease, and were very accommodating. Rumor has it, there's one at Sue St. Marie where we're welcome.

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Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net

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Vegas Teacher:  Don't forget to check out The Heavy Hauler's Resource Guide for campgrounds.  There are reviews and other information to help you decide if it will suit you.

http://hhrvcampgrounds.com/

Chet & Deb
'01 Volvo 660 w/ Smart
'19 Forest River Columbus 320RS 5th wheel
2022 Chev 2500HD Long Bed
Retired CWO4, USN and federal service
Electronics Tech/Network Engineer/Welder/Machinist

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About 90% of the KOA's that we have dealt with welcome us, can handle the rig, and try to be pleasant. Some act like we're stealing something when we roll up the driveway.

Our Rules:

Don't use the words "Semi Truck" but be very clear about length and height, and, if pushed, admit to being the size of a 45' Diesel Pusher pulling a race trailer.

Be prepared to disconnect and park elsewhere. Most of the time the Park Owners use a 3/4 scale measuring tape and our 68' rig will not fit in an 80' site. 

Take a ride in their golf cart or walk if necessary to see how you will get in and (mostly) back out of the park. They generally have no idea and I have a side mount ladder, 2 TV antennas, and 3 awnings to prove it.

Or, just block the entrance and tell 'em you have no idea how to back up.

Good Luck,

Paul & Paula

 

 

 

 

Paul & Paula + Daisy the amazing wiggle worm dog...

2001 Volvo 770 Autoshift, Singled, w/ Aluminum Bed - Toy Draggin

2013 395AMP XLR Thunderbolt Toy Hauler

2013 Smart Passion

2012 CanAm Spyder RT

2013 Harley Davidson Street Glide

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3 hours ago, Vegas Teacher said:

Called black Barts they were great 100 foot pull through dog and semi friendly K.O.A. can go..................themselves?????!!!!!

I just lost a lot of respect for K.O.A.

Later Cory Ossana 

100' pull through?

What in the heck are you gonna do with the extra 50'??

Sorry couldn't resist that one.....

 

Another nice option, is Williams.  A bit of a drive, but a couple nice rv parks.

John

Southern Nevada

2008 Volvo 780, D13, I-Shift

2017 Keystone Fuzion 420 Toyhauler 

2017 Can-Am Maverick X3-RS

 

ALAKAZARCACODEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMAMNMS
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I always thought Keep On Adding. 30 years ago we stopped at a KOA(first time). Everything was an add on. Shower token, swimming pool and I forget what else. We now rarely stay at KOA's. Once in a while but so many are old and tight. Years ago we stopped at one, tired of driving as it had been raining, the entire cg was under water by a couple of inches. Our electric wire would have been in the water. Asked if there were any drier spots, said no they had a drainage problem that they needed to fix. Sounded like it had been going on for years.......................

We have found a few that are very nice and reasonably priced. Most are much higher than the others around them and not as nice.

 

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Just booked a trip for the end of June at the KOA 8 miles outside kings island near Cincinnati.... had good reviews,  when we called were very pleasant and had no prob accommodating our rig even when we told them it was a semi...

 

Of course could not find their rates online and about fell over when they told us $250 for four nights! It is our closest campground, and since they were so nice we booked anyway.... so we will see if it turns out to be worth it

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15 hours ago, VegasFlyer said:

100' pull through?

What in the heck are you gonna do with the extra 50'??

Sorry couldn't resist that one.....

 

Another nice option, is Williams.  A bit of a drive, but a couple nice rv parks.

Well I will do anything I want to with the extra feet I just thought it was really nice of them to offer it to me. Me being a novice driver needs all the help he can get. It was so much better than the people at the HOA is was just happy they did not turn me away. They even have all kinds of extra for me. Once again they were really nice on the phone and that meant more to me than anything.

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8 hours ago, bluflame11 said:

Just booked a trip for the end of June at the KOA 8 miles outside kings island near Cincinnati.... had good reviews,  when we called were very pleasant and had no prob accommodating our rig even when we told them it was a semi...

 

Of course could not find their rates online and about fell over when they told us $250 for four nights! It is our closest campground, and since they were so nice we booked anyway.... so we will see if it turns out to be worth it

We are going to Williamsburg Va for a week.  $450 for the week at KOA.  Guess we pay to play in popular tourist areas.

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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1 hour ago, Vegas Teacher said:

No do you have a good recomendation for a hitch?

If we weren't so far apart at the moment I would let you test fly my AirSafe receiver hitch for a couple trips. It has this here air spring and those there dampers and them there dog bone dealies - works kinda like a certain 5th wheel that is popular amongst forum people...

airsafe hitch.jpg

"Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. 

 

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8 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

We are going to Williamsburg Va for a week.  $450 for the week at KOA.  Guess we pay to play in popular tourist areas.

 

We live in Williamsburg, plenty of other cgs that are less expensive. Chickahominy County Park, American Heritage, Anvil, Newport News County Park. There are others also.

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4 hours ago, SWharton said:

We live in Williamsburg, plenty of other cgs that are less expensive. Chickahominy County Park, American Heritage, Anvil, Newport News County Park. There are others also.

Thanks will look into some of those.  I assume they would handle our rigs?  And as an aside is the "quiet" side of the KOA adequate?  Which campground would you recommend if rates were not an issue?

2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift

Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding"

2017 DRV 39DBRS3

2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty"

 

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!"

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The KOA should be quiet period, it is far away from the RR tracks(we don't have many trains, maybe 1-2 coal trains, and Amtrak twice a day). There are a lot of trees and they are older KOAs, there are 2, next to each other. Anvil is the only one I would question, it looks a bit tight. I don't think you would have a problem at American Heritage or Chickahominy. There is also a Passport Park, it is some Christian Retreat that I have looked at on Google Earth and looks OK. The other one, though it appears to be a lower level is the Pottery Campground, they do have plenty of space. I have never been to Newport News County Park CG.

Not having stayed at any of these it is just observation in driving by. If you want me to check one out for you let me know and I'll stop by.

I would rate American Heritage being the nicest of all.

 

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