George the greek Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 Hey all, I need to travel from New Mexico to Wisconsin I don't travel in straight lines and will most likely take 3 weeks to get there. I'm thinking It would be difficult if not impossible to find rv sites for overnight so are rest areas open along the highways to stop and sleep for the night? thanks George the greek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWharton Posted April 26, 2020 Report Share Posted April 26, 2020 RA open or closed depend upon state. There are campgrounds open but I would call ahead, some states say cgs cannot accept overnights only 30 days or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDBirdman Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 I find rest stops noisy but doable, as stated it depends on each state. I have noticed alot of places have signs as soon as you enter stating no overnight or camping. Some Walmarts allow overnights, as does Cabela's but advise calling before stopping, not all are camper friendly. We like state parks but are at this moment are iffy, same with COE parks. Alot of small towns have free or very cheap camping, we love using these as alot of them have elec hook-ups and water. We are sitting out this covid war at home so I can't give any recent info. Best to call ahead. Have a safe and enjoyable trip! https://www.campgroundreviews.com/ https://freecampsites.net/ https://www.rv-camping.org/blmcampgrounds/ https://www.campendium.com/free-camping https://www.casinocamper.com/rv-parking-locations/rv-friendly-casinos Lots of sites on free/cheap camping. I had one for Walmart but it's not working for me at this time. Quote 2002 Fifth Avenue RV (RIP) 2015 Ram 3500 Mega-cab DRW(38k miles), 6.7L Cummins Diesel, A668RFE, 3.73, 14,000 GVWR, 5,630 Payload, 27,300 GCWR, 18,460 Max Trailer Weight Rating(For Sale) , living in the frigid north, ND. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandsys Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Truck stops are open so truckers can get their required hours of rest. Please, don't overnight there, though, if the place is nearly full. We RVers don't have legally required hours of rest. Linda Sand Quote Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/ Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlcarsonak Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 "Free and low cost Campgrounds" By Wright Guide (Don and Joyce Wright) We have use these guides since 1997 when we started camping. We stay in Rest Areas most of the time when we are traveling. Wal-Mart and Cabela's is our second choice. Major Travel Plazas (Truck Stops) are a last resort. We find it hard to rent a RV spot for one night. Quote Glyn (KL0PG) & Diane Carson2002 I-H 4400 Papa's Dream (Mama's Nightmare)2015 Space Craft V400Furkid Maxemail: dlcarsonak@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George the greek Posted April 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Thank you for the great answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 Most Flying J and some Pilot travel centers have designated RV parking spaces where it is ok to overnight without infringing on the truck spaces. Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Schneider Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 3 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said: Most Flying J and some Pilot travel centers have designated RV parking spaces where it is ok to overnight without infringing on the truck spaces. I've seen those used by bobtail trucks (tractor only, no trailer) when the truck parking lot gets full. Again, let's leave the truckstops for the OTR truckers who need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted April 27, 2020 Report Share Posted April 27, 2020 6 hours ago, Lou Schneider said: I've seen those used by bobtail trucks (tractor only, no trailer) when the truck parking lot gets full. Again, let's leave the truckstops for the OTR truckers who need them. Maybe passenger cars shouldn't park at PFJ's either? There's a reason the company calls them "travel centers" instead of truck stops. There's also a reason why they have designated RV parking spaces, designated car spaces, and designated truck parking spaces. Should cars also not stop at interstate rest areas in case the truck spaces are full? If a bobtail HDT parks in an available RV slot, that's one thing, but suggesting that we shouldn't park our RV's in one in case a trucker needs it seems a bit extreme to me. Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted April 28, 2020 Report Share Posted April 28, 2020 45 minutes ago, Dutch_12078 said: seems a bit extreme to me. Not if you understand how the FMCSA Hours of Service works, in this electronic age. If you ever travel on the highways, and see a truck pulled off at an off ramp, you've seen a trucker that "Houred Out", and was in danger of an Electronic Log violation. They can even "Hour Out" in the parking lot of a truck stop, driving around to find a spot. We almost need a truck stop, due to size, but we typically take a spot out in the North 40, to leave the more desirable spots for those that truly need them. Quote I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted April 28, 2020 Report Share Posted April 28, 2020 I gave up my CDL a few years ago, so yes, I do know how HOS works. Are you saying nobody except OTR truckers should ever park at a travel center like PFJ, Loves, etc. in non-truck spots in case a trucker needs that RV or passenger car spot? Or any other non-truck parking spots anywhere trucks might go I guess? Does that really make any sense? Quote 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted April 28, 2020 Report Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) iOverlander app Edited April 28, 2020 by noteven Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agesilaus Posted April 28, 2020 Report Share Posted April 28, 2020 Let me suggest one free: Free Camp Sites and one not free: RV Trip Wizard. Both will show you many free stopping places, RVTW is also the best, in my opinion, available trip planning software available now. There are several other free and pay resources but those are the ones I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skater91 Posted July 4, 2020 Report Share Posted July 4, 2020 (edited) On 4/27/2020 at 6:43 PM, Dutch_12078 said: Maybe passenger cars shouldn't park at PFJ's either? There's a reason the company calls them "travel centers" instead of truck stops. There's also a reason why they have designated RV parking spaces, designated car spaces, and designated truck parking spaces. Should cars also not stop at interstate rest areas in case the truck spaces are full? If a bobtail HDT parks in an available RV slot, that's one thing, but suggesting that we shouldn't park our RV's in one in case a trucker needs it seems a bit extreme to me. I think the other member is referencing not parking in state highway rest stops that would put a trucker at risk of driving over their mandated time limit. I will seek out overnight boondocking spots in towns that truckers wouldn't be welcome at because I can do that with more stealth (solar+batteries). FlyingJ rent out the RV spaces to Bobtails, that's why they never have any RV spaces available. If I stay at a Flying J, I reserve and PAY for a spot in the truck lot so that I have a guaranteed site, parked in between two professional truckers. It's not ideal, but I need to do that to load/unload RV to house when I'm off the road from working because drive to the storage lot is MUCH further. Another use for this parking spot is getting into town the night before an appointment at the Cummins shop, and being a mile away for the early am appointment. I quit trying to find a 'free' site at Flying J years ago when they started renting out the RV spots, nevermind that they are like trying to sleep at Grand Central Station. There was never a spot, no matter what time of day I went, at any Flying J. The truck lot is much less frantic, and, I'm paying, just like everybody else, so it doesn't matter if it's me or another trucker-the system is fair. Edited July 4, 2020 by skater91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandsys Posted July 4, 2020 Report Share Posted July 4, 2020 11 minutes ago, skater91 said: The truck lot is much less frantic, and, I'm paying, just like everybody else, so it doesn't matter if it's me or another trucker-the system is fair. Except you don't have to get your mandatory rest hours. Linda Quote Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/ Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skater91 Posted July 4, 2020 Report Share Posted July 4, 2020 (edited) The online reservation system is open to everyone. Pick a time, plug in a credit card, pay the money. This is a free market system. If you are OTR and know you have to be in Houston at a set time, you, too, can reserve a spot, just like I did. If they hadn't rented the RV sites, I wouldn't even have known about that option. Look on their website for RV reservation.... Edited July 4, 2020 by skater91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted July 4, 2020 Report Share Posted July 4, 2020 6 hours ago, sandsys said: Except you don't have to get your mandatory rest hours. It may not be required, but every driver should get rest. I used to drive far beyond what was safe in my younger days and got lucky. Quote Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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