Road Trip with a Teardrop ?

[Ramblerfan]

Thanks for all the replys on this subject and please keep them coming. We have not started out teardrop yet, but are learning more and more every day ! I'm thinking that a good campground may be the way to go since we want to feel safe as well....... Hopefully see some of you at Turkey Run in May !!

[Juli n Bill]

We live in Los Angeles but own a home in NW Washington, when we drive up we always hook up the tear so we don't have to check into a motel for just a couple of hours of sleep. We'll pull into a truckstop when we get too tired to drive and crawl in. The restrooms are open all night and all the truckers and quite a few RV'rs are all doing the same thing. The coffee shop is usually open 24hrs too. We never use a rest stop, but truckstops are fine. We try to park a bit away from the big rigs because they run their engines all night and it can be a bit noisy but our little Egg is pretty quiet once you close the doors.

The best part is that the bed in our tear is more comfortable than most hotel/motel beds and I know the sheets are clean!

[bledsoe3]

I know the sheets are clean!

That's a big one!

[arnko37]

We much prefer the two lane highways. When passing near small towns drive thru them rather than take the bypass. Look for the city parks. Some of them have free or near free campsites. We have found several, one had full hookups and was free and another was $5 with a 5 day limit. Then in the evenings we go for a walk down the main drag and stop either for a ice cream or a cold beer. Very pleasant.

[canned o minimum]

Discovered this thread whilst surfin ... Jus got home from a 988 mile road trip. Went to the Arizona Roundup last week and then drove to Tempe,Az. to visit with my daughter...

Teardroppin is THE way to go !

I live in So.Cal. and hope to go to Lake Havasu,Az. in January fer a VW event/camp out.

Maybe I can make it to the IRG this comin year(2012)

[hoytedow]

The TD is the best motel room ever!
No bedbugs. The sheets are always clean and the food is always fine. Multiple trips to Kentucky and never had trouble finding a campsite, even at the last minute (Microsoft Streets and Trips in laptop lists all campgrounds in area complete with phone numbers). The COE and State Park campgrounds including the, ahem, comfort stations have all been immaculately clean so far as my experience goes.

[suckerpunched]

I,m planning on a ten day trip to the Oregon coast next June. From Utah to Brookings and then just wandering north staying here and there. Looking forward to it as the last vacation was two years ago. Plenty of state parks along the way and if all else fails,,,,,walmart or rest stops,,,,not too many truck stops on hwy 101 I'm thinking.
Roll on springtime....
TC

[stumphugger]

I,m planning on a ten day trip to the Oregon coast next June. From Utah to Brookings and then just wandering north staying here and there. Looking forward to it as the last vacation was two years ago. Plenty of state parks along the way and if all else fails,,,,,walmart or rest stops,,,,not too many truck stops on hwy 101 I'm thinking.
Roll on springtime....
TC

When I used to live near there, Newport, OR had an ordinance so you couldn't camp at their Walmart. It looked like it wasn't enforced very much at that time.

[Keyser Sose]

Have seen several posts here about staying in a motel in order to get a shower every so often, so I guess not everyone knows about this.

EVERY major truck stop has showers available for a small fee, usually $10.00. In years gone by, these showers were pretty "iffy" a lot of times, but not anymore! Most of them are in 12 X 16 ft rooms, with sink, stool, and very large shower. The fee includes towels and soap (you have to let them know that you need them). For an extra $5, you can use the shower with a partner, there is plenty of room for that. During the day is the best time to get right into a shower. Early mornings and evenings, they are busier with all the truck drivers using them. BTW, if you buy 100 gal of diesel fuel, the shower is free!

Just so ya all knew about that. I used to drive OTR truck, and my friends that take long trips on motorcycles were delighted to find out about that. Much cheaper than a motel!

[Socal Tom]

I understand you want to find accessable bathrooms on a road trip. I think it is common knowledge that Wal Mart usually welcomes traveling campers. In most cases if they park in a section of the lot that is not busy they are welcomed overnight. If you find a 24 hr Wal mart you've got a bathroom too. Check out truck stops also.

Dee Bee

Target is also a good bathroom stop. They are usually clean, and located near the front of the store, but I don't think they are open 24 hours. A few years back I drove an RV cross country. I stopped every night at a walmart. The good news was that, if I needed anything, they had it. The bad news.. The parking lots at the ones I found we loud and brightly lit, so sleeping was a challenge.

I'm planning to drive cross country soon and use the TD for my "Motel". I'll probably hit a walmart or two on the way, but I hope to hit a KOA type campground at least every other night for a shower.
Tom

[bigblockbarry]

This is why I'm building a tear. Last year and buddy of mine and I rode a couple of my motorcycles to the BRP and back.1400 miles and it rained on us every day.This year's trip is to the Bonneville Salt Flats and I decided if we were going all the way out there I was going to take my own hotel room. Thanks for the truck stop info,I never thought about stopping there.

[Wolffarmer]

Hey Big Block

I live a bit north of The Salt. I often go down the gravel road that goes from the stop sign just north of the Interstate. I turn left and head north ( if I am going home ) Or turn right to the salt. last month I camped at Nevada State Park, Cathedral Gorge that is south on Highway 93 a few hundred miles. It has some real nice showers included in the camping fee. If you are going that way.

Randy

[bigblockbarry]

Hi Randy,
We aren't sure where all we are going yet. Its 1700 miles here to there and I hope to make that in 2 days,spend 2 days on the salt,and spend the rest looking for cool things to see and driving back. I welcome all suggestions as I have never been out that way. Its the second week of August,what can we expect weather wise?

[Wolffarmer]

Weather? Two basic types, Hot and hotter than hell. Hotter than hell with wind. Thunderstorms to break the monotony. Of course you will be in Nevada so there are the casinos in West Wendover. Though these days there seem to be casinos in many states. The closest brothel that I know about is in Wells Nevada. Two of them there.

More natural stuff is lots and lots of desert. Enough to make most people sick of it after seeing abouit 10% of it. Now if on your way to the salt and you get to that stop sign and take a left instead of a right to the salt you will be on the Donner party trail in about 10 miles or so, maybe twenty. There is a kiosk up there someplace. If it has not been vandalized. The actual trail is between the gravel road and the salt flat. At least the part that I know well. There are RR rails with signs on them on the actual trail. I slept on it one night. Or go to Wells and turn south and go to Ruby Valley Nevada, the marsh/lake. That place fascinates me. The is a BLM camp ground near the head quarters. If there is still fishing might be crowded. I have heard the mountains on the west side are also nice, I have not seen any of them. Angel Lake and other places there I have read about. Or if you are not sick of desert yet go south of Wendover Nevada then take off to Gold Hill Utah. Work your way on the gravel roads through there to Cailao Utah, If you take the correct road you will pass at least one Pony Express Station. I have camped there. Then from Cailao go to Fish Springs Utah. You will pass another PE Station. Cailao was one also but I don't know if it can still be seen. Oh, there is nothing to buy in Cailao. Fish Springs is amazing for all the water out there in the salt/chemical desert. Can't buy anything there either, I love it.There is no camp ground there but there is a mess of BLM ground if you don't mind boon docking. Then head toward Delta Utah. You will get back on pavement in about 30-50 miles. I have pulled my trailer on these roads and unless they are washboarded are not bad, for the most part. Just don't get up speed you will have to burn off quick when something bad becomes visible.
From Delta head to southern Utah. I found a nice BLM campground about 10 miles north of Saint George Utah. Red Cliffs. No showers but if you have taken the roads I have just mentioned you will be a desert rat and don't care about showers.

From there Southern Utah is just amazing

Randy

( I just edited this and added states so it makes more sense to people other than me. )

[jlreyburn]

We just returned from a trip to Virginia. We reserved a site at the park but decided to leave late the night before. We ended up sleeping in the tear at the Tamarac Rest Plaza in West Virginia (I77 @exit45). Worked out great! We got up in the morning
got coffee and breakfast and were on the road again. Got to the park by 9am and had the entire day to explore. What a wonderful way to travel! As for bathrooms at the campgrounds, we also got tired of passing up some really good sites to be closer to the restrooms. I ended up purchasing a sturdy potty/changing/shower tent and a portable potty that used the "doodie
bags". The tent has withstood an ice storm in February and 30 mph winds in a thunderstorm. I'm not convinced the bags are worth the money you have to pay for them. This past weekend we tried an experiment with cat litter. I bought the cheapest no name brand and it worked like a dream! I still have over a half a bag left for the next trip. These were just my experiences, I hope the help to answer some of your questions.