Campground Reservations

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by S&K

Since we are new to towing and have only ventured out in very short distances, how long do most travel per day?

We have our first big trip of 1100 miles planned in July, from TX to KY. Normally, we can drive it in two days in a car (one night hotel stay). Use to be able to drive from TX to MI in 22 hours straight with two toddlers in the back. Can't and won't try that anymore!

I think we would have to put in more than 200 miles per day to make it to the destination, I was thinking maybe 6-9 hours of driving. That would give us time to unwind after a harrowing day of newbie driving!

What are your experiences? Should we plan on less travel per day?

We usually limit our trips to 300 to 350 miles per day max. We stop every 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a break to stretch our legs, a potty break or fuel (if needed). This makes for a 6 or 7 day and we stop in plenty of time to set up during daylight hours and wind down for the evening. I generally drive at a easy speed of 60 to 63 mph.......don't have to be in a hurry.

[Rick and Mindy]

We like to drive 300-450 miles per day if we have a definite destination. I usually set the cruise on 60 but we do stop for bathroom breaks and lunch and usually 1 time for fuel. I like to get to a nice campground and get unhooked during daylight. I like to go into town and check it out, get something to eat before going back to relax with some television and then get a good nights sleep. We usually don't get on the road the next morning before 9 a.m.

[Dave&Ginny]

The Redwood shouldn't slow you down very much because they pull good in any weather. I've been in situations where I have to cover a lot of ground and pulled mine 750-800 miles in a day. I don't like doing that as much as I used to simply because my energy level isn't what it used to be.

I've pulled mine through blizzards, thunderstorms and wind storms without any problems at all. If you're pulling with a dually and it's windy, add a little extra water. This puts more weight on the pin and she'll handle the wind better. Also keep the tires inflated on the truck and trailer. This will help with any sway.

[Dave&Ginny]

I recommend finding a large empty parking lot and drive around it several times to get used to how the trailer tracks. Take the trash can out of the kitchen and see how close you can come to it without knocking it over in a turn. Sometimes practicing to get close to something without hitting it is just as good as trying to staying away from it.

It's VERY important to notice how much of a swing you have on the back of your trailer when you turn sharp.

[S&K]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

The Redwood shouldn't slow you down very much because they pull good in any weather. I've been in situations where I have to cover a lot of ground and pulled mine 750-800 miles in a day. I don't like doing that as much as I used to simply because my energy level isn't what it used to be.

I've pulled mine through blizzards, thunderstorms and wind storms without any problems at all. If you're pulling with a dually and it's windy, add a little extra water. This puts more weight on the pin and she'll handle the wind better. Also keep the tires inflated on the truck and trailer. This will help with any sway.

Thanks Dave. We need to take lessons from you! Hope to not have to pull in adverse conditions, but will take it slow if it does arise.
Watching tire inflation like a hawk, and air bags and Reese 25K hitch.

[S&K]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

I recommend finding a large empty parking lot and drive around it several times to get used to how the trailer tracks. Take the trash can out of the kitchen and see how close you can come to it without knocking it over in a turn. Sometimes practicing to get close to something without hitting it is just as good as trying to staying away from it.

It's VERY important to notice how much of a swing you have on the back of your trailer when you turn sharp.

Ha Ha!! I bought safety cones so we could practice backing up in a certain area! Haven't practiced yet, but when we bring it home, we do have to swing it around a teardrop drive to back it in to it's spot. So far, we've hit the same grooves we've made before, so that's a good sign!

As far as that "swing" goes, yes! I am the navigator that watches when we pull out of our pad at home which is parked right next to our shed.
We clear it easily by 12 inches, but I cringe every time we do. I like a 'wide berth'!!

[0nTheRoad]

I try to use 300 miles a day as my target. The DW likes to sleep late so we seldom pull out before 10am, I insist that we are parked and setup before dark, preferably with at least an hour of daylight left to take care of anything that requires daylight. We travel @ ~65 on the highway but stop every 2-3 hours for necessities and/or to stretch the bones so we average 55-60 including breaks which will get us 300 miles in 6-7 hours.
We use Passport America parks while traveling so I use these as my daily destinations. To do this I use RV Trip Wizard to plan my route, using the parameters for height restrictions, etc and allows me to identify parks along the route.

[Oriana]

We like to be on the road by 0900 and arrive and be set up definitely before dark, preferably by 1500 to 1600. Aim for an average distance of 250 - 350 mls a day. Normally stop after 2 hours for a restroom break and walk the dogs, then another 2 hrs before lunch. Hopefully after lunch no more stops are required before arrival. An added benefit of this distance is that I can fill the truck up when set up at a campsite and drive the next day on that tank, so don't need to look for fuel stops we can get into with the trailer.

Last time heading South we did 550 mls over 12 - 13 hrs, which for us was too long.

[rcflame]

We normally do about 250-350 miles per day. There are several things that affect this. What time frame do we have to reach our final destination? Where is the campground that we are planning to spend the night at? What time did we get started? What is the weather like? Am I getting tired? What are the road conditions and what is traffic like? These are just some of the things that help decide how far I am going.

[Gegallant]

We try to keep our day's drive to under 300 miles (roughly the range of a tank of diesel).
We also try to keep the speed around 60 mph. This save some fuel and reduces the beating the RW takes on Americas highways.
We also like to arrive before dark, so the set-up is done before nightfall.
Once unhooked, we refuel the TV, have some dinner and unwind.
We're retired and don't have to be on a very tight schedule. We try to depart early enough that we will arrive at our stop in daylight.
We like to have lunch at a rest area, where we can take in some of the scenery.
So far, we have not stayed in any place other than a campground. Construction can add time to the days trip, but can usually be recovered by upping our travel speed a little if we feel it necessary.
Remember to always travel when your are not stressed or too tired. The drive can be very frustrating when some of the 4 wheelers are zipping around you on congested highways without considering that you're handling 20 or 25 thousand pounds.

Be safe in your travels.
George and Kay

[atom ant]

Not too many years ago, the more pavement behind me before the sun went down meant more days of vacation to spend on the lake, or in the mountains or wherever I was going. Couldn't get far with 9 days doing 3-4 hundred miles a day. Thermos of coffee at every gas station and a few packs of smokes and I could drive sun up to sun down pulling a trailer.

Today - way too tired. No smokes, decaff coffee, Yanni on the radio, I'm doomed to 3-4 hundred miles. Still the same vacation limitations, just stay closer to home I get real testy pulling into a campsite at night with this big thing.

[Dave&Ginny]

We were just planing our trip to Maine yesterday. We're going to enjoy the trip out but run hard coming home. I can usually go 600 miles on a tank of fuel so when we have to we can put some miles in our mirrors.

I always ask my wife before each trip.....Do you want to enjoy the journey or the destination? Her answer determines how far we'll cover in a day. I never drive when I'm tired but some days I can drive a long ways before that becomes an issue.

[S&K]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

We were just planing our trip to Maine yesterday. We're going to enjoy the trip out but run hard coming home. I can usually go 600 miles on a tank of fuel so when we have to we can put some miles in our mirrors.

I always ask my wife before each trip.....Do you want to enjoy the journey or the destination? Her answer determines how far we'll cover in a day. I never drive when I'm tired but some days I can drive a long ways before that becomes an issue.

Thanks everyone for the input on driving times.

Since we are new to towing and our first few trips out (local) were to test out everything and get used to the feel of towing the unit, we may be ready after a few more week-ends before our 'major' maiden voyage.

I think we will take the moderate suggestions and travel around 350 miles a day and 6 hours driving time. I'll try to adjust it accordingly. If 'weather' happens along the way, we can adjust the schedule (and shorten our destination stay). Since I'm not the driver I will not dictate how far we need to go in a certain day. If we need to stop 2 hours after we start, we will.

We've been looking at clubs to join to get a discount at RV parks and lately have been kicking ourselves in the behind because the place we stayed at, could have almost paid for our membership for one year! (Good Sams)
5 nights = $3.00 discount = $15.00. vs $20.00 a year for a 3 year commitment. $60.00 total. Not sure every place we will look at staying will be a Good Sams place, but if it is along the route, we will check it out.

So, it looks like for us newbies and not full-timers, we will try to push the limit, but also be flexible enough to change the schedule as needed. I guess we will have to have water in the fresh water tank and envision the possibility of an overnighter at Wally World.

[Dave&Ginny]

S&K, I'm looking forward to sitting around a campfire with you someday.

[TNTBaker]

Me too! We use Good Sam and Escapees. Found them both to be worth while. We LOVE Escapees... We boondock at their locations often. GREAT people we have met at all of them. Always pristine clean laundry facilities and awesome clubhouses with free movie borrowing. People are always very welcoming. Thinking about Passport America after we hit the road in a year or two... don't think it would be worth it to us right now. But we might change our minds. We also have AAA RV PLUS and like that.

[S&K]

Dave and Todd,

One of our goals will be to park next to another RW and share the love!

Can't make it to the Rally in Aug, but if a mini-rally comes up somewhere close to us, we will try to make that.

[travelin' texans]

We had an older(than me at the time) fulltimer tell us you travel 2 by 2 by 2, drive 200 miles stop by 2PM & stay 2 days, while that sounded good, about the only part we do is stop by 2PM & usually stay a week that gives us a chance to see all we care to see. We also are not in a hurry to be anywhere & hope we never are.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by S&K

Dave and Todd,

One of our goals will be to park next to another RW and share the love!

Can't make it to the Rally in Aug, but if a mini-rally comes up somewhere close to us, we will try to make that.

you never know.....I've been known to take a detour to see a fellow RVer

[Foxfire]

we usually travel the same about 200 to 300 depending where we are going. Our first tow with the new RW this year was 50 miles. Then 250 to our second destination. We leave again after Memorial Day for Cape may NJ about a 250 tow then back to a home destination. We then tow 100 miles for a month. Distances change with destination but 200 to 300 miles was a max for us right now.

[Oriana]

Originally Posted by travelin' texans

We had an older(than me at the time) fulltimer tell us you travel 2 by 2 by 2, drive 200 miles stop by 2PM & stay 2 days, while that sounded good, about the only part we do is stop by 2PM & usually stay a week that gives us a chance to see all we care to see. We also are not in a hurry to be anywhere & hope we never are.

I just planned our trip across Canada to attend the Rally and will do 250 to 350 mls each driving day, with 2 nights at each stop. Way easier on the dogs, especially the GSD. Driving every day makes it difficult to get the Shepherd enough exercise.

That's the benefit of retirement - never in a rush to get anywhere.