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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trip planning
    Posted: 01 May 2010 at 7:54pm
I'm curious to know how everyone plans their trips. I'm trying to set up our itinerary for our trip down to Fort Boonesborough. We'll be traveling about 900 miles and think we can make it in three days (two overnights along the way). That makes 300 miles a day which should equal 6 hours of driving per day. But we move a lot slower towing. Between rest stops and the truck's constant thirst, we figure we'll be on the road more like 7-8 hours each day.
 
I am trying to plan our stops along the way. If I tentatively add in the state parks along our route, it adds another two hours to the total trip assuming we don't add extra stops (which we will) and drive 65 mph (which we won't).
 
I am not sure whether to make reservations at these campgrounds. Do most of you just wing it and stop whenever a convenient campground appears or do you make reservations ahead?
 
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

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sylviablue View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sylviablue Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2010 at 8:32pm
We've got one campground booked other than Fort Boonesboro.  We will park a total of four nights at different family members homes along the way.  That leaves five nights on the road with no reservations.  I'll think we'll try our luck at boon docking some or all of those. 
2100 miles round trip!! 
In the end there's just a song comes cryin up the night

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Butterfly_Lee View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Butterfly_Lee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2010 at 9:03pm
I'm working on my bucket list and my trip is 1300 one way.  Just getting out of Texas is a third of the trip.  Have reservations (two nights) in New Orleans for the previous weekend and Monday I plan to take my time heading north (Memphis) then East (Nashville).  May boondock and/or campgrounds depending on where I am late afternoon on any given day.  
The Graceland and the Corvette museum might be stops along the way, this a vacation and time to be a tourist.  

That's my two cents.

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Outbound View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Outbound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2010 at 10:17pm
For the most part, I only reserve where necessary: when we want a specific site, or at busy destinations where its questionable whether we'll get a site at all.  Other than that, we just play it by ear.

Personally, an ideal day's travel is no more than six hours in the car with 15-minute stops every two hours.  If necessary, I'll do an eight or ten hour day... but thats rare.

For the trip to the RoundUp, there's an additional fly in the ointment: as Canadians travelling into the US, we'll be questioned at the border as far as our destination and specifics on our first night's stop.  I find it easier to just hand over the reservation confirmations, so I've already made reservations at the Streetsboro/Cleveland KOA for Thursday June 17th.  I'm glad that I did, too - we'll be arriving after 9:00pm and I wanted to confirm our late arrival, plus it looks like the campground is filling-up fast.

For trip planning and for finding campgrounds for overnighting at the last-minute, I like to use the Trailer Life Directory.  Trailer Life rates the campgrounds (facilities, restrooms and overall appeal), which helps when selecting where to overnight.  In addition to the free website, the directory is available as a book (about the size of a phonebook) and on CD for your computer (which is what I prefer).  There are other directories available too (Woodall's comes to mind), so make sure to check them out and choose the right one for you.

As I mentioned, I like the Trailer Life Directory computer CD to help plan trips.  I can put in my preferred maximum speed, rate of gas consumption, how long each day I'd prefer to drive and how often I like to stop for breaks.  The software will plot a route, warn me about steep inclines, tell me how much gas I'll use and suggest nearby campsites for overnighters (including their phone numbers).
Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray
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pepperpod View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pepperpod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2010 at 10:20pm
On our trip to Florida, we decided to stop at a KOA on the first night.  We only traveled 5 hours the first day because our dealership was kind enough to de-winterize our Pod before we left.  We did not get out of Lexington until 12 noon that day.  We got a KOA book from the first stop and used it on the way down and back to find spur of the moment campsites.  They are about $35 a night and well worth it to be able to stop just off the interstate.  We also found one site with our Woodall's book on the way back.
Pepper,Coach,and Henry (a very brave little Maltese)
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Heidi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Heidi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2010 at 12:44am
I prefer to have reservations that way I don't end up stuck with no place to go or driving tired or late into the evening. I try to plan about 6 hours driving but will go with less driving if there is something along the way I want to be sure to see. Not having a specific destination makes me a little stressed out. Some people are more carefree but I always need a plan. (usually a backup plan tooLOL)
we R-pod people
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VenturaTom View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VenturaTom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2010 at 2:06am
So far, Di and I have taken mostly short trips, almost all with reservations.  In the past I just went out on adventures, but that was years ago.

Di has really done great on the Internet finding places and reservations.  Some campground even have pics of each site!

there are several sites.... ReserveAmerica is one, but if you poke around and google a bit you'll find stuff that way too!

Have fun, enjoy your Pod....we sure do!

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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2010 at 8:11am
Thank you for your responses. They helped a lot. I still have a lot to learn about this towing thing. While we've done a lot of driving, we're new to towing and a lot changes with a trailer behind you. I think I was trying to cut it too tight and that was my problem. I'll allow an extra day to get down there.
 
And thank you for the Trailer Life information. We'll definitely pick up a copy of that. I'm very interested in the software. Does it help plan your trip? Will it tell you where the steep grades are and ways to get around them? Living in New England, we have to pass through Pennsylvania to go just about anywhere. There are some roads in that state that I don't think we'd want to pull a trailer.
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

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Sandpiper View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandpiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2010 at 9:09am
Originally posted by Peggy L. Peggy L. wrote:

Living in New England, we have to pass through Pennsylvania to go just about anywhere. There are some roads in that state that I don't think we'd want to pull a trailer.


Hey, Peggy L don't be talking about our roads that way. Ouch 
A standing joke here in PA is that the Dept of Transportation's only job is to move the potholes every six months.    They are better than that and move them every week. Wink
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Peggy L. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peggy L. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2010 at 9:35am
Originally posted by Sandpiper Sandpiper wrote:


Hey, Peggy L don't be talking about our roads that way. Ouch 
A standing joke here in PA is that the Dept of Transportation's only job is to move the potholes every six months.    They are better than that and move them every week. Wink
 
Haha! I wasn't talking about your potholes. Every state has them. But that major highway running across the bottom of the state (I-76?) goes through some pretty significant hills on the western end. Then there are the narrow tunnels through the mountains. Add to that the fact that they are usually moving potholes around in that area, further narrowing the road and causing backups. And then they have the gall to actually expect us to pay for the priviledge of driving a stretch we'd rather avoid.
Traveling with Herb and the Boon-doggie

2010 r-pod 171 pulled by '11 Silverado
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