Comments on Women RVers: "But it's a PARKING LOT!"

another reason to use Wal-Mart lots: we do quite ...

2008-10-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

another reason to use Wal-Mart lots: we do quite a bit of volunteer work during the summer, and must travel from one venue to another, often with less than a week between events; and these events are quite some distance from each other; the second event every summer is 2000 miles one way from the first one, and we usually have five or six days to make that distance; to save gas in our older motorhome, we try to drive 55 mph or less -- so we are driving from very early morning until well after dark.

we feel it's rude to pull into a camping area or RV park at 10 or 11 at night, then bother neighbors while we coordinate backing into a slot, getting utilities hooked up, etc ... not to mention flashing headlights into rigs where people are just getting to sleep, as we arrive and try to find a slot to park that is relatively level and big enough

also, many offices of RV parks are closed before we stop at night, and do not open until hours after we need to leave in the morning; we don't want to leave without paying, but many parks don't have provisions for those who arrive late and must leave early

naturally, the "amenities" are closed too --- we are unlikely to use minigolf layouts, or the swimming pool in the moonlight, even if those areas weren't locked up tight; most laundry facilities are closed too, as is the mini-store ...

thank goodness for Wal-Mart or other stores that let us park so we can get a bit of shuteye without bothering anyone else

When in travel mode, we like to stay at Walmart or...

2008-10-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

When in travel mode, we like to stay at Walmart or Flying J or rest stops where allowed. After a long day's drive, we will pull in late, get ready for bed and sleep til daylight. Before heading out, we will shop for something we need, one time it was window cleaner, another time it was coffee supplies, or breakfast food. We usually aren't staying long enough to use any amenities, and wouldn't if we were in a campground, either.

I think that is the same mode the grandparents were in, having a many hours drive to distant destination.

I spend a lot of time living in parking lots due t...

2008-10-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time living in parking lots due to my work, so it's not that I want to CAMP in one when I'm not at work - but lots of times, here in the east, there aren't any campgrounds, much less reasonably priced ones, near where I need to be. And I really DO only buy things I actually need at WalMart - or anywhere else. I surely do appreciate retailers that welcome my little motorhome. And the ones that don't - once I was almost towed because store where I was working was not the owner of their own parking lot.

"Why would I pass up a reasonably-priced park with...

2008-09-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

"Why would I pass up a reasonably-priced park with amenities for a Wal-Mart parking lot?"
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Very simple: for those who don't require or particularly want the 'amenities' of an RV park (I'm self-contained and I do not want to pay $30.00 - $50.00 for a space to park the rig for a few hours!), a 'parking lot' at a Wal*Mart, a truck stop, or a casino, can be very handy! If I'm just 'going to get somewhere' on an interstate, I just want a place off the road, but still convenient to the freeway, for a few hours rest. I pull in, close up, eat, sleep, and be on my way. YMMV.

We are not RVing - yet. I have read so much about ...

2008-09-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

We are not RVing - yet. I have read so much about staying at Walmart. I can understand staying there when you need to buy something anyway and are too tired to continue, etc., but I do appreciate you sharing the teenager's wisdom, never dawned on me, but she is so right - and I would have fallen into the same trap as her grandmother had I not read this!

I have been reading your blog feed for some time now, enjoy reading it. Thank you.

I"m with you! Only stayed once, hope to not do it ...

2008-09-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

I"m with you! Only stayed once, hope to not do it again!!