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Old 05-10-2015, 05:41 PM   #1
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Default Your biggest disappointment about RV'ing

My biggest disappointment is NOT finding a place to camp w/hookups on 3 day weekends and holidays without making a reservation weeks/months in advance.

I'm more of a 'spur of the moment' type and making plans weeks/months in advance means one has to have a schedule ~ same as when at work.

I don't like being here on this day and then having to be elsewhere on another day....scheduling a whole week or two weeks vacation months ahead of time to assure a place to stay with hookups.



A REAL vacation has no schedule so if you decide to stay longer at one place or leave earlier, just do it.

With a "schedule" that isn't possible.
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Old 05-10-2015, 10:40 PM   #2
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My biggest disappointment is knowing that we waited till our 50s to start RVing and missed out on a lot of good years. Better late than never, but we can't get those years back, especially the time when our kids were young.
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Old 05-11-2015, 07:41 AM   #3
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I'm with you Eagle. I love to just drop what I'm doing and go. I have recently purchased a Honda EU300is generator, and will be picking up a Thetford Smart Tote or the likes for waste. That should allow me to pretty much take any available spot I can find as long as there is a dump station somewhere on the grounds.
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Old 05-11-2015, 08:37 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by profdant139
My biggest disappointment is knowing that we waited till our 50s to start RVing and missed out on a lot of good years. Better late than never, but we can't get those years back, especially the time when our kids were young.
I waited longer than that to start RVing but not camping which I started doing in the very early 60's and decades thereafter.

Finally, about 2011 decided that these old bones weren't into the 'tenting' program anymore so went with an RV.

Nice thing about tenting ~ it fits on the motorcycle w/a few necessities and just go, where ever as can always find a place to put a tent near the end of a days riding and no scheduling or reservations ever needed. No need to plan ahead how many miles to cover to be at this place or that place each evening.

I liked that.
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Old 05-11-2015, 02:39 PM   #5
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When we got our first trailer (2007), I was also disappointed that you couldn't just pack up and go (so different from when I was a kid, camping and RVing with my folks). Makes it much easier when you're retired. You couldn't pay me any amount of money to camp on a holiday weekend (unless there is no other choice).

The world is just too crowded these days...so, what I have found to be the best workarounds (for me) are to 1) dry camp (I prefer that anyway - less people around), and 2) check the cancellation policy and if it's not outrageous, go ahead and make the reservations. If you change your mind, no big deal.

Hitting the road in less than 2 weeks for The Great Adventure of 2015, and I have only made 2 reservations, one of which is for the July 4 holiday out in Oregon. That's a "warning", Dan and George, to be prepared for HELP HELP HELP emails... (if that's still okay with you!) And poor George - I have his phone number!!!
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Old 05-12-2015, 10:03 AM   #6
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Michelle, glad to see you're heading out and hope you have a grand ol' time! I can certainly see the aggravation of having to make a reservation, but we have also been able (usually) to find a spot on demand. To be fair, we call ahead usually "day of" while on the way someplace. That's generally been when we are either traveling to somewhere or have decided to move. State parks/National parks are the worst for getting in no matter how far you try to book in advance. Right now while I'm still working we don't mind to pay more for a nice private park and don't typically move much. Anymore, the best vacation for us is to just be able to chill in a beautiful spot and go out when we feel like it!
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Old 05-12-2015, 11:19 AM   #7
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Yes, traveling on major holidays is a pain.

I started a month ago planning for a trip to see my dad in KY. He's 87, so time is precious. We had to plan around a three day holiday, though, because of work schedules and available vacation days. We did it a few years ago and did not have a problem booking at the campground local to where my dad lives. We showed up and got a small spot (had a aframe, so got put on the shortest site they had) and found out they had a pig roast going on along with music.

Well, in the past couple of years, with a slight improvement in the economy, LOTS more people buying campers, and word spreading about the pig roast, I found out they were booked up over two months ago for memorial day weekend. Bummer. So went looking elsewhere - A Samboree was being held at a local fairground and that pretty much filled two other private campgrounds and the local state park. Finally booked at a plain jane park about 30 miles away. Oh Well.

Plus, the to and from stopovers were limited. I wanted to pull in to a KOA for the Thursday night before, but their booking system was locked out unless you were booking for three consecutive nights. Double Bummer. PITA.

Well, I got the trip lined out, but lots of work went into it. The same can be said for our 4th of July trip to NC. The only way I got a campsite in one campground for the 1st through the 5th was to move sites halfway through.

All the more reason we are glad we bought our own 10 acre piece of mountainside a few years ago. We had the drive "improved", an area levelled out to park the camper and full hookups put in. We can come and go as we please without reservations or rules. And no noisy neighbors.
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Old 05-12-2015, 06:51 PM   #8
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As for campgrounds being booked full, the August Sturgis SD bike rally is the worst!

I looked to reserve a spot about a month and a half ago. Many were booked FULL and it isn't until August!! Besides that, only wanted to spend two or 3 nights and nearly all of them REQUIRE A WEEK MINIMUM at $1,000 to $1,400 for the full week regardless of how many days you stay. THAT SUCKS!!

Did find one campground in the way southern part could have stayed a day or two but it's way out of the way, about an hour and a half drive from Sturgis.

So, just going to pass by and go to Glacier and Cody Wy. We have made reservations to be sure to have a spot in a private campgrounds.

Traveling to and from will be truck stops and WalMart parking lots stays overnight as only need to stop and sleep with plans to spend most of the time at Glacier and Cody.
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Old 05-13-2015, 06:56 AM   #9
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Eagle, have you checked these out. Don't know if you're willing to dry camp.

Bear Butte State Park - Main (15)
605-347-5240

Bear Butte State Park - Horse Camp (4)
605-347-5240

BLM Alkali Creek TH (6)
No electric
No showers
No dump
Vault toilets

BLM Alkali Creek Horse Camp

There are several USFS campgrounds about maybe 30 miles away from Sturgis, as the crow flies.

ON EDIT: Just read the rest of your post and see you are willing to dry camp (Walmart, etc.)
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Old 05-13-2015, 07:54 AM   #10
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Thanks but when I checked earlier everything in the area was booked for the 1st week in August.

Anyway, with the reservation schedule we have set-up, given travel times, etc. have to stay with our current plan or have to re-do the whole trip...and I'm not ready to do that again.

A big thanks for suggesting the BLM land as hadn't looked into that aspect.
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Old 05-17-2015, 04:22 PM   #11
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As some of you already know, Yoly and I are working the Lake Tahoe KOA this summer through September. We are already booked solid for the July 4th holiday with 3 day minimums. Last year they doubled their business and they expect this year to be even more slammed. California is so far deep in the red, Governor Brown has officially closed all the State Parks again this summer so families are forced to go to the private parks if they want amenities. We aren't expecting Memorial Day to be too bad as they're getting a late winter.

Here's our first morning here (May 15th)





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Old 05-17-2015, 04:24 PM   #12
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OMGOSH - SNOW!! Ugh.

So, ALL CA State Parks are closed? Ouch.
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Old 05-17-2015, 04:42 PM   #13
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That 'red ink' would disappear quickly if the got rid of the illegals and all their social giveaway programs to those who refuse to work. Then again, that is a whole different issue of another nature.

Odd they would close all the state parks.

For what the fees are in this area, they could eliminate most of the employees & non-essential services and turn a handsome profit.
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Old 05-18-2015, 06:18 AM   #14
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Forget autumn's "frost on the pumpkin"... Spring's "frost on the FunFinder is the new way to judge when to protest your plants!

So, that is you site at the KOA? That looks great.

Too bad California thinks closing off things like natural resources parks is the way to save money. Looks like we'll not be in too much of a hurry to plan a trip out that way.
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Old 05-18-2015, 11:40 PM   #15
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For the record, we are currently at our wits end. The water leaks that we discovered on our first outing that were supposed to have be fixed by our selling dealer failed. We continue to have water leaking now through the interior of the walls coming into the bedroom cabin. We are so disgusted with the shoddy craftsmanship in general of all RVs and the lack of service through any RV dealer network that we've decided to just bail on this lifestyle completely. We'll fullfill our commitment here (at the Lake Tahoe KOA) and sell the 214 when we get back in September. Life is too short to put up with stuff like this. Anyone looking for a good deal, let me know.



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Old 05-18-2015, 11:42 PM   #16
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For the record, we are currently at our wits end. The water leaks that we discovered on our first outing that were supposed to have be fixed by our selling dealer failed. We continue to have water leaking now through the interior of the walls coming into the bedroom cabin. We are so disgusted with the shoddy craftsmanship in general of all RVs and the lack of service through any RV dealer network that we've decided to just bail on this lifestyle completely. We'll fullfill our commitment here (at the Lake Tahoe KOA) and sell the 214 when we get back in September. Life is too short to put up with stuff like this. Anyone looking for a good deal, let me know.



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Old 05-19-2015, 09:23 AM   #17
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Wow, is this post really from you folks? This is the first negative kind of post I have read on this forum from you.

We've been pretty happy with ours. Found a few things that make you go "hmmm..." but I have not happened across an RV that wasn't that way.

I f that post was real, I am sorry to hear you turn sour on the lifestyle. It seemed to be a matchup for you folks.
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Old 05-19-2015, 01:11 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Travels with Yoly
For the record, we are currently at our wits end. The water leaks that we discovered on our first outing that were supposed to have be fixed by our selling dealer failed. We continue to have water leaking now through the interior of the walls coming into the bedroom cabin. We are so disgusted with the shoddy craftsmanship in general of all RVs and the lack of service through any RV dealer network that we've decided to just bail on this lifestyle completely. We'll fullfill our commitment here (at the Lake Tahoe KOA) and sell the 214 when we get back in September. Life is too short to put up with stuff like this. Anyone looking for a good deal, let me know.
I believe you should be more upset with the dealerships' personnel that "attempted" to repair the water leaks than with the industry as a whole.

True, Cruise should have assured the water system was 'leak tested' as should have the selling dealership with their pre delivery check system ~ so appears there is multiple human error factors at play.

However, the bottom line is the leaks were located and the personnel that "attempted" to repair them didn't and that is their responsibility and fault.

My own experience with the XT-276 I purchased, my first camper, has been, overall, positive other than a little tweeking here and there which was anticipated.
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Old 05-19-2015, 03:20 PM   #19
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Yes, this post is in fact from yours truly This is our third trailer from 3 different manufacturers in 14 months. All three of them were riddled with issues simply due to lack of pride in workmanship so it seems this is common in the industry. Thankfully, I am somewhat mechanically inclined and have been able to make most of the repairs myself, hence the somewhat positive attitude.

My email to our selling dealer in regards to this issue was met with a very nice sincere reply stating that they had made the repair and water tested the window repair to their satisfaction. He noted that it is impossible for them to test for simulated road conditions that can affect these types of repairs. I tend to believe him and have to conclude that the technology and materials therefore are not up to the rigors of its intended usage.

I can't help but feel that these types of failures are imminent on a trailer that may see lots of miles and therefore not something I care to deal with on a regular basis. Again, this is only the second time we've had the trailer out and the fifth time our cabin has flooded due to leakage in construction seals, plumbing fittings etc. I just don't know what's going to fail next. It's just so discouraging and frustrating so my nature is to simply distance myself from these kinds of headaches.



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Old 05-23-2015, 12:29 PM   #20
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Default UPDATE

This is an update to the above post (as of 5/22/15)

After being hooked up to a city water source for a week and having normal water heater function, the water heater has now stopped working completely on A/C. Thankfully it still works on propane so we continue to have hot water .... a necessity since we are here until the end of September.

Nothing looks amiss visually from the outside. The water heater has absolutely never been turned on without being full of water so there is no chance that we burnt out the element by doing that. Just another piece of RV technology not up to the task I guess. I am still optimistic, just not about the RV industry



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