This Sux!

[MJC62]

I am sitting here at the keyboard googling campgrounds and Rv Parks, looking through logs from past trips trying to PLAN a trip. PLAN a trip! This sux! The idea of being retired and having to PLAN a trip with stops that are locked in do to reservations really and truly stinks! We have never prior to this Covid crap ever had to PLAN on where we were going to end up and when! The whole point of being retired and owning an RV was to fill up the tank, throw in some groceries and head out for whatever length of time we wanted and wherever we ended up. Not having to be at point A to make a $70 a night reservation and then staying till date B cause they won't refund your money because you decided to boogie early! This is the first time in 30 plus years of RVng I am disgusted before I even leave the drive way!
We used to head out the last week of August figuring kids would be headed back to school and now with all this flippin' E learning and home schooling that doesn't fly anymore either. And don't tell me to wait a year then all the Covid buyers will be selling off their rigs! We ain't getting any YOUNGER!!
Oh and have a nice day

[ducksface]

Yup.
We're not going anywhere near a campground.
We'll take the RV, but we'll stay at cutrate hotels, rent a room, and stay in the RV.
Just as cheap, no damn yappy dog 15 feet away in the next RV, no Heart or Souza or hairglam crap blasting from some goofs RV.

We never hook up to water and black tank for more than 10 minutes every third night or so, we don't have to use the slide on a 24.1, the awning is more nuisance than good for most of a day, and we have and inverter to run the microwave or ac.(and we'll have a hotel room if it's suitable to sleep/bathe in.)

We're not even going to plan except to plan to not go close to an rv park.
But
We have neighbors going east from the Grand Canyon to Nashville, and they had no problems making reservations two weeks ago for this holiday weekend for last Monday through this coming Thursday.

[EA37TS]

We were trying to make a few changes to our up coming trip and it amazes me how many campgrounds are totally booked for June and July.

Folks need to get back to work in the corporate office so I can get some reservations.

[Judge]

This does suck......

Lasy year when COVID started, we just loaded up and headed out to any CG that was open. We stayed as long as we wanted and then moved on to another place. We did that most of the spring and summer without any issues.

This year...... forget it!

Back in January we booked most of our big trip from August - October (also thinking vacation season would be over and kids back to school). We planned for Teddy Roosevelt NP, Glacier, Yellowstone, the Tetons, Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. I knew finding places on the fly would be tougher this year and it sucked having to be on a schedule but we didn't want to chance it.

Now that some things are opening back up and we would like to move our trip around.... forget it. If you want to add a few days or change dates, nothing is available.

I read an article this week that RV companies are rolling the dice that this won't be a short-term trend. They are investing in increasing their manufacturing capacity. They think now that people are experiencing the freedom of the RV lifestyle, it will be here to stay and more people will want to do it when they hear others talk about it.

If that's true..... the days of just roaming the country without a schedule will be over for the most part.

I'm not a big boondocker but I'm starting to think we may have to change the way we camp and use Boon Dockers Welcome or Harvest Host more often. I don't want to have to worry about water, electric and dumping but we may have to re-think our strategy if things don't go back to the way they were.

[Bob Denman]

It'll all get itself sorted out...

[waynetaylor55]

And here I was looking forward to retiring................

[Ozark Traveler]

Retirement is tough work...but some one has to do it:

[Elite Washington]

It’s sucks but in a way hopefully it means more people will get into the campground game and we will start to see more parks start to open.

[atreis]

Originally Posted by Elite Washington

It’s sucks but in a way hopefully it means more people will get into the campground game and we will start to see more parks start to open.

X2 on this. Because of the investment and time to build, increase in supply will lag the increase in demand some, but it'll sort itself out in time.

[WearyTraveler]

Well hell…. And I suck at planning.

I don’t think that the RV buying spree can last. With gas topping $3 at 6mpg it’s going to weed out a bunch of RV buyers. I think that once the honeymoon blush wears off, we’ll see some bargains out there.

I’ve got to plan a trip to see my brother in CT next week. I hope I can find some campgrounds for the trip.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by WearyTraveler

Well hell…. And I suck at planning.

I don’t think that the RV buying spree can last. With gas topping $3 at 6mpg it’s going to weed out a bunch of RV buyers. I think that once the honeymoon blush wears off, we’ll see some bargains out there.

I’ve got to plan a trip to see my brother in CT next week. I hope I can find some campgrounds for the trip.

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1622634556

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by WearyTraveler

Well hell…. And I suck at planning.

I don’t think that the RV buying spree can last. With gas topping $3 at 6mpg it’s going to weed out a bunch of RV buyers. I think that once the honeymoon blush wears off, we’ll see some bargains out there.

I’ve got to plan a trip to see my brother in CT next week. I hope I can find some campgrounds for the trip.

Good luck. Earlier this week we found nothing available anywhere we looked during June and July. The RV resort where our park model is located has nothing until after Labor Day.

[Judge]

^^^ X2

Weekends are all but sold out at most places through the summer. You might find some spots during week days but if you need a spot on the weekend you are about SOL.

[saddlesore]

We plan to avoid the "Touristy' areas this year.. and anything east of the Mississippi or south of the Mason Dixon
Looking at "Middle of Bum Steer Nowhere" in Nebraska, the Dakotas, Mebbe Idaho, Montana or Wyoming.. Monthly stays if I can find them..If not....then catch as catch can.. Will even "Do the cheep seats" in truckstops or wide spots along a creek.[grab the soap and git a bath]

[Scubawise]

we used recreation.gov and planned a whole 2 week trip from montana to LA big sur CA.
total cost of campgrounds on our way there under $60. Once there campgrounds $12.50 per night with discount. Jump in. We have no issues

[atreis]

It can help a lot if you can camp without any hookups or with only 30A electric. That can open up a lot of possibilities at state parks, for instance, especially at the less popular ones.

[Scubawise]

atreis i agree we put in a 180 w solar and inverter and groups 31 batteries and can now go anywhere. We have not used SP or electric in th elongest time!!

Happy camping all enjoy these FUN times.
We are alive and able to travel like kings and queens