Thor Forums

[MJC62]

We are currently into our fourth week on the road and I thought I would throw out a few observations on our part with travel this year.
1st as I said in another thread with all the "new" RV's on the road these days the freedom of just loading up the motorhome and hitting the road is for the most part gone. If you haven't got a reservation in the National Park or the RV park close to the popular destinations forget rolling into town unannounced and expect to find a spot for a few days. Unless you are living a sainted life and catch a park with a cancellation expect to be staying and driving a good ways away from the area you want to visit.
2) Crowds are bad period. We have in the past timed our travel start the last week of August on into September figuring kids are back in school. Errr !! No more since COVID, and even before their are more and more families doing the remote schooling. A laptop and the web and junior does school from the West Yellowstone RV Park.
3) Did I say crowds? Visiting Yellowstone even after Labor Day the crowds at the various attractions were awful. Might as well been standing in line for the Tower of Terror in Disney World..
4) Prices. The increase in RV's on the road these days have not only been a boon to the RV manufacturer the RV Parks are making hay as well. What used to be a $35 - $45 dollar a night park is now getting $65- $75 a night with a Good Sam discount. One instance we were getting blown all over the highway in South Dakota and called the nearest Kamp Ground to get an overnight. Now mind you this park is basically in the middle of Podunk S.D. not nestled right up the street from the 4 heads ( wife's description of Mt Rushmore) The lady at the desk that day said they could swing us in for E & W no S for $75. Needless to say we said no thanks drove another 30 miles and stopped full HU for 40 bucks. The point evidently these parks are getting somebody to shell out that kind of coin. New folks that don't know better yet? IDK.
5)Fuel Prices. We have seen gas all over the map on price. Same brand ten miles down the road in the same state .20 -.30 higher. Maybe local road taxes? Or maybe the only game in town and the market will bare the price? Don't know. (Rule of thumb fill the MH and the Toad at least 30 miles from the popular parks or figure on getting hosed for 30%-40% more for your fuel.
6) My biggest complaint about traveling after peak season is somebody needs to tell the National Parks, Forests and BLM that people do use campgrounds after Labor Day. National Forests & Bureau of Land Management start closing many campgrounds the week after Labor Day. Yellowstone and Glacier follow suit with the bulk of their campgrounds closed by mid September.
Finally this trip has had it's trials but we wouldn't want to travel any other way. I've been camping and RV'ng since I was a kid in the 60's. Been married to the DW for 40 years and been camping & RVng since before we tied the knot.
We have had to adapt these days and make more reservations but RVng in our opinion is the only way to travel and see this great country!!
Peace Out & Goodnight from Craters of the Moon in Idaho!
Mark