Planning your trip pulling........
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Tuned
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 301
Likes: 144
Planning your trip pulling........
Howdy all.....
I am into my second season of pulling my 26 foot travel trailer with my 2011 250 Super Duty gasser automatic FX4. Already have one trip in the books this year, with a couple more coming up......
I have only pulled as far as I can get in a day, distance wise, and stay at that spot, until I return.
Next year my wife retires, and we are going to take off the very next day, traveling across the states starting from the Pacific Northwest and going east......
Hopefully crossing the upper regions of our nation, then heading south at some point to visit her brother in Tennessee, then back west to Southern California to see our kids, then back north to home.
We have the luxury of time.....and I want to enjoy it too, so my question is to you who have journeyed as such....."How much should I travel in a day?"
Do you try and find points of interest, stay a little longer in those places?
Do you ever just sleep at a rest stop?
I can access our bed without opening the slides (one on each side) so I am thinking its doable.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.....THANK YOU!
I am into my second season of pulling my 26 foot travel trailer with my 2011 250 Super Duty gasser automatic FX4. Already have one trip in the books this year, with a couple more coming up......
I have only pulled as far as I can get in a day, distance wise, and stay at that spot, until I return.
Next year my wife retires, and we are going to take off the very next day, traveling across the states starting from the Pacific Northwest and going east......
Hopefully crossing the upper regions of our nation, then heading south at some point to visit her brother in Tennessee, then back west to Southern California to see our kids, then back north to home.
We have the luxury of time.....and I want to enjoy it too, so my question is to you who have journeyed as such....."How much should I travel in a day?"
Do you try and find points of interest, stay a little longer in those places?
Do you ever just sleep at a rest stop?
I can access our bed without opening the slides (one on each side) so I am thinking its doable.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.....THANK YOU!
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,726
Likes: 12,873
From: Wyoming
My preference is to have a known destination where I can overnight. I plan ahead enough to know where I can find potable water and maybe a dump station. In the Rocky Mountains there are plenty of opportunities for free camping in National Forests and BLM. There are also a lot of state owned places that are also free. How far between stops? Once I'm retired I hope that the distance will be just enough to visit something different that the prior stop. Since I'm still working, I've been known to drive 12 hours in a day to get back home so I can be at work the next day. I have no problem stopping to take a nap.
Many rest areas do not allow camping overnight.
Many rest areas do not allow camping overnight.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,676
Likes: 379
We also like having a pre-planned overnight place. We usually drive 500ish miles (8 hours) and spend 2 nights at an overnight (with a pool if possible) before hitting the road again in the direction of our ultimate destination. There's so much to see in the U.S. that we always find something interesting.
We've met couples with only their car and a tent...no plan...just out seeing the country. One couple was on his and her motorcycles...no plan...just a tent. Little too brave for me.:-)
We've met couples with only their car and a tent...no plan...just out seeing the country. One couple was on his and her motorcycles...no plan...just a tent. Little too brave for me.:-)
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 684
From: DeMotte, IN
I tend to do the same as 65Ford. We will have reservations once we plan the trip. It gives you time to set up and relax. Also on a windy or heavy rain days, it does take its toll. After about 8 hours I’m ready to relax. I also keep it under 70 most of the time. One I am on vacation and two, most of the roads will beat your camper to death. In the morning we are not the first one leaving the camp ground, but it’s close. Nothing better than an early start. We mostly stay at KOA as we are members and you usually have consistent accommodations but I have told my better half we need to try some of the other campgrounds.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 417
Many Walmarts let you stay in the parking lot, as well as Cracker Barrel Restaurants. You might join an RV Forum for more feedback from more that do this as well. There are websites and apps that point out free parking, etc etc, with reviews. People stay in Casino parking lots for free as well. As for points of interest, some of the Larger parks out west, yes, advanced planning and reservations is highly encouraged. Many offer limited walk-in sites, but you certainly want to arrive earlier in the day for a chance.
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 742
Likes: 235
From: S. Indiana
We travel (on average) 6 hrs or 300 miles a day, whichever comes first. We have towed from coast to coast (49 out of the 50 states) and avoided most interstate highways....."enjoy the journey as well as the destination". Every third day we spend an extra night to "decompress" and do a little sight seeing, so we plan our routes accordingly. Other than holiday weekends, we seldom make advance reservations and never spend the night at Walmart. We estimate where we will be in 6 or so hours. Then, using a combination of online apps, GPS and Google, we look for "camping" near that destination. Then phone ahead to make a reservation, including state parks, city campgrounds, KOA's, private RV camps, etc. (We use online campground ratings to avoid "surprises") We try to avoid being rushed, mid morning departures and mid to late afternoon arrivals.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,475
Likes: 728
From: Calgary Canada
My theory of travelling is less about how far I go in one day, but rather I try to stay 2-3 nights every time I stop. That way, I get to set up and really relax a bit. I guess I should say I'm travelling with kids these days, which may change things too. But I'd still prefer to drive 8 hours in a day and 0 the next day than 4 and 4. There's just a certain amount of set up and tear-down time that I don't enjoy, and I consider a waste to do daily.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
We did something very similar, but we were looking for a retirement location. Addressing how far to travel each day can only be answered with as far as you want. We would sometimes stay 3 or 4 days if we stumbled across some where cool and sometimes moved on each morning. Some days we did not get out of the CG until 10 and other days we might leave at 8. Don’t het in a hurry, take your time and enjoy the trip. We always stopped for lunch and then would push on usually stopping around 4. Very seldom did we have reservations. We would whip out the laptop, locate a CG that looked cool and call to see if they had a site. We only had a couple of times when we could not find a space over the year we spent traveling. Just play it by ear and have fun. When all else fails there is usually a Walmart parking lot. Remember, you’ve got nowhere you have to be. There are some beautiful, hidden little CGs out there and there are some dumps. Enjoy them all. They are part of the experience.
My wife just stated, “do not be too proud to stay in a hotel if the RV gets a little cramped and the nerves a little frayed”.
My wife just stated, “do not be too proud to stay in a hotel if the RV gets a little cramped and the nerves a little frayed”.
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 736
Likes: 225
We like to keep our travels to about 350 miles per day, but I have done 450 to 500 miles a couple of times just to get home or a destination......that is a long day.
When I start getting tired, the missus will start checking on campgrounds about 50 miles out. We seek out campgrounds close to our route, the opposite side of a city (if so to avoid next morning commuter traffic), and ask for a long level site so we don’t need to unhook. This has worked out well for us.
On a recent trip out west, we stayed at 1 Walmart after calling to check (after another Walmart in the same city told us they did not allow overnight stays in their parking lot), a Cabela’s, a state fairground with electric, and a town park with water and electric.
Somebody mentioned Cracker Barrel. All that I have seen have very small RV areas, and most don’t seem to be easy entrance and exits for bigger rigs.
When I start getting tired, the missus will start checking on campgrounds about 50 miles out. We seek out campgrounds close to our route, the opposite side of a city (if so to avoid next morning commuter traffic), and ask for a long level site so we don’t need to unhook. This has worked out well for us.
On a recent trip out west, we stayed at 1 Walmart after calling to check (after another Walmart in the same city told us they did not allow overnight stays in their parking lot), a Cabela’s, a state fairground with electric, and a town park with water and electric.
Somebody mentioned Cracker Barrel. All that I have seen have very small RV areas, and most don’t seem to be easy entrance and exits for bigger rigs.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 112
Likes: 9
From: Asheville, NC
My wife, dog and I moved from AK to NC last year after retiring. We pulled a 24-foot travel trailer that we stayed in. 5,000 miles. Only drove around 6 or so hours per day so as to make the trip enjoyable and not stressful (although 6 hours on the ALCAN highway towing a trailer can be quite stressful). Bottom line, I think, is to not push it and to enjoy the journey. Sleep in in the mornings, set up before too late in the evenings and just enjoy what you're doing.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 684
From: DeMotte, IN
Let us know when you hit 50 out of 50!!
FTE Community Team
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 10,781
Likes: 1,512
I think a lot of it has to do with your durability and resilience while driving. Some folks have a hard time driving more than a couple of hours at a time. Others can drive 16 hours solid only taking bio breaks when the fuel gauge tells them to. Some get sleepy after dark, some don't (important when the days get shorter). Most are somewhere in-between.
The important thing is to figure out where on that barometer you stand and keep re-evaluating over time. X hours might be easy today and too much tomorrow. Also, I've found it more fun to be flexible. While you're driving, your SO is sightseeing and possibly looking stuff up along the way.
The important thing is to figure out where on that barometer you stand and keep re-evaluating over time. X hours might be easy today and too much tomorrow. Also, I've found it more fun to be flexible. While you're driving, your SO is sightseeing and possibly looking stuff up along the way.
New User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Many destinations are planned with reservations but in between I prefer to wing it. I find it more enjoyable to not plan and make it up as we go but it drives my wife nuts. We have done a few 700+mile / 14 hour pulls in a day (CA Bay Area to Salt Lake City, Astoria, Flagstaff) and I can tell you that is too much! We have stayed the night in Walmart parking lots and rest stops. Do check to make sure it is allowed in whatever City/State you are in. Having flexibility in your travel plan allows you to stop when you are tired rather than pushing through wind, rain, fatigue to make your next reservation. Also, someplaces are just not as enjoyable as you thought and will want to not stay as long.
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