Free camping. Wal-Martians and Cabelians.....

[tgreening]

I know there are some folks that like making use of Walmarts as an overnight stop when traveling but I never really noticed too many people actually doing it, till I got up to the Mass/Maine area. Then, hoo-boy, there was a bunch. We made a supply run to a Walmart somewhere around Saco Maine and they had an entire corner of the back forty staked out, wagon train style. You know, circle the wagons, keep out the Injuns kind of thing. Regardless I took a slow cruise through the "camp" just out of curiosity, and based on the evil looks I was getting from some of the campers, I mean real "The Hills Have Eyes" kind of stuff, we scurried right on out. Spooky. Naturally we dubbed them all Wal-Martians.

The flip side was Cabelas. We stopped at one on our way up just for giggles and to kill some time. Besides all the stuff inside to blow money on, they had a pretty nice outside setup for folks that wanted to stop and decided to stay. We used it on the way back out. No electric/water hookups but they had a dump station, an outside covered kennel with 8 separate pens and access to potable water, AND an outside stable for at least two horses. Four if they were "family". Much friendlier looking folks here.

I think the Cabelians were more trusting of other strangers than the Wal-Martians, at least in the New England area.

 

[redthies]

I've never liked Walmart or Walmartians. I agree that the Cabellas people are far nicer and more relaxed (does that come from being well armed?).

 

[fog cutter]

.... I took a slow cruise through the "camp" just out of curiosity, and based on the evil looks I was getting ...

maybe they thought you looked a little suspicious?

 

[tgreening]

maybe they thought you looked a little suspicious?

Kind of hard to be too suspicious with your wife and two kids gawking out the windows. I heard banjos.

 

[tgreening]

I've never liked Walmart or Walmartians. I agree that the Cabellas people are far nicer and more relaxed (does that come from being well armed?).

Walmart itself is taking a huge slide to dumpster town, overall. Started off nice and neat but they're getting more and more sloppy inside and checkout is usually a joke. Still, when on the road they're fairly convenient one stop shop for basic supplies.

 

[zelatore]

Walmart itself is taking a huge slide to dumpster town, overall. Started off nice and neat but they're getting more and more sloppy inside and checkout is usually a joke. Still, when on the road they're fairly convenient one stop shop for basic supplies.

Really? Who knew?

Seriously, I have pretty much refused to step foot in one for the last 15 years or so. I only go there once or twice a year to buy oil - they sell Delo 400 in 1 or 2.5 gallon jugs cheaper than I can get it from a local distributor in 55 gallon barrels. I don't use THAT much oil, but at 200 gallons a year or so I'll grit my teeth and force myself to deal with them.

 

[philos]

My perspective is that the Walmartians were staring at you and your vehicle out of fear more than anything. They're sleeping in an often unfamiliar place, or they're often abusing the 72 hour 'rule' for staying in the lot...

and +1 on the Cabela's folks being less strange. Firearms and fudge are a hard combo to beat.

 

[Jason911]

They are a few Wally-marts where camping is verboten - one that comes to mind is in Ashland, WI - no parking lot camping because the town wants you to stay at the ridiculously priced "RV Campground" next to Lake Superior - that is only open for 2.5 months of the year.

 

[pugslyyy]

Walmart itself is taking a huge slide to dumpster town, overall. Started off nice and neat but they're getting more and more sloppy inside and checkout is usually a joke. Still, when on the road they're fairly convenient one stop shop for basic supplies.

We still find a Walmart Supercenter hard to beat for one-stop shopping when we are on the road. RV supplies, camping supplies, fuel, groceries, beer, guns, ammo - all under one roof.

On a slightly more serious note my wife uses WalMart for her prescriptions because their national network has really good reach. If we didn't travel we might use a more convenient local pharmacy, but Walmart can pull it up and fill it anywhere - and that's worth something to us.

 

[fog cutter]

Kind of hard to be too suspicious with your wife and two kids gawking out the windows. I heard banjos.

you're the kind of folks that scare me!

 

[CSG]

We've had pretty good experiences staying at a Walmart overnight in our travels in our 5th wheel. I stayed once (in Price, UT) in my camping van and felt a little more exposed. I think the OP's post says a little more about him than Walmart's RV "guests".

 

[tgreening]

Really? Goody! Pray tell, what does it say about me?

 

[Davev1954]

Really? Goody! Pray tell, what does it say about me?

Do we get the same leeway when we stereo-type you from our computers? :ylsmoke:

 

[calicamper]

LOL walmart can draw an interesting crowd which probably plays into overnighters being on high alert. On the flip side you don't see many financially challenged and socially challenged folks shopping at the big fancy outdoor fitter stores. Different crowd for sure.

 

[tgreening]

Do we get the same leeway when we stereo-type you from our computers? :ylsmoke:

Really? That's what you got out of all this, stereotyping?

Ok. No you don't, because you are making insinuations about a specific individual, a "known" entity, namely me.

I stereotyped no one. I lumped all Walmart campers into no specific group. I didn't speak of all Walmart campers in any way. I dubbed a specific yet anonymous small group with what I think is a fairly humorous nickname, specified a small sub-set of that group as giving me the creeps, and moved along.

A relatively innocuous post made in a small attempt at online levity. If some folks want to get panty bunched or offended, excuse me, Offended, I guess that's on them.

Personally I think Wal-Martian and Cabelian should be added to the Expedition lexicon. I put a lot of (non)effort into coming up with those and I'd like to see my efforts recognized. . <-------- Smiley face.