"Cheating" with electricity.

[Pskhaat]

So...I'll admit to cheating a little while camping. I've pulled into an RV park or two in my travels. I won't pay more than $10.

I find it akin to mooring your boat instead of anchoring overnight. Now granted I try and find a mooring when and where the grog is best (resetting anchor in the dead of night with a little too much Nelson's Blood is entertaining though).

Sometimes heading across I-80 and want to find a spot to camp it is often easy to find some empty RV park facing unexpectedly beautiful rolling midwestern corn fields. There's also an RV park alongside the Dolores river which can make an excellent late-night stop. I would not generally be caught in row-after-row of satellite-dish dawned large RVs though.

What these "campgrounds" have is ELECTRICITY. In winter (it ain't always pleasant camp in December in Iowa or South Dakota) this can mean a darned comfortable night with a small utility heater and the block heater can get a workout too. How about painless eggs & bacon morning on a portable hotplate?

It can be quite convenient as a ski bum to find a 120VAC outlet somewhere and live in the back of the truck for a while...so I've heard.

Anyone else partake of some electron fuel along the way?

 

[flyingwil]

You're a wuss!

Naw, just kidding. I have hit a few in my times as well, mainly because I was in an unfamiliar area, and ran out of time to seek another campsite for that evening. As you stated they are hit and miss, and I too will gladly pass it up if there is row after rows of RV's.

My Eezi-Awn has been set up in Wal-Mart's parking lot too. Just to grab a quick cat nap and cruise on. Note: Cat nap is hard in Wal-Mart parking lots... too many people looking at the tent :Wow1: :REOutShootinghunter

 

[calamaridog]

Forget the electricity, how about the pool and hot showers.

 

[Hilldweller]

Guilty on occasion. Usually if I'm in unfamiliar territory or somebody in the group is bringing an infant.

But I prefer the privacy and quiet that the woods provide:

 

[goodtimes]

Typically....no. I have little use for campgrounds, as I don't have anything that runs off of A/C. The hot showers are nice, but after 3 or 4 days of camping, I just get a hotel for the night. Soft bed, hot shower, "real" food (that someone else prepares), wi-fi, laundry facilities, etc., are all things that the I'll admit are nice to have from time to time.

 

[Northern Explorer]

Yep, done that many times. Not specifically for the electricity but usually ,as Wil stated, "I was in an unfamiliar area, and ran out of time to seek another campsite for that evening."

 

[Jacket]

Forget the electricity, how about the pool and hot showers.

Indeed - especially if you're traveling with kids. While I definitely prefer the peace and solitude of a remote camp, I need to treat my kids (daughter) on occasion to a pool, playground or semi-civilized place with other kids to play with.

 

[StumpXJ]

My wife and I strapped the RTT to the roof of her Suzuki wagon on our 4000 km trip to Finland. We drove through the old eastern block countries (through poland, latvia, lithuania, estonia etc.) and our first night was spent ********** dab in the middle of Warsaw, Poland. A huge bustling city, that happened to have a camp ground right in the middle, was a godsend at midnight after driving for 16 hours. I have certainly been known to hit designated campgrounds.

~James

 

[cowboy4x4]

nothing wrong with campgrounds now and then.

 

[xcmountain80]

Hmm well I'm a poser than when it comes to overlanding as primitive campground site aren't big enough for the rig and the rv sites almost always have power and well of course I carry a ext. cord. We camp (RTT) for 2 nights then hit a hotel. The wife likes bathrooms and what not. We would however be ok w/o power. I can run it all off the rig. Though here on the east side there aren't as many remotes to camp at though I'm itching to got to the place Hilldweller likes.

Aaron

 

[mountainpete]

Nothing wrong with staying in a campground. Unlimited hot showers, easy to access firewood, nice people nearby (usually). And if available, I usually do partake in using an electical hookup, but usually only for recharging some devices. I don't carry any items that require 110V for anything other the battery charging.

One campground my wife and I were at in Oregon was great. Total plush-fest. Electricity, free firewood, water tap right beside us and coolest of all: free wi-fi. We layed in our tent and watched some show online. Can't remember what show it was, but we sure did love it.

Pete

 

[xcmountain80]

I had thought of getting a flat panel LCD for the RTT. No I'm not kidding, we watch dvd's on the laptop all the time. I can see it now tada....

Aaron

 

[StumpXJ]

LOL... ive thought about the same thing. I ALWAYS have the laptop up in the RTT with me. I have a little system that lets it hang from the ceiling tubes above our heads, so its like having a TV on the roof. It works awesome!

~James

 

[xcmountain80]

Yeah thats how I envisioned the LCD going up and with the Sony PS2 I have (just bigger than dvd case) it would make a perfect marriage btwn the LCD and our pimp RTT entertainment facility.

Aaron

 

[paulj]

I occasionally use private parks if nearby state/provincial parks are full, or too far out of the way. They usually aren't my first choice since they tend to be expensive, and closely packed - either side by side slots for RVs or open lawns for tents. Bathroom facilities may or may not be better than public parks. Laundry facilities can be nice to have. I rarely use the recreational extras, preferring the trails of public parks.

Perhaps the best private park was Gnom's Home in the Bella Coola Valley (BC). That was in a heavily wooded area; even had a modest nature trail in old growth forest. It is owned by a retired school teacher with a lot of knowledge about the area. It was a good base camp for exploring a wild and remote part of Canada. Plus there aren't any provincial parks in the valley, just a small set of forest rec. sites.