Say we are overnighting for one night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot or in an RV park. One night only.
Thought is to put out slides, hook up to shore power and water..perhaps or perhaps not to sewer, depending on need.
Do you stay hitched up, unhooking the power from the TV?
Do you take the weight off the truck by just raising and releasing the pin?
Guess I am asking is it okay to stay hitched to the TV for just one night...
Thinking along the lines of our upcoming trip North. We will take our time with possible layovers of a couple of days, but there might very well be a boondocking in a Walmart, Cracker Barrel, truck stop, etc.
Thanks for opinions and tips!
Cheers, Betty
53 Merc said
06:46 PM May 4, 2010
Guess I missed the question.
In a Cracker Barrel, you ain't hooking up to shore power, or anything. Same goes for Wally or Flying J. You are on you own, no hookups unless you have a genset.
As far as the truck, it is perfectly OK to remain hitched, if you have plenty of room. Slides? Whole different question. If I can put out the BR slide without impacting anyone or anything, you betcha. Stabilizers, no. Electrical connection between the truck and the trailer? Depends on your anticipated power usage. If you expect a hard power draw, disconnect the truck so you do not discharge the starting batteries. If all you are doing is running a few lights for a short time, no problem at all to leave them connected.
In an RV Park, we sometimes leave the truck connected, if I can get reasonably level and have the length to do so. We run out the slides, hook up whatever we need and enjoy. Even for a one-night stand.
Racerguy said
07:37 PM May 4, 2010
Any parking lot you are in, be as inconspicious as possible.I will put a slide out if I can and not be in the way.I always stay hooked up and shop/eat where I park.Ask permission to park.Arrive late and leave early.
Mallo said
09:13 PM May 4, 2010
We stay hooked up I may if there is wind run the stabilizers down until they just touch at most take a few pounds off the pin.
Mallo
2fortheroad said
09:43 PM May 4, 2010
I haven't personally witnessed this, but have heard stories of overnighters leaving trash and oil stains from leaky transmissions and motors. What one does can affect us all.
azrving said
10:13 PM May 4, 2010
I have never stayed overnight @ Cracker Barrel, Wally World, etc. but I have boondocked & stayed in rest areas overnight. I wouldn't extend the slides @ Wal-Mart or Cracker Barrel since it may look like you intend to stay put for more than one night. As for leaving the RV attached to the TV, it won't hurt a thing to leave is connected. We have a list of sites (at our favorite campgrounds) that are level enough to leave the TV hooked up, this works great for us since we don't do a lot of exploring when we camp. It is a good idea to drop the front jacks to take a little of the load off of the TV and steady the RV a little too. 53 Merc gave some good advice on the power supply; I always disconnect the wiring to prevent a dead battery on the TV. You can buy and install an isolator (SP??) to prevent that from happening.
TxYellowRose said
08:22 AM May 5, 2010
Guess I should have been a little more concise with my question; however, the answers put together a picture of yes, it is okay to do what I have been thinking should the need arise and permission given from wherever, which is lower landing gear enough to take pressure off TV/stabilize, disconnect power from TV, leave slides in, patronize the establishment, keep a low profile and leave no traces behind.
I know to ask permission, our TV is not leaking oil and our attitude is to leave a campsite (no matter where it is) so that you really could not tell we were ever there.
Thanks, all! Just wanted a little backup to what I envisioned.
Cheers!
The Bear II said
08:58 AM May 5, 2010
When we one night stand, we usually try to find an out of the way parking spot that will allow us to run out the slides (ours are on the drivers side). We don't disconnect or unhitch from the TV. We always get permission if it's a retail business other than a truck or RV supporting business.
We don't put out chairs or mats and leave the space clean. My old truck did leak trans fluid, just a few drops, so we would not park where this would be an problem.
If we stop early and would be walking around in the 5th wheel I would put down the landing gear and stabilizers. We would run the generator as needed or for the evening while watching tv as long as it wouldn't bother anyone parked next to us...fumes or noise.
If shore power available will hook up to it especially if need A/C to stay cool or heat to stay warm. Again this would depend on if we were stopping late and just going to sleep or early and need power for cooking and tv.
Have had one night stands at wally world, gas stations, shopping centers, side of the road, city hall parking lots, public parks, friend's houses, repair shop and all the usual places like truck stops, rest stops & camping world.
Mallo said
06:04 AM May 6, 2010
2fortheroad wrote:
I haven't personally witnessed this, but have heard stories of overnighters leaving trash and oil stains from leaky transmissions and motors. What one does can affect us all.
Yet I have witnessed people in cars do this very thing.... lets not be so fast to lay the blame for all the ills of the world on overnighters.
Mallo
2fortheroad said
12:11 PM May 6, 2010
Mallo wrote:
2fortheroad wrote:
I haven't personally witnessed this, but have heard stories of overnighters leaving trash and oil stains from leaky transmissions and motors. What one does can affect us all.
Yet I have witnessed people in cars do this very thing.... lets not be so fast to lay the blame for all the ills of the world on overnighters.
Mallo
Mallo, I totally agree with you, we have also wittnessed people in cars leaving trash behind. It was in no way my intention to place blame on any one person or group. My thought was that if I leave a bad impression with a retailer or anyone for that matter.... it could have a negative impact on the RV community as a whole.
It reminds me of the term..... " We are a TEAM and there is no... I in Team".
Sharon also reminded me,.... in 2005 we flew to Alaska. We rented a MH for sightseeing. On our last night because of our schedule we choose to stay at a Wal Mart in Anchorage close to the Rental place. This Wal Mart is scary after dark but their Alaska souvenirs are reasonably priced.
Did I get your attention? Good!
Say we are overnighting for one night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot or in an RV park. One night only.
Thought is to put out slides, hook up to shore power and water..perhaps or perhaps not to sewer, depending on need.
Do you stay hitched up, unhooking the power from the TV?
Do you take the weight off the truck by just raising and releasing the pin?
Guess I am asking is it okay to stay hitched to the TV for just one night...
Thinking along the lines of our upcoming trip North. We will take our time with possible layovers of a couple of days, but there might very well be a boondocking in a Walmart, Cracker Barrel, truck stop, etc.
Thanks for opinions and tips!
Cheers,
Betty
In a Cracker Barrel, you ain't hooking up to shore power, or anything. Same goes for Wally or Flying J. You are on you own, no hookups unless you have a genset.
As far as the truck, it is perfectly OK to remain hitched, if you have plenty of room. Slides? Whole different question. If I can put out the BR slide without impacting anyone or anything, you betcha. Stabilizers, no. Electrical connection between the truck and the trailer? Depends on your anticipated power usage. If you expect a hard power draw, disconnect the truck so you do not discharge the starting batteries. If all you are doing is running a few lights for a short time, no problem at all to leave them connected.
In an RV Park, we sometimes leave the truck connected, if I can get reasonably level and have the length to do so. We run out the slides, hook up whatever we need and enjoy. Even for a one-night stand.
Mallo
I have never stayed overnight @ Cracker Barrel, Wally World, etc. but I have boondocked & stayed in rest areas overnight. I wouldn't extend the slides @ Wal-Mart or Cracker Barrel since it may look like you intend to stay put for more than one night.
As for leaving the RV attached to the TV, it won't hurt a thing to leave is connected. We have a list of sites (at our favorite campgrounds) that are level enough to leave the TV hooked up, this works great for us since we don't do a lot of exploring when we camp. It is a good idea to drop the front jacks to take a little of the load off of the TV and steady the RV a little too. 53 Merc gave some good advice on the power supply; I always disconnect the wiring to prevent a dead battery on the TV. You can buy and install an isolator (SP??) to prevent that from happening.
Guess I should have been a little more concise with my question; however, the answers put together a picture of yes, it is okay to do what I have been thinking should the need arise and permission given from wherever, which is lower landing gear enough to take pressure off TV/stabilize, disconnect power from TV, leave slides in, patronize the establishment, keep a low profile and leave no traces behind.
I know to ask permission, our TV is not leaking oil and our attitude is to leave a campsite (no matter where it is) so that you really could not tell we were ever there.
Thanks, all! Just wanted a little backup to what I envisioned.
Cheers!
Yet I have witnessed people in cars do this very thing.... lets not be so fast to lay the blame for all the ills of the world on overnighters.
Mallo
It reminds me of the term..... " We are a TEAM and there is no... I in Team".
Sharon also reminded me,.... in 2005 we flew to Alaska. We rented a MH for sightseeing. On our last night because of our schedule we choose to stay at a Wal Mart in Anchorage close to the Rental place. This Wal Mart is scary after dark but their Alaska souvenirs are reasonably priced.