Over the past few years, we've planned just about every stop of any long (500+ miles) trip we've taken, but, just curious. Any of you have (or not have) an end destination, and just wander to.............wherever along the way? We are thinking of doing so for our trip to the Black Hills next summer via northern MN, ND, WY, and SD. Last summer, while traveling south thru Nebraska on route 14, we passed thru a number of interesting towns along the way.......Elgin, Albion, Genoa, and so on. Most all had their own city run campground that you won't find in any book. Prices were right ($5 or so per night---usually E only), lots of room, pleasant ambience, and you're right in town. We've noticed this facet of our country that is attractive once you get off the interstate. US Hwy2 in NW MN has quite a few choices.....Erskine, Mentor, Crookston, East Grand Forks.........No RV resort atmospheres, but downright worth visiting. --Dave
For us, it always seems like we are on a budget of time… so with this in mind, we always plan our trips with a destination. It does however seem like it would make a great trip, just pulling out, and having absolutely no plans. Maybe after I retire, if I ever do, we could do a travel adventure like this? Until then, I’ll just keep planning. I will say, planning a trip is very enjoyable to me, but it would be fun to try one totally “off the cuff” Happy Camping! RVman
December 31 is my last day of work, retiring. My wife and I are going to do just that. We are leaving with absolutley no idea where we are going or for how long! CAN"T WAIT!!!!
Many times we will just go and explore with no reservations and stay where we will. We use town CGs as well as wal marts and anywhere we can stop and get out and explore. John S. 1999 Foretravel
Boy, do I envy you all. My wife and I have a used Pace Arrow, but we don't have the money for gas, etc. to just head out as we would like to. I would be perfectly content to just drive around and find places to stay for indefinite periods, but... Well, there's always the Oregon Megabucks lottery, I suppose. It's at an all-time high and, as they say, you have to be in it to win it. I'm in it (a whopping five bucks worth).
Mr. CrankyMediaGuy: Have you ever considered being a workamper? There are lots of places that are seeking dependable people to work at campgrounds, and they provide a free space and, many times, a salary. I don't know what your age or health condition is, but this would be a way for you to move around a bit and also earn a little money. Just a thought.
Beastdriver: Yeah, I know a *little* about workamping. I've been to their site once or twice. Actually, my wife and I have jobs that allow us to work via computer from home. We ain't rich, but it keeps us in McNuggets. My daughter is still at home and going to community college at the moment, which also makes it a wee bit difficult to hit La Open Road. I'm still holding out hope for the lottery (as a nun once said to me, "Live in hope, die in despair.") My ideal life these days would be to be able to travel around with no set itinerary at all--just go where ever we want and stay for as long as it amuses us to be there. Actually, I suspect all the insecurity in the world currently is the reason the RV life seems suddenly to appeal to a lot of people. Keep your knees bent and be ready to move in any direction, you know?
CrankyMediaGuy: Actually, it sounds like you are closer than you think to doing just what you want to do. If you can work from home (your motorhome, I presume), and when you can make arrangements for your daughter, it seems you are well on your way to being a "nomad." Go for it ASAP!
We go where the road leads us and when and only occasionally have an itinerary. As much as possible we stay off the freeways. Nothing interesting is built on the freeway and lots is 'unbuilt'. The backroads lead through the towns that have the points of interest and as you have already found out, inexpensive rv parks. No RESORTS back there, just a spot to pull over with basic hookups and most often very nice hosts. The other people staying are usually more easy and laidback because they also have not spent the day on the freeway fighting truckers and speedballs. We find that when the travel is slower we see and appreciate more and find those quirky little places that aren't written up in any travel guide.
We usually travel without reservations. We spent two months last summer traveling around the US and Canada with no reserations. We mainly planned our stops using this website, state travel guides, and places other campers told us about along the way. The only problems we had were around holidays, so you may want to make sure you have a place to stay during any holiday weekend. I can understand the need for a strict schedule and reservations for people with a set number of vacation days. I've been in that boat as well, but I still didn't make many reservations.
My husband and I are planning on the "gypsy life" when we retire. However, I do absolutely agree about the need for planning/reservations during holidays. This past summer, we were camping with a group of friends and somehow they convinced me that we wouldn't need reservations for the 4th of July. Arrggghhhh....that was a fun day of calling around for openings! Never again! But to be on the road, footloose and fancy free.....can't wait!
We hope to do 100 nights of camping in 2005. To do that while we continue to work we have to plan where we want to go and stay. We select a state and head there for our 9 week long summer trip. Once, several years ago we talked about just going but we're so accustomed to planning for work that it would go against our nature to not plan our trips. We always overplan activities knowing we won't have time to do everything. We've also adjusted our trip from time to time by adding days here and taking days from there, but to just head out on the road without any plan just isn't something we're ready to try. More power to those of you who can do that.
