RE: How risky is it.....

[Civil_War_Buff]

 
I have been trying to put together my intinerary for my cross-country trip this summer, and I have a question and need some advice.  I have never taken a trip with the trailer cross-country before and I have a fairly agressive schedule, but at the same time, I don t want to feel like I have no flexibilty..so I was wondering, is it better to make campground reservations and keep on a tight schedule, or is it fairly safe to start calling an hour out from where I want to stop and find a CG?  For any that have taken extended trips, what did you do?  Am I taking too much of a risk trying to find CG s during the first 3 weeks of July when the rest of the country are out camping as well.  
 I know that this seems fairly simple, but I am not sure if my schedule is too agressive and want/need the ability to adjust as necessary....will AAA trip planning offer suggestions as to where to stop for the day?
 
 Thanks.

[mike4947]

 Civil_War_Buff
AAA can be a big help. The local one here will even sugjest campgrounds if you give them a daily milage total you want to go. But, it might just be them as they re are especially nice there.
 
 One way to " check"  availablitlity is to try RA and look at campgrounds along you route for the time frame you want to travel.
 
 IMHO if you ve worries about being aggressive, you are. God, I hated those " we got to get going" , " we ve running late" , " we won t make the campground till mifnight" , " pee out the window, I m not stopping[]"  vacations; or should I say trips from Hell. Just because I used to be able to drive 2200 miles straight through and party when I got there doesn t mean with the TV,PU, kids I could ever do it again.
 Again IMHO figure 50 MPH average for daily travel; when figuring daily travel time don t forget time to teardown and setup; and stick a " rest"  day in or your " mileage per day"  starts going down.

[MDCamper]

 Civil_War_Buff
I d recommend making campground reservations before you leave, then make adjustments as needed if your schedule changes during the trip.  There s nothing worse than trying to find a place during (or after) a long day of driving - and if campgrounds are full (as is likely on a weekend in July) you re stuck with hotels.  We ve never done a cross-country, but did half the country last summer (MD - ND and back) - we reserved all campground accomodations prior to departure and changed some things along the way - it sure was nice to know where we were going to lay our heads down that night (and to promise the kids pool-time with confidence).  IMO, with kids, travel and camping there s no such thing as too much planning.  You can always make new campground plans if you decide to change length of stay or itinerary - but " winging it"  works best with flexible, even-tempered adults who hate to plan and have a good sense of humor[

[AustinBoston]

 Civil_War_Buff
Larry & Veronica,
 
 PJay and I took our three kids on an extended summer trip in the summer of 2001.  It lasted eight weeks, included about 29 campgrounds in 17 states, and included over 10,000 miles of towing.
 
 We planned the trip to spend 2-3 days at each stop, and to never drive more than 10 hours in one day.
 
 Whether or not you need reservations depends on where and when you are going.  In big name places, like Yellowstone, Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon, you will not get a site without reservations made months in advance.  But those are places worth hurrying to see.  In other places, not having a reservation is no big deal.  For example, you will always be able to get a site mid-week at Crater Lake NP or Indiana Dunes NL.
 
 Sometimes, when a site can t be had on location, you can find one 30 minutes to an hour s drive away.  After driving for ten hours, getting up in the AM and driving an hour to see some park often seemed trivial to us.  I understand that could be a bit much for others.
 
 We reserved every campground.  However, we did not keep every reservation we made.  We had a number of points where we could " make up"  a day or two if things got off schedule.  
 
 One of the places we stayed " off site"  at a commercial campground was at Yosemite NP.  After spending two days there, we spent one more.  We didn t realize we had gone over, we were having too much fun.  It was when we got to our next stop that we discovered we had overstayed!  The next campground was gracious about honoring our reservation (a day late) because it was only a one-nighter.  They then helped us reschedule our next night and cancel a third.  We skipped seeing Mt. St. Helens, but essentially traded an extra day at Yosemite for it.  I think it was a good trade.  Somewhere in that mix-up, there was one reservation that was non-cancellable, so we lost a deposit.  No big deal.
 
 If you have a target itiniary, we (all of us) could tell you where you are likely to need reservations, and where they are not necessary.  We might also be able to make suggestions of other things that are worth seeing.
 
 Austin
 
 PS...yes, we contacted the campground we over-stayed at and paid for the extra night.

[Civil_War_Buff]

 AustinBoston
Thanks for the input so far.
 
 A-B, I will be going from Northern California to Gettysburg, and I plan on leaving here on June 28th...I need to be in Pennsylvania by Thursday afternoon (7-3), so we technically have 5 1/2 travel days (this is my aggressive schedule).  I plan on 10 hours, or 600 miles/day and that would allow for a day of flexibility.  I will be travelling along I-80 going out, and the stops that I have tentatively looked at will be in West Wendover, Nv., near Des Moines, Iowa, and near Sandusky, Ohio....then on into Gettysburg.  
 Coming back, I have allowed 10 days, and I will be stopping at some places in Tenn., Missouri, and possibly New Mexico, so they should be easier to do (I hope).
 
 I can make reservations, but I was wondering if they require deposits and the like and if they require a minimum cancellation time.  If it were that they will just hold a reservation, I would be much less apt to be concerned, but I don t want to pay for CG s that I will never see...that the " risk"  that I feel ....especially when I am really not too sure where I will be at any given time.
 
 Does this help?

[AustinBoston]

 Civil_War_Buff

ORIGINAL:  Civil_War_Buff
 A-B, I will be going from Northern California to Gettysburg, and I plan on leaving here on June 28th...I need to be in Pennsylvania by Thursday afternoon (7-3), so we technically have 5 1/2 travel days (this is my aggressive schedule).

 I hope you already have reservations in Gettysburg!  You will be there for the 140th anniversary of the battle.  It is not unusual for the population of the town of Gettysburg to triple or more during this time.  But then, if you really are a Civil_War_Buff, you already know that.
 
 

I plan on 10 hours, or 600 miles/day and that would allow for a day of flexibility.  I will be travelling along I-80 going out, and the stops that I have tentatively looked at will be in West Wendover, Nv., near Des Moines, Iowa, and near Sandusky, Ohio....then on into Gettysburg.

 On the outbound stretch, it sounds like you want to have reservations.  My thinking is, you need/want to be there on the third.  You don t want to be fussing with where to stay along the way.  I get the feeling the outbound leg isn t a sightseeing part of the trip.
 
 On the return, the ten day allowance will give you the flexibility to travel more adventuously.  If you can t find a campground with an open site, another hour or two on the road should take care of it.
 
 

I can make reservations, but I was wondering if they require deposits and the like and if they require a minimum cancellation time.  If it were that they will just hold a reservation, I would be much less apt to be concerned, but I don t want to pay for CG s that I will never see...that the " risk"  that I feel ....especially when I am really not too sure where I will be at any given time.

 Most campgrounds require a deposit for a reservation, some require the first night s payment as a deposit.  Most have a cancellation policy, varying from 24 hours to 14 days.  Many will also cancel your reservation if you don t show up the first night.
 
 I ve been to Gettysburg twice.  It looks like a very peaceful, sleepy place.  I have never been there during a reenactment, but at other times, only the stone monuments give any real clue to the fact that this was the sight of the biggest, bloodiest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere.  They were brave men.  I only hope that I and my descendants will always live up to the standard they cast there.
 
 Austin

[gsm x2]

 Civil_War_Buff
Larry and Vernoica,
 
 I agree with AustinBoston.  Make your reservations on the outbound trip.  You are going to be powering, so you might as well power knowing that you have a place to spend the night.
 
 Ten days back means one weekend.  Make your reservations someplace neat for the Friday and Saturday nights, then take your time getting there and leaving there.  Keep a campground guide handy and make some cell phone calls around noon to pick your night s spot.
 
 Have fun.  Look forward to seeing the pictures.
 
 CWB--He lives to die.
 
 gsm x2

[Campaholics]

 Civil_War_Buff
Larry and Veronica,
 
 For planning, I use Rand McNally Trip planner.  You can set lunch times, layovers, take classes of roads into the miles per day, e.g. Interstates 55 mph, US 45, state routes 30.  You can set your own speeds or use the defaults.  It will also give various places to see along the way  within an x mile radius.  My own rule of thumb is to knock about 5 mph off the average for interstates and US routes when towing.
 
 I agree with getting reservations for the legs of the trip when you just need to cover ground.
 
 You mentioned Sandusky Ohio.  On you way back you might want to schedule a one day layover in Sandusky.  Cedar Point amusment park is a good spot for some R&R, especially if kids are involved, blow off some steam.  
 
 Regards,
 The Campaholics
 
 

[pinhi18]

 Civil_War_Buff
From experience I know you can t wing it after driving 10 hours with kids.  I would get reservations for the way out and wing it on the way back.
 

[jeffsxyl]

 Civil_War_Buff
[font=" Comic Sans MS" ]       One more vote for reservations out and playing it a bit loose on the trek home, especially if it s just the two of you.
 
 We ve had reservations for the final leg home and my DH blew them all off and drove the 15 hours straight. I wouldn t recommend that but he was pretty camped out and just wanted to be home again. I was happier knowing we had the reservations but since it was just us and the dog, Max and I were cool with whatever he decided. And I know Max liked all the Wendy s and MickyD?s burgers he got to eat!  []
 
 Chris
 [/font]

[missteri]

 Civil_War_Buff
Hope you have a great trip.  We were there 10 years ago for the 130th anniversary.  Boy was it hot!  We camped there too, in a tent, although I can t remember the camp ground.  
 
 I would make sure you get reservations for at least the weekend portions of your stay, since those are obviously the times that fill up the fastest.

[Civil_War_Buff]

 Civil_War_Buff

We ve had reservations for the final leg home and my DH blew them all off and drove the 15 hours straight. I wouldn t recommend that but he was pretty camped out and just wanted to be home again. I was happier knowing we had the reservations but since it was just us and the dog, Max and I were cool with whatever he decided. And I know Max liked all the Wendy s and MickyD?s burgers he got to eat!  
 
 Chris

 Yeah, I remember looking over gsmx2 s trip journal from his trip last year, he was talking about the horse smelling the barn phenomenon, and I sure don t want that to happen!  I will take it easy getting back home.
 
 

Hope you have a great trip. We were there 10 years ago for the 130th anniversary. Boy was it hot! We camped there too, in a tent, although I can t remember the camp ground.
 
 I would make sure you get reservations for at least the weekend portions of your stay, since those are obviously the times that fill up the fastest.
 
 Shirley

 Thanks Shirley, I can t wait to actually get going, even though I am sure it will go by fast.  This will be my first Gettysburg event, and I am really looking forward to it.  Being a transplanted Michigander, now Californian, I haven t been in the humidity in a few years (like 11 or so), so that will probably get to me the most.  We do have the A/C in the trailer, and I have NO INTENTION of sleeping on the ground (that s for the young guys []).
 
 

I hope you already have reservations in Gettysburg! You will be there for the 140th anniversary of the battle. It is not unusual for the population of the town of Gettysburg to triple or more during this time.
 AustinBoston

 AustinBoston, I do have reservations at the Drummerboy CG (with my undieing thanks to rjs826).  I started trying to get reservations last October/November and everything was full!  rjs826 just happened to have a site as a result of a member of their group that had to cancel, and he offered it to me, to which I am eternally grateful.  
 
 I will make reservation for the outbound leg and I think I may adjust my driving schedule back a little (add a day or so) so that I won t be driving more that 500 miles/day which I think will get me there a little more rested.
 
 I appreciate all of the advice, and you really must know that I was getting a little paniced about this, as long as I am not " pushing"  it, I think I can fairly safely schedule stops (for the day) and get rest as well as be able to set up in the daylight!  Thanks so much everyone.
 
 
 
 

[sandykayak]

 Civil_War_Buff
when i do what I call a fly  n camp holiday (take gear/rent car)...I just go with the flow and start looking for a place at around 4 p.m. (in daylight savings)...
 
 however, when i went to california with a friend we were cabin camping, and I had to reserve the KOA kabins in advance.  what a pain (and mental stress) it was to know that I HAD to be there before a certain time.  especially when I missed a turning and three hours later found out I was near to a ghost town.  Had I been traveling my way, i would have made the detour and found a place.  as it was, we had to push to the KOA CG.
 
 you ve got the reservation you really need...take a cell phone and I m sure you ll find plenty of options.  if you don t have time to smell the roses it won t allow for the serendipitous part of travel.  overplanning can be stressful.
 
 also with the ReserveAmerica it s even worse cos you ll end up paying the best part of a night s fee for the cancellation penalty.  how will you know what you want to stop and look at?  Florida state parks save about 10% (?) of their sites for walk-ins, I m sure it s pretty much the same all over the country.
 
 the big question (that has been discussed many times) is whether it s worth the while to popup for one night or just stay at a motel.  I once got a motel for about $24 in TN when the CGs were $20-22.  If you want to get an early start, motel stops are great.
 
 have fun.

[Red neff Barchetta]

 Civil_War_Buff
Sandy -
 CWB has a Trail Manor.  It takes him " almost"  3 minutes to set-up.  He doesn t even have to unhitch!  Must be nice, huh?