Covid-19 - What is still open for RVrs.

[Lou Schneider]

Even if they close the facilities, keeping the parking area open for truckers wouldn't hurt anyone.

Except for all of the pee bottles or worse tired truckers would be forced to leave in the trash or elsewhere if the facilities are closed.  Very few trucks have a porta-potty or other type of toilet.

I see no valid reason to close rest areas.  Recreational travel is way down, so trucks will be the primary users of these areas.

 

[jackiemac]

That's crazy, they are relying on truckers more than ever!

 

[workingtorv]

Our friends just drive from Florida up to Ontario and where their were buildings in rest stop areas they were gated.  Rest area with no buildings were open. I believe they noticed this in PA and NY.  The further North they headed the stricken things seemed.  SC was still pretty lax, PA, NY were in shutdown.  Drive thru only and pee breaks were at gas stations only.  That will get old for gas bar employees and dangerous too.

 

[SpencerPJ]

I see no valid reason to close rest areas.  Recreational travel is way down, so trucks will be the primary users of these areas.

Indiana rest stops are barely habitable during good season, I can see why they are closing them.  The worker in the room might have to leave the TV and clean once an hour.

I too feel for the truckers, restaurants closed, fast food, not like they can drive thru, where and what are they to eat and pee?  Sorry, they need some priorities besides drive more sleep less.

 

[JudyJB]

The problem with telling people to "Go Home" is that we full-timers do not likely have homes to go to.  I am currently in southern Florida, and my reservations in state parks have been cancelled for April.  I am OK where I am until the 25th and then for four days in another COE park, but after that I have no place to go. 

I have two sons--one in the Bay Area of CA, which is too far away, and there is no place to park in his tiny driveway anyway, even if they weren't on lock-down.  My other son is in Ohio and lives in a gated community that forbids RVs.  I could find a commercial campground there when they open in early May, and I do have some reservations in state parks there, but if those close, I would have to find storage for my RV and move into their spare bedroom--much less safe than my living alone in my motorhome, especially with three kids and two parents potentially spreading germs!!

I have a potential spot in a county park here which is now almost empty, assuming it does not close by March 29.  Otherwise, I am going to head north and find a commercial campground or hope Georgia State Parks are open.  I am trying to avoid commercial campgrounds because most have small spots that are crowded together--much safer in a state or federal campground where spots are 50' apart than being 10' from my neighbor.  And I also have a toilet fresh water valve that is causing my toilet to keep filling, but I do not want to have repair people inside my home right now, so I am making do and keeping water shut off unless I need it.

So, I agree that "Go Home" is not helpful advice when someone asked what was open for RVers. 

 

[Oldgator73]

Indiana rest stops are barely habitable during good season, I can see why they are closing them.  The worker in the room might have to leave the TV and clean once an hour.

I too feel for the truckers, restaurants closed, fast food, not like they can drive thru, where and what are they to eat and pee?  Sorry, they need some priorities besides drive more sleep less.

Most truck stops have restaurants and they are allowed serve food to go.

https://www.pilotflyingj.com/covid-response/
https://www.ta-petro.com/newsroom/covid-19-response

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I wonder if diesel pump handles are more sanitary than gas pump handles?  It's hard to imagine anything surviving for long in the oily residue on most diesel pump handles.

What I have been doing is use a disinfecting wipe to wipe off the pump handle and any buttons I may have to touch. Then I pump fuel and wipe down everything I did touch and toss the wipe.

I bought some wipes on Amazon and have a pack in the truck and in the car.

 

[jackiemac]

The problem with telling people to "Go Home" is that we full-timers do not likely have homes to go to.  I am currently in southern Florida, and my reservations in state parks have been cancelled for April.  I am OK where I am until the 25th and then for four days in another COE park, but after that I have no place to go. 

I have two sons--one in the Bay Area of CA, which is too far away, and there is no place to park in his tiny driveway anyway, even if they weren't on lock-down.  My other son is in Ohio and lives in a gated community that forbids RVs.  I could find a commercial campground there when they open in early May, and I do have some reservations in state parks there, but if those close, I would have to find storage for my RV and move into their spare bedroom--much less safe than my living alone in my motorhome, especially with three kids and two parents potentially spreading germs!!

I have a potential spot in a county park here which is now almost empty, assuming it does not close by March 29.  Otherwise, I am going to head north and find a commercial campground or hope Georgia State Parks are open.  I am trying to avoid commercial campgrounds because most have small spots that are crowded together--much safer in a state or federal campground where spots are 50' apart than being 10' from my neighbor.  And I also have a toilet fresh water valve that is causing my toilet to keep filling, but I do not want to have repair people inside my home right now, so I am making do and keeping water shut off unless I need it.

So, I agree that "Go Home" is not helpful advice when someone asked what was open for RVers.

That was why I said if not fulltime then folks need to be considering people in your situation Judy. On another forum I'm seeing folks saying they are heading out from their house in their RV to get away and whilst I understand the sentiment I don't think they realise the situation. There are lots of full timers who need somewhere to be safe and a huge percentage are likely to be older.

 

[Oldgator73]

That was why I said if not fulltime then folks need to be considering people in your situation Judy. On another forum I'm seeing folks saying they are heading out from their house in their RV to get away and whilst I understand the sentiment I don't think they realise the situation. There are lots of full timers who need somewhere to be safe and a huge percentage are likely to be older.

According to what I read today on DNREC?s site (Delaware) the state parks are open here. We are a bit of a off I-95 but we do have several State Parks.

 

[JudyJB]

I am 76 and have a weakened immune system, so I do not want to stay in a hotel or move in with relatives.  And I am not allowing anyone to come into my rig. I also never use campground facilities such as restrooms or showers.  I ordered the toilet part and am going to try to fix it myself. 

I think my best bet is going to be a county RV park, Georgia State park, or a newer commercial campground with sites that are farther apart. 

I would certainly not leave a permanent home to head out for a vacation at this time. 

 

[NY_Dutch]

Judy, keep in mind the Georgia State Park campgrounds, like most state and national parks, have a 14 day stay limit. On the plus side, you only need to stay out for 3 nights before you can return. If you're anywhere near the Kingsland/St Marys, GA area, Crooked River State Park has 29 full hookup sites. It's one of our favorite parks...

 

[Isaac-1]

Judy you might want to head up hear to the upper gulf coast, lots of mom and pop RV parks, that I am sure would not turn down the business.  Here in west Central Louisiana we don't attract the snow bird crowd nearly as much as south Florida, Arizona or the southern tip of Texas as it can get cold here, often with night time temperatures below freezing in January and February, but it has been a mild year this year, and we are now past that, quickly heading towards summer heat.

Here is an example of one random such place not too far from here, https://www.pecanacresrv.com/  $35 per day, $155 per week, $365 per month  don't know much about the place, drive by it on the highway from time to time, I know it appears they have done some improvements the last couple of years, no frills, basic rv park lots of contract workers, etc, I suspect.

p.s. I find the stock picture of the waterfall on their web page funny, as there is nothing that looks anything like that within 200 miles.

 

[John Lawrence]

Except for all of the pee bottles or worse tired truckers would be forced to leave in the trash or elsewhere if the facilities are closed.  Very few trucks have a porta-potty or other type of toilet.

I see no valid reason to close rest areas.  Recreational travel is way down, so trucks will be the primary users of these areas.

In 2015 my Mom & I took a trip back east. We came back (to California) via I40. The thing I most remember about the return trip was the lack of ANY toilet facilities at Texas rest stops. Plenty of trash cans, probably holding numerous pee bottles (I wasn't going to look so I don't know for sure).

 

[Isaac-1]

Texas has lots of nice rest areas, some of the nicest biggest ones I have seen anywhere, they also have a lot of pull off and rest, no facilities spots.

 

[JudyJB]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I found a good option northwest of Gainesville, FL, so am headed there on Monday for a couple of weeks. After that, I might head into Georgia if the state parks are still open.  I am hoping I can still drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in mid-May if things settle down. 

Another problem i discovered this week is that Amazon "counters" are not available and even lockers are iffy.  Had two shipments cancelled as undeliverable at the last moment.

 

[Hanr3]

Earlier I posted that Comlara Park in Illinois was open, it has now been closed to camping.

 

[Old_Crow]

Earlier I posted that Comlara Park in Illinois was open, it has now been closed to camping.

All my Forest Service campgrounds in the Sedona, AZ area got closed yesterday.  Day use areas are still open...go figure.

 

[phil-t]

I have a friend with a private campground and cottages on Black Lake, here in northern NY.  His business has been deemed "essential"  and will remain open.  I would guess that would hold for most all private campgrounds.  Have not heard about the State Campgrounds, but they are not open for the season anyways.
My brother is traveling back to his S&B, here in northern NY, from Arizona; is in an open campground in Ohio last night.

 

[jackiemac]

All my Forest Service campgrounds in the Sedona, AZ area got closed yesterday.  Day use areas are still open...go figure.

Are they letting you guys stay?

 

[RVRAC]

We drove from WI to south TX this past week everything was open, campgrounds, Flying Js, Loves, Walmarts.  Lot of motorhomes on the road on I 90, I  57, I 55, I 40, I 30, and US 59.  Less cars than usual. No sitting in most eating places was the biggest difference.  Gas on route was cheap.