Intro and Question re: Wallmarting

Whoa, you have more stamina than I Goose. We do a trip to the Maine/New Hampshire seacoast every year that takes 5 hours give or take and when we arrive I am 'ready' to get out of the car. I imagine I could probably go 7 hours in a day with a good break in the middle but 10-12, I don't think so.

Yeah, that's kinda where we are at now, deciding if we want to adopt the 'lifestyle' or if we're just caught up in a passing infatuation. Thankfully we have some time to let all this sink in and get a better sense of the reality vs the fantasy.

The info on this site has really been a big help and I will continue reading the adventures of all you brave souls who have taken the leap.

Thanks again, everyone.

..........Mike

Wow, thanks all for the 'Wallmarting' tips.

Podsible Dream...Yes wear and tear on my new Jeep does concern me but I think the 171 vs 177 weight difference isn't enough to matter much in the long run. what I mean is if the 177 is too much then the 171 probably is too. I really have no qualms about a 1 or 2 day tow to a campground for a prolonged stay, but an extended cruise that involves 3-4 weeks of continuous driving is a bit intimidating.

The drive to the RV dealer today didn't help that feeling. A massive front moved across the northeast today so some of the drive was in 'can't see out the windshield' downpours. On top of that we ran into accidents that caused hour long stop and go delays. BOTH ways.

On the bright side, the downpours let up the whole time we were at the dealership. They had 5 rpod units to look at, two 177s in different interior colors, a 176 and two of the 180 models. No 171 however. They said everybody wants the slide and the 171s tend to sit on the lot too long.

I was impressed, the quality of the 2013 rpod is better than I expected. The 177s had the diamond plate front rockguard and axle risers. As far as I know the only thing missing from the West coast HRE version is the knobby 15 inch tires and high altitude propane mod (whatever that is). The drawer slides are all metal and the head is actually roomier than I imagined it to be.

Barbara, the sales rep we dealt with, was very nice and spent lots of time answering questions and digging up a jump battery to show us the slide in action. We were up front about only being there to 'look' today so no prices were discussed. We were also left alone to 'hang out' inside one for a while. If we buy it will almost certainly be from them. (Hemlock Hill RV, CT.) We even checked out some of the megabuck units, OMG, our home isn't that nice.

All in all it was a good day, even though it made us question whether we really want to take up interstate highway driving as a new hobby. :)

   Like Keith-N-Dar we are gone for a month a year in ours and make our way just north of Tucson to Casa Grande in Sept. and Oct. Because of my work days (nights) weekend camping just is not possible so we put the cover over it and put it next to the barn (yard ornament).We do get out on the long summer holidays and did go once this summer with the grand kids in the middle of the week. We look at it this way, spending 1 month in the POD is like spending 15 weekends in the trailer which covers every weekend throughout the whole summer.

Welcome. We made two trips last year which required a stay at a Walmart, so I investigated it and alternatives quite a bit. Someone mentioned Cracker Barrel, another is Cabellas, also commercial truck stops like Flying J and Loves. The key for all of them is, also as mentioned, to check with the manager first. Commercial truck stops often ask you to park away from the truckers, the other places usually have specific areas in their lot for campers. A key is having a cell phone data plan. When we were ready to stop we would check google maps to see upcoming town names then we would hop on Walmarts site to see if those towns had a store and how close to the highway it was. Finally we would call the store and ask customer service what their camping policy is. Both times there were multiple rvs already there and we felt safe. One place had roving security all night. Probably an indicator of what the neighborhood was like, but with security there and other campers we didnt feel unsafe. One was right next to the highway and that was annoying with the windows open. If I did it again (likely with US tours we are starting next summer) I would make sure the store was away from the highway a bit.

Leave slides closed, no chairs or anything else outside. Stay hitched - partly for safety so if you need to leave fast you just need to hop in the TV and go. At most I would only put the tongue jack down to level a bit and stabilize. No need for the stabilizers with the jack down and since you are hitched (in a real emergency I wouldnt even put the jack back up, it can be replaced). A tongue mounted generator is questionable for Walmart camping - but I wouldnt mount one there on a pod anyway due to vibration, noise and carbon dioxide.

Hi,
Walmart stores have started to change their policies, so not all allow overnights. I, for one, would not like to stay there. We have stayed in service areas, tucked in among the truckers and have felt very secure. The last two times we were out for a long trip, we stayed a couple of times in the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel. Just ask the manager when you roll in. Their parking lots are well lit and fairly level. Plus, you can eat there too!
   We were tent campers and after retirement progressed to RVing since we travel with our two pugs. If you don't want to make the leap of purchasing, you might want to consider renting an RV. We see the rental ones quite often when on the road.