Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 22:37:46 -0400
Reply-To: Janyce Bartlett <janycebartlett@MSN.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Janyce Bartlett <janycebartlett@MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: Sleepiing/Rest stops.
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
Hey All
I have used the Wal Mart camp over for the last three years in my travels
including across Canada, across southern US from NJ to CA. Basically it's
OK at the discretion of each store manager. But in Mall complexes it is not
allowed since its prohibited in Wal Mart contract with the Mall Owners.
Also dense urban locations tend to ask you to leave. In San Diego, I had
limited funds and had to stay awhile. The security guards asked me to leave
(a female) while letting the traveling male construction workers stay, so
the conditions vary. Plus, in San Diego, some fellow past away in his camper
and he was there for a couple of days before they called the police to check
on him. After that they got more strict. North San Diego County, the
municipalities have local law prohibiting staying overnight but Oceanside
has a great deal for 10 dollars you can sleep over night in their beach
parking lot down by the Marina. One of the few towns catching up with
Canada. Every metropolitan city except toronto has great camping within the
city so you do not have to drive to see the sights, just hop on the Mass
Transit or ride your bike.
As for safety, I have never felt threaten or at risk at any Wal Mart with
security cameras everywhere and workers in the store all night, its safer
that some state or federal parks where theres no one there at night.
Jan
>From: levi hawkins <b1levi@YAHOO.COM>
>Reply-To: levi hawkins <b1levi@YAHOO.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Sleepiing/Rest stops.
>Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 14:27:15 -0700
>
>Some w-marts do not own the parking lots, and so don't have control= you
>may get towed.
>The one in Santa Fe has some "permanent" campers that have been there more
>than 3 years.
>
>Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET> wrote: Beware! I have only stayed in 1
>Walmart-Elko NV on the way to BOR one
>year, & now we have Carl, The Wonder Dog, which we bought from the
>breeder while having coffee the next am in the westy, & observing the
>different dynamics going on in the lot-also spent a bunch of $$ in
>Wally World to allow us to take the puppy w/ us on the trip. Beware
>or this could happen to you!
>
>Pax,
>
>Tom- 1 of these reasons I never go to WM if possible
>
>On Jun 5, 2007, at 1:27 PM, Bryant Baecht wrote:
>
> > I like to stay over at the Walmarts for the same reasons you noted.
> > Although, I was camping out in the Scranton, PA Walmart ( on the NE
> > side of
> > town, new strip mall ), and had an interesting situation arise. In
> > addition
> > to me, there were 2-3 other groups of cars / people and a pickup /
> > camping
> > trailer. One of the groups was a guy hollering at his kids and I
> > didn't pay
> > much attention other than just stay away from them. So after about 30
> > minutes or so, I notice a wrecker truck pulled up at the parking lot
> > entrance. It shuts down and just sits there. Slowly the 2-3 other
> > groups
> > of cars eventually leave. Still the wrecker is there. So after
> > waiting
> > another 20 minutes or so, I leave, and sure enough, the wrecker
> > follows me
> > out. The pickup / camping trailer didn't leave. So I don't know
> > if that
> > Walmart didn't allow overnighters, or what, but I wound up going to
> > a state
> > camp ground and having another adventure there. I survived and
> > enjoyed the
> > rest of my vacation which included a trip to Steamtown.
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> > Of Don Hanson
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 10:15 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Sleepiing/Rest stops.
> >
> >
> > I've done the California trip down Interstate 5 and 99 a bunch of
> > times. I
> > go via 395 if I have a little extra time this time of the year..But
> > the
> > "rest stop" sleeping method does work ok on the interstate, too.
> > I prefer
> > 'informal' rest stops..there are many truck stops, cafes, gas
> > stations and
> > Wal Mart parking lots that are usually a bit less "transient" than
> > the
> > actual interstate stops. Wal Mart seems to allow RVs to park
> > overnight
> > everywhere and they are ubiquitous. They also often have a coffee
> > shop
> > inside. I try to purchase some forgotten items from them after
> > spending a
> > night there..
> >
> > When I travel into urban areas, or overnight in 'iffy' suburban
> > settings,
> > I am glad I have along (usually) my large male Chesepeake Bay
> > retriever and
> > my 357magnum. Only once in 40 years of roadside camping have I
> > ever needed
> > the pistol. One time, when on the way through Texas to windsurf at
> > Corpus
> > Christy, some idiot climbed up onto the top of my van while I was
> > overnighting at a highway rest stop..probably looking to take a
> > bicycle or a
> > sailboard..Dunno what he was thinking..climbing onto a van in a
> > rest stop
> > out of town..Had to know someone was probably sleeping inside there...
> > I simply hollared out from my bed, "Get the ---- off my roof, or
> > I will
> > blow you off! Listen carefully and you will hear my Dan Wesson
> > 44magnum
> > (Dirty Harry was being shown at the time) being cocked"..which I
> > did, he
> > did, and the next sound was "feet beating" as he ran off...
> > There is a nice campground near Grants Pass, right on the Rogue
> > River
> > just off I-5..My favorite Wal Mart is in Willows, Ca..just north of
> > Sacramento.
> > Don Hanson
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
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