If only campsites could be standardized

[Art-n-Marge]

We just spent a long weekend with friends a family. All the others were camped in the same small campsites, where they backed there rigs into place, then had to park their TVs sideways to fit within the campsite.

We were lucky (being obnoxious) enough to pick a campsite across from them. It was a pull through that was easily 80-90 ft long. After pulling my rig into position, I still had 30 ft of open space behind me.

Here are the problems.

First, the electrical post was about 25 ft from the far edge of the 80' pull through. The sewer inlet was at the other end about 20 ft from the entry point. Needless to say, I had to position the Monty so that the electrical cord was at its max (the power post was nearest the 5er pin but the 5er connection is at the extreme rear about 25 ft away). That being said and with the sewer on the 5er being at about the middle and the sewer being at the other end, I would have needed 30-35 ft of sewer line, which I had. But I use those plastic gutter type supports AND a slunky type sewer support and they were short about 5-10 ft. This means I would have had to leave the sewer hose on the ground causing the dumped water to collect, ugh.

The clunker is that the partner site next to mine was about 60 ft long but its connections were about 25 ft between each other, so parking the rig in the center easily makes everything reachable.

Luckily the next day, the other folks left and I tapped into their sewer line about 5 feet away from the electrical post.

My question, what the heck is a sewer line inlet doing being 40 feet from the rest of the connections (electrical & water)? Especially since the other site had all of them within 25 feet total?

There was a vent inlet, but I didn't want to tap into that because it was labelled vent and did not have the screw type inlet like all the other campsites? It was right next to the fresh water. Would you have used that?

If you had no choice but a site like this, what you do? I should have moved, but none of the other sites had trees and I should mention day time temperatures averaged 103 degrees.

[slewis]

We know exactly what you mean.....we camped in a KOA recently-smallest sites ever,had to park our TV at an angle and then still in the road a bit. The electric post was to far for our cord to reach without an extension cord. So we used the extension cord but had to unplug the coffee pot to use the toaster, etc (30 amp only). What a pain. And the sewer connection was on the wrong side, too. Fire ring would have been underneath the neighbors slideout.
Sandy

[Bill-N-Donna]

I’ve found that over time parks will sometimes remodel their sites. In doing so I’ve seen additional driveways added to create more campsites. When this happens it leaves the campsite hook-ups in awkward places, like what you have mentioned. They recently re-modeled one of the parks we often use and it now has full hook ups. The hook-ups are very centralized for the convenience of the camper. It was done with good planning. When changes are made they should be considerate for things like that but sometimes they just do what is easiest for the park. I know it’s very aggravating to pull into a place and then discover you electric is 50-75 feet away. I’ve even had to share a common electric hook up between two sites which isn’t fun if you are the last one there. I feel your pain!

[bigmurf]

Just for a weekend I wouldn't even drag out all the sewer hose. Just wait until I pull forward and dump then. JMHO

[Tom S.]

You won't see campsites standardized until you see trailers standardized. JMHO.

[bncinwv]

The only standard item I have ever experienced, is it seems when we are on a site with neighbors on each side that it never fails that the neighbor on the side of the master bedroom slide is always the one that is loudest and doesn't go to bed until 1 or 2 in the morning!! But, even then, we were camping so times were good????
Bingo

[Art-n-Marge]

Sorry about misleading you bigmurf. You're right, for 1-2 days no sewer but our weekend turned into 5 days and 4 nights, so after 3 days I was gonna need a hookup. Lucky for us our neighbor left and we "stole" that inlet. This CG was pretty dead due to the heat, so I wasn't too worried.

slewis - that's pretty funny on the fire ring. We didn't use ours because of the heat, but it was directly underneath the tree and its low hanging branches. I have seen them positioned too close to where the rigs should be.

I don't think that rigs will ever get standardized, but with the largest rigs being 40 ft long NO hookup should ever be 60 feet apart like at this place.

Here's my thoughts on long hookups - can anyone add any other concerns?

- The electrical hookups should be no more than 25 feet since the extra resistance for cable extensions can be bad especially since we are talking 30 to 50 amps. Plus, the cable becomes costly.
- Adding sewer extensions is not costly but storing and cleaning the extra hose and adapters can get difficult, and so can supporting the hose to the sewer inlet at a downward angle. How many of us like to drape the hose on the ground for all the water to collect? I have about 30 ft of hose support, then the hose is on the ground.
- Fresh water supply is about the only thing that is not impacted. Adding hose does not reduce pressure much over distance and hoses are relatively inexpensive and don't take up as much room or weight during storage.

[sfretts]

Okay, I was just calming down from our latest 'adventure, but after reading this post, I'm all spun up again!

Last weekend, we had a wedding to attend in the Bellvue, WA area. We decided it would be just as nice to tow our trailer up instead of staying in a motel. This area is very expensive.

We found the park with nodifficulty and turned in. First thing I notice is it is a parking lot (paved) with hookups. I have to be careful driving down the main drive as the trailers/RV's are sitting out in the path. I get my spot and they direct me to a site near the clubhouse. I look and realize it is about 25 feet deep. I explain to the staff my trailer is 31 feet. "you'll fit fine in there". After three attempts, we get it jack knifed into the spot. I have to park right up to a storage shed behind which didnot allow me to access my back stabalizer locks. The sewer for our neighbor to the right was just outside our door. We literally had to step over it to walk away from the site. The electrical hook up was ok, but cable and water were behind the wall and very difficult to reach.

Finally got set up and parked the truck next to the trailer on the door side. It was so tight, we had no room for our chairs. I thought, lucky we were here for other reasons.

Next day a 35 to 40 foot motorhome (older one) pulls in and parks in the spot on the left of us. I look at the road and think how I would not be able to make the turn to get out in the morning. They then go grab a picnic table, set it up across the marker line onto what little site we have left and position it to use our bedroom slideout for shade. They sit down and I swear within 20 minutes and polished off a couple cases of cigarettes which all the smoke went right into the open window of our living room.

Anyone seeing a pattern on our adventures? I love camping!!!

Steve

[LonnieB]

Your a nice guy Steve, I would've blown a gasket and probably wound up in trouble. People that have no respect for others deserve no respect in return.

On Edit - While your at it Art (re-designing campsites), I'd like to see at least 25 feet between campers .

[Chip]

We had one just recently like Steve's so I know exactly what you are talking about. Not good at all. We endured it for 2 nights. You got to wonder about some of these campgrounds and some of the campers as well.

Chip

[Art-n-Marge]

LonnieB, as a designer of MANY new labs for engineering personnel I have been effective with designing things right and with ALL factors considered and received great praise and reward, but let's not hold our breath - that much distance between campsites is not gonna happen because of the cost of real estate. There's too much money to be made cramping RVs together.

But if they're gonna be nice and provide length, they should put the hookups within 25 feet, in the center of a site, period! With most hoses, cables, extensions being about 25 ft, we should all not have to carry 50 ft of anything. The odds are high the respective tenant can adjust their rig within that limitation.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Well Art after years of RVing I have come to realize in the RVing lifestyle there is no such thing as standard.
We have been in CGs where 3 feet of sewer hose was too much and within a few days 40 feet was too short.
Besides the Sewer Solution and 50 feet of hose we sill carry 30 feet of 4" sewer hose. One 20' 50AMP cord and 2 20' 30AMP cords. 3- 10' and 2- 5' sections of fresh water hose. AND all the adapters you could possibly need for any of the above.
Even with all that there are still times when we don't have what we need to hook up.

Possibly our best experience was on our trip back to Florida. We stayed at a fairly new CG that had new pull thrus. Each site had 2 sewer and 2 freshwater connections. 1 each as you pull in and 1 each about halfway thru. The 20/30/50AMP box was about halfway thru as well. The sites were about 50 feet long.

[ols1932]

I carry enough sewer hose to run over 40' plus I have 110 feet of 5/8" hose that I use with my macerator. I have my normal 50-amp cord with two extensions and three lengths of 30-amp cord. Have never been too far away from any hookups. Sometimes a long ways though.

Orv

[LonnieB]

Our Montana is set up at Golden Eagle RV Park in Eagle Nest, NM. The site is a back-in, about 65 feet long with all hookups at the midway point. Everything works great except the sewer hose which is so close I had to make an S shape with the slinky do-hickey to get it to work. It works fine, just looks a little goofy, like one of those pellets you set on fire that turn into long black snakes.

quote:By Glenn and Lorraine

Possibly our best experience was on our trip back to Florida. We stayed at a fairly new CG that had new pull thrus. Each site had 2 sewer and 2 freshwater connections. 1 each as you pull in and 1 each about halfway thru. The 20/30/50AMP box was about halfway thru as well. The sites were about 50 feet long.

Now THAT would be nice.

[HughM]

We carry 20 ft. and a 10 ft. sewer hose with connections already on. Also have 20 ft of backup sewer hose. Standard 25 ft. 50 amp cord and a 20 ft. 50 amp cord. 25 ft. of 30 amp cord.
100 ft of water hose in assorted lengths.
Remember the 6 P's that I learned in law enforcement. PRIOR PLANNING PREVENTS PI.. POOR PERFORMANCE.
Yes I've used all of the electrical cord but not all of the water hose.
Hugh

[bigmurf]

Hugh: Thought that was the 7 Ps PROPER PRIOR PLANNING PREVENTS PI.. POOR PERFORMANCE.

[Art-n-Marge]

I wish the only standard CG's would follow is that all hookups be within 25 ft. Or something closer than the 50-60 ft I had in the 80 ft long Campsite. This allows for the poop shoot be far away from the fresh water but I won't push it.

LonnieB, 65' long is great (but by your prior post it must be kinda tight) and at least you have Slunky-thing for your sewer. I have done that enough times even with my 5 ft sewer hose. I do not envy even a short run and see an RV owner just leave the sewer hose on the ground. I always angle the sewer hose to the sewer inlet so that everything drains "downhill".

[HughM]

Bigmurf, I never heard of the 7 P's and every cop that has done searches or raids and such has heard of the 6 P's. Gotta add that 7th one.
Thanks for updating it.
Hugh

[LonnieB]

Yes, it's a little tight on one side, (entry door) about 15 feet. The other side though has about 25 feet. They probably would have done it differently were it not for two large pine trees at the entrance to the site. Even with it being so close on the entry side, I still like the site better than most of the others, it's the only one with trees.

[bigmurf]

Lonnie: Are those pine trees all the same size (standardized as it were)?gg