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10-21-2020, 06:09 PM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 174
M.O.C. #13151
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Trailers, trailers, trailers everywhere!?
Fellow Montana Owners,
Just want to know how your 2020 went with traveling and finding a spot to rest a night or two. I hear conflicting accounts of others I know that said it was really tough finding campgrounds that offered overnight spots. I know from 2019, that we had a tough time finding spots for later in the day when we started out in the morning. 2018 was much easier to find spots on the fly.
A disturbing statistic was that Indiana and other manufacturers are pumping out over 420,000 new units this year (+ 4.5% over 2019). Then throw COVID and work campers on top of it, where the heck are you going to go? I talked to some CG owners and they claim between people losing their homes to economics or floods, earthquakes, fires and hurricanes, everyone is thinking a trailer is the way to go. As a matter of fact, I understand some big pipeline companies or others that need temporary workers, will pay for every spot in a campground for an entire year for their workers.
So the idea of a million campers out there looking for less and less spots, where are we headed? Permanent spots? Way off the beaten tracks CG's. Walmart? Boondocking? Friends and family with a long driveway?
__________________
Tony & Sharon Strungis / Green Valley, AZ
2011 Chevy Silverado LTZ HD3500 dually
2019 Montana FB3921
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10-21-2020, 06:23 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 4,083
M.O.C. #20477
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I am seeing some new CGs open. I have not had a real issue finds spots to camp although we have stayed fairly close this year. Probably a good time to have a plan vice hitting the road and stopping when you are tired. It pays to be set up to boondock if you need to.
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL
"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
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10-21-2020, 06:41 PM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 181
M.O.C. #23433
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We took a trip from OKC to Rapid City, SD to do Custer, Mt. Rushmore, Devil's Tower, etc. We didn't have any problems and the crowds weren't bad. This was in the middle of September. We had a great time. Can't wait to go back
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Troy and Tracy Chaddon
2019 Montana High Country 330RL
2005 Ford F-350 "Bulletproofed"
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10-21-2020, 06:43 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pensacola (mail forward service)
Posts: 3,198
M.O.C. #13740
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The handwriting was on the wall, so to speak. Being fulltimers, we have "our spot" in sw Florida for 6 months every winter Nov 1 to May ending. But we travel out come the high humidity/high temperature summer season to avoid hurricane season. We started having issues in 2019. Some reservations we had for 1.or 2 nights went away and we had to find other campgrounds on the day of what should have been a given stop. This year our stay in the mountains of north Carolina was cut short by three plus weeks when the campground lost our reservation to stay past Oct first....a change we made the day we arrived on the first of June. We were able to change our two one night stays at a campground in south carolina and one in ocala florida so that we didn't have to drive non stop back to sw florida. My feeling is next summers travels will be more ify.The owner of the adairsville koa in Georgia sold the park to a developer and it will become a logistics center in 2021. I am not confident what the future holds for rv stays in scenic areas or near national parks.
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2012 F350 6.7 L dually, 2013 3800RE with 6 pt leveling, Sumitomo 17.5" load range h tires, Samsung 18 cu ft residential fridge, 8k Morryde I.S. with disc brakes. Full timing since 2012.
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10-21-2020, 07:48 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Carson City
Posts: 2,017
M.O.C. #21963
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Availability varies over time. Touristy areas are the first to fill up. Good economic times adds to congestion. A few years back when diesel was 4-5 bucks a gallon was great for those that could afford it. In my world I've seen only one new campground open. About $100 a night in a nowhere central CA location. Planning ahead is a big help but kills spontaneity. We all have to adjust to some degree.
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2016 3160, Legacy, Sailuns, Splendide 2100 xc vented, 1 1/2" axle lift blocks, disk brakes. 2014 Ram 3500 SRW SWB 4X4 6.7 Aisin Mega Cab, EBC slotted disks and brakes, Titan fuel tank.
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10-21-2020, 10:07 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Lamesa
Posts: 629
M.O.C. #26010
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We go all over the place and have no problems. I do not however "go on the fly". One of our enjoyments it to research the trip, locations and what to do at those locations etc. We have it planned weeks, if not months, in advance. Some don't like that but I won't, will not, be stuck driving down the road looking/hoping for a place to stay when I'm ready to be "docked".
__________________
Danny and Susan wife of 55 years
2019 Ram Laramie 3500 6.4 4x4 CC 4.10 SRW
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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10-22-2020, 07:59 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lake Gaston
Posts: 8,773
M.O.C. #12156
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We see campgrounds far more busier than before; we call a week ahead and have always during this summer been able to make a reservation. We are leaving 29 Oct for Florida, no problem getting two overnight reservations for the trip down. I will say that there is a two year waiting list in our Florida snowbird park for seasonal sites. For those planning on Florida, finding a site should be easier if the US/Canada border stays closed.
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Mike and Lorraine
2002 3655 FL, 2005 3650RK
2010 3665RE, 2015 3910FB
F350 crew cab dually 6.7
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10-22-2020, 12:38 PM
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#8
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Kamiah
Posts: 345
M.O.C. #14438
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Our experience is similar to sourdough's. Have traveled across the country several times, with little problems. Plan ahead, then enjoy the journey.
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Ron&Sue
2017 Montana 3720RL Legacy
14' Ram 3500 DRW
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10-22-2020, 01:04 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,784
M.O.C. #22835
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The days are willie-nilly travel are fading, for sure.
__________________
History is not about the past, it's an explanation of the present.
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax, 6.6L Dually
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10-22-2020, 02:28 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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We own a lot in Florida for our winter residence so no problems there. Our summer travels have cut back since we have been on the road since 2006 and have about covered the country.
We learned early on to make advance reservations when in travel and have had little problem over the years.
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10-28-2020, 02:06 PM
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#11
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Edinburg
Posts: 89
M.O.C. #26856
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We traveled in April around Easter. We had 3 nights reserved and then the campground said they could only make reservation longer than 2 weeks, but if we changed our reservation to 2 weeks we could leave any time we wanted and they would refund the balance, so we did that. We ended up staying the 2 weeks and then 2 more to make it a month. Our regular campground we have a membership at was closed and that month cost us $900, but we had a great stay. In June our campground reopened and we booked a month because I was having hip replacement surgery. We pay $10 a night there. We ended up staying 6 weeks. This was in Virginia and within 100 miles of home, so we haven't had to make short reservations. We haven't been out since then because we set up another rv as permanent on a piece of property we bought. We put in solar and so basically are boon docking there on weekends and such.
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10-29-2020, 02:45 PM
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#12
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: La Grange
Posts: 27
M.O.C. #24531
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We have been on the road this time for about 19 months. We usually plan several weeks ahead and have not run into any significant issues except for one lost reservation
But we called to confirm so we found out in time to make other plans. We have visited 26 states. Now at Jelly stone rv park in Fredricsburg Texas. We are in this area, two different parks, for three months.
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10-28-2020, 02:20 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Reno
Posts: 293
M.O.C. #22620
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Every park we stayed in was full, every night. The only exception was at Monument Valley because national monument was shutdown by the Navaho Nation.
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10-28-2020, 02:42 PM
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#14
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Established Member
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Sundance
Posts: 27
M.O.C. #26336
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No problem finding places to stay
We had two big trips from VA to Cody, WY and back this summer and then VA to Eastern WY and back about a month ago. Also had quite a few 3-4 day trips closer to home. We plan each trip weeks in advance and plot all the stays. I had no problem finding places to stay for either trip. We purchased a nice piece of land in eastern WY that will make things much easier when we head west again.
We boondocked in SD and stayed at quite a few Harvest Hosts as well as paid CG. Both trips were fun with no major glitches.
It may not be as much fun as just stopping when we're tired but I am one who can't and won't just keep going until we find a place. We know our limits...or mine, anyway. It's way easier planning with four dogs, too.
Things we did notice during the summer trip were way more rentals and more CG with kids and dogs running around loose.
__________________
Kevin, Lisa and
four little dogs: Charlie, Chip, Bentley, Coco
2020 Montana 3811MS
2017 Ram 3500HD Laramie, 6.7 Cummins, 4x4, SRW
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10-28-2020, 02:36 PM
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#15
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Uniontown
Posts: 55
M.O.C. #25583
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We traveled from Pa to Ca this past June. No problems at all. Only reservation we had was at the Grand Canyon, the rest were made as we traveled. Crowd were low too. We spent 2 weeks at the shore this year too with no problems. There was only one time that we wanted to stay at a place a few weeks ago and they were booked. Another camp ground that one of our friends have a permanent place has all of their spots taken by the gas well people.
Oh well, happy trails everyone!
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10-28-2020, 03:47 PM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Albany
Posts: 409
M.O.C. #11972
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In addition to a few long weekends in OR state parks, we took one trip from OR to ND. Most stops were for one night. I had reservations for every stop and had no difficulty.
__________________
2012 3150RL. G614 tires. Hardwired surge protector. Level-Up Hydraulic leveling.
2013 F-350 Lariat 6.7 PSD SRW SC LB 4X4 OEM hitch, air self-leveling on rear. 57-gallon replacement fuel tank. DieselSite water separator/fuel filter.
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10-28-2020, 05:00 PM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Missoula
Posts: 139
M.O.C. #26938
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We just completed a trip from Montana to Maryland and Ohio over a 3 week period. We had no issues finding RV spots, but we did plan a few days in advance of travel. We found several parks where we didn't need a reservation as they had plenty of space. I do think there will be more travelers with RV's and planning ahead is probably a good thought.
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10-28-2020, 06:31 PM
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#18
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Established Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Chandler
Posts: 18
M.O.C. #22231
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Just completed 10k trip, 7 weeks - from AZ to NM, CO, WY, SD, ND, MT, ID, WA, OR, and CA. WAs only cancelled out of one Nat'l Park in ND. Had no problems otherwise. Great trip.
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10-28-2020, 08:11 PM
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#19
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Orlando
Posts: 338
M.O.C. #22589
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We bought a space in Florida for the winters which is great for us, and even this year with COVID-19 closing a lot of campgrounds we only had a tough time on holiday weekends.
__________________
2020 Montana 3813ms legacy w/Paint
2017 Ram 3500 4X4 DRW Aisin Curt Q-25
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10-29-2020, 09:07 AM
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#20
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 384
M.O.C. #21993
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We live in FL during the winter, Oct. to March and go to CA in the Summer. This year we made reservations both (directions), as we always do and had no issues. Most Good Sam and KOA's were little more than half full. Found prices lower than last year. Once Covid is over and everyone is back to work, all those new RV's will be back to sitting in the drive way most of the time again.
__________________
I was once intelligent beyond my years. Now, I’m years beyond my intelligence.
2020 Montana 3561 Legacy, everything except paint.
2018 Silverado 3500 DRW, 50Gal Transfer Flow, Andersen hitch.
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