Short break question on long trips???

[Mountain Girl]

We are planning a long trip and know we are going to need hour or two breaks to rest. Do you have to unhitch to setup every time you stop?

[tjwoody]

No. In fact on my trip last month, I set up two nights where I never unhitched. It wasn't perfectly level, but was sufficient for our overnight needs. You could do the same thing at a rest stop or Walmart to prepare lunch and rest.

[K4DCF]

It all depends on your RV. with my previous Class A no prob slides in or out. Now with my 5Th wheel I have to put one slide out. To do that I need to be near level and that may require unhitching. With a TT many years ago we stoped all the time and stayed hitched.

[MontyPP]

For our 2000 + mile trip we didn't unhook while travelling just when we got to our destination. Ivernights we stayed hooked-up too. Short breaks at a roadside stop we kept hooked up. No reason to unhook.

[bikendan]

No, we don't unhitch.
But we don't own a folding trailer. We can go inside our trailer and eat or relax, without having to setup the trailer, which you have to do.
But we had two popups for 20 years but never unhitched while traveling.

[Mountain Girl]

Thank you...I forgot to put in my topic that we have a T19QBHW. I thought I was on the forum for just A Frames. We appreciate all the information we can get. This trip will be our longest trip and we're not Spring chickens lol. We usually stay close to home in the Smokies but, the A Frame is so easy to setup we are ready for the big adventure to Yellowstone, Tetons and Mt. Rushmore. Thanks again!!!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Mountain Girl

Thank you...I forgot to put in my topic that we have a T19QBHW. I thought I was on the forum for just A Frames. Thanks again!!!

Unfortunately many members don't look to see what area of the Forum the thread is.

It is sometimes frustrating when you own a RV type different from the usual TT/5th Wheel/MH.

Popups, A-frames, Hybrids and Truck Campers often differ in many ways.

3-way fridges instead of 2-way
No holding tanks
Canvas
Bag awnings

[tjwoody]

Mountain Girl, the wife and I have been to Rushmore, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, both in our youth and as adults. I'd like to make a few recommendations:
1) Stop in Mitchell, South Dakota and See the Corn Palace. It is an arena in the downtown area where they cover large portions of the exterior with designs in different colors of corn. Only requires a couple of hours and it's really interesting.

2) Custer State Park in the Rushmore area, specifically the wildlife loop road. You will see at a minimum bison (often walking across the road and blocking traffic, wild donkeys, prairie dogs and pronghorn antelope. Other wildlife is hit or miss, but deer are quite possible as well as a variety of birds.

3) In Yellowstone take one of the bus tours. We are more into wildlife than the geographic features, although the thermal areas are fascinating. On our last trip there we took two. One was a late afternoon wildlife tour through Hayden and Lamar Valleys where we saw elk, wolves and bears, and - well - bison. The other was an early morning (started somewhere close to sunrise - really early) wildlife photography tour where we saw grizzlies, deer (mother and faun), marmots and even a great blue heron. For us, this tour was definitely worth it.

And one final remark, from a guy who has lived in both the west and Tennessee. I've seen the Smokies, and they are truly beautiful, but as mountains go the Rockies, as well as the Sierra Nevada for me are simply more majestic. I think a lot of it has to do with how they were sculpted by glacial activity.

Enjoy you trip!

[Bikersarge]

We normally stop at a rest stop, hop in the 5er and make a sandwich and sit at the rest area picnic table and have lunch then its back on the road.

[carlsbad]

T21QB here. I almost never unhitch. I've stayed at rest stops, Walmart, or even KOA, and rarely unhitch. Make sure to put a lock on the hitch pin and the tongue pin. I always just look for the flattest spot and park there.
I keep my generator in the bed of the truck under a hard bed cover. I can pull it to the tailgate and power up the AC in a couple of minutes.

[Mountain Girl]

Thank you tjwoody! We will try to get to your recommendations and appreciate your information. We love the west and have been out there several times before we started camping. You miss out on so much when you fly to your destination..... It's all about the journey.... My husband has macular degeneration in both eyes and doesn't drive anymore. That's why I was asking about rest stop breaks and having to unhitch. I want him to see as much as we can take in while he can still see. Thanks again!

[Mountain Girl]

Thank you Carlsbad! I was wondering about Walmart??? Have you stayed over night in one?

[carlsbad]

Originally Posted by Mountain Girl

Thank you Carlsbad! I was wondering about Walmart??? Have you stayed over night in one?

Yes. Never had a problem. I did a Yellowstone trip and stayed at Walmart in Utah and Wyoming.

When I went to Tennessee I took I40 from Albuquerque to Knoxville and then small roads to the Smokies. In Amarillo I stayed at big sporting goods place - Gander Mountain.

In OKC I stayed at a lot that included a Best Buy and a Home Depot. There were lots of campers walking to the restaurants in the area. I was the only A-Frame.

The only time I had a problem was setting up in Wyoming on the way back from Yellowstone. Gusts were 60mph and setting up was a challenge. I have the electric lift. Once I got it up I was rocking. I don't usually drop the stabilizers for a quick overnight stop, but had to that night.

[tjwoody]

Originally Posted by Mountain Girl

Thank you tjwoody! We will try to get to your recommendations and appreciate your information. We love the west and have been out there several times before we started camping. You miss out on so much when you fly to your destination..... It's all about the journey.... My husband has macular degeneration in both eyes and doesn't drive anymore. That's why I was asking about rest stop breaks and having to unhitch. I want him to see as much as we can take in while he can still see. Thanks again!

By the way, we have a Rockwood A212HW. If I were you I wouldn't hesitate to stay hooked up even when you're stopped overnight if your spot is fairly level.

[lastayt]

We are getting ready to take off on a road trip with several single overnight stays. My question is about the fridge... how much off level can you be before it affects the fridge? Do you put all the stabilizers down also? This will save us a whole lot of work if we don't have to unhitch!

[carlsbad]

Originally Posted by lastayt

We are getting ready to take off on a road trip with several single overnight stays. My question is about the fridge... how much off level can you be before it affects the fridge? Do you put all the stabilizers down also? This will save us a whole lot of work if we don't have to unhitch!

If it's comfortable to sleep it's fine for the fridge. An old engineer told me that years ago and i think it's accurate.

[spadpilot]

We need breaks too, so we research ahead for rest stop or Walmarts every 75 to 100 miles (we limit our travel to averaging about 55mph). We can then do 250 to 400 miles in a day. We have a Georgetown XL378 with a Toad and don't have to level or any of that, but I have no idea of limitation presented by your particular rig. In any case, "Happy trails to you!"

[Taqulik]

We traveled across Canada last summer (12,000 km return) and unhitched only at night. During the day at rest stops or parking lots we never unhitched when we stopped - we just raised the roof & walls and enjoyed our Aframe. We unhitched at night because with our vehicle the camper wouldn't be much level and we unhooked the power from the TV to avoid any problem with the car battery. The fridge was usually on LP unless we had a 15 or 30amp connection. Have a great trip and enjoy your trailer!

[cpttimerstraint]

We just got back from a 4k mile road trip in that area with our 213hw. Many a night, we would not unhook. If the site was uneven, we would unhook the ball and not move the truck. In the morning, just lower the tounge back down and off we went.

[dts3204]

If over night almost never unhook. If more than one night, yup unhook and set up my mini motel room. Also at end of stay of more than a few days will start breaking down the night before.