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Old 03-23-2015, 05:45 AM   #701
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We start our annual spring break trip south to FL (from VT) in 3 weeks. We take 3 days to reach our destination, staying at 2 Cracker Barrels on the way. Yes, there are limited RV parking spaces, and yes they are a bit short. However, we can easily get our 28 ft. trailer & 21 ft. truck (49 ft. total) in without any problems. As for limited number of spaces, by 9 PM we are usually the only vehicles left in the RV area. Note - We do eat dinner there, but we are gone before breakfast.
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Old 03-23-2015, 05:52 AM   #702
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Side note to all overnighters at Cracker Barrel, Walmart, Lowes, etc. Always write down the exit number (from Interstate) and exact address of where you are staying overnight. If you had to make a 911 call, don't rely on your memory in a panic situation, i.e. medical or conflict. Put the information by your cell phone when you go to bed.
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Old 03-23-2015, 06:05 AM   #703
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How can one run air at WalMart? We are full-timers and do not run anything like air unless we have electric. Maybe we are clueless as usual...HELP
I notice you're from Louisiana, and it's very difficult to live without A/C near the river or the coast. But it does cool off a bit at night, and there is spring and fall camping. Also if you're in the mountains it's cool at night even in mid-summer.

If you have two fantastic fans - have the living room pulling hot air out, bedroom drawing cooler night air in. I don't worry, but I also keep the doors and windows locked. If you only have a vent in the bedroom you'll still draw some cool air into your sleeping area, but for best results install an upgraded bi-directional fan in your bedroom - sleep with it blowing IN on you, but for heaven's sake turn it OFF before you flush the toilet. You'll only forget to do that once! You can also use an "endless breeze" fantastic 12 volt fan if you don't have a fan in the bedroom.


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Old 03-23-2015, 06:11 AM   #704
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Don't forget your fraternal organizations, Moose, Eagles, etc. often provide overnight parking for RV's for members. Well worth the dues - and most also serve meals which are very conventional (steam table ham) but inexpensive.

Paula
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Old 03-24-2015, 04:44 AM   #705
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but for heaven's sake turn it OFF before you flush the toilet. You'll only forget to do that once!
Paula
Ok, I must be missing something here.. Or, maybe different trailers have different "situations." Why not flush with the fans running?
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Old 03-24-2015, 05:06 AM   #706
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When you flush it opens directly to the black tank and the fan suctions the aroma up into the trailer. Also in some trailers if the roof fan is near the soil stack you can pull air from the toilet stack inside if the fan us blowing in. My 25 footer was terrible about this. No actual documented proof of these statements, just my opinion from experience. Jim
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Old 03-24-2015, 08:57 AM   #707
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Our AS has a wet bath. If you make the error of turning on the bath exhaust fan, shutting the bathroom door, then flushing the toilet, you will suck air through the black tank vent through the toilet valve as it flushes.

That said, it's a rather brief issue because it stops when the flush is completed. We just avoid closing the bathroom door fully and leave the bath fan off unless we are showering. The bath fan lid is left open when we are parked or towing in decent weather for some fresh air. I keep the black tank as empty as possible, and use a treatment that does reduce odor. It's not a major issue so far.


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Old 03-24-2015, 10:18 AM   #708
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This happened in Cottonwood Az. Walmart over the weekend.
The media is asking about policy from the local manager, I expect fallout from the corporate headquarters
Police: Idaho family behind fatal Walmart brawl

Media also interviewing overnite campers in that lot.
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:32 AM   #709
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I'm hoping that Walmart has the wisdom to see that the folks who got themselves into trouble in Cottonwood are not in any sense comparable to RVers. Just for starters, this was a family of nine living in a Chevy Suburban in the parking lot.

Lynn


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This happened in Cottonwood Az. Walmart over the weekend.
The media is asking about policy from the local manager, I expect fallout from the corporate headquarters
Police: Idaho family behind fatal Walmart brawl

Media also interviewing overnite campers in that lot.
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:41 AM   #710
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Surprised that this has not made the national news, at least that I have seen. I would not be surprised if this does not lead to immediate closing of more Walmarts to RV/TT overnight parking. Management will not make the distinction between these trash and legitimate traveling campers.
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:45 AM   #711
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Foiled Again - You are correct. You can only run your AC when you have shore power (electric hook-up). This can also be achieved with a generator powerful enough to run the AC (but not the microwave at the same time). If you get a generator, be sure to get a "quiet" model. Honda makes a great one. We have only used ours at WM if the heat was severe and it would just take the edge off until the sun was down for a while. We run it from the back of our truck (that has a cap).
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:50 AM   #712
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Surprised that this has not made the national news, at least that I have seen. I would not be surprised if this does not lead to immediate closing of more Walmarts to RV/TT overnight parking. Management will not make the distinction between these trash and legitimate traveling campers.
I don't know if the Walmart folks themselves will do anything other than possibly advising store managers to look for vehicles parked multiple days and maybe advising them to move on. However, my thought is that this kind of incident could cause many municipalities to take action to restrict parking. My local municipality has an ordinance regarding overnight RV parking in commercial parking lots which includes our local Walmart. It's pretty loosely enforced since I do notice occasional RV's on the lot. Since the parking lot services multiple businesses, I doubt that Walmart "owns" or has exclusivity over the lot. The entire complex is owned by a developer who is not tied to the Walmart corporation or family.

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Old 03-24-2015, 01:31 PM   #713
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Don't know aboutWM but I worked for a large grocery chain and most if the time we didn't own the shopping center. Crashes etc in the parking lot were generally handled by the landlord unless it involved employees. In our Case we didn't care if rvs parked overnight but had no control over if they were towed or not, it was the landlords call. Jim
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Old 03-25-2015, 04:49 AM   #714
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We run both fans. One in, and one out. I've never noticed it pulling air up on the flush. I think I would. Ha, now I will for sure..
I'm sure those Idaho folks are great people... Whew.
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Old 03-25-2015, 10:31 AM   #715
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Update on the Cottonwood incident,
additional links for that story scroll down

Police: Family in Walmart melee were street performers
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Old 03-25-2015, 10:37 PM   #716
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We run both fans. One in, and one out. I've never noticed it pulling air up on the flush. I think I would. Ha, now I will for sure..
I'm sure those Idaho folks are great people... Whew.
Some of us Idaho folks ARE great! Just because there are a few weirdos and bad apples doesn't make all of us that way...

Vivian
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Old 03-28-2015, 05:17 AM   #717
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Some of us Idaho folks ARE great! Just because there are a few weirdos and bad apples doesn't make all of us that way...

Vivian
I hope you didn't think I was thinking anything of the sort. I love Idaho! I'll be out there this summer. Seeing the sites.
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Old 03-28-2015, 07:55 AM   #718
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They have some good videos about the Cottonwood Walmart brawl at abc15.com. It sounds like they're already in the process of shutting down the free camping there. It stays pretty quiet at our store, hardly ever have campers stay more than one night. I've worked 24 years at our Walmart, and only remember seeing one Airstream stay in all of those years, but we're a little off the major routes to anywhere Airstreamishly important. Come monday I'll ask the manager if we've had any info from the Cottonwood deal.
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Old 03-28-2015, 11:08 PM   #719
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I hope you didn't think I was thinking anything of the sort. I love Idaho! I'll be out there this summer. Seeing the sites.
No, I was just giving you a hard time. Where are you going in Idaho? There are a lot of sights to see in this state!

If you are going to be anywhere near Idaho Falls, we would love to visit with you. There's a great place to overnight right on the Snake River--FREE parking, free fresh water, free dumping--courtesy of the city, or you could overnight in our driveway with water and power.

Vivian
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Old 03-29-2015, 06:17 AM   #720
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No, I was just giving you a hard time. Where are you going in Idaho? There are a lot of sights to see in this state!

If you are going to be anywhere near Idaho Falls, we would love to visit with you. There's a great place to overnight right on the Snake River--FREE parking, free fresh water, free dumping--courtesy of the city, or you could overnight in our driveway with water and power.

Vivian
I won't be pulling the AS on this trip. I'm coming out with a few buddies. We are hauling out smaller dual sport motorcycles. We are going to ride around the entire state on gravel and logging roads. Hauling tents etc.. Going to go over as many passes as we can in eight days. I think we will be coming through Idaho Falls, but you wouldn't want us 60 yr old hooligans around.
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