Flying J at Franklin Ky?

[Wingeezer]

Just wondering if anyone has use the Flying J at Franklin Ky ( just South of Bowling Green) as a quick overnight stop when heading south to escape the cold!

We often stop at Flying J's and always use their restaurants, fill up etc. when we do, but I don't think that we have used this one for a planned overnight rest.

I was just starting to work on our trip details and this one seemed well located for a first night stop en route to Arizona.

I have in the past been fooled though. I think that we planned to stop once at a Flying J at maybe Amarillo or Albuquerque, and when we got there, we found it had a much much smaller carpark than usual - if fact i think there was even a "No RV" sign posted. There wouldn't have been space anyway!

Just hoping someone can help us avoid surprises when we arrive at franklin Ky!


Brian.

[ViewRVs]

Try the Google Maps Satellite view. The should give you some idea of what to expect. You could also try the street view.

[RickDavis]

Back when I was delivering trailers I used to stop at that FJ. It is quite busy and I don't remember overnighting there although there is no prohibition. .f you stop early it shouldn't be a problem. If you don't mind using rest areas there is a TN welcome center just a few miles south, or you can loop back north after crossing into TN and use the KY rest area at the state line. The KY rest stop has a large car parking area and I would usually slip into a back corner as the truck area is frequently full if stopping late. If you don't stop around that area there are not many opportunities again until the Welcome center in Alabama
Actually what I remember most is fueling there and having the nozzle and hose seperate and getting a bath in diesel fuel.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by 1985air345

Try the Google Maps Satellite view. The should give you some idea of what to expect. You could also try the street view.

Now why didn't I think of that! Glad there's some smarter guys around than me,


Brian.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by RickDavis

Back when I was delivering trailers I used to stop at that FJ. It is quite busy and I don't remember overnighting there although there is no prohibition. .f you stop early it shouldn't be a problem. If you don't mind using rest areas there is a TN welcome center just a few miles south, or you can loop back north after crossing into TN and use the KY rest area at the state line. The KY rest stop has a large car parking area and I would usually slip into a back corner as the truck area is frequently full if stopping late. If you don't stop around that area there are not many opportunities again until the Welcome center in Alabama
Actually what I remember most is fueling there and having the nozzle and hose seperate and getting a bath in diesel fuel.

Many thanks Rick,

Never tried a rest area, maybe we should! At first we were a bit nervous about trying a Flying J, but the continuous activity and bright lights made us feel a bit safer! being from Canada we are maybe not as well protected as as some folk! About all we have is pepper spray which isn't even legal in Canada!

I didn't realize that the rest areas would permit you to catch a few winks, I thought they would move you on.

I will certainly keep both those options in mind if the Flying J doesn't work out

Brian


PS I rather like the smell of diesel, which is fortunate as we run a diesel truck. Must be my 34 years spent with the railroad - mostly at a desk though!

Sure takes a while to get the smell off you when you spill a little though!

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Many thanks Rick,

Never tried a rest area, maybe we should! At first we were a bit nervous about trying a Flying J, but the continuous activity and bright lights made us feel a bit safer! being from Canada we are maybe not as well protected as as some folk! About all we have is pepper spray which isn't even legal in Canada!

I didn't realize that the rest areas would permit you to catch a few winks, I thought they would move you on.

I will certainly keep both those options in mind if the Flying J doesn't work out

I have spent hundreds of nights in rest areas around the country and never been bothered, regardless of what signs might say about parking..
Also , if you are running behind schedule there is a huge fairly new area at about mile 52 in KY north of Bowling Green. It is rarely full.
I prefer the rest areas to truck stops because they are usually quieter, but of course no restaurant to eat at.
Also if trying to save a buck there is the walmart option. There is a dedicated Walmart RVing group on yahoo groups and a downloadable file of locations and overnight parking status. Don't have the URL right at hand right now but if you want it PM me.
Regarding "protection" I have been told that the long range wasp spray can be quite affective and no legal problems. I have only tried it on wasps.


Rick

[ViewRVs]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

We often stop at Flying J's and always use their restaurants, fill up etc. when we do, but I don't think that we have used this one for a planned overnight rest.

One of our fondest RV memories is pulling into a Flying J very early in the morning and falling asleep to "shower number 2..7..5 is now ready."

We were at a Wal-Mart near there but the constant car traffic, parking lot sweeper, and the trains going by made the night miserable! Sleeping at the Flying J was much better than that Wal-Mart.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by 1985air345

One of our fondest RV memories is pulling into a Flying J very early in the morning and falling asleep to "shower number 2..7..5 is now ready."

We were at a Wal-Mart near there but the constant car traffic, parking lot sweeper, and the trains going by made the night miserable! Sleeping at the Flying J was much better than that Wal-Mart.

Usually by the time we stop for the night, we are to whacked out that nothing much keeps us a awake, and we get a good nights sleep. Great to be able to grab a morning coffee at Flying J and hit the road running without having to hook up the trailer, disconnect stuff etc. as we generally have a long way t0 go on day two as well

Brian

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by 1985air345

One of our fondest RV memories is pulling into a Flying J very early in the morning and falling asleep to "shower number 2..7..5 is now ready."

We were at a Wal-Mart near there but the constant car traffic, parking lot sweeper, and the trains going by made the night miserable! Sleeping at the Flying J was much better than that Wal-Mart.

Never yet tried a Wally World.

We headed for one once.forget where, but when we arrived, we found that the carpark was unusually small and we felt we would be creating a problem, and as well, there were no other RV's so we just stopped at a motel instead!

Brian.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by RickDavis

I have spent hundreds of nights in rest areas around the country and never been bothered, regardless of what signs might say about parking..
Also , if you are running behind schedule there is a huge fairly new area at about mile 52 in KY north of Bowling Green. It is rarely full.
I prefer the rest areas to truck stops because they are usually quieter, but of course no restaurant to eat at.
Also if trying to save a buck there is the walmart option. There is a dedicated Walmart RVing group on yahoo groups and a downloadable file of locations and overnight parking status. Don't have the URL right at hand right now but if you want it PM me.
Regarding "protection" I have been told that the long range wasp spray can be quite affective and no legal problems. I have only tried it on wasps.


Rick

Thanks again Rick, will make note of the place N or Bowling Green - never know how bad the weather will be when we leave home, so we may not get as far as planned!

I assume that at rest stops there is no problem parking among the trucks. I've never tried it. I know that at Flying J's it is expected that RV's will stay with the four wheelers! That is what we have always done.

Wasp Spray.....Hmmm. I've got some of that, and it is legal in Canada - wonder if it is as effective as pepper spray?! I've never tried either otherthan on wasps!

The only time pepper spray has ever been tried in our household was one time when we were away and out son in law came across it in our house and wondered what it was. While fooling with it, he managed to slip the lock off and sprayed it by mistake fully into our daughter's face when she was also examining it! They both found out just how effective it was! She more than he!

It is now a family "story" that has been told many times!

Brian.

[Pahaska]

I have often parked between trucks at rest stops. I hang back in the slot as far as possible for two reasons:

1. Gets me further from the idling diesel.
2. Incoming trucks see my trailer and don't try to swing into my slot.

I only had problems one time in west Texas. Diesel fumes kept setting off my propane detector. Sure gets my attention in the middle of the night.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Never tried a rest area, maybe we should!

I slept at a rest area in Texas along I-20 when evacuating for Hurricane Katrina. Not even in an RV (hadn't bought one yet), just in the back of my Dodge Durango. Didn't have a choice; no hotel vacancies. I felt safe enough. The rest areas that have welcome centers attached usually have (intermittent) security patrols, and some have camera surveillance.

Don't know if I'd overnight at a rest area that didn't have a welcome center, though. They often have no security to speak of other than what you bring with you.

I've said it on the Forums before, but another, much under-utilized overnighting tactic is to use a church parking lot, if you're stopping in a town and not in the middle of nowhere. Few chucrches will turn you away, and you can usually find one in a safe neighborhood. Usually really quiet, too.

[AWCHIEF]

My Mail Carrier swears by wasp spray. They are no longer allowed to carry mace or pepper spray. She says from experience that it will stop a bad dog or person in their tracks.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

My Mail Carrier swears by wasp spray. They are no longer allowed to carry mace or pepper spray. She says from experience that it will stop a bad dog or person in their tracks.

As they say down here in illiterate Louisiana, "Yeah, you rite!" Wasp spray has been my preferred self-defense weapon in my Airstream since Day One. Literally. Some of you may recall that my Airstream was burglarized the night I brought it home, on Christmas Eve last year. For the next four nights, I slept in my winterized Airstream, with a broken passenger-side front window and thus no way to lock it, lest the thieves come back for more goodies at my expense, until I could get the window replaced. A can of wasp spray was right by my bedside the whole time.

Sprays a good long distance, all the way from one end of an Airstream to the other, unlike mace. Doesn't punch a hole in the wall if you miss, unlike a gun. Not illegal to own, and no permit required. You can even carry it on the street in an unfamiliar neighborhood without raising an eyebrow, if you take the precaution of carrying it in a grocery bag.

Not recommended against bears, though. It probably would work, but I'd hate to be the one to find out it doesn't!