Rest Stop boondocking etc. and leveling Trailmanor

We are new to the RV community and have only gone out 3 times with our Trailmanor. The last trip I actually went solo without the husband and took the kids along. We had a great trip except for the trip home. We ended up getting a later start then I would have liked and had to drive more tired than I really should have. We did find a nice rest stop to take a break at that would have been great for us to pop the camper out and take a little snooze so I could continue the drive better rested. I decided not to do this though because of all of the warnings about having the camper level before using. I was wandering how important this is for future trips. Please keep in mind I am talking about stopping for a rest of 4-6 hours maybe just enough so I can get back on the road, and I would prefer to not unhook from the TV as well. We also wanted to know for some of those long trips that take 2 days to get there, but we really don't want to stop at a campsite along the way. If I had my husband with me we usually take turns driving when the other person gets tired, but I plan on doing a lot more solo trips with the kids so that wont be an option.

I think its a bit of a hassel to do that. You do not have to have the TM absolutely level, especially on the smaller TMs.

The problem with not being level are things like the refer, shower and stuff. The second problem is opening and closing the TM. The more level it is the easier it is to do.

I don't know if you will get a visit from officials if you are there that long. If so, you could go to Camp Wally World and park at the far end of the lot. We did that in FL and SC; no issues and were welcomed.

We have never spent more than 2hr at a rest stop. With the Elkmont we have gone inside it for lunch and a short nap. With my 2720SL we never opened it at a rest stop. Just sat in the car or at the tables or benches provided at the rest stops.
When we had our Class C and A's we also only stoped about 2 hrs at the most. However we did spend the night at WalMart's a few times. But I don't think I would in a trailer. Something about not being able to move fast enough if I had to. However I have seen trailer and 5th wheels using WalMart.

John

[Dave99gst]

I dont see why it would be a problem..Generaly any parking spot is going to be pretty level side to side...i dont know how level you are front/rear while hooked to your TV...Im sure no one in any official capacity would bother you any more then they bother truck drivers.

[HIKERZ]

A comment on camping at wa
Ly world in Florida. In kissamee the home of Disney universal etc you may not camp. Same for Sam,s or any other store. I guess they want you to be paying somebody

[B_and_D]

When I've stopped solo with the kids for a quick overnight I've left the TM attached. The places I've stayed in have been fairly level. However, I have always paid for a campsite. I wouldn't feel safe staying at a rest stop by myself and being in the TM unable to make a quick getaway if I needed to. If I had a motorhome or a cabover camper with a pass through to the truck, I would feel OK staying in a rest stop.

My main concern with keeping the TM level is to not damage the refrigerator. That's an expensive fix. It doesn't have to be perfectly level, but I don't know a way of measuring exactly how level it has to be to avoid damage. As far as I know, if you turn the refrigerator off, it won't be damaged.

Have fun with your TM, it will hopefully make lots of wonderful family trip memories for you & your family!

If I had to move in a hurry at a rest stop I could do that pretty quick. As long as I am not in full camp mode its no problem.

At Wally World when I overnight everything stays packed except the genset and sometimes the satellite. Between the dogs and the cowboy gear we ain't too worried.

It is true that some WWs do not allow camping. Its more a political decision than anything else. I believe the WW around Gettysburg and Disney are the ones that do not allow camping. Probably others too with similar attractions.

I think the big thing is that as long as you arrive late and depart early the local campgrounds will not lean on the county to ban camping at WWs...

[knoxjere]

If you do a search for Wal-mart parking you will find such links as this:

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...almart+camping (see #4).

[T and C]

Folks,

At Wally World when I overnight everything stays packed except the genset and sometimes the satellite. Between the dogs and the cowboy gear we ain't too worried.

I've heard that "cowboy gear" can discourage anyone from bothering you very handily.

A rest stop would not be my first choice for a place to catch a nap. However, rather than drive nearly 10,000 lbs of truck/trailer while dozing off I would do it. Although crime does happen at rest stops, it is usually pilfering from unlocked cars and such rather than muggings. I can't imagine anyone trying to force entry into an occupied RV. If anyone tried to get into mine, I have a little "cowboy gear" of my own.

When I had a truck camper I caught a couple of hours sleep in the rest stop near Williams, AZ . No problems. When I had kids with me, we visited the restrooms in a group.

Tom

[Mr. Adventure]

When you're driving two or three days to get somewhere, it's awfully nice to find a spot that's not ten miles off the road and $50 like some campgrounds can be. So we used to do this all the time in the motorhome for the enroute stops.

You need to be on private property, though, because most towns have a vagrancy ordinance that makes it a problem if you sleep in a vehicle that's parked on the street. We would always ask permission at the customer service desk: "Do you mind if I park my RV overnight on your lot tonight?" I don't remember anyone ever turning us down at all different kinds of stores. And, in the morning, we'd grab a cart and pick up some trash and take it to their dumpster (it's a good Boy Scout habit to leave your campsite cleaner than you found it).

I don't see any reason why a TM wouldn't work for this the same way as the motorhome since it's just a funny looking hard side trailer, and no one is exactly sure what a TM is anyway, no matter whether it's open or folded. We would stay hitched, and no awning or jacks, of course. Miz Adventure isn't so sure about the whole idea, but then I suppose she never slept in Walmart parking lots much before she met me.