We are renting a 25ft Jayco motorhome (class C) for a week from an acquaintance who wanted to start renting his newer RV after not using as much as he thought. They took it Florida and then not much. So deal is cash between acquaintances. Besides pulling our 27ft TT the last 4 years I did drive a 30ft class A for a long weekend in 2017 to last eclipse.
Just looking for tips and things to be aware of as we embark on this trip to both have a great time as well as this rental being mutually beneficial to us and the person we are renting from.
We are traveling to see the eclipse. We choose the motorhome over hauling our trailer for a few reason. 1) out TT is older and not sure I trust it to long haul. Usually it’s 100-150miles max from home in WI. Also there is 6 of us so TV is a suburban. Just upgraded to a 2500 suburban but haven’t towed with it yet since it’s (suposed to be) winter here. 2) motorhome would make boon docking easier in our mind then pull behind. Not sure if true. 3) different type of adventure for the kids.
We’ve made plans and have state park sites in path of totality in Indiana so if weather is good it’s an easy planned trip with only needing to find a place to park the first night and I have a few campgrounds picked in IL for that. But if we have to change destination for better weather we’d have to do more boondocking or day of check-ins
Tips for places to sleep? Grandma said they used to stop at Walmarts when they did long RV trips. I know Cabelas and some cracker barrels offer overnight parking. The RV we are renting does require a small slide out on rear driver side for the queen bed to lay flat but it’s not what I’d consider a full slide out more like a foot.
Most of the functions are generally the same inside when compared to TT. Biggest different feature besides it drives is on board generator. Anything else I should be aware of?
Trying to make sure I’m covered insurance and roadside. We have AAA gold or plus. Whichever covers towing a trailer or RV. I’d assumed my normal vehicle insurance covers whatever I drive but going to check with agent.
We don’t long term RV. More like 3 day weekends and a long week each summer staying at one place. So familiar but new experience for us.
Any other thoughts on upcoming eclipse? Anyone else going? Like I said we’d like to get to and stay in Indiana but I’m getting at least backup ideas for having to go as far as Arkansas/TX. Traffic will probably be crazy after it so I don’t plan to drive far after eclipse. We will be staying Monday night in Indiana if that’s were we watch it. I was looking at a state park SW of ST Louis and maybe booking Sunday/Monday night as backup. But I don’t want to waste money and someone else not being able to camp cuz I booked and didn’t use it. Don’t like people who scoop up sites and never use them.
I’ve got two nights booked at an Ohio park, coming from the east. We’ll arrive Sunday afternoon and leave Tuesday morning. I don’t really see us impacting local gas or grocery needs at all and will be sure to fill up the tank outside of the zone of totality on the way in. It does seem more likely that the Ohio/Indiana area will be cloudy in April, but I’m not making backup plans because I don’t have the time to drive farther away. It will still suddenly get dark out if it’s cloudy, too, right? I do really hope we get to see it, though. We’ll be taking our elderly 1991 trailer, which I spent all spring/summer working on last year to do a 4500 mile trip to Yellowstone and back last fall.
I’m in Arkansas, just west of the eclipse path. Not looking forward to it. All of the locals are flipping out that outsiders are coming and the government is telling us to treat it like a snowstorm. They think the stores will run out of food and gas stations will run out of gas.
These people here LOVE to flip out and go out and blow their disability checks on supplies they don’t need for emergencies they make up.
So if nothing else, please don’t come here and cause more problems for all these fucktards.
You have too much loaded in the front of the camper and at the back of the truck bed.. or your hitch is not adjusted properly
Source: TT owner – 1st time RV/Motorhome renter for Eclipse Trip
