Roadside Camping
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Estonia
I am planning a tour round the UK next year I am mostly going to need to camp enroute due to locations and money. I dont have any experience of camping on a tour so any advice would be great. I am touring to most major cities and am mostly worried about camping sites nearby these locations
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,101
Likes: 1,013
You are right about camping or sleeping in ANY rest area, most of them have signs that say "NO overnight parking"
And they are not kidding. I used to travel to the southern states quit a lot, picking up classic cars that I bought.
One time, I decided to pull over in a rest area, and get a few winks. Within an hour or so, I had already gone to sleep, they was someone
banging VERY hard on my drivers window. I was in a bed in the back of a conversion van. I had no idea if it was a cop, or someone trying
to rob me or do me harm. I don't own a gun, but did have a very large bowie knife that I had on the floor. Good think I didn't pull it out!
I jumped up, and looked out, it was a state trooper banging with his flashlight. He was PISSED!!!
He told me I had 2 minutes to get the HELL out of there! I take sleeping pills, probably not a wise thing to do when sleeping in a van at a rest area,
and was a little groggy. So, it took me a bit to get my wits about me, and into the driver's seat. He said again, you now have ONE minute
to get out of here, or I'm going to throw you in jail for trespassing!
He said I could go up the road to a truck stop if I was too cheap to pay for a motel. Well, the bastard followed me, right on my *** for over
50 miles to the truck stop where I finally pulled over.
That was the last time I ever tried sleeping in a rest area!
And they are not kidding. I used to travel to the southern states quit a lot, picking up classic cars that I bought.
One time, I decided to pull over in a rest area, and get a few winks. Within an hour or so, I had already gone to sleep, they was someone
banging VERY hard on my drivers window. I was in a bed in the back of a conversion van. I had no idea if it was a cop, or someone trying
to rob me or do me harm. I don't own a gun, but did have a very large bowie knife that I had on the floor. Good think I didn't pull it out!
I jumped up, and looked out, it was a state trooper banging with his flashlight. He was PISSED!!!
He told me I had 2 minutes to get the HELL out of there! I take sleeping pills, probably not a wise thing to do when sleeping in a van at a rest area,
and was a little groggy. So, it took me a bit to get my wits about me, and into the driver's seat. He said again, you now have ONE minute
to get out of here, or I'm going to throw you in jail for trespassing!
He said I could go up the road to a truck stop if I was too cheap to pay for a motel. Well, the bastard followed me, right on my *** for over
50 miles to the truck stop where I finally pulled over.
That was the last time I ever tried sleeping in a rest area!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,814
Likes: 5,120
From: SW Ohio
Home Depot and Lowes storage sheds on display in the parking lot after they close, you wake up $40.00 to $80.00 richer. You can use a smart phone and Google Maps street view to see if they have them in the lot.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 8
From: Lake Helen, Florida
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 98
From: NC
You might not wanna do that around this part of the country. Black widows love to live in those things too
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,466
Likes: 425
From: Illinois
If you find yourself needing a shower between camp areas,you can buy a shower at a truck stop. I think they're up to about $15 nowdays,or you can ask around if any drivers have a shower ticket they're not going to use.[free showers with fuel purchase]
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 713
Likes: 203
From: The Nature Coast, FL
Sorry, I read the post wrong. Had a friend camp out on the side of the road recently next to his bike. He didn't need to be riding anymore in his condition anyway. So, his wife tracked him by the gps in his phone and woke him up. He still gets ribbed about that one
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 229
From: Saskatchewan
This is an old thread but still relevant. I like the KOA app on my iPhone. I can book a camp site in the morning once I figure out where I'm going. That's as far as my planning goes. If they don't have a site available I choose a different destination for the day. KOAs are convenient, have wifi, usually close to restaurants and have showers and laundry facilities. Worth the price for me. I like a shower after a long hot day on the road.
I also keep an eye out for state, municipal or city/town run camp sites with AllStays Camp & RV. You can usually get a site for $10-15 and sometimes have showers. I would be willing to try BLM public land camping for free but I am still too chicken to try to navigate a loaded touring bike down a dirt road or prairie trail. They will start out looking good but slowly get worst the further in you go.
I also keep an eye out for state, municipal or city/town run camp sites with AllStays Camp & RV. You can usually get a site for $10-15 and sometimes have showers. I would be willing to try BLM public land camping for free but I am still too chicken to try to navigate a loaded touring bike down a dirt road or prairie trail. They will start out looking good but slowly get worst the further in you go.