The Random Thoughts Thread

Garrett said:
Can you elaborate?
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Looking at some boondocking options around northern IL/southern WI and they are few and far between to nonexistent. There are no National Forests here with the short drives we're spoiled by in the west. Very different here at a glance.
 
Boondocking campsites are rarer in the eastern portion of the country. Most National Forests such as Allegheny, Monongahela, and George Washington have a good number of options. The State parks are much more limited and most do not allow vehicular dispersed camping period.

Does that mean you don't go? No you just adjust your expectations and look for the best available sites possible. About all State Parks have group camp sites that are secluded and make a good alternative when there are multiple rigs involved, you just have to do a bit more research as to what your options are. Not getting out because you might have to reserve a site will only afford you missing some awesome scenery and sights you are not going to see out west.
 
"This route requires tolls". In fact, all major routes through WI and MI seem to require tolls.

SMH as I'm sure these federally funded/built interstates were paid for by taxpayer dollars. But let's tax the taxpayer again if they use them.
 
Haggis said:
Boondocking campsites are rarer in the eastern portion of the country. Most National Forests such as Allegheny, Monongahela, and George Washington have a good number of options. The State parks are much more limited and most do not allow vehicular dispersed camping period.

Does that mean you don't go? No you just adjust your expectations and look for the best available sites possible. About all State Parks have group camp sites that are secluded and make a good alternative when there are multiple rigs involved, you just have to do a bit more research as to what your options are. Not getting out because you might have to reserve a site will only afford you missing some awesome scenery and sights you are not going to see out west.
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Make no mistake, I will get out. Just wrapping my head around the strange ways here east of the Mississippi...
 
I see I'm within striking distance of Hiawatha Natl Forest in the Yoop... this looks promising :D
 
Dave said:
"This route requires tolls". In fact, all major routes through WI and MI seem to require tolls.

SMH as I'm sure these federally funded/built interstates were paid for by taxpayer dollars. But let's tax the taxpayer again if they use them.
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LOL... get used to it pilgrim. It cost me nearly $100 in tolls to travel from Virginia to Maine. That's about a 14 hour/850 mile drive on I-95.
 
The talk about tolls has me laughing... don't get me wrong. I dislike tolls state-side too, but it seems the expressway situation in Japan has made me a bit numb to cost.

TangoBlue said:
It cost me nearly $100 in tolls to travel from Virginia to Maine. That's about a 14 hour/850 mile drive on I-95.
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As you know, it's a bit shorter distance/time for me from Iwakuni to Tokyo... Cost: ~$500 USD round trip.
 
Trump said:
The talk about tolls has me laughing... don't get me wrong. I dislike tolls state-side too, but it seems the expressway situation in Japan has made me a bit numb to cost.

As you know, it's a bit shorter distance/time for me from Iwakuni to Tokyo... Cost: ~$500 USD round trip.
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:eek:
 
Haggis said:
Boondocking campsites are rarer in the eastern portion of the country. Most National Forests such as Allegheny, Monongahela, and George Washington have a good number of options. The State parks are much more limited and most do not allow vehicular dispersed camping period.

Does that mean you don't go? No you just adjust your expectations and look for the best available sites possible. About all State Parks have group camp sites that are secluded and make a good alternative when there are multiple rigs involved, you just have to do a bit more research as to what your options are. Not getting out because you might have to reserve a site will only afford you missing some awesome scenery and sights you are not going to see out west.
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There is some free camping on the east. But it's nowhere near as prevalent as the west. George Washington and Jefferson were my go to spots for camping outside of Shenandoah growing up in Virginia.
 
Yikes! Expressway in Japan is a bit of a misnomer as well. As I recall the maximum speed was a blistering 80 KPH. Back in the late nineties I would take it one way only in the evening (I got up so bloody early there was little traffic on the normal surface routes). The cost I recall to go one way was around $10 from Nishihara to Ishikawa, about 20 km. The surface route time was about 30 minutes in the morning and over 2 hours in the evening; the expressway, so lightly traveled because of cost, only took about 20 minutes.

What's the expressway speed there?
 
TangoBlue said:
Yikes! Expressway in Japan is a bit of a misnomer as well. As I recall the maximum speed was a blistering 80 KPH. Back in the late nineties I would take it one way only in the evening (I got up so bloody early there was little traffic on the normal surface routes). The cost I recall to go one way was around $10 from Nishihara to Ishikawa, about 20 km. The surface route time was about 30 minutes in the morning and over 2 hours in the evening; the expressway, so lightly traveled because of cost, only took about 20 minutes.

What's the expressway speed there?
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I-130 which is a toll road between Austin and San Antonio is marked 85mph. I may have traveled "slightly" faster than that on a few occasions, with the van I'm generally poking along at a maximum of 75mph. Normal highways in Texas are generally 75mph and I-10 west of San Antonio is 80mph (and in that part of Texas on I-10 80mph feels like you're standing still).
 
TangoBlue said:
Yikes! Expressway in Japan is a bit of a misnomer as well. As I recall the maximum speed was a blistering 80 KPH. Back in the late nineties I would take it one way only in the evening (I got up so bloody early there was little traffic on the normal surface routes). The cost I recall to go one way was around $10 from Nishihara to Ishikawa, about 20 km. The surface route time was about 30 minutes in the morning and over 2 hours in the evening; the expressway, so lightly traveled because of cost, only took about 20 minutes.

What's the expressway speed there?
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Misnomer is right. It depends on the stretch, but tends to be 80-100 kph.
 
Camping options are quite different in the middle part of the country. In TX, I am learning what can be done. There is very little public land (virtually no BLM), so most go to State Parks (often crowded) or 3 small National Forests. However, there are many private campgrounds that offer dispersed camping in wooded areas, and along rivers. Also, look at other, less obvious options, like state and national wildlife management areas. Start mining the local knowledge base.
 
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