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Old 08-20-2017, 06:18 PM   #1
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RV Parks and Skoolies

How big of deal is the rejections from RV parks? My plan is go to a medium sized city and full time in the bus with a monthly RV site. From what I understand it largely depends on what the bus looks like and that the "10 year no school bus" rules are just to weed out someone they don't want there. The bus will be all painted white with no broken glass etc a nice clean conversion, and myself well dressed.

So is it better to call ahead and tell them it's a white class A bus? Or should I just show up or should I call and just say ya it's a converted 1995 School Bus. If I am told "Sorry no school bus's or rigs over 10 years old" I will calmly say "it's not a school bus it's a motorhome". Then I might hear it was a school school bus, I would say no it was not a school bus it's was an activey bus.

How many of you are full timing in an RV park?

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Old 08-20-2017, 06:30 PM   #2
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I'd rather just throw $5 to a truckstop to stay the night than mess with campgrounds.
But you'll likely find a lot of the "nicer" campgrounds won't want a school bus or anything that ever was one.
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Old 08-20-2017, 06:36 PM   #3
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RV parks are:
  1. Prohibitively expensive
  2. Very choosy.

If your RV wasn't manufactured within the last 10 years,
If your RV is home made (i.e., a Skoolie)

THEY DON'T WANT THEM.

I think the only exception to that 10-year rule may be an extremely well-maintained Airstream.
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Old 08-20-2017, 07:08 PM   #4
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That's not good news I have found RV parks 250 to 400 a month while not cheap, still affordable by my budget. Just gotta find one to take us. Thinking about KY AZ or WA or NM any states better then orthers.
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Old 08-20-2017, 07:14 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by bigskypc50 View Post
That's not good news I have found RV parks 250 to 400 a month while not cheap, still affordable by my budget. Just gotta find one to take us. Thinking about KY AZ or WA or NM any states better then orthers.
For that kinda money one could buy land to park on.
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Old 08-20-2017, 07:26 PM   #6
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Were? I have not found anything and cerdit becomes a problem
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Old 08-20-2017, 07:32 PM   #7
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Right there with you, BigSky.
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Old 08-20-2017, 07:39 PM   #8
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Were? I have not found anything and cerdit becomes a problem
I am currently sitting in my bus responding to you on 15 Acres of land in Selah Wa. (about 20 minutes from Yakima ). The land was $45K and I have an owner contract for $345 a month.
For a smaller plot of land you would pay even less. The are plot out here that are huge, but you can't get a well for $10K.
Read this: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/of...tml#post220387

You just need to look around and see what is out there.
Oh, and state parks are cool with Skoolies, but costly, and most RV parks that will allow a Skoolie are kind of scary(think Meth Labs). However, there are some out there that are nice and will allow a Skoolie, but they are harder to find.
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Old 08-20-2017, 08:59 PM   #9
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I am currently sitting in my bus responding to you on 15 Acres of land in Selah Wa. (about 20 minutes from Yakima ). The land was $45K and I have an owner contract for $345 a month.
For a smaller plot of land you would pay even less. The are plot out here that are huge, but you can't get a well for $10K.
Read this: http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/of...tml#post220387

You just need to look around and see what is out there.
Oh, and state parks are cool with Skoolies, but costly, and most RV parks that will allow a Skoolie are kind of scary(think Meth Labs). However, there are some out there that are nice and will allow a Skoolie, but they are harder to find.
TOTALLY agreed.
I've found lots of cheap land for sale.
We're looking at a 5 acre property with a single wide on it. Its listed for $50k. Wouldn't be too much per month.
Or look in southern Colorado. You can get ten acres for a few grand.
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Old 08-20-2017, 09:33 PM   #10
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If you are set up to boondock, there are tons of deals on raw, "unimproved" land all over the country. I am looking at some in northern New Mexico that is spectacular with prices around $2-4K an acre depending on size and specifics. Taxes are typically around $50 bucks a year for that type of property. Just watch out for any "Association" fees. Some resellers slap big annual fees on cheap land.
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Old 08-21-2017, 06:20 AM   #11
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I'm currently sitting in a very nice RV park in TN along with 3 Scenicruisers and an MCI that is 25 years old. The Scenicruisers were built in 1954-55-56. No one asked me. about anything when I registered. Don't know prices but nightly price was reasonable. There are many RV's here that haven't gone anywhere in a while. The night before we stayed in KY at a small clean RV park that had a lot of long term, looked to be construction workers with family, kids all over the place.
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Old 08-21-2017, 10:10 AM   #12
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I bought a Mobile Police Command bus at auction and didn't re-paint it.


I park in front of City Hall.






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Old 08-21-2017, 10:16 AM   #13
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Probably a lot less likely to get broken into with paint scheme as well.
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Old 08-21-2017, 01:17 PM   #14
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Probably a lot less likely to get broken into with paint scheme as well.
With the sad state of affairs these days that could get you murdered by violent extremists/terrorists.
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Old 08-23-2017, 05:00 PM   #15
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An update to the thread:

Well I found some land of my own, it's 3 acres just outside Alamogordo,NM very good deal on the land but it has no hookups, power is on the land but sadly the power company "PNM" wants 7-8K to drop service I guess you have to pay for the transformers, for that kind of money I will buy a solar setup.

Then all I have to do is drop in a 2500 gallon water tank add a composting toilet and I have my own homestead.
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Old 11-12-2022, 01:10 PM   #16
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2023 Update?

A lot can change in 6 years. What is the "Turn Away Rate" these days? I'm also not interested in long term parking, mostly 1-6 nights.
Thoughts?
Experiences?
Also, on a similar note, can anyone park overnight at a truck stop (like Loves or Pilot)? Is there a fee?
Thanks! We're trying to plan out a trip out west
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Old 11-12-2022, 03:14 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by kycarp View Post
A lot can change in 6 years. What is the "Turn Away Rate" these days? I'm also not interested in long term parking, mostly 1-6 nights.
Thoughts?
Experiences?
Also, on a similar note, can anyone park overnight at a truck stop (like Loves or Pilot)? Is there a fee?
Thanks! We're trying to plan out a trip out west
I don't know,but I know the travel industry has dropped. With fuel prices and people putting off traveling I would say many places are probably relaxing there rules. Truck stops I believe is just a first come service and good for one night. Get some fuel or some snacks and leave the pilot bag in front window.
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Old 11-12-2022, 08:10 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kycarp View Post
A lot can change in 6 years. What is the "Turn Away Rate" these days? I'm also not interested in long term parking, mostly 1-6 nights.
Thoughts?
Experiences?
Also, on a similar note, can anyone park overnight at a truck stop (like Loves or Pilot)? Is there a fee?
Thanks! We're trying to plan out a trip out west

We use the iOverlander app. along with a few other vanlife apps. It takes a little getting used to but we learned to pick thru and find some good ones.


Like this county boat launch on the Snake River in Big Timber, MT
Click image for larger version

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Truck stops are big noisy places that smell like exhaust. The local Walmart is better.

[emoji3522]Dave
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Old 11-13-2022, 12:29 PM   #19
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Many truck stops are now charging for parking. Some as much as $50 a night but then if you make a 50 gallon fuel purchase or a set $$ amount of store purchase the parking fee is waved.
Truck stops used to offer things like free parking and showers as a way to entice drivers to use their facilities but I guess the high costs of infrastructure and land values has changed all that. Or maybe just greed?
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Old 11-14-2022, 09:27 PM   #20
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I'd rather just throw $5 to a truckstop to stay the night than mess with campgrounds.
But you'll likely find a lot of the "nicer" campgrounds won't want a school bus or anything that ever was one.
Good idea, I think I'd rather do that, too.
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