Are skoolies prohibited from most campgrounds?

oldog12 · 09-16-2006, 09:15 PM

My dear sweet wife, while at the local farmers maket, started talking to one of the farmers about how I was planning to convert my old 76 IH Thomas. Well, as some of you all have figured out by now, the old fella cautioned my wife that "a lot" of RV Campgrounds don't allow skoolies in because of the scotch-tape and bailing wire systems they have on board. Needless to say this has sparked a negative view on my skoolie project, not that she was 100% on board to begin with, but if anyone can give me some definate examples of skoolies being turned away from any state run or privately owned RV Casmpsites, I'd like to know

the_experience03 · 09-16-2006, 09:29 PM

It really wouldn't be fair to lie. SOME campgrounds won't allow a skoolie. However, I have had VERY LITTLE trouble. Most campground owners are curious about what it looks like inside. At the big government runs sites, they're just happy to get business. Truth be told, you don't want the campgrounds that don't want you. They're the ones with the million dollar ooaches where the retired folks watch a campfire inside their climate controlled living room on the 63 inch plasma screen instead of coming outside and actually getting away.

oldog12 · 09-16-2006, 11:56 PM

Yeah, we looked at some of those "million dollar RVs" at a local RV show about a month or two ago... I have to say they are nice, but they're really not for us. Not to mention the price tag... Well, if we won the Power Ball...
I think we'll be happier in something we put together ourselves and not in some over-priced rolling palace. But all-in-all, I think its a statement of individuality to do a skoolie.
Anyhow, I expect to be going to the state run campgrounds mostly if not exclusively.

captainkf · 09-17-2006, 01:45 AM

We have travelled 15,000 km's in our bus over the last couple of years while it was in various states of conversion, and have never, yes never been turned away. Even the fancy (overly expensive) campgrounds.

Just my 2 cents.

-Richard

lapeer20m · 09-17-2006, 09:14 AM

I also have had no problems staying at campgrounds with my skoolie. not to say that it never happens to folks, but i think the scare is mostly urban legend. People are curious about my bus, and i've found that even the folks with the really nice expensive pusher motorhomes still want to come take a look inside and see what i've done to the ol girl.

Phill and i stayed at a pretty fancy old folks place while in texas with both our buses, and his was still painted yellow. As a side note: it wa spring break, and this was a very conservative campground. Oddly enough, the loudest wildest crowd was a group of people old enough to be my grandparents! They loved our buses too!

bdavis441 · 09-17-2006, 09:21 AM

I have only been to Indiana state parks so far, no problem at all. I did change the title to RV to get an RV plate, the lady at the BMV said they can turn you away if it's not plated RV.

oldog12 · 09-17-2006, 10:38 PM

My wife and I are planning to go to Wisconsin mostly, with a trip up to Mt Rushmore in the future... Any problems with getting accomodated up there?

ParadigmCrime · 09-18-2006, 02:06 PM

Hey I put mine together with Duct-Tape and Bailing Wire, and even Ive never been turned away. Most people think its pretty cool. Currently mine is a very weathered school bus. Still yellow, but its faded. It has "Skool Bus" painted on the front in grey spray paint, and a shiva hood ornament.

ON a serious note, all the electrical is very safe, because I used to be an electrician, and hence know what im doing.... ok ok, so maybe the speaker system is currently electrical taped together, but I swear everything else is done proper.

Then again I usually dont pull into the RV campsite, since Im not all that concerned with hookups (I dont have plumbing yet).

Some people give me that "Your a dirty hippie eye", but I just smile, and tell them Im not a dirty hippie, Im a dirtbag punkrocker.

the_experience03 · 09-18-2006, 02:21 PM

We stayed at the Mystic Hills Lodge which is just a little ways away from Mount Rushmore and I would recommend them to ANYONE. They were absolutely fantastic folks and the campground was beautiful.

Driving to Mt. Rushmore itself isn't bad. They have a decent highway and decent parking. While you're around, check out Jewel Cave, the Crazy Horse Monument, and some of the highways around there with the 100 year old tunnels. There's nothing like threading a bus through a 9 foot wide, 13 foot tall tunnel. I watched an MC-9 make some of them so I'm sure a bus can.

I'll try and get some directions or atleast an address to Mystic Hills Lodge. $20 something per night gets electrical hook up, water hook up, sewage hook up, wonderful showers (as far as campgrounds go anyway), and a beautiful lodge that was just finished this year with a tavern, cafe, and general store in it.

oldog12 · 09-18-2006, 10:25 PM

Hey, Thanks for the heads up on Mystic Hills Lodge! Sounds great! Some of our friends went to Crazy Horse Monument and said they spent more time there than they did at Mt Rushmore... Hope to get my bus over here soon out of storage so I can start working on it...
Thanks to everyone for all the good info!

eggman · 09-18-2006, 11:44 PM

I just returned from a 4 day camping trip in Ohio with no problems. Had a great time if you take out the two tires I had to put on my trailer at 10:00 pm on Saturday night in a Walmart Parking lot.

the_experience03 · 09-19-2006, 02:41 AM

Mystic Hills Cabins & Campground
21766 Custer Peak Road
Deadwood, SD 57732
Phone: (605)584-4713
Fax: (605) 584-4692
Email: mailto:mystichills@netzero.com

http://www.mystichillscampground.com

$2.00 domestics, $2.50 imports

oldog12 · 09-19-2006, 04:05 AM

Hey, Once again, thanks for the good info. I just visisted the site for Mystic Hills and it looks like a really nice place! Hope I can get my ass in gear and head up there next summer.

oldog12 · 09-19-2006, 11:57 PM

Anybody got any info on RV Campsites in Wisconsin?

wmah · 09-20-2006, 12:30 AM

I'm doing mine up with a lift in it for accessibility for my friend and when I get done I don't expect any problems anywhere I go. If they do give me problems I'll either move along or sweet talk them with the "How many rv's do you see with a wheelchair lift in it? This was the best option for us"

By the way I am knocking on wood too. And if I have to I'll use DAD campgrounds since they are good with all rv's. Or at least until you wake up to church bells and see people going into a church. Or the owners of the parking lot want their lot back.

oldog12 · 09-20-2006, 12:48 AM

Uhhh... What's a DAD campground? I've never heard the description...

ParadigmCrime · 09-20-2006, 04:43 AM

heh, if im in a city, I just park on the street. Ive been living in vehicals for two years now. Had a van before, and upgraded to the School bus.

I also have been known to park in 24hour coffeeshop parking for days on end.

The best thing to do is stay outa suburbia, everyones an uptight ass there, so I dont even bother parking in suburbia.

Big cities, you just gotta find the slightly seedier side of town. (dont park in the absolut seediest though).

Walmart parking lots are fine, but I dispise walmart so dont usually park there unless its a last resort.

Number one place to park for me is 24hour coffeeshops, with unusual crowds of people. It was common knowledge I lived in the parkinglot, nob ody minded at all. I think the late late shift liked me cuz they knew they werent completely alone.

wmah · 09-20-2006, 07:44 AM

When I was younger we would take those family trips in our grandparnets class c rv. And my dad would park it in what ever parking lot he could find after driving late in to the night. Most often it would be bussiness lots, churches, and mall lots. I remember only once where a cop had come up and told us to leave but I think he gave us a couple hours to do so.

He would try to find lots that had the lights in the lot off so we didn't have the light in our faces in the night.

oldog12 · 09-20-2006, 10:58 AM

I see.... Seedy side of town parking lots, Walmart as the last resort, coffee shops good too....

Now, how about anyone not being allowed into a regular privately owned RV Campground or state run campground because they don't allow skoolies as a policy?

the_experience03 · 09-20-2006, 05:32 PM

State campgrounds don't care in my neck of the woods. If it has RV plates, it's an RV. As for private sites, I think their only concern is with wiring and plumbing because it wasn't done by a professional. However, my wiring was done by a group of guys with pretty decent skills. The buddy that did all the 120 wiring (I did the 12v) has two years of schooling under his belt in the field. Basically, all it takes is for the owner to take a good look at things. At worst I've had them plug a tester into all the oulets to test for proper grounding, but he said they did this with stick and staple RV's as well and interestingly enough...they had a higher failure rate than the homebuilt a remodeled units he has seen.

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