Forgive my ignorance, but my camping is primarily backwoods boondocking.
I may be traveling to the Mid- West in a few weeks. I foresee a first night stop somewhere east of Kansas City. I want to get a good night rest (i.e. at least 9 hours sleep.) Is this too long for "resting" overnight at a rest area? Do I even want to do this? (safety, tractor trailer noise?)
I just need a place to sleep, but is it better to find a campground?
The rest areas here are signed "8 hours max" but they don't check up in it unless they see you there for an extended time. There are a few "lot lizards" that set up shop in the rest areas in RV's so they watch for them
Many find it convenient to overnight at a truckstop or Walmart (check with management at the Walmart before overnighting). Most Walmarts have no problem with your overnighting, just don't set up camp and park at the extream edge of the parking lot.
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I wouldn't let the safety factor keep you from doing it. I've stayed in rest areas, parking lots, and truck stops probably 150 - 200 nights in the past ~seven years with no problems worse than one panhandler. But to stay safe, lock up, and look around before you go outside. Only talk to strangers thru a window until they're identified. If possible, park so you can't be easily blocked in.
A lot of rest areas (in the east, anyway) are signed against overnight parking, or camping, or have a two hour limit, etc. So far, I've never seen it enforced, and I've seen cars with heavy dew on the windshield in the early AM hours that had obviously been there overnight in supposed 2 hour limit areas. I suspect most LEO's have better things to do at night than roust citizens sleeping in rest areas.
Quiet may be a different issue... I buy the cheap shooter's earplugs at the gun counter at WM and keep a few pair on hand just in case. My unit is small enough to park in a car space. I spent Monday night in an I-40 NC welcome center where I had more natural noise from the woods than truck or traffic noise, but that's a dam' rare thing.
And campgrounds aren't necessarily safe... We had two shootings that I know of in area CG's in the past few years, one fatal, and had a psychopath living in one with an arsenal that included explosives. Our city cops chased a B&E suspect into an RV park, fought with him, and arrested him after dragging him from under someone's class A....
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I would suggest a couple of different ideas, each of which are located a few miles east of the Kansas City area.
The furthest east is a couple of nice big truck stops. They are located approx 50 miles east of KC. There is one on the north side of I70 and then the other one is on the south side of the interstate at the very same exit. Both of them are good sized truck stops with all typical services and they are well lighted at night.
Sorry but I can not tell you specifically at what mile marker they are located, but it is very close to 50 miles east of the city.
The other suggestion is a nice campground. It is located at the Grain Valley Exit, on the south side of the I70. It is Trailside RV Park. It is a Good Sams Park. They have 100 campsites, 50 amps, and full services. It is right next door to Trailside RV Sales and Service. You can check them out their web site or can call them at
800-748-7729.
Just some ideas about the local area, just east of Kansas City.
Good luck, Larry
PS: We have not noticed any snipers at any one of
these locations.
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If you want a good night's sleep, you will stay in an RV park. Otherwise, be prepared to listen to highway and truck noise all night long. Truckers come and go, start up and idle. You will also get a good whiff of exhaust fumes. And it may still be warm enough that you will either need to run air or to be opened up. Neither works well in a rest area. We have tried it. DH handles it better than I do. I NEVER feel rested afterwards.
I prefer a CG for a good nights sleep. Much less noise. And much less worry about safety. I have used rest areas and truck stops, without any safety problems. Noise tho, is another thing. But I just sleep better in a peaceful C/G.
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