Your best tip, trick or caution for our 4 week trip

RMo
RMo Member Posts: 162
edited June 2021 in Camping & Travel
So we are about to venture out on our longest trip yet in our T@B 400 and thought we'd poll the group for some advice.  We've done numerous several-day trips and have the basics down.  For this trip we will be at campgrounds and boondocking in southern Utah (Bear's Ears, Capitol Reef and Escalante areas), Air BnBing in San Francisco, then passing through Nevada, Idaho and Montana on our way to North Dakota (Teddy Roosevelt NP) and Minnesota (Voyageurs NP) then back to Pennsylvania.  We did a similar trip last year in our Roadtrek, and years ago in a pop-up, but wanted to get any tip, tricks or cautions from this group of T@B camping experts.  Places to see, places to avoid, boondocking concerns, travel with a dog, potential T@B issues, general precautions...  anything is fair game so please send along your best!  and thanks in advance.
2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
2017 Highlander Limited

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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    That is a pretty ambitious itinerary for 4 weeks, but then, we tend to linger longer at any given site with a minimum of 3 nights.  I would make a list of “backup” areas to camp if you are using any BLM areas.  They are very popular these days.  In southern Utah, make a list of where you can get water - some gas stations in Moab were very helpful.  
    Do you have campground reservations while in transit?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • RMo
    RMo Member Posts: 162
    Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM, our main goal is to see our kids in San Francisco but enjoy the sights on the way.  We’re thinking the T@B won’t be as convenient for quick stops as the van was, but we’ll soon find out.  We have reservations near Bears Ears for 2 nights and after that have a number of BLM sites marked on our map.  So far we have no firm plans for the trip home.  Anyone have any insight on ability to find spots at state parks in  Idaho, Montana, North Dakota?
    2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
    2017 Highlander Limited

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  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    On our recent 3-week trip with many one-night stops, and short sightseeing along the way, we found that even with pull-through sites and little to no setup, we weren't in the mood to cook like we planned. We ate out a lot more than we thought we would. We actually had all of our stops planned and pre-booked, so no advice on finding sites on the fly.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • RMo
    RMo Member Posts: 162
    We plan to cook but having open restaurants this year versus food trucks and take out last year makes it likely we’ll eat out more - part of getting to know a place is eating their food! (or so we tell ourselves when not in the mood to cook).
    2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
    2017 Highlander Limited

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  • webers3
    webers3 Member Posts: 435
    Expect the unexpected 
    2017 T@B 320S   2019 Jeep Cherokee - Southern Connecticut
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  • Marceline
    Marceline Member Posts: 1,747
    RMo said:
    Thanks @Sharon_is_SAM, our main goal is to see our kids in San Francisco but enjoy the sights on the way.  We’re thinking the T@B won’t be as convenient for quick stops as the van was, but we’ll soon find out.  We have reservations near Bears Ears for 2 nights and after that have a number of BLM sites marked on our map.  So far we have no firm plans for the trip home.  Anyone have any insight on ability to find spots at state parks in  Idaho, Montana, North Dakota?
    I'm originally from PA and live in SF. I was going to make some suggestions but it sounds like your kids will have you covered. I hope you're not bringing the T@B into the city. 
    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • RMo
    RMo Member Posts: 162
    Marceline said:I'm originally from PA and live in SF. I was going to make some suggestions but it sounds like your kids will have you covered. I hope you're not bringing the T@B into the city. 
    Thanks for the offer @Marceline - our kids do have us covered.  Fortunately we will be able to leave the T@B at some friends' house just south of the city - seems like having a short-term RV storage place near San Francisco would be a good business!

    2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
    2017 Highlander Limited

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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    edited June 2021
    And expensive…  B) 
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • Marceline
    Marceline Member Posts: 1,747
    RMo said: 
    Thanks for the offer @Marceline - our kids do have us covered.  Fortunately we will be able to leave the T@B at some friends' house just south of the city - seems like having a short-term RV storage place near San Francisco would be a good business!

    I've always kept my trailer at least 40 miles from the city. It's pretty much impossible to get anything closer. These days it's on friends' property just south of Napa. 

    San Francisco Bay Area
    2013 CS-S us@gi
    2015 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner Double Cab
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  • Denny16
    Denny16 Member Posts: 5,431
    I would not have been able to park even a TaB320, let alone the 400 in our SF house driveway (a 25-30 degree down incline), or get one in the garage which was below street level.  I wouldn’t even have tired.   :o
    cheers
    2018 TaB400 Custom Boondock,  Jeep Gladiator truck, Northern California Coast.
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  • gophergrad
    gophergrad Member Posts: 115
    Montana Info

    State Parks reservations: https://montanastateparks.reserveamerica.com/
    You'll have better luck during the week, weekends are pretty full.  Most parks have a few first-come-first-served sites, but those go as soon as they are open (mostly 2 pm).

    Federal lands - There are still a lot of places that are not listed on Recreation.gov, because they don't take reservations.  Something like Ultimate Campgrounds app shows them.

    Glacier Park - A disaster this year. Construction on both ends of the Sun Road, entry tickets required, etc.  Go around.


    2017 CS-S Max (Silver & Yellow), TV 2019 Ram 1500
    Camping under the Big Sky
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  • RMo
    RMo Member Posts: 162
    gophergrad said:
    Montana Info
    Thank you @gophergrad, very helpful!
    2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
    2017 Highlander Limited

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  • gophergrad
    gophergrad Member Posts: 115
    What cell phone carrier so you have?

    Verizon is your best bet out here, BUT the mountains get in the way and you will definitely not always have service.

    We have ATT (because of my job) and carry an el Cheapo TracFone when camping, so we can get Verizon coverage.
    2017 CS-S Max (Silver & Yellow), TV 2019 Ram 1500
    Camping under the Big Sky
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  • RMo
    RMo Member Posts: 162
    We have Verizon, which seems to be about the best you can do.
    2019 T@B 400 (for sale)
    2017 Highlander Limited

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