Welcome to Travel Tuesdays! I am starting a new addition to this blog, something a little extra every Tuesday. I talk a lot about my adventures but that can seem so out of reach for many viewers. Tuesdays will be dedicated to talking about the places, campgrounds, driveways, venues, or street roads I spend my nights sleeping at with a highlight at the end about a spot that I favorited recently. Considering I am only 20, I don’t have a million dollars or all my dads money to spend on living comfortably on the road, so I do it for cheap. Anyone with a sleep-able car can follow along with these directions to find a hidden gem for cheap and help them start up their own adventures. When I hit the road, the first thing I did was look for apps to make my life a little easier. GasBuddy, Campendium, and Campnado are some of the free apps I use for cheap gas, dump stations, and local campsites for free or for cheap. There are other apps that require a subscription, like The Dyrt. If you’ve got a little bit of money to spend, I do recommend something like The Dyrt for the most access to free sites. If none of those options are working, sometimes you’ve got to get creative. When none of my apps are producing options that feel safe enough (and we will talk through this later) or fit my vehicle, creativity is the only way to go. A quick google search will produce a list of places locally that you can sleep in, but nationally there are a few options too. Campers and other car sleepers can legally stay the night at any Walmart parking lot, Crackle Barrel, or a Bass Pro/Cabela’s. There’s been a few nights where camping didn’t work out well for me or I didn’t get far enough on my drive like I had planned and just needed to pull over. I spent a night in a Bass Pro in Colorado Springs, Colorado and they come by early sunset time to get all your information. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that and as a solo female traveler, I am on high alert at all times. I knew my doors were locked but when I heard a knock at my door, my heart jumped. With a quick look out a hidden window, I knew it was just the local security making sure I was good for the night, and it added an extra sense of safety and relief to know I was being monitored unlike I would be at a Walmart parking lot. Just remember that before you park there and turn in for the night. Now for safety...Sometimes a scare is a good thing when its simple like that. It reminds me that things aren’t safe on the road, and I need to take my preventative measures to make sure I am safe. Avoiding somewhere sketchy is my number one priority. I’ve driven to countless campgrounds that just felt a little less than safe. I drive in and leave right away. Being a solo traveler, I am on my own time and don’t need to worry about family or friends to do something. Its all my decision and my biggest advice is to follow your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, get out of there. There are lots of other places to go. When choosing a parking lot, Walmart or otherwise, make sure you park as close to a light as possible. Your car is a lot less likely to be messed with or broken into if you’re not in complete darkness. Having a backup plan is one of the best things you can do for yourself as well. Carrying a gun, pocketknife, mace, or whistle of some sort is a good idea for self-defense. If the situation calls for it, being able to defend yourself may be necessary and it’s a good idea to create a plan so you’re as prepared as possible. You can learn more about being safe as a solo traveler here. Travel Tuesday's Adventure Recommendation To finish us off, here’s my highlight camping destination of the week - Welcome to Horse Tooth Reservoir, Colorado! This place was one of the few places I went to in Colorado that was super impressive. While traveling around the state for a few days, I found that Colorado is full. It’s a very, very busy place, but it is filled with just about anything and everything. It was a little hard to drive through and you had to get pretty out into the middle of nowhere to be alone. Lucky for me, I travel alone so having some neighbors is actually a little nice sometimes. As I arrived, the drive in was beautiful. Its full of pull offs that are filled to the brim with people stopping through for pictures. The campground was huge, and I worked my way to my spot, right on the water with a perfect view. For a steeper, flat price of $50 a night, I wanted a nicer view. As the sun went down and I finished my homework, I worked my way outside to take a walk. Being on a reservoir, the beach and the lake were calling my name and I worked my way over there for a short walk. I watched all the boats take out at the launch as the sun dwindled down and left my shoes in the grass. This seemed to be the kind of area where things aren’t getting stolen or broken into. After about a mile, I turned around in the dark and wandered back. The sand was extra red and was a mix between normal sand and wet sand. It sucked you deeper down but was still, but barely, firm enough to walk on. There was clear evidence of the day’s events between the boats exiting and the castles in the sand. I found a very large crawdad claw and wanted to fish, but the day was coming to an end and I was more than tired after driving 17 hours in the two days before. I headed back to find my neighbors outside and they invited me for some smores. With smores and stories being shared, Bob and Jane, my neighbors decided it was time to turn in for the night and I headed back to my camper as well. I crawled into bed with my cat Poe and started to sleep. Unfortunately, just like the Bass Pro incident, the same thing happened. I had been asleep for probably 2 hours before I got a knock at my door. Again, everything in my body is freaking out and I crack open my window to find two rangers. I had walked in for my camping spot instead of making a reservation (which I also recommend making for better spots, I just got lucky) and they needed some information from me that someone was supposed to take hours ago, before 11:30pm like when they showed up. The wake up was quick and only resulted in another short walk on the beach during sunrise. I had another 8-hour day ahead of me I needed to get ready for. While my trip here was short and sweet, I found that this was one of my favorite places in Colorado to stay. Even with a more expensive price on a night’s sleep, the scenery and neighborly company was just what I needed to be reenergized for my next drive. Some of my favorite places are entirely made by the company I kept while there and this couple was no different. Campgrounds are a great place to meet people who are likeminded or do the same activities as you. Their stories carry valuable travel information and wisdom that may help later on.
Join me back here next Tuesday for another Travel Tuesday that will fill you in on my solo traveling tips and for a must-see hotspot to add to your next adventure.
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About ErynnErynn is originally from Indiana and is a student at Indiana University - South Bend. While pursing her degree, she is working as a raft guide during summers and spends the rest of the year traveling in her RV alongside her adventure cat, Poe. Her goal? To promote a lifestyle around the outdoors and to disconnect from the comforts of daily life. My Blogosphere |