How early do you clear out?

[ganchan]

Currently I can get up around 6:30am CST, although it's not exactly my favorite moment of the day. But when I start vandwelling and staying at overnight parking lots, etc, I'm wondering whether I'll need to be in the driver's seat and clearing out earlier than that. 

What's the usual protocol for this sort of thing? I imagine it varies according the venue (truck stop vs Wal-Mart vs Home Depot vs Cracker Barrel, etc)....

On the bright side, I shouldn't have any trouble falling asleep early if my day begins at the crack of dawn. Although ear plugs may be required.

 

[Almost There]

Some are on the road at daybreak because they want to travel miles before they sleep!

Seriously, I've gotten up and gone shortly after day break because it was cold. I'd get on the road, warm up the inside of the van with the heater then pull in to a rest area or any place convenient and then make breakfast, my tea, do dishes etc.

If the weather is pleasant then I might not be on the road until 9, 10 or 11 AM. 

I have never noticed that it makes a difference to the stores or the truck stops. Particularly in truck stops, the transports are taking their rest breaks when they are required to do so or need to do so, time of day makes no difference.

I have heard that SOME places actually post rules about departure times but I've never seen them myself.

The only exception might be some states rest areas that have specified time limits on how long you can park.

Short answer - there is NO set protocol for this. Do as you wish as long as what you wish is not staying for days in the same parking lot.

 

[slynne]

Since I have decided that this is something I want to do, I've noticed someone else stealth camping on the streets in my town. They almost always park downtown where the meters are from 8am-6p. They leave by 8, I assume. Even though there is a rule about parking RVs on the street, I don't think their class B van has attracted notice by anyone but me although most likely the police have noticed too. They are just kind of chill around here. [Ypsilanti, Mi]

 

[rvwandering]

We do pretty much the same as Almost There. We rarely leave early in the morning unless it's very cold. Most of the time it's around 11:00 or 12:00. As long as you park out of the way nobody really cares or even notices you. Occasionally ( if we're sick or have a problem that must be fixed before we can travel) we stay in the same lot for more than one day without moving and we've never been questioned but usually we're somewhere else for the vast majority of the day. We may stay overnight at the same lot for two or three night and then move to another lot if we're in a city that we want to explore.

 

[mpruet]

If just staying overnight, I generally will wake up at 4:00 and am on the road by 4:30.  I prefer to drive in the morning dark rather than the evening dark.

 

[cyndi]

I like to wait until the school buses are off the road and all the poor chumps that have to work have arrived at their destination; that's usually between 8:30 and 10 depending on how urban or rural the location.

 

[Reno]

I like to wait until the school buses are off the road and all the poor chumps that have to work have arrived at their destination; that's usually between 8:30 and 10 depending on how urban or rural the location.

This.

 

[BobBski]

I don't do time or schedules lol. Wake up when I wake up, pack when I've finished at least one cuppa and head out when it's done. Unless I take the girls for a walk first . My packing usually only includes putting my step and chair in the van.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

If I'm covering ground I don't want to take the scenery in on (the fly over states in particular) I like driving at night and watching the sun come up as I go. Then i'll stop and sleep during the day. As I find it easier to park in the daytime than I do at night in unfamiliar places as people are less on edge.....this doesn't apply to truck stops/walmart. But does with some rest areas, as they are closed during some night time hours.

I've never found that any Walmarts or Truck stops care when you arrive or leave. Truck stops are a 24/7 operation and lots of times are actually more busy at night. Private campgrounds have check out times so you're at their mercy when staying with them. I enjoy staying at small private campgrounds once in awhile in my travels. Especially ones with water access to a river or lake.