Things I've learned six weeks into my trip

It's been six weeks since I left home near Seattle. I have learned a bit about camping in America in the summer and getting online.

First, there are a zillion people camping this summer and the campgrounds are full. The RV industry is thrilled about the huge numbers of RVs being sold. The problem is that all those new RVers want to use their RVs, and in the busy summer season there are not enough campsites in popular areas to squeeze everyone in.

Finding a campground or RV park on a Friday or Saturday night without reservations is hard especially in well-known National and State Parks, where it is next to impossible. It's much easier Sunday through Thursday, when the weekend crowds aren't around. On these days, look for campgrounds that are first-come, first-served. Those that take reservations will likely be booked.

If you don't have a reservation for a Friday or Saturday and it's already Thursday, then plan on staying somewhere off the beaten tourist path, away from the weekenders.

Before you head off to a campground or RV park, call to be sure there is space. If necessary, make a reservation. What did we ever do before cell phones?

MY "GO-TO" SOURCE of campground information has been RVparkReviews.com, although I am disappointed that its listings are far from comprehensive. I carry a Good Sam Directory, and it is helpful, but it misses a lot of public parks. And I don't trust its rankings: If a park buys an ad I strongly suspect it gets an extra star or two. It's probably a good idea to bring along the directory anyway. When doing research I have used CampgroundViews.com, which is a growing website that provides video sneak peeks of campgrounds. I also use our own site FreeCampgrounds.com to find low-cost options.

If you enjoy camping at KOA, then pick up one of its catalogs at the first KOA you find. There are nearly 500 KOAs around the country. If you stay at the parks often, buy one of its Value Kards to save on fees.

If you camp more than a couple of weeks a year at RV parks, you should join the Good Sam Club to get a 10 percent discount at most campgrounds. Your AAA or AARP card will work sometimes.

My basic Garmin nuvi 55LM GPS is essential for navigation but also for finding a place to stay. I simply instruct it to search for nearby campgrounds and it shows what's ahead. Often this is the easiest and fastest way to find a place.

I belong to PassportAmerica.com, which enables members to camp for half price at a couple thousand campgrounds across the USA. So far this trip, I have only been able to take advantage of the program once. Most times I have tried there have been no participating campgrounds near me or the ones that were there restricted the benefit to midweek or the off season. I'll probably find the card more useful after Labor Day.

I have not yet had to resort to staying in a Wal-Mart parking lot, but that's an option when nothing else is available. Most stores allows overnight stays in RVs. Some RVers report they stay at Cracker Barrel restaurants with no problems. Ditto Cabela's.

INTERNET ACCESS
You cannot count on the Wi-Fi at RV parks, even when it's advertised as available. About one-third of the time it does not work. Another third of the time it's so slow it's worthless. About one-third of time it works okay. In fairness to other campers, never use it to stream Netflix or even YouTube videos.

I need to be online for my work, so I must do more than just rely on occasional Wi-Fi at RV parks or public spots like McDonald's.

I get online most of the time via my iPhone using its Personal Hotspot function connecting via Bluetooth (it will work as a Wi-Fi hotspot, too). My plan allows me to use up to 15 gigabytes a month.  Learn about Verizon's plans and rates here.

I also carry an ATT Unite Pro 4G LTE Mobile WiFi Hotspot (see photo), which without a contract costs $199. Instead of a contract, when I am on the road I pay $25 a month for 2 gigabytes of use ($50 buys 5 gigabytes). I only use the card when I can't get on through Verizon or a Wi-Fi source. 

So far, Verizon has been the hands down most dependable way to get online, especially in the rural West where coverage is often spotty or weak. On this trip, I have randomly tested both Verizon and ATT to compare access and speed. So far, Verizon has worked about 90 per cent of the time and ATT about 70 percent.  The connection speeds have usually been about the same, but sometimes ATT is screaming fast and puts Verizon to shame. Other times, Verizon is faster.

My conclusion: If you need to be online when you travel, get Verizon. And if you really, really need to be on, like me, get the ATT card, too, for those times that Verizon and/or public Wi-Fi is either not available or too slow.