What states count as visited?

[Jackwagon]

Here is one I struggle with, we have traveled the USA quite a bit before RV'ing, tent camping or staying in camper cabins. We have also visited some states in our current small hybrid RV. We just purchased our first GD Reflection, it's also our first 5er.

Now I am torn on what states I can put on one of those state map stickers(when I get one for the new RV). Is it just states we visit with the GD Reflection or any we have RV'd in before or all the states we have visited as a couple/family and camped or camper cabin camped in?

How do you decide what gets included, especially on a new rig that is so different from your previous travels?

[jh.xsnrg]

It is what ever you want it to be. Our current take on it is we have to spend 1 night camping there, does not matter what RV. Our first state was not even the one we live it, we borrowed a pop up from my parents to go to the eclipse in Nebraska a few years back.

[ramcneal]

It is what ever you want it to be. Our current take on it is we have to spend 1 night camping there, does not matter what RV. Our first state was not even the one we live it, we borrowed a pop up from my parents to go to the eclipse in Nebraska a few years back.

This is my take as well. As you'll see in my signature I've been to a few states, but I have a 2019 337RLS. If I was to include only the states that I've taken my 337RLS to it would be Washington, Oregon, California, and Arizona.

[boyscout]

Here is one I struggle with, we have traveled the USA quite a bit before RV'ing, tent camping or staying in camper cabins. We have also visited some states in our current small hybrid RV. We just purchased our first GD Reflection, it's also our first 5er.

AFAIK it is not a crime in any state to color a map in whatever way it's most meaningful to you. Some will disagree with that, but so what?

For a while I used one of those maps seen in the signatures of some posts here, like the one in the @ramcneal post above. I had all of the 48 states and nine of the Canadian provinces colored in because I've explored all of them extensively. But not with a trailer. For years I did "walkabouts" by myself, in a car staying in hotels for five to eight weeks per year meandering all over North America, following the book "1000 Places To See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die" as well as my own nose. Amazing experiences that are harder to have with an 8-ton trailer behind you and a wife beside you. But I was there, so my map declared it.

I have not been arrested; nobody complained or criticized it. Sounds like you've traveled extensively too... if I was you I'd declare it all on your trailer and have your stories and advice ready when people ask about it.

[ramcneal]

I have not been arrested; nobody complained or criticized it. Sounds like you've traveled extensively too... if I was you I'd declare it all on your trailer and have your stories and advice ready when people ask about it.

Exactly. I like to recount our experience of spending 3 days in our popup trailer, in the rain, with 4 kids, and 2 dogs. Shortly thereafter my wife said we needed a TT which served us well and I have just as many stories with that. It's not the RV that makes the map, it's the experiences you had in those places, looking and remember them is what's good. At least that's how I see it.

[Jackwagon]

AFAIK it is not a crime in any state to color a map in whatever way it's most meaningful to you. Some will disagree with that, but so what?

For a while I used one of those maps seen in the signatures of some posts here, like the one in the @ramcneal post above. I had all of the 48 states and nine of the Canadian provinces colored in because I've explored all of them extensively. But not with a trailer. For years I did "walkabouts" by myself, in a car staying in hotels for five to eight weeks per year meandering all over North America, following the book "1000 Places To See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die" as well as my own nose. Amazing experiences that are harder to have with an 8-ton trailer behind you and a wife beside you. But I was there, so my map declared it.

I have not been arrested; nobody complained or criticized it. Sounds like you've traveled extensively too... if I was you I'd declare it all on your trailer and have your stories and advice ready when people ask about it.

Sure like hearing everyone's methods. I am not worried if someone would call me out on any of it. I just really like getting an idea of how others decide what to do. Ultimately I'll end up doing what the wife says to do...

[Houndbb]

Since I put our map in our sig line here, on a GD (topic) website, I kind of assumed it was a record of where we took “Granny”. Didn’t want anyone calling bs because we’d only had the trailer a year. Between the two of us, we could fill in a lot more states that we’ve visited, lived in, wandered around, stayed overnight, and/or camped.

You can buy a vinyl (sticker) US map online. I was thinking of getting one to put on the slide wall. We’d definitely hang more states, but perhaps draw a tent, pop-up, TT, or cabin on the appropriate state. I guess it depends on why you’re chalking up states. We view it as a jumping off point, conversation starter if you will. Others may see it as a kind of trophy-as climbing all the high peaks (Adirondacks) or diving all the oceans. Some say anywhere you’ve stayed one night (Kay @2hams says where her dog has gone swimming) . Some say you can’t “claim” a state if you’ve simply driven through it, but most times, if we’re driving through, I’ll want to get off the highway and SEE something (squirrel!!!!).

Other places we could fill in (without Granny):
Ontario
Quebec
Vermont
Maine
Connecticut
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Florida
Georgia
Ohio
Michigan
Wyoming
Utah
Colorado
Arizona
New Mexico
Washington
California
Oklahoma
Texas
Louisiana
Guess we should just fill in the map.
N

[vonzoog]

We count any state the we “camped” overnight in with a tent, pop-up, TT, 5th-wheel, and two toy haulers. We DO NOT count overnights at a truck stop, rest stop, Walmart, etc. you get the idea.

[Dave27]

Here is one I struggle with, we have traveled the USA quite a bit before RV'ing, tent camping or staying in camper cabins. We have also visited some states in our current small hybrid RV. We just purchased our first GD Reflection, it's also our first 5er.

Now I am torn on what states I can put on one of those state map stickers(when I get one for the new RV). Is it just states we visit with the GD Reflection or any we have RV'd in before or all the states we have visited as a couple/family and camped or camper cabin camped in?

How do you decide what gets included, especially on a new rig that is so different from your previous travels?

It's up to you. There are no "rules" for this. We started over with this camper. So our map only shows states we have traveled through with the camper. We have only driven through a few of them. Most of the states we have camped in, but we thought the map would really look odd if didn't include all the states on each trip.

[livinthelife]

Sure like hearing everyone's methods. I am not worried if someone would call me out on any of it. I just really like getting an idea of how others decide what to do. Ultimately I'll end up doing what the wife says to do...

Well, we were fairly well-traveled before we bought our fifth wheel. But we just filled in the states as ones we've actually stayed overnight in the rig in.