Adventures in the parking lot
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Mike Owens / News Virginian
Published: July 15, 2007
Last year, Charles and wife, Karen, motored from their Hampton home to California and back.
They recommend the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest in Arizona, and still marvel at the Aztec-themed paintings on the water towers and in the road underpasses of New Mexico.
Of course, you could also skip the adventurer moniker and call him the consummate Wal-Mart shopper. Most overnight stops on the Smith's great American trek begin with glances toward a map that lists every 24-7 location in the country.
The Smiths are not the only ones.
A pass by the supercenters in Waynesboro or Staunton on any given summer night reveals at least one RV somewhere on the parking lot.
Occasionally, the scene consists of beach chairs, a grill and a television set hooked to a generator as vacationers from a half dozen RVs make a night of it.
"I've never met anybody I didn't like," Charles Smith said of the festive nights.
As it turns out, the international retailer often welcomes overnight stays on its blacktop, provided it doesn't violate some obscure local law.
"Many of out locations allow overnight RV parking. The decision is primarily in the discretion of store management," e-mailed Wal-Mart spokeswoman Marisa Bluestone.
A Google check of "RV" and "Wal-Mart" shows more than 654,000 hits. What pops up are lists of all the nation's Wal-Marts, tips for new travelers and even blogs that describe the "Wal-Marting" across America experience.
There's even a term for it - boondocking. That translates into "free camping" for the uninitiated. Judging from some of the Internet debate, some campsites might frown on the practice, but Wal-Mart seems to love the attention.
Trucking couple Linda and Francis Horne buys at least $300 worth of Wal-Mart food, bowls and other goodies each week. That also includes the kitty litter for Jasmine, a skittish feline with a little pup tent in the back of the tractor-trailer cab.
He's a Massachusetts native with 18 years of trucking experience and she's a former skin specialist from Canada.
"Instead of me staying alone, I decided to quit my job and see America," she said Wednesday night while re-stocking the rig. "Now, I've seen America three or four times over."
Their truck boasts a television, fridge and DVD player. Wal-Mart offers security, food and a bathroom to brush their teeth.
Also found on the store's blacktop is a peaceful sleep that just can't be found at truck stops and rest stops. Many toss-and-turn nights have resulted from the noise and exhaust fumes of idling tractor-trailer engines.
Contact Michael L. Owens at 932-3563.
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