Week 403-406 - Elks Lodge RV Parking Update - 09-10-2021

Elks Lodge RV Parking Update

We get a lot of questions about traveling full time in the Mothership. One of the very first things we tell any "full time motorhome traveling" wannabe is "Join the Elks!". The Elks is a great organization that raises funds to work with children, distribute patriotic materials into schools, provide scholarships and funding for drug awareness. Our January 2010 Elks Travelogue gives a brief and unique history of the Elks. In that travelogue we listed 40 of the Elks Lodges where we had parked. As of today we have stayed at 129 lodges.

So why join the Elks? First to participate in funding their great programs. Second, many lodges provide a great place to stay overnight or stay for a week in your motorhome. Not only do they provide a low-cost place to stay, you'll meet other Elks who will treat you to great hospitality.

Here is our secret about the Elks. Most of them will let you stay at their lodge even though they don't have designated RV parking. We do the following: Once we determine we are ready to stop for the day, we search for RV parks and the Elks lodges. It has amazed us how many times we could not find an RV park in some small town, but there is an Elks Lodge. We call the Elks lodge and usually speak with bartender. We introduce ourselves as guests from our Atascadero Lodge. We inquire about RV parking. They let us know if they have a site available or if we can dry camp on their property. We always get their name and leave ours. When we arrive we head into the lounge and meet our host. They check our Elks member card and sign us up. It's surprising how many times all the members in the lodge know us when we come in the door. They spread the word we are coming and the hospitality begins! At the end of this travelogue, read our story of Louisville, Kentucky Elks. Besides the overnight spot, the Elks might offer a quality but inexpensive meal and the members will share with us the local sites, events and good restaurants.

Note that it takes a couple of months, and two sponsors, to join the Elks, but it is a totally great and worthwhile membership. We created this list of the lodges we have stayed at to share with other Elk RV members. Each lodge is listed with the date, lodge city and name, hookups, our rating 1 to 5 and the requested donation. The requested donation may have changed. Here is the key to our listings.

Legend for hookups, e.g. 5WS is 50 amp, water, sewer. 5=50amp 3=30amp 2=20amp E=Electric (unsure of amps) W=water S=sewer D=dump C=cable I=Internet (free). Lower case symbols means not great. E.g. i is Internet but maybe not fast or you must go to the lodge. Link to Our Rating System to see how we rate parks.

For photos and more information on any individual Elks Lodge, see Big Rig Bible.

$Donate - These did not not have a published donation, verbally suggest $5

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
07-17-12	Rifle CO Elks	Dry	(2.5)	$donate
07-14-12	Ely NV Elks	Dry	(2)	$donate
08-25-11	Louisville TN Elks	2	(3)	$donate
07-11-11	John Day OR Elks	Dry	(2)	$donate
02-12-10	Escondido CA Elks	Dry	(2)	$donate
04-27-09	West Sacramento CA Elks	2W	(2)	$donate
06-22-07	Warren NJ Elks	2	(2.5)	$donate
12-09-06	Huntington Beach CA Elks	Dry	(2.5)	$donate

$Free - Lodges would NOT take a donation, they were just happy to have us

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
08-16-11	Jeffersonville IN Elks	3	(3)	$free
09-26-10	Sonora CA Elks	Dry	(2)	$free
08-12-09	Polson Elks MT Elks	Dry	(2)	$free
07-20-09	Valdez AK Elks	Dry	(2)	$free
06-27-09	Eagle River AK Elks	Dry	(1.5)	$free
04-29-09	Bellingham WA Elks	Dry	(2)	$free
08-30-08	Pueblo CO Elks	Dry	(1.5)	$free
09-14-07	Casper WY Elks	Dry	(1.5)	$free
09-01-07	Milwaukee WI Elks	2	(3)	$free
06-07-07	Salisbury MD Elks	Dry	(2)	$free
06-05-07	Dover DE Elks	Dry	(3)	$free
05-28-07	Pawleys Island SC Elks	2	(2.5)	$free
04-02-07	Carlsbad NM Elks	E	(1.5)	$free
03-27-07	Silver City NM Elks	Dry	(2)	$free

$1 to $9 - Some dry camping only, others with power

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
12-06-10	Yuma AZ Elks	I	(2)	$8
12-05-10	Casa Grande AZ Elks	W	(2)	$5
09-29-08	Tucumcari NM Elks	EW	(3)	$4
08-28-08	Colorado Springs CO Elks	Dry	(3)	$5
08-15-08	Silverthorne CO Elks	E	(2)	$5
08-10-08	Pocatello ID Elks	E	(1)	$5
04-14-08	Sacramento CA Elks	Dry	(2)	$5
04-23-07	Panama City FL Elks	E	(2.5)	$5

$10 to $14 - Facilities varied

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
05-09-22	Gallup NM Elks	Dry	(2)	$10
01-14-21	Gila Bend AZ Elks	Dry	(2)	$10
08-17-20	Ukiah CA Elks	Dry	(3)	$10
12-07-18	Palm Springs CA Elks	Dry	(3)	$10
01-11-15	Glendale CA Elks	2	(3)	$10
09-09-11	Kansas City MO Elks	5W	(2.5)	$10
05-19-11	Willows CA Elks	3W	(2.5)	$10
02-18-11	Sun City AZ Elks Dry	Dry	(2)	$10
09-17-09	Eugene OR Elks	3D	(2)	$10
04-07-09	Roseville CA Elks	2W	(2)	$10
12-19-08	Bakersfield CA Elks	E	(1.5)	$10
10-19-07	Redbluff CA Elks	EW	(2)	$12
08-01-07	Cape Girardeau MO Elks	5	(4)	$10
05-21-07	Charleston SC Elks	Dry	(3)	$10
04-09-07	Del Rio TX Elks	E	(2)	$12
04-01-07	Roswell NM Elks	EW	(2)	$10
03-31-07	Alamogordo NM Elks	EWS	(2)	$10

$15 to $19 - The most popular donation range

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
11-08-20	Riverside CA Elks	3	(3.5)	$15
09-18-20	Newport Elks OR	3W	(2.5)	$15
06-20-19	Springfield OR Elks	5W	(2.5)	$15
06-01-19	Snake River Elks Jerome ID	3	(3)	$15
04-19-16	Burbank CA Elks	3W	(3)	$15
12-29-15	Parker AZ Elks	E	(2.5)	$15
08-03-15	Brookings Elks	3W	(3)	$18
05-03-13	San Jose CA Elks	3W	(3)	$19
10-30-12	Canoga Park CA Elks	3WD	(3)	$18
01-01-12	Hesperia CA Elks	3WCD	(2.5)	$18
07-21-11	Spokane WA Elks	5WI	(2.5)	$15
05-30-11	Paradise CA Elks	3WS	(3.5)	$16
01-05-11	Santa Clarita CA Elks	3WCI	(2.5)	$15
10-17-10	Needles CA Elks	5WS	(3)	$17
09-24-10	Oakhurst CA Elks	3W	(3)	$15
09-13-09	Oceanlake Camp OR Elks	3W	(2.5)	$18
07-08-09	Soldotna AK Elks	2	(2)	$15
06-23-09	Palmer/Wasilla AK Elks	E3w	(3)	$15
04-25-09	Burien Elks WA	5W	(2.5)	$15
03-23-09	Tempe Elks AZ	3WS	(3)	$17
01-23-09	Oceanside CA Elks	EWD	(3)	$18
01-21-09	Oxnard CA Elks	EW	(2.5)	$15
05-15-22	Westminster CO Elks	EWS	(2.5)	$21
07-01-08	Ocean Shores WA Elks	EWS	(2)	$15
06-15-08	Lodi CA Elks	EW	(3)	$16
06-13-08	Tracy CA Elks	EWS	(2)	$15

$20 to $24

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
05-07-22	Show Low AZ Elks	3	(3.5)	$25
08-10-21	Bend OR Elks	3	(3)	$20
09-29-20	Florence OR Elks Lodge	5W	(3)	$20
09-08-20	Kelso-Longview WA Elks	3WC	(2.5)	$20
08-28-20	Coquille OR Elks	3W	(3)	$20
07-20-19	Hollister CA Elks	3WD	(3)	$20
06-17-19	Milwaukee-Portland Elks OR	3W	(1.5)	$20
11-09-18	Fresno CA Elks	3W	(3)	$20
11-05-18	Jackson CA Elks	3W	(2.5)	$20
10-15-18	Rancho Cordova CA Elks	3WD	(3)	$22
10-14-18	Gilroy CA Elks	5W	(3)	$20
03-22-18	Santa Ana CA Elks	3W	(3)	$20 Closed
11-18-17	Lancaster CA Elks	3wDC	(3)	$20
03-30-17	South San Francisco Elks	3W	(2.5)	$20
08-19-16	Coeur d'Alene ID Elks	5Wd	(3.5)	$20
07-30-16	Vancouver WA Elks	3W	(3)	$20
08-13-15	Walnut Creek CA Elks	3W	(2.5)	$20
06-24-15	Santa Maria Elks 3WD	3.5	(3)	$20
10-14-14	Grants Pass Elks	5WS	(2.5)	$20
10-02-13	El Cajon CA Elks	5WDci	(3)	$20
08-18-13	Modesto CA Elks	3Wd	(2.5)	$20
04-09-12	Palmdale CA Elks	3WD	(2.5)	$20
01-11-09	San Luis Obispo CA Elks	3WD	(2.5)	$20
02-16-07	Prescott Valley AZ Elks	EWS	(2)	$20

$25 to $29

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
05-21-22	Ft. Collins UT Elks	5	(3)	$25
09-15-21	St. George UT Elks	5wD	(3.5)	$25
07-30-21	Caldwell ID Elks	3W	(3)	$25
07-15-21	Chico CA Elks	5WD	(3)	$25
03-21-19	Indio CA Elks	5WD	(3.5)	$25
03-20-18	Chula Vista CA Elks	5WS	(3.5)	$27
10-11-17	Boulder City Elks	5WS	(3.5)	$25
11-04-18	Placerville CA Elks	3W	(3)	$25
10-31-18	Nevada City CA Elks	3W	(3.5)	$25
03-29-18	Redlands CA Elks	3WD	(3)	$25
10-05-17	West Covina Elks	5WD	(3)	$25
03-08-17	Lake Havasu Elks,	5WS	(3.5)	$25
09-22-15	Santa Barbara Elks	5W	(3)	$25
09-21-15	Oceano CA Elks	3W	(2.5)	$25
07-28-15	Petaluma CA Elks	5WS	(3.5)	$25

$30 plus - The highest donations

Date	Lodge	Hookups	Rating	Donation
07-13-21	Redding CA Elks	5WSC	(4)	$30
07-08-21	Atascadero CA Elks	5WSI	(3.5)	$35
09-04-20	Tillamook OR Elks	5WDi	(3.5)	$30
08-18-20	Eureka CA Elks	5WS	(3)	$30
08-14-20	Monterey CA Elks	5WD	(3)	$35
07-19-19	Carmichael CA Elks	5WD	(3	$30
11-06-17	Santa Clara CA Elks	5WD	(3)	$30
10-24-17	Napa CA Elks	3WS	(3.5)	$30

As you can see, even at the highest requested donations it's a good deal for you and the lodges.

We hope that this research is valuable to you. Now hear this! We have a dozen great stories to tell you about the hospitality of the Elks, but none more amazing than that of Elks Lodge No. 8 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Visit #1: In 2007 we toured the Eastern States. We were in Louisville and could not find a decent RV park, only mobile home parks that welcomed over-nighters. We called the Louisville Elks. They told us we could park there but they had no hookups. We arrived and they parked us next to the outdoor pool. Then they pulled out a 20 amp power cord for our convenience. Ellen had contracted Poison Ivy and stayed in the Mothership for two days. Pete visited in the lodge. A hospitable member met Pete and introduced him to every member in the lodge. They continued when anyone new arrived. The next day the Elks had a social gathering of about 40 members. Again they made a point of introducing Pete and Ellen, "from California", to every member present. That was nothing, read on!

Visit #2: In 2011 we once again stayed at the Louisville Elks. Members asked about our visit and learned that we needed to have our Cummins ISL400 diesel engine rebuilt. We visited the Cummins distributor in Louisville and they quoted an extremely reasonable price. We accepted but would have to wait a couple of weeks for them to start. We toured the area and returned to Louisville Elks in two weeks.

Visit #3: Upon our return we found that every member knew and was concerned about our engine rebuild plight. We came into the lounge and sat down for a drink. Within just a few minutes a member Don, known as "Duck" asked Ellen where we would stay during the 10 days the engine was being rebuilt. Ellen replied that we would scooter around and find a hotel. "No, no, no" Duck said, "I have a full master bedroom with an outside entrance; you can stay there for free!". Wow! "Or", Duck continued, "you can stay on my 40 foot yacht in a harbor on the Ohio River!!!". Cha-ching, sold!. Duck drove us the 11 miles with our belongings and opened up the yacht for us. During the next week Duck came down a couple of times to check on us and see if we needed anything. All this was during the week before his daughter was getting married!. Elks motto is "Elks Care, Elks Share"; how true this is. Join the Elks!

Pete and Duck at the harbor.

Until next week, Love, Pete and Ellen

Photos from Aug 2006 to Present