Dear RV Shrink:
We have been living in our fifth wheel for just over a year. We’ve been to many wonderful places we’ve always dreamed of visiting. My wife and I love this lifestyle and have adjusted well to living in a small space in comparison to our home.
I keep talking about downsizing even more into a smaller rig and my wife will have none of it. My reasoning is gas savings, getting into areas with length restrictions, and traveling roads that will not accommodate our big rig and truck. Gas prices are rising, we couldn’t get into Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona because of our length, and the River Road into Big Bend National Park was a nail biter.
Do you think she is being closed-minded, or should I just be happy with what we have and stop trying to readjust our mode of transportation. —Morph and Mindy at Montezuma Castle
Dear M & M:
There are no right or wrong answers to your question. There are so many variations to the rigs that people are traveling in today and it has created a new pastime. You will notice people walking the campgrounds at night looking at other rigs and reevaluating the decisions they have made or would like to make. It is very natural to want to adjust or morph into something different.
Since you have just started to travel, your perspective is beginning to change as you add more pieces to your experience puzzle. Everyone has different travel styles and interests. You just have to work together to find your niche. It is fun to observe and study others and see if parts of their lifestyle would work for you.
I have met people happier than a corn borer in a peach in the smallest Casita and the biggest motorhome. Recently I met a couple with a semi tractor with a smart car on the back, pulling a fifth wheel, pulling a trailer full of ORVs. They were parked next to a really interesting guy full-timing on a bicycle with a one-man Hilleberg tent. Both seemed equally high on life.
Sometimes all we need is an attitude adjustment. Don’t make any quick decisions, but continue to dialog and dream. You may never get it completely right, but the journey is often much more interesting than the destination, both geographically and mentally. —Keep Smilin’, Richard Mallery a.k.a. Dr. R.V. Shrink
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Let your wife do the driving, parking, backing up, etc. for awhile. The big rigs aren’t easy and I would bet you would be soon getting your smaller rig.
The most important consideration is not the size or quality of the RV, but the quality of the relationship. If that is good any RV will do.