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Cover story
By Chuck Woodbury
Earlier this month, Rite Aid opened a new, modern 25,000-square-foot headquarters in Philadelphia. It’s a “collaboration center,” not a traditional office with cubicles and individual spaces. Instead, it’s a place for employees who work mostly from home to gather on occasion for person-to-person collaboration.
Meanwhile, Amazon has postponed its plan to construct six high-rise office buildings in Bellevue, Washington, and paused work on a 20-story tower in Nashville, Tennessee. A total of 30,000 planned jobs will not be shelved: Most employees will choose to work at home, not commute to an office. So, reasons Amazon, are the new facilities really necessary?
A friend of mine, an HR director for a health care company, told me recently that most job applicants she interviews these days wants to work remotely, not at an office. Here in Seattle, that avoids wasting an hour or two (or longer) a day stuck in traffic!
Some remote jobs require “checking in” on a regular basis, but others require no such thing. The employee can work from wherever they wish.
Where I’m going with this
When I say “work at home,” I could also say “work from a home that moves,” which would define an RV, right? Do this the next time you attend an RV show: Sit on the couch in a large motorhome or fifth wheel trailer and wait. Observe the couples who walk in. It will not be long before one person says, and enthusiastically: “I could live in this!”
RVs today can be THAT comfortable! High-end models can be as comfortable as a traditional home. But they have one thing a traditional home does not have: wheels! And in most cases, the RV is more affordable than buying or renting a sticks-and-bricks home or apartment. Why wouldn’t a person with a sense of wanderlust choose to live in one of these and combine business and travel? There is no question in my mind that there will be an explosion of such mobile workers in the years to come.
How many of us have already found ourselves camped next to such a person in an RV park? I’ve met many. On my last trip I recall a man who worked in tech support for his company. Another managed a customer service call center. Then there are workers whose jobs move from place to place—traveling nurses, pipeline and construction workers, wind machine technicians. And, of course, there are the self-employed who do their own thing, whatever and wherever that may be.
And now, the rub
I believe there are two broad types of RVs these days: campers and mobile homes. The first are generally inexpensive and made for outings, the second for living. Every year, manufacturers compete to top each other with new bells and whistles to their “luxury” models. The results are increasingly comfortable rolling homes that can be easily driven from place to place.
If you think RV parks are crowded today, just wait for the invasion of such mobile, remote workers who will occupy “campsites” that were once available to overnight and short-term guests. It’s only a matter of time before word gets out in a big way about this. Just watch.
Can enough new RV parks be built to keep up with this mobile army of workers? What do you think? Please leave a comment.
Photos courtesy of Mark and Julie Bennett of RVlove.com
##RVT1063
I’ve been a ‘remote worker’ for well over a decade, none of this is anything new to me, and no, I’m not a ‘Tech Worker’ or any of these web type jobs. Back in the day, I was just listed as a ‘permanent telecommuter’. When I transitioned away from going into the office, there were only a hand-full of us to doing it, but it wasn’t unheard of.. You got management approval, filled out a form, and they would even supply the stuff you needed to work from home. When I changed companies, the new job was in-office, but within a year I was able to show enough competence that I was allowed to transition back into a permanent telecommuter role. I would work from home, while taking trips to visit friends and family, vacations, etc. It was around 2011 that I got an RV and took my work on the road full time. We do RV Parks when necessary, but we prefer more natural settings of State/National Parks, Recreation areas, National Forests, etc. I’ve spent months working out of the LTVA’s of CA/AZ.
Wishful thinking. Once the pandemic is in the rearview mirror companies will require the vast majority of their employees to be in the office at least 2-3 days a week. Self employed workers will not fall into that group. All others are being misled by articles like this one and if they are spending a lot of money on their rapidly depreciating mobile homes then they are on a fools errand.
As a tech worker who can work remote, our plan since the kids are gone is to move downmarket and use some of the profit to buy an RV so that we can get out of the PNWet winters. But I’m not enthused about being stuck in an RV park, so finding the right RV that can be mostly off grid while carrying mtn bikes and paddle boards is kinda tough, but I know I’ll find something, it’ll just take awhile.
This lifestyle will work for a select few who have just the right kind of job and family situation but as some have already said, their numbers are limited. We know they are out there because we have parked next to some of them. However, this past year we saw more RV Parks restrict stays to 3 weeks, a month and 2 months. May be a trend to watch.
I certainly don’t dismiss your forecast, but I withhold judgement. Your argument is based on facts. That is, before I retired from a federal white-collar job, I saw numerous new-hires stick around for 2 or 3 years and go elsewhere. They had a much greater taste for movement than I ever developed. Similarly, they “did” things, lots of things, rather than “acquire” things (beyond those necessary for them to do whatever). Such a personality seems very likely to be drawn to movement, including movement of their residence. An RV certainly fills that bill. So, I tentatively agree with you. Either way, I enjoyed reading another article from you!
I worked remotely for the medical field (cancer data abstraction) for 2 years. Because of strict security requirements, I could only use a hard-wired internet connection. It also needed to be fairly robust. I don’t think most RV parks have this type of network available.
You have to be VERY CAREFUL in handling people’s private health information. My former company had an entire IT department who fended off bad actors trying to get health data. Healthcare companies are a prime target for hackers. I can’t see some of these wireless connections working for healthcare. I haven’t researched things like Starlink. Just seems like many companies would not go for it.
Regarding RV parks, I’m hoping for WeWork style RV parks to start popping up. I’ve worked remotely almost all of my 40 year career. I’d like to start working from remote destinations. But campgrounds for recreation are not necessarily set up for working. I need excellent internet. I may need other office amenities like printers or copiers. I may want meeting space. Or a break room. My “office” may be mobile, but I may also want other office and even life conveniences handy as I travel so that I can concentrate on work without having to forage for all the other services and supplies to meet my needs each time I travel to a new location. I want a WeWork RV club to join that has all this set up for me in awesome destinations. Do I want too much? Or is this a brilliant business opportunity?
I would add a third category; those who live in their RV while traveling around seeing the country; not full time living, not what I consider a ‘mobile home’ but more than just a week-ender.
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I worked in city planning and community development for 35 years. It was a non-digital paper world at that time with real file cabinets, copy machines and lots of site visits and face-to-face time with the public. I liked that work environment and most of my co-workers. I also liked the separation of work and home. When I went home at 5 PM, it was personal family time. When we took a vacation, it was 100% vacation with no interruptions, work deadlines or Zoom meetings. Times are changing but not everyone can have the kind of job that allows them to meet job deadlines while touring the country with the family.
Did this exact thing starting in 2004. It was challenging at times back then but as time moved forward it became much easier. Would go to the nearest Airport when I needed to visit a customer in person and fly to them. My wife would stay behind and in a few days I’d fly back. Did most of the work with a computer and some type of internet connection. By the time I retired in 2019 the connectivity was mostly seamless and at a speed I could do Zoom meetings which even cut the travel to customers down drastically. It’s the New Business World and the old conventional office environment is probably mostly gone for good. Wouldn’t want to have a bunch of money invested in conventional Business Park buildings!!
I think we talk too much about working remotely. You can’t build cars, refine gas, drive trucks, stock groceries, etc. remotely. Yes, there are jobs like that but the majority are not. We will see.
Its been happening for years. Northern “campgrounds”, “resorts” etc usually have seasons ending in October or sooner. But that doesn’t mean reservations stop coming in for the open season. With online reservations available from the cg website, or reservations agencies like Camp Spot, reservations can be made year round. But many/most campers prefer to phone the campground. So while the campground may be closed and the management wintering in Florida, Arizona or anywhere warmer, there is someone usually available to answer the dozens of questions, enter the reservation, take a deposit, etc. The person doing all this is usually remote, often travelling.
I too live in the Seattle area (Kitsap) and we have traveled for years while working in our RV (or boat) off and on. We travel around the northwest in the summer and spend about five months a year in California and Arizona RV Parks. I have had been able to keep up with my small business while traveling fairly well. I use a Verizon modem and usually never have to depend on Park Internet unless there is lousy cell service in a particular area like last week in Cannon Beach. Only then do I convert and try out the park Internet.
The main drawback from traveling and working while everybody else around you is having fun and happy hour, is the distractions. You can’t say no to the work and yes to the wife’s plans all the time when everybody says you should be on vacation. Sometimes plans need to be changed for your family because of a certain job that might come due and can’t be postponed. It can be disappointing as well as rewarding.
There will be many who will drop out of the camping scene when they can’t find a technician to fix their hot water heater.
I think the dispersed camping spots are getting full of full-timers too. Last week we drove to a favorite BLM spot in Southern Utah that we have never had a problem finding a camp spot. Not this time. It was full to the gills. We ended up at a Forest Service campground. I happened to run into a couple who were camping out in the dispersed area. They had already been there for 2 months. I asked about the 14 day rule and they said no one ever checks. I got to looking around and I would say 90% of the people out there looked like they had taken up permanent residence. The couple I talked to bragged about how they were staying for free and wouldn’t move until made to. I didn’t know how to feel about it. I thought the public lands were meant for people to recreate on temporarily, not live on permanently. Most people were keeping a clean campsite, but there were a few that the junk was piling up. Unfortunately, those are the ones that get the camping areas closed down.
Hope you got your public lands comments in, the winds of change are blowing full force, thanks to those few bad apples. Soon, designated camping only in some areas. No more stay where you like as long as you like. In some areas of Utah.
I am not sure that it is going to become an overwhelming issue. Millennials like to travel in packs. There might be individuals with small families or just plain individuals who set up some place, but they will have to contend with the limits of staying in a campsite like the rest of us. Also, they have to be within technical range of Wi-Fi or some other form of computer coverage. We have friends who try this and it is not as easy as it seems. It takes very sophisticated electronics to make it work. That ain’t going to happen in many parks!
I see 3 work from home scenarios. 1. Work from: stix n bricks. I have two family members that have done this for decades & live normal community family life. 2. Parked in the RV for 6 months at a time, as my in-laws did for decades – 6 mos up north, 6 mos Florida. The first 2 scenarios take up no more RV spaces than have been in the past decades. 3. Nomads working from the RV. I believe it must be the Nomads that Chuck thinks will eat up parking space. Are there really more Nomads taking up space than this COVID boom of wanderlust RVers, that is surely soon to end? COVID RVers will surely drop off for things often discussed in RVT – rising cost of RVing, poor RV build, and just finding out that, for them, it is not as romantic as they had thought. Isn’t some of it just “not being able to get the spot I WANTED”, rather than not enough spots? On the other hand, for me, maybe the Western half of the USA is more crowed than my Eastern half???
My DW and I agree with your comments, especially the “I can’t get the site I want” rather than no sites available. Also, the work remote or work on the road sounds romantic, but I think employers are going to find remote workers are not ‘overall’ effective as onsite workers. And further, I think remote living will wear thin with many families. We will see.
It’s been going on for years – Corporate America is finally catching up.
Two things I’ve not seen mentioned that will affect WFH from RVs.
1) Kids. If you’re a family, how are you going to handle schooling, play time, sports, social connections? The whole “home schooling” concept sounds reasonable except it really isn’t. Most parents don’t know how to teach to accepted standards, and who is going to teach or supervise when Mom and Dad are both working in the RV.
2) Winter. Everyone in the northern states will want to migrate to the warmer southern states for the winter. Problem is, Florida, Arizona, Texas campgrounds were pretty much booked a year out BEFORE Covid hit. Pretty slim chance of finding a spot on the fly to hole up for the winter. And if you do, it better be for the whole winter and not just a month at a time. Some RV parks have cancelled month-long reservations at the last minute because they had someone willing to book it for 5-6 months.
I see WFH from an RV as a viable alternative for singles or childless couples, not so much for families.
I worked from home several days a week before I retired and my daughter has worked remotely, from a different state, for over 10 years. You must have robust internet service to be successful. Most RV parks do NOT have service robust enough to support this. And if the park does have decent service, as soon as people discover this, they start streaming and the service becomes unreliable. It’s best to have your own private, dedicated Internet service so you don’t have to compete with other users for service, be it a cell data plan or something like StarLink. I have been to parks where they have internet on the power pedestal, but you have to directly coordinate with the local ISP (Internet Service Provider) for activation, etc. Again, that option provides dedicated service. Whether it’s worth it or not is an individual preference. While snowbirding last winter, I met several folks who were also snowbirding, but still working, remotely, enjoying sunny Florida.
People try to mobile work in my destination tourist town in Utah but find that the RV park rents are too costly so they move to Public lands only to find the 14 day stay limit before having to move 30 miles away puts them out of internet reach and include the price of the various fuels needed (diesel, gasoline, propane) throw in the lack of health care and the rough dirt roads, black water dump, or grey water, or culinary water fill too problematic, oh need that RV repaired to towed. I’ll stick to my stick house and vegetable garden and keep riding my e-bike to work.
At least you don’t have to worry about your “Slides” failing on your house!
Sooo many RV Resorts and Campgrounds have Crappy Internet and Cost $100.00 +++ nightly.
If you want to make it work, you will!
Welcome!
“…will occupy “campsites…”? They already are. 2019 pre-pandemic we couldn’t get a site at our favorite campground near my parents. Why? Because the campground had maxed out with long term rentals for highway construction workers. They opted for the sure thing rather than hope to fill their campground with transients like us. Since then, wherever we’ve been, we always meet one or more long-term and/or remote workers. And now with Starlink it’s going to become more prevalent very quickly.
I enjoyed reading this article while sitting in my motorhome taking a break from my work in the RV park I am in until I move to a different park Monday. The comments can be summarized by saying remote work is good for some and not good for others. Good article Chuck.
There are those that can work remotely and the rest of us (I think the large majority) that can’t. We’d be the “trades” people and front line workers everyone raves about and congratulates and then promptly forgets about. We are the people who buy lower cost RVs and the used rigs that many of the rvtravel readership are wanting to be rid of. We can only use our rigs on weekends or paltry 2 week vacations.
So forgive me please if I can’t find it in my heart to feel bad for the remote workers OR those that can’t find an empty RV parking spot. The word ‘elitist’ came to mind but, nah .. Why add to the argument.
Lol .. elitist?? ..
My wife would say, savvy .. we don’t like to waste $$ we aren’t rich like you.. we have to live in our motorhome, its the cheapest way to own it. Get our $$ worth out of it, not rich, can’t afford to use it whenever .. few times a year .. you know like an elitist. 😆 . And yeah my motorhome was bought used .. 2007 model.. but works !!!
So, dont assume everyone working remotely is an elitist..
But work for us was remote before covid !!
We just thought when they went nuts raising rents.. $330 a month including electric.. was cheaper !! At rv park , Than $1200 for our apt.
@Gasp.
Read his post. He is saying that most people can’t work remote. As I noted above above the VAST majority of people cannot work remote. Trades, factory workers, store / grocery workers, farmers can’t work remote. You’re lucky to be able to work remote. I personally don’t like remote worker because you’re not are effective. My opinion, IMHO- face to face meetings and true time commitment in an office is more effective. Again my opinion as an Industrial Engineer.
Thank you!
I have to disagree on RVs being more affordable… if I put an 80k house on 120k land, that house is still MUCH nicer than the RV …and lasts for 50-100 years, doubling cash-value every couple decades if not faster. The 80k RV is near worthless after a decade of constant use, IF it even survives that. You may save the land cost, but you can’t rent a campspace for a couple thousand a year (tax equivalent) so you’ll pay more for “land”. All said, I’m seriously considering working from the RV again, but cheaper it is not.
You can please some of the people some of the time – but not all of the people all of the time! Interesting article Chuck!
Obviously work is like the saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My neighbors work for fortune 500 company and most days you see them out in the garden trimming flowers,weeding plants or cutting the grass. Work from home? I personally don’t think much WORK goes on. And investing in an rv? Investing is supposed to make you money,not lose. What’s the ROI on a 42 ft diesel pusher. In the minus numbers I would assume.
I guarantee you that since I started WFM in 2020 my productivity for the company is up, way up. Plus less distractions so I get more done in a given timeframe. And I love it!
100% agree. MIne too
Two observations:!. Connectivity in RV parks is poor overall, wether on park networks or cell, making operating a business from your RV less than attractive. 2. Working from home is growing exponentially. A friend of mine worked in LA and ran a good side hustle doing staffing. decided it was too expensive, during Covid lockdown moved to Miami, worked out well. Now he is in Lisbon. He has actually grown his business, hired more people who work remotely. He can work from most hotels but could not successfully work from most RV parks.
There will be a shift in remote workers going back to the office. Studies are coming out about these remote workers productivity and it isn’t looking good. Chuck will once again be wrong.
Bob, “once again?” What else, specifically, have I been wrong about? Of course, we are all wrong at some point so I know I’m not batting 1,000%. All the studies I read point to how well remote workers are performing. Be sure you send me the new study, which, of course, will be one of many on the subject as this subject is a big deal in the way we live.
Exactly, Everyone I know that said people shouldn’t be working from home now say what Bob said. they can’t accept that people can do what they can’t. I don’t work from home but I would if my wife would travel full time.
Performance can increase up to 13 percent by working from home. A study by Standford of 16,000 workers over 9 months found that working from home increase productivity by 13%.
Doesn’t say much for productivity IN the office…
Wrong. “Studies” are HIGHLY dependant on the industry and specific people involved. My company went W@H as much as possible (we have manufacturing that couldn’t go remote) and found people stratified themselves HEAVILY when optionally allowed to return. Some wanted the constant social aspect, hated working on kitchen tables, and (yes) needed external control to keep on task. Others like me had built dedicated labs in their homes, hated office social interactions interrupting our natural concentration, and DOUBLED productivity by most measures. Every trip to my cubical costs me 90mins and $25 gas, so I maintain W@H as much as possible and got raises and promotions this year BECAUSE of being allowed to stay home when logical. I’m even remote-supervising my team, and it works better because “being my hands” creates natural oversight/training without awkward micro-management. So, ignore studies and consider the professionalism of your people.
They better hurry, it is already a problem in many parts of the country !!
It seems that an important factor is missing from all of the assumptions about mobile work and that work coming from a mobile living space. Sticks and bricks homes APPRECIATE in value, while mobile platforms depreciate. Much of our nest egg came from our investment in our stationary home – which left us the ability to buy a 5th Wheel. I suspect that those aged 25-50 will come to the same conclusion.
But what if someone can’t afford a new home? And renting, by the way, is not an investment either — no appreciation in the money you pay each month for a place to live.
“… the RV is more affordable than buying…a sticks-and-bricks home…”
Richard, you are correct! Chuck’s statement (quoted) is a very naive view of financials. In many areas of the country, $200k to $300k can buy a nice home that will appreciate. That same amount won’t even come close to buying an upper end motorhome anymore. Some class b’s carry $200k MSRPs. Yes, homes have property tax, utilities and maintenance, but RV’s have continuous costs too and depreciate. RVs are all cost….zero investment.
I have a bit of experience having worked remotely for approx 18 of my 38 yr career. Remote work has benefits but also major drawbacks and mobility can add issues. Advancements like Starlink may help tech issues, but not others.
For example: How many people will really want to or be capable of home schooling? Should kids have a base of real friends?
In the Denver metro area, the median home price in May 2022 was $615,000 and the average sale price was $719,000. That’s why the young couple who bought our fifth wheel last fall are full-timing in a remodeled 2016 RV instead of buying a house here. And, as a traveling nurse and work-at-home attorney, they now own the RV and have their RV site paid as part of the traveling nurse contract. So, they can begin saving all that money they were spending on apartment rent, utilities, and a parking garage space. If they decide to stop full-timing in a couple of years, they can sell their 2020 Ram 2500 diesel and the fifth wheel and will have saved enough to put a down payment on a “sticks-and-bricks”. Pretty smart plan, IMHO.
I am one of those WFH fulltimers. I was fortunate to find a park that has a separate section just for fulltimers & seasonal camping. I have worked from the road for 20+ years, and love it. I have recently seen our “home” park go from 70% occupancy to full up, and more folks in the overnight sections are staying several weeks or even months.
Chuck’s observation is certainly part of the shifting sands in the RV world these days. Covid has been the main catalyst for much of this change, but, as with all paradigm “shifts,” there is no certainty of its permanence.
Commuting to an office to sit at a computer and do the same work as you could do at home is so not necessary anymore now that most all our work is possible anywhere we have an internet connection. Here in Seattle, our freeways are clogged for half the day. Workers routinely spend a couple of hours sitting alone in their cars driving to and from their desks, where they sit at a computer much like the one at home. What a waste of one’s life, not to mention gas and money. I’d bet that remote work is here to stay. It’s time has come.
Hi, Chuck. I’ll respectfully disagree with your statement that “in Seattle, our freeways are clogged for half the day.” Having commuted to downtown Seattle from 1969 to 2015, 5 or 6 days a week, I would say they’re now clogged almost all day, every day. Way back when, there was a “rush hour” in the morning and one in the evening on the weekdays. (Never figured out that term, when it was sooo slow during those times.) But over the years it noticeably took longer and longer to commute. I’m so glad that I don’t have to commute to town anymore. Thank you for allowing us to work from home! 😀 –Diane
I agree, Chuck. Both of my kids (31 and 28) and their spouses/partners work in tech and have been working remotely since April 2020 in the Seattle area. Two are working remotely permanently, one is barely hybrid and only goes into the office occasionally, and one is still deciding. My son left a position last fall that was requiring workers to go back into the office. He started looking elsewhere and took a job offer for 66% more salary than his previous job plus much better benefits, bonuses, etc. His girlfriend did the same thing. They just bought a very nice house 25 miles from downtown Seattle. This is becoming very common here. People have way more options now and many are not willing to waste the time or energy commuting.
I lived in Seattle; near a homeless camp for four years. How is a Parking Lot full of RV – be they expensive or cheap- at a big box store any improvement to their residents? There is a transient sort of ‘community’ that rarely picks up their own dog poop bags to move them into the garbage cans. There is a detachment from the landscape be it gardens or trees. There is a no commitment to voting in local elections, or supporting better schools for ‘other people’s’ children. The elderly or disabled are not considered their responsibility. In short you have a de facto disengagement from neighboring as an active verb. You strangle democracy with this idea that it’s a “win win” Chuck. I hate traffic too but let’s plan for permanent RV parks that create better living arrangements for the less ‘able’ members of our City / State/ Nation.
I’ve had several discussions with remote workers, usually in the laundry room, that have discovered it’s not as easy as they thought and far more expensive than they thought. It’s been more difficult to get into places with enough WiFi, they don’t have enough money to get starlink. Some are truly living day-to-day, either trying to stay in “affordable” parks with access, or traveling around looking for enough streaming to get their work done. Some admit they didn’t fully investigate their decisions.
Leslie, remote work does not work for everybody.
Long before Covid, we snowbirded in an RV park where our next-door neighbors were traveling nurses living in a big toy hauler. She drove the dually to work and he drove a Harley. They made very interesting neighbors.
Last fall, we sold our fifth wheel to a young couple who are now full-timing in it. She is a traveling nurse, he is an attorney who can work remotely. They remodeled the interior, replacing the sofa with two recliners, the dining table and chairs with a computer desk and file cabinets, and the blinds with curtains. They also added 6-100w solar panels, lithium batteries, and an inverter. And they did all that for about the same cost as their annual apartment rent, utility costs, and separate parking garage fee. They then left Denver and headed for a 3-month travel nursing contract in NC, where the hospital pays for their RV park space. Their long-term goal is to winter in the SE and summer in Colorado, which sounds like a well thought-out plan to me!
I see no difference and certainly not something about which to be divisive. We have a pant load of that in politics today. This is a headline in search of a story.
You hit the mail on the head! This is a headline in search of a story!
I was a bit perplexed by the story and the fact that people like me who work from the road are invading RV parks.
One of several reasons we left the rv camping scene, and sold our trailer and truck. Unless you boondock, this is an issue and will become a bigger issue in the future. Even see school busses picking up kids at rv parks now.
“Working” from home is a joke.
Ron, it depends on what you consider work. Some jobs can’t be done from home, but I’ve always brought work home (to put in some needed extra time, finish a report or proposal, or avoid the distractions in the office) and used my RV as a mobile office.
Ron, I’ve worked from home or my RV most of my life and I know dozens of others who have worked remotely for many years as well. Most of us have also worked in offices at times. I think we can all point out the pluses and minuses of each situation. You may be the type of person who needs a boss to supervise you, and so you belong in an office. But those people who enjoy their work and can work happily alone, remote work is like a dream come true and productive, as most employees are learning.
You obviously don’t know me and my schedule, Ron. Just sayin’. –Diane
My guess is that most businesses will settle on at least 1-2 days in the office. Few will stay 100% remote. That may limit long distance remote, forcing workers to stay closer to home. So yeah, the campsites closer to the bigger cities may be more crowded.
Working remote is nothing new. In 2011 when I started working for a bank equipment company I was told there was no office space available, so find some or work from home. I worked in the basement until we bought an RV in 2012. Then I had an Amish carpenter custom build a desk that replaced the useless futon. I bought wifi hotspots and a Vonage box and 2 line Panasonic phone. My office was born and we started traveling. I guess we were ahead of the ” office home” curve. Its a great life!
Did anyone say “winter”?
Like everything else, things change. Last year or so, it was hard to find an RV. Now they are becoming more plentiful. A few years ago, campgrounds were open an you could travel freely with many spots open. Now you have to plan. Things will change again. In the meantime, stay flexible. Do what you can with what you have. (thank you Burt).
Re: “mobile” home RV parks. A perfect example of an answer to RV parks crowded with work-at-home RV folks can be found in Sanger, TX, where they overflowed the campground so the owner expanded and put in spaces with cement floors, individual metal roofed covers and angled lots. There is space for the RV and a vehicle. There are 50 or more, though I haven’t counted, and they filled, almost over night.
I just went cross country fromEast to West and back again.Most of my reservations were made only weeks before I needed them. Years ago I made themas we went . I think the problem is exaggerated not much but still exaggerated. Yes I had to be fluid but there are lots of open sites at least during the week. I even joined Harvest Host so I wouldn’t get stuck but I haven’t used it in the two months we have been traveling
Oh Great. More and more RVs and tow vehicles pumping exhaust gasses into the atmosphere and more smoke from campground’s wood fires contributing to smoke related diseases. We are trying to clean up the atmosphere, not pollute it more and now more people want to hit the road.
Agreed! Leave and stay away!!!
Why did you post such a harsh comment?
I agree, Steve why are you on an RV site.
Steve, what world do you live in? Commuters spew more crap into the air than RVers by a long shot. It’s no contest. And the people who live in RVs as their homes are not out for a weekend in the woods where a campfire and marshmallows is part of the ritual. RV parks that cater to long time residents often don’t even have campfire pits.
I couldn’t care less. It is just akin to the plethora of “park models” or “homesteaders” that permeate many RV parks. Just plan early and move on. After all, isn’t that what RVing is supposed to be about? Recreating vice cheap living?
It’s what is used to be about. Just look at any new model RV over 35 feet and ask yourself if it is designed for camping or living?
By my observations, we surely do not have to wait for the revolution of the mobile, living for months in an RV park, moving as the wind takes them worker. The phenom began during Covid as companies allowed working from home. The cat was out of the bag as workers redefined what home meant. Companies discovered that “working from home” workers cost less. The IRS doesn’t really care because there is no home office deduction. It is the perfect storm. This working from their RV worker discovered a lifestyle they now love and will not give up. What’s not to like? We full-time and long-time RV’ers have been loving it for years.
The two major cost savings realized during Covid was that the worker compensation insurance costs for a work from home employee are considerably less than those that work in an office and the really big item was how much time and money meetings at the office really cost. Zoom meetings took about 1/3 less time to conduct than an office meeting and overall employee efficiency went up.
No according to studies coming out.
Zoom meetings took a 1/3 less time? We usually spent a third MORE time trying to get the technology to work! Or a key presenter would have a bad connection and keep dropping while the rest of us waited. Or, or, or…. 🙂
I belong to a few RV type groups on FB. Everyday I see at least 4 or 5 people who say getting ready to go full time. Or just bough our new …. I’m glad for them but, sad for me. I spent hours trying to find my next location. Hours I could have been out exploring instead of looking on- line. When we started this 7 years ago. We would take off and start looking for someplace to stop whenever we got tired. You try that today and you will be spending the night in a Walmart parking lot with half a dozen other RVers. I keep thinking. When will they ever go back to work. Maybe they won’t.
Amen, it’s getting to be a huge time sink finding spots for travelling.
I’ll disagree that the problem is those working and full-timing. There are always available spots during the week, except in very desirable resort areas in high season. If work/fulltimers were the issue, weeknights would be full.
It’s the weekends that are the problem, with people who in years past might have bought a cottage to use 10 weekends a year now locking up a site in a local park for 2 nights every week, and booking it 6 months in advance.
In a few years I will retire and, hopefully, hit the road in a small Class C that will be as self-contained as possible. With a cassette toilet, big gray tank and, possibly, a recirculating shower, i will have no need for RV parks. Harvest Host, state parks, COE, BLM offer many thousands of opportunities. Others may appreciate the bath house and pool, especially with kids but many true adult “travelers” don’t really need them.
Parks that are being used as Seasonal Parks should not identify as RV Parks. It unfairly burdens those who are attempting to take vacations or are touring. This should be true for “Snowbirds” as well as for those who work out of RV’s. The needs for seasonal users likely quite different from those of more traditional RV users.
Campgrounds should either be RV Parks (campgrounds) or Seasonal use parks. If they have both features those sections should be segregated. The parks might choose to transition from one to another park type, based on seasonal needs. Of course, the use and features of the Park should be made clear on the parks website.
I agree. Some parks should be for the enjoyment of the outdoors. Being clear about their use would be helpful. One aspect not mentioned in the article is what people do who have kids? How are they schooled if traveling from place to place. Will there be an online school for mobile kids?
And it’s not fair to local taxpayers if WFH parents enroll their kids in the school district for 6 months or so. Why should they have to foot the bill?
Wow! I have never thought of myself or my fellow campers/RV’ers in such a negative light!
Thanks!
A few positive points about those of us who work from the road.
1-Most of support local businesses. It is makes more sense to stay in a locally owned campground ground vs one with lots of amenities that we will
never use.
2-Most of us typically stay to ourselves and don’t cause any of our neighbors any problems. We’ve got work to do
3-When it comes to technology we are, for the most part, self sufficient. We are not complaining about the parks WiFi not being fast enough to watch a movie. We bring our own!
4-We pay the same nightly rate and make reservations the same as everyone else.
Now I am going to enjoy my cup of coffee and laugh about people like me invading campgrounds.
Good morning Eric. I totally agree with you. We too, work while on the road and it is the greatest freedom in the World. But we were lucky enough to stumble upon an annual lease park (no over night, weekly, or monthly renters) in NC. We are right on a lake with nothing but a lake view and mountains all around us. In other words, we found our slice of heaven. We purchased another RV (a 5th Wheel) and that stays there. But before that, we saw much of the Northeast and Southeast in our Class C. We purchased the 2017 Park Model next to where we are and my Father-In-Law stays there for most of the spring, summer and fall. Our Class C is in a storage facility right next door and we still take trips with it. Stay safe.
Agreed, just finished a 2 month work trip where I’d start my day at 7, kayak or bike for a couple of hours at lunch and finish the day before taking a lovely hike with my wife and dogs after work. I didn’t feel like a blight, I felt blessed.
As full-timers who still work, we still move… just not daily. We move every one to four weeks, typically on a Saturday. We’re really not any different than any other RVer, except we make reservations in advance (even our one-night stays). We don’t cancel at the last minute (except for emergencies) and leave campgrounds without the revenue they were counting on. Financial institutions that are needed for loans to build new parks like seeing that predictable income.
Don’t worry about it. Chuck, and staff, have been beating this drum for a long time.
So true & honest, to the point! Very happy for you & all of your working RVERS. Be successful and enjoy. Cheers.