Why we had to prove a reader wrong about RVing

I retired 2 years before my wife and happily filled my days with several clubs and giving school tours at Colorado’s Dinosaur Ridge. A year later, my wife surprised me by saying she wanted to spend the summer after her retirement taking a photo trip up the Alaska Highway to Canada and Alaska. I then began reading everything I could find about RVs and long-term travel. Six months later, we ordered a 22′ travel trailer equipped exactly the way we wanted it. That 3-month Alaska trip led to a larger fifth wheel trailer and, finally, to a small motorhome. After all these years, we just returned from a month-long trip to several new-to-us places in northern AZ and NM. We still love RV travel!

Our amazing fulltime journey will enter its fifth year in a couple of weeks, and we still enjoy it!

As long as America remains a free country…and that is getting questionable anymore… people will be able to travel and do their RV thing. We full timed for 5 years until the greed factor kicked in along with too many untidy RV parks. You only live once….thanks for the memories though.

I second everything Nanci said. I do not like that costs have increased so much at many popular destinations. Sometimes paying for a traditional RV park is just unaffordable for us. My grandmother always said, “where there is a will, there is a way”. So, we have investigated every potential way to RV at some destinations. So far, we have always found a way. We have been RVing since 2012 and we have no plans to stop anytime soon. If RVing is something you really want to do, you will find a way.

I’d tell Howard not to let the internet stories and comments from others dictate his retirement. Who cares about their story, write your own.

His story can center around how he spends his retirement sitting in his house or it can have chapters on exploring a creek on a Montana grassland. Whichever story he thinks will be the most intriguing to share is his choice.

Of course the internet is loaded with stories about everything crappy about RV’ing. They’re easy to write, easy to believe and get far more clicks than “boring” stories of tranquility and serenity that words cannot describe. The “boring” RV stories outnumber the horror stories but they’re useless unless they’re your own.

Well said Nanci. We also have to consider that we as humans are also very cynical. We respond much more to negativity and fear than to positivity and hope. I’m sure a lot of the negative experiences that have been shared here is true and frustrating for those involved, but my wife and I have largely had wonderful experiences the past few years. Life is what we make of it. See you on the road!

I echo all the positive comments from Nanci and other readers. Of course, negative things sometimes happen in life — but not just because you’re RVing; they happen with houses, too. I sold my last house in 1992 and have been living in an RV ever since. You’d have to drag me (kicking and screaming) back into a house. So, Howard, get a good used RV (pre-COVID) and get out of that house!

Great response Nanci. So many wonderful experiences we have all had. We know that the negative is what most people hear. Newmar is top of the line so many things he may hear about won’t apply. Go live your dreams and make memories.

It’s true that Full- Hookup campgrounds and NPS ones are quite crowded and require reserving months ahead.

But there is still BLM land, state campgrounds, and all the impromptu ones you can utilize if you don’t need full hookups to blast the air conditioner(s).

Two days ago we camped right by a lake, had horses come drink next to us, saw the Aurora, and on our way out dumped and refilled water. There were only 2 other campers visible on the lake (many more up the hill where the hookups are).

Cost: $8.

I agree with Nanci with one distinction. If we had waited until we were retirement age to “start” RVing, it would not be as enjoyable as the way we did it. We started making mistakes while we were younger and it was easier to rebound and learn from them as we grew – especially in the “forethought and planning” departments. We did the whole routine that many families have done – tent, pop up, conventional, and fifth wheel. No motorhomes because they never fit our over all vehicle demands for other purposes. We’re still active at 77 years of age and love “camping” like we did about 50 years ago.

I’m on the road right now. Planned the trip only a week ago. Even though a holiday weekend, not a lot of problems finding campsites. Stayed at COE campground in Waco Tx. Nice, but they were having “Silobration” and the “Heart of Texas” Fair this weekend—I had no idea of the festivities, oops! Thus, got the last open spot the COE campground had. Other place like Mineral Wells had plenty of open spots at $35 a night. 3 trips this summer with no problems finding a place to stay. We prefer state and national parks. We also stay in Passport America discounted parks when we can’t get into our preferred parks, which is rare. Hint, get off the highways and enjoy alternative routes.

As with most things in life, there are pros and cons…. We love getting away, taking the two very large dogs, meeting other folks to just chat with. We go to Harvest Host spots where there are a few campers, sometimes only us waking to a beautiful sunrise in the country. Or a very packed state park, but walk to the beach. As to the rig, it’s in the shop for a new floor, we’ve had to replace the AC and have the hydraulic hoses replaced (9 years old.) We got our money’s worth with the extended warranty, our dealer is a small shop who does good work for us. My husband handles what he can, some things the shop is best. We’ve stayed at commercial camp spots, but generally don’t like the price.