A new perspective on generators
Over the weekend we used a dry campground on a lake instead of our usual boondocking off by ourselves. We have never heard a generator other than our own near us and I have to tell you it was a real e...
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We would find camping without a generator to be way too restrictive as compared to why we bought our (small) Class C motorhome ... in which we carry two gennys - an ultra-convenient Onan built in well enough so as to not be too obtrusive and an ultra-quiet very small portable Honda. Sure, without a generator you can do get-by camping just fine in reasonable temperature locations, which means either: Choosing your camping latitude just right, or choosing your camping time of year just right, or choosing your camping altitude just right.
For us life is too short to not have the flexibilty to kindof go anywhere, anytime, here in the U.S. with our RV.
For instance:
- Try rockhounding/exploring in the Texas panhandle in July-August without A/C.
- Try tourist site camping along the Gulf Coast in July-August without A/C.
- Try rockhounding in Western Wyoming in July-August without A/C.
- Try rockhounding in the Oregon outback in July-August without A/C.
- Try work-camping in the hills of Kentucky in August without A/C.
- Try boondocking in the Utah desert August through early October on certain days without A/C.
- Try boondocking out in the middle of nowhere in Death Valley, even in late March, without A/C.
- Try drycamping at a friend's cabin site acerage in the California foothills in May without some A/C to at least be able to take a restful nap anytime.
- Try drying the DW's hair or the dog any time you might want without a generator.
We have been in all of the above locations during those time-frames and done those things in complete comfort thanks to our generators.
Also, from a pure "backup" viewpoint, what if your propane or diesel cooking or heating systems should fail if you were to be way out in a great camping location but a long way from repair facilities? Why ruin your camping completely if this should happen - just fire up a generator and keep on cooking and heating enough to at least get by for awhile.
For us, having adequate generator capability must be part of our RV's equipment choices. Not even solar can provide the just-about anywhere/anytime in the U.S. flexibility we want out of our small Class C.
For us life is too short to not have the flexibilty to kindof go anywhere, anytime, here in the U.S. with our RV.
For instance:
- Try rockhounding/exploring in the Texas panhandle in July-August without A/C.
- Try tourist site camping along the Gulf Coast in July-August without A/C.
- Try rockhounding in Western Wyoming in July-August without A/C.
- Try rockhounding in the Oregon outback in July-August without A/C.
- Try work-camping in the hills of Kentucky in August without A/C.
- Try boondocking in the Utah desert August through early October on certain days without A/C.
- Try boondocking out in the middle of nowhere in Death Valley, even in late March, without A/C.
- Try drycamping at a friend's cabin site acerage in the California foothills in May without some A/C to at least be able to take a restful nap anytime.
- Try drying the DW's hair or the dog any time you might want without a generator.
We have been in all of the above locations during those time-frames and done those things in complete comfort thanks to our generators.
Also, from a pure "backup" viewpoint, what if your propane or diesel cooking or heating systems should fail if you were to be way out in a great camping location but a long way from repair facilities? Why ruin your camping completely if this should happen - just fire up a generator and keep on cooking and heating enough to at least get by for awhile.
For us, having adequate generator capability must be part of our RV's equipment choices. Not even solar can provide the just-about anywhere/anytime in the U.S. flexibility we want out of our small Class C.
