My final straw was the night I headed to the campground's restroom and found some guy sleeping in there. He followed me to my camp. My old-as-dirt dog charged him, which gave me time to hop into the car, call the dog, and get out of there. Leaving the tent and everything behind. I went back the following day and found out I had woken the whole campground, the guy had been duct taped by somebody, and rangers had picked him up. So.... if you're being actively harrassed, be LOUD! Go ahead and wake the whole campground. Nobody wants that stuff going on where families are having fun by the lake. With my neighbor's encouragement, I finished my weekend. They even gave my dog some steak.I decided then and there that I needed my own bathroom to use at night. A door to lock. And, yes, a good dog to travel with.I started out with a tent camping and backpacking background. So my 19' trailer still seems miraculous. A dry comfy bed! A place to cook dinner that's dry and warm! A shower! Dry clothes to change into! Fresh veggies! For a backpacker, that's huge!

Why did you decide to get an rv? When the air went out of our matress at 3am up in the Sierra's!! We were in our 60's then.Went back home next day to Reno and bought a 25' Nomad TT and the wife has been happy ever since.Life is good when you keep the wife happy. :)

My goal was to get out of the snow of the north and be just as comfortable as when at home. We also needed to visit our kids who are a 1300 miles away. I always tell people that with all their quirks and poor construction we still love our RV's. We now have a residential frig, 1000 watts of solar, six 6 volt batteries, 40" led television, lazy boy chair and three little dogs. Home sweet home.

The best 1 foot upgrade ever was the foot that lifted us off the ground from our tent into our first pop-up. No more floods during the rain.That was about 30 years ago.We still miss that pop-up sometimes.

I'm a tent camper of many years; the man has not the same feelings about the hobby. I bought a TT as his 71st birthday present to make up for all the years that our DGD and I bullied him in doing a something he professes he doesn't like;). We plan to tour the N. American continent for about 2 years and then go on to other bucket items. I anticipate continuing tent camping after the RV trip is over.

Was doing the tent thing with friends. Then they moved to MI with all the extra gear like stove, lantern etc. May as well get an RV and keep it all tucked away instead of cluttering up the garage.

Why did you decide to get an rv? | Good Sam Community

paddykernahan
Explorer
Apr 07, 2017
Into sailboats in the 70's.
Then into backpacking a few years.
Got married and tent camped about 6 years.
Back problems and convenience got me to look at a pop-up.
Wife didn't want a pop-up at the time.
Bought pop-up in 1985 and thought we were in heaven.
Replaced first pop-up with a new on in 2010.
Decided that the tow vehicles were getting long in the tooth but still drivable.
Have been lusting for a B/B+ for the last 10 years.
After 31 years in a pop-up decided to buy a B+.
What a change having a real bathroom an shower wherever we go.
Still having fun.
ppine
Explorer II
Apr 06, 2017
Having an RV is a great advantage for some trips. I still like to tent camp when backpacking, on river trips and in the desert in winter. Sometimes we sleep with a tarp and in the desert usually a cot with the sky for a roof.
FrankShore
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
navegator wrote:
Started sleeping with just a sleeping bag and a rain proof poncho on the ground with my dad, we graduated to a two man Swedish Army surplus tent, latter we had army cots with the tent, then I bought a 3 man tent still have it, latter I graduated to a 1968 VW bus that I converted into a camper with Coleman stove and lantern, porta potty and even a solar heated shower, tepid warm of course, sink and ice box, comfy for me and my girl friend, even made an awning for it, and all was removable, latter on I married and after a trip with out the VW and staying in a hotel room that smelled of old stale smoke, we are non smokers decided to have our own bed, bathroom, kitchen, living room, dinning room and out door patio, so my 2001 C is just perfect for the wife and I.

navegator

I'd love to see you VW convert photos if you have them! I too grew up in a 1968 VW camper! You can PM me if you wish!! Sounds like an awesome DIY project!
Rog___Nan
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
In the late '70's daughter in law to be, said if you expect to spend time with future grand babies you need to start camping. So son bought us an old 2 room army tent. He even re-waterproofed it. Used it once in a really bad storm. Son married this lovely gal and had a daughter in '86. Buy the end of that camping season a whole group of us had pop ups. Used them for 10 years also shared a 32' permanent trailer with them by now they had a son. Then we got a 27' MH to see if we would like it. Before the next season we had ordered unit in our signature. Now 21 years later we bought our son and daughter a 2008 class C to share. They are excited and have already used it late last season. Now granddaughter has a 2 year old and a 6 week old and is looking for a used pop up to join us. Her brother who is single brings his tent and dog to join us. Life is soooo good in our 80's. happy camping everyone.
ppine
Explorer II
Apr 04, 2017
Furniture and the ability to be comfortable spring and fall. In the desert the winter is fine also. Women really like having a bathroom. I like to get up in the morning and make coffee and feel the chill go away. During the dark time of year, it is great to be able to read in comfort.

An RV is really like having a portable fort when I was a kid. I like smaller ones.They are easy to tow and have that intimate feel.
Redterpos3
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
Because when I step onto a campground I RELAX, and I'm done with tenting. Our trailer is perfect, right size, has everything, and relaxation can commence!!
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Mar 31, 2017
Why did you decide to get an rv?

For us its been a slow progression.
After WW II army box canvas tents and wood frame cots and tarps were plentiful. And so was leaks. If you have ever slept under one of those old canvas tarps in a rain storm laying on a cot you know about leaks. New gen tent material were unheard of back then.
My dad was a "fisherman" and was on a river bank or on one of the many large COE/GRDA lakes here in eastern OK most weekends. Along with tents was packing Coleman stoves/ice chests/bedding/food and every thing else for a family of 4-6 to make it.
Tents and cots gave way to station wagons.
Which gave way to pickup trucks with a 8' truck camper in the late '60s......then a 9 1/2' TC....then a 10 1/2' TC and pulling a boat.
Which gave way to a 5th wheel trailer/boat in the early '80s.

A rv made it so much easier. No more packing everything and then unpacking each time we went to the lake/camping.
NEnative
Explorer
Mar 31, 2017
My wife and I flew to different areas of the country for vacations for years. We began to grow tired of staying in hotels and dealing with rental car companies. Then both industries began following the airlines with all the bogus fees and gimmicks to milk customers of our money. Really grew tired of the airlines with not only the fees but the tighter seat configurations, ect. Along with all of that going through TSA check points really got old(but we are grateful that they have added some safety to flying). Then what finally set us over the top was when bedbugs became a growing problem for the hotel industry. Friends of ours had a 5er and for years tried to get us to consider Rving. Well we went with them to the Hershey RV Show and our new adventure began there.
koda55
Explorer
Mar 31, 2017
Got tired of traveling with our fur babies and not being able to find a hotel. When we did the rooms stank or the price was higher for our pets. That's when we decided to get an RV. We enjoy traveling more now and the fur babies are not stressed.
Camping_Woody
Explorer
Mar 31, 2017
For us, we started out in tents like many, but when the 2 daughters got old enough to "need" blow dryers, followed by a rainy vacation that flooded (literally) our tent, we got a pop-up. This was a long time ago and the dealer had never heard of an AC unit on a pop-up, but we had one installed. We had loads of fun in that PUP, up off the ground, out of the rain, indoor cooking, etc. When we got our first MH, I literally woke up smiling when the furnace kicked on during a winter drive south for Spring Break. It was reinforced when we were stopped due to an accident in Atlanta for 5 or 6 hours and could eat dinner, go to the bathroom, get a cold drink, and let the kids and their friends play games and watch TV. Heaven! Now, we are on our third one.

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