learning about rving

[josianna]

I am hoping to do some ring in the near future and would like to have some suggestions. I am a senior single female and come with two pups. When younger up to four years ago tenting was my way to go and now that I have a cap things are a changing. Canada 's west is where home is and would love to explore and perhaps live in for a time while I search for a new home. The type of motorhome would probably be a class c. any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Bordercollie]

Forgot to mention personal safety. There are certain camp spots that are known for local addicts and others stealing camping equipment and possibly robbing or hurting vulnerable looking RV'ers, especially elderly people alone. You will need to camp near others, instead of in an isolated spot off by yourself. If someone tries to visit with you, uninvited, or asks for money, etc., follow your gut, say that you are going to visit your friends in a nearby campsite, etc. Best to camp in areas that have police periodically driving through or available by calling 911 on your cell phone. An air horn is good to scare off bad guys, attract attention or maybe scare an animal.

[Sjm9911]

Also, if intrested in having a group to go with or to, i know a lot of the pop up people join https://www.sistersonthefly.com/ . Not sure if they are active up north. But they may be a good resource for you.

[mockturtle]

And tent camping is not allowed in some areas of BC where there is bear activity.

[Bordercollie]

Many forest RV campsites have only a few or no sites with electrical, fresh water or sewage hookups. Being able to camp for up to three days and use only self-contained battery power, propane, and water supply becomes important.
That's where your knowledge about using RV's generator, house battery(s), charger/converter and related switches, etc. becomes essential.

[garyhaupt]

As was mentioned...rent some first..get the one that will work best for you.

I too am in BC (Penticton)...if i can help? always glad to.

Gary Haupt
hauptgw@gmail.com

[Bordercollie]

CPAP: I use two small 12 amp/hour gell cel 12 volt batteries, connected in parallel (12 volts, 24 amp hours) in a sturdy carrying bag that I leave "on charge" using a "battery minder" smart trickle charger. I connect my ResMed power supply/converter to the battery and to the ResMed CPAP. I don't use the humidifier, which gives much longer battery life. There are many other "travel power" battery systems that will power your CPAP when 120vac is not available. Normally you will have 120vac when your RV is connected to "shore" (camp) power.

[toedtoes]

If the only reason you are thinking of getting an RV is due to the cpap, just know that many tent campers have battery setups for that. You don't need an RV to camp with a cpap - just a battery that can run it through the night and a way to recharge it the next day (generator or solar). You can find examples of setups on many tent camping forums.

If you want an RV for more than the cpap, then I suggest you consider what you want to do with it. For some, RVing means sightseeing and traveling. For others, it is simply camping off the ground. And for others, it is a combination of the two. Knowing how you want to use it will help you decide what you really need. Understanding that will help you wade through a lot of the suggestions and recommendations offered.

For example, if you will just be camping off the ground, then a toad is likely not necessary (unless you tend to drive to distant trailheads for hiking, etc).

If you plan on sightseeing and traveling, then where you choose to stay will make a difference. If you stay at RV parks with hookups, then you don't need to worry about battery size because you can run the cpap off shore power. If you want to stay at dry (no hookups) campgrounds, then the battery size is much more important.

Once you know how you'll use the RV, you can better decide what will work best.

Size of the camper will get a ton of comments. Some folks believe in getting the biggest possible. Others want the smallest. My class C is 21ft and works great for me, two dogs, two cats, and a parrot. A friend has a sunrader class C - it is on a toyota chassis, so is smaller. Its size better allows her to drive into cities, etc. If you stay at RV Parks, size won't be limiting. If you have specific campgrounds you enjoy, size can make a difference.

Fresh water and holding tank sizes are also a consideration. Again, if you stay at RV Parks, you'll have hookups, so it won't matter. But if you dry camp, then it is a bigger consideration. My clipper has a 40gal fresh tank and 20gal each grey and black. I can go two weeks (using campground showers) without needing to dump or refill. In contrast, my folding trailer has a 20gal fresh tank (holds about 18), a cassette toilet and a 20gal grey tank. The clipper works great for traditional camping because I can just go and not worry. The trailer works well for sightseeing/travel because there are usually facilities to dump and refill nearby or I can overnight at an RV Park between stops.

[wanderingaimles]

A CPAP is not too much of a hindrance, most only draw a max of 70 watts with the humidifier, considerably less without one. and a 2 battery set even of group 27 rv/marine batteries will handle overnight. you can either run off 12 volts directly using a 12 volt power cord, or on 120 volt from campground supply or an inverter if shore power isn't available.
If you are running from the batteries you will need to recharge the next day either by running a generator, running the drive engine, or by solar.
On the sprinter recommendations, I would agree if that is within your budget. If not, then a small class B+ or C on either a Ford or Chevy chassis may be more realistic, plenty of them around especially if you are looking at 10 years old.

[mockturtle]

My close friend, also a senior female with two dogs, has a Class B Sprinter and it works very well for her. Where I like to camp I sometimes need the high clearance and 4-wheel drive so my Tiger is perfect (and I have only one small dog) but Sprinter Class Bs are easy to rent in Canada, as I have seen many on the road on my trips to Alaska so the suggestion to rent first is a good idea. Good luck and enjoy your travels. 🙂

[theoldwizard1]

A certain amount of DIY ability is required. All RVs week to frequently have some type of problem, so a basic tool kit is required.

One of the maintenance items that gets overlooked is roof maintenance. At least once a year, the roof should be washed, caulking inspected/replaced and a UV protectant applied.

[jdc1]

Like DrewE said......and, you might need a (toad) a car to be towed for commuting, unless you get something small enough to get around. Find a friend that has a Class C and see if you can stay in it a couple days. Cheaper than renting one.

[Bordercollie]

Owning, maintaining and operating an RV requires some physical agility and effort/strength. You will need to "hunker down" and connect a drain hose to empty black gray water tanks and need to fill your fresh water tank. You will need to deploy and store your awning, fill your gas tank, and check your engine oil. If you intend to sleep in an overhead bed, it requires ladder climbing and some effort getting into and out of bed safely. There is a "house battery" and an RV generator that need maintenance. At 82, things that were once easy have become difficult for me but still doable. There are a number of technical and maintenance things that others can do for you, for a price. Buying a new or a used RV is tricky and you can make costly mistakes unless you equip yourself with knowledge or get help deciding what kind of RV you want, features, age if used, brand name, model name/size/floor plan, etc.,
Consider total cost of ownership and use: Initial price, financing charges, depreciation, insurance and emergency road service, DMV registration, maintenance services, fuel cost, RV camp space rental, incidentals, etc. Not meant to discourage you but to make you aware if you are not already aware. Consider a used Class B like a "Road Trek". Easier to drive, more expensive than Class C, usable as a get-around vehicle and camper. Good Luck!

[DrewE]

A few general suggestions:

1. Consider renting a motorhome for a few days or a week before purchasing one. You'll learn a fair bit about what it's like to use and drive one, and be better able to evaluate what features, floorplans, etc. would work for you, and be a leg up on understanding the systems of an RV.

2. I would generally not recommend buying new for your first RV. I'm not sure I'd buy new for any RV, personally, since the initial depreciation is pretty high and more often than there should be there are a bunch of--hopefully minor--initial defects to work through with the dealer/manufacturer. Let someone else take the financial hit and annoyance.

3. When it comes time to look at specific models to maybe buy, I suggest taking time to do a "dry run" of as many daily activities as you can--preferably physically, but at least in your mind. Go through the motions of dressing or undressing, cooking a meal, watching TV, reading a book, using the bathroom and shower, etc., and give thought to where things might be stored and whether you'll be forever bumping into a cabinet and so forth. Is there a good place for a trash can? a laundry bag or basket? Can you access the bathroom or fridge after pulling off the road without needing to deploy a slide? Is there room for your cutlery, your dishes, your coffee percolator, and your saucepans?

[josianna]

Sorry I have sleep apnea and so use a cpap machine which needs electricity to run. Tenting was fun and so affordable but time does move on. Nowadays I am thinking that it would be safer to be in a vehicle especially at night with my age. Bathrooms are good.