Declining interest in RVing?

[Jayco-noslide]

Wonder if anyone else experiences this from time to time. I am 73, still healthy and active and we have RV'd 1 way or the other for 44 years; now in a 30 ft. Class C. Like the RV just fine but I find myself a little bit questionning how interested I am now in continuing. Certainly the "excitement" about upcoming trips is gone and has been replaced by moderate interest or a concern about what we would do in place of it. We will leave mid-Jan to snowbird for 2 months. Part of the issue is how much more money we would have to go without RV maintenance and going to 1 vehicle. Also, a simpler life. Quitting would be a pretty big decision because I don't see us ever spending the money to get back in at our age. But, so far, most trips turn out pretty good so I guess we will just go on trip by trip, season by season. Just venting a little.

[Puttin]

So sorry to see alot of going.

[Homer1]

I am in my 80's and I RV'd for over 45 years, from a tent to as Diesel pusher. I still yearn for the open road. I have very good health yet. However, I moved after my spouses death to a house in a gated community. They do not allow RV's of any kind in the community. This means remote storage. One of passions was maintaining my motor homes. Can't do that with the storage facility easily, for security reasons. So what looks like it would be easy is not always that easy, yet you yearn for the open road and new places to visit. I still do that but now do it in a car and hotel. Why are we still on the RV forums? Why not! We know and remember many things that can be passed on. It is still our passion.

[Snowman9000]

A different perspective, not really about camping...
My father recently passed away from a bad fall at age 95. Until then he had been quite active. From my seat, I'd recommend that those of you in your 70s who have lost spouses and/or are done RVing, stay active! Mind and body. Especially socializing. My dad was a non-RV snowbird to Florida, and had all sort of social groups both in IL and FL. Plus hobbies and interests. I'm convinced all that kept him healthy and of sound mind.

He outlived my mom and then 2 more women, and the each of their deaths were hard on him, as you'd expect. But he had their companionship, which was invaluable. I hope this does not sound preachy, because that is not my intent. I'm just saying, if he was here today to talk to those of you in your 70s, you'd be amazed at all the things he did from his 70s onward. Smash the rocking chair!

Good luck to all of you with your decisions.

[Paul_Clancy]

Pretty obvious there were reasons to like Rv travel at some point just as some like trains etc. But that's the point -it is just a mode of travel and accommodation for most. When it becomes too costly or trouble prone you look for alternatives. Holidays are for enjoyment. I've had bad experiences flying and hotel stays as well. It's all what you prefer and that can change.

[1968mooney]

SoundGuy wrote:
Now 5 pages of discussion and what strikes me is the considerable number who have given up the sport or are seriously thinking about it yet they're still active here on the forum. Curious. :h

For me, reading about all the problems many RV'ers have with quality, service, sales, Insurance, campground rates, road service, and many other posts, makes me realize I made the right decision. I have tried to put emphasis on all the negativity on this forum. I do feel it turns many future RV'ers away from even trying the hobby. It seems the cronic complainers do not care. They just continue with the same complaints. I have blocked most of them as to make my reading easier.

[Opie431]

Seventy-eight and husband has just begun to make our reservations for next year.
Going thru the tent camping things to see if anything has to be replaced so we will be going in both the TT and the tent. Interest has not declined.
Have you been to Europe for hotel and B and B vacations? We took time out for vacations in Europe that might be a nice change. You can get those where you get the whole deal planned out but we always planned our own.

[1968mooney]

We sold our MH 3 yrs. ago and purchased a 2nd. home in central Fl. We paid 1/2 the price of the MH. Went from 325 sq. ft. to 1400 sq. ft. For less than the cost of upkeep on the MH we live in a gated, 55 plus, community. On a golf course and have more friends than we ever made RVing. Always something going on in the community. More amenities than I ever had in a RV park. In 3 yrs. I have not missed the MH and will never own another one.

[FunnyCamper]

make the pro and con list.
that helps put it into perspective.

it is ok to change your interests. it is always a hard decision to make big changes but only you and your wife can figure out if it is time to get out of rv'ing.

[Paul_Clancy]

My interest is not what it used to be. Costs of fuel, insurance, storage, maintaining and a couple breakdowns in the last couple years have me thinking about other travel modes. Also how traffic is and some poor cg neighbors. We still enjoy sleeping in our own bed - have what I feel is the perfect rig for us size and feature wise. Also we found the perfect area to stay. So it would be hard to give up but I can see that coming.

[D_E_Bishop]

I am 75 and the DW and I are looking at several rigs to replace the Bounder. Looking at one new "C", but it hasn't gotten to the dealers yet, Winnie says this month and one dealer said end of January. Lot's of newer used one too and so to kill time and try and learn Excel, I made a couple of spread sheets one covering the costs of buying and one estimating the time it would take to use up the difference between new and used. I based it all on one 10 to 12 K trip per year and several short trips. The other spread sheet covering standard and optional features for ten different rigs. Boy can we buy a lot of fuel with the savings from buying newer used rather than new.

It has spiked our interest in getting out on the road again.

[frankdamp]

For us, it was the cost that ran us off. We were getting a bit dissatisfied with the CG prices and particularly with gas prices ($4.50/gal our last year in the small towns on the OR coast). Eight miles on $4.50s worth of gas was painful. We'd also had a couple of expensive failures (replacement fridge at $1500 was one).

When we realised we were running down our IRAs to support the lifestyle, we decided to quit. The selling price after 4 years of ownership and 6000 miles was only 55% of what we paid, but we were out from under.

After a year off, we don't plan to restart. Been there, done that.

[tpi]

I've had things come and go in life..boating, motorcycling. Boating was great, but I did what I wanted to do. I still have MC but it is much lower priority.

RVing is in the comfortable phase. Early excitement has passed, but I have friends who camp and this is a great way to meet up. Just had a fun two day trip a few miles from home. Still enjoy taking off alone for a few days/weeks in the RV occasionally. Recently discovered the fun of baseball spring training in AZ. It helps that I finally zeroed in on a suitable RV for my needs.

But things change, and no harm in giving up something which no longer holds it's appeal. I sold my last boat with the idea someday I may get another one. It has been 15 years.

[ncrowley]

We thought about what life would be like if we sold the RV. Some things are easier. It takes time to keep up with the maintenance and trips take planning. But them we realized that without the RV, a lot of our incentive to travel would be gone and we would just sit around and get closed in. Since we have the RV, we want to use it so it causes us to plan trips. Without the RV, we would not plan trips. The trips get us out and seeing new places and meeting new people. We think this is important, especially as you get older. So for us, the RV is keeping us young.

[nevadanick]

I believe we go through cycles of interest and disinterest in anything we do. I have ridden motorcycles and camped my whole life. I go through periods of time where i just want to do something else for awhile. I always come back to riding and camping either together or seperate.

[minnow]

I'm younger than probably many of you but we have been RV'ing for 25 years. I can for sure see a time when we will give it up. It's just too much of a hassle to be on the road towing a 35' fifth wheel, worrying about the next fuel stop, getting to a campground hoping the site you've been assigned is wide enough to get into, etc. It's not that relaxing for me as I get older. Not when I can throw a suitcase in the car and be at the destination hours earlier, have a nice hotel and chill out.