How old is too old?

[Ro646a]

I am in my 70s and in good health, but I am thinking ahead to when I will no longer be able to safely handle my
40 foot diesel pusher.
Is there any consensus as to how old is too old to be doing this?

[Cloud_Dancer]

IMO it's 90,....(I'm 81)

[dedmiston]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Do what you can until you can’t.

Amen to that. None of us knows when our rev limiter will kick in.

[Cummins12V98]

Ro646a wrote:
I am in my 70s and in good health, but I am thinking ahead to when I will no longer be able to safely handle my
40 foot diesel pusher.
Is there any consensus as to how old is too old to be doing this?

No personal dig here but these questions are useless. Everyone is different plain and simple. Do what you can until you can’t.

[Gdetrailer]

Ro646a wrote:
I asked a similar question for a different reason.
I am contemplating whether or not I have enough driving years left to make
the move to newer motorhome.

Sort of makes sense why you asked the question.

However, nobody here is going to be able give you an exact answer, only opinions based on their own experiences.

The fact that you have asked the question makes it seem that you are unsure and only you know the reason(s) for being unsure.

Driving a RV takes physical and mental strength and as we all age both will change, you need to take that into consideration.

My Dad towed a 5th wheel up into his late 80's, he only stopped after my Mom refused to take any more trips with him. He was diagnosed with Dementia in his early 80's, was losing eyesight to Macular degeneration, was totally deaf in one ear and better than 50% deaf in the other ear.

Even though he stopped towing he still insisted on driving locally, it wasn't until after he wrecked his car multiple times, us kids finally managed to wrangle his keys away to his vehicles around age 88, he passed at 93. His Dementia prevented him from realizing there was something wrong with himself, everything was someone else caused those accidents..

A few folks here may poke fun at your question, but for myself after living through that nightmare, it was living he double toothpicks and not a laughing matter..

If you know you are good now and are able to enjoy a new RV for even a yr, why not.. But if what you have works fine for you and your current rig is in good condition why bother replacing?

[Ro646a]

I asked a similar question for a different reason.
I am contemplating whether or not I have enough driving years left to make
the move to newer motorhome.

[Rick_Y]

mr_andyj wrote:
I think you are getting forgetful. You asked this same question months ago.

That's just mean!! 🙂

[kellem]

Yep, it's certainly dependent of the individual.

Mom was 93 and drove, worked a garden and never wore glasses.
Wife is 55 and struggling with arthritis.
Best friend had a heart attack and died at 56.

Genetics play a roll as does mindset so if your enjoying what you're doing then by all means, enjoy life to the fullest as life is merely flash.

[Jarlaxle]

Update: uncle's father is celebrating 85 this summer with a motorcycle ride...a 4 corners tour. That is: Blaine, WA, San Ysidro, CA, Key West, FL, and Madawaska, ME (~9,000 miles) in <21 days. He's replacing the slipping clutch in his Goldwing in preparation for the trip.

[cummins2014]

jdc1 wrote:
My nextdoor neighbor just turned 90. He sold his fifth wheel last month. Everyone is different.

I spend every summer in Montana, its been 4 years now we had a 90th birthday party for a guy from Indio, Ca, a fellow fly fishermen . It was also his 40th year on the same RV site in this small RV park we are at in SW Montana. He has since given up Rv'ing . He quit coming here, but left his RV in another RV park here in Montana instead of towing it back, and forth . He spent last summer, but then decided it was time to quit . He is now 95 ,and stays home in Indio.

Another man we know ,this was several years ago, same RV park , he was 92 still towing his Rv , I was having a conversation with another older gentleman ,that was probably close to mid 80's ,again still towing a fifth wheel from Las Vegas. I said to him ,that guy could have a heart attack while towing ,he looked at me ,and said ,so could you . That ended that conversation 🙂 That particular guy that said that ,decided at 89 it was time to give it up towing from Las Vegas.

At nearly 74, I don't see any reason yet to quit this life style, but I do know that day will come, and I hope like a few I have known here I will make that decision at that right time ,and not push it beyond my capabilities .

It appears for some 90 is the number , we can all hope.

[jdc1]

My nextdoor neighbor just turned 90. He sold his fifth wheel last month. Everyone is different.

[MarkTwain]

Ro646a wrote:
I am in my 70s and in good health, but I am thinking ahead to when I will no longer be able to safely handle my
40 foot diesel pusher.
Is there any consensus as to how old is too old to be doing this?

"HOW LONG SHOULD A MAN'S LEGS BE,
LONG ENOUGH TO TOUCH THE GROUND"!!!!!!

[Jarlaxle]

My uncle's father is still driving dump trucks, towing lowboys, and running heavy equipment. He thinks nothing of threading a 102" trailer through a 108" gate...backwards. He celebrated his birthday in 2019 with a motorcycle ride...49 states in 10 days.

That was his 83rd birthday.

[Timmo_]

Turned 67 this year (2/3 done--expect to see my 100th b-day) and feel and behave like I'm 50. I walk a lot and always take stairs (skipping elevators), and love my whisky and IPAs. I work 5-6 hours a day and enjoy life's precious moments. My waist is 33" and do 25 pushups each morning.

My buddy is 52 and looks so much older than me: wrinkles on face, crepe like skin, floppy chin, very little muscle mass and pushing 220 lbs. Drinks red wine and when he picks up things from the floor--he does so with great drama by dropping to one knee and struggles to stand back up, grunting all the way.

It takes me less than 45 minutes to setup my TT when we go camping (awning down and chairs out), and about an hour to pack up. Last week, for the 1st time, I forgot to raise the TT steps. LOL, joked with wifey, guess I'm done RVing.

I easily see myself camping for the next decade plus, but I don't see my buddy ever camping--he can't handle it. BTW, the callous on my hands are from 50 years of using a pen, pencil and keyboard, not from twisting wrenches.

To answer your question--it depends.

[BarneyS]

I am 84 years old. I parked our trailer permanently a couple of years ago. Not because of the driving but because of all the bending, lifting, etc necessary to travel via a RV. Our trailer is still used by us regularly but now sits permanently in our sons' beautiful family campground in the woods up in the Northern part of Michigan. I miss travelling via RV a lot!
Barney

[ferndaleflyer]

I am 80 and will be leaving next week with my DP towing my 32ft enclosed race car trailer about 500mi. I also drive the race car. I have nothing else to do. I still do all the work around here also.....I guess the VA has kept me in good enough shape to do what I do but at this age you start to think about when do you have to back off......everyone be safe.