Why did you decide to get an rv?

[BizmarksMom]

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!

[Community Alumni]

wnjj wrote:
Having an RV means camping comfortably in the off season. It's so difficult to find spots at the popular parks unless you're willing to go when it may be cold and rainy. Some of the best times are those dry days between the wet ones with no crowds.

I totally agree except for my wife's maiden voyage in the RV.

[wnjj]

Having an RV means camping comfortably in the off season. It's so difficult to find spots at the popular parks unless you're willing to go when it may be cold and rainy. Some of the best times are those dry days between the wet ones with no crowds.

[Community Alumni]

I grew up in scouting and loved to tent camp. I would go tent camping with my younger brother and his family a lot. My son is in scouts now and we go tent camping with his troop.

Late last October, my wife and her son wanted to try camping with my son and me. We went to a military FamCamp on the lake. 8 person tent with my wife, me, our 2 boys, and 2 dogs. The boys and I had a blast. The wife had fun but said that she would never camp again unless she had walls and her own bathroom. We started our research and 4 1/2 months later, we bought a Class C. Haven't camped in it yet. We are going to Monte Sano state park in Huntsville, AL in 2 weeks. We were supposed to go camping a couple weeks ago but canceled due to rain.

Happy wife = happy camping

[Supercharged]

I don't want anyones bed bugs!

[tenbear]

Deleted post.

[SpeakEasy]

My situation is unique. For most of the last 35 years we've had a seasonal TENT site on a beautiful lake. We are members of a club that permits RV camping on all but the three lake-side sites. Those sites are so lovely that the rest of the members decided years ago that if you got to have one of those, you couldn't use an RV. So we tent. We have an elaborate setup with electric and most of the comforts of home. Mrs. S and I were both teachers, so we stay in our campsite most of July and August.

Back in the late 90's I realized my kids were going to be leaving home soon, and I really wanted to be able to take them on camping trips to places around the country. I particularly wanted to take them to the National Parks in the west. With our seasonal campsite in place, travel would require a different sort of camping. So, we bought a new 1999 Coleman Cheyenne popup. Its maiden voyage was a 3-week trip to Yellowstone. We owned that sweet thing until a year ago when we bought the rig in my sig. We've taken a 2-week or 3-week trip somewhere ever since 2000. (Some of the trips are documented in my older blog: learnwithmenow.wordpress.com, and some of them are in my current blog: continualsunsets.wordpress.com)

Now that Mrs. S. is retired and I'm "partly" retired, we will be traveling more. We plan to do longer trips, and we plan to do them in May and June and in September and October. We still have our seasonal tent site for July and August. One of my daughters and her family (with three of our grands) have joined the club, and they camp on the site next to us.

So - an RV has been a great part of our lives for almost the past 30 years. Wow!

-Speak

[timmac]

Zombie Apocalypse

:B

[tdsxt51]

First of all, age has a lot to do with what kind of RV people choose. We served our time as has most people who camp. First the ground, then a tent, then a bumper pull, then 1 used cab-over camper, then a new cab-over, then a used fiver, and now a new fiver. Absolutely love the outdoors, campfires, drinking, but now when I call it a night I want to go inside, warm and cozy with a bathroom and fridge and TV. Call it camping, call it glamping, call me anything you want, but we sure enjoy the outdoors and our RV! Full hookups are great, but we're set up for anywhere with or without hookups.

[Shot-N-Az]

I had always been intrigued by motorhomes but had not seriously considered getting one. Along came 9/11, the Patriot Act, TSA pat downs, crazy body scans, and flying became more of a source of stress and general PITA than a pleasure. We decided to change and we did. Got a MH and the rest is history. We now spend our $$ in the USA and don't really miss the international travel we used to do. Although I do hanker sometimes for a marguerita and cerviche on a Caribbean beach.

[BizmarksMom]

Weathering a big sandstorm in Mojave NP last week sealed the deal for a friend of mine. We pulled the slide in and had a cramped but comfy afternoon and night. The tent campers all packed up and hightailed it out of there. We got to stay put.

[paddykernahan]

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]

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]

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]

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.