What's the experience that makes you appreciate having your RV?

[AuntieDodo]

I love many things but most is having my 4 legged in comfortable surroundings.

 

[Rich W.]

After staying at a spa type park for a month, my longest stay anywhere, I realized that a more simple lifestyle, and having less stuff to take care of, really appeals to me. I had the coach, the jeep, and the e-bikes and that was plenty.

The park has many amenities and activities (38 per day they say), but for me the desert and my jeep and bikes was plenty. At this point I’m starting to believe I could handle full timing but it would take a lot of planning and effort to get to that point.

So for now I’ll just keep trying the extended visits method. I’ve been on the road for several months at a time in the past and found that wearing, but settling in to one place that satisfies me and is restful and enjoyable and was a new experience.

So for the next visit there (Fountain of Youth Spa RV Resort) I reserved a site I consider “premium” (but priced like an economy site) because it faces the desert, has plenty of room, and is in a quiet, mostly residential part of the park (they mix it up a bit). I was in the “patios” section this time (all full hook-up rv sites) and the comings and goings and having more neighbors detracted a bit.

I’m looking forward to a two month stay in 10 months, and will probably add Pickle Ball to my activities list, along with biking, hiking, the hot mineral spas, and just enjoying the environment there, and none of it would be possible without my RV. It took me a while to realize all this but being home put it in perspective.

 

[bpaikman]

Not having to carry our luggage in and out of hotels every few days when we are doing a major road trip to site see with the family, and getting to be in close proximity of the kiddos for those great humorous conversations they love striking up.

Oh yeah, dragging that luggage/hanging clothes dolly onto and off the elevator, and coaxing it into the room - with wheels going every direction. Nope.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I'm with Jim, the FG. for those less fortunate it beats the heck out of the street.
Sorry folks, I am always thinking about them.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

We like sleeping in our own bed, cooking our own food, choosing the view we want to see from our window and having the freedom to leave/move to a different location with ease. We have been full timing for five years and have not tired of traveling yet.

Darrell and Jerry

 

[MrsG]

Traveling, being able to find a safe area, Walmart, truck stop, campground- pull in and go climb into your OWN bed. I am a nurse, have seen too many bed bugs come in on patients. The best hotels can have them. A family member had bad experiences with 4 star hotel and was bitten by bed bugs, lucky not brought home. We have never expirenced that, but you never know. NOPE. There are only a few select hotels in my state I will stay in, but that's no guarantee. The" haul your own bathroom" is a big plus too.

 

[AuntieDodo]

My husband is thinking that he wants to give up the rving life. I told him that after 3 nights in a hotel he will change his mind real quick.

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

It’s the emotional safety of home.
Both of us are pretty non-social and like our space away from others, but we do go to motorcycle rallies and enjoy nature.
After a long day of riding and “peopling” at the rally, our MH is literally our home. It’s safe, it has all of our stuff in it and we are in a quiet COE or park campground away from others.

 

[widdershins]

I think the whole range has been covered here.... on demand privy, no need to load up a car with stuff just grab food/clothes and go without a fuss (well, maybe fill water tank). Living in the west with lots of BLM, being able to pull off a road somewhere and camp.. no fuss... no cost.. rarely anyone else.

 

[Rollin Ollen]

I think the whole range has been covered here.... on demand privy, no need to load up a car with stuff just grab food/clothes and go without a fuss (well, maybe fill water tank). Living in the west with lots of BLM, being able to pull off a road somewhere and camp.. no fuss... no cost.. rarely anyone else.

Our travels have been down the east coast this year. Lots of interesting stuff to see and do but having to hole up in an RV Park every night has not been a real pleasure. Don't get me wrong/ It isn't THAT bad but we sure miss being our west where there is so much more freedom. As Arnold would say "I'll be back"!

 

[MrsG]

Oh yeah, dragging that luggage/hanging clothes dolly onto and off the elevator, and coaxing it into the room - with wheels going every direction. Nope.

Agree with this too! I forgot that one. Hubby wants to just drive , stop and grab a room. It takes a little more and a little longer to do that. Find a place, hope there's a room available, register, park grab the bags, haul to room... I'm tired just talking about it.

 

[Bayouownbeer]

Having the ability to evacuate for hurricanes easily and have a place to live if necessary when we return.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

It always gives me something to do.

Bob

 

[bpaikman]

It always gives me something to do.

Bob

No kiddin. lol

 

[bpaikman]

Having the ability to evacuate for hurricanes easily and have a place to live if necessary when we return.

Ditto. Since we're retired, we can evacuate early before they start banning rvs and boats
It's essentially our second home.

 

[dave54]

Waking up in the morning and walking out the RV door, 10 paces to a trout stream. No other person in sight, and no other person seen or heard for several days. Deer in the meadow to the right of the picture. Wildflowers and songbirds. No light pollution at night, the starry skies are awesome.

This spot is a 45 minute drive from our home. An unpaved forest road that connects to a gravel forest arterial road about a mile to the left. 5 minutes to a National Park entrance. We have never seen sign anyone else has used this boondocking site. Yet somehow Google Earth found us, taking this photo when were were camped there.

 

[sanda]

Waking up in the morning and walking out the RV door, 10 paces to a trout stream. No other person in sight, and no other person seen or heard for several days. Deer in the meadow to the right of the picture. Wildflowers and songbirds. No light pollution at night, the starry skies are awesome.

This spot is a 45 minute drive from our home. An unpaved forest road that connects to a gravel forest arterial road about a mile to the left. 5 minutes to a National Park entrance. We have never seen sign anyone else has used this boondocking site. Yet somehow Google Earth found us, taking this photo when were were camped there.View attachment 17087

Be careful telling people where this is or it will soon be overrun. I've got a few sites like this but don't give out the locations.

 

[hvac]

we had a different kind of experience with staying in Palo Duro canyon one year. Some teens (scouts?) were pitching tents nearby. We ate a lovely supper at our dinng table, watching them struggle to set up tents and get fires going (fortunately the wind was going away from us).
Well, a fairly strong storm blew into the canyon during the night - we drifted off to sleep in our cosy bed while listening to the pouring rain.
We woke up to a clean, gorgeous blue-sky day and hustled up a scrumptious breakfast while planning the day's activity. When we sat down to enjoy eggs, ham, coffee, toast...we looked out the window and remembered the scout?troop.
What a mess! They were spreading stuff out to dry, and re-propping up their tents, had a fire going again to cook breakfast.. I guess they were staying.
Bob is a former Scout himself, but is glad to enjoy glamping in weather like this.

 

[hvac]

I wouldn’t laugh. You are comparing two different kinds of experiences. Remember these tent camping folks didn’t bring several thousand pounds of equipment to the park. Enjoyment is in the eye of the beholder. Respectfully HVAC

 

[bpaikman]

I wouldn’t laugh. You are comparing two different kinds of experiences. Remember these tent camping folks didn’t bring several thousand pounds of equipment to the park. Enjoyment is in the eye of the beholder. Respectfully HVAC

Never said we laughed. We both grew up camping in far, far more rugged experiences than those Scouts. We simply enjoyed our current circumstances, and remembered. Those scouts had much to learn, but I wouldn't presume to lecture.