Why I bought an RV

tugboat95 · 06-30-2015, 09:12 PM

So I'm out west camping with my son for the week. But we live in NC and it was too far to make bringing the camper feasible. So we are doing the tent thing....again. I spent last night at the campground in the Grand Canyon. I ain't got no younger and that ground ain't got no softer. After 5 minutes in that tent I remembered quite vividly why I bought an RV! I'm in a hotel tonight outside Zion National Park. Debating HARD on buying an air mattress and throwing it away when the trip is over as it won't fit in our luggage or canceling the campground in Yellowstone and attempt to find a hotel....$$$$ This week. Either way I'm not going back on that ground again. Anybody wanna buy a tent next...it'll be real cheap. It might not even survive the flight home. I'm too old for this anymore.

**WVDusty** · 06-30-2015, 09:33 PM

Lol we bought a tent last summer thinking we could use it for short weekend trips on the lake with the boat. Used it one weekend and gave it to my niece when we got home. Its amazing how quick we can become spoiled to TT camping.

tugboat95 · 06-30-2015, 09:47 PM

I know what you mean. Guy next to me was dry camping in one of those rented C class rigs. I wanted to go knock on his door and beg for a spot to sleep. Then I started regretting not renting one myself. Looked at them but the miles is killer. 45 cents a Mile over 600. I'm doing 1200 each way.

1973nader · 06-30-2015, 10:08 PM

That us so funny! Last week I decided to buy $800 in camping gear so I could take my 8 yr old daughter camping in Duck Creek. Got up there and it was beautiful. Loved every min until it came time to sleep. NIGHTMARE! No sleep in the morning got up packed everything and left a day early and returned all the gear and just put a deposit on a jayco 26BHS. My tent camping days are long gone!

Tunce the traveler · 06-30-2015, 10:16 PM

That's why my Hybrid is perfect for me. I'll never go back to the ground, even when I'm dead!

Skaling · 06-30-2015, 10:18 PM

This is why i bought one(for my kids):
http://youtu.be/Ryl1sUg6_xw

tugboat95 · 06-30-2015, 10:21 PM

Be at walmart tomorrow looking for a mattress. Only a few rooms available and all are way out of my price range. If I ever make back out here again it will be pulling a decent one with a big old diesel engine. Some serious elevation and grades out here. Don't think my beat up gas suburban would make it. But OH MY is it beautiful. I'm from the east coast. I've never seen anything like this country out here. My son and I are both seriously impressed.

Hattie · 06-30-2015, 10:28 PM

We had Samoyeds, and by nature they 'nest' at night ... right on top of the sleeping bags. Every morning, my face was covered with their fine inner coat hair so finally DH got the message that no longer would I be a ground-sleeper - he did one better, and got me a Coleman (see signature). Now I'm spoiled with the TT, not only do I have a comfy bed, but also climate control allowing us to camp in high heat and weather the harshest winter storms!

BCx213 · 06-30-2015, 10:41 PM

Well, a heavy rainfall and a river running thru my tent did me in, bought a tent trailer and the setup and take after a few years did me in again. Now we have a travel trailer and loving it.

TWP723 · 07-01-2015, 05:17 AM

Waking up and floating on an air mattress!!!

namusmc65 · 07-01-2015, 06:08 AM

Well, I slept on the ground in SE Asia for a year! I ain't never been on the ground since!

33 RLDS · 07-01-2015, 06:12 AM

For a place to poop..

mike837go · 07-01-2015, 06:19 AM

I understand where you are coming from; we did tent camping for several years.

I finally decided that I needed a hot shower and a flush toilet.

She's still not totally convinced. Though she did buy new sheets for the new TT...

However, no place is "too far" for an RV. My first trailer's original owner hauled it from northern NJ all over the western US. There are fading stickers from Mount Rushmore, Grand Canyon and plenty of other places.

**norty1** · 07-01-2015, 07:32 AM

A friend loaned me his MH for a week trip many years ago. After that trip we had no more need for tents. Gave them away.

Flapper · 07-01-2015, 07:43 AM

Used to tent camp a LOT when the kids (and we) were younger. Dithered about the RV solution for several years, now that they are grown and gone. Bought a new tent, cots, sleeping bags, pads, etc. since that was far cheaper than an RV.
Took one 3 day trip with the new gear.
Even though it wasn't the ground, the cots weren't much better...and then there was the dealing with all the "stuff" when setting up/breaking down camp!

Bought the 5th wheel the next season, and have been grateful ever since.

I always thought that having a "camping box" to keep all the gear in one place would be great. Now we have one...just much bigger than I originally envisioned!

Being time limited for trips is the pits! That's the best part about retiring!

Camper_bob · 07-01-2015, 07:46 AM

I had always been a backpacker since I was in middle school. When it came time to introduce the bride to "low impact" camping (she had always "tailgate camped"), it didn't go so well. Rain, dehydration, rain, heat exhaustion, rain, weird bumps and scrapes outside the tent, rain, horrible nights' sleep, rain, low-quality backpack overloaded (hers), rain etc.

So after two such outings (disasters really; I was fine, but she wasn't up for it), DW said she would never go backpacking again. Fast forward about a year, and I had been looking at trailers. We had a road trip coming up and she thought she wanted to travel using hotels, so we did. Got home from that trip and she green-lighted a TT. She said she wasn't camping in a tent any more, and she didn't want to sleep in a different random bed every night (who knows who slept there before or how clean it is).

So here we are. It's still hot, but we have AC. It still rains, but we can go inside. It might be dirty, but it's OUR dirt. I'm happy to be "camping" and she's happy to be traveling! Now that I have my RAM 2500, we're set to go anywhere our schedule, budget and imagination can take us! No limits!

Fuldraw2015 · 07-01-2015, 07:49 AM

November of 2011 was the last time we slept in the ground rained all weekend and cold every thing wet . We are working our way back home from the Grand Canyon stayed in trailer village for a week

tugboat95 · 07-01-2015, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike837go

I understand where you are coming from; we did tent camping for several years.

I finally decided that I needed a hot shower and a flush toilet.

She's still not totally convinced. Though she did buy new sheets for the new TT...

However, no place is "too far" for an RV. My first trailer's original owner hauled it from northern NJ all over the western US. There are fading stickers from Mount Rushmore, Grand Canyon and plenty of other places.

I would have loved to town if but it would have taken me 3 days just to get here. As I only have 7 available, we packed our old tent and sleeping bags and jumped on an airplane.

This WILL be my last tent experience. Next time our here if I don't bring my own I will rent an rv.

tugboat95 · 07-01-2015, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flapper

Used to tent camp a LOT when the kids (and we) were younger. Dithered about the RV solution for several years, now that they are grown and gone. Bought a new tent, cots, sleeping bags, pads, etc. since that was far cheaper than an RV.
Took one 3 day trip with the new gear.
Even though it wasn't the ground, the cots weren't much better...and then there was the dealing with all the "stuff" when setting up/breaking down camp!

Bought the 5th wheel the next season, and have been grateful ever since.

I always thought that having a "camping box" to keep all the gear in one place would be great. Now we have one...just much bigger than I originally envisioned!

Being time limited for trips is the pits! That's the best part about retiring!

One of the reasons why I bought a trailer was I got tired if living out of the back of my SUV. Food, gear, clothes all had to go and stay in it. Now the camper stays loaded with everything except perishable food. Even so I can hook up and go on a moments notice and still eat for about a week.

NC Roamer · 07-01-2015, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tugboat95

But OH MY is it beautiful. I'm from the east coast. I've never seen anything like this country out here. My son and I are both seriously impressed.

I agree. My one quick trip out there years ago was great. After retirement, that's the first place the RV is going. And, yes, it is certainly not North Carolina!

You may also like: