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I remember the first road trip to Florida like it was yesterday . . pulling away from the house . . . heading up Main Street . . turning onto Rt. 322 . . . the door to the refrigerator not being locked . . the contents of the refrigerator exploding outwards as the door suddenly swung open during that first turn on the trip to Florida . . the gallon pitcher of lemonade hitting the floor and shattering . . the forensic investigation of the potato salad and macaroni salad splatter patterns . . . a box of 48 hot dogs bursting open and hot dogs rolling about . . and did I mention the deviled eggs that my wife made as a special treat?
Just like it was yesterday.
1100 more miles of adventure to go . . . and there were a few more to come, like the fan belt breaking at night in the metro-D.C. area and the lights going dead . .
Currently she sits gutted in my driveway, roof torn off, new linoleum on the floor, new oak paneling 2/3 done, and another 100+ hours of rehab work to go.
So, any campers here? Any RVers?
Care to share any camping stories?
Meet any bears in the woods? Ya? Well, I'll bet the story about my dad and the bear will top the story about your brother and the bear . . . no? . . you're kidding! . . . your brother did what?!
The best story I have is a trip across southern Wyoming. Approaching the Continental Divide from the east, there were 17 miles of highway where the right lane was coned off. There was no construction or anything else going on, but that right lane was closed. I'm going uphill, with 9 people and all their camping gear, and my top speed was 40 mph. Once I was down to 30. I thought about pulling into that right lane, but I didn't want to drive in a closed lane, and I didn't want to lose my momemtum, so onward we rolled. When we got to the Divide I pulled over at the rest stop and let a very, very, very long line of cars and trucks pass us by. Oh, and while we were stopped I checked my tires, needed two on the front at the next place I could get them.
Since I got to Idaho its been mostly parked and I boondock there, except for that one trip thru the mountains without any brakes.
Only old people own RVs.
Nah. I bought mine when I was 37 . . but then again, I did buy it because my father was forever talking about buying one but couldn't bring himself to do it . . so I called his bluff and made him 1/2 owner.
Here's what I think the common elements of RV ownership are:
1. A mom who just won't go camping unless there's certain amenities, such as a nearby toilet for when the 4 year old has to go to the bathroom at 3 A.M.
2. People who don't like to be too far away from a refrigerator. (Ever notice any large sized RVers?)
3. People with a mess of kids who want someplace where they can hide from the kids whilst they camp. (Kids get a tent "of their own" whilst the old folks stay in the RV.)
4. People who enjoy the outdoors that want to camp/explore with their older parents. (The old folks just don't take to tent camping now that the bones creak.)
5. People who enjoy the outdoors and want to explore the South in the summer - but who also want to be able to sleep at night. (Few things I've enjoyed less than sleeping in a tent when it's 80 degrees and 95% humidity.)
RVs: Not just for old people anymore . . but then again, I'm not getting any younger. :-P
No, I take that back. Actually, a golfcart is a personal mobility scooter, which clearly is a sign that you are waaaay ahead of me in preparing for old age fella. :-P
Wait a minute, did I say granddaughter? I meant to say my oldest daughter's daughter. ;)
My motorhead buddy has convinced me that part of the answer to the mountain climbing RV problem is that my exhaust pipes aren't wide enough - so I'm having problems efficiently discharging exhaust gas - which builds up back pressure on the engine robbing me of essential hill climbing horsepower. Next modification: 3" pipes or larger.
OTHO, in my old age, maybe I need narrower pipes in my personal carriage? Cut down on the efficiency of passing exhaust gas? :-P
Well, sort of.
It was a camperized mid-length '72 Cardinal Coach (school bus), with all the amenities of a normal RV. Plus, it had the ground clearance and durability of a school bus.
Which was important, because I was tramping around Alberta trying to get rich working in the oilpatch.
I miss the instant camraderie of small town campgrounds filled with other patch-pigs, the fear in the local's eyes as 20-40 RVs and converted buses swooped down for a week to a month's worth of Oilpatch silliness (that look of fear would quickly turn to $$ signs as the local businesses realized just how much money we tended to spend).
All night barbecues. Stupid human tricks. A rolling party where the cast of characters kept changing. A bunch of young, testosterone filled guys spending money as fast as we made it to try and blot out the inherant dangers of the work we were doing...
I never made it rich. In fact, I pretty much left the business with my last paycheque and a paid for camper-bus that's been sitting gathering dust at my Uncle's farm ever since.
I promised myself I would never, ever go back to work in the oilpatch. But that someday, I would resurect the "Jimmy Jeezus Water Walker Bus" and take a few months tramping around the province just for the fun of it.
Only old people own RVs..and your point is...? Folks, I think we're looking at the next RV'er from Foo, he's just in that final denial stage. Step on up sonny, the ride is great. Be sure to pack your guitar too, there will be plenty of places and opportunity to belt out a few of Jimi's favorites.
3 inch pipes? Hmmm, I could look into that, but I suspect my hill climing abilty is hindered by the simple fact that I'm hauling 22 feet of motorhome with a little 318 engine. BTW, the brakes have been repaired. It's comforting to know, as I boondock out back, that I can stop the vehicle if I ever need to.
RE: the hill story. I told that story to a group of people over in Utah one evening ( a couple of days later) while sitting around a campfire. A voice spoke up, "That was you? We were in the car right behind you". When they passed us, we all smiled and waved out the windows. They thought we were going so slow because it was fun to create a miles long traffic jam on the open highway.
he's just in that final denial stage
I'm going kicking and screaming. :)
Growing up, our family had a tow trailer that we'd haul behind the '72 LeMans to... all over Ontario. Camping was our second home, and I am grateful that while being raised by a couple of computer geeks (both my parents were IT professionals), I was instilled with a love of the outdoor adventure, scoutcraft, tree identification, canoeing, and making fire by rubbing sticks together.
Now that I have a child of my own, I can pass along the same experiences and relive many of the same adventures. The trailer is our base camp for nature walks, sand castles, bike rides... then after night falls it's all about beer and fire.
In the pitch black skies away from city lights, I've started re-learning all the summer constellations; every weekend for an entire summer we would find, identify, and learn a new one. Corona borealis, Draco, Ursa Minor, Cassiopea, Lyra... as the summer progresses we notice their positions shifting and changing, wobbling from May to September when Orion begins to creep higher in the sky.
Of course, the stereotype is the retired couple who trade in their home for an enormous Winnebago and go driving the behemoth from WalMart to WalMart, collecting souvenir spoons. Yes, they are out there, but that's not the only demographic.
Owning an RV is not a geriatric thing. It's a cushy version of camping, which - when you remove the discomfort of roughing it with inflatable mattresses and damp tents - provides a perfect balance against the "wired-in tech" lifestyle of a webmaster.
And... hello! Portable barbecue! NISM?
I've never been into the driving thousands of miles thing, somehow, doing the same thing on the water is so much more fun!
The land lubbers often have more luxury, but, I believe the Salty SeaDogs have more fun. If riding 20ft waves is your idea of fun! Must admit 3 hours of that is enough for me on any trip!
There is always something "cool" about being independent in your own environment, at home with nature. Whether land or water based, I love the concept! My preference is for the water, but, those that tackle the land are better than those that choose to be couch potatoes IMHO!
RVs? You either love them or hate them.
I made a rough mental calculation of what an RV costs, plus tires, repairs,
fuel especially, and figure you come out ahead staying at cheap motels.
After a day of driving I don't WANT to sleep in the same damned box.
Burning $3 gas up a long grade at 40 MPH, dragging my own dirty dishes
and laundry etc. just doesn't appeal to me.
The first USA trip was in a 1950 Olds. 20 years later (1985) I did it again in a 1979 Olds.
I drove halfway to Europe on that one! (St. Johns, Newfoundland), including a long ferry ride,
Olds included (then $40 Canadian each way). I couldn't imagine doing that with an RV.
What do you do with an RV when you are NOT using it?
Nobody wants one parked on my Redwood City, CA street. -Larry
We're "van" campers. We park wherever we want and sleep in our Astrovan.
Oh yeah, before I go, I check out the internet for a nice place to rent. This summer I'm taking my wife, son, two daughters, two grandkids, and one son-in-law to HHI. I rented a house in Palmetto Dunes [maps.google.com] with a pool and lots of bathrooms (4). That's my idea of roughing it.
I like to stop at quirky little places along the way, and I can smoke in the car.
The good thing about air travel is you don't get stuck behind an RV.
That doesn't help much when you need a cigarette or just want to pee on a cactus. -Larry
I try to take at least one day a week for hiking and when the weather warms a bit here in the N.E. we have several weekend trips planned.
Just when I had decided I am not going to think anymore about gettin an RV. Well, sorta, at least for a while...
I've tent camped all over the country, in all manner of tents including a little 2 person tent we used for our honeymoon. The RV was just another outdoors adventure, inspired by my father who year after year would go to RV shows and talk about RVs, but never buy one.
Looking at RVs from the perspective of environmental friendliness and energy consumption I'm a bit conflicted, but when you consider the energy that would go into all elements of building and running a hotel/motel there's a few points to be argued about the RV not being much worse a burden. Not a very good rationalization, I know. :)
My current thoughts on the RV rehab is to a) use it as a poor man's beach house, keeping it for the summer at one of those campgrounds near the beach; and, b) using it to take my web projects mobile as some of them related to travel and tourism. I'm planning on building a little web development area into the RV as part of the rehab.
Did someone say "business expense"? Hmmmmm.
I have to admit that I'm more at home with the campfire crowd than I am with the Gucci and Armani crowd. Nothing wrong with rich folk. Been there, done that. I just feel more at home in sweatshirts and sweatpants. Also, no amount of money can buy a nicer night sky than the one that hovers over many a campground, where you and the conversation can drift off into space to the sound of crackling fires and owls, surrounded by shadows projected by licks of flame playing on the trees and forest floor. Does my pagan soul a world of good to sit by a fire in the outdoors at night. There be elves in those woods, ya know? And monsters too if'n yer not careful or ready for 'em. :)
I'm thinkin' I'm needin' a fix of the great outdoors. :)
I'm thinkin' I'm needin' a fix of the great outdoors. :)
exactly, I think I've been bitten by the same bug...
Thats why I was thinking why does he have to bring this up right when I am trying to look up a local chapter of Outdoors Anonomous. hehe :)
Y'all ever pack your gear on a horse and just ride out to nowhere? Spend a couple days with your back against a tree and a good book in your hands? Catch fish with a fly? Eat same. (the fish ;)) Let the horse find water? Ride up to the ranch house because you can smell apple pie and coffee? Offer to split wood if the Missus cooks...
I'll wave at ya'll from my Cessna.
I'd invite you and Rae up to our beach-summer-place this summer, but I don't think you'd be able to handle our "no blogging" rule.
But seriously if you do want to drop in this summer for beer and fire (and roasted jalapenos), I believe there is a little airstrip in Bayfield...
PS that frig story sound's awfully familair.
