Oh generators can be so annoying! We were once tent camping, where sites were treeless and large. The site on the behind us opted to put their generator at the back of their site (less noise for them), just as close to us. They ran it through dinner time and beyond, annoying a ton of campers. Finally at start of quiet hours, they turned it off, perhaps at the request of park rangers. LOL - at that moment two loops full of campers joined in hearty applause. My hope is they learned a lesson there, but some people really are clueless.
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We frequently camp at a National park that is a mix of tents and rvs. Camping there in the summer can be unbearable. We upgraded our generator to a newer model that is much less noisy than the older ones. Then we got a new F-150 with an onboard generator that is even more quiet. We still try to be conscientious of our fellow campers and obey the rules regarding generator use.
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I wouldnāt because I wouldnāt want to be on the go all the time and I do like having a set home to return toā¦I like to travel for a few weeks, then come home
BUT, I can see why this would appeal to a lot of people.
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I just got back from a visit with my cousin and her H, who are about to sell their house and go RV full-time soon. They have had an RV for a while and traveled quite a bit with it, but they want a bigger, newer one for full-time. Are going to buy a new truck (F350) and get a fifth wheeler big enough to have laundry, garage for motorcycle, etc. Have done extensive research and seem to have a handle on it. I insisted they start a webpage to document their adventures. Plan to see the country, including major national parks, then decide where they want to live full-time for retirement, after a few years of RV life.
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The one with Hallmark on it?
I like the big windows.
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Cool article, oldmom4896!
natty1988 - I do like to return home too. Wouldnāt want to RV 24/7 - although I know people who do it and love it!
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Thatās the one. Those are actually bus windows. I love how big they are too.
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To full time Rvāers the RV is the home.
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I think that is true for the cases where the lifestyle is a good fit. But there are some who think it will be a good fit and learn otherwise - thatās why it is great to see folks doing good research before taking the plunge.
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To me one issue is that to have an RV big enough to live in it would need to be long. I wouldnāt want to be driving a huge pickup with a fifth wheel toy hauler trailer on back. It limits where I can go. With our 21 fr trailer we can fit in most campsites. My in-laws have a big pickup and fifth wheel and they have to pick the campground and sites that they can fit in. Itās not as much of an issue if you donāt mind private RV parks which are better designed for big rigs.
I also donāt like that I canāt stop along the route easily. You canāt pull into a city and hit a museum or restaurant. Deciding where to get gas is also something you have to think about.
Plus watching some older campers driving those big rigs is scary.
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I donāt know about parking spot lengths, but my cousinās H has driven trucks and trailers his whole life (just retired from painting/home renovation) and is a healthy 62yo. I imagine they know about spot limitationsāIām pretty sure theyāre not going into citiesāvery rural types (which is funny because my cuz grew up in Queens NYC).
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The more Iāve learned about the size, cost, maneuverability, depreciation of RVsā¦been thinking ā¦if we just want a comfortable & cheap place to sleep while exploring parks and nature - couldnāt we get a mattress and sleep in the back of our (largish) SUV?
Apparently some have done it, lol!
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/tips-for-sleeping-in-car.html
This grew from me thinking in minimalist mode about streamlined tent camping (instead of ALL the fancy, bulky equipment - how about a few simple items like small tent and mini stove?).
Butā¦weāve already got the SUV, lol.
Wondered if anyone else has considered this?
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Most campers I know started in tents. We did it for years with our kids. We got our first used RV in 2017. I will never go back. Tenting can be difficult, as can car camping, especially for extended stays. Weather, keeping food cold, bugs, having someplace to just chill out. Tenting or sleeping in an SUV for a cool weekend in the fall? Absolutely! A week on the beach in the summer - no thanks!
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Yea. We have a minivan, pretty large space without seats. So weāve thought about sleeping in it (maybe even with twin mattress). My husband uses a CPAP but he has a battery he could use. My concern is getting up to use the restroom, trying not to make a lot of noise with the door - would likely climb to the front.
Some people who sleep in their vehicle stash their extra stuff in a small tent. Or have a rooftop carrier.
Lots of rooftop tent options too, one example shown.
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Iāve seen many young couples with these. I personally canāt imagine getting up in the middle of the night to go use the bathroom.
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Colorado_mom - I thought of that too (keep the extra stuff in small tent at night while we in the -relatively - cozy mattress in car).
Totally agree it wouldnāt be ideal for a long stay - moreso just to mix up nights at AirBnBs, etc. to reduce costs for say, a 10-12 day trip.
My husband has sooo much expensive, high-end camping gear (we both grew up camping) - but Iām just done with excess stuff in all areas of our life. This seemed very āminimalist/use what youāve already gotā kind of thing ā¦ lol.
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H and I did our last partial tent camping road trip in 2019. We camped a few nights near Big Sur and the rest of the trip stayed in hotels. When we camped we just slept in the tent. We didnāt do any cooking as we could walk to a breakfast place and then drive wherever we were going for the day and get food there. The campground had good bathrooms with hot showers which worked well for a couple nights.
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Thought of this thread when I saw this on FB - YIKES.
Per the comments, turns out the RV (supposedly a $488K vehicle) had a problem with pressure system, inability to go forward - eventually it got sorted outā¦ phew.
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Wondered if anyone else has considered this?
Definitely. Our old Dodge minivan was perfect. It was the shorter version, so also easy to park.
Our next car will only be one with a flat cargo area (so many rear seats in the newer cars do not fold flat), and long-enough. Unfortunately, not many have the length. Newer mini-vans are too large, too expensive, less gas mileage, and typically not rated as well.
Our camping is typically en route - not destination, so camping in a car is far easier than pitching a tent, with all the extras. We also do not do it enough to warrant an RV. Whatever vehicle will be our only vehicle.
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