RV travel (vacation, best, old, country)

[norm]

How difficult is it to travel in an RV? When my wife retires we want to visit and spend time in the areas we are considering retiring to. I am not a handy person, would it be difficult for us to travel in an RV?

[FL_TN_Nana]

As long as you can drive it or tow it (depending on what you choose), you'll have fun, fun, fun! If you're in a motorhome, tow a small vehicle to do your day trips. (Learn what you can tow and what you can't.)

Learn all you can about RVing -- and the basic maintenance items (checking for water leaks, hooking up the electric, water and sewer; using the enzyme/deodorizer stuff that goes in the "black water" tank; etc.).

Talk to other RVers and see what problems they've run into. Make sure you can back those big mamas into a campground parking spot -- or stay in a park with pull-throughs.

You can always have the RV shop change your oil and do the mechanical work when needed. Also, buy a roadside emergency insurance plan in case you ever need a tow, or a tire change, etc. Look into the Good Sam club or one of the other RV membership plans.

[azloafer]

We used to have a 34 foot, class A, and it is easy to drive and care for. You use the outside mirrors for 100% of your driving, except for looking thru the windshield of course. You will find that you have to gas up at truck stops because the regular stations are too difficult to navigate thru. Hooking up in a campground is easy, but one word of caution...use an electrical tester on the ac boxes before you hook up. Some campgrounds have a few boxes that are hooked up improperly and they could damage your system. Enjoy your travels!
Oh, I almost forgot...Good Sam Insurance is the best and if you are the first owner of the RV they give you FULL COVERAGE if the RV is stolen or tottaled, but you must be the FIRST OWNER. It was cheaper insuring my class A than my car.

[ElkHunter]

The company I worked for wanted me to go out to Portland and ramrod a project transfering a ex-Navy ship to a foreign country. We train the crews, over haul the ship and outfit it. Takes about 10-11 months.

I checked on apartments or houses for rent in Portland and found them very expensive at that time.

So I bought a 37 ft 5th wheel. Figured when I finished, I'd have a good vacation rig. Plus, the company payed living expenses and what they payed, allowed me to pay for the 5th wheel in less then 6 months.

Well, I did that project, and just before completing it, they come up with another in San Diego so I went straight to California when I finished Portland. Course, when I finished San Diego, I went to Charleston. Then Norfolk. Portland again. Norfolk. Pensacola. Charleston. Tampa. Norfolk. Charleston. Then Texas.

I lived in that 5th wheel, for 8 years. I will say I loved it. Course, I'm single so I had no worries other then me.

It had a super slide out. Dining room and couch living room area. Plus the queen bed up in the front had a slide out giving me lots of room in the bedroom.

But after 8 years, I got back here to Wyoming and thought, I've had enough. So I sold the 5th wheel. It wasn't 3 months and I was kicking myself in the butt. I was looking for another 5th wheel. This time, not to live in. But take it up on the mountain for Deer/Elk season. Camp on weekends and go 4 wheeling. In our mountains, you can pull it out in the woods and set it up. ANYWHERE. But it has to be moved every two weeks.

I have neighbors who bought an old used travel trailer. In April, they pull it up on top. They go up every weekend 4 wheeling. Every other weekend, they move it to another location. Of course, you might want a generator, or do like I did. I took the extra post on the trailer plug and run 12 volts from my alternator and wired it up to the batteries in the 5th wheel. The batteries would run the lighting about 4 days. Then I'd back the truck over and hook it up and let it set and run for about 2 hours. It would fully charge the batteries and I was good for another 4 days.

I was always parked in an RV park and had power, water and sewer. But due to Hurricanes knocking out power for days on end, I come up with that idea.

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by norm

How difficult is it to travel in an RV? When my wife retires we want to visit and spend time in the areas we are considering retiring to. I am not a handy person, would it be difficult for us to travel in an RV?

Any specific questions???

[motormaker]

Norm,
You might want to consider renting some different rigs before purchasing one.

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by azloafer

We used to have a 34 foot, class A, and it is easy to drive and care for. You use the outside mirrors for 100% of your driving, except for looking thru the windshield of course. You will find that you have to gas up at truck stops because the regular stations are too difficult to navigate thru. Hooking up in a campground is easy, but one word of caution...use an electrical tester on the ac boxes before you hook up. Some campgrounds have a few boxes that are hooked up improperly and they could damage your system. Enjoy your travels!
Oh, I almost forgot...Good Sam Insurance is the best and if you are the first owner of the RV they give you FULL COVERAGE if the RV is stolen or tottaled, but you must be the FIRST OWNER. It was cheaper insuring my class A than my car.

I was going to post pictures, but I don't know how that is done.

[2goldens]

Originally Posted by motormaker

Norm,
You might want to consider renting some different rigs before purchasing one.

I agree with this 100%! Since there are so many options to choose from, renting will give you a better idea of everything you need and want.
I used to have 30ft Southwind classA I loved it that I could take my dogs everywhere.

[azloafer]

Originally Posted by azloafer

I was going to post pictures, but I don't know how that is done.

Here's another attempt to show pics...Hey, it worked!

[Katie1]

Join a RV club like good sam club. And tripple a AAA. lots of help out lots of retired people traveling [as well as the young set]