Heavily Advertised RV Show

a local franchised dealership has been running a "big sale" with a show setup at a local outlet mall .... I've been hearing that the industry is undergoing hard times and the advertising for this show seems to me to corroborate it .... those ads forcefully stated "All New 2022's Must Go!" .... back when I worked in the industry having unsold new older models was very costly ..... the interest rates the dealership had to pay the company financing its floor plan escalated quickly and could easily put them out of business

At one point, I started talking to my girlfriend about our long distance travels, overnight accommodations and the different options that might work.

My first suggestion was a tent under the open stars... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My second attempt was a Tear Drop style camper pulled behind my work truck... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My third attempt was a slide in camper into the bed of my work truck... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My fourth attempt was a larger fifth wheel camper (pulled by my work truck) with running water and gray/black tanks... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My final attempt was we travel in a small vehicle (econo-box car or BEX mongrel) and stay in a hotel or motel... her response "OK... sounds good."

Sonoran Sam said:

At one point, I started talking to my girlfriend about our long distance travels, overnight accommodations and the different options that might work.

My first suggestion was a tent under the open stars... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My second attempt was a Tear Drop style camper pulled behind my work truck... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My third attempt was a slide in camper into the bed of my work truck... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My fourth attempt was a larger fifth wheel camper (pulled by my work truck) with running water and gray/black tanks... her response "Nope... hotel or motel, otherwise I'm staying home"

My final attempt was we travel in a small vehicle (econo-box car or BEX mongrel) and stay in a hotel or motel... her response "OK... sounds good."

Click to expand...

Do you have a set time frame for starting your long distance travels and stays in luxury hotels or motels?

for us, travel has always been expensive .... the more we travel, the more economic sense it makes doing so via a camper ..... there is no way we can travel cross country for an extended periods without using our camper .... that has been true for decades and I can't foresee that changing anytime soon

JEBar said:

for us, travel has always been expensive .... the more we travel, the more economic sense it makes doing so via a camper ..... there is no way we can travel cross country for an extended periods without using our camper .... that has been true for decades and I can't foresee that changing anytime soon

Click to expand...

Curious about the daily, weekly, or monthly cost of a campground spot these days.

Rickb said:

Do you have a set time frame for starting your long distance travels and stays in luxury hotels or motels?

Click to expand...

Recently, I was rear-ended at a stop light (and yes it was red and had been red for a while). The woman that hit me was older and seemed a bit confused, but she did have insurance. Her insurance company has been quite kind and accommodating; I have no complaints about that aspect of the process. So... my econo-box car is going into the shop next week. Repairs are scheduled to take two weeks, at the most.

We are planning a little two-day trip when the car comes out of the shop. As far as luxury hotels... no, we'll be staying at the Motel 6 or similar (Tom Bodett leaves the light on for us).

We try to plan 4-6 small trips each year, or 1-2 big trips.

Rickb said:

Curious about the daily, weekly, or monthly cost of a campground spot these days.

Click to expand...

it depends on several factors .... location is a major one .... time of year .... amenities .... are there other competitive campgrounds around .... as this is being typed we are camped just off I-95 at NC Exit 90 .... https://raleighoaksrvresort.com/ .... we have a national program 10% discount and our cost for a 50 amp, pull through, full hookup site cost us $81 per night .... campgrounds often give discounts for weekly, monthly or yearly stays ..... contrast that to where we stay in the city campground for 3 months each summer in Estelline South Dakota .... they charge us $100 for a 7 day week (just under $15 a day) .... the most expensive we've ever has was $125 .....

our experience with what we have had to pay for a motel room has been much more expensive

JEBar said:

it depends on several factors .... location is a major one .... time of year .... amenities .... are there other competitive campgrounds around .... as this is being typed we are camped just off I-95 at NC Exit 90 .... https://raleighoaksrvresort.com/ .... we have a national program 10% discount and our cost for a 50 amp, pull through, full hookup site cost us $81 per night .... campgrounds often give discounts for weekly, monthly or yearly stays ..... contrast that to where we stay in the city campground for 3 months each summer in Estelline South Dakota .... they charge us $100 for a 7 day week (just under $15 a day) .... the most expensive we've ever has was $125 .....

our experience with what we have had to pay for a motel room has been much more expensive

Click to expand...

I grew up in a hunting/fishing/camping family. Great memories of those good old days experiences. Now it’s a day at the lake, a fish fry shore lunch, and a hotel stay. Travel (Camp Ground or Hotel/Motel stays) has gotten expensive along with everything else. The $100 per week, a bargain.

Rickb said:

The $100 per week, a bargain.

Click to expand...

it most certainly is

When my wife had her stroke, she just sat around and we never traveled again. I knew it was going to be a challenge for her. She was anti-RV. I just bought one anyway. Se did a few state parks and she warmed up to it. I found out her anti-RV reasoning. It was back in the early 70's, her parents would take a trip and she would stay with aunt, uncle and two cousins. She went to some parks and campgrounds as they would travel in their early 70's RV. They had so many rules. Things like, no using of the bathroom, no using of the shower and they rarely ever used the heat. So, she thought of it like a tent on wheels.

Once she found out it's not that way and they put in those items to be used, then her attitude changed. Now we have traveled all over the country and she is used to it and now loves it. Even two weekends ago, we broke it back out and went to a state park. It was cold and windy but there was always a way to get out of that.

We also use Harvest Hosts for lots of free nights when traveling somewhere. Plus out west, we use lots of BLM land. With Harvest Hosts, you reserve a spot, then show up. To be nice you should buy something. So it might be a bottle of wine, some beer, local fresh produce or even see a museum. Americana at it's best. For some of the BLM land, there have been times we have not seen another person. Rule is, you got to move after 14 days. That stuff is free.