Heavily Advertised RV Show

[JohnJ]

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."

Keeper!

 

[Keith Stone]

Here’s how I break it down, my last rv I had from 2007-2023 it was a 20’ dutchmen travel trailer I bought that was a 2004 model I paid 7,000$ for. I spent over 300 nights on many hunts and adventures then sold it for 3,000$ with a roof leak and needing a new floor. I never paid for a campground and stayed primarily on forest and blm land the only time I went to a campground was when my parents were campground hosts and gave me a free spot. That breaks down to 13.3$ a night add 2 dollars for generator gas and an average of 15$ a night including cost of the rv, I did have to buy a tire or two so maybe like 16$ a night. I had a couple kids 3&4 years ago and needed something bigger. So in 2023 I was needing a trailer with bunk beds I found a used fema trailer (gsaauctions.gov)that was a year old, 26’ with bunk beds and looked like it was used one time I spent Under $9,000 on it and when the guy at fema opened the door it smelled new, pulled it from Louisiana to utah and re sealed the roof and put a pile of screws and put a half days labor into it fixing in the walls that were glued on. Not the nicest or best built but it’s perfect for my family of 4. I can’t wait to take some family vacations and make memories in it as well. My whole point is if you look around, find a good deal have rv parking at your house you can afford an rv on even a small budget. Even a 500$ tear drop RV with a generator with a space heater can be quiet comfortable and warm in comparison to a tent, I know this because when I was 16 years old I would go hunt elk with my buddies, he had a camper I had a truck, parents were trusting in those days and we even brought home an elk that year. So to those on the fence think about a newer used trailer and see if the math works, or rent one for a weekend and see how you like it, camping isn’t for everyone as you have to conserve water, know how to pull a trailer level it up and have a basic understanding of electrical and usually and do a bit of handy man work on trailers especially if it was built during Covid but it can be a great experience unmatched to no other. My $.02