RVing Then and Now

On the ride from my Wisconsin hotel to the airport the driver asked me the typical ice breaking question…where are you from? I get all types of responses when I tell them I’m a full time RVer ranging from “fantastic” to “not me”. This very kind fellow told me he and his wife gave it a go when he retired a few years ago. Turns out during some inclement weather at a stop in Albuquerque, NM at $25+/night, they saw a motel sign advertising $35 rooms. He was loving the travel…she couldn’t bear the close quarters and missed the grandkids. They stayed in the motel a couple nights. When they returned home after 6 months on the road they sold the truck and 5th wheel.

I remember when we began our RVing adventure 8 years ago we averaged $13/night. Back then we wouldn’t even consider a park that was $20 or more unless it was a super special occasion. Nowadays we find we’re paying nearly $30/night and I wonder if our standards have changed or if site fees have risen that much that quickly.

And wow, fuel prices have skyrocketed since then. We were pleased to have a truck that used the less expensive fuel – diesel – at $1.50-ish a gallon. Today I passed a station selling diesel for $4.19 – ouch! Yet we continue to travel at will. In comparison to the cost of home ownership we think we still have it pretty darn good.

What you think about all of this? Leave a comment below. How often do you travel? What do you average per camping night and will high fuel prices change your travel habits?

BTW - the lovely hotel room I stayed in last night ran $78/night. It was clean, had a TV, fridge, microwave, desk and bed…but sure enough, it wasn’t home. I couldn’t imagine most of my travels in that manner. On the plus side, the one item treasured above most for many RVers was present…a bathtub! Gotta love it! All that being said, I’m delighted to be back in my very own personal box on wheels…a.k.a. home.

Evanne
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