“Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?” You may recall those lyrics from a popular 1970s hit by the band Chicago. Perhaps you’re one of those motorhome travelers who has no schedule. Or do you carve a quick weekend trip when given the opportunity? This month we focus on time:
What’s the ideal duration for a motorhome trip (weekend, week, season, etc.)?
When we began our RV adventures nine years ago, I thought that a trip of three or four days would be ideal. Wrong! The more my wife and I went on trips, the more we wanted to stay on the road. We found that the farther our travels took us, the more there was to see and the less we worried about our stick home.
In our first year and a half, we stayed in a comfort zone and did not leave Florida. We thought that this was a great way to get accustomed to our motorhome. When we upsized to the Type A and had a towed vehicle, we found greater enjoyment with the freedom to explore many more places. Now we plan our travels and stops along the way at destinations that offer the most to see and do. From each campsite, the towed vehicle affords an extended distance of up to 100 miles to visit places that might not be accessible by motorhome. Many times we will be conversing with another traveler and hear about an interesting location, so we pack up and head out to an unexpected destination.
However, not everyone has this opportunity. Each trip should be well thought out and planned in the allowable time frame. It’s helpful to select places of most interest to everyone traveling, so as to avoid disappointments. For us, each person picks a site or location. It is surprising how many times those not too excited about visiting that location still find something interesting. I also have discovered that regardless of a trip’s duration, — a few days, a week, a month, etc. — the preparation and cleanup are the same. So, why not take as long as possible to enjoy the lifestyle of motorhome travel? It is a substantial investment and, as we have found out, very worthwhile.
Jim Stoodley, F389890
Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
There is no one ideal duration for a motorhome trip. We all have different situations. We began as full-time, retired-yet-working RVers. We did this for 14 years. Then, as priorities shifted, our full-timing turned to part-timing trips of two to three months’ duration. Then when we fully retired and joined a local FMCA chapter, our trips became mostly weekenders. So, there you go — different strokes for different folks. The weekender trip has many advantages. The short duration allows working motorhomers a chance to participate, the trips are of shorter distance, and fuel costs are lower. Plus, no hours and hours of stressful driving — and we return home on a Sunday when traffic is reasonable.
Bill Hendrix, F761s
Erie, Colorado
Future questions:
1. What’s the most beautiful national park or other natural site you’ve visited?
2. Describe a great lunch spot you’ve discovered in your motorhome travels.