By Larry & Debbie Williams, F450660
June 2022
Our introduction to RVing began just like many other families’ stories: a leaky wall tent, a Coleman stove and lantern, and a pickup truck with a cap. Money was tight in those years, and camping in the local state parks was cheap and enjoyable — in fact, it still is.
Eventually, we were able to purchase our first real RV, a Coachmen pop-up, and it was heaven. How we enjoyed listening to the rain pelt on the roof fabric at night, not worrying about a puddle on the floor in the morning! When we added a little chemical toilet and an air conditioner, we were officially self-contained.
We have since moved on up to a 32-foot Type C motorhome and a 17-foot Riverside RV Retro travel trailer that has already seen half of the country. (That’s our trailer on the cover of this month’s magazine.) The Type C serves us well in the Florida panhandle, where we are fortunate enough to spend three months after Christmas every year.
The Retro is our traveler. The month we spent a few years ago traversing the Mother Road — Route 66 — proved beyond a doubt that we can live quite comfortably in the little trailer for extended periods of time.
Our travels have taken us to the Four Corners, the Black Hills, all around Michigan and the Great Lakes, across the Gulf of Mexico, and through most of Texas. We are currently planning another trip across the continent — this time on the historic Lincoln Highway, which runs from New York City to San Francisco.
We didn’t start out hoping to become RVers, but it was something that just happened naturally. The freedom, the wonder, the adventure, the self-reliance. . . and I can’t leave out the friends we’ve made. Spend just a few days in any campground and odds are that you’ll make a friend, sometimes for life — we guarantee it.
These past two difficult years have proven many things, one of which is that we cherish our freedom. Is it any wonder why so many folks have decided to RV as a way to reclaim that freedom? To them, I say: “Welcome, and happy travels!”