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I'm Not a Camper. I'm an RVer

italo

Entry posted by italo ·

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blog-0578722001420333324.jpgblog-0578722001420333324.jpgblog-0578722001420333324.jpgblog-0578722001420333324.jpgblog-0578722001420333324.jpgI'm not a camper, I'm and RVer. I heard this phrase recently while listening to a podcast and it struck a chord with me. The person who said it, (Nick Russell of the Gypsy Journal) was talking about what he does while living full time in his motorhome. According to Nick, RVer's don't sit around the camp fire and sing Cumbaya. RVer's are in their motorhomes or trailers cooking, using the internet, and watching TV. I write this article as I sit in my air conditioned RV, listening to satellite radio, and bogging on the internet.

Many years ago, I used to be a camper. I started out as a camper spending my vacations living in a tent, enjoying the outside, sitting by a fire, and cooking outside. I owned several tents over the years. But, I'm not a camper anymore. Maybe its the passage of time. Maybe its all the conveniences. Maybe I just got lazy. But, now I'm an RVer. And I'm not alone. More people are buying RV's (sales of these vehicles are increasing) and doing what I'm doing. So, what distinguished me as an RVer? Here's my list.

  • I don't sleep on the ground under the stars. I sleep in a bed under the AC.
  • I don't cook on an open fire. I cook on a stove or in the microwave.
  • I don't watch the stars. I watch TV.
  • I don't set up camp. I park the RV and plug in.
  • I don't bathe in a river or take a cold bucket show. I wash in my shower.
  • I don't look at the sky for the weather. I check my smartphone.
  • I don't swat flies. I surf the web.
  • I don't sit on a log. I sit on a leather couch or recliner.

I still get to see many of the same great natural views and see many beautiful places. I still take hikes, sit by lakes, and enjoy the outside. I just do it with an RV near by.

Is this all bad? I don't think so. I've been in both worlds. I liked camping and I like RVing. Its just a different way of doing the same thing. I suppose you could be both. But for me, things changed and now I'm an RVer.

How about you? Are you a camper or an RVer?

Follow more of my journeys at: http://jdawgjourneys.blogspot.com


7 Comments

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stratman50th

I never had any intention of being a camper. I love my bus. I tell people that I take my hotel room with me. I park it close to the places that I want to go and see. I unhook my Tahoe and we go and see the things and places on our list. Then we hook up and get as close as we can to the next spot on the map. I feel no guilt. It's the way we want to see the country.

Don

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markkathy

I believe this is in fact a representation of a huge number of folks across the USA. My wife and I love all the natural wonders this country has to offer and we did not want to drag our luggage in and out of hotels, sleep in uncomfortable beds pay for restaurant food etc. etc. We tried a tent....not going to happen. We have been called "Glampers" and it's OK, that is what we are. When we see families in tiny pop ups or large tents, we are thrilled they are out with their families seeing the country, we are just not campers. Yes...we are Rvers.

Mark and Kathy

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tbutler

You hit the nail on the head! I spent many years camping in state and national parks, canoeing down rivers and spending nights on gravel bars, backpacking into the mountains for long weekends. I miss it for the extended away from civilization time that it gave me. Clearly as I've gotten older I've become softer. Now my wilderness experiences are limited to day hikes. It isn't the same but at my age, it is appropriate. Besides I married a woman whose idea of roughing it is spending a night at the Holiday Inn. She was a really good sport during our four month long trip through New Zealand and Australia in what I could only call a camper. It was a really small Class C and we were living a whole lot simpler than in our 40 foot coach. Still, by definition we were RV'ers because we were in the vehicle every night and on the road almost every day.

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