Hi Folks. It is April 2014, and Alice and I have been in Arizona for several weeks now… We’ve reconnected with good friends from last year’s travels, and enjoyed the sunshine & warm temps… We’ve ‘road tripped’ to Las Vegas & California… and generally eased back into the Motor Home way of living.   This is our 2nd year, so we are not newbies… but we are still learning.  In this detailed update post from last year’s “Observation’s on Motor Homing”, we share some new & revised lessons and impressions.

Last year (2013), we drove over 8,000 miles in our Motorhome… traveling from Michigan, to Texas, to Arizona, to New Mexico, to Wyoming , to South Dakota… and then back to Texas.   We stayed in RV Parks, National Wildlife Areas, City Parks, BLM (Western Govt.) Land… parking lots at: Walmart, Pilot/FlyingJ, Restaurants, Cabela’s, Casinos… and some just plain ‘wide spots in the road‘.   We had no problems… and slept comfortably in our own bed each night.

This post is in response to requests from friends back home in Michigan to share the nuts & bolts of our experiences.   We hope that you may find our observations below interesting & useful!   Any comments or questions, feel free to contact us.

Observations on RV’s:

• RV’s come in all types, sizes, and shapes.   Motorhome types are:   Class ‘A’ – Bus types… Class ‘C’ – U-Haul Truck types… Class ‘B’ – Van types.   Then there are Travel Trailers and 5th Wheels usually pulled by a Pickup Truck of some size.

• RV Power Trains come in two flavors:   Diesel and Gas.   Both have pro’s and Con’s… and discussions can become ‘Religion & Politics’ very fast.

• After 15 months, we still find our 36′ gas Motorhome to be very livable. Our Bedroom & Queensize bed are comfortable, the Bathroom & Shower is great, Captain Chairs comfortable, and our kitchen with side-by-side refrigerator/icemaker serves us well.

• When a RV is equipped with a satellite dish, HD TV is available everywhere… including the History Channel.   Many RV parks also offer coax cable TV for free.

• Heating, air conditioning, water, electric… all work quite well in most RV’s.  We have learned that a small efficient 12V ‘Fantastic Fan’ in the ceiling does wonders for cooling in the Southwest country… and can run off House batteries.   We have two.

• Internet access is widely available with an appropriate ‘hotspot’ device… $90/mo will buy 20Gb of monthly up/down loads (a lot), and thruput is excellent in the Verizon 4G coverage areas.   We use a company call Millenicom.   Unfortunately, ‘hotspot’ technology only works within cell phone range.

• Average model year of Motorhomes observed is about 2005-2007… with a surprisingly large number of older RVs being in the 1995 – 2000 model year range.

• On the road, there are rarely two Motorhomes that ever look alike…Variety is the norm.

• Some estimated stats on types of RVs seen in RV Parks: About 45% are 5^th Wheels, 45% are Class A or C Motorhomes, and the rest (10%) are Travel Trailers or Class B (large Vans).

• While we see just a few Class C Motorhomes parked in RV Parks, for some reason, we see far more on the Highways… Interesting.

• Up through the year 2006 models, Diesel Motorhomes slightly outnumber Gas Motorhomes – but starting in 2007 models or later, Gas outnumbers diesel.

• Driving a Motorhome is easy to learn.   Driving in high wind or cross winds can be very fatiguing…but if fitted with a ‘Steering Stabilizer Bar’, the problem is greatly eased.

• Pulling a tow vehicle (toad) is surprisingly easy. Just don’t plan on backing up without disconnecting the toad first. (learned that lesson the hard way.)

• Filling a gas tank is laborious – most gas pumps turn off at $99, and you have to start filling all over again (75 gallon tank, $4/gal).

 Traveling: (between parks/sites)

• Except for driving in high winds, or heavy city traffic, Motorhome traveling is very comfortable. We can stop when desired, prepare meals, bathroom breaks…

• We still find ourselves choosing to travel less frequently, and stay in one site longer (month or more). This is due to 1.) We like the site, and 2.) cost of gas.

• The term ‘Boondock’ generally refers to staying at a free or very low cost location, outside an RV Park.   Many times, this is somewhere ‘off the grid’ typically, government land. We have ‘boondocked’ in several wilderness-like areas… and this has been the absolute best experience. We intend on doing even more of this.

• The Definitive Guide for Boodocking Locations is the Escapees’s, Days End Directory.   We have used guide this extensively in our travels.  It is a Great Resource!

• When traveling on longer cross-country journeys… we will average about 200 – 250 miles a day comfortably. As mentioned above, on these longer travel trips, we stay at night in Walmart, Pilot/Flying J, or ‘other’ parking lots, or ‘free Boondock sites’ utilizing the Days End directory… and avoid paying $30/per night. We will travel 3 – 5 days, then find a RV park and stay a couple of nights with Full Hook Ups (rest, refill water, dump Black & Gray tanks).

• We plan our trips ahead with the Microsoft Streets & Trips program.   This program allows us to see all of the Boondocking sites, RV Parks, State/National Parks, Days End directory entries… on a map.   This is a Huge benefit in trip planning.

• For actual navigation while traveling, we use a Magellan RoadMate RV9145-LM, 7″ GPS…and Alice loaded with Maps.

• Financial needs are well covered by a credit card, a backup debit card, and online banking with plentiful ATM’s. Some parks only take cash… so a few hundred in cash on-hand is a good idea.

RV Park Basics… and Business:

• RV Parks are generally friendly & pleasant places. It is rare to find cranky or unfriendly people.   If you want to make new friends quickly, simply park your vehicle, open the hood, and start looking underneath…

• RV Park costs In the South and Southwest are very reasonable.   Our goal with RV Parks has been to achieve a low average daily cost… yet still be staying in nice, well ran, places.   In pursuing this goal… a little homework can save a lot of money.

• We joined the Escapees RV Club ($65/yr, Nationwide).   At their park in Benson, Arizona we are paying about $280/mo., plus Electricity (50 AMP, ~ $120/mo.). Other acceptable (not quite as good) parks in Southern Arizona charge about $250 + Electricity. Other ‘Resort’ parks charge much more ($750+/mo).    In Arizona, it is not difficult to find a comfortable Park in the $300-$400/monthly + electricity, range.

• We bought into “Thousand Trails”, a nationwide Campground Membership Club, with a wide number of RV Parks (over 55) in places where we would like to stay (West Coast, Southwest, South).   After a one time buy-in (couple thousand), we pay $549 yearly, and have unlimited stays, with Full Hook Ups, at no charge… We do have to move to a new Park every 21 days, but can return after 7 days.

• We also bought into Hart Ranch, a five-star, ‘Members only’ Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. – After a one-time purchase of a membership for $1,250, we pay $259 yearly, and we can stay there for $205 monthly (Includes Electricity).   We opted this due to the extreme high-quality of the Park (5 stars), the optimal location for Late Summer and Fall camping, and its central location for traveling to points further West.   We have to move within the Park every 21 days to a different location.

• Electricity, when charged separately by RV Parks, averages about $.15 / kWh.

• LP Gas is very important … and thankfully available in most parks on specified days of the week.   In a Motorhome, LP can be used for heating (furnace or Catalytic), refrigerator (if no electric) or Hot Water tank heater.

• LP costs vary greatly… we’ve seen from $1.99 to $4.00 per gallon.

• RV’ers wintering in RV Parks often utilize large 100 Gal. LP Gas Tanks, locally delivered & serviced.   Any RV with on-board LP Tanks may utilize an “Extend-a-Stay” device, which when installed provides the ability to piggyback a 20-30lb LP tank as needed. Without either of those two options, one must periodically break camp to go get LP refills.

• Water is generally provided in all RV Parks… Sewer is provided most of the time, and may depend on the site within the Park..

• Escapees RV Parks, and Thousand Trails RV Parks generally have well maintained facilities… Laundromat, Libraries, pool tables, DVD movies, exercise rooms, club houses, Pools/spas, scheduled activities, hiking trails, Woodworking shop, etc.

• Many lots in RV Parks are rented/leased by long-term campers… by month, or by season, or semi-permanently. An extra lot building (‘Casita’) is very common for expanded living space, as well as storage sheds for storing ‘extras’.

• RV parks we’ve experienced to date generally observe established ‘quiet hours’, and are extremely quiet in the evening (except for the coyotes…) – makes for a good night sleeping.

 Retirement Life… and Living… in an RV on the road:

• Note:   This perspective is provided from our 41 years of being married…

• Living together as Husband & Wife in a Motorhome is a ‘renewing experience’.   It tends to foster & build closer relationships.   Life is more simple… allowing more time together.   Many couples grow closer… Alice and I have.   We have heard of a few cases where just the opposite has happened. 

• Over time, we’ve evolved into having “Alice’s space” and “Jim’s space”….”Blue chores” and “Pink chores” (Thanks, Joe & Libby Burkle, for those terms!)… Taking turns at the bathroom sink & shower… Taking turns with the car…

• Being apart from Family & Friends can be challenging.   Frequent phone calls, texting, etc. can help immensely.   Also, instead of more frequent short-duration visits with family, we plan on less frequent, but longer-duration, visits.
• In our second year, we are seeing where traveling friends can become quite close. and dear to us.

• Video telephones, like computer Skype sessions, are a step up in staying in contact with family & friends. The video does make a difference.

• Retirement in a RV can be fairly inexpensive if planned ahead. A good kitchen (at-home meals), a good location (free activities), and smart choice of RV Parks (as mentioned above) make the difference.

• Cost cutting measures & advice abounds… Senior Discounts… and Frugal RV Living… just google the topic, and much help is available.

• Retirement does take a while to get used to… We have adapted to a more casual routine that is relaxed in the morning… eases into noon… and then gets going.

• About 60-70% of RV’ers have pets – primarily dogs, all sizes, and sometimes more than one. It’s not uncommon to see a cat curled up in the front window…

• You simply can not judge the ‘Net Worth’ of a retired RV’er by their RV… or their car.

• Not uncommon to see RV rigs in the $200K-400K range parked next to a $20k trailer – and owners be the best of friends and traveling together. There seems to be an underlying thread that builds strong friendships out here among travelers…

• Medical Insurance coverage – multi-state is available.   We have a policy with United Healthcare that provides coverage in most states that we travel in.

• In 2012, Medical Insurance that was “high deductible” ($5K) cost around $500/month for two adults, assuming ‘normal age-related medical history.   Obamacare changed this – now in 2014, we pay $600/month for a $10,000 deductible policy.

• Pharmacy needs… We started with Walmart Pharmacy, and subsequently changed to Walgreens.   We learned that the Walgreen System handles travelers better… their prices are just as low and their computer system is vastly superior in tracking prescriptions cross country.

• Crossing the Border into Mexico to obtain medical services is a common practice for retired folks in Arizona.   Services available include Prescription Drugs, Dental work, Chiropractic Care, and Eye Exams & Glasses.   Well established Mexican Medical Professionals cater to the American trade.   The Savings appear to be in the 70-80% range.

• Crossing into Mexico involves:   Drive to a Border Crossing, park your car, walk thru the gate, locate & use services desired (usually located within a few hundred yards), then cross the Border back into the USA, using a passport or enhanced Drivers License. 

• Consensus & experience on Mexico seems to be that ‘main stream’ pharmaceuticals are safe, and all other services obtained thru well known & reputable providers, especially Dental, are of high quality & safe.

Arizona:

• A Beautiful state… with so much to do. Weather extremes in the Winter time, from Skiing in the north (higher elevation, Mogollon rim) to Sun & Warm in the South. Areas around where we are currently at get about 330+ days a year of sunshine…. The best in the country.

• Even in South Arizona, it can get cold and below freezing. Warms up very quickly in the morning, with the direct sun.

• There are excellent RV parks sites that are not crowded… and locations that are located in small towns or rural areas.

• Arizona is an ‘International Dark Sky” state… meaning that light ‘dispersements’ are controlled – makes for a great night sky full of stars.

• Wind and Dust Storms happen in Arizona. Then they clear… and the sunsets are beautiful.

• There are a lot of things to see & do in Arizona…good roads, Many Butterfield Stage locations, old Forts, Indian sites, early Spanish explorer settlements & Catholic Mission sites.

Jim & Alice.

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