Boomer Connections This Boomer's Life

To RV or not to RV? For a long, long time this was the question. But we finally did it. But after about two years of discussion, consideration, exploration and test-driving, we got an RV!

Joining the RV Nation seems like such a Baby Boomer thing to do. Just look at the demographic at campgrounds, showrooms and RV shows. Boomers are there in force! As our generation ages and our working years wind down, many seek the romance of the open road…of freedom and adventure, balanced with a sense of security. You come and go as you want. You do the driving and make the decisions. But at the same time, with an RV you’re like a turtle…you have your house on your back. You carry many of your familiar comforts, and all of your “stuff” (in abbreviated form) is always accessible.

This way of life can have an upside or a downside, depending on how you look at it. And the long decision-making process revealed a lot about how our perspective has changed as we’ve aged.

My husband is a former Boy Scout, an avid hiker and outdoorsman. At one time in his life, as a deep woods camper, he would have scoffed at the concept of an RV. If you are going to get out in the outdoors, be outdoors! Carry what you need literally on your back. Sleep in a tent, close to the ground. Cook on a campfire. Respectfully cover your tracks and leave no sign you were there. Simplicity, solitude and raw nature were the charm and the drawback then.

In our youth, we could not relate to the folks we called “The Winnebagos,” who we felt basically brought their whole house with them and then lined up nose to nose with other monster RVs in that part of the campground. Their footprint was large and their presence was bold. Lights were strung, parties were started. Many even had a shingle or flag emblazoned with their family name that they would stake in the ground, claiming their territory as “home” for the duration of their stay. That, we sniffed, was not “camping.”

Well….that was then and this is now. Now we have achy joints. Now we like a soft bed. And convenience. We have more clothes to pack, more meds to keep track of, more people to think of, and we enjoy our wine and our good food.  While being outdoors was once about solitude, now we are just as often seeking companionship.

So here it is, our cute little home away from home. It is a “starter” RV. I guess a lot of The Winnebagos would not think of us as truly joining their ranks. But this one we can park in the driveway and not upset the homeowners association. It carries 6 and sleeps 4, so our daughter or another couple could join us in a pinch. Until retirement age, we likely would be going on long weekend trips rather than cross-country adventures anyway, so this little RV is how we will learn the ropes.

All our married life we have loved just getting in the car and driving, everywhere, anywhere. We still crave the sense of adventure of being on the open road. Now we can do that and then stop on a whim and set up camp. Did you know that RVs are actually welcome to park overnight in most Wal Mart parking lots? I never did. Welcome to the RV Nation!!

While I love to stay in hotels, it is also nice to have the option not to, and especially to not have to pack and repack every time we want to move on. How fun to have my favorite spices and sharp knives available to cook up a meal in our tiny kitchen! There is a small flat screen TV in the back “lounge area” that also transforms into a sleeping area. There is a very, very abbreviated bathroom facility, but at least we have one available. A fridge that is just big enough for a few meals and plenty of wine. Storage for snackies, beach gear, easily a few days worth of clothes, and all the tech toys. Life is good.

So here we go! A whole new reason and whole new season to WANDER! Stay tuned!!’