Why I think RVing Sucks.

[REWahoo]

I'm proud to say that it only took me 2 minutes to lock on to a satellite this evening (rather than the typical multiple sessions of futility).

I once - and only once - set up the dish and the signal immediately beamed to the TV. It was a total fluke, but I made absolutely no adjustment to find the satellite - I'd somehow aligned it perfectly when I placed it on the stand.

 

[dm]

I had planned my first RV trip a couple of weekends back. I hooked up the trailer and ran over to the local scales to get everything weighed for the first time. I have a half ton truck, but the trailer only weighed 4700 lbs so I should be in good shape. On the way back home a main bearing started nocking. So instead the truck got to sit in the shop waiting for a new engine to be installed. I assume the trailer had nothing to do with it, but the wife is not to sure. Ive spent quite a bit of money so far and we havent spent a night in the trailer yet.

 

[audreyh1]

I had planned my first RV trip a couple of weekends back. I hooked up the trailer and ran over to the local scales to get everything weighed for the first time. I have a half ton truck, but the trailer only weighed 4700 lbs so I should be in good shape. On the way back home a main bearing started nocking. So instead the truck got to sit in the shop waiting for a new engine to be installed. I assume the trailer had nothing to do with it, but the wife is not to sure. Ive spent quite a bit of money so far and we havent spent a night in the trailer yet.

Bummer!

 

[aldo]

I once - and only once - set up the dish and the signal immediately beamed to the TV. It was a total fluke, but I made absolutely no adjustment to find the satellite - I'd somehow aligned it perfectly when I placed it on the stand.

I'm impressed. When I begin to setup the dish, my wife typically goes for a walk to avoid my theatrics.

 

[W2R]

You do realize that for those of us who don't have RV's, you are all conjuring up visions of:

(1) sitting by your RV in a less-than-desirable trailer park at night, swatting mosquitos in the heat while you
(2) wrestle with an antenna so you can get a less-than-optimal television signal since you are 300 miles from nowhere, and
(3) watch crummy television all evening, because there is nothing else to do and you don't know the area?

Oh, that's right. This thread is entitled "Why I think RVing Sucks".

 

[NW-Bound]

I had planned my first RV trip a couple of weekends back. I hooked up the trailer and ran over to the local scales to get everything weighed for the first time. I have a half ton truck, but the trailer only weighed 4700 lbs so I should be in good shape. On the way back home a main bearing started nocking. So instead the truck got to sit in the shop waiting for a new engine to be installed. I assume the trailer had nothing to do with it, but the wife is not to sure. Ive spent quite a bit of money so far and we havent spent a night in the trailer yet.

Dang! Sorry to hear about that. Have you researched on the Web or asked around to see if others have the same problem, meaning the trailer's weight being too much for the truck?

Oh, that's right. This thread is entitled "Why I think RVing Sucks".

Just what you need to go to town on us RV'ers here, isn't it?

I don't care what people say, I am going to Alaska, and then to Prince Edward Island. TV or no TV, I am goin'...

What ya do all day? Stay home and watch Jerry Springer?

 

[brewer12345]

You do realize that for those of us who don't have RV's, you are all conjuring up visions of:

(1) sitting by your RV in a less-than-desirable trailer park at night, swatting mosquitos in the heat while you
(2) wrestle with an antenna so you can get a less-than-optimal television signal since you are 300 miles from nowhere, and
(3) watch crummy television all evening, because there is nothing else to do and you don't know the area?

Oh, that's right. This thread is entitled "Why I think RVing Sucks".

We have never even had a TV in the camper and if I could magic away the antenna I would. Disconnecting in a beautiful setting is a big part of the appeal.

 

[audreyh1]

You do realize that for those of us who don't have RV's, you are all conjuring up visions of:

(1) sitting by your RV in a less-than-desirable trailer park at night, swatting mosquitos in the heat while you
(2) wrestle with an antenna so you can get a less-than-optimal television signal since you are 300 miles from nowhere, and
(3) watch crummy television all evening, because there is nothing else to do and you don't know the area?

Oh, that's right. This thread is entitled "Why I think RVing Sucks".

A less-than-desirable trailer park won't be 300 miles from nowhere. Those parks are usually full of workers and thus are somewhere with high labor demand - usually near an urban area. The 300 miles from nowhere parks are the usually the ones with some great pristine nature environment and well worth camping. Might be mosquitos though.

Audrey

 

[FinanceDude]

Here's an update from the road . . .

We got our RV and moved in full-time about 1 month and a half ago. So far we've . . .

1) Visited Boston, MA
2) Visited Cambridge, MA
3) Visited Providence, RI
4) Visited Hyde Park, NY
5) Visited Mystic, CT
6) Visited Stonington,CT
7) Gone hiking to water falls
8) Gone hiking to ice caves
9) Biked Block Island, RI
10) Biked to lighthouses
11) Visited Gillette Castle
12) Visited Lyndhurst Castle
13) Visited Newport & Bristol, RI
14) Attended a classical music concert in a museum designed after a Venetian Palazzi
15) Laid out at the beach
16) Laid out at the pool

I'm sure I'm missing stuff. I know we spent a day or two doing laundry and every once in a while I need to go grocery shopping.

But the OP is right, RVing really sucks.

Your forgot #17) Posting a lot while driving............

 

[Moemg]

I don't watch a lot of TV so a week with only the noises of nature sounds pretty nice to me .

 

[KM]

I don't watch a lot of TV so a week with only the noises of nature sounds pretty nice to me .

Well, we wont be doing this for a couple more years - but I was thinking it would be a good experiment for our first trip out to go without TV, because we would only use it at night, DH usually sleeps through any show that is on, and I am usually on my computer.

But then the thought of being with TV for an extended period of time sort of scared me. Sad, I know.....

 

[Eder]

A less-than-desirable trailer park won't be 300 miles from nowhere. Those parks are usually full of workers and thus are somewhere with high labor demand - usually near an urban area. The 300 miles from nowhere parks are the usually the ones with some great pristine nature environment and well worth camping. Might be mosquitos though.

Audrey

In last 3.5 months since I got my rv we have stayed in campgrounds maybe 15% of the time. They are too crowded often resulting in my lawn chair impeding access to my neighbors sewer hook up.

I much rather dry camp....tonite I'm in Kannanaskis country at a lake stocked with Arctic Grayling...no one else within miles. In the morning I will fly fish for a couple hours...hit the mountain bike trails for a few more hours...hot shower...bother the wife then frosty ones in the lawn chair till evening rise begins.

On Friday I move down to free drycamping on the Crowsnest River to rise/repeat...but need to find fresh beer supplies.

Next week is Waterton Parks...more fishing/bbq/lawn chairs/biking/photos.

Rv'ing suks

Ok thats it for today ... I need to go curl up in my memory foam king bed, adjust the air conditioning and dream of grayling...

Cheers everyone!!

 

[Westernskies]

In last 3.5 months since I got my rv we have stayed in campgrounds maybe 15% of the time. They are too crowded often resulting in my lawn chair impeding access to my neighbors sewer hook up.

I much rather dry camp....tonite I'm in Kannanaskis country at a lake stocked with Arctic Grayling...no one else within miles. In the morning I will fly fish for a couple hours...hit the mountain bike trails for a few more hours...hot shower...bother the wife then frosty ones in the lawn chair till evening rise begins.

On Friday I move down to free drycamping on the Crowsnest River to rise/repeat...but need to find fresh beer supplies.

Next week is Waterton Parks...more fishing/bbq/lawn chairs/biking/photos.

Rv'ing suks

Ok thats it for today ... I need to go curl up in my memory foam king bed, adjust the air conditioning and dream of grayling...

Cheers everyone!!

Sounds great! Enjoy the freedom and the open road experience this summer!Does the RV campground traffic usually thin out or freeze out later in the season?

 

[Eder]

Sounds great! Enjoy the freedom and the open road experience this summer!Does the RV campground traffic usually thin out or freeze out later in the season?

Since this is my 1st season in a rv I don't really know, but our plans for November is Key west and I'm sure that they are very busy over winter.

Where I am atm I think there be less traffic after August and disappear by November since temperatures drop well below zero by then.

 

[youbet]

I had planned my first RV trip a couple of weekends back. I hooked up the trailer and ran over to the local scales to get everything weighed for the first time. I have a half ton truck, but the trailer only weighed 4700 lbs so I should be in good shape. On the way back home a main bearing started nocking. So instead the truck got to sit in the shop waiting for a new engine to be installed. I assume the trailer had nothing to do with it, but the wife is not to sure. Ive spent quite a bit of money so far and we havent spent a night in the trailer yet.

Many half ton trucks are not rated for 4700 lbs. My '99 F150 (V8, 5 speed manual, low ratio axle), for example, is rated for only 3500. But the little Aliner I tow weighs in at under 2000 loaded, so I'm fine.

Do you know the actual rating of your truck? Not just that it's a half ton....

Hope ya get it all worked out!

 

[HFWR]

Many half ton trucks are not rated for 4700 lbs. My '99 F150 (V8, 5 speed manual, low ratio axle), for example, is rated for only 3500. But the little Aliner I tow weighs in at under 2000 loaded, so I'm fine.

Do you know the actual rating of your truck? Not just that it's a half ton....

Hope ya get it all worked out!

I think my '00 Silverado with 4.8L engine and 4-spd overdrive tranny is rated for 4800lbs. I'd have to look at the VID to get the exact number. This truck is capable of up to 7800lbs. with a 3.73 diff and a heavy-duty towing package, which probably includes a transmission cooler, which I don't have now.

I think that, as is, I'd give myself at least a ten percent fudge factor, so 4000lbs or a little more would be my limit...

 

[dm]

Many half ton trucks are not rated for 4700 lbs. My '99 F150 (V8, 5 speed manual, low ratio axle), for example, is rated for only 3500. But the little Aliner I tow weighs in at under 2000 loaded, so I'm fine.

Do you know the actual rating of your truck? Not just that it's a half ton....

Hope ya get it all worked out!

The truck is rated at 7300 lbs, so I should be good to go. New engine has been installed and truck should be good to go. Only I'm down $5000. Now its the weather that is stopping us. It's way to hot and humid. I can barely go golfing.

 

[audreyh1]

In last 3.5 months since I got my rv we have stayed in campgrounds maybe 15% of the time. They are too crowded often resulting in my lawn chair impeding access to my neighbors sewer hook up.

We almost never encounter this. Using the internet reviews, etc., it's pretty easy to avoid the tight-spaced campgrounds. And in many states, the state parks campsites provide a lot of room and privacy for each site. Many of the Federal campgrounds are pretty generous in their spacing too.

We don't spend that much time in commercial campgrounds, but we have still found plenty that have decent spacing - although they are never as generous as the public parks.

Audrey

 

[youbet]

I think my '00 Silverado with 4.8L engine and 4-spd overdrive tranny is rated for 4800lbs. I'd have to look at the VID to get the exact number. This truck is capable of up to 7800lbs. with a 3.73 diff and a heavy-duty towing package, which probably includes a transmission cooler, which I don't have now.

I think that, as is, I'd give myself at least a ten percent fudge factor, so 4000lbs or a little more would be my limit...

Yep. The weak link in my setup is the manual transmission. Apparently a clutch is not as robust as a torque converter these days. I'm aware of the issue, especially when I'm backing into a space and doing a lot of "slipping the clutch" to control speed.

When I look at tow rating tables and find an example of my truck but with automatic, the rating jumps up to the same area yours is in.

If I had it to do over again, I'd go with automatic. Since my truck is going on 12 yrs old, the "do-over" opportunity is probably just down the road! Although this time it will probably be some sort of SUV type vehicle since I can't bring any grand kids along in our standard cab F150 and grandma is started to get po'd about that......

 

[RonBoyd]

We almost never encounter this. Using the internet reviews, etc., it's pretty easy to avoid the tight-spaced campgrounds. And in many state, the state parks campsites provide a lot of room and privacy for each site. Many of the Federal campgrounds are pretty generous in their spacing too.

We don't spend that much time in commercial campgrounds, but we have still found plenty that have decent spacing - although they are never as generous as the public parks.

I agree with everything Audrey says. In the 60,000 miles of traveling, we have rarely stayed more than a single night at any one campground. Therefore, I am guessing that we have stayed at RV Parks numbered in the hundreds. Only one time were we in what could be described as a "cramped" space -- at Gunsmoke RV Park in Dodge City. We arrived late in the day and insisted on a space close to the showers. The only one available put us less than a foot from the Slide-out next door. We left early the next morning and after driving through the park to leave, I would put this park in my "Highly Recommended" list.

We have also spent several nights in State Parks -- most recently in Chadron State Park, Nebraska in April -- most are every bit as nice as commercial parks -- facilitywise. (Okatibbee Water Park-Mississippi -- Spring 2009 --is another fine park)

 

[NW-Bound]

Now its the weather that is stopping us. It's way to hot and humid. I can barely go golfing.

I don't know where you live, to see if you can make a beeline for Coos Bay, OR.
High of 66F there today.

 

[dm]

I don't know where you live, to see if you can make a beeline for Coos Bay, OR.
High of 66F there today.

I live outside St. Louis, so that may be a bit of a drive. I plan to do most of my RVing in the fall and winter when its cold here. Since we havn't tried it yet we are going to start with some short trips first. The wife has had fun remodeling and decorating the trailer though.

 

[NW-Bound]

Getting DW into it... Yes, that's the way to go.

 

[Ronstar]

Anyone want their own RV park?

Here's one you can win with a $100 raffle ticket

Golden Coach RV Park

 

[brewer12345]

Heading off for a weekend trip to a park that is the largest tract of open land between DC and NYC, along with a side trip to the hershey factory for the kids. We have not been camping in a while, so this is overdue.