Hello there, any RVers?

[tiles2003]

My husband and I(just retired)were thinking about buying an RV and traveling a bit. With the cost of gas, do many people do that anymore? What do you think about the texas Hill Country for an extended stay?

[REWahoo]

Welcome tiles. Yes, there area several RV types on the forum. Don't know about others, but we have a budget for RV fuel and we plan to travel as far as it will take us, definitely not as far this year as last. It won't stop us from hitting the road, but we'll probably take shorter trips and/or stay in once place a little longer on some excursions.

As to the Texas Hill Country question, I'm going to plead the 5th. I'm a little too close to the subject to be objective.

Have you checked out RV forums such as Escapees and RV.net ?

[kowski]

Thought you might like this.

RV-Dreams Journal

[outtarentals]

Glad you're here,Tiles! We love our RV and travel a lot during the warmer months - from early spring through fall. We're usually gone for no more than 2 weeks at a time though - if we had a bigger rig we'd probably stay away longer... we're currently thinking about getting a bigger one.
People often recommend renting a few different RV's for a few days so you can get an idea of the features you need to look for. That way you learn very quickly what you can't do without. There is a very good forum... RV.net that will give you a lot of information. Sorry, I don't know anything about the area you're talking about in Texas - someone else will probably jump in....

[jambo101]

I've always dreamed of one day trading in the tent for a B+ or C class camper and traveling around North America but the combined cost to buy one ,maintain it then feed it with gas makes the financial reality a daunting prospect.I suppose i could buy a used one and do all the maintenance myself but there is no getting around that 8 to 10mpg.I usually check in on RV.net once a day but usually keep to the travel section to find nice places to camp.

[Sarah in SC]

We have a great old RV that we take to music festivals and camping. We love it! Also former (and hopefully future) sailors, so we enjoy both forms of liveaboard transportation! Welcome!

[aworkingrachel]

I'm not an RVer, but I used to live in Texas Hill Country. Beautiful area. Some interesting places to visit for day trips (Austin, San Antonio, some German towns). Gas and food are cheap compared to everywhere else I've lived--the lower prices on gas might make it great place for RVing. It does, of course, get very hot in the summer, and it's far from the coast so there's little relief.

[winger]

We are full-time RV travelers. Just my opinion, but I don't see fossil fuel being cheaper next year, or in the foreseeable future.

We will continue to travel.

We both like the Hill Country at the right time of year. It's too hot in the summer, and too cold (wet) in the winter.

[brewer12345]

Not an Rver yet, but seriously thinking about a small travel trailer that I can haul with the minivan.

[fisherman]

We bought a travel trailer in May of 07 and hav been having a great time. We have not made it to the Texas hill country yet.

[brewer12345]

fisherman, what did you buy? We are thinking about a Fun Finder X160.

[xyz]

tiles,

I am planning on RE in 3 years and spending at least 1 year on the road. Until then we will take weekend trips and a longish (2 weeks) each year. Costs can be inexpensive to very expensive depending on what you choose to go in. If you are comfortable in a pop up trailer it will be very inexpensive. If you prefer a 40 foot Class A pulling a car total costs will be higher. There are lots of forums on the internet where you can read and get an idea of the pro's and cons of each type of RV and lots of information on how to travel on a budget. Here is one I like http://www.rv.net/forum/ Our next vacation will be in the RV and due to fuel costs it will certainly be more expensive than if we were to take a plane. But.... In our case the journey is as important as the destination. Typically we do not make reservations along the way and we are often pleasantly surprised when we stay in places we never thought of. It is certainly a diffrent type of trip. Packing is very diffrent in that you can bring a lot more than you would in a plane. We bring Bikes/Golf Clubs/Pets/Fishing Poles/Board Games/Computers/DVD's etc... We also like to make our own meals and the RV allows you to bring all your own spices and cooking equipment too !

You may also want to consider attending an RV exposition in your area. They are a good place to see many different types of RV's and get advice.

Good Luck

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 Not an Rver yet, but seriously thinking about a small travel trailer that I can haul with the minivan.

Trailmanor.

We love ours, a 3124KS.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

RVing is a larger class A is approaching $450/thousand miles at $3.15 per gallon and 7 MPG in a typical class A. No longer can you justify it easily as a cost-effective alternative to air travel. You do it cause you like it and are willing to spend on it. A lot.

Obviously cost isn't the only factor, but nowadays the costs seem most manageable for full-timers (who stay put for weeks or months at a time), those who live within a few hundred miles of great destinations and are able to stay out a while, those with a bunch of money, and maybe those who plan long, leisurely trips where the motel savings starts to justify the $200 per day fuel cost when on the road.

Then again, you can get some great deals nowadays, even on new RVs.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by winger We both like the Hill Country at the right time of year. It's too hot in the summer, and too cold (wet) in the winter.

Indeed, April here is absolutely beautiful (most years). The weather is mild, generally neither too hot nor too cold, and the wildflower show can be incredible. We may not have a good one this year because it's been so dry, but last year's show was phenomenal with all the early spring rains we received.

[REWahoo]

Yep, there is a very short 2-3 week window in the Spring when the hill country is very nice. Then the scorpions, rattlesnakes, fire ants, cockroaches on steroids, killer bees, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, tarantulas, brown recluse spiders, copperheads, cottonmouths, rabid skunks, wild hogs, alligators, oppressive heat & humidity, polluted air, drought, wildfires, water shortages, recurring floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes kick in.

Probably wise to steer clear of the area entirely...

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Yep, there is a very short 2-3 week window in the Spring when the hill country is very nice. Then the scorpions, rattlesnakes, fire ants, cockroaches on steroids, killer bees, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, tarantulas, brown recluse spiders, copperheads, cottonmouths, rabid skunks, wild hogs, alligators, oppressive heat & humidity, polluted air, drought, wildfires, water shortages, recurring floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes kick in. Probably wise to steer clear of the area entirely...

You're doing your part to keep the region from growing in population, aren't you?

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa RVing is a larger class A is approaching $450/thousand miles at $3.15 per gallon and 7 MPG in a typical class A. No longer can you justify it easily as a cost-effective alternative to air travel. You do it cause you like it and are willing to spend on it. A lot.

Yep. I budgeted $0.50/mile for our class A trips this year. Certainly not a hobby for the frugal, but for the cost of one nice week-long cruise we can take a two week trip plus 4-5 shorter ones. And the grandkids love it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa Then again, you can get some great deals nowadays, even on new RVs.

Yep again. I suspect the bargains will continue to get even better over the next several months, especially for used units of all types.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 You're doing your part to keep the region from growing in population, aren't you?

Hey, if I'd wanted to do that I would have also mentioned the rednecks, huge piles of flaming mulch, spontaneously combusting playgrounds, the stench of natural and unnatural gasses, amoebic meningitis lurking in area lakes, recurring ebola virus outbreaks, flesh eating bacteria, staggering homeowner insurance rates, unbelievably high property taxes, mandatory death sentences for DUI convictions, and Orchidflower’s testimonial of how Texans treat “Yankees”.

[Janet H]

In our spare time we restored a couple of vintage Airstreams. We've met a new bunch of very cool folks who have done the very same thing. We meet up at events across the country and have a lot of fun.

My band often tows one of these trailers to distant shows rather than stay at a sleep cheap or camp at a weekend music festival.

Gas is a consideration. You need a tow vehicle that will get the job done. I have a 3/4 ton diesel PU to tow with and fuel costs are rising. I figure that the cost of maintaining the truck and the fuel expenses are about the same amount of money I would spend on hotels. BUT - we have way more fun with the trailer and meals are cheaper.