WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT CAMPING, PART DEUX or TIPS FOR NEWBIES

On November 3rd, 2014, we started on this journey that we like to refer to as our 'adventure'. We did not take the idea of this trip lightly. We did research on what type of RV would suit our needs and chose carefully, we then purchased the best truck that would pull our new RV, we installed the RV in a campground close to home and stayed in it for several days and nights at a time so we could make a decision on what was needed when we were on the trip. We didn't want to be in the middle of nowhere and realize we needed a thingy or a such and such with not a store or supplier in sight. There was plenty of time to get used to pulling the Fifth-wheel behind the truck and, more importantly, getting used to backing it into spaces and maneuvering it.

GIVE IT A TRY - RENT FIRST
If you decide you would like to start the RV-ing lifestyle, do research. If after looking at various RVs you are still unsure then rent one. There are companies out there such as CanaDream and Cruise Canada or Cruise America and others. You will probably find the RV you decide to rent is completely outfitted with kitchen ware, linens, etc. When you log onto websites for the various companies (there are more than the ones I have mentioned) you will see a description of the models available, how many they sleep, what the amenities are, etc. We opted to buy and chose a Fifth-wheel which is not an option when renting. It requires a truck to hitch the Fifth-wheel to. Your choices will be self-contained units like the two shown below.

INTERESTING PEOPLE
Imagine you are six years old, or nine years old or twelve years. Now imagine your parents are going to home school you for an entire year while you travel around the United States in a motor home. Do you think you would be excited? I know I would have been. That's what one couple we met from Wisconsin was doing with their three children. They had closed up their house, whipped the kids out of school armed with curriculum for the school year

and set off. The trip will be mainly informative with stops at places that feature in American history. We met up with them in Virginia. They had just spent a couple of days in Washington, DC, taking the kids to their Capitol and showing them the sights. In Virginia they were hitting Jamestown, Williamsburg, and other places that would teach the kids about the American Revolution and the Civil War but instead of grainy black and white pictures to look at, the kids would actually be in the historic places. What a treat.


NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
Driving along a highway that slows down as it takes you through small towns we saw a truck in front of us that we decided was a 'typical' redneck. The driver had his heavily tattooed arm hanging out the window, ball cap backwards on his head, lots of decals of dead animals on the truck that sat on enormous wheels that make you wonder WHY? A little further along, the truck passed us going at a pretty good clip and the driver rolled down his window and started gesturing to us. Yikes!! You hear about this stuff on the six-o'clock news....'Canadian tourists beaten and robbed of RV and all their belongings'. Finally we realized he was trying to tell us that one of our windows in the Fifth-wheel had been left open and was flapping in the wind. Okay, so, don't judge a book by its cover.

THE TRUTH ABOUT INTERNET IN RV PARKS
Most RV parks advertise free WiFi. Excellent to know. What's not so excellent is the actual WiFi service. In many of the parks we have stayed in the WiFi is, at best, terrible.  Intermittent service, no service unless you go to their main building and service that bumps you off when it feels like it. If you really, really, really need to have internet service due to work related issues then get yourself a hot-spot. Not only will you be assured of internet service you will also be on a secure connection. Oh, don't go downloading and streaming your favourite television shows with your hot-spot. That's why the internet coverage is so bad in the first place. Like-wise the cable television. If you're a television addict, be warned, there can be some pretty tragic coverage as well.



DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN AN RV PARK

Very bad RV Park

Very good RV Park

Not all RV parks are created equal. Like real estate agents RV park owners take really good pictures of their parks and post them on their web-site. What you see is not always what you get. A good tip is to book in for one night with the option of extending your stay. You get a rate for daily, weekly and monthly stays. If your next stay is just for one night to get you on your way again then the park really isn't that important. It's not like booking a hotel for the night and discovering that the toilet leaks or there are fifteen twelve year old cheerleaders on their way to a competition with only one chaperone. Once you are set up and inside your little home away from home it's exactly the same as it was the night before and the night before that. Having a pool and huge laundry facilities don't mean a hill of beans if you are arriving at 4:00 pm and leaving at 9:30 am the following morning. Staying longer? Like a week, a month or more. Then decide what is important to you when making a choice about where to stay.  If it's sunny weather and you like to swim you will appreciate a pool or being within walking distance to a beach. Traveling with kids and you will love the enclosed playground. If you're outgoing and like to meet and greet then see what the park offers in the way of mixers.




 READ THE REVIEWS
When you are checking out RV parks where you think you would like to stay make sure to read the reviews. And not just the ones that the RV Park has posted on its own website. There are independent websites where individuals can give their review of places they have stayed. You can get some pretty good information that you may not necessarily get otherwise. If loads of people have reviewed that the park has really tight spaces but is beautiful in every other way then forgo staying there if you are just passing through. If you're going to be there for an extended period of time then give it a shot. You only have to back in once then you are set for the next month or so. Also check to see what is included in your fee and what is not included in your fee. One RV park advertised four hours of free internet service after which you could purchase internet. What they didn't mention was that the four hours was four continuous hours, not a half an hour here and a half an hour there. Once you logged on the first time and got off after twenty minutes that was it. Reviews can really help you to make sure you get to stay in a place that suits you.


SOME OTHER THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW
Did you know that some people actually live in RV Parks year round? The fact is they do. Imagine that you live in a 300 sq. ft. condo in downtown Toronto or London or New York. How much do you think that would cost? Beaucoup bucks, that's for sure. Now imagine that you purchase a cute little RV and plunk it down on a spot in a Florida RV park or a California RV park or any other park in a place where there is no snow. How much do you think that would cost?  My guess is a whole lot less than that condo. You have the added bonus of being able to walk to the beach whenever you choose and if you don't get along with your neighbours, not to worry. Chances are they will be moving on in a month or so. Sounds pretty good.