Let’s talk about RV’s and Wildlife Photography

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The advantage of a tow vehicle and trailer is that when not using the trailer you have a pickup or SUV for other uses. When I had two sheepdogs the pickup with cap allowed me to hose it our after trips to the beach. A lot more convenient than a SUV or any RV.

People focus on tow load for trailers and frontal area is also important as most of the tow vehicles power is being used to overcome air drag. That is where the collapsible hard sided travel trailer are advantageous.

With any brand of trailer or motorhome it is worth checking RV forums to learn of owner problems in advance. RV's also depreciate very quickly so there are advantages to buying used ones even if you have to drive a few hundred miles to get it.

 
We lived full time in the RV for 8 years and generally didn't even try to stay in the NP campgrounds. WiFi is spotty there, availability is hard, and 40 foot 5th wheel usable spots are few. We generally stayed close to the park in a commercial campground and did day trips from there…generally staying a week at a time in a location but not going out every day. When you're doing it full time…it's the way you live, not a vacation so going and doing a bit more slowly is a better plan. With 6 full days in a location if we were staying a week…one day generally got devoted to laundry or grocery shopping or minor rig maintenance tasks. Maybe 3 days of what we called Fun Stuff© which was why we were there in the first place and at least one day with nothing really planned…that way we could rest if we were tired or do something that we hadn't pre planned if we heard of a good spot to check out. We traveled 6 months out of the year and spent the late fall, winter, and early spring in North Fort Myers FL before heading out usually the week after Easter for another travel season.
 
My weekend getaway vehicle is actually called Weekender. 2001 VW Eurovan Weekender: pop top bunk, lower bunk, refrigerator, table, space for camp stove, maneuverable on narrow Forest Service roads, seat belts for 7 in passenger mode, easy parking. Unfortunately newer models are not currently available in USA.
 
We lived full time in the RV for 8 years and generally didn't even try to stay in the NP campgrounds. WiFi is spotty there, availability is hard, and 40 foot 5th wheel usable spots are few. We generally stayed close to the park in a commercial campground and did day trips from there…generally staying a week at a time in a location but not going out every day. When you're doing it full time…it's the way you live, not a vacation so going and doing a bit more slowly is a better plan. With 6 full days in a location if we were staying a week…one day generally got devoted to laundry or grocery shopping or minor rig maintenance tasks. Maybe 3 days of what we called Fun Stuff© which was why we were there in the first place and at least one day with nothing really planned…that way we could rest if we were tired or do something that we hadn't pre planned if we heard of a good spot to check out. We traveled 6 months out of the year and spent the late fall, winter, and early spring in North Fort Myers FL before heading out usually the week after Easter for another travel season.
That sounds pretty amazing. I think when my mom passed we will either move to Florida or I might stay in TX and buy a condo in FL for the winter months.
 
My weekend getaway vehicle is actually called Weekender. 2001 VW Eurovan Weekender: pop top bunk, lower bunk, refrigerator, table, space for camp stove, maneuverable on narrow Forest Service roads, seat belts for 7 in passenger mode, easy parking. Unfortunately newer models are not currently available in USA.
That is exactly what I want!
 
That sounds pretty amazing. I think when my mom passed we will either move to Florida or I might stay in TX and buy a condo in FL for the winter months.
Yep…we found the lifestyle pretty nice for the 8 years we did it. It takes some getting used to with the small space…350 square feet in our 40 foot 5th wheel and you have to be OK with essentially being around your spouse (if you have one) basically 24 hours a day. You also need to remember that the RV is the way you live and that you're not on vacation. We've all been there of course…on vacation you're in what we call "vacation mode" which means go go go to get everything done. Can't do that as a full timer because you'll burn out on the lifestyle pretty quickly…and since it's your lifestyle there's still things like laundry and groceries to do…as well as afternoon naps. Even in really desirable places…Yellowstone, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, etc…you need to include do nothing days where the highlight of the day is walking out to the veranda under the awning and having a nap or reading a book on your iPad then waking up for Happy Hour and to toss a steak on the grill. Our first year we traveled 5 months and then had a 4 month winter stop in FL but by the third season we were doing 6 months and 6 months and that was just about right. Even doing it the slow full time RV life way…we were always ready to get back "home" to our park in Florida…we stayed in the same park same campsite for all 8 winters and had friends who had been wintering in the park for up to 15 or so years in a row so it was like getting home for us. But by Easter…we were ready to go again and had the summer travels all planned out and reservations made as much as possible…we didn't like the thought of getting someplace and then finding a place to park the rig…nope, bad idea for planners like us. In the 8 travel seasons…we had to do some re-planning in 3 of them because of various issues…broken foot for me, detached retina for Connie, and kidney stone for me…but after the enforced stops we caught up as much as possible with our original plans. The last year we did US 50 from coast to coast…mostly 2 land roads and a lot of small towns with things to see and we really loved doing it. After that year…Connie said she was done and to buy her a house…so we did and got off the road. Planned to do some international travel after we moved into the house in Feb 20…but you know what happened then so we're still waiting on doing any of that.
 
Yep…we found the lifestyle pretty nice for the 8 years we did it. It takes some getting used to with the small space…350 square feet in our 40 foot 5th wheel and you have to be OK with essentially being around your spouse (if you have one) basically 24 hours a day. You also need to remember that the RV is the way you live and that you're not on vacation. We've all been there of course…on vacation you're in what we call "vacation mode" which means go go go to get everything done. Can't do that as a full timer because you'll burn out on the lifestyle pretty quickly…and since it's your lifestyle there's still things like laundry and groceries to do…as well as afternoon naps. Even in really desirable places…Yellowstone, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, etc…you need to include do nothing days where the highlight of the day is walking out to the veranda under the awning and having a nap or reading a book on your iPad then waking up for Happy Hour and to toss a steak on the grill. Our first year we traveled 5 months and then had a 4 month winter stop in FL but by the third season we were doing 6 months and 6 months and that was just about right. Even doing it the slow full time RV life way…we were always ready to get back "home" to our park in Florida…we stayed in the same park same campsite for all 8 winters and had friends who had been wintering in the park for up to 15 or so years in a row so it was like getting home for us. But by Easter…we were ready to go again and had the summer travels all planned out and reservations made as much as possible…we didn't like the thought of getting someplace and then finding a place to park the rig…nope, bad idea for planners like us. In the 8 travel seasons…we had to do some re-planning in 3 of them because of various issues…broken foot for me, detached retina for Connie, and kidney stone for me…but after the enforced stops we caught up as much as possible with our original plans. The last year we did US 50 from coast to coast…mostly 2 land roads and a lot of small towns with things to see and we really loved doing it. After that year…Connie said she was done and to buy her a house…so we did and got off the road. Planned to do some international travel after we moved into the house in Feb 20…but you know what happened then so we're still waiting on doing any of that.
That's awesome! Well we are already around each other 24 hours a day as I work from home. Did you work when you full time? What was the trailer you had/have? What did you tow with?
 
My dogs have all loved to be in the rear of the pickup where they had views in all directions. I would have difficult getting them out of the bed when at a rest stop as they viewed the truck as their traveling dog house.

Inside a vehicle there are what are termed "pet bridges" that attach to the front and rear head rests and provide a flat surface for dogs in a crew cab or SUV. Good for smaller dogs that would not be tall enough to see over the bed rails of a pickup.

The fiberglass cap with sliding windows is key to protecting the dogs while in transit. They get a breeze without sticking their heads out the window and damaging their eyes and they are protected from the sun baking them. A SUV is like a greenhouse and can bake anything inside in a short amount of time. Open truck beds, even with a leash tie down are not safe places for dogs but most dog owners really don't care about their animals.
Our golden like the rear foot well. In fact if we put in the back of our outbacks, she jumps over the seat and wants to be as close to us as she can.
 
That's awesome! Well we are already around each other 24 hours a day as I work from home. Did you work when you full time? What was the trailer you had/have? What did you tow with?
We didn’t RV ever until after we retired at 57…my first suggestion was to backpack around the world for awhile and my bride said how about no. I then suggested the RV…we rented one for a month…and ordered the rig. Had a custom build New Horizons 40 foot 5ver that was 24,000 pounds loaded. Started with an F450 for a few years then upgraded to a RAM 5500lHD with a Classy Chassis hauler bed on it…and never worried about a grade agin. The 450 was fine but slig(try overloaded on rear axle…and with it grades were fine but you had to pay attention. With the RAM it has a real Jake brake on it and it just scoffed at grades up or down. We got off the road and moved into the house in Feb 20 and sold the rig and truck. It was an awesome lifestyle for 8 years…traveled 6 months and 6 months in Cort Myers in the winter…49 states and 10 Canadian provinces. Alaska, BC, Yokon, and Newfoundland were our best places to go but we found lots of great places elsewhere as well…except for northern Indiana…we spent 3 months there in summer 16 when my bride had a detached retina and there is nothing to do there.
 
We didn’t RV ever until after we retired at 57…my first suggestion was to backpack around the world for awhile and my bride said how about no. I then suggested the RV…we rented one for a month…and ordered the rig. Had a custom build New Horizons 40 foot 5ver that was 24,000 pounds loaded. Started with an F450 for a few years then upgraded to a RAM 5500lHD with a Classy Chassis hauler bed on it…and never worried about a grade agin. The 450 was fine but slig(try overloaded on rear axle…and with it grades were fine but you had to pay attention. With the RAM it has a real Jake brake on it and it just scoffed at grades up or down. We got off the road and moved into the house in Feb 20 and sold the rig and truck. It was an awesome lifestyle for 8 years…traveled 6 months and 6 months in Cort Myers in the winter…49 states and 10 Canadian provinces. Alaska, BC, Yokon, and Newfoundland were our best places to go but we found lots of great places elsewhere as well…except for northern Indiana…we spent 3 months there in summer 16 when my bride had a detached retina and there is nothing to do there.
First off I’m familiar with Horizon! Big bucks and I’m sure it was super awesome! Second I wish I could retire at 57. I’m 10 years away so not looking good lol. Sounds like an amazing time!
 
Im headed to Florida Friday to shoot for 7 days and in the middle of the week we are going to stop by for a day or two at the Tampa RV show.

I’ve been doing more and more photography over the years but traveling and doing photography has been difficult. Having two dogs one of which who is 95% blind and requires medicine 4 times a day makes life a little more challenging.

I’m fortunate to have had a work from home job for the last 20 years and continue to have this luxury. My spouse is a homemaker and we have no kids.

This gives us flexibility to be more mobile than most with the exception of our dogs. We have even talked about selling our home and going full time RV life but I’m a long ways from willing to make that commitment. What I do find appealing is being able to take week long trips to say the coast of TX in the winter, few weeks in Yellowstone, maybe a month or so in FL during the winter and the ultimate dream would be spend most of a year slowly working our way from TX to Alaska doing photography along the way.

In todays world if I can have cell service and internet most of the time I can have a pretty cool work life balance. Add with unlimited vacation time I’ve got some flexibility to travel with my spouse and dogs and see and do some cool things while still earning a living.

I don’t know if we want small that can be towed by most large SUV or something larger needing an HD truck. Also considering a class A and tow a car.

One hiccup is longer trips I could see wanting more space but that comes with the inability to park inside Yellowstone for example and just a little more difficult to travel when compared to smaller more nimble rigs. A side note I know dogs can’t go inside Yellowstone and I’m guessing that might be the case for some national parks so that does change things a bit.

So with all that being said do any of you use RV’s? If so do you use it as an ability to do more photography? Do you use it just for vacation or are you working from it as well?

I look forward to any guidance you can provide.
Im headed to Florida Friday to shoot for 7 days and in the middle of the week we are going to stop by for a day or two at the Tampa RV show.

I’ve been doing more and more photography over the years but traveling and doing photography has been difficult. Having two dogs one of which who is 95% blind and requires medicine 4 times a day makes life a little more challenging.

I’m fortunate to have had a work from home job for the last 20 years and continue to have this luxury. My spouse is a homemaker and we have no kids.

This gives us flexibility to be more mobile than most with the exception of our dogs. We have even talked about selling our home and going full time RV life but I’m a long ways from willing to make that commitment. What I do find appealing is being able to take week long trips to say the coast of TX in the winter, few weeks in Yellowstone, maybe a month or so in FL during the winter and the ultimate dream would be spend most of a year slowly working our way from TX to Alaska doing photography along the way.

In todays world if I can have cell service and internet most of the time I can have a pretty cool work life balance. Add with unlimited vacation time I’ve got some flexibility to travel with my spouse and dogs and see and do some cool things while still earning a living.

I don’t know if we want small that can be towed by most large SUV or something larger needing an HD truck. Also considering a class A and tow a car.

One hiccup is longer trips I could see wanting more space but that comes with the inability to park inside Yellowstone for example and just a little more difficult to travel when compared to smaller more nimble rigs. A side note I know dogs can’t go inside Yellowstone and I’m guessing that might be the case for some national parks so that does change things a bit.

So with all that being said do any of you use RV’s? If so do you use it as an ability to do more photography? Do you use it just for vacation or are you working from it as well?

I look forward to any guidance you can provide.
Im headed to Florida Friday to shoot for 7 days and in the middle of the week we are going to stop by for a day or two at the Tampa RV show.

I’ve been doing more and more photography over the years but traveling and doing photography has been difficult. Having two dogs one of which who is 95% blind and requires medicine 4 times a day makes life a little more challenging.

I’m fortunate to have had a work from home job for the last 20 years and continue to have this luxury. My spouse is a homemaker and we have no kids.

This gives us flexibility to be more mobile than most with the exception of our dogs. We have even talked about selling our home and going full time RV life but I’m a long ways from willing to make that commitment. What I do find appealing is being able to take week long trips to say the coast of TX in the winter, few weeks in Yellowstone, maybe a month or so in FL during the winter and the ultimate dream would be spend most of a year slowly working our way from TX to Alaska doing photography along the way.

In todays world if I can have cell service and internet most of the time I can have a pretty cool work life balance. Add with unlimited vacation time I’ve got some flexibility to travel with my spouse and dogs and see and do some cool things while still earning a living.

I don’t know if we want small that can be towed by most large SUV or something larger needing an HD truck. Also considering a class A and tow a car.

One hiccup is longer trips I could see wanting more space but that comes with the inability to park inside Yellowstone for example and just a little more difficult to travel when compared to smaller more nimble rigs. A side note I know dogs can’t go inside Yellowstone and I’m guessing that might be the case for some national parks so that does change things a bit.

So with all that being said do any of you use RV’s? If so do you use it as an ability to do more photography? Do you use it just for vacation or are you working from it as well?

I look forward to any guidance you can provide.
dtibbals,
My wife and I started RVing in 1988 with a Coleman pop up camper, moved to our 1st 5th wheel in 1992, our 2nd 5th wheel in 1996, our 3rd 5th wheel in 2013, and just recently moved into our 1st motorhome. We have been full timers since 2015. Home is in Florida about an 1/2 hour north of Tampa, when we make it home. We work camp at campgrounds which provides opportunities to spend months in an area and time to get out with our cameras. Normally pick an area that we want to see. We’ve done 2 summers in Michigan, 1 summer in Jackson Hole, 2 summers in Montana (about 45 minutes from the north gate), 1 summer in Colorado, 2 winters in New Mexico, and 1 winter on the Oregon coast, Cody Wyoming this summer. Current motorhome has 2 bunk beds that are home to our camera gear. Tampa show will have some seminars that you may find helpful and more RV’s than you can count. If you would like to get together at the show PM me I know that we are planning on going for 2-3 days just not sure when. Full timing has been quite interesting but like everything it does have its downside. Highly recommend buying your RV before selling your house if you will be going full time, lenders are not particularly fond of financing a home on wheels without a real address.
 
Im headed to Florida Friday to shoot for 7 days and in the middle of the week we are going to stop by for a day or two at the Tampa RV show.

I’ve been doing more and more photography over the years but traveling and doing photography has been difficult. Having two dogs one of which who is 95% blind and requires medicine 4 times a day makes life a little more challenging.

I’m fortunate to have had a work from home job for the last 20 years and continue to have this luxury. My spouse is a homemaker and we have no kids.

This gives us flexibility to be more mobile than most with the exception of our dogs. We have even talked about selling our home and going full time RV life but I’m a long ways from willing to make that commitment. What I do find appealing is being able to take week long trips to say the coast of TX in the winter, few weeks in Yellowstone, maybe a month or so in FL during the winter and the ultimate dream would be spend most of a year slowly working our way from TX to Alaska doing photography along the way.

In todays world if I can have cell service and internet most of the time I can have a pretty cool work life balance. Add with unlimited vacation time I’ve got some flexibility to travel with my spouse and dogs and see and do some cool things while still earning a living.

I don’t know if we want small that can be towed by most large SUV or something larger needing an HD truck. Also considering a class A and tow a car.

One hiccup is longer trips I could see wanting more space but that comes with the inability to park inside Yellowstone for example and just a little more difficult to travel when compared to smaller more nimble rigs. A side note I know dogs can’t go inside Yellowstone and I’m guessing that might be the case for some national parks so that does change things a bit.

So with all that being said do any of you use RV’s? If so do you use it as an ability to do more photography? Do you use it just for vacation or are you working from it as well?

I look forward to any guidance you can provide.
I've always wanted to go walkabout in an RV.
But I kept working too long and my wife became sick.
I love her but I will never be able to travel very far again.
So enjoy the world while you can...🦘
 
Just a couple of things...currently I have a 16 foot Airstream that I tow with an SUV and really do like the comfort and flexibility it affords while on the road for photography trips, or any type of trip for that matter. Having said that: The cost of the RV is just the beginning so you need to go into it knowing that going in. If you think photography is expensive with a never ending world of upgrades and gadgets, RVs are just the same if not more so. The best thing is to look at your budget for this venture and multiply it by at least 1.2. Next, smaller is better. Then, buy your last RV first.
 
One thing to consider in the break-even conversation is the cost of meals versus cooking at your camper. We have a 36' fifth wheel and F-350 diesel dually and take 1 - 3 month trips once or twice a year, including Ohio to Alaska and back. Just started back into photography before our Alaska trip and sold the gear and upgraded after returning. We travel with a cat and a dog, and the cat is the best traveler. We love it and had been planning on it for a while. Camping on the banks of the Mississippi River or within sight of Denali are great perks to RVing. A couple of things to keep in mind if you are going with an RV.
If you are getting a towable, get the trailer first, then the tow vehicle. It's easier to size the tow vehicle to the trailer than vice versa.
Once you look at units, most manufacturers' users have forums and/or Facebook pages that can provide a wealth of useful information - and a lot of (many times useful) opinions. Montana, Grand Design, etc. are some that I know have forums.
If you get a smaller unit, get one with slides. It's surprising how much that opens up the interior.
There are a number of accessories and necessities needed to outfit an RV once you get it, so keep that in mind while researching.
 
If you do trial rental do tow it to see if that maybe an issue for you. We have a 25 ft Airstream that we tow with a 4x4 diesel pickup. We have no problems and have taken it in to some small parks . The one issue I am finding these days is you need to have reservations as the parks tend to be full. We are retired and it is hard to just take an impromptu trip. As Steve said nothing beats having your stuff when you get some place,but we still do a fair amount of hotel stays. Either way enjoy.
 
Here's another thought: consider an RV with lithium batteries and/or a generator sufficient to run A/C, if needed, for a day or two. We've had motorhomes since we decided we didn't want to travel without our shelties and being fully self sufficient without hookups has opened new doors. We can boondock when needed, stop on hot days to shop, sightsee, etc. while leaving the dog in the RV. We spent 10 weeks in a 25' motorhome pulling a Honda CR-V on our Alaska trip and had plenty of room.
 
It’s clearly a lifestyle choice, a good one, and one I’ve given a lot of though to, but ultimately decided against it. When I take a trip to photograph wildlife that’s all I have on my mind, and I don’t want to be distracted with hooking and unhooking hitches, hooking and unhooking lines of all kinds, maintaining the rig and on and on, and then being concerned with maneuvering the monster around town. Besides, as mentioned by others, the costs are very substantial, particularly when ALL costs of ownership and operation are considered. Having said that, the appeal of the freedom it offers lingers, and I’ve given serious thought to ultimately buying a Sprinter camper conversion van, which I view as a happy compromise. In my case, having liberated a wife, and no dog to worry about (my hat is off to #dtibibles), I just get in my 4Runner, hit the road loaded with more than I need, and camp out in a comfortable motel (usually one of the chains whose quality I trust and who gives loyalty awards and a free but marginally acceptable breakfast). I can rely on a comfortable bed, desk to process and backup the days work, WiFi, a beer, and get ready for the next day. In good weather, I’ll pack minimal camping gear and tent, and occasionally rough it. But someday, if you catch me in a converted camper van, please don’t call me a hypocrite!
 
First off I’m familiar with Horizon! Big bucks and I’m sure it was super awesome! Second I wish I could retire at 57. I’m 10 years away so not looking good lol. Sounds like an amazing time!
Yeah…retiring at 57 was a commitment we made when we were 30 or so. We never really went the whole really big house in the luxury neighborhood and drove 2 BMWs because it just wasn't us because we believed in saving. Once I retired from the Navy and we both had nice jobs in the DC area…I had Navy retirement and was a highly cleared sysadmin for DoD and she was a department head at one of the big doctor organizations…we essentially lived on 1 salary and invested my Navy retirement and most of the other salary. Bought the New Horizons because it was built better than other brands…still built like crap since it is an RV but higher quality crap plus they do custom builds so we could get a lot of things added/changed/removed to suit our needs. Paid cash for it and the truck out of our house proceeds and put the rest into a separate account with the finance guys for an eventual house re-purchase…and with a paid for rig vs a paid for house in VA we actually spent less to live on the road than to live in the house. Over 8 years we averaged just over $30 per night for camping fees and that includes all utilities except the phone and internet costs. We were frankly amazed at that turn of events and we ate out a lot more in the RV than when we were working so our lifestyle went up in the RV plus we got to see cool places.
 
It’s clearly a lifestyle choice, a good one, and one I’ve given a lot of though to, but ultimately decided against it. When I take a trip to photograph wildlife that’s all I have on my mind, and I don’t want to be distracted with hooking and unhooking hitches, hooking and unhooking lines of all kinds, maintaining the rig and on and on, and then being concerned with maneuvering the monster around town. Besides, as mentioned by others, the costs are very substantial, particularly when ALL costs of ownership and operation are considered. Having said that, the appeal of the freedom it offers lingers, and I’ve given serious thought to ultimately buying a Sprinter camper conversion van, which I view as a happy compromise. In my case, having liberated a wife, and no dog to worry about (my hat is off to #dtibibles), I just get in my 4Runner, hit the road loaded with more than I need, and camp out in a comfortable motel (usually one of the chains whose quality I trust and who gives loyalty awards and a free but marginally acceptable breakfast). I can rely on a comfortable bed, desk to process and backup the days work, WiFi, a beer, and get ready for the next day. In good weather, I’ll pack minimal camping gear and tent, and occasionally rough it. But someday, if you catch me in a converted camper van, please don’t call me a hypocrite!
Yeah…it's a lifestyle and while it isn't cheap…taking into account all of the costs it's less expensive than renting hotels…at least if you're doing it full time. For a few weeks a year then you don't really get the benefits of the lower cost. All the advantages you say you have in a hotel…well if you've got an RV that's really suitable for full time living then it has all of those advantages as well…and with either a towable RV or a towed car (or a second vehicle driven by your partner) then hookups and such really aren't an issue. You drive to an area where you're going to take photos for a week or so and literally you back into the campsite (or pull through into it if you got that kind of site) and it takes an hour to hook up power, water, and sewer…and then you've got your bed, your setup, your kitchen, don't have to eat every meal out and so on and so on. If you're doing it on a full time basis…you actually spend less than if you are living in a paid for 2,000 square foot house in VA near DC…and that includes spending winters in a nice park near the water in Florida. Our winter quarters were actually the most expensive places we stayed…had we been willing to be a little less warm and wear jeans instead of shorts and flip flops one can cut the campground fees in central Florida by at least half (more like 2/3s in our case). However…if you're doing it a few weeks a year…or even 3 months spread out over the year in smaller chunks…you don't get to realize the financial benefits to having your house and your stuff with you all the time.
 
Used vehicle prices are up 37% over last year and fuel prices are up 50% so corporations are taking advantage of the pandemic to accumulate record profits. But RV's are not the same and the issue was more one of demand being up by 170% and not that much supply, new or used. We bought a motorhome for $170k in 2020 and later I saw a similar one selling used with less than 5K miles on it for $105K. I could have easily lived with whatever features might have been missing to save $65,000 but we had already cancelled our trips both with the pandemic and with the many wildfires in the west.

Hotels are the least expensive way to travel but even with ones with kitchenettes we end up with many meals in restaurants. Regardless of the coronavirus issues the food in restaurants is not very healthy and often not very tasty either. The RV allows us to make our own meals and no time wasted hunting for a restaurant in an area and then hoping for the best in terms of the food we are served. With all of our travels in Europe and Central and South America and SE Asia, I have to say that by and large the worst food we have eaten has been in the USA, the land of Denny's, Dominos Pizza, IHOP and Starbuck's.
 
Used vehicle prices are up 37% over last year and fuel prices are up 50% so corporations are taking advantage of the pandemic to accumulate record profits. But RV's are not the same and the issue was more one of demand being up by 170% and not that much supply, new or used. We bought a motorhome for $170k in 2020 and later I saw a similar one selling used with less than 5K miles on it for $105K. I could have easily lived with whatever features might have been missing to save $65,000 but we had already cancelled our trips both with the pandemic and with the many wildfires in the west.

Hotels are the least expensive way to travel but even with ones with kitchenettes we end up with many meals in restaurants. Regardless of the coronavirus issues the food in restaurants is not very healthy and often not very tasty either. The RV allows us to make our own meals and no time wasted hunting for a restaurant in an area and then hoping for the best in terms of the food we are served. With all of our travels in Europe and Central and South America and SE Asia, I have to say that by and large the worst food we have eaten has been in the USA, the land of Denny's, Dominos Pizza, IHOP and Starbuck's.
You left out Subway! LOL!
 
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