Meet Janet Miller And The RVing Women

There is a growing number of women who enjoy RVing independently, whether because their families are not into traveling, or because they are single, or just for the adventure of being alone in the wilderness.  Many women who might consider independent RVing are hesitant to jump in and get started.  That is where groups like RVing Women can help.

Exploring Quartzite (Photo by IRV2 member Jpony56hd)

Janet Miller has been a member of RVing Women for over 15 years.  When she found herself nearing retirement, she relocated from her home in Wisconsin to Nevada in order to enjoy the warm Southwest climate.

She had met some friends who traveled in an RV through work and found the lifestyle intriguing.  After reading through the RVing Women magazine, filled with helpful and interesting information, she bought a small Class C motorhome and began traveling with her partner on weekends.

After retirement, Janet vowed to attend one of the RVing Women Rallies to see what they were all about and meet some fellow lady travelers.  Over the three-day rally, she met many other members, learned a lot, and enjoyed the community and ease of traveling with a group of women.  Everyone was very helpful and no question was too simple to be asked. Janet shares,

“The most challenging part of my entry into RVing was learning the in’s and outs of preventative maintenance, and the need to be aware of all systems of the “Motor” part of the motorhome (engine, tires, brakes, shocks, etc.) and the “Home” parts (refrigerator, air conditioning, stove, water heater, etc.)  In addition, I had to learn the basic housekeeping associated with Fresh Water storage and exit water storage (black and grey.)  Fortunately, I had good teachers either through devouring the Internet, reading Motorhome and RVing Women Magazine and by receiving the help of other RV’ers along the road.”

Since that initial rally, Janet has made it a goal to get out with her RV at least once a month, with a “use it or lose it” attitude to keep her out exploring.  There is no RVing women chapter in Nevada, so she joined as a member of the Arizona and Southern California groups in order to attend rallies in neighboring states.  Through the years, she has become an active member and is hosting the upcoming boondocking rally in Quartzite, AZ starting January 17, 2019.

Janet finds that the benefits of being a member of RVing Women are largely the safety and comfort of traveling in an all-women group with different lifestyles and life stories are accepted without fear or humiliation—regardless of your experience level.

Single women, widows, divorcees, or those just looking to get away—the common thread is a group of women with a taste for adventure.  Some have new, fancy rigs, others have found older RVs that they have creatively and lovingly refurbished to their individual needs and tastes.

Some women are retired, others still working, and some are full-time RVers.  Rally attendance can range from 20 to 100 and is largely dependent on the space available at the hosting site.  Rally hosts work a year or two in advance to secure campsite areas, permits, and activities.  Often rallies are coordinated around another event, like an RV Show, or music festival.

RVing Women Rally at Quartzite, AZ, 2017 (Photo via Janet Miller)

In addition to the rallies, the group often hosts informal “meet-ups” throughout the year, from weekend trips to “rolling rallies” where members travel over many days or weeks as a caravan to enjoy destinations like the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.  These longer trips are great for single travelers who might be hesitant to attempt the journey by herself.

There are 17 RVW chapters across the United States, and members can attend any rally across the US that interests them.  Many members travel south for the winter and may join a southern chapter such as the Arizona or Florida Chapters, but return home during the summer months where they might participate in rallies associated with their home state area.

RVing Women also has an annual convention that changes location across the country each year, so that members can attend periodically from all parts of the country.  Tours and educational seminars, as well as entertainment and vendor offerings, make this a very interesting event to attend and members often arrive early and stay later to enjoy a 10 day or so experience with their RVW “Convention Friends.”

For more information on the RVing Women Quartzite Rally, click here.  For other chapter rallies, visit the listing of events on the left side of the RVing Women web page.

See also: Solo Women RVers Hit The Road

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