Happy Thanksgiving iRV2 members! If you’re kickin’ back in a tryptophan-induced coma from all that turkey you gobbled, what better time to take it easy and reflect on all those cool RVing things we’re all thankful for. See if you agree with our list of:
The Top 10 Things RVers are Thankful For.
1. Lower Fuel Prices
Do you do the happy dance whenever you fill up your RV lately? Look around gas stations, we’re all doing it and with good reason: according to AAA, “Drivers paid the lowest September gas prices since 2010 with the monthly average at $3.39 per gallon, which was about 13 cents less than last year and 44 cents less expensive than 2012.” Woohoo!
2. Warm Winter Climates
Drive down any highway in the sunbelt states and look at the license plates on RVs: the snowbird migration is in full-swing! Although nobody seems to have official statistics for the number of Americans who flee to warmer climates in winter, The Canadian Snowbird Association says that the top five snowbird states of California, Arizona, Texas and Hawaii have the most appealing weather during the coldest winter months.
3. Quiet Neighbors
Anyone who’s stayed in a crowded RV park knows that privacy can be a luxury in some places. No matter how well-built the RV is, a rolling home on wheels has thin walls so neighbors who can keep their daily vocalizations to themselves are always greatly appreciated. And for those who prefer boondocking in the wild, There are no more excuses for toting around old, noisy rattletrap generators behind the RV now that RV solar power is cheaper and more easily available than ever before.
4. Pull-through RV Sites
Even though you have 20 years of RVing under your belt, there’s nothing like pulling into a pull-through parking spot at the end of a long, hard day on the road. Pull-through RV sites with full hookups a welcome relief when you’re too tired to practice your backing up skills, even if they cost more than a cheaper back-in spot!
5. Free Boondocking on Public Lands
With so many RV snowbirds heading south to enjoy warmer climates, we can be very thankful that the US has enough wide open spaces for all of us to enjoy! Since Bureau of Land Management oversees just over 15 million acres of public land in California, 12 million in Arizona and 13 million in New Mexico alone, there’s plenty of space for snowbird RVers to escape winter in the great outdoors.
6. Overnight Parking at Big Box Stores
This year’s WalMart shooting incidents, including a melee in Cottonwood, Arizona, had many RVers wondering if a total ban on overnight camping at big box stores was next. Although many big box stores have tightened restrictions on overnight camping the majority are still allowing RVers to park for the night. Meanwhile as the overnight camping at WalMart situation remains precarious, we encourage all RVers who do it to be respectful and show your appreciation for their generosity by following the RVers Good Neighbor Policy for Overnight Parking.
7. Easy Access to Diesel Pumps
What RVer with a diesel engine hasn’t pulled into a filling station only to find the diesel pumps are located on the inside of the islands? Can you think of anything more frustrating when you’re traveling? Let’s hear it for filling stations like Flying J and Love’s who are smart enough to put diesel pumps at the edge of their passenger vehicles fuel islands! Wouldn’t it be great if every filling station had that kind of layout?
8. RV LIFE Campgrounds
RVers are a frugal bunch and one of the reasons we go through the ordeal of hauling our homes with us is we love saving money on travel. But if you don’t do your research, your frugal tendencies can get you into trouble. That’s why we can be grateful for RV LIFE Campgrounds, which gives us a head’s up on parks that are worth visiting and which ones should be avoided.
9. Mobile Communications
Communications have come a long way since the days of pay phones. Mobile satellite TV and Internet allows us to go where we want and stay in touch with business and personal needs, work from the road and enjoy life without being limited by cables. Yes we pay more for mobile satellite Internet but when you’re camped in a spectacular location and able to get online, don’t you think it’s worth it? We do!
10. The iRV2 Community
Call us biased but we can’t think of one RVing community that is more helpful than you, iRV2 members. Social media is great but it doesn’t provide you with things like searchable Discussion Forums about RVing that help make your RVing needs easier, especially when you’re in a pinch with things like mechanical issues. The iRV2 community is like no other in the industry and on this Thanksgiving day, we are so thankful for all of your participation that makes us stand out from all the noise on the Internet!
Often called “The O.G. of full-time RVing,” Rene Agredano and her husband Jim Nelson hit the road in a fifth wheel trailer in 2007, after their dog Jerry lost a leg to terminal cancer. Sixteen years later they are still traveling and sharing their nomadic adventures at LiveWorkDream. As a self-employed wordsmith, Rene shares her expertise for many RV industry videos, publications such as the Escapees RV Club Magazine, and has authored numerous books, including the Essential RVing Guide to National Parks, and Income Anywhere, a guide to earning money on the road. She has been featured in global media outlets including the PBS documentary “NATURE: Why We Love Cats and Dogs,” The Guardian Sunday Edition, and the Dan Pink book Free Agent Nation.
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