Private RV Property versus Resorts and Campgrounds

 

RVing is a lifestyle choice, and there are a lot of alternative approaches. We’ve been RVers since 2013 and we have tried them all. In recent years we have noticed some significant changes.  There are romantic notions about the RVing lifestyle.  Many are exaggerated. 

We have observed a lot of changes in the most recent 10 years.  Our advice is to be resilient and be aware that one gets what one pays for.  Although it is not a subject in this post, our conversations with RVers indicates that getting repairs done in a reasonable time is becoming more difficult.

What RVers are discovering about camping is a lack of available sites, and RV camping site prices are increasing. The days when one could drive up to a campground and get a site are over.

There are a number of reasons for this. One is the popularity of RVing. Today, there are more RVs than all of the campsites in the US, combined. The CCP Covid-19 virus altered the behavior of RVers. RV campsite fees are increasing making nightly stays more costly. KOA for one is making modest site improvements and charging significantly higher fees. Finally, high gasoline and diesel prices contributed to a tendency to stay in one location for longer periods.

In 2013 when we decided we would become RVers and took our first steps, I told G that in the near future, the carefree days of camping would be history. And so it is.

There are several ways to deal with finding campsites. First, always make reservations as far ahead as possible. Second, go for longer stays in a specific location and use it as a base for local exploring. By local, I mean a radius of 400 miles or so, although more distant excursions are possible. Another possibility is to purchase land and equip it for the RV. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach.

The boom in RVing has had negative consequences. Today we encounter more complainers, RVers who prefer to walk through our campsite, allow their dogs to defecate everywhere and anywhere including at our site, and groups of roaming children who like to inspect other sites and get into mischief. Campgrounds with good management which enforces the rules goes a long way to deal with this. Campgrounds and resorts with activities and specific activity areas also control this. Boredom is a motivator for mischief and bad conduct among adults and children.

Long term reservations at campgrounds

This sounds straightforward. But it isn’t. One can’t always predict where they will be a few weeks or months into the future. Furthermore, reservations may not be available. This is particularly so at popular State Parks, or during peak RV season. Weather too is a factor. Along the Florida coast and the gulf hurricanes are a reality. These make staying in specific areas chancy during specific times of the year. The destruction by storms results in the closure of resorts and campgrounds for long periods.

Longer Stays at campgrounds and resorts or owning property

Making the decision to stay in a location for longer periods has benefits. It reduces fuel costs, and wear and tear on vehicles. It can be more relaxing. It also reduces the cost per night for a stay. Resorts may have lots of activities. We’ve encountered more than a few RVers who are bored out of their minds. Staying at an active resort, in an area with a lot of amenities may be the best of all worlds. Camping and campfires, group activities, fine dining, museums, various entertainment, even nearby National Parks make for interesting living.

Alternately, one may choose to purchase land and create a personal RV site. This may be the least costly approach, boondocking aside. However, not everyone wants to live in the woods, distant from the benefits of civilization with minimal socializing. Furthermore, there are costs. There may be annual fees and to do this properly the site must be equipped with water, sewer and electricity.

Another approach is seasonal or annual stays at an established resort or campsite. This puts one closer to the “action” without being in the middle of it. This approach also allows one to escape to their site. However, one must be choosy about selecting the resort or campground. This approach is less costly than nightly stays, but may be more costly than owning improved land. One benefit is the ability to alter the site to one’s personal taste. Repeat annual leaseholders may be allowed to install decks, gazebos and so on. If circumstances change, one can leave. Resorts that permit significant improvements by leaseholders (concrete patios, shelters, sheds, improved utilities, etc.) frequently allow these amenities to be sold to the next tenant, so there is little financial risk.

Boondocking

This is a low-cost approach. However, there are costs involved and compromises. There are also risks. Crime is on the rise and it is foolish to pretend it occurs elsewhere. Longer term stays require access to water and dump stations. Some popular boondocking areas attract lots of RVers, vandwellers and car dwellers. As a consequence, there may be a support system. Trucks rent large water storage tanks and fill them periodically. But electricity is scarce, unless one has many kW of solar and batteries. Plan on frequent trips to a dump station and minimal AC in warmer areas.

Boondocking means there is no campsite host to keep the peace. One would think that there is a lot of space available which means adequate separation. That may not be so. Of course, one can always relocate.

Dealing with a lack of availability of sites

When we began planning our extended stay approach to RVing we decided to rent seasonally or annually at several locations. We purchased a Class B and used it to explore and find our “lily pads”. We did discuss land purchase, but decided against it for the present. We like to socialize, but on our terms.

In 2013 we began our quest. It was fun. We investigated “mega resorts” as well as smaller “mom and pop” managed campgrounds. We ultimately decided upon two locations, one of each type, to establish our lily pads.  Each was chosen because of location and nearby amenities. 

Mom and Pop campgrounds

These are smaller campgrounds usually with minimal amenities. The owners live on site in a house or RV. The campground will have a bathhouse and some will have an activity room or building. There may be a couple of cabins for rent. In northern areas these usually close for the winter.

We decided it was best to stay at campgrounds which do not allow tents. For our summer season we also decided we wanted to select a campground with a healthy percentage of seasonal campers and which close during the off-season.

Smaller campgrounds are not necessarily managed better than the larger ones, and the owners may be inclined to avoid conflict between campers. That makes stays "interesting". 

The benefits include more of a community feel. Seasonal RVers do understand campground etiquette and will follow the rules. Many live at the campground for the entire season and then close up their RV at the end of season, leaving the RV in place during the winter off-season. They will add decks, gazebos and shelters to make their site more comfortable. There is a sense of ownership. There is also stability, as many sites are set up this way, and the seasonal campers return year after year.

Fees are determined by location. Popular locations, within a few hours' drive of major metropolitan centers are more costly. Access to lakes, etc. also drive up the costs.

Our experience has been to plan for 5% annual fee increases.

Preparing the summer campsite for winter

Resorts and Mega-Resorts

These are very large campgrounds open all year. They offer short-term as well as seasonal and annual rates. If one chooses an annual, repeat lease, it may be possible to make site improvements to one’s taste. However, this varies from resort to resort. Improvements may include shelters, concrete patios, buildings with residential washer-dryer and so on.

Mega-Resort Improved Site

Mega-resorts may have an on-site bar and restaurant. There may be a lot of activities in-season including a chapel, ballroom for entertainment and so on. Multiple swimming pools, tennis, pickle ball and all sorts of workshops and group activities may be available. However, these are usually managed and staffed by volunteers. If people don’t volunteer, the party stops. There may be modest fees and costs of materials, too.

Mega-resorts may have tiny homes available for purchase or to rent. These “park models” are about 400 square feet but may be larger. This is a popular option for retirees. The cost of purchase of a used model may be low, and annual fees manageable. Some resorts are HUD age qualified, which means 80% of the full-time residents may be 55 or older. Resorts built decades ago may have a very large percentage of elderly. The reality is, this is much less costly than assisted living and that is a financial attraction. It may be a turn-off for younger RVers.

In such resorts children and the elderly may not mix well. Management controls pool hours and access, etc. to keep everyone happy.

As for fees, these too will increase annually and there are rules and regulations. An RVer with an annual lease will sign a contract which is a legal document and can be quite elaborate. Aging infrastructure increases maintenance costs and that leads to increasing fees and breakdowns that can interrupt an otherwise pleasant stay.

In recent years we have noticed the mega resort we stay at is off-loading as much as possible to sub-contractors. There are fewer maintenance employees, and more contractors are utilized. This may limit the costs for the resort owner while guaranteeing revenue. There are draw-backs. Contractors are not necessarily less costly and must be coordinated and managed. There may be a tendency to use a "cash-flow" approach to repairs, which extends them by days, weeks and in some cases, by months. When an issue occurs, the contractor who is an off-site business, may not be available. Running a resort restaurant has been difficult during CCP Covid-19 and the aftermath. When a resort owns and manages an on-site restaurant it can absorb the temporary losses at the restaurant. A small establishment may not be so lucky after paying the lease, overhead and staff. A resort we stay at handled this by off-loading the entire management of the restaurant and bar to a subcontractor.  

The resort has also been turning over other costs to the residents. This may include the responsibility for pool maintenance, weekly trash pickup, etc. Normally water is included and electricity separately metered and billed for each site. But this is changing, too.

(c) N. Retzke 2022 

2400 miles to our winter lily pad

 

Taking the long route - 6 overnight stops

With the condo sale proceeding, we left everything in the hands of the Realtor and our Attorney, packed the Roadtrek and headed to Arizona. I drove the Roadtrek and G drove the Chevy, which will replace the Malibu and will remain in AZ year around. We donated the Malibu to a veterans organization. It will be auctioned and proceeds go to vets.

We took the longer trek to avoid winter storms and sub-freezing weather.  In the past we've stayed at campgrounds which shut down all water, including the bathrooms when it gets below 32F.  We didn't want to repeat that experience.

We had prepared a travel itinerary.  It would take 6-1/2 days, with minimal stops.  We made reservations for each overnight stop.

The first leg of the trip, through Illinois on I-57 was a real pain.  Construction signs up and there were long stretches with the speed posted at 45 MPH.  It was a fitting "goodbye" to the state.  However, all real estate is local, and portions of DuPage County are near perfect places to live.  Just don't get run over by one of Chicago Mayor Lightfoot's shuttle busses, which drop off undesirables in the suburbs.  Chicago dumps them with a hotel voucher and an adios!  "Welcome to America".

Our first day was designed as a short-leg of 316 miles, which was helpful. We had packed non-freezables the night before and we got an earlier start to the day.  Temperatures were below freezing overnight, and the Roadtrek was off the grid.  I had installed Lithium-Ion battery technology during the previous summer.  The Battery Management System (BMS) of these batteries prevents charging at below-freezing temperatures.  It was about 21F when we started the Roadtrek.  I switched on the battery compartment DC heaters and we headed down the road at 10:15AM.

Heater test during installation last summer.  DC controllers are in C, AC controller is F

324 miles later we arrived at a KOA "Journey" at 3:30pm. This was a "Deluxe" site because of the length of the two vehicles.  However, because it was cold and end of season it was a nearly deserted campground with minimal amenities.  The current CEO of KOA is a "Glamping Queen" who has a marketing background.  It is her philosophy to increase prices by adding a slab, firepit and a couple of chairs and a picnic table to the sites.  This approach allows KOA to extract an additional $30 a night for a site, even when it is cold and snowing.  LOL.

I hooked up the AC and switched on the 120VAC battery heater.

The next morning it had warmed up and by 7:45am it was a balmy 39F. By 2:00 PM we had travelled a total of 656 miles and stopped at an independent campground in Grenada, MS.  It was 46F and overcast. We had a pleasant overnight stay and the campground hosts were very accommodating.  Overnight stay was $35.

And so it went.  Cool days, generally overcast with a little rain.  Nights at or below freezing.

Here were the daily miles for the route as shown above:

• Day 1 324 miles
• Day 2 330 miles
• Day 3 341 miles
• Day 4 341 miles
• Day 5 415 miles
• Day 6 407 miles
• Day 7 149 miles

We arrived at our location in Arizona at 10:00am local time; we had gained an hour due to time change.

We spent that day unpacking, hooking up the 5th wheel, etc.  I had purchased an improved, larger water filter before we left the previous season. I installed the new filter, regenerated the water softener, checked the anode in the hot water heater and flushed it once again.  Desert water contains a lot of minerals and an anode generally lasts for only one season.

I turned on the water, flushed the system of air (no need to winterize) and plugged in the Redwood.  I then ran the 5 slides out and turned on the refrigerator.  I removed the empty gallon jugs our summer care people fill periodically to assure that we have some humidity in the RV during the summer months and we were ready to move in.

Projects
This season I intend to add a reverse osmosis water treatment system to the Redwood.  I will also add another solar panel to the Roadtrek.  Etc. 

(c) 2022 N. Retzke

Full Timing, here we come

 

Empty Storage - waiting

We’ve been working on this for a long time. First, we had to change our lives to provide more time to do it, Dr. Fauci’s disease was a two-year setback, and there were others, but we kept moving forward. Health issues and problems due to dysfunctional family were dealt with.  In 2020 I exited my business. In 2021 we dealt with extended family problems, among other things. 2022 was worse. In June 2022 we took a U-Haul to Arizona with some furniture and essentials for the RV we have there, this was supposed to occur in fall of 2021, but family interfered.

In 2022 we spent most of the time July-October giving belongings away to Amvets and Goodwill and consignment shops. We gave many, many books to the local library. Additional stuff was disposed of via a dumpster. Critical documents were scanned and digitized, and the originals shredded.  Ditto for photos. 8 hard-drives were shredded and PCs given away.  It was serious downsizing, but we were ready.

There were tasks to do to prepare the sticks and bricks for sale.  Some plumbing upgrades, trim and paint to do, minor repairs and so on.  The 3rd bedroom was a full office.  Bookcases, file cabinets and wall-mounted cabinets were removed, and the room is once again a bedroom.  Etc. Etc. Etc.   We were busy seven days a week for nearly four months.  No time for blogging. It even cut into my wine time, virtually eliminating it.  LOL.

We then shifted to packing for storage. We have organized everything that remains, made a list and numbered the boxes.  I also made a floor plan for the storage, so we know where each box is. We've transported most of these to storage, saving the big items for the movers.

A couple of days ago I winterized the Roadtrek and took it to the EPA station to get it "certified".  I also took it to the local Chevy dealer for an oil change, tire rotation, new wipers, 55,000-mile service, etc.

When G had any time available it was to deal with her family.  The brothers still can't figure it out and I doubt they ever will.  "Please explain why you are doing this" is among the endless questioning.  By the age of 60 one would think they would have figured it out after so many meaningless, time-consuming conversations, and after we have been RVing since December 2013.

U-Haul to Arizona

Dumpster with rain coming

We did very little RVing in 2022, after leaving our Arizona "lily pad". In the spring we returned to Illinoise enroute to Michigan. We stopped at the condo, filled a U-Haul and returned to AZ.  As I said, this was supposed to have been done in fall of 2021. 

In early October we closed down the Michigan campsite so we could make final preparations to leave that wonderful blue-state Illinoise.  I have many fond memories sailing lake Michigan. More recently kayaking on the Michigan side of the lake.

On the Venture, at Montrose Harbor, a long time ago

We spent just enough time in 2022 in Michigan to set up the campsite, spend a holiday weekend and then shut it down at the end of the season.  LOL

We have rented a local environmental storage space for several pieces of furniture we decided not to part with. We will also use that as the place to store extra supplies for our Michigan RV site, and to transfer material when travelling to/and from our lily pads. Extra winter gear, clothes, tools, etc. It is a very nice facility, and we can actually drive in.  In fact, it can accommodate our Roadtrek 210P.  Very convenient for loading and unloading under all weather conditions.

Drive-in storage loading 
I can drive a car or the Roadtrek in to load or unload

We re-arranged the remaining furniture at the condo and staged it and put the condo on the market. Hint: If I were ever to do this again, I would arrange everything for the photos and then empty the condo completely before putting it on the market.  This daily moving of stuff and accommodating showing schedules is a real pain.   A delay of showing for a couple of weeks would have meant nothing and would have allowed us to vacate several days earlier.

The movers are coming in a week to take what we want to save to storage. After that we’ll do a final “sweep” of the condo and that’s it.

I love it when a plan comes together, but 9 years was too long!

Condo staged and ready to vacate

(c) 2022 N. Retzke

Living in "Candominiums"

"Living the RV Dream, "Full Time RVing", "RV Boondocking", RV Solar Living" "Fifth Wheel" living, "RVers on the Road" and the list goes on.

There are many expectations for RV living and lots of social media groups which provide insights and opinions. There are also many ways to live the RV lifestyle, as many as there are RVs on the road.  This is not a "one size fits all" situation. For example, we trek in a Class B (Roadtrek 210P). Since December 2013 we've trekked nearly 22,000 miles in it with some treks of up to 110 days (90 days interrupted by an overnight hotel stay in Bisbee AZ). We think of the 210P as our mobile motel room and our gateway to the outdoors. It is very comfortable. But we have friends who simply cannot grasp why we would do this. Some are tied to their abode and the big city they live in. Others have tried country living and hated it; (think "Green Acres"). Others had a short RV experience with their children in tow and after about two weeks in a metal can had enough of the "camping" adventure.  Some need the internet and cable TV and don't want to pay the price to get these on the road. And of course, some have work, job or family commitments and simply can't get away.

Obviously, this lifestyle is not for everyone and there are different lifestyles to pursue. That is my point. For every hearty endorsement of the RV lifestyle and experience, there may be an opposing view. Which is why there is a "full time RV Hell" social group.  Which makes me wonder. RVs are mobile and so if one doesn't like their current location, then move on. If the rig is a piece of junk, then move on.

Some call their rigs "tiny homes" and some call them "candominiums."

Flexibility is Helpful
We've taken a somewhat flexible approach and while it seems there are periods of imperfection, it is also true that everything is "perfectly imperfect." Yes, it can be darn good. We do enjoy the great outdoors, truck stops, resorts, National Parks and meeting new people. We also enjoy a lot of space. That might seem oxymoronic, because our Class B is such a tiny, tiny home. However, when we open that side door we step into the great outdoors. In fact, that experience is what convinced G that she really wanted to do this. She tells me she'll never forget opening the side door on a trek through Canyonlands National Park and looking at the vista. We were in a small area legally adjacent to the road and overlooking the canyons. We were enjoying lunch. We had a vista of at least 15 miles with no one in our view; just the canyons and bluffs to the horizon.

Hiking in Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands at Sunset - don't step back!

On the edge at Canyonlands, contemplating the far horizon

Open that side door at 5:30am as we did one morning and we had a different experience, at 9F. When we encounter such experiences we are usually just "passing through" and there is better weather just over the horizon. If not, we then continue moving.

We found better weather and when the day was done we retreated indoors and had another comfy night.

We can choose where and when to stop. We're not locked into any one location. Nevertheless, we do camp in weather extremes. I do think we've pushed the limits in the Roadtrek with outdoor temps from about 5F to over 100F and some really long treks. Some might consider this "extreme RVing" as one person described our approach. Furthermore most RVs are not designed for full time living. That requires some tolerance and understanding on the part of the occupants. Not everyone is going to be satisfied with RV living.

There are Differing Experiences
Some of us aren't ready to live this way, and each vehicle may provide a different experience. We tried a 19 foot Sprinter based rig with solar and all electric (no propane). We did this because we wanted the experience before making a purchase decision for any RV. We decided it wouldn't work for the longer treks we were planning and to the locations in mind. How long? 3 months or more. On the other hand, even the 19 footer was luxury compared to the backpacking and ground camping I've done. Back then it was a sleeping bag and a plastic potty bag inside the tent when it was really cold outside. The slogan while packing and planning what to carry was "an ounce in the morning is a pound at night." Today we can bring BBQ, lawn chairs, stuff the 5 cu. ft. refrigerator, carry sufficient supplies for weeks and so on. It has been a very different experience in the RVs.

My personal history influences my perspectives. I've lived for months on end in a variety of motels. This was required by my work. For one project I lived in a motel for 11 months. For another it was 5 months. Then there have been dozens of trips of 30 days or so and even more of 5 days or so. My first such business trip was 50 years ago. My next will be in a few weeks. While motels come with clean towels and daily service, I still prefer the Roadtrek and I do much of the cooking, etc.  We use a convection/microwave, a propane range, propane BBQ and an electric induction burner with cast iron. We have multiple heat sources including a heat pump, propane furnace and electric heater. There is an air conditioner for summer, and a two fans for ventilation and cooling.

However, living in a our mobile motel room does have challenges. I've written of this before. Every time one opens the door the elements come in. Do that in a driving rain and the humidity inside will become higher than that outside. Class Bs have a lot of glass and that glass has an R-value of about 0.1, which is almost nothing. Even Reflectix has an R-Value of about 1.0 or ten times better.  If your rig has solar panels then you will be parking in the sun to get that wonderful bounty of "free" energy. That's fine at temperatures below 75F. But as the temperatures rise that rig becomes a sauna.

A Hybrid Balance
We have taken  a hybrid approach. We follow the sun, hopping from home bases, which are stationary rigs positioned in AZ and MI. One is at a small campground in a wonderful area on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. We're 2 hours from Chicago, or can easily go the the UP. The other is in a resort community in a winter area we decided we really like. These are our home bases and we can come and go as we please. There are other approaches. One can also own a condo and use it part time, or rent it to others with the anticipation of someday returning to a fully stationary lifestyle. We are currently hedging our bet with a condo.

However, if I wanted the absolute lowest cost with some amenities, I would seriously consider a Casita travel trailer or similar. The 16 foot  Deluxe has a dry weight of just over 2,000 lbs. It can be towed by just about any vehicle with a Class II hitch and is comfortable for two, but can sleep up to six. One can park it just about anywhere and that means cheap living.

We opted for a B because we wanted a self contained unit, something we could drive everyday if we wanted to. I do admit at 21 ft. our rig is pushing the limits and it does stand out. Not exactly stealth trekking. But is has a lot of space and all of the amenities we required for trekking 90 days at a time.

For full time vehicle use, a 19 ft. Class B is probably optimal, but there are serious space compromises.

"Candominium" Living
We don't want to live in the Roadtrek full time. So what choices are there? One can find a resort with used Park models. These are really "tiny homes" and we did consider that. These are permanent and require renting a site for an annual fee. Some are really lovely with expansive covered decks, air conditioned adjacent rooms (insulated prefab buildings) and so on. Some have space for a small RV too. However, resorts do have rules about one RV only on a site. They don't allow two occupied RVs in a location designed for one. A Class B which can be used for daily travel is acceptable at such resorts.

We checked out a number of used Park models for sale. We can see why this is a popular approach. These predate the 'tiny home' movement by about 40 years. They are in many ways superior to some of the tiny homes we've seen.  One drawback to the Park model is they are not really "portable". The possible issues for a Park model include:

1. Age restrictions in the community (55+, for example)
2. Age demographics (A 55+ community may have a very large percentage of those aged 80)
3. Resort finances (A resort may have financial issues)
4. Rules and Regulations (These may be restrictive and not to your liking)
5. A lack of mobility (If you decide you would prefer to move to another resort, you will have to find a buyer for your Park model).

Of course, one can always purchase a travel trailer (TT) or a 5th wheel and put it on a site. That mitigates many of the problems of a Park model; if one decided they would prefer another resort, they can have their RV hauled elsewhere even if they don't own a truck.

Continued in Part 2

Full Time RVing

Ah, the wonderful freedom of being unfettered. Travel wherever and whenever we wish. Hmmmm.

Well, we could live 24/7 in our Roadtrek and we've done so for up to 110 days. However, when we purchased it, living in it for months on end was not the designated purpose.

We purchased it to explore, and to find places we would really want to live for months on end when we weren't trekking. That was our decision in December 2013. We decided on the 210P after careful evaluation of our needs, wants and desires, and the ability of RVs to meet our requirements. We haven't been disappointed.

Since then we've trekked about 22,000 miles, spent up to 110 continuous days in the Roadtrek and we've found several wonderful places to plant our heels. One is on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The other is in Arizona. These are convenient to our purpose and get us where we want to go. They also put  us in the climates we prefer.

We do have our "sticks and bricks" condo in Illinois, and it is currently empty. It would have been sold had we be been able to clean it out in 2016. G is also somewhat reticent about giving up some of the detritus of our lives. I do understand. But 2017 will be the next step.

We found a wonderful community in AZ and so, we jumped in, after a two week trial in 2014. Our method was straightforward. This locale is great for anyone with RA in the winter, it is convenient to the national parks in Utah, and one can head east on I-10 and get all the way to the Florida Keys.  In fact, the full time residents appreciate people like us. That's completely opposite to our experiences east of the Hudson River. So we planted our feet and put a 5th wheel here. If we decide otherwise, we'll move the 5th wheel to a new location. But for now we are "here" and we tend to make somewhat firm 5-year plans.

So this will be our "home base" for the winter of 2016-2017. By Spring of 2017 we'll head to Florida and from there, via the Roadtrek we'll head back to Illinois.

As of May we'll be in our Michigan TT.

What about the condo? Well, if we don't sell it, we'll rent it.

After summering in or around MI, as of November 2017 we'll  be headed back to our winter base.

Of course, the route from MI to AZ is flexible, I'll probably retire in 2017 after working full time for 53 years. In fact, I will have been in the work force and paying taxes for more than 54 years.

Time to let the Bernie group pay their own way. I do realize that wasn't their plan. They expected Bernie to take the money from taxpayers like me and use it to pay for their sometimes useless college education, But that didn't happen. Too bad. "Suck it up" is the popular refrain.

Ah, The Carefree RV Lifestyle

As the winter recedes we begin planning for the milder weather. I have had the opportunity to read some of the blogs, websites and articles which promote full time RVing. Those that promote a nomadic existence are interesting.  This seems attractive; they suggest that we follow the mild weather and keep living costs low. Some promote boondocking (living on public lands for next to nothing), using free solar power and living a modest lifestyle. Sounds great; in particular that "modest lifestyle" which is what I do practice. But as someone involved in my community and who does own residential real estate, and as someone who has raised children,  I do have some questions and concerns.

First and foremost, if I choose to live the carefree RV lifestyle, then who pays for infrastructure? A lot of this comes from property and municipal taxes. Furthermore, in most communities the entire public school system is supported via real estate taxes. Living on the cheap on public lands turns over the financial support and burden to others. While this might be a good thing for the few, it poses problems. The financial burden falls upon the remaining who provide that infrastructure to the few.

Living a nomadic, RV lifestyle implies that I will only pay consumer taxes; mostly sales tax on my purchases and Federal taxes on any gas or diesel I purchase. Unfortunately, these don't cover the entire bill of supporting the infrastructure and benefits of a modern society. While it can be argued that the RVer doesn't use or require some of the things provided by modern society, I find that to be hollow. We need food, fresh water, a health care system, roads, electricity, gasoline or diesel, and propane. We do need to dump those tanks and that implies a water treatment system; for those with a septic system, the question is "how and with what materials was it built?" I doubt it was dug by hand. Ditto for anyone who says "I have a well for fresh water."

That RV and the solar panels, electrical and electronic systems, batteries, wi-fi system, GPS, cellphone, appliances, satellite TV system, personal computers, etc. had to be built somewhere and with a lot of technology. It takes an entire infrastructure system and millions of people to put the entire thing together and the system it is plugged into. The food we eat requires water, chemicals, seeds, pesticides and so on. Yes, I know, we can purchase organic. What about that container the milk comes in? Some will say we can and should adhere to organic and the world will be a better place. False. Most of us would starve if we were forced to only purchase organic goods. Most of us could never eat salmon. Etc. Etc. Etc. Most of the people I know don't want to subsist on the diet available to the typical Chinese in 1950. Nor do we want to live on the mush diet that was concocted in the 1970s for societies which can't afford more than a few hundred dollars a year for food.  So what is really being promoted here?

In other words, I am of the opinion that pretending I am "living off the land" in my RV is a pipe dream. The first time I pull into a gas station I prove that to be a fiction. Ditto if I ever plug my RV into a 30A or 50A electrical receptacle, or to a fresh water spigot or use a dump station. In fact, about 45% of the electricity east of the Mississippi is derived from fossil and nuclear power plants. In other words, electricity from so called "dirty, belching and carbon polluting sources of energy." My dream existence is supported by an extensive industrial infrastructure.  If whatever I am using was produced in China the reality is much worse.

Health care has made this interesting. Obamacare shifted the landscape in health care for the carefree RVer. Prior to Obamacare aka "The Affordable Health Care Act." it was purely optional to have any health insurance. If something happened, one could go to a health clinic or hospital to get medical aid. With no, or minimal means of support or income, it would be easy to qualify for a variety of free, public supported aids. Now, anyone with a means of support is required to obtain health insurance, or pay a penalty.  However, all one has to do is Bing or Google "getting free healthcare" and the list will appear. According to Google, there are 243 million results.

The concept of a carefree RV lifestyle is reminiscent of the wonders of the all electric vehicles. It might be too good to be true, or perhaps only palatable if I ignore some of the consequences. For example, electric vehicles were promoted, for a time, as "zero emission" vehicles. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Today the marketing is "zero tailpipe emissions." That's an improvement as it is merely deceptive. As I mentioned earlier in this post, about 45% of the electric power east of the Mississippi is derived from fossil fuels and nuclear power plants. For a time California had a deal with states to the east to build electric generating plants so California could avoid having these on California soil. That's how California was able to promote itself as a "clean energy" state.

The fact is, the roads all automobiles are driven upon are maintained in part via taxes on diesel and gasoline fuels. Electric vehicles have been given a pass by the politicians and generous subsidies, paid by the rest of us. At my HOA we've even had a few attempt to charge their electric vehicles using HOA paid electricity. When I argued this was the equivalent of free gas paid for by the fees of other owners, a few rallied to the defense of the electrics. Common sense prevailed, because in our HOA the rest of us don't want higher fees. As is so, so true, an idea is frequently a "good idea" until it has to be paid for.

Perhaps a better title for this post would have been "living the dream" at the expense of others. I have concluded that a dream is all that it is. I suspect this is another one of those ideas that is "too good to be true." I take the perspective "if we all lived this way, what would be the outcome?" It's apparent that schools would be unfunded, most municipalities would be gutted like Detroit.

But I'd be having fun on Bureau of Land Management property. Only when I had to go off the reservation would I have to deal with reality.

However, the idea has merit. What is necessary is to balance personal wants, needs and desires with the needs of society. Come to think of it, this it true for all of us, whether we live in an apartment, condominium, home or RV. Isn't it?