Grumpy and Grandma 740 Posted April 22, 2017 Report Share Posted April 22, 2017 Interesting article in RV TRAVEL. No wonder why CG rates are going up, simple case of supply and demand. http://rvtravel.com/the-rv-road-trip-is-near-death/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keith_h 420 Posted April 22, 2017 Report Share Posted April 22, 2017 We've noticed this as well. We've always liked to take last minute trips and it has become all but impossible around here during the normal camping season. Nowadays we need to plan weeks ahead of time so we can get a weekend reservation. The sad part is some of the larger state parks we go to will be mostly empty in the large tent loops. It would be nice if they could convert some to RV use but the state just doesn't want allocate the funds. We're loving many of our parks to death. I don't know how much longer it can keep going on the shoestring budgets the parks get these days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted April 22, 2017 Report Share Posted April 22, 2017 2 hours ago, keith_h said: We've noticed this as well. We've always liked to take last minute trips and it has become all but impossible around here during the normal camping season. Nowadays we need to plan weeks ahead of time so we can get a weekend reservation. We booked 2 July trips at one of our favorite local places a few weeks ago, just to make sure we could get the sites we want. And state parks around here are nearly impossible to book last minute (or close) on the weekends. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted April 22, 2017 Report Share Posted April 22, 2017 I hope this spike in RV sales doesn't create a crash in a few years And the bottom drops out of r market Imho. The travel industry in general is in high demand. Try getting a hotel last minute. Or go to any amusement park they're always busy. Not just WDW. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted April 24, 2017 Report Share Posted April 24, 2017 Thanks for sharing the link, Dave. Very interesting article, and website. I liked this article from the same author, about camping next to rude neighbors. The comments sound like people griping about the Fort's lack of rule enforcement: http://rvtravel.com/the-rude-couple-in-the-campsite-next-door/ TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WannaBeImagineer 98 Posted April 24, 2017 Report Share Posted April 24, 2017 Great article! This really hits home with me, I grew up camping locally with my grandparents and hearing their stories of all of their North America camping trips. They would go for months at a time and rarely ever had reservations. Now when I tell Pop about the having to book a state park 11 months in advance he can't believe it. Not only do you have to book a year in advance you have to play the game of booking 14 days out or booking more than you need an canceling just to confirm you have your dates, if you don't check it at 7am on the dot sorry you won't be staying there next year. Our local state parks aren't quite as bad but the summer weekends and holidays do book up months in advance. I would love to try the national forests and land management areas mentioned in the article that are way out west but if I'm going to commit to driving out west I first need to see all of the big tourist spots. So excuse me while I go set my alarm for sometime in 2018 to book my summer 2019 vacation. Yippee! Or maybe I'll just book a cruise, I can do that right now. WBI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CJHokie 43 Posted April 24, 2017 Report Share Posted April 24, 2017 We did 7 weeks out west and back in '14. We made res for the whole way out and then just winged it on the way back. There were a few campgrounds we didn't make it to for various reasons and had to call other places on the fly. We found some great places that way. Sometimes we got the last possible spot, but we were never stranded anywhere without a place. Obvi we had to have res in the very popular places (i.e. Yellowstone) but there were campgrounds to be found. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 As mentioned above there are many more people in RVs these days and the RV makers still push the romantic Go RVing commercials. I'd like to see them do a spot where the family with kids is at this KOA: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WannaBeImagineer 98 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 5 minutes ago, Avatab.... Steve said: As mentioned above there are many more people in RVs these days and the RV makers still push the romantic Go RVing commercials. I'd like to see them do a spot where the family with kids is at this KOA: haha that KOA in the video is bad! I'm sure that KOA is near something people want to see so they keep it full. It actually reminds me of some of the rv parks around Pigeon Forge. WBI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Avatab.... Steve 124 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 As far as crowding goes there are at least three trends that come to mind 1. US Population was 205 million in 1970, it is now 323 million. Most of that is Immigration, both Legal and Illegal. It's no wonder that Immigration is a hot political topic. Just too many people in areas that were originally designed and built for a smaller population. Constant Traffic Jams are the most obvious example of that, the highways and bridges weren't built for the volume they are now handling. At work we call that the "10lbs of S*** in a 5lb Bag Effect".... 2. As population grows and Urban areas spread out the land becomes more valuable and gets converted into more housing or strip malls. Since the 70s hundreds of Drive-In Movie Theatres have disappeared for that reason. I would bet that campgrounds have suffered as well, especially in the East. 3. As our society has changed, so have the spending priorities. Here in Mass. the 1970's were a golden age of State Parks and Campgrounds, The State was building and opening Park after Park throughout that time, including Bike Paths, Lakes, Ocean Beaches, etc. The Public Parks were well staffed and maintained. Now however, the majority of the State budget is earmarked for Welfare and various Social Programs. There hasn't been a new State Campground opened in decades, several have been closed and the maintenance and staffing budget is nowhere near enough to keep things running properly. The remaining private campgrounds are packed and try to cram as many as possible in to the space they have. So you have increased demand, decreased supply, and no sign that it will get better anytime soon. My own plan is to move West while there's still some elbow room left out there Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duane 152 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 ...and they don't even mention this "tiny house" craze that seems to be the in thing on TV right now... It drives me nuts when I watch those shows depicting the glamorous life around being able to take your house with you where ever you want. These folks have to park them somewhere and most likely it will be in a campground near you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 23 minutes ago, Duane said: ...and they don't even mention this "tiny house" craze that seems to be the in thing on TV right now... It drives me nuts when I watch those shows depicting the glamorous life around being able to take your house with you where ever you want. These folks have to park them somewhere and most likely it will be in a campground near you. Those tiny houses drive me crazy. people spend all this money on re-inventing the wheel, thinking they are so inventive with creating storage space, etc. Why don't they just visit an RV dealer and purchase a TT. probably be a lot better on gas mileage and more stable! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duane 152 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Amen! It goes to show how well the power of advertising works... How many people sit and watch those tiny house programs thinking what a great idea. None of the episodes that I have seen addresses parking, hooking up to utilities and more importantly sewer. The same applies to RV advertising too. How many of us have driven our MH's or parked our trailers along side the ocean or on the bank of lake like shown in magazines or on TV, with absolutely no one else around but nature.... Dogdiver 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 3 minutes ago, Duane said: Amen! It goes to show how well the power of advertising works... How many people sit and watch those tiny house programs thinking what a great idea. None of the episodes that I have seen addresses parking, hooking up to utilities and more importantly sewer. The same applies to RV advertising too. How many of us have driven our MH's or parked our trailers along side the ocean or on the bank of lake like shown in magazines or on TV, with absolutely no one else around but nature.... You could if you were a 1%er and owned the land! On the movie and show Lethal Weapon, one of the characters has an Airstream parked on the beach in CA of all places, no visible utility connections whatsoever and no one else around. Talk about Altered Facts! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WannaBeImagineer 98 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 23 minutes ago, Travisma said: You could if you were a 1%er and owned the land! On the movie and show Lethal Weapon, one of the characters has an Airstream parked on the beach in CA of all places, no visible utility connections whatsoever and no one else around. Talk about Altered Facts! In the movies he camped at a state park: http://beaches.lacounty.gov/dockweiler-beach/ or https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=617 which has full hook ups. It doesn't turn to BS until he adds on to the trailer and makes it into a house in the third and fourth movies. WBI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 12 minutes ago, WannaBeImagineer said: In the movies he camped at a state park: http://beaches.lacounty.gov/dockweiler-beach/ or https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=617 which has full hook ups. It doesn't turn to BS until he adds on to the trailer and makes it into a house in the third and fourth movies. WBI Interesting, thanks for the link. I thought he was in an isolated place, maybe that's just the TV show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 56 minutes ago, Travisma said: You could if you were a 1%er and owned the land! On the movie and show Lethal Weapon, one of the characters has an Airstream parked on the beach in CA of all places, no visible utility connections whatsoever and no one else around. Talk about Altered Facts! I get tickled every time you bring up the 1%ers The original 1% ers are members outlaw biker clubs. They wear patches that say 1%. The story goes that the American motorcycle association AMA made a statement that 99% of riders were going honest people and that 1% are outlaws, thieves, etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CJHokie 43 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Travisma said: Those tiny houses drive me crazy. people spend all this money on re-inventing the wheel, thinking they are so inventive with creating storage space, etc. Why don't they just visit an RV dealer and purchase a TT. probably be a lot better on gas mileage and more stable! We have said that every single time someone on one of those shows says they are doing it so they can move their house. They can get an RV usually cheaper and with more space. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 18 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said: I get tickled every time you bring up the 1%ers The original 1% ers are members outlaw biker clubs. They wear patches that say 1%. The story goes that the American motorcycle association AMA made a statement that 99% of riders were going honest people and that 1% are outlaws, thieves, etc. OK, than if you are part of the crowd that makes more money than the majority of the rest of the population, than you could afford to buy beachfront property with no one else around or an entire mountain lake. And we are both correct. The current usage of 1% is money related. Google also lists it as motorcycle gang related. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 I agree with the rest of you that the "Tiny House" movement is dumb. The Tampa Bay Times had an article recently saying how smart a USF architecture student was for building her own Tiny House. The photo of her creation showed it parked in a trailer park. She and her father provided all of the labor, and still spent about $18K on it. What's the point?: http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/usf-grad-has-big-plans-for-her-tiny-home/2318633 That's not a tiny house. It's a homemade travel trailer. Only it's probably heavy as hell and nowhere near as mobile as a travel trailer. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 15 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said: I agree with the rest of you that the "Tiny House" movement is dumb. The Tampa Bay Times had an article recently saying how smart a USF architecture student was for building her own Tiny House. The photo of her creation showed it parked in a trailer park. She and her father provided all of the labor, and still spent about $18K on it. What's the point?: http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/usf-grad-has-big-plans-for-her-tiny-home/2318633 That's not a tiny house. It's a homemade travel trailer. Only it's probably heavy as hell and nowhere near as mobile as a travel trailer. TCD The only advantage is that they are unique, until a company starts cranking them out like VWs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Travisma said: OK, than if you are part of the crowd that makes more money than the majority of the rest of the population, than you could afford to buy beachfront property with no one else around or an entire mountain lake. And we are both correct. The current usage of 1% is money related. Google also lists it as motorcycle gang related. Did you know you might be a 1%er? if you make just $34,000/ year you are part of the elite 1%. Thats right. Worldwide you only need to make $34,000/ year to be 1%er. I bet there are a few of those greedy rich people on this forum. Lol!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lightbikes 73 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Travisma said: The only advantage is that they are unique, until a company starts cranking them out like VWs. Too late - there are already a couple of companies here in Canada making them - and they are neither cheap or partaicularily attractive. At least not from my viewpoint. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WannaBeImagineer 98 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Count me as another person that watches that tiny house junk and doesn't get it. They could get something much nicer and more mobile if they'd by an RV. And most of those tiny houses don't have any tanks at all, dumb. I do remember one episode where the "realtor" showed them a fifth wheel and they kept saying they didn't want a trailer, dummies. WBI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 46 minutes ago, WannaBeImagineer said: I do remember one episode where the "realtor" showed them a fifth wheel and they kept saying they didn't want a trailer, dummies. WBI That literally made mo lol! im the words of Forrest Gump "Stupid is as stupid does," lightbikes 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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