54 years of RV related recreation

[PancakeBill]

Today marks our 54th anniversary of wedded bliss, but it is also 54 years of RV-ing. Just before we married I bought a Starcraft Vacationer ‘Deluxe’. It was a towable tent trailer, weighed only 400 lbs dry. There was no wet to it. Just a fiberglass box with a hinged top that would open to support a tent frame. After the wedding we had a chance to go off for a couple nights in a nearby UT state park. We visited that park a few times in the past 10 years, lots of changes fron 1972, had a heck of a time figuring out where we had camped back then. Well fast forward, 54 years, still camping. The route involved the start to a travel trailer to tents, to sailboats, to truckcampers, motorhomes travel trailers and a TC again. I doubt we will complete the loop with another tent trailer though. If we do anything before we hang it up, it will likely be a 5th wheel. Always something.

 

[Jackiemac]

Happy Anniversary on both counts!!

 

[Heli_av8tor]

Ditto!
We celebrate 55 years next month. There’s been camping from before the beginning, but also many years without.

 

[bigbAZ]

Today marks our 54th anniversary of wedded bliss, but it is also 54 years of RV-ing. Just before we married I bought a Starcraft Vacationer ‘Deluxe’. It was a towable tent trailer, weighed only 400 lbs dry. There was no wet to it. Just a fiberglass box with a hinged top that would open to support a tent frame. After the wedding we had a chance to go off for a couple nights in a nearby UT state park. We visited that park a few times in the past 10 years, lots of changes fron 1972, had a heck of a time figuring out where we had camped back then. Well fast forward, 54 years, still camping. The route involved the start to a travel trailer to tents, to sailboats, to truckcampers, motorhomes travel trailers and a TC again. I doubt we will complete the loop with another tent trailer though. If we do anything before we hang it up, it will likely be a 5th wheel. Always something.

Happy Anniversary from up the road! I like stories like that! A few years ago we were in Death Valley and went to the Inn for Thanksgiving dinner and met an older couple that told us they have been camping their whole married lives and started out tent camping in Death Valley over 50 years ago.

 

[UTTransplant]

Kevin and I have only been married 47.5 years, but we did start tent camping before we were married. We had tents, pop ups, travel trailers of all sizes, and now a Class A. We used tents for wilderness and canoe camping until 8 years ago when we left Utah. (BTW: Save the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area folks!!!!) No more tents for these old knees though; I like glamping these days.

 

[Rene T]

The wife and I are going on a cruise next week. During that timeframe we will celebrate 58 years of marriage. Our daughter, SIL and 2 grandchildren are coming along with about 25 other people. Total in the group will be 33. Daughter said they have something real big planned for us. Great!!!!

 

[uchu]

Humbled by these numbers, but every year counts...This June will be 19 years of RVing for us. But more than 35, if one includes tent camping!

 

[DonTom]

It looks like RVers have longer relationships/marriages than most others!

If Tom were still alive, it would now be 52 years for us. We still had 42 happy years together. He died of liver cancer in 2016.

BTW, it was his idea to try RVing and that was back in the late 1970's. I never thought about it before then. But I used to do a lot of backpacking trips, especially in the high country of Zion Nat'l Park.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Larry N.]

Today marks our 54th anniversary of wedded bliss,

Congratulations, Bill! We'll hit 60 later this year. But our RVing didn't start until we'd been wed for 40 years, though we'd done a fair chunk of tent camping prior to that, with the exception that we had a mini-motorhome (class C) not long after our youngest was born for a couple of rather interesting years, but it wasn't very affordable for us at that time.

May you have many more years of RVing (and marriage, of course).

 

[RayIN]

The wife and I are going on a cruise next week. During that timeframe we will celebrate 58 years of marriage. Our daughter, SIL and 2 grandchildren are coming along with about 25 other people. Total in the group will be 33. Daughter said they have something real big planned for us. Great!!!!

Now you might need to hit Social Knowledge up for a raise.

 

[triplethreat]

Congrats P Bill, that's a long time for both for your hobby and a lasting marriage. I'm coming up on a 55 year anniversary myself this coming Sept, I've been riding motorcycles since 1971. I did some small amount of camping as a younger person, but I've only been at it regularly since 2016.

 

[TheBar]

I will be celebrating 50 years of marriage in 2 weeks. Although it was 17 years to the first wife and 33 years to the current one. But that still counts as 50 years, right?

But RVing starting with a1972 Chevy step van I converted to an RV 42 years ago. And a pickup shell camping for 10 years before that. And I'm still driving the same 1973 Dodge truck. Before that camping with my parents in a 17 foot trailer pulled by a 1960 Mercury since 1962.

 

[PancakeBill]

I suppose I could add a year with my Chev Van I had set up pretty basic, but did camp in it.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I'm a few years behind you chronologically but I've owned an RV as long as you. 72 years old with 54 years of RV ownership so far. However, I was only married for 5 years.

Congratulations Bill!

 

[garyb1st]

Congratulations Bill. Personally I think RVing does wonders for both the body and brain. I've been thinking, maybe it's time to hang of the keys. But honestly after spending almost 2 weeks getting the RV ready to travel, I feel re-energized. It is a relatively physical activity and I think one of the reasons it can be rejuvenating compared to getting up in the morning and spending way too much time computing. I'll be 83 in June and thinking at least 2 and possibly 7 more years. That would make me 90. Then I can decide if it's time to hang up the years.

 

[DonTom]

That would make me 90. Then I can decide if it's time to hang up the years.

In CA & NV, the DMV decides for you. After the age of 70/71 to renew a driver's license you must go to the DMV if person so they can look at you and decide if you are in good enough shape to be driving.

• "Age 71 and older: Drivers who are 71 or older are ineligible for online renewals and must renew in person, unless they qualify for mail-in renewal (which requires a vision test and doctor’s physical evaluation).

In California, drivers must renew their license in person when they are 70 years old or older at the time of expiration. This is slightly younger than Nevada's in-person requirement, which starts at age 71"

 

[Utclmjmpr]

My last Utah license was for 8 years and expires when I am 90.. unfortunately not that far off..>>>Dan

 

[DonTom]

My last Utah license was for 8 years and expires when I am 90.. unfortunately not that far off..>>>Dan

After age 70 NV will only issue driver's licenses for a four years max.

In CA it is five years max after age 70.

Eight years max when younger.

-Don- Bean Flat, NV

 

[garyb1st]

After the age of 70/71 to renew a driver's license you must go to the DMV if person so they can look at you and decide if you are in good enough shape to be driving.

DMV should require a physical exam or drs statement if the individual looks unfit to drive. I have no problem with that.

 

[DonTom]

DMV should require a physical exam or drs statement if the individual looks unfit to drive. I have no problem with that.

Neither do I.

Around 25 years ago, a coworker's (Jack) car broke down on a freeway exit in Marin County, CA on Hwy 100 NB. Unfortunately, his wife was the passenger. She took off her seat belt and right then was hit by a car from the rear. She went flying through the windshield and was killed (not sure how / why as the forces should in be opposite direction). Jack still physically okay as he still had his seatbelt on. But mentally, he has never been the same after that accident.

They were hit by a very old lady, way too old to be driving, I was told.

This was probably before CA had their age limits on renewing when not in person.

-Don- Bean Flat, CA