solo women

[Carol]

How many women rv solo? What kind of rv's do you have? I'm just beginning to rv by myself because my husband passed away 18 months ago. Tell me about your experiences.

[Gentleladybear]

Carol I am not a fulltimer, but I travel alone when I go. Never have had serious problems. If you go to the Items for sale you will see my Class B Lexington. I have it set up to enjoy, easy to pack and get on the road. I have stayed in campgrounds, Walmart parking lots, even spent one night in a rest area. I have traveled as far north as Michigan, through Illinois and all points in between. Have had incidences happen that once they were over, they made great campfire stories.

Don't be afraid to get out there and give it a try.

Nan

[sharon]

I rv solo since my DH passed 6 years ago. Just a part-timer at this point. Not ready to give up my "stuff" ....yet. Plus, I have to many other toys that I enjoy. I have an 05 Monaco Knight 34ft DP. Her name is Hope, got her new and have 36,000 miles on her. Been as far east as Tn and as far north as Alaska. And yes, I put every one of those miles on her except the 1500 miles Monaco put on her to get her to Ca. And like Nan I have a lot of campfire stories!! You can do it! Takes time to get used to traveling by yourself, especially if you and your DH did a lot of it, and sometimes seems durn near impossible, but those times get fewer as time goes on.

[Getupngo]

Carol, I don't full-time either, but I am a solo traveler. I got my first RV when my husband had been gone for 18 months as well.

I think I may have encountered you before in another forum. I have a 36-foot Holiday Rambler Class A gasser and tow a Honda CRV . I travel with my two elderly pups and usually volunteer for an extended period when I go. I'll be living in my rig for the next four months, camp-hosting at a state park.

Last year I wasn't on the road as much as I would have liked, but I like to spend 6 months on the road. I'm pretty social and I like the friendships I develop when I'm "settled down" in a new place.

[Carol]

Wow, I'm in awe of you ladies who are solo rvers. I'm sure I will be fine once I get up the nerve to do it. I'm more afraid of backing into a campground site than anything else. Once I'm in the site I will be fine. I don't want to request a pull through site because I have to learn to back up.

[Colliemom]

Same here. Towing a TT gives me the jitters, but I know from reading about all the "fun" the others here have had, I could do it. I have towed a pupup camper, boat trailers, snowmobile trailers and the like, but nothing like a TT. Since I drive a pickup, I figure a Class C or B should be easy other than getting used to wider and longer. But don't be afraid to go it alone. I go all over alone here in MIchigan from overnights to day trips and inbetween. I love the freedom and find a lot of nice folks out there. I work in a State Park and know that there are always people who have problems and somebody to help out. RVer's are a great bunch. Go for it!

[sharon]

Wow, I'm in awe of you ladies who are solo rvers. I'm sure I will be fine once I get up the nerve to do it. I'm more afraid of backing into a campground site than anything else. Once I'm in the site I will be fine. I don't want to request a pull through site because I have to learn to back up.

Carol, even if you request a pull thru not all CG's have them and a lot of them save the PT's for the big rigs. So, yes, it's something you HAVE to learn to do. Get thee to the local Wal-mart, either buy a couple of short red cones or plastic play balls for kids. If you buy the balls cut them in half. Tennis balls work but are harder to see. Then get thee to a parking lot and practice. Preferably with a very patient friend. If not patient at least one that can be bribed with dinner.

1) Place the cones or balls approx. the width of 2 parking spaces.

2) Drive up parralel and about 3 or 4 ft out from the cones. Stop when your shoulder is even with the 2nd cone.

3) Take your foot off the brake and start counting 1001,1002 etc. as your rv rolls forward. Have your patient friend stop you when your back wheels are about 2 ft past the cone. Remember the number you stopped at. Start backing and turning very slowly. Have your patient friend watch to see if you are going to hit either one of the cones, either with your back tires or your tail swing. Repeat until you have your "magic number". Stop and get out during this whole procedure so you can see just where your rv is. Repeat this procedure several times until you quit murdering cones and your no longer very patient friend starts screaming she's starving to death!!

If you would like a diagram of this, pm me with your address and I'll draw one up and send it to you.

NOTE: This process doesn't always work when the stupid people put big stupid humongous rocks at either side of the stupid campsite and more big stupid humongous rocks on the stupid narrow road in front of the stupid campsite. Ask Hope. The author takes no responsibility for any rocks that jump out and nail you.

[Bethers]

I full-time (will be starting year 6 in a month) solo. I have a small Class C - which I chose because of how I like to travel. I like to go to out-of-the-way places and boondock in places bigger rigs can't go, etc. Even when I get bigger I'll stay with a Class C for various reasons, and won't go much bigger - figure I'll still stay in the 24-28 foot max range.

No problems. The thing is to always be observant. There's only once I felt uncomfortable - and it was a gas station. I simply drove on. That's one of the reasons I like the C or an A over tt's or 5th wheels. I do boondock alone, also - and if I'm uncomfortable, I'm IN my get away vehicle. Simply move to the driver's seat and go. Actually had to start the rig and move once in Alaska, but that was to get a curious bear to move on. I wasn't in danger, but who knows if he'd stayed around too much longer - he'd even been standing up looking in my windows Another reason I chose a C - is for the less expensive and ease of getting maintenance on the engine, etc.

But those are personal reasons. I've traveled most of the states - a few left to go to in the rv and have been into Canada - up to Alaska, as stated above, and spent 2 1/2 months of this past winter boondocking around Baja, Mexico. Yes, I'll go back.

Start out doing trips you are comfortable with - and yes, learn to back up. It doesn't mean you have to always back up - and don't worry if it takes you time. I learned that when I let someone "guide" me into my space, I'm never where I want to be and once if I'd listened to the man trying to be helpful, I'd have hit a try. So I ALWAYS get out and walk around my site before starting to back in. Then I might look foolish, but after turning into the site, I get out again and go look - and sometimes do that a few times. I don't care if anyone looking is laughing at me. The other night I watched a man have 3 other men help guide him in with his TT - and it took all those guys 45 minutes to back an average size tt into a big site. Yes, I was sitting here laughing. But I didn't let them see me. The point is - they aren't any better at it. Just take it slow - and go for it - and you'll be fine.

[cpatinjones]

Hi Carol,

I am a first time owner of a 34' 7" 5th wheel camper. I purchased it mid December 2009, along with a Ford 250 Super Duty Crewcab truck.
Pulling and hooking up is no problem. I am still working on my "backing up". I have pulled boat trailers, horse trailers, cattle trailers, utility trailers and the like, but never a 5th wheel. I KNOW I will get the "backing up" and you will, too! Where I park my camper at my home, the width of the stall is 14 feet wide. It takes me about 20 plus minutes to back it in, but I did it both times.

My divorce was final April 21, 2009. The divorce was not my choice, but life goes on. I am a 54 year old who still works full-time, but plan to retire in approximately 2 1/2 years if everthing goes according to plan (if not, I think I will retire anyway ) So, I am a part-time RVer and solo.

My first few times of sleeping in my RV was in my driveway. It was good practice, since I am not able to travel as often as I would like. I have been on two RVing trips, one a couple hours drive from my home and the other one in Texas (4 hour drive).

You can do it!

[Colliemom]

Speaking of men backing into campsites, I watched what I think might have been a new camper at the state park where I work, setting up camp. No big deal there except, instead of backing into the campsite, they pulled straight in, got the truck unhitched (had a TT) and then proceeded to set up camp. Now the sites are large but there is a limit as to how far back they go. Behind this campsite is all grass and relatively flat, but there is a bush back there too as well as a parking barrier to keep them from going past that point and of course some trees. . Well, come leave day, the fun started. When the poor guy went to hitch up, he had one ding of a time trying to get the truck back in front of his camper. The big bush was in his way not to metion a tree. So he spent some time trying to get in front of his trailer. As I drove my golf cart back down the road from the toilet building he was parked by, there was a group o fmen standing together watching all that and chuckling to thiemselves at the mess that guy was in cause he didn't back in instead of pulling in. Guess he figured he would just hitch up an back out. Well, after a few minutes, these guys who all said, been there done that, decided to go help him. Wound up moving the parking block out of the way and spending time getting that truck inched back in and the trailer backed out. So he was finally on his way. And two weeks later they came back and did the same thing again, pulled straight in!

[cat]

Hi Carol,
I bought my Pleasureway class B last year, first time RVer. The class B is just big enough for me and my mini doxie, she "alerts" me if anyone is around. I'm retired and travel part-time (2-3 weeks), can't wait until I can travel for months at a time, but with obligations at home , can't right now.
I just love it, am careful where I park and travel. Have stayed at Walmart, Flying J as well as parks. I need to try boondocking.
You can do it. There are a lot of solo women RVers out there.
Safe travels,
carol

[mtngal]

Hi Carol,

I'm usually solo too. Before my Roadtrek I traveled with a 3/4 ton Ford, gooseneck trailer and my horse Gambler. Horse camping was always with friends. When my daughter moved to TX and had a baby everything changed. Now I have a 03 Roadtrek (Class B) and travel often between CA and TX exploring along the way. I am most often alone; a couple of times friends have traveled one way with me and flown the other. Sometimes I convoy with my sister and her grandkids. That's fun! Sometimes I meet rvwomen at a gtg! My point is that I usually am alone, but want to say that there are many options out there if you prefer company. As you will see from the responses here there are many, many ways of having tons of fun in your rv.

p.s. I'm not full time.....I am home in CA for part of the year and in Austin with my DD part of the year. On both ends I travel and camp in my van. So it's part time for me.

[Liz]

Raising my hand....I solo in a Class B Pleasureway.

[Carol]

Thank you all for the words of encouragement. I guess I'm more afraid of someone laughing at me as I try to back into a camp site. LOL I remember my DH chuckeling at others. I told him that people weren't born knowing how to back up!! I'm def not afraid of being alone. I have my two 4 legged companians and I have never felt nervous in any campground that I have been in. But I do want to thank you for the instructions on backing up. They are very, very helpful. Now all I have to do in find a patient friend. Oh I know, my daughter will help. After all one hand washes the other and she needs a babysitter sometimes

[BirdbyBird]

And as far as looking foolish in public......I have goof up enough in life to have learned that as long as there is no blood or long term injuries.....life goes on quite well....and they all make great stories It beats not trying anything. ..... I always try to start laughing first before others can beat me to it.