A healthy and safe lifestyle
Barry McCahill and his wife started RVing with a smaller trailer, “then traded up to a gas motor coach, then to a diesel one. Diesel is the way to go for long distances,” says McCahill, a 60-year-old transplanted Washington, D.C., resident who is now an ardent RVer in Boise, Idaho. McCahill is also national president of SUV Owners of America which, he emphasizes, “advocates strongly for the RV lifestyle.”
“You don’t have to be a major athlete to enjoy the RV lifestyle—it isn’t strenuous,” McCahill says. “I find our contemporaries are people who want to stay fit. They go to the gym, golf, play tennis. Once you get to your destination, it encourages you to walk, hike, or otherwise stay active.”
Older adults find numerous advantages driving RVs. The wider windshield and larger side mirrors provide a better view of what’s in front and around them. High seats are designed for long-term comfort, although experts warn not to get overconfident. “Follow the same rules as car driving—pull off the road if you are tired, and take plenty of breaks,” Broom says.
Safety is a big issue with RVers. “The insurance industry hasn’t raised RV rates in 15 years, so that suggests people have good records. Owners have a financial interest in keeping their vehicle (and what’s in it) safe, not taking corners too fast. These aren’t performance vehicles; you’re not going from 0 to 60,” Broom says. Besides, he adds, RVers aren’t in a rush; they like being able to choose their stops and starts.
Sue Bray, executive director of the Good Sam Club, adds this advice: “Both spouses should learn to operate the vehicle. Too often we see the husband doing all the driving and if something should happen to him, the wife is left stranded.”
Speaking of independence …
McCahill loves the choices RVing allows him and his wife. “If you own a cabin or a condo, that’s where you go on vacation. We have much more flexibility with our RV. We can visit our daughter in Atlanta, go from Idaho to Florida, to Glacier National Park, Mesa Verde, the Grand Canyon—and smaller trips in between,” he says.
There are 16,000 “parking spots” accommodating RVs in the lower 48 states of the U.S. alone—more if you motor up to Canada. They range from basic campgrounds to private resorts. “There are directories to help you find the many parks and facilities, like the Big Rigs Best Campground Directory,” McCahill says.
Buying an RV
Most people who think of an RV picture what is known as a motor coach. These 40- footers (known as Type A accommodations) can easily hit $150,000—and more, if you really want to add luxuries like leather furniture, tons of kitchen appliances, and queen-size beds. But that isn’t the average owner.
At the most basic level, a pop-up trailer can cost as little as $3,500. “Two-thirds of the RV purchases are second-hand, so don’t forget to check out the used market. Just take the same precautions you would when buying a used car,” Broom says. One family traded up to a 20-foot home for only $6,000 this way.
“The RV lifestyle is a very large network,” McCahill says. Ultimately, everyone agrees, it’s a lifestyle that leads to friendships, saves money, and makes it much easier to travel even with health challenges. And it’s a great way to help you and your family stay fit.
Suiting special needs
As RVers get older, numerous modifications are becoming available to suit special health needs. “We get a lot of letters, people saying we were trapped in the house looking out the window. Now we have been to see the grandkids,” says Roger Lunning, senior sales representative for Ability Equipped Motor Homes, Port City Idaho, a division of Winnebago.
Specialty equipment can include something fairly basic, like installing a wheelchair lift. Other variations Lunning’s group makes include, “roll-in showers, hand brakes, and electric beds. We can widen the doorways and hallways, raise the toilet seat, and lower things like the microwave and DVD player.”
One of the latest gizmos for someone with mobility problems is a motor coach-length tracking system. “It lets you put someone onto a sling and, using the track, you electrically move them to the shower, the dining table, or the passenger seat, for example,” Lunning says.
Such amenities add $15,000 to $35,000 to your base coach cost; more for the tracking system. “But they give people a feeling of independence—and they don’t have to give up their travels,” he adds.
Don’t forget to use the guidebooks and Internet connections. They indicate hospital locations, give emergency information, and provide other on-the-road health guidance.
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