Baby boomers and RV's

The number of baby boomers in the US is expected to explode on the retirement scene at a rate of more than 15% per year and by 2015, all baby boomers will be over 50, in control of a whopping 10 trillion in personal wealth, and representing more than 80% of leisure spending. That puts RVing squarely in the cross hairs of every baby boomer that loves the outdoors, getting close to nature and discovering America - one mile at a time. RV’ing is family-friendly, teaches a respect for nature to our children and offers a sense of freedom that can only be appreciated in the good ole USA.

One stop RV shop for boomers

Our goal at BoomerRver is to provide a one-stop-shop for potential buyers and current owners of RV’s, a place that provides useful information to the RV Enthusiast from trust-worthy and reliable sources, hand-picked by me and are relevant to the RV lifestyle. We will talk to Manufacturers and Distributors of Fifth-wheels (fivers) class "A" Motorhomes, Trailers & Cabovers, Pop Up Trailers,  and RV Acessories. We will review RV Park's, RV Cuisine, care of RV Pets and a whole lot more. We will showcase the best of what these companies offer and provide it to you free of charge. You can repay us by just visiting one of our advertisers but only if you find the RV material provided on this website useful or entertaining. We love to hear those RV stories, especially those that can offer insight into the many workings of RV's - details that will keep our boomer RVers motoring along, footloose and fancy free!

What kind of RV?

My wife Janice and I are on a mission of discovery. It's all new and magical to us having never owned a motorhome, fifth-wheel, travel trailer or pop up. It can be just a wee bit overwhelming with all the choices there are out there. Totally impressed by the creativity, workmanship, floor plans and amenities of today's RV's we have not ruled out any one type of RV, our perfect little home away from home is out there, we just have to find it. Once we got started on the looking and researching aspects of RVing we met so many great people willing to contribute their time and expertise that we knew we were doing the right thing. The one-year-to-retirement-clock is ticking like Big Ben and we only have what's left of 2008 to figure out; are we interested in full-time RVing or just weekenders & short trips away from home? Answer; we don't know yet. What we do know is that we have family in Oregon and Colorado, we love the outdoors, camping, hiking and fishing and we have been the happy guests of RVer friends. Each trip gets better than the one before. It's just such a warm, cozy and inviting atmosphere and when you find that perfect spot in the woods or on the lake, it's like heaven. If I could bottle that feeling I would be a very rich man! 

This baby boomer is going light

Being the sensible couple that we are, we felt an urge to walk before we ran full tilt into the wrong choice. We don't want this RV adventure to be compared to what people say about boats, that the two best days you own them are when you buy one and when you sell it. I don't own a boat either but I would be very disappointed if I made a move without first sitting down, defining just how we think our retirement lifestyle will take shape and where an RV might fit in. That means looking at every RV we can find, making lists of what we liked, what we didn't like and what size fit our minimum comfort requirements. We love going to the RV shows and talking to people about the RV lifestyle.

Right now I am leaning more toward purchasing a lighter weight travel trailer so that I can use my Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi V8 which, as you may know, is a half-ton truck. This is my workhorse and I get that satisfying rumble just driving it smooth & easy around town. When I need power there is plenty to spare and I don't want to overload it with too much rig. I have lowered my original 5th wheel, 30 foot requirements in order to save money, but mainly because I don't think we will be full-time RVers and need all that space. However, that could change. I also think I would appreciate the maneuverability that a smaller rig provides when it comes time to backing up or maneuvering into a tight space. A smaller rig gives me more RV park options and saves on fuel. I hope I can find a rig that will give me a couple of slide-outs, lots of interior space, lightweight and under 24 feet long. I just want to feel like I have gotten as much trailer as I can comfortably tow.

My Dodge Ram 1500, being a half-ton truck with a towing capacity of 8,000 lbs fully loaded, will rule out most 5th wheel trailers due to their weight. And I think it's a good idea to stay at the recommended 20% under the FLW rating of the truck. Your transmission will live longer that way. Maybe some of our readers can offer suggestions based on their experience towing both large and small travel trailers and would be willing to share what worked for them. I have seen articles in issues of Trailer Life about half-ton vehicles towing ultralite trailers and there seems to be a good selection of those on the market. The big advantage for a couple like us on a fixed income is not having to buy a new truck. And those 3/4 or one-ton heavy duty, deisel babies can set you back a small fortune.  A smaller rig means less initial outlay as well and I don't think I would mind a gently used one if it was well cared for. Will our search for the perfect RV be one that serves as a home on the road or just a weekend warrior? Who knows! The only thing we do know for sure is that the journey will be as much fun as the destination. Stay tuned!