sbebenelli
Iowa
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Joined: 07/06/2007
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I thought it would be interesting to see how everyone got started RVing and what the average age is on the board.
I'm 35, while growing up we never had an RV. My parents took me tent camping twice. I was younger at the time and I remember both times like it was yesterday. I'm not sure why but I have always wanted a travel trailer. I had never been around one. Last year we bought a new Jayco Jay Feather 197. It didn't take me long to realize I should've gotten bigger. We used it all last summer and traded for a Jayco Jay Flight 22FB in January. I just love the RV lifestyle. I think about it all the time and look at this board daily. I can't think of much that has affected my life as much as RVing. For the most part we go on weekend trips to a state park that is 15 miles away. My family doesn't understand what would be so enjoyable about going to the same place every weekend. It's just a very enjoyable atmosphere. Stress free.
2008 Jayco Jay Flight 22FB
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Bearnkat
Fort Worth, Texas
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Joined: 07/30/2004
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I'm 58 and DW is 53. I grew up camping. In 1994 we borrowed my brother-in-laws popup camper for a week long camping trip. We were hooked. We returned and immediately purchased a 2-room tent which we used for several years. (Some of our fondest camping memories were formed camping in our tent, things were much simpler back then.) In 2001 we purchased our own Coleman popup camper which we used until January of 2005 when we purchased our current Pilgrim travel trailer.
Both DW and I have high-stress careers, like many of you. We use our RV to "de-stress." RVing is a very important aspect of our lives and we wouldn't give it up for anything.
Folks at work don't understand either what the draw is for us. I tell them "You've just got to do it to understand!" There's no way to explain sitting beside a lake early in the morning with a hot cup of coffee in your hand. 
Chuck & Terry
2005 Pilgrim 281RB-S
2006 Ford F250 Lariat CC 4x2 PSD
My Lap-Band Journey!
Chuck and Terry's Pilgrim Adventures
C & T's Photos
North Texas Camping Association
Lone Star Dutch Oven Society
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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We had a tent, bags and no gear. We would camp with our freinds that had all the lanterns, stove and stuff. They moved away and we bought a barely used pop up.
2001 F150 SuperCrew 5.4 Lariat Offroad 4x4 Tow Package 4.10 Truetrac
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
12K SuperGlide, KGE3000Ti 2.3kw rated 2.6kw max
Frank's voltage booster, Prosine 1800 powered by 4 GC2 batteries
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Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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Hi,
Find the Trailer Life campground guide and find some other campgrounds!
I got into camping when my dad bought a slightly used dune buggy and we took it tent camping. I guess that the tent camping began when I was to young to remember, and the Indian Guides and Girl Scouts went camping with my older brother and sister's. The dune buggy was a lot of fun.
Sometimes we would also go to a cabin at Mt. Palomar, where the 200" telescope is located. The cabin was out in the woods, with plenty of snow in the winter. Taking the dune buggy out to many places in the deserts of Southern California was also a lot of fun!
When my sister was about 20, I went tent camping with her and her husband at one of the popular off road riding areas - Painted Canyon, where we would use .22's to shot at rocks and cans. Later I barrowed her tent a couple of times, and went with others.
Then I saw a neighbor with a F-350 supercab and camper. I really wanted one, and found one in the Trucktrader and bought that when I was 22. I camped in that for a few years, buying a dune buggy along the way. I later upgraded to a 27' class C that could barely tow the dune buggy, so sometimes we would take the F-350 and dunebuggy with the now tiny camper, other times leave the dune buggy at home. The closest camping areas where over 90 miles from home, so we would only take one RV.
Later I upgraded to a new 31' Bounder that could tow something, and bought a Manx that was street legal dune buggy to act as a really lightweight toad. Only about 1,500 pounds with a 40 HP VW air cooled engine.
I have taken the Bounder around the USA twice. The second time I dry camped about 60 days, some at my great grandfather's old homestead in Pennsylvania where some cousins still live.
If you have heard of Little House on the Prairie, a popular book when I read it in 4th grade, well I wanted to visit DeSmet, South Dakota. When I was visiting the Little House Homestead, I found out they have a campground there, and actually got to spend the night at the Homestead.
Well that is my history!
Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche or Country Coach!
If there's a WILL, I want to be in it!
Improve a life KangenPowerTeam.com Akaline Water.
I havn't been everywhere, but it's on my list.
Escapees.com
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rmw1990
East Central Georgia
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Joined: 11/17/2005
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My parents got me started when I and my brother and sister were little bitty kids. We tent camped in a 12 man Army tent for as long as I can remember. My Mom would take along the playpen for my brother to sleep in. What fun we had! My DH and I started camping with camper shells on the trucks and then bought an old piece of junk TT that only the AC worked in. (Floor rotted and the whole nine yards LOL) We sold that TT and we did not camp for several years while our boys were playing baseball, etc. We got back into camping when we started showing beef cattle and I can't imagine being without it now!!!
My youngest son "camped" in the yard this past weekend.
2000 F250 4X4 CC 7.3PSD
07 Jayco Jayflight 28 RBS
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goin2themountains
Aztec, NM
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Joined: 04/04/2007
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I am 52, DW would kill me if I divulged her age. We had both tent camped since kids, maybe me a little moreso. Together we tent camped till the pine cones growing under our backs got the size of basketballs, then it became a progression of TC, TT, then 5er. Our favorite spot isn't any more than an hour from home, but quiet, and the perfect place to decompress.
Puller: '04 HD2500 4x4 SB,EC Duramax/Allison. Airaid intake, 4in. exhaust turbo back, ORU leveler.
Pullee: '02 Keystone Cougar 276EFS Reese 16k w/ slider.
(map is for current 5er only)
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FordDiesel250
I.P. Texas
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Joined: 01/31/2007
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I got into camping when I was in the scouts and then started camping out on my own when I got older. When married to my DW she was raised into a camping family and we took it from there. We have been together 29 years and have been camping together for about 40 years give or take a few years.
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tom_kat
way upstate new york/lake george area
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Joined: 02/28/2005
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rv started since we got older and wife didnt want to sleep on the ground any more,but have camped since i was a toddler with my parents, liveing in the country and during summer time when growing up i slept out side and camped in the yard or woods were i lived when it was warm enought.we made forts and tree houses and stayed in them a lot from spring to fall.
1985 Class A Holiday Rambler Imperial 33 +1979 Class C Holiday Rambler Statesman 1000 = 24 ft
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junmy3
Warner Robins GA
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Joined: 02/03/2004
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I am 52 and DW is 16 days older than I am. We both camped with our parents growing up. When we got married a around 11 years ago, we started tent camping. One night while camping, we heard that a storm was coming through. We went home and for our next trip we had a PUP. After 6 years we sold the PUP and bought our TT. Our longest trip in the PUP was for 22 days and around 7K miles. The longest trip in the TT was for about 16 days and for 5K miles. After retirement at the end of 2011 we plan on going to Alaska the summer of 2012. It is a great life and someone has to do it.
Jim & Junnie
2005 Sunline Solaris T-2553
Our Web Site
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EPenney
Galt, Ca
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Joined: 03/03/2003
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My folks got their first TT when I was 9. I believe DW was about 15 when her folks got their first TT.
DW & I are 56, and we got our first TT when we were 31. So I guess it is our blood to RV.
'07 Chevy 2500HD Silverado "Classic" CC D/A 4x4
'07 Komfort Trailblazer T252FS fifth wheel
Reese Signature 18K Slider and other stuff.....some useful.....some not
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