Summer is nearly upon us, RealTravelers, have you prepared yourselves? For many of us, summer is the one part of the year we have the time (vacation time, specifically) to set out on those big adventures; the trips we’ve been scrimping and saving for all winter long, like the ants from that famous story involving the lethargic grasshopper, except seasonally and perhaps thematically, the opposite. Yes RealTravelers, the sunny summer travel season is just around the corner and we know that some of you are still knitting your brows together, fretting over where to go in these coming months, what to see, how to see it…
May we make a suggestion? May we make a suggestion involving four wheels (or six to eight, depending on your budget)? We may? Then why not make this the summer you see the great American landscape from the road—the Route 66’s, the I-94’s, the pit-stop greasy spoons, campgrounds, and canyons both grand and not so grand—all from the majestic comfort of an RV?
Now, the thought of maneuvering such a large vehicle can be intimidating, but that’s what makes summer the perfect time to get behind the wheel. You’ll be able to avoid many winter hazards, such as snow or ice, and as an added bonus, you’ll be able to sleep much more comfortably (read: warmly) in campgrounds around the country.
Last summer, RealTraveler, brc, traveled across half the country, making his way with his parents from park to park in their rented RV, lovingly dubbed “Shep”, after its license plate that began with “5HEP”. Setting off from San Francisco, the group traveled from the Bay Area, to Yosemite Park, made some time to stop over in Las Vegas, and even got to see the Grand Canyon. Check out an excerpt from his impressions of, as he puts it, the world’s grandest “ditch”, from the view of a helicopter ride he and his family took over the Grand Canyon:
“We took off over the forest and flew towards the canyon - my parents were facing backwards towards me. I could see the edge coming but my Mum couldn’t - the look on her face was priceless as the ground beneath us dissappeared and we shot over the edge of the canyon - one minute youre 40 metres above the ground - the next minute your 1,040 m above the ground. She nearly twisted the arm rest off the seat.”
“The flight was beautiful - perhaps marred only by the amount of haze in the sky - a factor of being summer - there was thunderstorms around but thankfully they all stayed a healthy distance away. We crossed the canyon, circled around the north rim and re-crossed back again. A truly memorable experience.” (more…)
The mystique of the recreational vehicle feels distinctly American, somehow; there’s a frontiersman-like quality to these neo covered wagons. So, it seems not only appropriate to make your way across this country in one, but almost necessary. The RV is a rolling piece of Americana, and one that can be secured relatively cheaply. Many dealers offer discounted rates for RV rentals in nearly every part of the country. A large Class C-30 type RV can comfortably house up to seven people, and start around $450 to rent plus a small fee per mile. Throw in a couple of bucks for sandwiches, gas, and campgrounds and you’ve got an inexpensive experience you’ll remember for a lifetime.
