Rv travel past age 70

[Kirk W]

7 minutes ago, wtmtnhiker said:

Perhaps being alone lends one to overthink things.

While I have not yet experienced that, we are at an age that I do realize that one or the other of us will inevitably have that experience at some point. It isn't possible to know which one but we have spoken of it from time to time because we know so many others who are in the same position as yourself. I think that you may also find a visit to the website Loners on Wheels to be helpful. I have known a couple of members of that group and should my wife pass first, I do plan to contact them if we are still RVing. 

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

While I have not yet experienced that, we are at an age that I do realize that one or the other of us will inevitably have that experience at some point. It isn't possible to know which one but we have spoken of it from time to time because we know so many others who are in the same position as yourself. I think that you may also find a visit to the website Loners on Wheels to be helpful. I have known a couple of members of that group and should my wife pass first, I do plan to contact them if we are still RVing. 

My mother was a member of Loners on Wheels back in the 1970s. They've been around long enough to know how to do things right for singles. While Mom is gone, the group is still very active. Worth checking out, especially if you think you might want to travel caravan style with other people on some of your trips. They also have a campground in Deming, New Mexico, where singles gather.

Linda

[hemsteadc]

I'm 74, and been on the road for 20 years. 

I have just one physical problem that may sideline me in the next few years:  peripheral neuropathy.  It's a severe numbness in my feet, and it's starting to progress upwards through my ankles, causing me to have less control of my balance and movements.  It's sort of like if your foot goes to sleep, but it's about half of that sensation all the time. I can twist my ankle simply by stepping on a rock wrong, and collapse to the ground in an instant because I can't feel what's going on fast enough to respond and correct.  There's no medicine or treatment I'm aware of, no known cause, and nobody I know has it.  This is not diabetic neuropathy, which is more common.  I can still feel the gas and brake pedal just fine, so for now we're good.  Thank heavens for cruise control...and I'm looking forward to getting an electric car with the reactive braking and all the other technology to keep me safe.

Mentally I find that I worry and fret a whole lot more than I used to.  What if I break down?  Have I done this or that chore that I was supposed to?  What would I do with my cat should I need repairs?  ( Travelling with a cat has changed my camping style a LOT).  This constant worry is starting to make RVing more of a chore than an adventure.  I'm ok in the summer when travelling shorter distances to local campgrounds, but leaving for months at a time may come to an end if this is how it's going to be.  And I do travel alone, so that makes it just that much harder.

I'm just darn glad I started doing this 20 years ago when everyone thought I was nuts for selling a house to live in a box.  I've seen too many folks wait and be sidelined by their health. I've had plenty of time to see much of the country and I have many fond memories of that.    
 

Edited April 17, 2022 by hemsteadc

[bigjim]

7 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Loners on Wheels

I swear the next time I do a stop at Deming I am going to try and stay at their park there. I have always meant to at least once  but always end up at SKP Dreamcatcher.

[Ray,IN]

Deleted, usless information..

Edited April 19, 2022 by Ray,IN
edited to corrrect statement

[sandsys]

3 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Just a suggestion; Look into traveling US 2 to see many state and national parks and recreation areas that are off the beaten path. Did you know Michigan has more light houses that the entire coastline of the USA?

Plus a lot of small towns along US Hwy 2 have free campgrounds. We even stayed in one years ago that had electrical hookups.

Linda

[2gypsies]

3 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Just a suggestion; Look into traveling US 2 to see many state and national parks and recreation areas that are off the beaten path. Did you know Michigan has more light houses that the entire coastline of the USA?

That was a question posed to visitors when we gave lighthouse tours in Michigan and Oregon.  Nearly everyone thought the answer was a coastal state.

[durangodon]

11 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Did you know Michigan has more light houses that the entire coastline of the USA?

Interesting.  Michigan coastline is not considered USA coastline? 

Years ago, I was told that Arizona had more shoreline per capita than any other State.  I don't know the difference between coastline and shoreline.

[Kirk W]

12 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Did you know Michigan has more light houses that the entire coastline of the USA?

Quote

With more than 115 lighthouses along the Great Lakes, Michigan boasts the most lighthouses of any U.S. state.     USA Facts

I suspect that is what Ray intended to say.   😏 We have visited lighthouses in 9 different states. We once meat a single RV traveler who was working on visiting all of the US lighthouses. That was a long time ago and I wonder if he managed? We met him at a lighthouse in Oregon where we volunteered and he said that ours was #300 for him. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by Kirk W

[justRich]

75 and still traveling - doing the planning and navigation and most of the physical stuff.  Wife does the cooking and is very good at it - otherwise it'd be peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for me.
Hope for the best and plan for the worst.  Don't leave on a weekend.  Avoid traffic peaks around urban areas.  Make reservations for weekends.  
You'll be okay and confidence will grow with experience.

 

[fpmtngal]

Traveling solo is different than traveling with someone else, regardless if that other person can help much with chores.  IMHO it is not harder, just different.  I didn’t start RVing until I was a widow, but my DH and I did many road trips.  I’m now a year away from 70, been RVing for over 6 years and full-time for almost 3 years.  I pace myself differently now, but I haven’t stopped going.  It’s more a matter of finding your personal rhythm for travel.

[kb0zke]

We'll be 72 this year and getting ready to head out again after a two-year delay. Have to wait until June, though, as new grandchild will be born in early June with baptism scheduled for the last Sunday of June. After that, we don't know for sure.

For those of you heading toward Yellowstone or the Tetons, we're in Riverton. There is a nice park here. Let us know you're coming and we'll have the coffee on.

[justRich]

And pack a small compressor, a tire plug kit and an autosock.

 

[wtmtnhiker]

Just wanted to update you all as the OP. I left NH on May 15th heading for Yellowstone with many stops in between. Now sitting at Blue Mounds State Park in Luverne, MN and have over 1600 miles behind me. So far so good, not without issues but so far minor (pray and knock on wood and !). Thanks to all who have replied. There was an interesting thread on the IRV2 forum sort of germain to this discussion.

  It starts out a little comical and hard to believe but as it moves on many of the posts hit home for me.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/im-a-scared-neurotic-anxious-overthinker-trying-to-full-time-579486.html

 

[Kirk W]

Thanks for the follow-up and update on your progress. It is good to hear that you are moving on with life! Since we are about 10 years your elders, we do understand the hesitance. We have reached a point in life where we sometimes wonder how much longer we can continue to RV.

[travelinbob]

Go if you are physically and mentally able and never stop until your body or mind tells you to. 

I won't bore everyone with my story but as days progress I am sad to say my RV days are over.

We had the RV out 2 times last year for 2 weeks each and glad we did, my wife was a lifesaver

as far as getting us set up and then ready to travel again. 

You will never know how many RV days are left while on your journey through life so make 

every trip count, you'll have the memories of the better days as you sit in your easy chair.

I'm only 72 and my wife will be 80 in August, she would start fulltiming again tomorrow morning 

if that would give her time to pack her clothes. 

Never say Never.

[Pat & Pete]

Agreed^ .

Do it while you can . 

[sandsys]

8 hours ago, travelinbob said:

Go if you are physically and mentally able and never stop until your body or mind tells you to. 

Emotionally able counts as well. Needing to have family and close friends around all the time means full time RVing is likely not for you. I know one woman who came off the road because she couldn't stand seeing her grandkids only when passing through their area. I know another woman who full times because that lets her move from one set of grandkids to another easily. There is no one right way to RV or not RV.

Linda