For the truly old, RVing would be unpleasant, if not impossible. Climbing the steps, driving the rig, and being far from home would ruin any advantages of this kind of travel. For those of us who are merely aging, though, the RV life is ideal. Just think—a bathroom is always just a few yards behind the driver’s seat! There is a fridge, too, and a couch where we can take naps. At night, instead of hauling a suitcase into a motel room, we turn down the Travasak cover and snuggle into a comfortable and familiar bed. We are not locked into any schedule, and stop wherever we please. Why would anyone of a certain age not love traveling in an RV? We do need to travel intelligently, however. More than younger people, we should keep some things in mind that will help us enjoy RVing, not wish we had stayed home.
Most of our possible problems are related to health and safety. Surprisingly, any idiot with a current driver’s license can rent or buy an RV and drive away in it. I think that is insane; while driving and maintaining an RV is not terribly difficult, it does require some instruction and practice. My own first RV trip was in a rented Class C rig. Even though my companion was a good instructor, and I am ordinarily a good driver, I managed to hit a tree branch and break a side mirror. It might have been much worse.
Maintaining an RV is harder than driving it. There are numerous buttons and dials throughout the rig, and many components are hidden from view. A typical owner’s manual is gigantic. As each RV model is slightly different from others, even an experienced RVer may take a while to discover what to do when, and a novice should not be trusted alone. Also, some tasks may be difficult for an elderly person. I have osteoarthritis that prevents me from grasping some small objects and opening some valves; my companion has to do some tasks for me.
Staying healthy and fit is vital for the elderly wherever we are, and it can be harder on the road than at home. I doubt that any RV has a stationary bike in it! Some fancy RV resorts, of course, have exercise rooms with good equipment, but we do most of our RVing in national and state parks. Our own solution to the exercise problem is to walk and hike as much as possible, which is easy in the parks. On the occasional days when we drive more than 200 miles, we take breaks every hour or so, and do stretches. I also enjoy doing tai chi chih, and can do it anywhere. My companion is a good swimmer, so sometimes we stay at a KOA where he can swim. The important thing is to do something active every day to avoid stiffness and weight gain.
Eating healthfully is equally important. This is easy for us—even at home, we eat very simple meals. (My companion is a vegetarian, and I eat little meat.) We keep the galley stocked with soups, brown rice, pasta and sauces, eggs, peanut butter, and salad materials. Whenever we see a farmer’s market, we stop and try some of the local produce. This boomeranged once: Just north of the Canadian border, we bought some wonderful sweet corn and other produce at a farm stand. We ate a little, then put the rest in the fridge for later. When we crossed into the U.S., a stern agricultural inspector confiscated the food and lectured us about bringing it, along with possible agricultural pests, into the country. We should have stayed in Canada long enough to have a huge picnic!
Though we usually cook in the RV and avoid restaurants, when we boondock at a Walmart having a McDonald’s we eat breakfast there for convenience. By ordering a large breakfast and splitting it, we can each have a good breakfast without too many calories. (I get all the bacon, which is nice.) I may have a small Arby’s roast beef sandwich, or a Wendy’s Cobb salad, once in a while. Aside from those aberrations, we stay out of fast-food establishments.
Elderly people take more medicines than younger folks in general, and this can be a real nuisance when we travel. Unlike food or clothing, medicines can’t be instantly replaced if the need arises. I take about 20 pills a day, and my companion has diabetes. His insulin stays in the fridge. The rest of our meds (prescriptions and important over-the-counter items) are stored in a small suitcase near the entrance. If we ever have to evacuate quickly, we want to be able to grab that suitcase and run. When we start to run low on a prescription, we go to the nearest pharmacy to order a refill. This is remarkably easy when the pharmacy is part of the same chain we use at home—CVS, in our case—but can be a problem when it is not. So, we count out all our pills a week in advance and make sure we have enough. Otherwise, we may have to sit for hours in a pharmacy, or even stay in a town for an extra day, while faxes travel back and forth.
Just as at home, we are more liable than young people to need hospitalization. In remote areas calling 9-1-1 may not be quick enough. If you travel with an iPad or similar device, that probably can help you find the nearest hospital. We mistrust high-tech approaches, and prefer to watch for the large “H” signs indicating hospitals. Whatever method you use, be sure you know how to get medical help if needed.
We have no children, which makes life easier in some ways, but you may have children or grandchildren who worry about you. You may want to set up a schedule for phone calls, so they will know you are all right. We keep in touch with friends and family members by sending emails every few days. Often no Wi-Fi is available in our campground, and we use the Wi-Fi at the nearest public library.
These precautions may sound daunting, but they are really no more trouble than those associated with other forms of travel—and traveling carefully is infinitely better than not traveling at all. Bon voyage!
