RVing without a schedule means freedom

I wrote last week in my RVtravel.com newsletter about a rude letter I'd received from a reader about my essay two issues before. The essay was about two mediocre RV parks where I had stayed.

And, again, I received letters. Many people told me I could avoid crummy RV parks by simply using the Trailer Life or Woodall's directories to find a park along my route with a good rating, and make a reservation.

Well, the fact is, my style of traveling does not usually mesh well with planning ahead. I don't like making reservations. And I see no need for them in the off-season when most RV parks are wide open.

So, when it's time to call it a day, I rely on billboards and what I observe alongside the highway: if I spot a park that looks good, I pull in. Sometimes they are fine, sometimes they are lousy. But, frankly, I don't care very much. Because I earn my living writing about RVing, it's good for me to see the good and the bad and the ugly. I'm talking only about overnight stops here, not places for extended stays (where I would definitely consult a directory, plan ahead and make a reservation).

SOME RVers LIVE BY THEIR SCHEDULES. They have their travel days all planned before they set out. I don't: I like to stop a lot. If I pull into a small town cafe and meet somebody interesting, I may stay and chat for an hour or two. Heck, I've had people ask me to stay in their homes or park in their driveways. Some of my most memorable RVing experiences have come from those encounters. If I come across a great museum, I might spend an afternoon there. If it's a gorgeous day, I might pause in a city park for hours to read or write at a picnic table or take a nap. Only rarely am I in a hurry to get somewhere. For me, RV travel is almost always about the journey and not the destination.

Without a reservation set in stone, I can linger as long as I want in a place without having to look at my watch and say, "Oh, gotta go. I'm due at the RV park 100 miles up the road in two hours." I love RVing because I can travel at my own pace; I can turn left when the road looks more interesting than turning right. My "motel room" is with me. If worse comes to worse when darkness comes I can pull into a parking lot or rest area for the night. But put me on a schedule where I have to show up at a certain place at the end of the day, and I'd just as soon drive a car and stay in a motel, where I can show up at midnight.

Now, just to clarify. I DO make reservations in the tourist season, but usually only when I plan to stay for more than a day or two. And, for the record, in the tourist season, I'll take a state park or national forest campground over an RV park almost anytime.