WHY?

[Healeyman]

Hi All,

We’re not new to RVing (12+ years, 48 states, 6 Provinces), but I suspect that many of you who are here to give advice are not new either.

We just left Bryce Canyon, UT. We spent 5 days here in one spot. In 12 years, our
longest stay anywhere. We now have a 28’ Class C with 50 g. fresh, 30 g. gray, and 30. g black water. When we got here, from our previous stop, our F water tank was full and our G & B were empty.

Because in our first 6-7 years, we VERY rarely spent more than 2 nights in the same place, I NEVER hook up to water or sewer. We’d pull in, level as necessary, plug in the power, drop the top on the Miata, and GO….. I fill the Fresh when it is empty and dump the Gr & Blk when they are full.

As we have been here for nearly a week, and we are less than a mile from a VERY popular National Park, we have seen LOTS of rigs come in, spend a night or 2, then pack up and leave.

When they arrive, ALL of the rig drivers we have seen spend 15 – 30 minutes connecting to water, power, and sewer. Some even put out their awning, a rug, and 2-4 chairs (even is there is only 2 of them)

They visit the park and go to dinner. Later, they mostly stay inside in the A/C or watch TV and rarely sit out.

My question is WHY do people spend so much time setting up a site, only to use it very little or not at all, then have to dismantle everything before they leave. I could see it if they stayed several days, but not for an overnight stop.

To each his own, but I really don’t understand WHY every driver wants or needs to handle everything, especially the sewer hose, at every stop?

Tim

[Tha_Rooster]

I would imagine they like to do it or they plan on using it. I always dump tanks at every outing even if its just a weekend so out comes sewer hose.

[UFO Pilot]

Why does it matter what others do when they arrive?

[hdossett]

Originally Posted by Healeyman

...When they arrive, ALL of the rig drivers we have seen spend 15 – 30 minutes connecting to water, power, and sewer. Some even put out their awning, a rug, and 2-4 chairs (even is there is only 2 of them)...]/FONT]

The book they read about setting up said that what you are supposed to do.

I never hook up anything unless it needs filling or dumping. All fresh water goes into the tank and is then pumped out as needed. I never use "city pressure."

H

[lanerd]

Since i don't like to keep my FW tank full (too much necessary weight to carry around) I typically only keep it about 1/3 full for use on the road. In addition, when traveling, I try to keep my black/gray as empty as possible and if more than 1/3 full, I will empty them prior to hitting the road.

So my nightly set up (for my water tanks anyway) is based upon how much is in them and will hook up the necessary hoses.

As far as putting out chairs and stuff, we usually don't unless we plan on using them. When we do, sometimes we'll put out two extra in hopes that someone will stop by and sample my cold beer.

Ron

[pops2]

If I'm overnite then power and water if more than the sewer cuz DW usually does a wash. There are certain things one do becuz they want to do other things then just sit or gallavant.
Got ample GW or BW storage but why would I want to pack it all over the country if I have the provisions to dump my load?

[Sammie]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

Why does it matter what others do when they arrive?

My thoughts exactly! I have been RVing for over 40 years and like to keep my black and grey tanks empty and fresh water tank full just in case we have to stay somewhere there are no hookups. So I go thru the same routine at every campground. It really doesn't take that long and anyhow I'm in no hurry anyway. Different strokes for different folks.

Sammie

[nothermark]

Or they never read the book. Anybody who watches me will see me get out of the cab, walk past the electric to plug it in then keep going around the coach to get in , run out the slide and kick back. ;-)

[CampDaven]

If it is a nite or 2, I hook up power and water (about 3 minutes), sewer if I need to dump (another 3).

Other stuff only comes out if we need it, and goes back in when done with it. When we leave, a quick "smash and stash" and crank it up.

Some folks put up awnings, string tea lites, put out a tablecloth, put down a big patio rug, on and on.....
I get tired watching them.

[Tony Lee]

May as well also ask why people pay lots of money for an RV with full bathrooms and then go to the HUGE trouble to use the site amenities.

As for the hookups for one night. Perhaps they have been boondocking for a week and pull in to a campground to empty their waste tanks, fill the freshwater tank and maybe do the laundry.

Or they might have remembered their training from the Boy Scouts. Be Prepared. A 100 gallon waste tank gets to be pretty useless if it is full to the top.

Or they probably miss relaxing by pottering around in their garden shed back home, so setting up and breaking camp takes its place.

Or they might figure that spending the entire day within 5' of the spouse isn't a good idea and a couple of hours apart might be beneficial.

[DGShaffer]

For me it's a routine I enjoy. I prefer state parks so sewer is rarely an option and water more often not. We're weekend warriors to the camping world and get out a couple weekends each month so I do the same thing over and over ever other weekend.

But every other weekend, I put out rugs, setupmy XM boom box, roll out my awning, setup maybe 6 chairs in case I want to relax more or less depending on where I sit, hook up the wireless fence for my two dogs and adjust it then set out the flags, I have my coleman road trip mounted on a bay mounted slide that gets pulled out and setup. Then when I'm all done and we've cooked, ate, cleaned up after our dinner, I might decide to go inside, enjoy the AC and watch a DVD.

Why? Because this is America, I paid for it, and I can!

[BarkerLovers]

Originally Posted by UFO Pilot

Why does it matter what others do when they arrive?

My thoughts too.
We're just very frequent 'weekenders', but part of the fun is making it homey. We set out our rug, tablecloth, & chairs. No hook ups other than electric as we do state parks, just hit the dump station as needed.
We spend a good part of our time on the hiking trails with our 3 dogs, some just lounging outside,
and some inside watching tv after it gets chilly at night.

I'm guessing everyone has a different idea of why they love camping/RVing. If we walk thru the campground, we're usually just admiring anothers set-up; the whys have never entered our heads. lol!!!

[CampDaven]

Agreed. We never ask why, but appreciate the entertainment. 👍😄😜

[Borderbuster]

Originally Posted by lanerd

As far as putting out chairs and stuff, we usually don't unless we plan on using them. When we do, sometimes we'll put out two extra in hopes that someone will stop by and sample my cold beer.

Ron

I am going to be looking for your campsite from now on