Since this has been started in the introduction thread, thought I'd get it started in it's own.

Solo travelers may feel intimidated by all the couples/families out their traveling & camping. What is your style? How do you fit in? How do you find the campgrounds that suit your style?

For me it's easy...I'm somewhat of a hermit and don't mind my alone time. I have no intention of seeking out the large, corporate, black-topped, activity-laden campgrounds....preferring instead to boondock when I can and using the smaller, family owned campgrounds. I'm seeking to keep a simple daily life and while I enjoy talking to people, I think I'll still get more than enough. Heck, worst case I'll do what I did after my husband passed...head to McDonald's for breakfast and coffee. There's always a local breakfast group there...

Next.....<g>

Right on! Froggi, When I walk around the campground I'm in I just stop and say hello to whoever wishes to strike up a conversation. I have a good time! No black-top for me either!   I like my alone time too. It is very relaxing.  One thing this is alowing me to do is start eating more wholesome and fresh foods. It may be that I'm not hanging around the junk food junkies (my friends in Hudson) so I'm able to plan healthy simple meals for just me. Not that I won't indulge now and then mind you, especially since I love ice cream and coffey! 

Hi Froggi and Bago40, I assume that this tread is in response to my running comments in the Welcome file and my suggestion that we start a separate thread. I too treasure my 'alone time' and, yes RVers in general are a gregarious bunch whom I find it easy to strike up a conversation with. As I have also said, I have never camped in one of those 'blacktopped' resorts with activity directors and doubt that I could afford to even if I found one. But sitting around the fire pit sharing stories with fellow campers (and maybe enjoying a nightcap) at the end of the day and the occasional campground Pot-Luck diner are so much a part of the RVing mythos that I also want to experience them. And maybe some activities and celebration on major hoildays wouldn't hurt.
I don't know if it was Froggi's intent for this thread but I was hoping as it matures this thread would become the repository for experiences and suggestions of campgrounds where this sort of thing can still be found as well as places and events where singles could celebrate holidays in the company of others.

That was TOADILY my intent...<g>

There is such a fine line at times between wanting your alone time and wanting to be part of a group (and making friends).

I'm wondering if when you plan to stay at a campground for longer than a night or two, if you could talk to the manager about setting something up yourself. Start a mini-gathering, just pick a night, post a notice in conspicuous places and see what happens. Heck, you could create a template for this, leaving the date time & lot# blank, print up a bunch and fill them in as needed. Maybe leave some at the desk for new solos to latch on to....

I see a whole new world out there....I like the idea of controlling the when/where so that it fits your mood & schedule.

Everyone, feel free to shoot holes into this idea...remember, I'm really green at all this. LOL!

Hi everybody. As promised I am writing, if somewhat belatedly, to let everyone know how my 4th went. As I previously explained, I went in search for some social interaction for this national holiday at Hannibal, MO. I felt that due to its' Mark Twain background, this America town would be ideal for such an American holiday. Once I had made my plans, Linda acted as intermediary and connected me with Ed and Marilyn Dray (TheHappyWanders) who are workcamping at the Mark Twain Cave and Campground in Hannibal. As a consequence I changed my three week reservation over from the Injun Joe Campground to the Mark Twain.
The facilities (cave/campground complex) were very rustic and quiet--very pleasant. The town, during the week of the 4th, had numerous activities that could only be parculiar to Hannibal--fence painting contests, frog jumping contests, river raft races and even a more modern take on the name, Hannibal the cannibal marathon races. Upon my arrival I was greeted warmly by several workcampers (apparently Ed and Marilyn had spread the word). Unfortunately Marilyn was just recovering from some mystery illness and Ed was just succumbing to it so it took awhile for us to hook up. Once they recovered, however, we did go out to breakfast and they invited me a couple of times to campfire ****tail hours among all of the resident workcampers--to which I was welcomed with open arms. Overall I did very much enjoy myself and consider my quest a success.
So one weapon I can add to my arsenal to connect as a solo full timer is this--if the campground has several workcampers there for the duration try hooking up with them.
After Hannibal, I parked my rig in a repair shop near Independence (MO), my toad in the long term parking lot in Chattanooga (TN), and took off for a two week road trip with my eldest brother which stretched from west Texas to northern New York. I am now parked for about a month in a KOA campground in Eureka, MO just southwest of St. Louis. I have made reservations to attend the Escapees' fall Escapade (and pre-Escapade) in Goshen, IN starting September 6th--we'll see if the much ballyhooed Escapee fellowship is myth or not. I am also in the tentative stage of planning to travel up to Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with my brother's ex-wife and the kids and to met that same brother and kids at a resort in Branson for Christmas.
P.S. I notice that entries in this Thread (and, in fact all threads) of the solo forum have more or less ground to a halt. I still have great hopes that all of those singles out there (and any non-singles, if they have good suggestions) will be submitting ideas for ways and places for all of us to get some socialization as we pursue our solitary travels!

I'm glad to hear it all went well.....as to the solo folder grinding to a halt, I know I've just been super busy working and trying to get ready to hit the road in a couple of weeks.

We'll have to figure out how to meet at Escapade...still don't know if I will be in a rig or hotel, but will be attending!

Hello everyone, Squad ,glad to hear you're trip was a success! The places you went and time you had sounds great and I'll add them to my list of places to visit. I'm glad to hear that the quest you're on is producing results, it gives added encouragement to me as far as maintaining a full time RV-ing life style as the years go on.   I am looking forward to winter when the potlucks etc. will resume here at Lee's Travel Park here in Largo, FL. Keep us updated on your travels and the results you get. Froggi, sounds like you're real busy. Hope all goes well with you getting on the road. Bago.    

Linda and I belong to the Escapees RV Club, and we spend time at their parks as often as we can. We have met a lot of Solo RVers at these parks, and I have never seen any discrimination because of married status, age, race, type of RV, or anything else for that matter.

My advice would be to join the Escapees, (if your not a member already), join one of their BOF (Birds of a Feather), groups, go to their "social hour" meetings that most of the parks have every day, and then participate in whatever activities you want to.

We have never been pressured to do something that we didn't want to do, have always felt welcome at any of the parks that we have visited, and have always been treated like family. I believe you will be too.

We have also been to a lot of other parks where there have been "Solos", and I have not seen a problem. RVers in general are a friendly bunch, and it seems like everyone is accepted.

Of course you know that if you feel uncomfortable at a park, you can just move on. Being a Full-timer means that you can move to a new neighborhood if you don't like the one you're at.

Hi. First to Froggi, I look forward to seeing you at the fall Escapade. The rumored size of these events is staggering but I will make every effort to find you.
To Jim01 thanks for your encouragement. I am (and have been for some time) a member of th Escapees and belong to both the SOLO BOF and the BOOMERS BOF, but this will be my first opportunity to meet fellow members and I am not sure of the protocol nor the consequences. Somehow, however, I think you may have misinterpreted the nature of this thread (or at least my communications within it). I do not think that singles are particularly discriminated against in RV parks or at rallies. I have always expressed as my concern the lack of social opportunities that so far I have found at campgrounds I have visited--social opportunities for singles, couples, and/or families. There are just not the social hours, pot lucks, and evening gatherings around the campfire that I had expected from everything I had read about the lifestyle. I have always found that my fellow campers are cordial, talkative, and helpful when needed and have never felt shuned or excluded. The only distinction I have made about singles and everybody else is that whem it comes to celebrating events or holidays, everybody else has somebody to celebrate with but singles don't.
Will you be attending the Fall Escapade in Goshen. When I attended the Life-On-Wheels conference last summer they specifically had an organized effort to get singles together--a meeting each morning over coffee before the days seminars began. This lead to meetig at a certain spot for lunch each day and for planning restuarants we could meet at for dinner. Each such 'activity' was by your own chioce to attend or not. Maybe Escapees could do something similar!

I think the word "discrimination" was a bad choice on my part. I sat and thought quite a while before I posted on this thread, and tried to figure out how I could express the fact that I don't think you will have a problem fitting in.
An example, (if I may), We happened to be at an Escapee park at Thanksgiving, a few years ago. We arrived just the day before, and it was our first Holiday away from family. The people at the Escapees park really went out of their way to make us feel like part of the "family", and it turned out to be a great day.

While we were eating a great meal, I started a conversation with the lady sitting across the table from us. Come to find out, she was a solo RVer, and she also commented on how welcome she felt, and how much she was enjoying the day. 

Of course, I am not single, (but I have been in the past), so I don't really know how you are feeling. I do know that Holidays can be lonely, but I feel that if you have a good attitude and are friendly, everything will be fine. 

No, we won't be able to go to the Fall Escapade. We need to head out East, as we are expecting a new Grand baby this Fall.

I hope I haven't stuck my foot in my mouth even further with this post.

Take care and enjoy,
Jim

I've only been to one Escapade and it was 10 years ago so was smaller (and it was big then). LOL!

We should be able to meet at the SOLO BOF Pizza Party if nothing else. Also, once I get there and parked or registered in a hotel, I will post where I am. If parked, maybe we can find each other.

The RV LOW I went to didn't have the singles event...probably because the ladies who was going to do the session on singles RVing had to cancel due to family health issues.

I'm trying to register for the 2008 Idaho RV LOW....really looking forward to that one!

Almost forgot...you can pre-order a name badge from Two Crazy Ladies. I bought mine at the event but it's long gone so I just ordered two new ones with my nickname FROGGI on the first line. http://www.toocrazyladies.com/escapees.html

-- Edited by Froggi at 09:11, 2007-08-09

To Jim01,
Upon consideration I seem to remember a couple of descriptions out there from individuals (solos and couples) who spent a Thanksgiving or Christmas at an Escapee park and they seem to be similar to what you describe. Lots of good will and a pot luck where the camp provided the main course (like a turkey) and everybody else brought side dishes. Decorations and even 'simple' gift exchanges like secret santas. I will definitely keep these camps in mind as an option. Overall your last message has proved very encouraging. Thank you.

It's been a year since anyone has posted to this topic, but since I'm new and just read it, I thought I would see if anyone wants to update.  Skoobdo, I note from the picture that you are pulling a 5th wheel?  Since I am trying to sell my house and will probably buy a 5ver, I would love to know what you find to be the positives and the negatives.  I love some of the floor plans and space that are available, but still worry about doing all the work involved in setting up & taking down by myself.  I don't think there is any part of it I can't do alone, I just think it would be so nice to have help doing it.  I looked at a number of 5vers this past weekend, and for some reason I went into a Class C on my way back to my car.  It really surprised me with the roominess and great utilization of space, so I'm still a bit undecided.  The problem is that I don't want to have to tow even a small vehicle.  All comments and suggestions appreciated.

Another thing I've been wondering about - I've been reading several journals of couples traveling to Alaska this year, and I really would love to go there.  It just seems like such a "couples" thing though, and I'd like to know if any solos, especially women, have or plan to make the journey.  Thanks.
gypsy

Hello all, let me begin with saying I'm not solo---so I may have completley missed the intent of this thread, if so please excuse me.  However let me continue anyway, being part of a small group that likes to camp together of older (no small children) couples, we really enjoy meeting other campers and sharing the camp fire with them.  That to me is part of the camping experince.  Others expernices--in camping and in life are great to listen to and to be shared around a meal and or campfire. We have invited many people, couples and singles to join us around the CF maybe for a glass of wine or just to visit, some have joined us for an evening and some have not.  We have met some very nice folks in this manner.  I would encourage you to take a stroll through the campground strike up a conversation who knows it could end up as an invite to that nights CF and new friends.  Any of you,  singles and/or couples would be welome at our campfire any night, and I would find it hard to belive that my group is in the minitory in this kind of thinking.  You might even be so bold as to ask, hey do you mind if I drag a chair over and join you at the campfire tonight. 
 
Flyone

Hi gypsy97,

When I first contemplated taking up the RV/Full-timer life style, I did a lot of research which included reading most of the books available from that small group of 'professional' RVers/writers. It occurs to me that there was one such writer whose profile matches yours and she has been soloing in her RV for years. I can't remember her real name (I think it was something like Marshal) but she wrote her books under her handle--The Silver Haired Gypsy. Now among several things she has written which you might feel a direct connection with, she also wrote a book about her solo trip to Alaska in her RV. Check her out.

Scott

P.S. Her name is Sharlene Minshall and she has written several books that you may want to read but the one I mentioned was call "RVing Alaska and Canada" and was published in paperback in 2002.

-- Edited by sgad at 14:22, 2008-08-12

Scott, I appreciate the info on the Silver Haired Gypsy.  I've ordered a couple of her books - since I'll be taking Amtrak at the end of this month from NC to CA & return, it will be good reading material for the trip.

I'm a nervous wreck because the very first lookers are coming to view my house since it's been on the market, and they will arrive in two hours!  Cleaning hasn't been easy with two dogs underfoot!  Thanks again for the recommendation.
gypsy

gypsy97 wrote:

---

Skoobdo, I note from the picture that you are pulling a 5th wheel?  Since I am trying to sell my house and will probably buy a 5ver, I would love to know what you find to be the positives and the negatives.  I love some of the floor plans and space that are available, but still worry about doing all the work involved in setting up & taking down by myself.  I don't think there is any part of it I can't do alone, I just think it would be so nice to have help doing it.  I looked at a number of 5vers this past weekend, and for some reason I went into a Class C on my way back to my car.  It really surprised me with the roominess and great utilization of space, so I'm still a bit undecided.  The problem is that I don't want to have to tow even a small vehicle.  All comments and suggestions appreciated.

---

Hello Gypsy,

I looked at Motor Homes (A & C) and 5th Wheels and for "me" the 5th Wheel just suited my lifestyle better.  I wanted an RV that had lots of room, high ceilings and set up similar to a house.  Other than a dishwasher, I have everything in my RV that was in my house (just on a smaller scale).   My unit is the floorplan with the sliding doors to the rear living area and feels like a house with separate rooms.  I decided on this floor plan because I'm single and I actually get to walk from one room to the next without having one big room (which would drive me crazy).   To answer your question about any negatives that I have with my 5th Wheel, as of this date I can't report any.....and I'm serious.  I'll have this unit until it falls apart. As far as setting up or breaking down as you know 5th wheels require you to lift/lower automatic landing gear and manually level the unit if on uneven terrain.  Both MH and 5th Wheel users have to hitch or unhitch a toad or truck...so that's a wash. There are 5th Wheels that come with automatic levelers now too for certain units.   If you're looking to avoid a little extra work, then I believe a Motor Home would be your best bet, if that is what you are basing your deceision on.  The only advice I can give you, is to go with you gut feeling and what you really can live with.  There are negatives and positives in almost everything but when the positives out weigh the negatives it becomes a non-issue when it's all said and done.   I wish you the best, and good luck with your decision.   Allison

sgad wrote:

---

Hi gypsy97,

there was one such writer whose profile matches yours and she has been soloing in her RV for years. I can't remember her real name (I think it was something like Marshal) but she wrote her books under her handle--The Silver Haired Gypsy. Now among several things she has written which you might feel a direct connection with, she also wrote a book about her solo trip to Alaska in her RV. Check her out.

Scott

P.S. Her name is Sharlene Minshall and she has written several books that you may want to read but the one I mentioned was call "RVing Alaska and Canada" and was published in paperback in 2002.

-- Edited by sgad at 14:22, 2008-08-12

---

I ordered this plus two of her other books yesterday.  I just got notice that they are shipping the Alaska book out today, and hopefully I'll get some inspiration.  It's a long, long way to Alaska, but from the journals I've read so far from RVers who are there now, it is the trip of a lifetime.
gypsy
gypsy

 

gypsy97,

I am glad that my suggested reading was of some help.

I also seem to remember a website/weekly news e-mail that was published by two women solos, who also wrote some books. I was on their RRS and would receive it automatically every week but noticed that I haven't received one recently so I am not sure it is still out there. Give me some time to see if I can locate it again.

Strangely enough there seems to be a lot more published material out there that pertains to your situation (i.e. solo female) then to mine (i.e. solo male). This may be due to the alleged 'artistic' traits embraced by females over males as I am sure that the common opinion is that there are more male soloers out there then female ones and, of course, more couples then either.

As for RVing to Alaska you might also check out some of those commercial 'caravan' companies--there is a big one that operates out of my old hometown, El Paso, TX--although I avoid them because they are pricey. I would like to make the same journey in my RV even though I have already visited Alaska twice--once by cruise ship and once by automobile/road-trip. I am waiting/hoping for a collection of like minded RVers to coalesce into a group willing to form an informal 'caravan', one in which there is no overhead charge but wherein the members are willing to travel together and look out for each other along the way. I would be more then willing to help research possible routes, sites along the way, and campgrounds and/or boondocking possibilities.

Hope your first open house was successful but if not do not despair, it is a tough market these days and many of us have been through a long process of selling our homes--it took me six months to sell mine and even though I thought I had an added impediment with mine (i.e. no legal access to the house and land), from what I've heard from other RVers I may have gotten off easy.

Scott

Scott, I've started reading the RV Canada & Alaska book, and it is so interesting.  I'm sure things are even different today, in that thousands are making that trip and the roads are being straightened & graded, etc.  Minshall was a real adventurer.  I'd like to think I could have done what she did, although my adventures took me in a different direction for a while.

I think it's possible there are more books & material out there for solo female RVers because of our concerns for personal safety as well as hesitancy (be it cultural or biological) to strike out and do something out of the ordinary on our own.  It may be that it will be a lot easier for younger women to go wherever and whenever they choose.  Looking back, I think the younger girls backpacking 10 or 11 yrs ago were much more bold than women my age, although it didn't stop me from trying, with a lot of encouragement from the backpacking community.

Please keep me in mind if you ever get an informal caravan going.  I'm not much of a joiner, but your idea sounds very good of an informal group traveling the same route and keeping an eye out for one another.  It is similar to what I found with thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail.
gypsy

Oh,

and if you haven't already seen it, be sure to check out the book by Terri and Mike,  Church on Camping Alaska. (see Amazon).  In our opinion ( and many others)   you could forget Milepost and merely rely on the Church's book.

gypsy97,

Hi, it's me again. I told you that I would try to find that website/ezine put out by two women solo'ers--Jamie Hall and Alice Zyetz. They have also written several books, a few of which are specifically aimed at women planning on soloing in RVs.

The website is: http://www.rvhometown.com.

I realize that the Gray Gypsy book on Alaska may be a little dated but believe me as far as roads in Alaska (and Canada) are concerned--those in the process of being repaired and those that are in need of repair. It is just that those harsh winters take their toll on asphalt and the undersoil.

Scott