Recreational vehicles take us places we wouldn’t otherwise go if we didn’t have our home with us. Or at least that’s the way I think it should be.
Much of the joy of this lifestyle is seeing and experiencing all the new things and all the new people we meet off the backroads of America. Sure, the big cities and tourist destinations are great, and we can visit those too, but when I’m on a plane or on the interstate highways, I can’t help but think about the places I’m missing in the interest of time. When it comes to my RV journeys of America, I was and am a student of Charles Kuralt, Michael Wallis (of Route 66 fame), and others.
But that’s not why I am here, on this page, and on this blog, and in this industry.
In 1973, I began my RVing journey in a new 1973 Winnebago Chieftain D-24C that my folks had purchased primarily for traveling to a myriad of horse shows that our farm, Cedar Ledge Farms, and our associated farm, Misty Hills Stables, were exhibiting in. Little did I know at the time (I was only three) that this eyebrow Winnie and its subsequent kin would completely guide the road my life would follow.
In 1984, a tragic fire would take our 1979 Winnebago Elandon II, our barn, and my mother with it. To be clear, the official cause of the fire was undetermined but not related to the motorhome itself.
In 1988, when I turned 18, I joined the volunteer fire company that helped us that night, which led to 23 years of service across three communities. But, having grown up with RV travel from such a young age, I still had pleasant memories and a longing for the road. In the early 1990s, a friend from Yonkers FD and I restored a 1986 Coleman popup, and I was on my way again.
Since then, I have had three Class-A motorhomes, three travel trailers, two fifth wheels, and two truck campers. I was a full-time RVer for ten years, from 1998-2008, and have worked in the RV industry, at least part-time, since 1998, from owning my own RV service business to being a service manager at a busy dealership in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. My writing in the industry began with RVTravel.com and progressed to RV-Pro magazine, Family Motorcoaching, then as the technical editor of Trailer Life and Motorhome magazines, and RVBusiness magazine, and currently back to Family RVing magazine. A student of the late great Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor) and many others. I have been on a crusade to educate RVers and RV technicians to make RVing safer, better, and more enjoyable for everyone.
I have seen a lot in 50 years of RVing and 25 years of working in the industry. I have learned a lot too.
In these pages, videos, blogs, and articles, RV PHD will help to bring the best, most accurate information and advice possible to both RVers and the techs that help keep them on the road.
RVs aren’t perfect; far from it. They’re a hand-made mix of a house and a vehicle that is subjected to an earthquake and a hurricane every time it goes down the road, They’re largely made of lightweight materials that make them usable and affordable. But, RVs are the best way to see North America.
The RV PHD will help you make the best of it.
As always, thank you for your contributions and support. Please send along any questions, comments, and suggestions you have.
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