lizzie
Murphy, NC
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Joined: 01/12/2008
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We drove down to St. Augustine, Fl on Monday, got back last night. We use US 441, I-95 (a little) and coming back, I-75. We also make this trip often as our kids live there. We noted how scarce the RV's were too. Usually I-75 is full of big rigs, not so yesterday. We have just cut back our vacation plans by one week and about 1000 miles but we are going anyway!
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PUPTENT
Novato, Ca. USA
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Joined: 09/25/2002
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The cost of gas must have something to do with decreased numbers, but there are still a lot of people on the roads in RVs in Northern California.
We camped at Bodega Dunes State Beach on the Sonoma Coast for a week in April - during the week maybe 10% of the campground (100 spaces) was used, but on the weekend it was 100% full.
We just returned home from Colorado Springs, and I-25 was full of RVs, as usual, with long 5th wheels, long travel trailers and long Class As the norm.
In Northern California, mainly camping at state parks over the past six years, Class Bs are not very plentiful. The highways don't seem to have many, either. But you do see a growing number of rental Class Cs out here - and they are an eyesore, looking like rolling billboards of the rental company. If I was to make an uneducated guess I would say there are more Class As in California than any other motorhome type, and more 5th wheels than any other trailer type.
It is nice to be in the minority.
PUPTENT - Barry and Wife
2003/02 Pleasure-Way Ford Excel RD V8
Novato, California (SF Bay Area)
"I never met a campfire I didn't like."
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DakotaD
Kodak, Tennessee
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Joined: 01/13/2007
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Just did the Indy 500 trip with Camping World. Think there were 130 units parked. Had room for many more in my opinion. Great trip with great host. This was my first Indy 500, what a hoot.
Traffic was light all the way up from Tennessee and back. Even my buddy remarked how the traffic in Louisville was light. There were over 300,000 people there so they weren't too worried about fuel.
Hope it comes back down soon.
...by His grace...
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Davydd
Minnesota
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Joined: 11/27/2005
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I go to the Indy 500 every year. It is my annual Mecca trip to my hometown of Speedway, IN. The crowd was as big as I have seen it in over a dozen years yet I believe this was the first time the campground areas around the track were not booked 100%. I mentioned this earlier and DakotaD you confirmed it. Fuel kept the big gassers away but the people still came by cheaper means.
Davydd
2005 Pleasure-Way Plateau Sprinter B Camper Van
Davydd is the Welsh spelling for David with an English twist using a v instead of an f.
See Our Pleasure-Way and my pork tenderloin sandwiches
Visited states in an RV
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GizmosMom
Central Texas
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Joined: 02/18/2002
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One more thought...
School is not over here in Texas until June 4th. The calendars changed last year with a later start in August. So that may be another reason.
I know that most states usually end their school calendars in June.
Marilyn w/ Joe, 2000 Xplorer Class B van, usually pulling a Ranger bass boat.
Smudge, (in photo) a Shih Tzu/Yorkie Mix and Gizmo is waiting at the Rainbow Bridge
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NoraExplora
WA
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Joined: 09/05/2004
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Perhaps all the tornado activity in the midwest has a lot of RVers spooked??
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Dandie Dinmont
Courtenay B.C.
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Joined: 01/06/2008
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There all on Vancouver Island! Just got back from a week up island and lost count of the number of RV's we saw, including a lot of B's probably 15-20.
The campsite we stayed at said they get from 8-10 rentals every night mostly people from Europe or the States. For May the campsite was quite full. There were a lot of 5th wheels being pulled by big trucks, nobody seems too concerned about the price of gas and it is higher up here than in the States.
Len, Rebecca & MacDuff
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Jamesq
Alton Mo.
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Joined: 12/17/2004
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tornado activity has me on hold till tomorrow.warning here now. gl all James
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stracos
Fulltimer, USA
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Joined: 09/15/2004
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If I owned a campground and if it was on a major east-west interestate like 10, 20, or 40, and if it was mostly an overnight campground in the middle of nowhere for folks going someplace else, then I would tell you that so far 08 has been our best year ever. Though I'd say the % of B's is probably double any other year (though thats going from 2% to 4%, not very large).
I myself am planning a Northern, CA to (hopefully) FL trip in a week or so. It will be interesting to talk to campground owners along the way.
It would also be interesting to talk to Jellystone & KOA to see if they will release their YTD camping numbers vs 07/06/etc.. Not sure if they do that. KOA In particular with 400+ campgrounds spread around the country would seem to be a good bellweather if they'll release the info.
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DaveP
Milford, NH
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Joined: 01/16/2002
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We just got back from a week in Vermont, where gas is $4+ a gallon. We also didn't see as many RV's on the road as we have in the past. There weren't many other campers there when we arrived and for most of the week we pretty much had the place to ourselves, except for the seasonals that were there already. However, on Friday the place really started filling up. 5 families next to us are staying for a month. They are local folks and will go to work from the campground.
Maybe the situation is that people are still camping, but they are not going as far and staying put longer. Also, we usually drive around a lot, looking at the shops and tourist traps. This year we won't be doing that either. These gas prices are going to cause real problems for everyone, but I think people will still take vacations and go camping. They just won't drive as far or as often.
Me, my wife and two very spoiled dogs(mini doxies).
2005 Rialta 22QD (favorite toy) 
No toads 
Just nice people here to have fun.
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