The Pitch

We bought a camper!

You might be wondering how Mark sold me on the idea. I was wondering that same thing and I think I've figured it out.

First off, he was patient. He's been suggesting it for years and every time I reminded him that we are city people and would not like being in a remote area.

Secondly, he did some of his best marketing work - identify problems and offer a solution.

He pointed out those horrible places where we were afraid to get in the bed and only took a nap on top of it. (In nine years this has only happened two times - but it is dramatic.) Having a camper means you never have to wonder who or what slept in the bed before you.

And then there are the times when you arrive at the hotel a bit later than you thought you would and the restaurant is closed. Having a camper means you have a fridge full of food and a means of cooking it - any hour of the day or night.

And let's not forget all those times when the only restaurants for miles around were serving deep fried food. (Deep fried BBQ in the Carolinas comes to mind.) Having your own kitchen means you never have to worry about unhealthy food. This is especially important now that Mark has been diagnosed with diabetes.

Then there's money. You can rent a campsite for one fourth to one half of what you'd pay for a hotel room. The more you travel - the more you save. We're not even considering the money saved on food and we can still enjoy dinners out if we choose.

Then there is spontaneity. We can just pack up and go. For a weekend or a week or longer. I spoke with a friend who has been doing some serious RV traveling for several years now. She said that while they might not always get their first choice of campground they have always been able to get a space in a campground in the general area where they wanted to be.

And lastly there was the emotional appeal. We aren't getting any younger and we've both had some hospital time this year. Let's get out there and have some fun while we can.

Okay. Let's go!