Among those things that change the face of RVing in the U.S. are job growth and the impact of weather and other disasters on areas that attract RVers and campers.
Job Growth
Here’s one example of how job growth impacted RVing in a popular snowbirding area. I once contacted an RV park owner about space availability. It was a fairly young park, off the beaten track and the owner was working hard to attract new RV guests. Because a new oil pipeline was going in, all of the RV parks in the area filled up right before the end of summer. The problem was that there were no vacancies for snowbirds accustomed to spending winters in that area.
Another example occurred a couple years before that. We had made RV Park reservations months in advance, and called every two months or so to confirm them. So, we headed out, confident that our reservations were firm. But with only two days drive to go, we called to let the park know our exact arrival date, and were told that a new gas drilling company had come into the area and all the RV spaces in the area were expected to be full for the next five years.
Unfortunately, they never called to let us know, leaving us little time to find an alternate place to stay. Because this was a popular snowbird area, I’m sure many people who didn’t call ahead were beyond disappointed. But, it worked to our advantage as we got to enjoy the Lost Alaskan RV Park, Big Bend, Marfa and surrounding area instead.
My point is that if you have RV park reservations, call ahead to confirm them AND be ready to switch to another park on a moment’s notice.
Was Your Winter Destination Damaged by Weather, Wildfire or Disaster …
When disasters hit across a large area, they often damage or destroy RV parks. Over the last few years we’ve experienced a number of hurricanes, tornados, floods, wildfires and other disasters that have destroyed huge areas frequented by RVers and campers.
A fellow full timer and work-from-RVer, René Agredano, told me about their experience with a flood a couple years ago. While enjoying their stay at a riverside RV park, one night they received a warning of an impending flood–a flash flood.
They scrambled to get their fifth wheel hooked up, but due to a series of mishaps, almost had to leave their RV behind. Trying to hitch up in the dark is far more difficult than you might imagine, and in their case, they damaged part of their hitch by rushing. Emergency evacuation personnel first urged, and then demanded that they just abandon their RV. Just at that point their hitch locked in place and they were able to pull up to higher ground.
René described the rising water. The river, which normally flows about 15 feet below the bank and RV sites, was rising rapidly. When it had risen to within a few feet of cresting the bank they were told to abandon their rig and go. It took only a few minutes more for the water to rise that last few feet. That’s the nature of a disaster–one minute you’re fine, and the next you stand to lose everything.
But that’s not the only impact disasters have on RVers. When the damage is extensive in any given area, RV site availability may be at a premium for quite some time. Flooding can bring sewage to the surface, leaving the ground contaminated even when the waters recede.
Wildfires can leave an area so devastated that even if a park can rebuild or repair the damage, the surrounding area can be hazardous. Burnt trees can be dangerous as weakened branches can snap off unexpectedly falling on people, RVs or vehicles. In 2009 there were an astounding 78,792 wildfires in the U.S.
Drought dries the land. If followed by heavy thunderstorms, flooding is likely because the dried earth cannot absorb the water fast enough. It seems like most weather and natural disasters–thunderstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes come with the potential for flooding. Obviously keeping your flood disaster plan up to date is smart.
If you plan an RVing trip to an area that was affected by any type of disaster in the last couple years, ask questions about how well-prepared the park is in the event it happens again, and whether any of their sites or usual amenities are still unavailable. We stayed at one park specifically because they had a swimming pool, which they told us opened on June 1. But when we arrived there mid-June the pool wasn’t open because the pump was broken. It still wasn’t repaired when we left in mid-July.
So, ask if they, or any nearby parks are still recovering or rebuilding. Often one park may reveal information about a competitor that you won’t learn any other way. A park that has been through a disaster may not have everything up and running, and may not change their advertised services, or rates, if they’re planning to make them available at some point. And always, always, have an alternate plan, another park, and be flexible.