RVs Show Their Value Once Again
Winter storm Uri stood in its corner after delivering a stunning and shivering blow across the country. For much of the nation, ice and snow means that it’s winter, and they are equipped to deal with it. Uri, however, is a heavyweight, and in keeping with the metaphor, has won round one. With seemingly all of Texas snowed in and expecting round two in a day or so, the prospect of going RVing anytime soon seems like a pipe dream. Yet RV living is suddenly on the rise in the Lone Star State.
For those lucky enough to jump on the RVing bandwagon during the pandemic with dreams of vacation travel or full-time RV living, your RV might just be your safe haven after the storm.
RV living at home
As rolling blackouts made their way across Texas on Monday, Facebook was awash with RVers posting that they had moved into their RVs to ride out the rolling blackouts instituted by the power companies.
An RV is essentially a self-sufficient home on wheels. While they rely on AC power the majority of the time, they are also equipped with batteries, solar power, propane fuel, and a generator. RVs are proving to be potential life savers as homes lose power, often for hours, in some of the coldest temperatures on record.
It’s not all bad. These RVers are essentially boondocking in their own driveway. With RVs now equipped with heated floors and fireplaces, as long as the generator is running, these owners are snuggled in as if they are vacationing in Aspen or Vail. Even a small travel trailer with a full tank of propane can keep its owners warm for days.
One RV, many purposes
Parked in the driveway, the RV can prove a ready respite with its own heat and power sources. During much of the COVID pandemic, RVs were used for RV living to keep frontline workers isolated or high-risk family members separate.
Office workers sent home from closed offices found that an RV makes a great home office as a way to get away from the noise of the kids and dogs while trying to hold important online meetings and phone calls.
An RV can also be a great bug out vehicle in the event of a natural disaster, long term power outages, or civil unrest. It’s a great reminder to keep your RV ready to go all year long.
Now, with record snowfalls, cold temperatures, and rolling blackouts, RVs are once again showing their value as they keep their owners warm in the absence of power in their sticks and bricks home.
Trapped in Texas
Some of the folks experiencing this new form of Texas RV living are doing so unwillingly. This time of year, RVers flock to the south for warmer temperatures. With several top-rated RV parks surrounding the Houston area, it’s often the go-to destination for snowbirds.
This week at least, those migratory RVers are finding that the grass isn’t any greener on the other side of the equatorial fence. In fact, they can’t even see the grass at all. With RV parks snowed in and roads impassable, it could be several days before it’s warm enough again for those snowbirds.
RV living in 2021
Expect RVing to continue to be huge in 2021. Start making campground reservations now as popular sites are filling fast. There are thousands of campgrounds, RV parks, and RV resorts out there. Visit a site like CampgroundReviews.com to see them all with pictures and reviews.
Whether you are a weekend warrior, a part-time RVer, or full time RV living, 2021 will once again be the year of the RV.
Not even a high dollar battery system (other than lithium,maybe) will stay up long enough to run your furnace all night,or longer, in extreme cold weather.We carry good set of jumper cables,stay hooked up to vehicle and RV batteries in situations where either we lose shore power,or none is available.
Living in an rv can be fun but if you not prepared when power goes out can be challenging. We were camping in late November one year when the entire campground lost power. To my surprise the rv house battery that was only 3 years old didn’t have enough power to start our propane furnace. So be sure the rv battery is up to the tasks.
Sitting in Brownsville Texas in a park without electricity. Happy to say I had all my tanks full and waste empty when we parked. One of my habitats has payed off. Never know when you be boon docking.
Same here in Mercedes, Texas. Lost power on Monday morning at 4 PM, still no power, now no water. Hit the road on Tuesday to get away from generator use to spend a warm night at Palmdale RV Resort in Los Fresnos with power!
I’m also at Palmdale. I came down here from Brackenridge on Lake Texana, near Edna. They shut the water off last weekend and now are experiencing power blackouts. It’s great to have water and power here.