Hitting the road in an RV

Hitting the road in a camper or RV is a dream cherished by thousands of folks in Oregon. What better way to enjoy the landscape and the adventure of the road?

But to enjoy the RV lifestyle safely and comfortably takes a little more than simply climbing in, turning a key and hitting the road.

Larry Nonemaker, president of Larry's RV in Redmond, has been putting folks on the road in quality pre-owned RVs and campers for many years, and he knows the key questions that customers often overlook.

"The question prevalent in their mind is how much money do we have to spend," Nonemaker said. "And that's not the question they should be asking."

For Nonemaker, the key to success in the RV lifestyle - and the key to happy customers for his business - is to know right up front the real needs, desires and capabilities of customer and equipment. That way, a good match can be made.

"One of the questions we immediately ask them is what kind of towing vehicle they have," Nonemaker told The Nugget. "We have to educate them as to what their vehicle is capable of towing."

People tend to overestimate their towing capacity, Nonemaker said, which can lead to problems on the road.

It also pays to identify honestly and completely what you're going to be using your RV for. Are you just hitting the road for a few days or weeks in the summertime to see the sights? Are you snowbirding? Do you plan to live in your RV for a while?

"If they're going to live in it for four months, a 14-foot trailer isn't big enough," Nonemaker said.

What kind of RV do you need - a trailer or a motorhome? How many people will be traveling and sleeping in the rig? Are you going to be camping in developed parks or out in the boondocks? And maybe you need to ask yourself whether the lifestyle really works for you.

"Sometimes it behooves them to rent an RV before they buy so they get a taste of 'is RVing really for me?'"

There's enough to know that it's worth taking a class on RVing. Nonemaker teaches such classes about three times a year through Central Oregon Community College. He wrote a 32-page book on the subject, which he uses in the classes.

"Some people have taken the class three times," he said.

Hands-on instruction helps get travelers familiar with filters, furnaces, kitchens - and the all-important skills and safety protocols of travel.

The key question for Nonemaker is: "How do I keep you safe?"

Traveling level is critical.

"I've seen RVs going down the road with the butt end on the ground," he said.

All that may seem a bit intimidating, but asking the right questions and getting educated opens the road to a whole world of adventure for the RVer with a solid knowledge-base and the right equipment for his or her particular lifestyle. And that's what Larry Nonemaker wants for his customers.

For more information, visit www.larrysrv.com.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

• Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
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