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THE RV FROM COVERED WAGON TO LUXURY HOME

• cannon
• May 11, 2020May 11, 2020
• 0

It started in the Old West

It is a bit of a stretch to call those old migrant covered wagons people used to follow the command, ‘go west, young man.’ The old covered wagon was not an 18th to 19th century RV as people used them to migrate not vacation.

But they were a good inspiration once the migration was over and people started to look for cheaper ways to vacation. The RV was the result of that inspiration and the vehicle has taken on many forms since its first inception.

There were two RV eras

Most people only remember the post-war explosion of RV construction and use, but there was an earlier period where RVs were first invented and used by the general public.

The first RV was brought into existence in 1910 and was the Pierce-Arrow’s, Touring Landau. It wasn’t the only one that appeared n 1910 but it was the first. Its design was simple with a single fold down backseat that turned into a bed.

A chamber pot was the toilet and the sink was folded down from its spot behind the driver. Who was connected to his passengers via a telephone. What helped spur the popularity of the RV at that time were the adventures of the Vagabonds, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and naturalist John Burroughs.

These men toured the country in annual camping trips that were thoroughly covered by the media of its time. Unfortunately, the Depression and World War 2 stopped the production of the first era of RVs and the second era had to wait till the right time before getting started.

The RVs of the 1950s

In the 1950s, automakers started producing the RV once again. This time they not only made independent trailers that was enjoying some popularity, they put an engine inside and let the RVs run the roads without any help.

Unfortunately throughout this decade, the RV was just an expensive toy for the rich to enjoy. That factor hindered the popularity of the new RVs until Winnebago came along in the late 60s and started to mass-produce the vehicle.

This now-famous company made 5 different models ranging from 16 to 27 feet long. But it had one difference from its pre World War 2 counterpart- it had refrigerators. That little change also changed the RV from a vacation vehicle to a home.

If you follow the changes made to RVs over the years you will see that their design simply followed the technology of its time. As technology improved so did the RV. They are no longer the tin can of the vacation set but a vehicle that doubles as a home no matter where one decides to stop for a night or longer.

What keeps the RV popular is that the reason people buy them a has never changed. People consider them their home and that helps them to feel comfortable when they go on vacation or live in one permanently

The newer models of RVs

The modern RV comes in 3 classes and for some reason, the designs do not follow the A, B, C categories designated to those groups of models. The Class A is the best and most luxurious but the Class C is better than the Class B.

The Class C length ranges between 20 and 40 feet,. has some amenities like the Class A but not as many. It will sleep the whole family while not breaking your budget or emptying your savings account.

The Class B is the one that looks like a van as it drives down the road. Its design is based on the full-sized van and provides the driver with lots of maneuverability. It doesn’t have the same amount of amenities as the other two classes but it has enough to remain comfortable

The Class A is the king of RVs and comes with a price tag reflecting that status. Its low-end cost is around $60,000 and its upper end reaches about $1,000,000. The price will be determined by the amenities included.

The Class A is luxury all the way with captain’s chairs, full bathrooms with showers, 5 slide outs, as well as a master bedroom with a queen-size bed. This Class of RV takes vacationing to a whole new level.

The Joy of RVing

If it wasn’t fun and a great way to spend a vacation, the RV would have died out when the Depression and the War hit, never to be seen again. There is a lot of benefits you get from using an RV for vacation, a second home or even your new primary residence.

Here are some of those joys of RVing:

#1. Freedom- you get to go where you want when you want. The RV doesn’t tie you down to a brick and mortar stationary location. You can move when you want

#2. See the country- tours are okay but using an RV lets you go where tours and the crowds are not. You see the country like it should be seen plus you can take all the photos that you want

#3. Relaxing- once you find a great place to camp, you can go outside build a nice campfire and look at the beauty of the night sky. That option removes a lot of stress

#4. Less worry- even in peak travel season you do not have to worry about overcrowded hotels and motels. You always have a place to sleep and that should relax your mind some.

#5. Comfort- your home away from home has all the amenities your home has to offer. Bathroom, kitchen, satellite dishes if you want and more. These items are just compressed into a smaller space.

Some final words

Even though the first RVs were about as stable, sturdy and basic as the old covered wagons, those early models do not hold a candle to the modern renditions. Technology has seen to that by making sure the modern covered wagon has everything you need along for the ride.