RVs Then and Now

Didja ever wonder why folks always think that their choices in an RV are the end all and be all? I mean c'mon folks! The first RV travelers in this country as a major group were not driving Prevosts! They had trailers! Two or four horsepower, or in some cases "oxen powered," conestogas. They even had some of the amenities we have today. A water tank, an awning that doubled as the roof, and even a separate galley wagon in many cases. I can hear the campfire conversations now. "I gotta problem with a leak in my conestoga!" His buddy answers "I hadda leak once't, and ah cured it with some ol pine gum and some chawed tobaccky!" To which he replied "yeah! Hey ah'll give thet a try!."

They even visited Indian territories like we do today for the casinos. Of course they didn't have casinos back then. But they were gambling nevertheless, when you think about it, for REALLY high stakes! They rarely called ahead to see if there were "facilities" or hookups. Heck, they were happy to find a pond or stream, then they could take baths and drink! (Or was that drink and THEN take baths?) And when they crossed the mountains there was rarely anything beyond a few ruts to point the way over the passes. GPS? Yeah they had something like it. The sun told them the time, and the stars where they were. Try that today with the modern RVrs! Sextant? What's that? I'll bet that there were also lots of discussions over the torque advantages of the slower oxen over the horses, of course the horses were much faster and sleeker transport when unhitched. And then the torque discussions started. "Hey, whatcha got horses pullin yer wagon fer?" Don'tcha know that big Oxen have more pulling power, especially uphill?" (Dang greenhorn!) Going downhill must really have been an adventure back then too! Can you say "friction brakes by stick?"

Supplemental heating? Yup! When asked some might have said, "Hey, see thet purty gal yonder? Thet be mah wife! <wink>

They also had a bunch of competing wagon makers, and several ways to pull em. And all kinds of accessories too. "Ya want the canvas roof on thet there Conestoga? Or the new fangled oilskin?" Ya gonna need a 20 mule team ta haul alla thet stuff!" All the salesmen still all sound the same as the ones back then saying "sure, your horse can pull that wagon, an whatever load ya want!" Back then, they couldn't return to a dealer for "adjustments" like we do now either. But I'll bet, like today, each thought that their solution was the best, even to talking downhill braking, and best "blackwater" techniques. (Cat-hole latrine?? Are ya crazy man?) Wagons . . .HO!

Guess we gotta fill in as the new pioneers! But the horizons are still an adventure, no? Hey, how about those 200 digital satellite channels and Internet by cell phone or satellite? Ok, maybe not as much of an adventure, but still worth it. There are settlers and pioneers. The pioneers go out and holler back when it is safe, then the settlers come along. So what's up with that? Guess we are still pioneers! Now about those cat hole latrines . . . what's up with that? Chemical treatments? You bet! "Jest sprankle a bit o' this hyar lye over it, an no odors! I wonder what they would have thought if they could see even the smallest of our rigs today.