Why you would not attend an RTR

[flying kurbmaster]

I am no where near Quartzsite so that is the main reason. I would never travel very far to attend, if I was close by I would likely drive in to have a look out of curiosity not sure I would stay but I would have a look. At one time many years ago I thought it would be a nice gathering, I don’t think that today I think it is over exposed, it looks like a Walmart parking lot without the benefits of a flush toilet. I don’t think you could learn much more then you could on YouTube with so much information available and so many people cashing in on sharing knowledge.  I guess people who like large gatherings, have made friends from other gatherings or have little knowledge about van builds and like a lot of scattered energy would find it educational and fun. It would make me very uncomfortable to be amongst all that. I am pretty sure it would make me feel disconnected. Of course I have never been only making judgements on my own reactions to crowds and similar festival like events.

 

[wayne49]

Too many people. Too much activity. My limitations.
Carry on.

 

[lenny flank]

What's RTR....?

:angel:

 

[ckelly78z]

I think the idea is to camp close by, and attend what you want, and be as social as you want, never having to leave you campsite if you so desire.

This doesn't make much sense to me why you would enter the fray by attending, if you had no intention of taking advantage of the learning opportunities on hand.

You can make it as much, or as little as you choose, your call !

 

[B and C]

I guess if I didn't want to make new friends, maybe learn something or was a hermit. Then I would probably not go or grow.

 

[maki2]

The shear volume of the number of people at the RTR will greatly increase the risk of catching things such as the flu or even the common cold virus. Especially when you consider the limited options for things such as hand washing. When you get to be older catching a cold or flu becomes much riskier for your health.

So I sensibly need to pass on al RTR types of large gatherings held at primitive sights, especially in the active flu and cold season because for me even a very mild cold immediately turns into severe bronchitis.

Right now Arizona is reporting widespread flu. The largest number of cases are in the younger adult populations, not in the senior populations. Maybe that has to do with seniors realizing they need to get the flu shots but more likely it has to do with younger adults being more active socially and holding down jobs where they are around a lot more people.

 

[B and C]

Younger adults have young children that go to school where it is a germ farm. I've been to three RTR's and didn't get sick. YMMV

 

[MrNoodly]

The shear volume of the number of people at the RTR will greatly increase the risk of catching things such as the flu or even the common cold virus.

We hermits, recluses, loners and whatnot catch far fewer communicable diseases because we have contact with far fewer people. So you can bring a bunch of together with very low risk of spreading illnesses — because we don't carry them. I've had the flu only once in five years on the road, and I didn't catch it at RTR.

 

[XERTYX]

I've had the flu twice in my life. Once doing restaurant work working with the general public. The second time being advised a flu shot was a good safeguard after a major surgery. I'll never have another flu shot until such time as the flu comes with the craving to eat live human brains. Just saying. The immune system works best when actively put into practical usage on a regular basis. Just my opinion. Ruby red grapefruit juice when feeling poorly in my experience is all the fuel mine needs to stave off all but the galloping bubonic plague.

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

Kurbmaster said, "At one time many years ago I thought it would be a nice gathering..."

I too would like to get into a time machine and go back a few years, when the original RTR people were unconventional individualists who 'marched to the tune of a different drummer..."

But now, the RTR is becoming a better fit for sheep and imitation. I suppose all the RV organizations that become mass-market go through the same various stages of evolution. Imagine the Escapees in, what?, 1970 or so?

Hopefully small groups will splinter off of the RTR mass-market and people will re-discover individuality and true adventure.

 

[WanderingRose]

I would like to see it, what it is like, and all the rigs, but it’s too far for me, for one thing, and so many people is a negative.

I’m rarely ill, so it’s not that, it’s the numbers.

I also don’t really like the desert, but instead trees, green things, bodies of water. 

I would like to do a gathering of some sort, but don’t know that RTR would ever be it.

 

[Riverman]

I simply can't do 2500 miles one way.

 

[frater secessus]

...why you would enter the fray by attending, if you had no intention of taking advantage of the learning opportunities...

There are different forms of learning at the RTR:

• newbie stuff at the seminars 
• fellowship and discussion with experienced 'dwellers/boondockers
• fawning over youtube "celebs"

I go for the second type.

 

[wanderin.pat]

Why I choose to NOT attend

The first (and last) year I attended was 2017.  The attendance had gone from around 100 to around 700 that year.  

The next year, 2018, there was somewhere near 2 or 3 thousand.  I drove by one day (camped near by) and turned around and hauled booty.  

This year, who knows?  I live on the road because I'm a fringe dweller, a misfit, an outsider.  Crowds of people and the drama that inevitably follows have a negative effect on my state of mind. 

As far as learning new things: First day in 2017, Bob told the first meeting:  (paraphrase)  "if you read the articles on the forum, nothing new will be presented".  That turned out to be LARGELY true. 

Meeting people:  I meet people everywhere I go.  Many of them have been boondocking/van-dwelling longer than many of the people on the forum.   
The nice/cool/interesting people I met at the RTR were offset by the drama that I felt was occurring.  Example: the broohaha generated by the discussion of music vs no music.  The INEVITABLE and constant discussion on here, other forums, and YouTube regarding that issue.  It was like being forced to watch a news show on TV!  Yuk. 

OTOH... 

what I DID feel was worth it (in 2017) was seeing all of the creativity displayed in different peoples rigs , and/or the creative solutions  in how they managed to live in "the same old stuff". 
  
.. Stan's tractor extended/livable rig ... Stan is a CDL driver
... A restored ambulance done by a man named Ian... it was super-cool.  
There were many others, but those 2 still stick out in my mind. 


My $0.02 (Go , or don't Go.. there is no try)

Regards,

WP

 

[ProfessorChaos]

I don't go because I have to work and can't get the time off.

 

[MotorVation]

I was planning on going but I had to spend 1k of what I have saved towards "life happens" crap. I have to be back here in Florida next summer to take care of a few things so it doesn't make much sense to spend 700-1000 on gas only to turn around and head back here. I was going to to that (and looking forward to it) before I had to spend that cash but now it would leave me with less money than I feel comfortable traveling with.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that out of the 999 ways to mount solar panels on my van, I can't decide which way I want to do it so the panels are here sitting on the screen porch. :-/ I held off on buying the batteries so that when I do, they'll be fresh.

 

[cyndi]

I go to see friends, who I met an the original winter RTR and are now family. And to see friends that I met at subsequent RTRs, that are now family. And to meet new friends, that no doubt will become family.
I'm
an introvert. I have no desire to camp with 7000 strangers. But,
I've never
regretted attending the RTR

 

[highdesertranger]

with all this predetermined negativity I would stay away too. what's is it called when people are afraid of trying something new or out of their comfort zone.

highdesertranger

 

[Seminole Wind]

i agree, the rtr is not for everyone, vandwelling and/or a nomadic life is not for everyone. what always gets me it that people that dont want to do it feel the need to spread such negativity. it is not like is anyone saying the rtr is a mush for everyone and such. all the info is out there, i wish people could just make up their mind to either participate and be happy or not participate and be happy.

i know i had a great time last year, sure there were lots of people out there but it was not like lots of people in a mall or in traffic. i also know i am going to have a great time this year. it is something different from my norm, nice to mix it up.

 

[bullfrog]

So that mean you are gonna be first in line for the shock collar pictures? I would much rather catch some rays with an odd ball than be a Moriarty with negative waves! LOL!!!