Over the Next Hill: An Ethnography of RVing Seniors in North America, Second Edition

By Dorothy Ayers Counts, David R. Counts, David Reese Counts

Book Overview

Living either full or part time in a recreational vehicle has been an alternative lifestyle in North America since the 1920s. By the 1930s, Wally Byam's Airstream company could not keep up with the demand for his self-contained "house trailers." And today, "RVing" has become so widespread that, for perhaps two million retired North Americans, home is a recreational vehicle. In this book, anthropologists Dorothy and David Counts tell the story of their research living the life of RVing seniors in trailer parks, "boondocking" sites on government land, laundromats, and other meeting places across the continent.

The authors convincingly convey the feel of various RV lifestyles (boondocking, full timing, flea marketing and so on). But they also raise broad questions. Are there parallels to be made between the RVers of North America and the gypsies of Europe? Is there an association between RVing and socio-economic status? Why would people sell their homes and live on the road as nomads? The answers come from RVers who argue persuasively that they experience a greater sense of community and fewer of the emotional problems common to old age than do many who have chosen other forms of retirement living.

This edition expands the original 1996 text, including an extended section on working RVers and on the CARE center (Continued Assistance for Retired Escapees) in Livingston, TX. The CARE center is a unique and innovative experiment that provides inexpensive assisted living and adult daycare for RVers who must hang up their keys because of age or infirmity, but who want to continue their participation in the RVing community.

A new appendix (Appendix 5) offers information, resources and suggestions for people who want to try serious RVing but need help getting started. The authors include a list of websites providing resources and information for both experienced and novice RVers. The list includes sources for RVing families, single RVers, those interested in a particular kind of RVing style ("boondockers," for example), people who want to rent an RV, organizations for RVers with special interests (former military, Canadians, etc.). There is updated information on Canadian provincial residence rules defining eligibility for provincial medical care programs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1551114232
• ISBN13: 9781551114231
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Broadview Press Inc
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Rving Seniors

I finally understand why I want to be an RVer! The book was informative and the subject matter was thoroughly investigated. I'm passing the book around to my children so they will understand why their crazy Mom wants to hit the road as a Senior RVer.

A Scholarly Approach to RV's AND to Retirement

As a newcomer to the world of RV's I found this book both interesting and disquieting. Many of my intial observations as I moved through RV parks in the West last fall were confirmed. Others were better understood. But better yet, for a retired engineer, they were quantified. How do I compare to others in age, money, marital status? Are my thoughts as I select a park similar to others? How many people travel with dog and/or cats? How much does it cost?It also helps me understand what motivates people who stay at Quartzite or the Slabs. (Cultural/societal phenomenons that are hard to believe.) It draws clearer pictures of the aging couples I see and what brought them to where they are. It also shows where they're going in their life. It describes "trailer trash" in loving terms.In other words, its a study of retirement and eventually death. Its uniqueness is that it focus on RVers, specifically the fulltimers.The scholarly style may put some readers off but in my opinion, if you are thinking of selling the farm and fulltiming, you need this book before you buy that 40 foot motorhome. Or if you just want to head south in the winter, or camp by the lake near home you should have this book to understand the people around you. And even if you don't plan to have an RV ever, this will tell you about retired life, maybe more than you realy want to know.