Average Nights Per Year?

Ben

Ben

Ranger
Donating Member
My wife and I bought Tipitina (#904, 550 Ultra) and took possession at the beginning of August 2017. In the first year we spent 37 nights in her. Resetting the clock for August 2018, we've got another 7 nights so far for the second year. I'm a little worried though as I only have a few trips on the horizon (4-5 days).

I'm curious for those who are not full timers how many nights camping is about average? It's sure easier to get away now that we're empty nesters.
 
Handben said:
I'm curious for those who are not full timers how many nights camping is about average? It's sure easier to get away now that we're empty nesters.
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In our third year we’re averaging about 11 nights/year. We wish it were more but I think the number will increase when we work less/retire. Our vacation time also gets used for non-campinn trips.

Cheers,
-Ken
 
It looks like our TD has been occupied on average about 13 nights / year/ during the 5 years we've had it. Now that I have recently totally retired, I hope to up that a bit.
Kris has continued on in her 2nd career as the part time music director at church, which she also held during most of her full time career as a RN. With two choirs, and music for all the services, that tends to tie up most of her weekends. I've been trying to get her to find a replacement, but I guess we all deserve to do what we love most in our retirements, so we've tried doing more mid-week outings to accommodate that, but I may be doing more solo trips to fill my camping needs as time goes on.:(
 
Handben said:
My wife and I bought Tipitina (#904, 550 Ultra) and took possession at the beginning of August 2017. In the first year we spent 37 nights in her. Resetting the clock for August 2018, we've got another 7 nights so far for the second year. I'm a little worried though as I only have a few trips on the horizon (4-5 days).

I'm curious for those who are not full timers how many nights camping is about average? It's sure easier to get away now that we're empty nesters.
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We've AVERAGED 31, but it has varied quite a bit over the last 9 years. At $100 a night for a hotel vs say, $30 for a campground, we've saved over $8,600 by camping, not even including the savings in meals.

But that's all beside the point - the camping experience is the reason we're all here !
 
The Short Short Trailer said:
Wow, that's great! Any tips on how to get out more? Do you do many 1-nighters (i.e. weekend w/ no PTO)?

Thanks,
--Ken
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A big reason is that I'm self-employed and Peggy works (worked) part time. We can both do some work remotely, too. We will usually do a big trip during the summer, and long weekends in spring and fall based on the weather. This weekend was a possibility, but rain and heat in the forecast kept us cowering in the a/c ;)
 
Ken & Peggy said:
A big reason is that I'm self-employed and Peggy works (worked) part time. We can both do some work remotely, too. We will usually do a big trip during the summer, and long weekends in spring and fall based on the weather. This weekend was a possibility, but rain and heat in the forecast kept us cowering in the a/c ;)
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It looks like you need to make a tour of the Southeast - One long trip and you could fill in a lot of what's left of the void in the map.
 
Yeah, it might need to be EARLY spring or LATE fall for us. We just talked about this as we were posting the updated map.
 
Ken & Peggy said:
Yeah, it might need to be EARLY spring or LATE fall for us. We just talked about this as we were posting the updated map.
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I'm somewhat lucky in Maryland that our camping season can go all the way into December. If I can get a site with electric, I can stay toasty however I draw the line when it comes to the roads being salted. I just worry that it will get way up into the underbelly of the trailer and I don't have a good way to rinse it out. January and February are mostly a no-go for this reason. What do Northerner's do about this (keep the trailer in storage or just rinse it well when you bring it back in)?
 
Sue and I are not full timers. We limit our camping to May till usually September. Over the past ten years we have averaged 25 nights a season. Some years when we do a long haul out West we do more, other years a little less. Depends on what we have time for, Sue is still working full time while I am retired. Once Sue retires we hope to travel across the states more.
 
I'm realizing that the fact that I am renting a garage for $150/month has the psychological effect of making me want to spend more weekends out in oder to get my "money's worth". Oddly, spending the $150 per month has me feeling like I should buy a house with a garage - logically I know though that this will at least double my mortgage payments. It's funny how spending money on different things can have this effect.
 
I'm realizing that the fact that I am renting a garage for $150/month has the psychological effect of phen375 making me want to spend more weekends out in oder to get my "money's worth". Oddly, spending the $150 per month has me feeling like I should buy a house with a garage - logically I know though that this will at least double my mortgage payments. It's funny how spending money on different things can have this effect.
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In the course of recent years we have arrived at the midpoint of 25 evenings a season. A few years when we complete a whole deal out West we accomplish increasingly, different years somewhat less.
 
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Tom Sutor said:
Since picking up the 550 Ultra last October, 2017, in Wisconson I have spent 100 nights camping out.
Tom
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That is a lot in less than a year! How did you rack up so many? (several long trips vs every weekend?)
 
For us, about 25 a year although the first two years we got in a lot with our 2 cross country trips. Getting our daughter off to school last year cut us down. Have a few more trips planned over the next couple of months. We may look at some November and December camping this year. If we do December, it will be a Florida leg.
 
Warren Mary Ellen said:
For us, about 25 a year although the first two years we got in a lot with our 2 cross country trips. Getting our daughter off to school last year cut us down. Have a few more trips planned over the next couple of months. We may look at some November and December camping this year. If we do December, it will be a Florida leg.
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Stay safe this weekend and from your map it looks like you need to visit New England! Come visit.
 
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