It’s October. The days are getting shorter (and colder). The leaves are barely hanging on, awaiting their cue with a good wind storm. The sun seems to have headed south with half our senior population. And something spooky is in the air…

In the true spirit of Halloween, I’d like to share my top 5 things that “scare” me most about RV-ing, especially this time of year.

#1) The Weather – No one’s better at throwing off travel plans than Mother Nature.  And this time of year, she’s so unpredictable. There’s nothing like a well-planned weekend ruined by a sudden snowstorm. One minute you’re marveling at the fall colors and then “poof”—overnight, you’re blanketed in six inches of slushy snow. So much for that nature hike.

#2) The Wind – Sometimes, I think we RV-ers deserve hazard pay. Especially when driving our big rigs on really windy days (and October has a lot of them.) It can be downright scary. Need an example? Try navigating your Class A across the Mighty Mackinac Bridge with a strong side wind. Talk about white knuckles.

#3) The Darkness – Shorter days mean less daytime driving. And if you’re like me, the daylight is much kinder to your aging eyes, especially when it comes to seeing the road and anything that may cross it suddenly. When fall comes, I log fewer miles per day, or simply camp closer to home.

#4) The Solitude – Don’t get me wrong…I love the scenic solitude when my wife and I have the RV to ourselves. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the extended family, who are busy with work, school and other fall activities in the fall. Sometimes, it just gets too quiet.

#5) Doing it all over again. For all the “scary” things that October can bring, I  wouldn’t change this  time of year for anything. Between the amazing fall colors and the uncrowded campgrounds, this is still my favorite time of year to be out and about. Thinking I couldn’t enjoy  the great outdoors would be the scariest thing of all.

Happy Camping,

Bob