The Long Way Home

Cody McCrary

The careening Texas hill country sprawls widely in the distance and tall oak trees are
spread across the property. From the front windshield of the Tiffen Allegro motorhome
there is a view of the main road that dead ends near the entrance of Sunset Point RV
Resort. Dust and rocky fly up as cars careen down the narrow gravel road, often coming
to a halt at the large rock fixture labeled with warm yellows and orange letters welcoming
visitors. A right turn leads drivers into the RV park located on the banks on of Lake LBJ
in Marble, Falls Texas. The twisting asphalt road gives view to rows of recreational
vehicles lined up in near perfect uniformity. They are large and small, tan and black;
some are attached to the back of cars, while others have overhangs pulled out with
portable chairs sitting beneath. Each recreational vehicle sits in a concrete plot
surrounded by vibrant green grass. Back inside the front windshield of this Class A
motorhome sits a wooden sign with red trim made to resemble a miniature RV.

The Salitores, is hand-written in thick black lettering in the center of the RV.

The motorhome door swings open and Fred Salitore comes inside, allowing some of the
stale October air to seep in. His wife Lassie tells him to come sit down, her southern
drawl thick with excitement. Lassies gold cross earrings bob up and down as she sits at
the eating table. Her husband Fred, a former military pilot, sits across from her on the
light tan built-in couch. Freds blue eyes light up when he talks about his motorhome, his
gold wedding band gleams on his hand that gestures and points when he talks.

The Salitores have been the proud owners of recreational vehicles on and off for the past
30 years, almost as long as their 32-year marriage. They started out with a small
Winnebago and now currently own their fourth motorhome since 2006. The Salitores
current RV is 35 feet long, 8 feet wide and comes complete with a stainless steel
refrigerator and freezer, two televisions, and private bedroom. This house-on-wheels
provides the perfect setting for the Salitores to escape reality and explore the country.
They can see a different city everyday and still be at home.

Youre in your own bed every night, Lassie said. You know when you hit the road you
are going to have everything you need.

In 2006, the Salitores got serious about owning a recreational vehicle. Together they
have six kids, all from previous marriages, and with the children grown Fred and Lassie
had free time to discover a new hobby.

They did not know that their new pastime would turn into a lifestyle. Fred and Lassie
spend about 50 days out of the year traveling, attending seven or eight rallies around
Texas and the country. Their time spent exploring the United States by RV has taught the
Salitores the tricks and trades of life on the road.

Our route will always take us by a Walmart, very often we spend the night there, for
free, Lassie said. We feel pretty safe there, we have never had a problem.

We wake up in the morning and there will be eight or (so) other motorhomes around us,
Fred said.

The family-friendly store welcomes RVs. Walmart knows that motorhome owners will
shop in their store, so in return they offer a rest stop for travelers.

The Salitores, like most motor vehicle owners, are members of the Family Motor Coach
Association. FMCA is an international organization that brings recreation vehicle owners
together. Over 75,000 people are members and many are apart of specific chapters around
the country. Chapters help unite members with common interests and bring them together
for leisure and travel at rallies across the country. On Oct. 1, 2015 the Salitores spent the
weekend in Marble Falls, with about 60 friends in one of their FMCA rally groups, the
Bluebonnet Travelers.

RVs offer an experience for cross-country travel that allows people to witness parts of the
country they might not otherwise see. Flying in a plane does not allow for driving down
back roads, taking the scenic route, or eating at the local barbecue joint in Llano, Texas.
For centuries, like-minded journeys spent traversing the land helped lead to the discovery
and modernization of the United States. With the help of Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark
explored and settled unknown or unpopulated lands. In the 1800s, travels across the
Oregon Trail helped forge a path to a better life. Today, dedicated RV patrons hope for a
similar experience. They desire to see the world around them, experience different
cultures, and gain a little perspective. They are the nomads of the 21st century.

We have the opportunity to see some of this great country of ours. It gives us a (chance)
to visit a lot of the United States and have our own home with us, Fred said.

Owning a motorhome exposes Fred and Lassie to the wide world around them. It takes
them to New Mexico and Colorado and shows them the desert and the mountains. It also
brings them some of their greatest friends.

When everyone gets together you just enjoy the fellowship or the friendship, Fred said.

No matter the activity that is planned, it is the time spent with friends in a new part of the
country that means the most to the Salitores.

(One of my favorite memories) from a rally was when we had a blind wine tasting.
Everyone brought their own wine and we rated them like we knew what we were doing,
Lassie said.

The Salitores account for just one small part of the RV industries continued success.

In 2014, the RV industry was worth around $15 billion dollars a year and has been on a
steady incline since the first production of RVs in 1910.

Several factors paved the way for the growth of the recreational vehicle, according to
gorving.com, a website that created a timeline of RV history in America. Improved road
construction, the increased availability of automobiles and a desire for exploration led to
the popularity of the sport in the United States.

According to Kevin Broom, the director of media relations for the Recreational Vehicle
Industry Association, major national and even worldwide events have shaped the growth
of recreational vehicles in the United States. The sales of motorhomes have mirrored
what is happening financially for Americans. During 2009, when the United States was
experiencing a brutal recession, only 165,700 units were sold, according to RVIA. The
next year, as the country was finally back on its feet, over 230,000 units sold.

(RVs) really started to take off after World War II. They have had a relatively steady
growth year over year, with fluctuations depending on the economy. Broom said.

The RVIA documents the amount of recreational vehicles sold at the end of each year
dating back to 2007. In the first nine months of 2015, sales were up five percent from the
previous year and 285,049 units of recreational vehicles had already been sold.

The enduring popularity of the RV lifestyle, that Broom attributes to the business
success centers on one group in particular. The highest demographic of RV owners are
those between the ages of 35-54, with the average age being 48.

(Owners) are mostly people that have the freedom to get out, and time equals money,
Fred said.

Taking family outings in the RV can be pricey, but joining RV clubs and attending rallies
can really start to add up.

Fred and Lassie pay $24 annually to be apart of each of their two RV clubs. The Salitores
also pay a rally registration fee and have to pay the RV park they are staying at. To stay at
Sunset Point RV Park, they are paying $48 a night. The Salitores also have to pay for gas,
which usually costs them between $240-250 to fill up their 100-gallon tank.

You have to be able to have some expendable money to enjoy those things, Lassie said.

They are enjoying their time spent seeing different parts of the country. For the Salitores,
it is time and money well spent. Especially when they are sharing these memories with
friends who enjoy it just as much.

The midday October sunshine fills the room with light and the aroma of stale coffee filled
the air in the rally room as Fred and Lassie sat around a folding table. This was familiar
to them. The common gathering space known to RVers as a rally room was a place they
came together. This particular one at Sunset Point RV Resort in Marble Falls, Texas
looked out over the calm water of Lake LBJ. It is a place that experiences life as it
happens. Here, yawns are exchanged over sweet rolls and hamburgers are grilled on its

wooden outdoor patio. It boasts high ceilings and a small kitchen filled with dated
appliances. It is cozy, a place were laughter echoes and old friends talk late into the night.

Fred and Lassie light up as their friends enter the room.

Gary and Brenda Constantine, fellow Bluebonnet Travelers, gather around the table. The
Constantines have spent the last 11 years as RV patrons, but they have spent even longer
as spouses, 52 to be exact.

Brenda still remembers the first time she met Gary, a former avionics technician in the
Navy, with peppered black hair and a graying beard. He showed her a picture.

A laugh came off her soft pink lips as Brendas said, he has got the hood raised on his
66 Ford. He shows me the picture of this engine. I thought, I want to talk about dates or
whatever; I dont want to see these engines!

I made the fatal mistake that I thought what interested me might interest her, Gary said.

But all of these years later, Gary has found something that interests her.

Their 42-foot RV is more than just an expensive hobby. It is a constant adventure that
exposes them to the beauty found around the country, both in places and people.

(Last summer) we cut across South Dakota to get up to the Black Hills, where Mount
Rushmore is. We had our granddaughters with us, thats the cool thing. They were with us
for a month. They loved it, Gary said.

Although the Constantines call Granbury, Texas home, they feel comfortable on the road.
At one point, they even lived out of their RV full-time, for two years.

Its called being the affluent homeless. I dont know about the affluent part, but we were
homeless, Gary said.

Owning an RV has also allowed them to meet friends like Fred and Lassie. The couples
talked about their recent RV travels for 50 minutes. They do not want to leave a thing out.
They agree that spending the summer in Colorado is a welcome change of climate for
native Texans and want each either to also experience their favorite places in the country.

I love that Wolf Creek Run, Lassie said.

That one in Colorado you kept telling me about? Brenda asked.

Its pricey, its something like $58 a night, Lassie said.

But that would be fun for a couple nights, Brenda said. One of my very favorite stays,
we were there three months, it was in Tucson, Arizona. The name was Agave Gulch.

The couples have spent their retired years traversing the country, but they all agree that
aside from living life one destination to the next, it is the people who help make so
memorable.

Here is the great thing about RVing, you get to meet people like these two right here,
Greg said looking across the table at Fred and Lassie.

The midday sunlight reflects off the outside of Fred and Lassies Class A motor home.
The colors on the outside of the RV swoosh towards the front of the vehicle, the lines,
chocolate brown, tan and white layered on top of one another. Shining metal rims
surround large black tires and the front door opens to reveal an interior filled with beige,
deep browns and wood. From the drivers seat one can see as far as the eye will let them.
A large window encompasses the front of the RV. A couch is nestled on the left while
across from it sat a built in dining table surrounded by another couch. In the eye line
straight back from the drivers seat, a television is built into the wall. White counter tops
donned above wooden cabinetry form a kitchen space. A black coffee maker sits on top of
the counter and matches the black microwave above it. The stainless steel fridge keeps
the food fresh that Fred and Lassie stock up on for their trips. A narrow hallway leads
back to the living quarters and on the right is a small bathroom with a stand-up shower
and toilet, leaving just enough room for one person. Crossing the next threshold at the tail

end of the 42-feet leads into the bedroom. A king size bed with a floral bedspread of tan
and gray flowers scattered across fits seamlessly into the built in wooden cabinets
surrounding it. This RV is the place that Fred and Lassie call their home away from
home.

From 2009 to 2012, the Salitores called an RV their only home. They owned a 45-foot
Class A motorhome, complete with a fireplace and washer and dryer, and lived in a small
RV park in Azle, Texas.

This came with several advantages. The Salitores were not paying any property tax, or
mortgage and they were also just paying a small, set amount of money to use the RV
parks electricity, facilities and water.

The Salitores motor home can be self-sufficient, or not hooked up at an RV park, for
about a week without any additional power or supplies. An on-board generator on board
allows them to run the air and heater. Their RV also contains septic tanks that house the
black water and a grey water tank that takes care of shower and dishwashing water. The
only limitation is replenishing their fresh water source. Fred and Lassies 35-foot RV can
hold 100 gallons of fresh water, but between showers, cooking and using the restroom,
the supply does not last very long.

In 2015, not all recreational vehicles are the size and design of the Salitores. Not even all
are considered motorhomes.

A towable RV is the perfect fit for a family who still wants to experience nature but have
the added value of a towing a small home space. But motorhomes make the living space
available from the drivers area in one convenient unit.

Towable RVs can be broken down into six different subcategories according to the
Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. A folding camping trailer, commonly known
as a pop-up runs from between $5,000 to $22,000 and is described by RVIA as a fresh
air experience with RV comfort. For around $30,000 one could purchase a new
expandable travel trailer. The travel trailer provides light-end towing and extends to
provide room for sleeping.

Motorhomes have three distinct classifications, class A, B and C. Class A motorhomes are
typically the most luxurious options available and at the highest end can cost up to
$500,000. A Class C is a smaller version of the Class A, while the Class B is known as a
family camper van. Driving a class B is similar to driving a family minivan and they
typically sleep up to four people.

In his 1962 book, famed American author John Steinbeck wrote the book Travels with
Charley. Steinbeck, who made his living writing about life in different parts of the United
States, yearned to immerse himself in the country that helped bring his writing to life.
Steinbeck did so, traveling in a truck camper with his poodle Charley.

I was born lost and take no pleasure being found, Steinbeck wrote.

The rallies around the country the Salitores attend and the lengths they take to get there
allow for a similar experience.

In their motorhome, the Salitores spent six days in late September attending a rally in the
rustic town of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Settling in at Santa Fe Skies RV Park, Fred and Lassie looked at the schedule of the
week. They would spend Sunday-Friday with members of the WesTex Travelers,
exploring the heritage of the town and enjoying the company of old friends.

Most days are accompanied by a happy hour at 5 p.m. and there is always time for startyour-day-coffee and good conversation in the rally room. Reminders to wear your
nametag are typed between locations for dinner and departure times for local art
museums.

On Tuesday, at a to be determined time the men will go golfing while the women explore
a surrounding town called Madrid. Fred doesnt golf so he often accompanies Lassie on
her daily activity, or maybe he will kill some time cleaning and inspecting the RV.

At nights around 7 p.m. there are designated fun activities. They might play poker or
possibly they will watch the Robin Williams portrayal of an RV owner and laugh at the

similarities and mistakes. More likely, they will talk and joke until the conversation
dwindles and sleepiness hits.

The traveling group will make time for a business meeting on Wednesday and inevitably
things will go off schedule as some exciting tourist attraction is discovered during one of
the free days.

The WesTex Travelers are reminded to get a taste for the town by a recommendation to
try (the) green chili cheeseburger at a local spot. Each night for dinner the menu is
dominated by local cuisine and activities are offered that please the different
personalities.

No matter which city they are traveling to, the purpose always remains the same. RV
travelers want to see new things and experience different cultures and they want to share
that with the people they have come to love.

The schedule reminds them to remain on happy trails until they meet again.

The desire to get out and see the world is what brings RV patrons together. But it is the
people that the Salitores share their journeys with that make it more than a hobby.

These are people, I would never meet if it wasnt for the fact that we RV, Lassie said.
I would say 99 percent, maybe even 100, everybody is so over the top nice. It is just this
kind of people.

We do it for two reasons, it gives you the opportunity to travel and see part of our
country that maybe you have never seen before. Secondly, you meet and make friends,
Fred said.