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How Most RVers Do It – Camping for the Rest of Us

Published on March 9th, 2023 by Patrick Buchanan
This post was updated on October 11th, 2023

Not everyone is a full-time RVer with a 40-foot RV. Most RVers are weekend warriors.

If you aren’t careful, you can wade into the RV Hobby thinking that everyone is a full time RVer, has a 40-foot or larger 5th wheel or motorhome, and 50,000 followers or more on YouTube. With the average price of a travel trailer (the most popular RV sold) running around $24,000, we all tend to forget that most RVers are not full time, do not have huge RVs, and if they are documenting their journeys, do not have tens of thousands of followers.

Chuck and Cherie are weekend warriors like most RVers (Image: @enroutewithchuckandcherie)
Chuck and Cherie are weekend warriors like most RVers (Image: @enroutewithchuckandcherie)

Most RVers are Weekend Warriors

It’s easy to have our perspective skewed as we read blogs, watch YouTube, and troll Social Media. Not enough attention is paid to the weekend warriors, the regular RVers who really fuel the RV industry. It’s no surprise that we don’t often see these folks, as they tend to be focused on having fun and enjoying the experience, the way most RVers do, rather than documenting that experience.

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Chuck and Cherie Harris are the epitome of “most RVers.” They are not full-time RVers. Their RV is a 12-foot Sunray 109 Sport by Sunset Park RV. While they do have a YouTube channel, it’s not filled with reviews for Harvest Hosts or catastrophic tales of drives through the Zion tunnel.

Instead, they show you the normal experiences that most RVers have, heading to campgrounds and state parks in surrounding areas, enjoying the local attractions…all within a reasonable drive from home.

From Tenting to Buying an RV

Like many, Chuck and Cherie’s camping experience began with the onset of COVID and the shutting down of everything else. Cherie was the more seasoned camper in the family, having done much of that while growing up. The youngest of their three children had just graduated, and it was time for the parents to flee the nest as well, albeit only on long weekends. Still working full-time, Cherie in the financial industry and Chuck as a hospital Coordinator, they really are weekend warriors…and proud of it.

Those early weekend camping trips started off like most RVers…in a tent. They soon discovered that the camping community was filled with some of the nicest people around. There were families and friends throughout the campground riding bikes, cooking, boating, fishing, and best of all lounging around a campfire. They booked another trip the next weekend and the hook was set, Chuck and Cherie were now campers.

Soon, Chuck was ready to graduate from the tent to something bigger, with walls. After contemplating a DIY RV project, the couple found the Sunray 109 they have now. To date, these real RVers have visited 6 states and 38 campgrounds totaling 70 trips in just the last 28 months. They treat each adventure like a mini vacation, and plan carefully to maximize their available time

Most RVers are like Chuck and Cherie
Most RVers are like Chuck and Cherie (Image: @enroutewithchuckandcherie)

The YouTube Channel; En Route with Chuck and Cherie

Starting the En Route with Chuck and Cherie YouTube Channel was never part of the original plan. But when you have a movie studio in your pocket, it’s tough not to want to document some of the fun. Having turned to YouTube to find great places to visit, Cherie joked about starting a channel. Chuck shrugged it off as nonsense. But Cherie just started recording. She used iMovie to put together a short video filled with pictures that they watched with the family. 

More trips meant more videos. Even before the channel was born, a strong repertoire of experiences existed. Their focus was on being themselves, having fun doing whatever was thrown at them. Doing things most RVers do.

Hiking, fishing, kayaking, exploring and cooking are the things that Chuck & Cherie enjoy most while camping. Like most RVers, they have their share of bickering too; we said they were real RVers, right?. They ultimately connected with other YouTubers, built relationships, and started planning trips together that quickly turned into outings. Along the way, more RVers continued to subscribe to their YouTube channel.

What’s Next?

Like most RVers when it comes to camping, what’s next revolves around work, and the weather. They recently partnered with Sunset Park RV, the makers of their beloved 12-foot camper. Now Chuck & Cherie are co-hosting a Sunset Park RV Owners Rally which will be held in Shipshewana, Indiana in August of 2023. The event is already booked, and they are excited for the events they have planned for those attending. 

Until then it will be status quo, doing fun stuff weekend warriors do – hiking, exploring, fishing, biking, cooking, eating…stuff most RVers do. You can keep up with these great folks on their YouTube channel, Instagram, and of course Facebook.

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