Too Old??

Hi, Depends what you call too old. we have a Jayco campervan, and still enjoy it . now 72 and wife is 67. we had a Campamatic camper trailer before this when I was 63, and loved that as well.
hope to be still going for a long time yet.
Cheers Des Fuller

Hi Kerry,
You are never to old for a camper trailer :)
And I'm not going to ask how old you are, that would be just rude ;)

Depends on what kinda setup your after.
Some are time consuming, but are great when up. Others are easy quick basic and light.
Have you got an idea of what your after?
If not, take a walk around a few caravan parks and the like ask people about their set up, also visit some expo's that may be happening in your area.
There are as many different configurations as there are different cars on the road.
Good luck with it and happy & safe travels.
Cheers.

"Seniors"???

Not sure whether to be insulted or not..... You might be referring to my age group or 20 years older.

Nowadays there are people in there early 50s going in to retirement villages, while people in their 80s do the Great Vic Bike Ride [currently underway] or skydive, sea kayak, hike.....

Forget about age.... What are you actually capable of? Give it a try.

Thanks for encouragement. We're 60 and 65 and I'd like a trailer camper and not a caravan. Hubby says nobody around this age is seen in this type of camper.

G'day Kerry, this "too old" thing depends on your state of mind, your mobilty & health, & your sense of adventure. One cant deny there is a physical side to a
Camper trailer, but if shared, the effort is more one of co-ordination than sheer
strength. But if you have no desire or inclination to "set up a camp' maybe you need
a caravan instead. We are currently planning what may be our last Camper Trailer
holiday & will go right across the country & back in 6 weeks..about half on outback
dirt roads & half on tar. It will be our last trip, not because we are too old (mid 60"s)
but because we have done all the stuff that we cant do with a caravan. We plan to
get a small van & continue travelling at a reduced pace. We dont see many our age
in tent type C/t"s..most go for the big 20' + van, but we dont see them in the must
see places we camp either. cheers....oldbaz.

Well, at some stage in your life the stuff you need to do to set up a camper becomes more difficult than it used to be. That's not TOO old..... but it gets less comfortable.

Hi Kerry,

"Too old" is a state of mind in my book. When it comes to camping regardless of how you travel, its a question of what you want to see and where you want to go.

We sleep in our vehicle and have a minimal tent for privacy more than anything else. But we can get into places you certainly cant go with a caravan, and every time we feel envious of those with the comforts of a caravan we think of the out of the way places we have not yet been and the things we have not yet done. And all the wonderful bush camps we have where caravans cant go. We are 66/70 with the usual creaks, sqeaks and ..eaks that come with maturity. But we always feel happier and healthier when we are out travelling. There are many others our age doing similar things too.

Have a look (better still get your husband to have a look) at our vehicle set up (its pretty venerable too!) and our blogs and you will see what I'm talking about.

Cheers,

Val.

Hi KerryB

I'm 64 and the Cook is a Cougar at 66 and we love getting away.

Ok we don't rough it, and neither would you in a Camper Trailer.

We are young at heart and will try any thing once, even if it takes extra time to recover from it.

I suggest you hire a Camper Trailer for a couple of days or so and see if like the life style.

That way the only commitment you have made is the hire fee.

I know you will enjoy the experience, and then you will start looking around at different types to purchase.

My neighbour has a caravan and a camper trailer and enjoys them both.

Go for it, lifes to short.

Cheers

Hi KerryB,

I currently have a Jayco camper trailer, I find it good as it offers more comfort
than a camper trailer having a table and kitchen fridge etc there all the time setup ready to use once you pop the roof.

I find that if you go away with others with camper trailers tents etc that when the weather turns bad we usually all end up in mine sitting round the table.

I must admit though these days getting a bit tired of setting it up when moving daily so now looking at a Kimberly Karavan or similar with push button setup.

Cheers
LeighW

We don't stop playing because we grow old,




We grow old because we stop playing


:)

Thanks to you all for all of your thoughts about my issue. You have been a great help.
Happy travels to you all.

Kindest regards

If it is becomes too difficult for two people to set up a camper then it's time to consider a caravan.
In my opinion, it's not worth the risk of injury if it's become an effort to erect a camper trailer set-up, it may be time to change over to a caravan
If that's the time for you, consider how small a caravan you can live with as this will influence the size vehicle needed to tow the 'van.

Hope this helps,

Disco
(who tows a 16ft van)

Kerry.
Best you have a look at 'caravaning and RV in Australia' Lionel Mussel is 80 and still travelling but is doing it much easier than a trailer. Eric

Aye Kerry, give him the flick, and come with me :-))))))))

Good onya luv. Sounds like he needs a bit of a nudge. LOL

Fred.

Kerry B, Keep at your hubby, like so many have said, you are only as old as you feel. Hubby and I have a tent to travel out in the deserts and doing the trips that in time we won't be able to do, last year we went to the Birdsville Races via the Simpson Desert in our tent. LOL We also have a caravan which we use for holidays on the black top when we're not planning off road travel. We are in our mid to late 60s and may I say no where near as old as some we've met on our travels. Go for it girl, now is the time to get out and enjoy yourselves. Good luck and I hope this thread spurs your Hubby on.

Cheers

D

Hi Kerry
You have lots of great replies.
If the thought of a camper trailer and all that canvas is a problem....Take a look at A'Liners. I have no connection with agents or whatever Just love the setup.
Whatever get something and get out there good luck
Brian WA

Hi Kerry

An inspirational moment was when on our first trip away with the Bushtracker (purchased for the easy life), we went into a caravan parts shop. There was a couple in their eighties. They had just sold their caravan as it was getting a bit much for them to manage :( There they were; buying a tent and camp stretchers - no stopping them :)

Your hubby sounds a bit like mine. However when we do get away, he is so much more relaxed and enjoys the travel. A caravan is easier - no setting up at all.

As said, old is just a state of mind. Good luck with dragging him out camping again.

Motherhen

Your only a spring chicken, my mums just turned 74 and still does the city to surf (fast walks most of it now instead of running) would leave me for dead for fitness, come to think of it probably health to, still helps my sister pushing wheel barrow loads of soil and stuff up her driveway (new house) Enjoy yourself and as others have said, when you start to struggle then its time to think of a change...........Enjoy

Age is merely a statistic that seemingly we all need to have, being old is a state of mind...just go for it!

Cheers,

I second the suggestion to hire one and try it.

Hiring a camper will give you a good idea of whether you like it, how you handle the challenges etc.

Before buying my camper, I hired two different styles of campers and did some serious trips in them. Put a camper up and down every night for a week and you quickly learn what you like and dislike!

If you are concerned at needing a lot of 'stuff' to do this, some of the camper hirers can also provide the important bits of gear, like a portable fridge. Peter and Catherine at Independent Trailers set their hire TVans up with a folding table, cookware, plates and cups etc even a portable light and dishwashing detergent! The only thing we needed were our favourite camping chairs, bedding, clothes, food and wine. We already had our own fridge to take. If your chosen hirer can't provide gear, you can probably borrow enough from family and friends for a few nights away.

Have a go. Then decide how how much luxury suits you.

ok lets scrap the age thing and look at the "camper" ....... i really would go and hire one for a long trip, not a short one but a decent one and see what you think, personally i hate them but that is me, i also will make a point of "noting" i have seen many a camper trailer n car parked outside of motel rooms in places that had many surrounding areas that would have suited a camper well, i also can back this up with a few comments that Al & Serina said about them and trust me they ran the roadhouse in the best spot for any camper trailer and heaps of people pulled up with expensive camper trailers and all they wanted was a decent room, really it is still just a tent, some have hard floors and hard covers ect but the ultimate camper trailer is a good caravan .... yes i have owned one and i am just a tad over 21 years old so it is not an age thing hahahah .......

I was chatting to a lady at a free camp near Casino last week.
She was driving a camper van (not a trailer) and it was her second one. She had done 70k in this and 100k in the previous one.
Been widowed for 20 years and didn't want to stop travelling - she was 82 and travelling alone!

As others have said - it is entirely up to you - mentally and physically.

IAN

That's a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing :-)

If you can walk then you are not too old to go bush in a campertrailer. I am 67 and my wife is 68 - we purchased a 4WD last year and a Tvan off-road campertailer in October to go to some of the out of the way places early next year. We are of course taking precuaitions as appropriate to our age and state of health - one of which is a sat phone - but we will not be held back from going to locations (apart from wild night clubs) frequented by much young people. Liive and live well now - you are dead a long time.