09/09/10

RVing women have fun even on rainy days.
An estimated nine million Americans use RVs each year, and more than half are women. Nonetheless, eight years ago, while traveling across country by RV, Zoe Swanagon and Lovern King rarely saw other women on the road by themselves. "I think part of the reason is because women don't tend to let it be known they are traveling alone, perhaps for security reasons," said King.

They also found that RV parks and camp activities were usually aimed at couples. In 1991, while attending an RV rally in California, they posted a notice for a meeting of independent women RVers. The turnout was so large that another was promptly scheduled for the next day. At these meetings, women expressed their loneliness on the road and their desire to make connections with other women. Thus was born the now-popular group, RVing Women.

By 1993, the club had outgrown its fifth wheel trailer office, and a permanent headquarters was established in Apache, Junction, Ariz. Today, however, the group is more loosely headquartered, working from their homes and communicating via email and the World Wide Web. The group, the only international support network solely for the woman RV enthusiast, numbers about 5,000.

Members range in age from 20s to 80s with most between 50 and 65. About one-third are retired or semi-retired. Most drive motorhomes, although some don't even own an RV, but are interested in learning more about the lifestyle.

Many of the members are newly widowed, facing the challenge of RVing alone for the first time. Some are still married, but travel without their husbands who are unable or don't care to travel. Others travel alone or with a friend.

RVW is structured without formal chapters. A national program of rallies, classes and caravans is run from its Arizona headquarters. Other activities are organized locally.

National rallies are scheduled in many states and Canadian provinces and include educational seminars with topics including personal safety and preventive maintenance. Social and recreational activities are also included.

For membership information write to RVing Women, P.O. Box 1940 Apache Junction, AZ 85217-1940 or call 888-55-RVING.