RVing in Phoenix, AZ reserved for the Rich and Old
I’ve been looking at places to park in Phoenix, AZ, simply because we need to use the airport there. I’ve never heard anything particularly flattering about the city itself — the most common remarks: it’s ugly, it’s hot, it’s nothing but sprawl, it’s dangerous — but we need to be close in to the airport so that I can get a bus (difficult is an understatement when it comes to trying to find a place to park at most airports, let alone finding a place to park an RV).
While I’ve been looking around online at places though, I am over and over again seeing this type of statement:
Minimum length of RV accepted is 22’. Motorhomes, Travel Trailers and 5th Wheels accepted, no pop-up campers or van/bus conversions please. RV must be 10 years or newer and in good condition. One Guest must be 55 years of age and the second Guest at least 35 years of age.
The first two sentences seem to say: no bedouins, no working class, no hippies. If your RV doesn’t look like a bus, don’t bother. Then they decide to make it clear that if you can’t afford a relatively new rig, again, don’t bother. I can understand the 55+ thing, many old people are set in their ways and can’t be bothered with new ideas or being forced to look at any skin that still shows a hint of elasticity, but the classism expressed in the earlier bits are pathetic.
In my opinion, one of the greatest benefits of RVing is that you get to meet all types of people. Bikers who save kittens, Land Rover collectors from Zimbabwe, hippy families and staunchly Republican retirees all abound in the RV world. It’s a type of life that attracts all lifestyles. It’s too bad for those particular lifestyles who want to wall themselves off from the rest of the world.
Rene
27 Jan 2009 12:14 am
Oh yeah guys, I’m in total agreement there. Funny how this is the one part of the country we have been seeing these same ads too.
I also think it’s ironic that our screwed up society creates these slightly utopian communities for old fart snowbirds. I mean gee, instead of working to make regular cities and towns into real communities for working people, developers do stuff like this for half-dead drones who want to shut themselves off from the rest of the world? Sheesh. They should go straight to the nursing homes, and let the real people like us inhabit these “communities.”
Enough of my rant. To meet real humans who want some diversity in their RV scenery, come on out and see us at the Slabs. We’ll be here a while. Hope we get to cross paths.
Nathan
27 Jan 2009 9:59 am
We finally found a place, thanks to the Bare Naked Family’s wise insights, at the Covered Wagon RV Park.
And the lady on the phone assured me that under 55s are welcome, and that there “aren’t many Jerry Springer types”. :)
mamaduck_7
28 Jan 2009 8:49 am
We will definitely keep an eye out to see what you think of Covered Wagon RV Park. We are headed down to Phoenix the beginning of March to spend time with our daughter who is at ASU. That park seemed to be about the only choice of a place that will allow us to stay. Only plus side about Phoenix age restrictions is that for once we are too YOUNG, rather than being middle aged compared to all you youn-uns we enjoy meeting in our RV travels. Seems to me that the “young-uns” are the ones in the parks who are friendly, helpful, watch out for each other, etc. Thanks guys for accepting US in your midst!
Nathan
28 Jan 2009 9:36 am
We’ll definitely be posting a review on the place. All I can say so far is thanks goodness at least one place exists…it gets points just for not being as stodgy as the others.
We won’t be spending much time in Phoenix, 3 days max, but I’ve never had such a negative opinion about a place I’ve never been to before….maybe the city will prove me wrong in our time there.
barenakedfamily
28 Jan 2009 2:38 pm
Looking forward to your thoughts on Phoenix & Covered Wagon. We felt soooo young!
Nathan
28 Jan 2009 2:43 pm
HAHAHAH oh man.