RV camp scout

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I know this sounds like small potatoes, but it is just something that bugs me to death. My wife likes to explore campgrounds we stay in before she finally picks a site. Our typical mode of operation is to drop the toad, she goes in to pick a site, then calls or comes back to get me. The problem is, sometimes she’s gone a month. Okay, I’m exaggerating. But it does seem like she is gone a long time. I would rather just drive in and look around, pick a site and be done with it. She needs the door facing a certain direction, the motorhome facing a certain direction, the right sun/shade combination, the right distance from lighting, bathroom and noisy trash containers. Should I be thankful or annoyed. At this time I am mostly annoyed. --Waiting for patience in Pocatello

Dear Pocat:
Sometimes finding utopia takes a few minutes. Part of your problem is you are not keeping your mind busy. While she is gone, do something else. Don’t sit in the driver’s seat impatiently waiting for her to come back. It will only turn minutes into hours. Many people would give their left lug nut to have an onboard camping planner. It also allows her to see if there are any obstacles that might cause your mothership to have any difficulties maneuvering. I can see her point about the trash containers. Especially the bear-proof containers that sound like a car crash every time someone drops the lid.

One thing you may suggest is keeping a log of her favorite sites. In the future you may return and in many cases you can reserve the sites you found the most suitable in the past. Many online reservation systems will show a photo of the site, give you a sun/shade rating, length suggestion and more. These can be helpful before you arrive, even as a walk-in, without a reservation. So relax, go with the flow, clean your windshield while she is gone. It’s just a perception of time you need to manage. In the end you probably get the best site available in every campground where you stay.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink

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