This week, we’re doing something different and special here at AAT! Every week, we chat with people who are doing interesting and unique things in our community; however, this time, we want to focus on some folks who are living interestingly and uniquely in our community. You see, for most of us, our dwelling place would fall under the house, apartment, modular home, or condominium, but we have neighbors in our city whose living space would fall under a different category. These people not only have a roof over their heads, but also wheels under their feet. That’s right, we’re talking about those who live in RVs!
For this feature, we partnered with our friends and sponsors at Iron Horse RV Resort to talk with some of their residents about the mobile lifestyle. We sat down with a couple who simply loves to travel, a hard-working individual who is always willing to make a new friend, and even a few members from a family of five who make living in an RV work for them!
We’re excited to introduce you all to each of our guests. So, without further ado, let’s head to Iron Horse RV Resort and get our conversations rolling!
Our first guest is Diane Huber.
Diane, will you please tell us how you came to settle your rig down in the good old town of Elko?
“My husband, Jeff, and I lived in Elko before, at a house out in Ryndon, but then we moved away. We moved to Seattle to try something different and be close to my family, but then we ended up moving back here so my husband could go back to working at the mines, which he had been doing for the past twenty-eight years. So, we bought our RV and moved to Elko. We found Iron Horse when we first got back and decided to give it a try. We thought we’d only be here for a few months, and now here we are at three years! We’re going to stay here until my husband retires, and then we’re going to go and travel.”
What was one significant factor that motivated you and Jeff to buy an RV over renting/purchasing a traditional home or apartment?
“We want to travel; we don’t want to stay in one spot. We want to be able to go and enjoy things. I just don’t like to stay still! We go to Twin Falls, Boise, Washington, Arizona, Portland; we do a lot and go quite a few places!”
For those of us outside of your lifestyle, how long would you say it takes to become acclimated to living in an RV?
“It takes a little time to get used to it, especially if you’re used to a big place and a lot of things. You have to learn how to condense down. It took me a good two years before I would say I had adjusted to it. However, every RV is different, and every person is different.”
Thanks for talking with us, Diane! How do you like staying with our good friends at Iron Horse RV Resort?
“We really like it here. The people in the office are nice. It’s quiet and beautiful down here in the summer when the trees are in bloom. You get to meet a lot of kind, new people here. The entire place is also very clean! We’ve never had any conflict or anything.”
Our second guest is Jim Morrison.
Thank you for agreeing to be a part of this conversation, Jim! What brought you and your RV to Elko?
“I moved here from California for a job in the propane business. Before moving here, I was going to retire, but the company that I was working for asked me to come back because I had been in the business for fifty years. The lady I was with at that time was retiring from Walmart, so we sold everything, bought the RV, and moved here. I accepted that job back in February of 2019, and I don’t plan on going anywhere. Elko is where I want to be. The people here are amazing; I’ve made a lot of friends. The people here at Iron Horse are friendly and courteous. They take care of you. So, here I am to stay, RV or not – it wouldn’t matter. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Jim, what do you love most about living in an RV as opposed to a traditional house? What are some of the benefits you’ve found?
“I love the amount of money that you don’t have to spend! If you think about it, if you have a house payment, you’re paying that, insurance, water, power, and garbage. As someone who is RVing, you have your small payment on your trailer, a small payment on a pickup, and rent here at the Iron Horse is very reasonable. So, I save a couple of thousand dollars a month not having to put that money into owning a house again. Not only that – if I want to travel somewhere, all I have to do is hook up, and I’m gone! And I can always come back. I’m in the middle of everything living here in Elko; in any direction, I have plenty to see. I wish I would have done it years ago!”
How did you end up parking your trailer at Iron Horse? How has your stay been here so far for someone as active and social as yourself?
“I checked out pretty much all the RV parks around here, and this seemed to be the nicest. It’s clean and very well maintained. There’s recreation for kids and adults; they make things so convenient. Everybody I’ve ever met here, even people who come in just for a week or two, are good people; they really like it here, too. Give it a month or two, and you’ll fall in love with this place. You can make a friend in a heartbeat here; I’ve always had a priority that says if I can make a person smile, it will have made my day.”
Finally, Jim, here’s our last question for you. If you wanted to get on the road and see some sites, how much prep time would you need before your wheels were turning?
“Prep? I carry a bag in my pickup, so there is no prep! I just turn my key and go, and no matter where I go, there is always a room for me if I need it.”
Our final guests this week are three members from a family of five (two adults and three kids) living life the RV way! We have Tawny Wares, Zachary Steelman, and the Adobe middle schooler, Zoey Perez.
It’s wonderful to have a family joining us on this little chat about living on wheels! Tawny, can you take us on the journey of how you all eventually came to call Elko and Iron Horse home?
“We came from a farm in Eureka. We moved from a thousand acres to a little bitty place! Our dogs don’t like it very much, but I like the community; I like being around people. We moved to Elko last December and have been living at the Iron Horse since February. My mother lived here six years ago after moving here for work, so my mom wanted to put us here when we were moving over because she knew it was safe for the kids and had the right amenities.”
How has the RV life been so far for you all, Tawny?
“It’s been great so far; this is our first experience living in an RV, and I think we’ve been okay! We haven’t caught it on fire yet! We’ve been able to save a little money by buying our RV, and we’re putting money into something that we’ll soon own rather than renting something.”
Zachary, what’s your opinion on trailer living with a family?
“Trailer living is something you really have to be prepared for before you do it, but at least you can pick up and go whenever you want. I’m glad we got this spot here at the Iron Horse, though. This place is nice, put together, clean, being maintained, and the people are very nice. The kids can meet the bus right up the hill and walk home safely. The Hilton, up the hill, is very nice to the kids. They let them stay in there, out of the cold, while they wait for the bus. They even let them have breakfast there as well. This is the best RV park for a family.”
Let’s get a kid’s perspective! Zoey, do you agree with what’s been said? Do you like living here with your brother and sister?
“I mean, it’s different after coming from a huge house, but I like it! It’s nice because they have grass and an area for us to play in!”
To conclude this dive into the RV lifestyle with all our wonderful guests, Tawny, what would you tell someone who might be looking to move to the Elko area in an RV and needed a long-term place to stay?
“Well, a girl from my work is looking to relocate from Arizona to Elko with her seven dogs, and she’s looking to buy an RV. I told her the reasons why I choose this place [Iron Horse] is that the community is great, and the people in the office are great. I come from a big city, and there were a lot of things you had to worry about when it comes to your stuff, but out here, it’s cool and collected.”
If you would like more information on Iron Horse RV resort for either yourself or someone from your own family, you kind find them on Facebook or visit their Website
You can stay caught up on everything going on around here at AAT by checking out our “Stay Connected” page! Make sure you never miss a feature!
See you around, Elko!
Blog Credits:
Written by: Anthony Crosby
Edited by: Nadara Merrill
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