Oh man, we've seen those quarter-million-dollar diesel pushers towing fancy sandrails out to the dunes. We've seen palaces-on-wheels, stocked with dirt bikes in the rear sections, flat-towing trucks out to desert destinations. We usually react with bitterness and jealousy. "Those lucky stiffs," we say to ourselves, "they have it so good with their fully stocked fridges, nice beds, and showers. We don't need that stuff-it suits us fine just to rough it." Honestly, we're probably lying to ourselves. Who in their right mind would turn down convenience, comfort, chilled beers and warm beds? Okay, maybe our editor would, but none of the sane staff. We just always figured that kind of stuff was out of our reach when we'd go camping-only rich folk can afford plush RVs, right?
Wrong. We recently attended the annual Tierra Del Sol event in Southern California, and enjoyed all of the comforts and benefits that the upper-crust enthusiasts enjoy. We rented a 32-foot Class C rig from the Santa Fe Springs, California, office of El Monte RV. And it's a good thing we did-the wind was howling as we set up camp, darkening the sky, blowing grainy sand in our eyes, and generally making it miserable to be outside. That didn't bother us a bit. We were inside the RV, making a hot dinner, enjoying cold drinks, watching Jackass DVDs, and telling stories. We were feeling as if we finally hit the big time...and choosing to ignore the fact that we could have been camping in this fashion for years, if only we had realized how inexpensive and hassle-free renting an RV can be since El Monte RV rents a wide variety of vehicles, from bus-style Class A rigs, to diesel pusher toy haulers, to van-style campers. Driving the thing was a cinch-no more difficult than a very long truck, and the CD sound system kept us from getting too bored on the freeway. Once parked, we used the onboard leveling kit, made dinner in the kitchen, and flipped on the DVD/TV system for entertainment. As we all turned in, we listened to the wind blast sand against the outer walls of the RV, and were thankful we didn't have to deal with it.
 After a windy night, we woke...  After a windy night, we woke up to a perfect bluebird day, refreshed from a comfortable night's rest thanks to our El Monte RV rental unit. |  Can you drive a van? If so,...  Can you drive a van? If so, you can drive a Class C RV; it's really not all that different-just a little longer. A CD player and other creature comforts make the drive all the more pleasurable. |  Check it out-instant campsite!...  Check it out-instant campsite! The RV allowed us to pack in (and pack out) everything we needed and then some. We felt like kings in the dirt. |
 Publisher Jeff Nasi didn't...  Publisher Jeff Nasi didn't have an RV to sleep in when he attended the King of the Hammers race-he planned on sleeping in a truck. A gust of wind slammed the locked door shut while he was outside of the vehicle. Not one to give up easily, Jeff actually drilled out the door lock and was able to get inside the vehicle. Wonder where he learned that? | | |