The American lifestyle on the road.
By: Scott Morgan
Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road
Somewhere in the middle space between primeval nature and the halcyon blanket of home there is a phenomenon called "the open road." It is a curious place, both physical and allegorical; a tangible web of dotted black pavement and a conduit of boundless metaphor.
It should hardly surprise that the road to anywhere has come to define a major facet of the American national character. The open road is more than simply a way to destinations. The road is about possibility, freedom and adventure. In his book "On the Road," Jack Kerouac told us life is not about the destination the true thrill, the purity of the adventure, lies in the journey.
Of course, the best journey still requires a means of getting there. Enter the recreational vehicle. Three tons of adventure on wheels; a mobile apartment proud to tout the idea that regardless of where you go, you’re always home; an ideal way to take it with you while you leave it all behind.
To hear some tell it, the lure of the RV is the perfect accompaniment to the American lifestyle big, diverse and mobile. In fact, the way Steve Germaine, owner of Germaine’s RV Headquarters in Cream Ridge, tells it, the RV is more than an abbreviation and more than merely a lifestyle. It’s a verb as well.
"RV-ing" is the sum total of all things people buy RVs for in the first place, Mr. Germaine said. Part vehicle, part stress reliever and part shelter, the RV allows its driver/family a means of getting back to nature or just seeing what’s out there. RV-ers don’t just drive around and park by the trees, they congregate, chew the fat and enjoy the company of others in their orbits.
"It’s like having a vacation home on wheels you can take anywhere," Mr. Germaine said.
Mr. Germaine admits there is a certain image many have about the RV way of life. Shout the word "Winnegabo" and see what kinds of images fly through your mind. Lumbering, bus-like hulks? Little old men in hats? Well, that’s partly true, Mr. Germaine says, but only partly.
Retirees and those in the 50- to 60- year-old set still comprise his base customer pool, and, true, many of his sales are of the traditional, self-driving camper, but there is more to the story.
"It’s not an elderly situation anymore," said Mr. Germaine. "New people will rekindle the industry."
And just so you know, "new people" refers to that traditional American economic force, the baby boomer.
Baby boomers, financially safe and in search of old ideals, have literally become the RV industry’s new driving force. Gone are the mundane questions by those already in the know, Mr. Germaine says. Today, the 40-year-old age group, seeking to reconnect with family and nature, is the industry’s major growth sector. And, true to the nature of any growth market, novice RV-ers (usually upper-middle-class and married-with-children) are re-energizing the industry through sheer lack of knowledge.
"To be honest, it almost got a little boring," Mr. Germaine said of the days when the "typical" RV customer dropped by. Older folks who knew what they wanted posed little challenges for Mr. Germaine and his crew. But now, the neophyte, unsure but curious, has rejuvenated a long-squelched interest.
Those new to the RV game, he says, are "asking simple, good questions questions we’ve not seen for years. It’s refreshing."
Questions as basic as "What is best for my situation," as well as the fun of finding out what individual situations are, has re-opened the possibilities of the road. Rather than routine sales and service, Mr. Germaine says, today’s customer wants to "test the waters." They may not want a full camper, maybe just a trailer. But they want something, and it usually is a chance to invest in an often-overlooked commodity down time. To rediscover what it means to have a life outside of work.
Regardless of the hardware, Mr. Germaine says he likes to sell one main thing:
"Good, solid family time. You can’t put a price on that."
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