Almost 30 years ago I bought an old used pickup camper for $600 from a buddy who was getting a Class C RV. I discovered that it took a lot of work but wasn't that expensive if I did it myself. I parked next to a $200K Bluebird for a week and talked a lot with the owner and picked up some pointers. He said to make sure you have the service manuals for the RV and for everything aboard, a good set of tools and a credit card for when you can't do it yourself. The comment about getting a diesel pusher reflects what I've heard from a lot of people as well. A friend of mine carries a welder but he is a DIY fanatic. I have a few acquaintances who live in them several months each year, usually somewhere warm in the winter.

We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.