The low road. What does it mean?
Well simply put, it means that you have a less than new looking rig. One that is not in the “show off” class.
It also means:
• You dress nice but not fancy.
• You stay clean and not smelly.
• You are friendly but mind your own business.
• You have little or no problem making new friends.
• You keep a low profile in everyway.
• You carry cash and merchandise with you, but no one suspects it.
• You can park your rig just about anywhere and draw little or no attention to it.
When you pull up and park in a campground next to some “Big Dog”, you smile.
Here you are parked next to a fancy rig. It is the same RV park, the same views, the same shower rooms, the same everything.
The only difference: Your rig is paid for!
Copyright © 2004 Larry L. Austin
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You didn’t have to use up your life chasing the almighty dollar. You are in the same campground at the same time and place, having the time of your life!
One time, I was parked next to one of those big gas-guzzling Dogs. The guy had the hood open and was checking things out. I walked over and started talking to him. You could tell he was, let us say, not a happy camper. He kept mumbling about the awful gas mileage and how much he had spent that day on gas. Of
course, I had to make his day by telling him about the 23-28 miles/gallon my trusty little rig got! This really got to him. He replied in a disgusted way that he didn’t want to hear about that and walked off.
Oh well, what can a person do?
Another thing to consider.
The low road is a much safer way to travel. You fit in, just another RV’er that is enjoying the good life. If new friends want to know what you do, just downplay it.
Tell them that you do as little as possible. Tell them that you try a flea market from time to time, just for fun.
When fellow travelers ask me what I do, I always enjoy telling them that I am in business… mostly Monkey Business! Ha!
One of the most rewarding parts of self-employment on the road is that you can pick and choose where you want to stay, how long and how often to set up.
Many RV’ers pick a warm area of the country for winter work-vacations (free
heat). Then they head for the mountains to keep cool for the summer months (free air conditioning).
Copyright © 2004 Larry L. Austin
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Why pay for heating and cooling when Mother Nature will give it to you for free?
Some vendors like to work a circuit. They have 3 or 4 markets that are all within a short day’s drive and they work a different one each week. This keeps them fresh and they don’t “fish out” the market. Usually, your strongest sales will be on the first and second weekend at a market. If you only show up one weekend a month, your sales should stay higher.
Some serious full time “Roadies” will work a summer circuit back east and then head for the desert for the winter. Some work the desert markets, then go to Colorado for the summer.
There are as many combinations of travel and work as there are different vendors.
Each has their own special plan for success.
Note: Fellow vendors, ones that actually live on the road, have a logbook or map marked with all of the best markets. Sometimes - if they like you, they’ll let you in on some of these places.
Copyright © 2004 Larry L. Austin
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