Summer is a great time to get out and enjoy all the beauty nature has to offer. Few would disagree that seeing a gorgeous mountain sunset or hiking through an old growth forest are wonderful experiences, but sleeping on the cold, hard ground afterwards - not so much. For those that want the good experiences of nature but still enjoy a hot shower and a soft bed at the end of the day, a recreational vehicle might just be the perfect solution, and few people know as much about RVing as Ron Anderson, Founder and CEO of Anderson Mobile Estates and an avid RVer himself.

For those that don't know, Anderson Mobile Estates are the crème de la crème of RVs, huge two and three story RVs and trailers with amenities that make you feel like Robin Leach should be narrating as you look at them. Anderson Mobile estates are custom built to create a situation that is like a home, similar refrigerator and TV that people have in their houses, while still letting people travel to places they might otherwise never go. For those that don't have the money to live the lifestyles of the rich and famous, they soon be launching a series of custom built sprinter vans priced for the average consumer, which will have pads for solar panels and get 24 mpg.

As they say, when it comes to RVing Ron isn't just the president, he's also a client. With over 1.5 million miles behind the wheel of one these large vehicles, Ron is definitely a veteran of the road, heading out with his wife, family and two Bengal cats to beautiful spots all over the country. Ron's favorite part of RVing is definitely the sense of community. People in RV campgrounds tend to be more open and friendly than what you would find if you just randomly approached someone in a housing development. Running a close second is simply taking a break from the pressures of life. "Getting out of cell phone range is a wonderful thing." Ron says.

Ron's Favorite Places for RVing

Ron enjoys heading to Mammoth State Park in California the most. The people there are friendly, the summers are beautiful and the winters great for skiing. He also loves Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Pebble Beach, and the area around Ontario, Canada. The unique thing about RVing when choosing a place to visit is, in Ron's own words, "If I don't like the neighborhood, I just pick up and go."

Ron's Tips for Beginners to RVing

Before you get into RVing, the first question Ron says you should ask is: Are you married? If you are, and your spouse's view of what RVing should be is different than yours, than you will be one unhappy camper. Most people can tolerate a movie they don't like for their significant other, but to live in an environment they don't enjoy for weeks on end, that is something else entirely. Everyone should have similar expectations for this hobby, or it will be a miserable experience.

As far as buying an RV, before anything else, figure out what it is you want out of your RVing experience. Is this something you want to take weekend fishing trips, do you plan to make cross-country journeys taking months at a time, or do you want to live in it full time? Space is at a premium in an RV; so for example, don't get bedrooms you aren't going to need. After that figure out how much various options will cost, from your ultimate dream to the barest essentials to get by. Don't forget to include costs like maintenance, storage and insurance in your budget.

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As one might expect, driving an RV is a bit different than driving a car. A 60,000-pound vehicle won't exactly stop on a dime. If you are unfamiliar with driving large vehicles, Ron recommends getting some cones, going to an empty parking lot or similar location and practicing, and when he says empty, he means totally empty, no barriers, light posts, or anything else. Set up the cones and practice turning to get a sense of the vehicle. Back up into the cones to get a feel for it. You want to get used to handling the vehicle before you start taking it places where you could actually hit something.

Don't be afraid to ask for help in an RV lot, especially with backing up. When asking someone for help backing up, make sure that person stands off to the side. If no one is available, there is no shame in getting out and looking to see how much distance you have when backing up. Ron has seen pride cost RV owners a lot of money for over the years.

Don't wiggle the steering wheel when driving an RV. Often you won't even realize you are doing it, but wiggling causes the tires to constantly be side loaded, and for every 1/4 inch the front tires move, the back tires move 3 inches. Consider getting a tire pressure monitoring system as well. A tire loses 10 percent of weight capacity for every 5 pounds low on air it is, and tires that get too low in pressure will shred, which can do considerable damage to the undercarriage of the RV, and even cause an accident. Ron related the story of one blow out of his right front tire which caused his RV to go off the road, digging a trench in the ground 20 inches deep and 42 feet long. The tire was inflated properly and only had 6,000 miles on it. If he'd had tire pressure monitoring system at the time, it would have sounded an alert at the sudden loss in pressure before the situation had gotten out of hand.

Ron stated one of the best investments he has ever made was in a few NAPA 1.5 amp battery chargers. When not running, RV batteries should be placed on a trickle charger. If an RV battery is allowed to go below 50 percent charge, it will never come back to 100 percent, and given those batteries cost several hundred dollars apiece, keeping them going longer is a wise idea.

Finally, when storing your RV, keep it cool, no more than 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. If the interior gets too hot, wood will warp and glue will melt. In a lot of environments, RV covers and vent fans can accomplish this, but if need be don't be afraid to plug the RV in to an outlet and set the A/C.  Keeping tires covered and putting protectant on them is also essential to prevent dry rot.