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by Roberta Smith

I have been asked quite often how I started writing RV songs. My dreaming started in the winter of 2000. My husband and I talked about the reality of full-timing on the road with an RV of our own. Although we could not go full-time, I checked out some discussion forums on the internet for answers. We made our dream a part-time reality and bought an RV Class C that winter. This lead to my first song, "Story Of Our First RV."

Those first few months of seeing it in our yard during the winter months were long and hard. That is when I really got the urge to write songs such as, "RV Blues" and "We're Hittin The Road." I guess I survived the long cold winter living out the dream in my songs.

The RV needed some improvements. I suggested we take the carpet up and bring it inside to shampoo it. I was carrying out my household chores when to my surprise there stood my husband with the carpet in his hands. We fired up the RV engine to run the heater. Although it was very cold outside, it was toasty warm to lay the carpet back into its proper place. After we made the necessary interior repairs, I proceeded with the interior decorating. This resulted into another song called, "This Old RV Of Mine."

Summer finally made its arrival. I was nervous and didn't want to be to far from home. We settled on a campground not to far away. There is something about the freedom of being in an RV. I just can't explain it. I guess you just have to have it in your blood to know what I mean.

We pulled up and set up campsite. I brought my guitar along and another song came to me that expressed these feelings entitled "Rollin Down That Road." It was a cold night and after fixing a few leaks we made it through the first night. When we were on our way home my husband said."Let's head North. I laughed and knew our weekend had come to an end giving me another idea for a song called,"Weekend Warriors Now."

The next trip out was along a 2 1/2 mile lake near Odessa, New York. We spent four days there. We met quite a few people. We sat around the campfire and talked about living in a RV full time. One couple we met lives in their Fifth Wheel year round at the lake. We had been to several other places after this during the summer. Each time things about RVing would pop into my head and become a song. Sometimes it was just what someone said.

We may be Newbies as well as Weekend Warriors too but the dream of being somewhere warm during the long cold southern New York State winters will never leave my mind. I have already started writing more songs with the hope of another CD completed by spring. After my second CD completion I will sit back and relax to enjoy another summer in that old RV of ours. If you are at the same campsite be sure to come on over and give us a hello.

So if you are an RVer on the road I think you will enjoy the traveling and laughter that comes along with each song. They are simple, fun loving, expressions of the RV lifestyle. Let me know what you think of the songs. I would love to hear from you all out there on the road.

Buy Roberta's CD Now