Today I went with Dave and Julie to a Recreational Vehicle show to look at motor homes, vans, and fifth wheels. It was a bit of a wet day, so there were few other people around. Kind of nice actually, to be able to look around without being crowded by other people. So there are RV vans set up in a row, different models and such. Behind them are fifth wheels, which have to be attached to a vehicle with a fifth wheel, like a truck. And then there are self-mobile RVs of various sizes from about 30 to 40 feet long.

First of all, when you go go see an apartment or a home, or an RV you have to keep in mind that you're looking at it in its ideal state. It's new, clean, with a maximum amount of space and shine. Once you actually move in, it'll quickly become cluttered with all your junk. And it'll get dirty and used. So when you look inside an RV and see all this space, once you have a bunch of belongings in it there won't be enough space to go around.

The first RV we saw was the Rialta, which is about the size of a van but a bit longer. It's nicely done. Carpeted. The model he liked had a bed in back, three seats up front, including the driver's seat. Standard kitchenette and a bathroom that can be pulled out into a shower. Cozy, but a bit cramped. It's all space efficient but not enough room to move around.

The fifth wheels are quite roomy. Thirty-plus feet in length, wide enough to probably make passing motorists uncomfortable. One of the things that they have is pull-outs, where sections of the RV can be pulled out to the side to make the inside bigger. Naturally, you can't move the RV in this state, but it can greatly increase the space inside.

With the pull-outs deployed, the general layout is a big room in the back, about as big as a small living room, 10 feet by 15 feet or whatever. This has couches at the back and one side, a kitchenette on the other side, maybe a table. The middle of the RV is closets and the bathroom, followed by the bedroom at the front end of the RV. Queen size bed, although I don't know my bed sizes, bigger than my bed.

Lots of little closets and drawers everywhere. The motorized RVs can have lots of storage space underneath, accessible from the outside. Like a bus, since some are built on a bus chassis. Motor RVs can also have pull-outs, and they're much like their fifth-wheel cousins in layout, although the bed is to the back and the living room is towards the front. There are nooks for the television, small fridge, oven with two or three burners, microwave, sinks with running water. I saw one RV with a tub, but most only have showers.

There was one RV, I don't think it was a fifth wheel, more of a trailer. But the back wall folds out, so you can store a small vehicle inside, like one of those 4-wheel offroad motorycle things that have a habit of overturning and crushing their rider. This RV still had a kitchenette and a bathroom, and even a loft with a matress to sleep on.

Prices range from about $50 000 for the Rialta to $100 000 for a big fifth wheel to $200 000 for a big motor RV. I can see that they'd be nice to have, if you can afford one and have the space to store it. I wouldn't want to live in one as a home, since I have too much stuff. But it'd be nice for trips or setting up a quick outpost.

Two uses I can think for them. A small RV, which would have the ability to park in most parking spaces, can be used as a quick way to add a guest room to a home. The larger RV, with the large amount of open space, would be great to game in. Like renting an apartment to game in, so your friends don't have to mess up anyone's home.