Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Ron is 87. Barbara is 82. And right now, they're probably somewhere on the road, planning the next trip.
In this episode, Mike Wendland sits down with longtime friends of the RV Lifestyle community, Ron and Barbara Abler, to talk about what it actually takes to keep RVing in your 80s.
Ron retired three times: from Penn State University in 1995, the Association of American Geographers in 2002, and the International Geographical Union in 2016. Barbara spent her career as a professor of geography at the University of North Carolina before retiring from the federal government in 2005.
They bought their first RV, a Roadtrek Class B, in 2018, and haven't slowed down since, traveling this past year from their home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, all the way to California, with stops at RV Lifestyle rallies in Fredericksburg, Texas, St. Augustine, Florida, and Empire, Michigan.
They talk candidly about the health scares and mechanical breakdowns that come with life on the road, how their travel style has changed since 2018, and what they'd tell any retiree who thinks they might be getting too old for another adventure.
Jennifer is off this week recovering from knee replacement surgery, and we hope to have her back at the mic soon.
Also in this episode: Mike shares the new RV Maintenance Tracker app, plus listener questions on flat towing versus tow dollies and choosing between solar and a generator for boondocking.
00:00 - Introduction: Reflections on RVing at an older age.
00:58 - Welcome to the RV Podcast: Host Mike Wendland introduces the episode and gives an update on Jennifer.
03:23 - Conversation of the Week: Meet Ron and Barbara Abler (ages 87 and 82).
05:03 - How the Ablers discovered RVing and their background in geography.
08:03 - How their travel style has evolved over the years.
10:52 - Addressing family pressure and knowing when to stop.
12:31 - Handling medical emergencies on the road: A story from a Fredericksburg rally.
16:03 - What makes a perfect RV day for the Ablers.
17:56 - The peace of spending nights in nature.
19:59 - Advice for older adults considering the RV lifestyle: "Rent first."
23:02 - Upcoming plans and dealing with mechanical/fuel system issues.
27:41 - Mike's wrap-up of the interview.
28:03 - Product Spotlight: The RV Maintenance Tracker app.
29:29 - RV Question 1: Flat towing vs. using a tow dolly.
31:40 - RV Question 2: Solar panels vs. generators for boondocking.
34:29 - Closing remarks and how to submit questions.
Got a question for a future episode? Send it through the CONTACT link at https://RVPodcast.com.
Sign up for the free RV Lifestyle newsletter: RVLifestyle.com/newsletter
Check out the RV Maintenance Tracker: RVLifestyle.com/maintenance
► If you want help planning and organizing your own RV trips, we have put all our guides, tools, RV travel apps and checklists together in one place.
You will find it all rvlifestyle.com/plan
Join our community: rvcommunity.com
Free camping guide: rvlifestyle.com/freecampingguide
RV Podcast: rvpodcast.com
Plan an RV trip: rvlifestyle.com/start
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and click the bell icon to be notified of new videos and our YouTube Live special reports from the cool places we visit on our RV adventures.
Please note this channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV experts and are not simply sharing our opinions and what seems to work for us. You should do your own research and make your own decisions.
Ron is 87. Barbara is 82. And right now, they're probably somewhere on the road, planning the next trip.
In this episode, Mike Wendland sits down with longtime friends of the RV Lifestyle community, Ron and Barbara Abler, to talk about what it actually takes to keep RVing in your 80s.
Ron retired three times: from Penn State University in 1995, the Association of American Geographers in 2002, and the International Geographical Union in 2016. Barbara spent her career as a professor of geography at the University of North Carolina before retiring from the federal government in 2005.
They bought their first RV, a Roadtrek Class B, in 2018, and haven't slowed down since, traveling this past year from their home in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, all the way to California, with stops at RV Lifestyle rallies in Fredericksburg, Texas, St. Augustine, Florida, and Empire, Michigan.
They talk candidly about the health scares and mechanical breakdowns that come with life on the road, how their travel style has changed since 2018, and what they'd tell any retiree who thinks they might be getting too old for another adventure.
Jennifer is off this week recovering from knee replacement surgery, and we hope to have her back at the mic soon.
Also in this episode: Mike shares the new RV Maintenance Tracker app, plus listener questions on flat towing versus tow dollies and choosing between solar and a generator for boondocking.
00:00 - Introduction: Reflections on RVing at an older age.
00:58 - Welcome to the RV Podcast: Host Mike Wendland introduces the episode and gives an update on Jennifer.
03:23 - Conversation of the Week: Meet Ron and Barbara Abler (ages 87 and 82).
05:03 - How the Ablers discovered RVing and their background in geography.
08:03 - How their travel style has evolved over the years.
10:52 - Addressing family pressure and knowing when to stop.
12:31 - Handling medical emergencies on the road: A story from a Fredericksburg rally.
16:03 - What makes a perfect RV day for the Ablers.
17:56 - The peace of spending nights in nature.
19:59 - Advice for older adults considering the RV lifestyle: "Rent first."
23:02 - Upcoming plans and dealing with mechanical/fuel system issues.
27:41 - Mike's wrap-up of the interview.
28:03 - Product Spotlight: The RV Maintenance Tracker app.
29:29 - RV Question 1: Flat towing vs. using a tow dolly.
31:40 - RV Question 2: Solar panels vs. generators for boondocking.
34:29 - Closing remarks and how to submit questions.
Got a question for a future episode? Send it through the CONTACT link at https://RVPodcast.com.
Sign up for the free RV Lifestyle newsletter: RVLifestyle.com/newsletter
Check out the RV Maintenance Tracker: RVLifestyle.com/maintenance
► If you want help planning and organizing your own RV trips, we have put all our guides, tools, RV travel apps and checklists together in one place.
You will find it all rvlifestyle.com/plan
Join our community: rvcommunity.com
Free camping guide: rvlifestyle.com/freecampingguide
RV Podcast: rvpodcast.com
Plan an RV trip: rvlifestyle.com/start
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and click the bell icon to be notified of new videos and our YouTube Live special reports from the cool places we visit on our RV adventures.
Please note this channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV experts and are not simply sharing our opinions and what seems to work for us. You should do your own research and make your own decisions.
