Hundreds of recreational vehicle users and owners are converging on the University of Idaho this week for a unique conference on life on the move.
"This is the first educational conference on the RV lifestyle that has ever been run," Mary Lou Thompson of the university's Community Enrichment Program said.Local expert Gaylord Maxwell joined up with the program to plan the "Life on Wheels" conference that aims to cover all aspects of the mobile lifestyle for the more than 400 people expected.
The first of over 70 classes begin Monday, and they run the gamut from caring for an RV and taking full advantage of the opportunities it offers for photography, hobbies and crafts to the philosophical approaches people can take to living on the road - approaches that include "Workamping," "Full-tim-ing" and "Just Mean-der-ing."
There will even be classes on how to pick out an RV and then how to drive it.
Maxwell, who over three decades has sold, traveled in, written about and served as an industry representative for recreational vehicles, believes "RVing is many things" and selected the wide array of course topics for participants to "broaden their knowledge of RV lifestyles and point them in a direction they may have overlooked."
And he thinks the RV community is very compatible with more traditional lifestyles.
"If Moscow people give RVers a chance, they'll love each other," he said.
"Life on Wheels" sold out in January, leaving out a number of interested people. But Maxwell hopes the conference can be expanded next year so everyone interested can attend. The 1997 conference is set for July 14-18.