Tom Edwards and his wife Marilyn have been RVers for quite some time. “Our favorite RV trip was our first trip around America,” Tom tells us. “We started in May at Bahia Honda State Park in the Keys, went up to Rhode Island, on through Wisconsin, over to the Utah national parks, down to Flagstaff, and made it to Albuquerque in time for the October balloon festival. We then hit Dallas (the Book Depository), San Antonio (the Alamo and Riverwalk), and New Orleans (French Quarter) on our way back to southwest Florida.
“That five-month road trip hooked us on the freedom of camping and the fun of hitting DDD [Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives] restaurants along the way.” Since then, the Edwards have been traveling by RV between Colorado (where they spend their summers) and Florida (where they winter).
Although they already had a large fifth wheel, the Edwards eventually decided they needed a second rig. “We were looking for a smaller ‘5ver’ we could pull between Florida and Colorado,” Tom explains. “In doing research for this, we saw a few ads that advertised Outdoorsy. This seemed like a great way to offset the travel cost, so although we didn’t buy our RV expressly to rent, rentability was part of what we took into consideration.”
What did the couple end up with? “We bought a Glendale Titanium 28/33, because of its unique design,” Tom says. “It gives us a 33-foot fifth wheel that is only about 23 feet from bumper to bumper, making it incredibly easy to pull and back up. We knew we’d be only doing deliveries when renting, so an easy setup with lots of room was important.” They named this new RV Glen.
Eventually, the time came to offer Glen up as a rental. “We chose Outdoorsy for their good reputation and owner support,” Tom tells us. “Safety has never been a concern. I start communicating early and right up through delivery, and I end up with a pretty long paper trail. Besides, I knew by the time we started renting Glen that he was no longer a cherished possession, but rather a working asset. We keep him in great shape, and renters respect him and us.”
After listing the RV, Tom and Marilyn started getting rental requests within 30 days, and the RV has gone out on a large number of rental trips so far. This is likely partially due to the great RV the Edwards chose, and could also have something to do with the ability to rent in Colorado in the summer months and Florida in the winter.
Another thing that probably contributes to the success of the business? “We do the full-blown glamping experience,” Tom shares. “We provide an outdoor camp stove and a fire pit. We include propane, camp chairs, premium bedding, and towels.”
Tom and Marilyn have a goal to provide guests with a fantastic camping experience, and that is exactly what they are doing. “We have introduced (or reintroduced) camping to dozens of guests, and they love it,” Tom says.
All About Tom
Favorite morning beverage: “Coffee.”
Favorite campsite meal: “S’mores.”
Music you like to play on the radio: “Country and ’70s rock.”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite: “Tri-ominoes.”
Favorite season: “We live a perpetual life of 80-degree (°F) days and cool nights, so I would guess we are ‘Fall’ people.”
Last photo you took: “Our camper interior for our next guest.”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go? “Alaska’s on the list, but we’ve pulled the Montana 65,000 miles, and the Glendale almost 30,000, so we’ve seen a lot. We always go a different way to and from the two states. This Fall we’ll leave Colorado and hit Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, clean up the New England states for our map, then on to New York City, Washington, D.C., Myrtle Beach, and finally Savannah before we head home.”
