American Bathing Practices & RVs

RVers often wear hats in the morning to conceal the fact they have "bed hair" and haven't bathed. They'll get around to it eventually because they're RVers and there's no hurry. Seeing this tub the other day reminded me of an observation by famous journalist Ernie Pyle that back in the 1930's most Americans only bathed once every two weeks. You've seen this old style bath tub in westerns with a cowboy leaning back in the suds smoking a stogie while someone (often a pretty girl) pours in more hot water. According to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, 90% of Americans report bathing once a day while 5 % report bathing more frequently. Unless the 5% unaccounted are RVers, I would assume American RVers are bathing at least once a day. Some RV's actually have short tubs limited only by the capacity of the hot water heater to fill them. Most RV's however, have a shower or some combination of shower and toilet and we are using them! So, sometime between the 1930's and now Americans have become obsessed with bathing. We know it's not due to a desire to enjoy a stogie because it's quite difficult to keep one lit in the shower. It must be some other factor like "feeling clean" or adhering to a social norm or the pleasure of hot water cascading down your skin. For me I like feeling clean and a hot shower "wakes me up". If you're wondering where to invest your spare change you might want to consider putting it into companies that make soap, hair shampoo and body gel because Americans, and especially RVers, aren't about to change their bathing habits. Not even a severe drought in the American South can change that. Americans will still bathe even if they have to use moist towelettes. Keeping it clean - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing