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BU pair calls RV park home

Oct. 5, 2006

Melea Burke/Lariat staff Hunter Weakly, an Alvin junior, has been living in an RV park for two years with his roommate Austin Lindsey, a Del Rio sophomore. Weakly said living in the camper is cheaper than living in an apartment near campus.

By SARAH VIESCA
Reporter

After a year in Martin Residence Hall, Alvin junior Hunter Weakly decided it was time for a change.

He moved into an RV park.

For the past two years Weakly has been living at the Riverview Campground (located near Loop 340) in a 40-foot camper with his roommate, Del Rio sophomore Austin Lindsey and his English Lab named Cloud.

Weakly said he had a good time living in the basement of Martin, but he just got tired of being around so many people all the time. The noise late in the evening kept him awake.

"I hated being confined," he said. "I'm used to the country with open spaces and animals. I've always kind of been a country boy."

Weakly discovered the campground when he and his former roommate Jackson Lindsey, Austin's brother, took a drive to explore the Waco area. Weakly quickly felt that this was the right place for him because he still felt cluttered living in an apartment.

"I'm not going to pay somebody $500 when the place isn't worth that and it's not even yours," Weakly said.

His camper is just like any apartment, yet smaller, he said. It has a gas stove, microwave, refrigerator, queen-size bed, bathroom and wireless Internet. After adding up all expenses, including utilities, lot rent and laundry, Weakly said he pays about $267 a month.

Scotty Scott, the grounds keeper for the campground, has lived there for eight years and said there's no better place to live since real estate prices are so high. He also said at the campgroup you get your own space.

Although some people don't think buying a $30,000 camper is cheaper than paying for an apartment, Weakly said in the long run it evens out because the camper holds value.

"This is something you own and can invest in or you can sell it," he said.

Clint Dunbar, one of Weakly's friends from Texas A&M University, even named the camper "the mobacasa."

"He came up with the name because mobile home and trailer sound too derogatory," Weakly said. "Now everyone refers to it this way."

Weakly said that people usually associate living in a camper as being poor, but that's not necessarily the case since there a variety of people live in Riverview.

Some of the neighbors own RVs worth $350,000, Weakly said.

Austin said he met Weakly thanks to his brother, Jackson.

"I became good friends with Hunter and he needed a new roommate after Jackson left," Austin said.

Austin said he lived in Penland Residence Hall his freshman year, and while it was a great experience to meet new people, he enjoys living in the campground a lot more.

"The best part about living out in Riverview campground is the quiet atmosphere," Austin said. "The mobacasa is very quiet, and it's peaceful."

The campground is owned by Skipper and Connie Vos and has about 122 sites surrounded by pecan trees, a peach orchard and is within walking distance of the Brazos River. Weakly said the park usually is booked during the weekend or when there are big school activities.

"Baylor (parents) are surprised that students live up here," Weakly said.

Although Weakly lives off-campus, he said he's not far from town in case he needs something.

He said he usually goes to Robinson if he needs groceries or wants some fast food. Weakly said he sometimes wishes he lived closer to campus when he has an hour break between classes, but doesn't mind the 10-minute commute.

"You have to give yourself extra time to get to campus because sometimes you might get stuck behind a tractor or horse riders," Weakly said.

There is always something to do around the campground, Weakly said. In the past, Jackson, Austin and Weakly have gone exploring through some of the Brazos River's tributaries, caught a 65-pound catfish and during the winter made campfires to roast marshmallows.

One of the things Weakly said he enjoys about the campground are the people. He said his neighbors are always more than willing to help or lend a hand when he needs it.

"Sometimes I'll be at work and might not get off until 11 p.m. and if no one is home I'll just call our grounds keeper and he'll take Cloud (my dog) out for his walk," Weakly said.

Weakly said that some of the few bad things about Riverview is the occasional hunter or coyote in the area.

"Sometimes to save electricity, we'll open the windows up at night and you can hear the coyotes howling and the crickets chirping," Weakly said.

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