越来越多的美国人或租或买野营车

THIS summer 20m or so Americans have hit the road in motor homes or towable caravans. El Monte RV, a national recreational-vehicle rental chain, observes that rentals are up about 40% year on year so far for 2017, with the strongest growth in the north-east. The manager at the El Monte branch in Linden, New Jersey is seeing double-digit growth over last year. RV sales are up, too. According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), a trade group, wholesale shipments have increased 5% over 2010 and are expected to grow another 7% by the end of the year.

今年夏天，大约有两千万美国人开着房车或者拉着拖车上了路。全美休闲车出租连锁公司艾尔蒙特休闲车租赁发现，2017年车辆出租数量比去年同比增长了40%，其中，东北地区增长最高。艾尔蒙特位于新泽西州林登市的分公司经理正在见证两位数的同比增长。同时，休闲车的销售额也有所上涨。据美国房车工业协会（RVIA，一家贸易集团）透露，去年批发供货量比2010年提高了5%，预计今年再涨7%。

RVs sell for as little as $5,000 for a caravan to $1.5m and higher for a deluxe motor home. More than 90% of them are made in the United States and more than 80% in a single county in Indiana. James Ashurst of RVIA sees the RV market as a sort of bellwether of the American economy. In 2009 it was hard to shift the things; but now, says Andy Heck, a dealer at Alpin Haus in Amsterdam, New York, "Growth in sales is a good sign that credit is opening up."

在艾尔蒙特休闲车租赁，一辆休闲车只卖5000美元，拖车却要150万美元，豪华房车卖的更贵。这些车90%以上是产于美国，其中有80%以上都产自印第安纳州的一个县城。RVIA的詹姆斯•艾舍斯特（James Ashurst）认为休闲车租赁市场是美国经济的一只领头羊。纽约州阿姆斯特丹市Alpin Haus的经销商安迪•赫克（Andy Heck）称，在2009年作买卖相当困难，但是现在，"销售业绩增长是建立信誉的好兆头。"

Affordability and flexibility are the main attractions. Most Americans get only two weeks of annual holiday and find it hard to escape work. Many prefer to go away for several long weekends, so do not stray far from home; RV-drivers often stay within 200 miles of it. Some even commute to work from campsites. The average rental cost is about $1,200 a week, potentially much cheaper than a hotel, especially for families.

房车两大主要卖点是价格合理，用途广泛。大多数美国人的年假都只有两个星期，要想借此逃离工作可不是那么简单。因此，很多人都选择出去度一个长周末[1]，这样就不会离家太远；开休闲车就能把离家范围控制在200英里之内。甚至还有些人干脆就往返于工作和营地。租一辆房车一周大概只要1200美元，可能比住宾馆便宜很多，如果是全家一起出游，更为划算。

And they are not just for holidays. Parents use RVs to haul children to matches. American football fans and NASCAR supporters use them for "tailgating", pre-game parties held in stadium car parks. Still, surveys show that "seeing America" is one of the most important reasons for buying one. The National Parks Service has seen a slight jump in RV campers at its sites over the year to June. Just beware getting stuck behind one on a picturesque mountain road.

休闲车不仅适用于假期，平时也一样。家长可以开着休闲车带孩子们去看比赛。橄榄球球迷和全美赛车协会的粉丝可以开车追逐每一场比赛，还可以在体育馆停车场开上几场赛前派对。但仍有调查表明，购买休闲车最重要的理由之一还是"走遍全美"。截至今年6月，在各大国家公园，休闲车野营者的接待数量有小幅度上涨。只用提防被房车堵在风景如画的山路之中就够了。