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High gas prices don’t seem to be fazing avid RVers from purchasing rigs or embarking on weekend or weeklong getaways.

Paul and Dolores Rogers grew up in Richmond and have since moved to Florida; however, their summers are spent at Deer Ridge Camping Resort a few miles outside their hometown.

Daughter Ginger Slone said her parents would not give up their summer in Richmond no matter how high gas prices get.

“They come to spend time with the family,” Slone said.

Visiting Dolores Rogers’ sisters is one of the prime reasons the family vacations every summer.

Gas reaching $4 a gallon will not prevent the Rogers from taking their annual trip to Richmond, but it has prompted a change in their behavior once arriving at the campsite.

Slone, a Michigan resident, said she and her parents previously would alternate visiting each other during the Rogers’ summer in Richmond. For example, if Slone drove to Richmond one weekend, the Rogers’ would drive to Michigan the next. However, now the trips to visit are rare and the Rogers primarily stay at the campsite.

The experiences of the Rogers seem to be the norm for those who enjoy living the RV life, said Don Crossley, sales representative at Best Buy RV’s in Richmond.

“I think fuel is a frustration, but if you own a motor home you’re going to use it,” he said.

Another trend Crossley said he’s noticed from talking to customers is that the people who go on vacations with their motor homes are more likely to find a campsite close to their home or just not stray far from the campsite once they arrive.

Pat Orzechowski, whose husband owns Deer Ridge, said they have noticed a change in business since gas prices began creeping toward $4 a gallon.

While most of the lots at Deer Ridge have a camper on them, the Rogers’ were the only family using their site. Most of the campers at Deer Ridge are now seasonal, which means they rent a lot for a summer and drive to and from the campsite when they need a vacation, Orzechowski said.

“I would imagine that as the summer progresses we’ll see more and more just local people coming out and camping and less destination people from Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin,” Orzechoswki said.

As the campers continue adjusting to the gas prices, the RV industry is working toward more manageable options for families concerned about filling the tank of a motor home, said Kevin Broom, director of media relations for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.

Broom said many manufacturers are introducing lighter-weight, fuel-efficient models to ease the minds of those looking to purchase an RV.

“They’ve had some products in the pipeline and now is definitely the time to bring those out,” Broom said.

Also, Broom said more than gas prices influence a family’s decision to buy a motor home. The availability of credit and discretionary income also play large roles in choosing to buy.

Even though RV sales were down 9 percent in 2007 and are projected to be down 18 percent by the end of 2008, Broom said there are still good signs that the industry will pick up again.

The number of people who rent RVs is up about 20 percent, and traffic at the RV shows is up as well. Broom said these factors indicate that once more money becomes available the percent of people who purchase RVs will increase accordingly.

Joe Finch, sales manager at Best Buy RV’s, said the price of RVs has not had to be adjusted to stimulate purchases. Trailers and RVs run from $20,000 to about $160,000.

“Somebody who is seriously looking for an RV will not care about cost,” he said. “The price of gas has eliminated the casual looker.”