I guess it all depends if you want to ride to the event. My wife and I do not camp, it hasn't worked for us either. We also have done cabins and in most cases they are okay, but some are nearly as much as a motel and some you must bring your own bedding. Kind of like camping indoors. We also have done motels but again expensive. Our option was to haul our bikes. We built a small RV last year and continue to build it to fit our needs. Even on events over a 1000 miles we can still drive it in a day or pull over to take a nap, or switch drivers and then nap. Because we bring all of our food and are diligent about not eating at restaurants the overall daily cost are not horrible.
The biggest cost other than fuel for the RV is camping site costs. Most STOC events are fairly cheap, National Parks are cheap especially with the Geezer pass. KOA's are more expensive, and in Colorado so are State Parks, because of how they price multiple vehicles.
We find that staying at the STOC event sites is much more fun than being off-site. It provides a way to really meet the crew. Great Fun.
The biggest cost other than fuel for the RV is camping site costs. Most STOC events are fairly cheap, National Parks are cheap especially with the Geezer pass. KOA's are more expensive, and in Colorado so are State Parks, because of how they price multiple vehicles.
We find that staying at the STOC event sites is much more fun than being off-site. It provides a way to really meet the crew. Great Fun.