Save effort and a back ache with a portable water pump

By Bob Difley Experienced Boondockers know that the efficient handling of waste water, electricity, and fresh water can determine how long they can camp without having to dump waste tanks, re-charge batteries, and refill the water tank. Adding  a portable water pump to your rig’s boondocking gear  can help save you effort, time, and hassle–and maybe a wrenched back. A portable pump can come in handy for chores you might not have thought of, though first and foremost would be transferring water from portable water containers–such as Jerry jugs or a water bladder–to your RV’s water tank. No more lifting heavy water jugs to pour into your tank, just back your pickup or dinghy up to your rig, attach a hose from the pump to the water container and another from the pump into your water fill opening and pump away while you enjoy doing something else. You can also use the pump to: Pump water from a mountain stream or lake into jugs for transfer into your rig. Use this only if you use bottled or purified water for drinking, washing dishes, and brushing teeth and your water tank just for showers. Empty the water from your fishing boat, kayak, or canoe after a sudden rainstorm. Put a shower head on the outlet hose and use it to wash off sandy feet or muddy shoes–pumped directly from a bucket outside so debris doesn’t enter your gray waste tank–or move it to any area outside your rig that needs washing off. A good, inexpensive choice for... Read more

Keep your fresh food stores safe from microscopic creepy crawlies

By Bob Difley Developed nations such as the USA and Canada have strict laws governing the handling of food from the pickers in the fields through the processors to the canners or baggers. Handling of livestock is also controlled and inspected from the time it leaves the ranch or feeding pens until it ends up in the meat counter or in plastic wrap in the supermarket. But as you all too often read in the news, food bugs (not the kind you can see) still get by the most stringent inspections and into our foods. While most of us are familiar with and have confidence in our local food suppliers, we unfortunately can’t tell when foods contain something that will make us sick. Whether you purchase food from a major supermarket supplied by big agribusiness producers or from the back of a farmer’s truck at a local farmers’ market you can’t tell what pathogens might sneak through. Boondockers must be especially careful in the handling and storing of fresh foods when stocking up before a trip,  some of it hidden from view until discovered when the storage area empties out, often having been subjected to a wide fluctuation between heat and cold. We also often keep foods beyond the safe date since if we’re camped out in the boonies we can’t just pop down to the market to replace questionable items—and we are often a distance from medical care as well if we do get food poisoning. We also might be a bit stingy in using wash and rinse water on dinnerware and cooking utensils... Read more

Safety precautions and common sense can prevent wildfires

By Bob Difley The BLM has issued a warning for Northern Nevada on the lack of moisture and warm day time temperatures and that campers and boondockers must use caution when building fires. The dry state of already dry BLM land in other states calls for the same measures. Texas, for instance, has had its driest year in decades, and you’ve seen what happened to the state as wildfires ravaged millions of acres. Little rain or snow has fallen in any of the southwestern deserts and wildfire danger is very high. As a result of these conditions and to remind fire builders, the BLM published these guidelines for building a campfire. Park vehicles so that the exhaust system does not come in contact with the dry grass, weeds or leaves. If off-road vehicle use is allowed, internal combustion equipment requires a spark arrester. Please stay on designated roads and trails. When burning debris check local weather conditions, have water nearby and available and know your counties outdoor burning policies. Never leave a campfire unattended. Leave campsite as clean and natural as possible. Remember the basic rule of, “Pack In Pack Out”. Never use any type of fireworks on public lands. Keep stoves, lanterns and heaters away from combustibles and never use inside a tent. I would add the following: Don’t build a fire when the wind is blowing hard. Keep a bucket handy to use to throw water on any errant sparks that escapes and to drown your final fire. Use a folding... Read more

Slab City: Life in the middle of nowhere

By Bob Difley The Slabs, or Slab city is a hardscrabble desert settlement scattered between the creosote bushes on BLM land in the Mojave Desert near the Salton Sea. It acquired its name from the remains of concrete slabs that once supported buildings of a former government facility, now long gone. At Quartzsite, it is understandable why RVers gather in the thousands every winter to attend the many RV shows, flea markets, and all the other quirky things that develop when there are essentially no laws about what you can do and where you can do it, especially true on the millions of acres of sparsely patrolled open desert under BLM administration. Lacking the glamour and lure of Quartzsite, though, it is a mystery why The Slabs has grown into a seasonal RV city, where Snowbirds of every type, size, and configuration move in and spend the winter. The local town and only supply center is not what you would call a tourist attraction. It looks more like a settlement in a Mad Max movie. The population isn’t just made up of those who can’t afford to stay in RV resorts or campgrounds, though the Slabs’ population includes many of them also, as well as those cast off by the recession and many who have lost their homes. But the majority (I’m guessing) of the winter residents consist of those that don’t like the formality or constrictions of a campground, who like to boondock out in the open desert, life without civilization’s appendages—water, electric, and sewage hookups.... Read more

Happy New Year

By Bob Difley Having never been a celebrant of New Year’s Eve, when that date rolled around I tried to find a boondocking spot as far away from the insanity as possible. I found that even one lone neighbor within a hundred yards or so could still disrupt the solitude of my campsite, so I sought to get completely away from others. It’s the curmudgeon in me. I figured it was successful if nothing–except maybe a coyote’s howl–woke me at the stroke of midnight. If you are also seeking solitude from New Year’s Eve  celebrations, I hope you have found that little-used dirt road that winds through a hidden canyon and accesses the perfect–and quiet–spot to celebrate the beginning of a new year, hopefully an improvement over 2011. Have a Happy New Year and a prosperous 2012. Check out my website for RVing tips and destinations and for my ebooks, BOONDOCKING: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America’s Public Lands (or for Kindle version), Snowbird Guide to Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts (Kindle version), and 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang out of your RV Lifestyle Dollar (Kindle version).  Read More →

Know your TMRs before it hits your wallet

By Bob Difley This week the Forest Service (FS) posted the motor vehicle travel regulations that are now in effect for the Williams Ranger District and the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. These motor vehicle travel regulations are the result of the national Travel Management Rule which the FS has been working on for several years, and which are coming to all national forests in 2012. Details of the motor vehicle travel regulations and associated maps are available at any Kaibab National Forest office or online at the forest service website. And remember this little ditty that appears there also: “Be sure you know before you go! And please remember: Nature Rules! Stay on designated roads and trails.” What is important is that it is up to you to know the new rules for driving and boondocking in all the the National Forests (FS)–not just the Kaibab. There are two important changes with the new Travel Management Rule (TMR). The first is that you may no longer drive on roads not designated by the FS. Many roads have been closed–but not necessarily blocked or signed–though most of those were illegal roads that were created by off-roaders, hunters retrieving game, and other illegal uses so it shouldn’t affect RVers–except maybe for truck campers driving 4WD vehicles. Some of these trails, though, were being used by off road vehicles (OHVs) which will no longer be permitted, though there are also many legal trails for OHVs... Read more

Are boondockers and off-road vehicle users heading for conflict?

By Bob Difley The New York Times published an article this morning on off-road vehicles called side-by-sides (SBS) that are growing in sales while sales of all terrain vehicles (ATV) are shrinking. SBS growth in popularity is due to not what they can do, which is drive on rough forest trails the same as ATVs, but for the amenities of the vehicle when off-roading. Unlike ATVs that have a straddle seat for the driver and handlebar type steering, SBSs have two seats up front, and often seats in the back as well, a automobile-type steering wheel, and rollbars, making them popular for those with spouses and families who want to take the family along. Sales of SBS have invigorated the power sporting equipment industry that has seen sales of ATVs drop by two-thirds since their peak in 2004. The debate in the industry, as it has been with ATVs, is with safety issues such as rolling over. These issues are important to the industry, as favorable rulings will boost sales and unfavorable rulings will depress sales. For instance, requiring manufacturers (such as Yamaha that makes the popular Rhino) to widen the wheel base and lower the center-of-gravity–which also reduces clearance–to reduce the potential for rolling over will also reduce the number and type of trails (which means elimination of rougher, narroweer trails) that side-by-sides can use. What does this have to do with RVing? For those RVers that tow ATVs and side-by-sides along with them it will mean that they may have... Read more

Should the government sell off our public lands?

By Bob Difley Suggestions are circulating around congress during these times when state and federal governments are finding it difficult to meet expenses that government should sell off “excess” government property to raise the necessary funding to continue to operate. Some of this excess property has been identified as public lands–national forests, wilderness areas, and desert lands now owned by us, the citizens of this country. Others consider this approach as short-sighted, citing the fact that once they are sold off they will never again become public lands available for our recreational use. The sales of these properties would also result in job and revenue losses in the surrounding communities, as many tour operators, rafting companies, fishing supply stores, fishing equipment manufacturers, camping supply stores and manufacturers, hunting supply stores, and other outfitters would have to shut down and lay off employees. And, of course, it would also mean diminished land for use by RVers for camping, boondocking, and sightseeing, and shut down the revenue flow we RVers spend in local communities for supplies, restaurants, and other services. This fact has been clearly demonstrated when various states started closing down state parks and the surrounding communities took and big economic hit because the visitors to the area suddenly vanished. RVers, hunters, and anglers would be especially affected, as in some cases they have already been by the implementation... Read more

How to control on-the-road expenses when your portfolio takes a hit

By Bob Difley Back in the good ol’ days when we were all making money on our stock portfolios and our retirement income was healthy, we didn’t have to think much about economizing or how to save money while on the road. The toughest decisions we had to make was whether to buy the $20 or $40 bottle of wine, go to a 4 star instead of a 3 star restaurant, and whether to stay at RV resorts boasting amenities such as golf tours, swimming pools and hot tubs, and lots of planned activities. I fear that, except for a minority of us, those halcyon days of yore are gone. The pundits on CNBC are back talking the “D” word, Europe’s woes are making headlines, and street demonstrations are growing. Even the most un-conservative spendthrifts among us have to be thinking of watching the outflow with all this uncertainty. One of the things I’ve always liked about the RV Lifestyle was our ability to make such cutbacks when the times warranted. That was a hard thing to do when we lived conventionally in nice suburban houses and had more-or-less fixed monthly expenses–gas bill was mostly the same month-to-month, club dues the same, food bill ditto. But with the RV lifestyle, when the s**t hits the fan, or markets are on the verge of panic, we RVers (at least fulltimers) have the ability to weather the storm by instantly changing  our plans and just as instantly cutting expenses until things settle down. For instance, to cut down on your fuel bill stay longer... Read more

What does it cost to become a fulltimer?

By Bob Difley Almost every new RVer or former weekender thinking about going fulltime asks the question “How much does it cost to live fulltime in an RV?” The answer is, pick any number and you will find someone who says that is what it costs. And they’re right–for them. However, that is probably not the best question to ask. Try rephrasing the question to “I will have a net income of (fill in the blank), will this be enough to cover the RV lifestyle that I define?” And that, of course, implies that you have to first define the RV lifestyle before you can cost it out. What does costing it out entail? This question is very individual, which only you–and your traveling companion or spouse, if any–can answer. So get out a piece of paper or open a  new document on your computer and answer these questions first: Is your RV paid for or will you have to factor payments into your budget? Is your RV old or new? An old RV will require more dollars budgeted for maintenance and repairs? Do you have a residence that will require maintenance or will provide additional income by renting? Are all your financial obligations paid off or will payments–other than monthly usage of credit cards–have to be factored in? Add in health insurance and prescription drug plan premiums, and average monthly co-pays. Add in cell phone costs, a gift budget, hobby costs, and anything else that will be recurring expenses. That was the easy part, numbers... Read more

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