Southwestern deserts: More than just a warm place

By Bob Difley This is the time of year when RVers in the northern states and Canada can be divided into two groups: those that are or soon will be headed to the southwestern deserts for at least some part of the winter, and those that wish they were headed for the desert. When the cold wind blowing down from Alaska makes your ears numb, and the specter of  freezing rain and snow looms on the horizon, images of sunny skies, flowering cacti, and photos of smiling RVers in shorts and T-shirts lounging in camp chairs outside their RVs in Quartzsite, Arizona, can be powerful magnets luring us south. Read more  Read More →

High Desert Fall Destination: Valley of Fire

By Bob Difley Getting chilly? Thinking it might be time to head south? Away from that increasingly cold wind coming down out of Alaska and Canada? Or maybe you’re waiting for the holidays to come so you can spend time with family. However, if you are not tied down with family or other obligations, you might want to consider getting a head start, but instead of heading directly for your winter digs, try a different location for a week or so, a high desert location that would be too cold in mid-winter but might be downright comfortable right now. One place that comes to mind is Valley of Fire State Park in the Mojave Desert 55 miles north of Las Vegas and only six miles from Lake Mead. Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park and gets its name from the the park’s red sandstone formations. This park brings out the little boy on all of us, climbing the rocks, peering into eroded caves and through holes and arches, and giving names to the odd formations–such as bee hives, elephant rock, and grand piano. In addition you can find petrified logs, big horn sheep, Indian petroglyphs, secret slot canyons, an old movie site, and a rainbow of colors in the geologic formations.  Paved scenic drives access most of the park’s attractions, but several hikes wind in and out of the strange and mysterious rocky formations. There are primitive, nicely private, first-come-first-serve campsites tucked in the rock formations and some have water and electricity... Read more

VIDEO: Boondocking & Green RVing w/ the PowerSource 1800

Gear to Get with Brian Brawdy One of the necessities of Green RVing, boondocking & dry camping is the ability to generate power. By tapping into the free and ubiquitous energies of the sun, I’m able to go off road, off the grid while staying out longer. In this video, I look at the cutting edge technology of the PowerSource 1800. A uniquely designed solar powered generator. For more information on Brian Brawdy or Greening your RV, please visit BrianBrawdy.com  Read More →

Boondocking Podcast with Brian Brawdy & Bob Difley

by Brian Brawdy In my opening 18 months as an RVer, I have learned that the attraction, at least for me, is one of self reliance and nomadicism. The places that I have explored and the people I have encountered have only reinforced the sense of independence one cultivates while bringing the far away to their own front door. Early on I began to feel, not that I was learning this philosophy, but that I was remembering it. That adventure and exploration are latent in the human being. To that end, I started a blog called Buried Logic. Today it is my great pleasure to share with you an hour long podcast with author and fellow RVer Bob Difley. Read more  Read More →

VIDEO: Green RVing with tomorrow’s explorers

It is easy to get caught up in what it takes to be a Green RVer. There are discussions of solar panels, wind turbines, alternative fuels and tire pressure. There are discussions about recycling, vehicle weight, gas mileage and sustainability but the true encouragement, if not solely for the next generation of RVers, the true passion behind Green RVing is the planet we will leave behind for our children and grandchildren. Read more  Read More →

Where do Snowbirds Go Between Summer and Winter?

By Bob Difley The threat of early winter snows, sometimes arriving as early as October in the higher elevations of the Sierras, Cascades, and Coast Ranges, snowbirds, along with the feathered version of migrating birds, are starting to make plans for heading south. However, with daytime temps still topping 100 degrees in the lower desert snowbird roosts like the Coachella Valley in California, and the lower Colorado River, Phoenix, and Tucson areas of Arizona, you might want to consider heading for one of the high deserts for a month or so. Read more  Read More →

Six Words About Your RV Life

Hello intrepid travelers, Calling all wordsmiths, writers, witty individuals or families…can you condense your RV and camping experiences and expectations into six words? I double dog dare ya to share Six Words About Your RV Life!! Have you heard of the six word memoirs project from SMITH Magazine? In 2006 the fine minds behind SMITH Magazine offered aspiring writers, poets, those with something to say, and plain ole witty folk an opportunity to tell their story in six words. It’s said that Hemingway did just that when challenged to write a six word story. He came up with this: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”  Thousands of others from the famous to the neighbor-next-door have submitted their six word story in several SMITH Magazine projects including a series on Love & Heartbreak. And this got me thinking about my own six word memoirs…stories about my life on the road, as an RVer. My motto and the RV Cooking Show’s tag line is a mere six words – “Love to travel. Love to eat.” I quickly realized we all have a story to tell, a short ditty to share – especially when it comes to our RV and camping travels. So, with much anticipation and excitement I am delighted to introduce a special six word series – Six Words About Your RV Life. Think about your adventures and see if you can craft a six word memoir about your RV vacation, lifestyle, camping experiences. Leave your six words on my RVCookingShow blog or right here on this RV.net blog posting – Six... Read more

Coyote Camping in the Southwestern Deserts II

By Bob Difley In last week’s blog I described how to find dispersed boondocking campsites (coyote camping) in the American deserts. Now that you know how to find coyote camping spots, the following tips will help to enhance and expand your desert boondocking experience: The best way to find dispersed campsites in the desert is to explore first in your tow or toad, checking the road surface for soft spots, lethal potholes, and muffler-killing rocks. Try to find roads that follow the less-eroded high ground rather than up a wash, where the surface could be sandy and soft. You can often find “desert pavement” on the higher surfaces, a naturally occurring tile or cobblestone-like surface that is very hard and supportive of even heavy rigs. And you are likely to have better views from the higher ground. Choose a spot, if available, that has been camped in before, rather than destroying desert plants in creating a new site. Haul as much water in Jerry Jugs or inflatable blatters (available at Camping World or RV and boating supplystores) with you as you can carry. Dump these into your fresh water tank as it goes down to give you extended staying time. Buy the type of sewer cap that has a fitting for a garden hose, which you can then lead off away from your site for your gray water to drain into (dig a deep hole and cover outflow with a layer of sand after each use). Never dump your black water except into an approved dump station). Solar panels work great in the desert, even... Read more

Coyote Camping in the Southwestern Deserts

By Bob Difley BLM undesignated campsites near Why, AZ Boondocking around Quartzsite and on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) LTVAs (described last week in Desert Solitaire II) is an easy and effective introduction to desert boondocking and snowbirding. Support services and supplies are plentiful, and the great gathering of veteran boondockers, akin to the mountain man rendezvous of 200 years ago, stand ready to help out if needed. Read more  Read More →

The Big Switch to LEDs, Good or Bad

LEDs As Replacement For Incandescent Lights Last year, as those that have followed this Blog, I got bitten by the solar bug. We were leaving for a 6 month round the country trip and planning on a fair amount of boondocking. I contacted RV Solar in Phoenix Arizona and settled on a package that they sell as Noels Package. It consisted of a pair of 85 watt panels, control unit, a Magnum 3000 inverter/converter/charger, and most of the wiring to make the installation. Read more  Read More →

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