Spring in the desert is not far away

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest or RSS Feed. We will then send you the stories that are posted each day in an e-mail digest. We use a service called Feedburner for delivery of these emails. You will receive an e-mail from Feedburner after you subscribe and you must click on that email to activate your subscription. Thanks for visiting and enjoy all the information! RV.Net Blog AdminIt’s February. And if you’re an RV snowbird you know that means that the annual wildflowers will soon be popping their delicate heads out of the brutal desert floor. But not everywhere. Just like all living things in the desert, everything has its time and place and cannot be rushed or changed on a sudden whim. Desert tortoises emerge from their burrows after a months-long hibernation only when conditions are right, that the desert’s support systems (like available food and water) are in place. Snakes, scorpions, and lizards won’t venture out until the sun warms their environment to the proper temperature, and the migrating birds stay put until Mother Nature informs them that the time is right. Desert blooming wildflowers also have their own schedule based on ground temperature, number of daylight hours, amount of rainfall that has fallen, and other triggers that provide them with the information they need to know when to germinate, when to apply their most aggressive growth spurt, when to flower and how to use their flowers to attract the... Read more

EarthCruiser: A boondocker’s dream RV

Just as car owner havd their dream cars, fulltime RVers have their dream mobile palaces, so do boondockers have their dream off-road “machine-that-you-can-live-in”, since it might be difficult to label the dream as  a camper, truck camper, class C, or class A motorhome. Such is the EarthCruiser, dreamed up by Aussies who like to go where they want, regardless of whether their is a road or not. As they put it, “Whether it’s from The Bungle Bungles to the tip of Cape York in Australia, the vistas of the majestic Rockies, or from the desolate sands of the Sahara to Russia’s famous Road of Bones, there is now a vehicle available that can take you to all these places, and more in secure, self contained luxury.” I discovered another dream vehicle that fits my tastes to add to my others(I have a couple others that I have written about previously) but this one is smaller, more compact, can probably fit into tighter places in in narrower canyons, and it sure looks rugged enough to handle the terain. It is called, appropriately, the EarthCruiser The EarthCruiser is, of course, a 4-wheel drive vehicle that not only gets you there, but surrounds and pampers you (by Australian standards) when you get there. “With its specially designed soft ride/hard road suspension kit and super-single  tires,” their website states, “the EarthCruiser is capable of negotiating long distance desert crossings and endless corrugated and rough roads in comfort.... Read more

Cover up: It’s the least you can do for your skin

By Bob Difley You might think that this isn’t the right time of the year to write about protecting our fragile epidermal layers from the scourges of skin cancer, what with Hurricane Sandy in New York, blizzards and sub-zero weather in the upper mid-west, and rain pelting down whenever we step outside. However, my wife, Lynn, constantly fights the skin cancer battle (from too many sunburns and excessive exposure to Mr. Sun as a surfer growing up in the surfing capital of Santa Cruz, California) and has had numerous non-malignant cancers (and one malignant) blasted off or cut out, reminds me that it doesn’t have to be hot–just sunny–to absorb the skin-damaging UVB rays from the sun. You can burn just as easily skiing as you can surfing. Lynn now teaches water exercise year round in outdoor (as well as indoor) pools and is adamant about covering up her exposed skin–even when the outside temps are in the 80s and above–whenever she is in the direct sun. That includes a wide-brimmed sun hat, sun block, and a rash guard. But these items are not just for water exercise instructors. Anyone who spends time in the sun–and what RVers don’t–must take precautions to prevent the UVB rays from damaging their skin. And this is an important fact. Pay attention. Even one sunburn that blisters anny time from your earliest childhood years to your retirement fun-in-the-sun years will increase your rish of skin cancer by 50%. yes, 50%! It’s... Read more

Snowbird guide to boondocking in the southwestern deserts

By Bob Difley Many RVers hold off heading to the desert for the winter until afterJanuary 1, especially those that spend the holidays with family and friends. If you are among those setting off soon, you may be too late in securing a campsite in the more popular RV resorts since many have already  been booked for the season. However, this might be an opportunity for you to practice your boondocking skills, seeing parts of the desert you may not have seen when ensconced in a resort near the large urban areas of Phoenix, Tucson, and Palm Springs. Though you may be able to pick up short term space in one of these resorts, you might have to fill in with boondocking or no-hook-up campgrounds in between. fIf you had planned on a single roost for the rest of the winter, you can still try to make reservations. But for boondocking, there is always room for another rig–even at Quartzsite where more than a half million RVers pass through in the three months of winter. Most boondockers buy a $180 season pass from the BLM for unlimited camping in any of their Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVA) from September through April 15. You can also buy a two week pass for $40. LTVA are located both north and south of Quartzsite, around Yuma, and in the Southern California desert. As you roam around and talk to other boondockers you will find more desert boondocking locations than you ever imagined. Many are just places where an RVer has pulled off onto an unnamed, unpaved desert track and found a... Read more

Arizona State Parks are your snowbird guide to Arizona

By Bob Difley RVers that head south from the northern states and Canada to warmer location are called snowbirds, yet not all snowbirds follow the same route. East coast snowbirds generally head to Florida (some to the Gulf coast of Alabama), while mid-west snowbirds aim toward the Rio Grande corridor in Texas. West coast snowbirds pick the Coachella Valley of southeastern California and southern Arizona (though East Coasters think all of Arizona  is a desert, in fact northern Arizona has vast Ponderosa pine forests, snow-capped peaks, and cities above the 7,000 level [Flagstaff] that are far from consideration as a snowbird destination). For West coast snowbirds, much of where they head has to do with the depth of your wallet or purse. The Coachella Valley boasts the fancy, amenity laden (and pricey) RV resorts around Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and Indio. Slightly downscale from there are the RV resorts surrounding Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma, also amenity-heavy and pricey but also a bit below their Coachella Valley cousins. Then there are the ones a step down around Casa Grande, Lake Havasu, and along the Colorado River. Most snowbirds spend their entire winter at one resort, since they fill up early with reservations and it is sometimes hard to find a spot if you just drop in. It’s easier just to stay on. However, if you’ve never been to Arizona before, or have always stayed at a single location, you have missed a lot of what the desert–especially the Sonora... Read more

Do you use your RV the way it was designed to be used?

By Bob Difley Many new RV owners drive off the dealer’s lot, head for a campground where they hook-up to water, waste, and electrical appendages not realizing that the original intent of RV manufacturers (camper vans, house cars, and other names were used before the industry settled on recreation vehicle or RV) was to build a vehicle that you could “camp” in comfortably and completely independent of outside assistance. That is why they built in large fresh water tanks, waste tanks, and batteries to supply 12-volt power. The goal of camping in those days was to get out into and enjoy the wonders of nature, it was an escape from the cities and crowds and choking smoke of the industrial age, and to visit America’s parks and landmarks without incurring the expense of pricey hotels (motels hadn’t caught on yet). But it seems that the tables have turned with the majority of RV users staying most of their nights in full or partial-service campgrounds or RV resorts, often within hearing distance of your neighbor’s coughing, TV, and conversations. Fewer than 20% of RVers “boondock” away from any neighbors or dry-camp (camping without hook-ups) in no hook-up campgrounds with widely spaced sites like the forest service or BLM provide at least some of the time. One would think that the trend would be in the opposite direction, since water tanks and systems have become larger and more like “home” and waste disposal stations have proliferated... Read more

Discover the wonders of the southwestern deserts

By Bob Difley By Bob Difley Before my wife and I began fulltiming we took several week-end and Christmas holiday vacation trips wrapped in the chilly blanket of the Northern California winter. One particular trip we camped in a state park redwood grove and there was no one else there except for a ranger or two passing through. In fact, the ranger had to open the restrooms for us, since they didn’t expect any campers and had kept them locked. No heat either. We decided then that when we got to fulltiming we were going to spend our winters in the southwestern deserts, where it was warm and the sun shone most of the time. And when it infrequently rained, it didn’t last long. And so we did. We were desert neophytes, assuming like many other RVers that the only reason to go to the desert was to spend the worst of the winter months in a dryer, warmer location. Period. Man, were we wrong. It didn’t take long to find out that the desert was teeming with life, it was just a different kind of life than we were used to. Nocturnal life, for instance. The critters and varmints hid in burrows or caves during the heat of the day and came out to feed and prowl after the sun dipped below the yardarm, or rather, the saguaro arm. Wildflowers, that lay dormant under the barren gravel and sand of the desert floor, would mysteriously and miraculously spring forth in a riot of color if just the right amount of rain fell at just the right time. Shrubs that appeared brittle and dead through most... Read more

Yes, you can find plenty of good boondocking campsites in Arizona besides Quartzsite

By Bob Difley Many RVers assume that boondocking in Arizona is synonymous with Quartzsite. But there are more than 12 million acres of public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which are open to recreation and camping. So if you are new to boondocking, and find Quartzsite too crowded to stay for long, here are some fascinating locations to explore in the Wild West state of Arizona (from my ebook, Snowbird Guide to Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts which can be found on my Healthy RV Lifestyle website or for Kindle users at Amazon). Imperial Dam on the Colorado River is a 3,500-acre BLM LTVA and a popular winter retreat for hundreds of RV snowbirds that visit the southwest corner of  Arizona, where the Yuma winter population about doubles the year round residents. Nearby Senator Wash is another BLM camping area. This LTVA has a dump station, water, and trash bins, and near enough to Yuma for convenient shopping, eating out,  and cultural events. Mitry Lake Wildlife Area is also near Yuma with nesty, isolated campsites on the cattail covered shoreline of this 600-acre lake. Good place for paddling and birdwatching. Site of Betty’s Kitchen Watchable Wildlife Area and a National Recreation Trail. Ten day limit. Organ Pipe Cactus NM on the Mexico border on AZ-85 south of Ajo is one of the first places in Arizona to see the Spring wildflower bloom. The no hook-up campground takes no reservations and always fills up early, but there is a BLM designated... Read more

Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts: LTVAs

By Bob Difley LTVAs The easiest way to start boondocking in the desert is to head for one of the BLM’s Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVA), which are designated as camping areas, but do not have designated campsites or hookups. Most will have a host that can answer questions, aim you in the right direction when you need help, direct you to the nearest dump station, water fill, Laundromat, grocery store, and provide local restaurant reviews. Make a special effort to visit a BLM Field Office in Arizona or California for the area you intend to boondock, or the BLM Web site, for more information, brochures, displays, safety tips, and helpful hints for exploring, camping, and boondocking in the deserts. LTVAs cost $180 for the season or any part of the season from September 15 to April 15. With a seasonal permit you can move between LTVAs and between states (Arizona is the only other state to have LTVAs). For $40 you can camp up to two weeks. LTVAs will be more popular (i.e. more crowded) than open desert camping in most cases (the Slabs at Niland on the Salton Sea being one exception) since they provide some organization to boondocking and usually lie near popular areas, such as on the California side of Yuma and at Quartzsite in Arizona. However, the further away you go from the entrance, the more spaced apart campers become. Even during the busiest part of the winter, you can find solitary spots away from others, in case you like nude sunbathing or perform strange rituals. For the... Read more

Saving money on the road: Many states offer special rates for seniors or state residents

By Bob Difley The following is “Number 7 State Parks” from my ebook, 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang from Your RV Lifestyle Buck which is available in the Kindle store at Amazon or in PDF format from my website. Many states offer special rates for seniors or state residents Many state parks offer special reduced rates Examples of special rates include California that offers $2 off their regular rate to seniors over 62 and Oregon that offers an annual pass for off-season camping at reduced rates. New Jersey offers free camping Sunday night through Thursday night in the off season; some states offer a small discount for non-weekend camping. Georgia offers discounts to veterans. Check as you go from state to state as some states alter their rates based on their current visitation, such as in Arizona where some state parks will offer seven days if you pay for five if they are not full. How to find these special rates. When you visit a state park check with rangers or office personnel for any special rates being offered. You can find official information on the park’s Web site, but some deals are made only at the individual park. Offer to do some park clean-up, maintenance, or other volunteer services in trade for a free campsite. ►Tip By checking in advance on states’ specials, you may be able to plan your trip to take advantage of the best rates offered. The following is “Number 7 State Parks” from my ebook, 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang from... Read more

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