The Zen of Boondocking Part VIII – Boondocking on public lands

Bob Difley Now that we’ve solved the problems of dumping, water, and electricity and you’ve had a few nights of tether-less camping at non-hookup campgrounds or at a Walmart, let’s tackle the essence of the heart of boondocking–camping out in the boonies. So just where can you camp legally outside of designated campgrounds? That’s the good part. There are millions of acres of public lands which are open to all forms of recreation, including camping and boondocking. Wikipedia defines and identifies public lands as, “The majority of public lands in the United States are held in trust for the American people by the federal government and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the United States National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, or the Fish and Wildlife Service under the Department of the Interior, or the United States Forest Service (FS) under the Department of Agriculture. Other federal agencies that manage public lands include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United States Department of Defense, which includes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” Most of these public lands are open for recreational use, though the type depends on the managing agency. On Forest Service and BLM lands restrictions are minimal (BLM alone manages 253 million acres–one-eighth of the country’s landmass, but most of it is in the eleven western states), though more controlled in national and state parks... Read more

VEERING FROM THE PATH

 By Monique & Barry Zander, the Never-Bored RVers  This is literally off the beaten path, but I think it will have value to those of you considering full-timing and maybe to full-timers who stay on the road out of habit. Last month Monique and I veered slightly from our on-the-road existence.  That’s when we bought Monique’s ideal cabin in the woods, situated on a mountain high Looking up from the Creek © All photos by Barry Zander. All rights reserved above the deserts of Southern California.  We were blanketed with 40” of snow in our first three days here, which has delayed laying a pad for our RV. But don’t fear.  When we repack the trailer in May, we will be gone for eight to ten months traveling toward the Canadian Maritimes and then down to Florida.  We love our new home, but we have no intention of giving up our RV lifestyle. After four and a half years of being what normal folks would call “homeless,” we decided to explore the inevitable, having a base.  Things happened fast, owing to buyers’ market prices and the park-like property we found.  We have parked our travel trailer 363 times since August 2006.  We still appreciate the opportunity of having a different backyard every few days.  When we’re in the forests of North America, we love our campsite … and then we move on to a breath-taking ocean-side park.  When we’re on a mountain, we love our campsite … and yet, we are just as content a few days later when we pull into a lonely... Read more

What’s in your toolkit?

By Bob Difley From many years of RVing I have discovered that if you don’t follow the rule “if you bring something aboard, something has to leave” then soonor later you will either be way overloaded or will be looking for a new –and larger–rig. Your RV, if you hadn’t noticed lately, is limited in carrying and storage capacity. You have to make decisions of what you will carry and what you will eliminate when something new comes aboard. And when you will get rid of something if you haven’t used it in a while–like a year or more. Which brings me to my “things that I have had for more than a year but which will NOT go” list. I know that someday I will need these “things” when boondocking, which will justify the time I have carried them, mostly unused, hidden deep in a locker somewhere. Folding shovel. Folds into a compact shape. Can also be used as a hammer, pick, scoop, scraper, and along with a bucket often required by the forest service (FS) during dry seasons if you are boondocking and plan to build a campfire. Available at my Amazon aStore and at outdoor and Army surplus stores. Bucket, plastic or canvas collapsible. Also required by FS (see above), for putting out campfires. Myriad other uses: carrying water, collecting kindling, as a step stool (not canvas one), emptying a bucket of gray water–never black water–to dump on a thirsty plant when you accidentally fill your holding tank and are... Read more

Freedom, Travel, and the Good Life: New RV Magazine to launch March 1

Today’s fifth wheel trailers are truly a home away from home with large kitchens and even larger living areas. The units range in size up to 40 feet and are able to carry motorcycles, ATVs, and other small vehicles while still having adequate space for the family to camp in style and comfort. A press release earlier this week announced the launch of a new magazine for RVers. To be launched March 1, Fifth Wheel Magazine will focus on keeping fifth wheel and toy hauler owners up-to-date with the latest industry trends and new products and accessories that are making fifth wheeling easier and safer. Fifth Wheel Magazine will review current and new models, provide product information, photographic and video factory tours, fifth wheel safety and general tips and advice from industry experts. In addition to industry news, Fifth Wheel Magazine provides product tips, safety information, and expertise from professionals in the industry. This information will assist current and prospective RVers in making informed buying decisions and staying current with the latest trends and innovations in the industry. Fifth wheel interior. Photo courtesy Fifth Wheel Magazine A stated goal of the new Fifth Wheel Magazine is to bridge the gap between the manufacturers and fifth wheel and toy hauler owners and new buyers. By keeping up-to-date with what the manufacturers are doing and how they are working on new designs and features, the magazine intends to keep fifth wheel owners and buyers informed... Read more

Just do it: The active RV Lifestyle

By Bob Difley You’ve been working hard all your life and now as retirement approaches, so do the day dreams of RVing around the country, wandering two-lane back roads, visiting small town America, exploring our national parks, boondocking in the forests and deserts, and snoozing in a camp chair by a babbling brook full of rainbow trout. Relaxation. You deserve it after all those stressful years. Kick back, enjoy doing nothing. And then all of a sudden you look in the mirror and find that 20 extra pounds of softness has accumulated around your middle. What is happening? What has taken its toll is the frantic activity of work, raising a family, mowing the lawn, all those activities not associated with an RV lifestyle have vanished, leaving an activity–and calorie burning–vacuum. Just setting up your camp chairs is not enough exercise. That’s the bad news. The good news is, that once you’ve gotten the relaxation-means-doing-nothing out of the way, a whole new world of calorie-burning physical activity opens up enabling you to stay active, keep in physical condition, and feeling good without all the stresses you once felt. The RV Lifestyle offers myriad opportunities for physical play, of which only a small smattering follows: HIKING – Hiking is a wonderful way to see the surrounding area, places you can’t get by vehicle, hidden canyons, following mountain streams, wildlife watching, finding hidden Alpine lakes. The beauty of it is that all... Read more

Listen to RV Radio Shows via Podcasts

If you haven’t discovered podcasts about RVing, you’re in for a treat!  Think of them like Blogs that you can listen to, rather than read.  I know of two personally, and I’m sure there are more.  RV Navigator is a show by Ken and Martha Wiseman.  They have been extended RV travelers since 2005.  Their home is in Chicago.  They also travel by cruise ship.  Ken is a gadget king and you will hear a lot about Macintosh computers, iPhones, iPads and all things Apple from Ken in addition to RV and Travel topics.  RV Navigator podcasts are produced once or twice each month when they are traveling. Each podcast is about an hour long. Living the RV Dream is a show by John and Kathy Huggins.  They have been fulltime RVers since 2005.  Their goal is to visit all the US National Parks.  They also do a lot of volunteer work since hitting the road including working at the Escapees CARE center in Livingston, Texas. Living the RV Dream podcasts are produced weekly.  Make sure to check out the Jan 19, 2011 episode where they interview Geeks on Tour – the author of this article! What is a Podcast? The term ‘Podcast’ originated with the popular iPod device from Apple.  The iPod is a dedicated device for playing audio files.  However, you do not need an iPod to play podcasts.  Any computer will do, and most smart phones, as well as dozens of makes and models of ‘.mp3’ players. A podcast is a computer file, usually in the .mp3 format.  What I’m talking about in this... Read more

Spring in the Desert

By Bob Difley Before my wife, Lynn, and I became homeless and unemployed (the definition of a fulltimer) we stoically endured the interminable winter rains, piercing cold, dark nights that lasted too long and the hours of daylight far too brief. Toneless gray skies and leafless trees had us longing for spring even before the last of the autumn leaves had fluttered away. We joined the growing ranks of fulltimers on a gray November day, now almost eighteen years ago. Before you could say “continuing rain and high winds” we had flapped our proverbial wings and joined the migrating flock of snowbirds heading south for the dry, warm, sunny desert. Though we escaped most of the rain and cold, the colorless grays and browns of the desert floor took their place. Sunlit days were still too short. The sun never seemed to rise overhead and started to set before I really got going. Even though the blue-skied days more often than not reached into the 60s, we still looked forward to Mother Nature’s reawakening from her winter slumber. When spring eventually grabs a foothold the desert transforms itself into multiple shades of green as lifeless, woody plants sprout tiny leaves. Miniature yellow blossoms erupt on the creosote bushes. Chuparosa, brittlebush, and indigo bush burst with red, yellow, and purple blooms. My winter eyes were rewarded when delicate wildflowers, like the showy, white Ajo lillies, appearing frail and defenseless, awakened and tentatively poked their heads out into... Read more

Membership Campgrounds: 8 Western Horizon Parks for Sale

Western Horizon Resorts (WHR), an owner and operator of private membership, RV resorts, and RV travel related services, has listed eight of its recreational vehicle parks for sale, with a combined 1,839 RV sites for a total of $28.13 million. Indian Waters RV Resort, a Western Horizon membership campground in Indio, California. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved A privately held company, WHR was founded by Jim Loken and family in 1984 and was designed to provide RVers with “an exceptional outdoor vacation experience”. Currently the corporation operates 14 resorts, 5 affiliated resorts, Vista Group RV Insurance, and two affiliated camping networks: Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR) and Sunbelt Resorts. Read more  Read More →

A snowbird Christmas

By Bob Difley Celebrating the holidays in an RV is a bit different than sitting down to Christmas dinner at a table for twelve surrounded by sons and daughters, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Snowbirds, unfortunately, are displaced revelers, far away from the Christmas trees, jingle bells, and ho-ho-ho of “home.” For snowbirds, home is where you park it, which might be snuggled up to a saguaro or jostling with a Joshua tree. But because of snowbirds’ displacement from family, they are not bound by traditions practiced by family gatherings. So, here are a few ideas for boondockers who would like to do something different this year, yet still retain the spirit of Holiday cheer, and maybe even astonish their grandkids. Design your own desert Christmas tree, ornaments, and decorations A bit unorthodox, but why not? (If we RVers weren’t a bit different, we wouldn’t choose to live a good portion of the year in a box on wheels). For this holiday’s décor, combine the elements of a treasure hunt, a vigorous walk, and a stretching of the imagination. Put on your hiking boots, grab a collecting bag, and set off across the desert. The first thing you need is a “tree”, the thing you hang the ornaments on. A Russian thistle, more commonly know as a tumble weed, or any of several dry, skeletal, leafless desert shrubs makes a good choice. Decide on the best location to display this budding masterpiece, the dash or dinette table for instance, and devise a way to... Read more

Woodall’s Facebook Fans Get a Unique Opportunity to Get a Sneak Peek at 2011 Top Rated RV Parks

“Like” Woodall’s on Facebook to get early-access to the 5w/5w rated campgrounds and RV parks for 2011! You’ll be the first to see this distinguished list of parks! Every year, Woodall’s Publications sends out a small army of full time RVers who travel across North America visiting RV parks and campgrounds in every state and province, working to make the Woodall’s Campground Directory has up-to-date as possible. And every year, Woodall’s compiles a list of the highest-rated campgrounds these professional RVers have seen in their travels, and passes that list over to other RVers and Campers so they can enjoy these parks as well. Usually this list doesn’t come out until the first of the year, however, just for their facebook fans, Woodall’s has given an exclusive sneak peek at these top-rated parks and campgrounds! Check out every 5W/5W park in the North America by going to Woodall’s Facebook Page. If you are not a Woodall’s fan, click on the “like” button to see all the premier content. The Woodall’s rating system is based on two features of a given park: 1W through 5W rating for the facilities and maintenance of the park, and 1W through 5W for the park’s recreation and maintenance. What the “Ws” indicate is the level of development and facilities at the park. In the case of a 5W/5W park rating, that rating tells campers that the park is highly developed in terms of its facilities (i.e. sites, interior roads,... Read more

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