can you live by your wits if you only have half the wits you need?

My latest boondocking spot on BLM land just outside Congress Arizona.

 As much as I enjoy staying at an escapees RV Park especially drycamping like I almost always do. It still feels good to be boondocking on public land again. At the RV Park there was always people around so I could usually hear people talking, or walking by, and in every direction I looked there was an RV.

Now I could easily name half a dozen things that I liked about being there and right at the top of the list would be the friendly people, but despite that I had rather be boondocking on public land even though I could name several problems with that, such as dusty, bumpy roads for instance. But for some reason I still prefer being out in the sticks and living by my wits.

Come to think of it maybe that "living by my wits" thing is a big part of why I'm so happy. Living in an RV Park or living on public land is kind of like the difference between living in the city or living in the country. In an RV Park, just like in a city, there's an infrastructure, rules, and people in charge that help you live your life. You don't have to do anything, you don't have to think about anything, you follow the rules and some of the basics of life, such as safety, water, sewage, electric, and help if you need it, are all provided. And if you stay there for more than a few days your recognized as a member of the Community and can have not only companionship but acceptance.

Boondocking is different, its more like living on a farm or a ranch. Your pretty much on your own. There is no infrastructure, there's very few rules which are seldom enforced, there's a Ranger in charge but you may never see him, which explains the seldom enforced rules. And it's up to you to figure out where you can find some water and where your going to dump your tanks and your trash. You have to figure a way to get some Internet out of the air. And you don't have a neighbor 10 feet away to help you if you get in trouble. In other words you have to live by your wits.

Just writing it down like that I can see why boondocking doesn't appeal to most folks. And after reading it I'm wondering why it even appeals to me. I guess because it always comes down to the same thing, freedom. Yes I have to put up with bumpy roads, ATVs whizzing by, and Lord knows, loud generators.

But despite all that I'm free to come and go as I please, whenever and wherever I want. so I guess another definition of freedom could be living by your wits.... Too bad I only have half the wits I need.

                                  theboondork

boondocking sunset Congress Arizona