theboondork's RV blog

Do I still like Boondocking ?

2/25/2016

Saguaro cactus in the sunset Boondocking Wickenburg Arizona

Saguaro cactus in the sunset Boondocking box wash Wickenburg Arizona

I've been thinking about how well Boondocking has worked out for me. I think that the last time I was in an RV Park and had hookups was around Christmas and New Year's, and even then it was only because I had visitors and I needed to stay near town.

I never imagined that I was going to enjoy Boondocking as much as I do. I think I've said before that when I was making plans for my full-time lifestyle I figured that I would boondock for two weeks and then pay for a night or two at an RV Park before going back out and Boondocking for another two weeks. And I made that schedule for myself partly because of the two weeks and move BLM rule, and because I thought I would be bored sitting in the desert for two weeks. It turns out it's not as boring as I thought, after some time getting used to Boondocking I've learned to relax, and not only realize that I don't have to be doing something every minute of the day but enjoying the fact that I don't ! So far I have no desire to go to an RV park in less I have no other choice.

I've also found that the two week time limit that the BLM places on all of us boondockers works out about right for a lot of people that I've talked to, and is not as big a handicap as I thought it would be. A lot of folks including myself feel that two weeks is about as long as we want to stay in one place. I'm usually looking forward to moving when my two weeks are up, and seeing what's in the next town or what's on the other side of the mountain.

Backlit Cholla cactus Boondocking Wickenburg Arizona

Cholla cactus in the sunset box wash

Originally my plans for Boondocking were based on saving money, and it certainly does do that. But now I much prefer to be boondocking on public land than to be at an RV Park with other RVs all around me and my only view is the side of my neighbors trailer.

Oasis for cattle Boondocking Wickenburg Arizona

Oasis for cattle box wash Wickenburg Arizona

Now you don't have to be alone to boondock, in fact there are a lot of other boondockers that love to huddle up in a group somewhere out in the desert. And that's part of the beauty of the whole Boondocking concept, you can be as close to or as far away from people as you want as long as you have a little Boondocking courtesy and check to see if other boondockers want you close to them.

Desert trail Boondocking Wickenburg Arizona

Desert trail Boondocking box wash Wickenburg Arizona

I realize that things are going to be more difficult next winter when I try Boondocking in the South, Boondocking areas are going to be harder to find, and instead of finding free Boondocking areas I'm probably going to be dealing with finding inexpensive Boondocking areas. But one thing will remain the same whether it's the Desert or the Gulf Coast, the RVers there will be friendly and helpful and give me all the information I need trying to find a place to stay.

theboondork

Moonrise over vulture peak Wickenburg Arizona

Moon rising over vulture peak

4 Comments

Barbara Martin

2/26/2016 11:50:39 am

Great photos as usual, it's kind of hard typing this message because the back ground is black and since I'm sixty, can't see that great anymore! I enjoy reading your posts, especially since I hope to purchas the same Arctic Fox model. I also plan to mostly bookdock and like reading about the ares you visit.
HOpe I don't have too many typos in this message-

Keep up your interesting blog!
Barbara

theboondork

2/26/2016 01:18:29 pm

Barbara thank you so much for the compliment, comments like yours are the only way that I have of knowing how I'm doing with my blog.

I'm just sitting here in the Arctic Fox out in the desert putting words and pictures on a computer screen not knowing if anyone is looking at those pictures or reading those words. So it helps a lot when folks comment and let me know how I'm doing.

I just checked out my comment box and I see what you're talking about, the box is very dark and the words are almost as dark and I could barely see them myself. I hadn't paid much attention to that because I never type in the boxes that are provided to type in. I've always done my typing on WordPad or Notepad and then copy pasted it into my email or whatever other box I was supposed to be writing in,which is what I'm doing right now
.
I've always done this because I type very, very, slooowly, and sometimes after I'd spent half an hour typing a paragraph into a box .... Something would go wrong and my laboriously typed paragraph would suddenly disappear into the Ethernet.

But anyway Barbara, thanks for letting me know that the problem is there and I will see what I can do to fix it.
Tom

ron

2/26/2016 11:32:09 pm

I check your blog a couple times a day and look forward to each post.
You have made me realize that there are several kinds of fulltimers , Some that travel a bunch and are basically in the vacation mode. then some are just living in an rv fulltime and using it as a house on wheels. You seem to be diferent than those two , you go into an area and explore and I find that very interesting.
Ron

heboondork

2/27/2016 09:48:41 am

Thank you very much for your input Ron, I always enjoy hearing from a reader that finds what I do interesting.

You got it exactly right Ron there are lots of different kind of RVers, and that's one of the cool things about being an RVer you will fit into the group no matter how you're living your life. But like you say there are basically two types of full timers. There are snowbirds that spend their winters down south and there summers up north and the only traveling they do is going between the two RV parks where they normally stay. And then there are the folks who are almost constantly on the move in an effort to see as much of this country is they can.

And you're right I fit in somewhere between those two. Partly out of necessity I have had to adjust my life to live the way I do now because I don't have the money to pay for daily rates at campgrounds. The daily rates at campgrounds are generally around $30 a day. And if you add in some tax you're pretty much looking at about a $1000 a month to camp. Now campgrounds have a cheaper weekly rate and an even cheaper monthly rate But if you pay the monthly rate you're stuck at that place for a month no matter what at this point in my life I don't want to be tied down to that degree.

The Snowbird routine sounds kind of boring to me. A lot of those folks like the routine of staying at the same RV park all the time often with the same group of people they've known for years and they make their reservations a year ahead of time just to make sure they have a place to stay.

One of the good things about Boondocking is since it's free you can stay one night or several weeks and it cost the same, and you have the freedom to come and go as you please. You may have noticed from my blog that I will talk about going someplace like Yuma, and then here it is almost 2 months later and I'm a little farther from Yuma than when I started the trip. And that's because when I wake up in the morning I lay there and think about what I'm going to do today, some days I think,.... I'll go to the grocery store! And other days I think,... I'll go to Yuma! And that kind of planning is how I can travel for two months and end up farther from my destination than when I started.

Thanks again for writing Ron, it's always good to hear from you so stay in touch.
Tom

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Do I still like Boondocking ?

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