theboondork's RV blog

Lake havasu? It doesn't look like Lake Havasu!

12/19/2022

Clicking the pics is the best way to see a casino without losing any money.

Bluewater casino in Parker Arizona. If you don't have a gambling problem casinos are a good place to boondock. Most of them welcome boondocker's, and there's plenty of security running around so you feel safe.

It's good that I didn't have any plans, or I would have changed them again. When I left Quartzsite this morning at about 9 AM, I was anticipating an easy 70-mile drive to Havasu, and all I had to do before getting to Havasu was stop at the Walmart in Parker and pick up a few things.

But when I left the Walmart and remembered the Bluewater casino was just down the road about a mile, I decided to stop and see what was going on. And the Colorado River that the Bluewater casino sits beside looked so nice I wanted to take some nighttime pictures, and the next thing you know, I was staying for the night. The boondocking here is free, and they have a one-week stay limit. So I pulled in with a dozen other boondockers, officially pronounced myself "at home," and settled in for the night.

I topped up my truck's tank with diesel at $4.88 a gallon while in Parker. Of course, I didn't need to, but I'm still topping up my diesel tank whenever it's convenient, just in case I have problems getting fuel down the road. But so far, the diesel fuel situation appears to be fine, and other than the expense; I haven't noticed any problems.

It's amazing how we get used to bad news. I'm buying diesel fuel for more than twice what it cost when Trump was president, and yet I've learned to live with that and be thankful it's available at any price. It's hard to believe that just two years ago, we were a country that had cheap fuel and so much of it available that we sold it to other countries.

Theboondork

Bluewater casino in Parker Arizona Picture

Bluewater casino and hotel Parker Arizona.

The Colorado River Parker Arizona.

Desert hills.

The Colorado River that runs next to the Bluewater casino

Little ole me with a few of my boondocking neighbors at the casino parking lot.

6 Comments

OFM

12/20/2022 11:18:40 am

IF you can find the time in your schedule I personally would like to see more pics of how you are rigging the inside of the camper. I think it would really help me choose my next lighter RV. I had no use for the soft sides on the Bronco, but this Lance has had me paying attention to pickup campers MUCH more closely. Thank you.

Tom

12/20/2022 12:27:53 pm

I'd be glad to do that Barney. At the moment I've been traveling a lot and things are kind of messy, but I'm pretty sure I will be in Lake Havasu tomorrow where I'll just be killing time during the Christmas holidays and I will straighten things up and do a picture blog on the inside of the Lance.

And yes the Lance is way better in the things that are important to me than the bronco was. But the bronco was never designed to be lived in, it was designed to be carried by a half ton truck to the Lake for a weekend... But "four season" it definitely wasn't.

But it did allow me to inexpensively test out the viability of living in a truck camper and it showed me how much I loved the exceptional mobility of it, the stress free driving I feel every time I go somewhere, and especially not having to worry about all the trailer running gear.

Is it perfect; not really, but I don't think any RV is. RVs are just a trade-off of what's most important to you, and what you can and can't live with. And for me the Lance has more things that I like about it than don't, and I've made up my mind I can live with the things that I don't.

Tom

Linda

12/20/2022 02:11:02 pm

Parker is a good place to be. I spent a lot of time in the Parker area. The McDonald's there has a bunch of outlets at the tables near the restrooms--good place to charge all your electronics.

12/20/2022 03:46:02 pm

I like Parker myself. Thank you for the information about the outlets. I tried to boondock in that large parking lot behind McDonald's a couple of years ago and got run off by the Indian police. Apparently a used to be a good boondocking spot but some people took advantage of the situation and they had to stop it.

Tom

12/21/2022 02:36:31 pm

I've boondocked in that lot but I was nervous about being the only one there. There is a small lot next to the laundromat across from the Circle K where semis park overnight. I stayed there one night but felt bad about taking a potential truck driver's spot so I just went back to Walmart after that.

12/21/2022 02:45:41 pm

I don't like to take truckers parking spaces either, they need them a lot more than I do.

I've found the best place to spend the night in Parker, is either boondock out on Shea road, or stay at the Bluewater casino. There both free, but the Bluewater casino has great security so I think it's the place to be, in less you're a gambler, and if you are, your Bluewater casino camping spot may be the most expensive place you've ever camped.

Tom

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Lake havasu? It doesn't look like Lake Havasu!

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