Boondocking

Things we have found we need to boondock

Aug 14, 2006 Barry Houseknecht

Our style of boondocking allows us to get us from one place to another and save some money.

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Boondocking! Boondocking? Now there's a word for ya!

What is Boondocking?

Seems it has many different meanings. I've herd some people say that boondocking is "When your motel doesn't have a restaurant." Some say it's

staying in a town like Quartzsite, Arizona where you can camp for months at a time in the desert. Having no water or power hookups, you exist on your

own devices. Others, like us, say for that boondocking means stopping at a truck stop or rest area to spend the night in route from one place to

another.

You may notice that I didn't mention the Wal-Mart parking lot. This is only because we have never stayed there, and only because for some reason when "we" pass a Wal-Mart, it is not the right time to stop. Lots of people use Wal-Mart for RV dry camping, however.

Boondocking also makes Alternative RV Travel Plans easier to implement. Planning

always benefits from flexibility.

We have done the desert camping thing, but only for a very short time. We hope to do more of it in the future. But for now, when we go boondocking, it

will be in our 34' fifth wheel trailer. We have a 4000-watt generator, satellite TV and internet, flat screen television, air-conditioning and...

OH wait that's home, it's just gets parked in different places. Well that's not entirely true. We don't always put out the slides or awnings, and we

don't run the generator 24/7.

Over the years we have gathered enough gear to make boondocking life as

normal as possible.

Here are some of the things we think are needed in the boondocks:

  1. Gas Grill - We use this item for about 90% of our cooking, regardless of where we are. Using the grill keeps the stove inside our RV clean, it doesn't heat up the RV and they are somewhat disposable. We buy the $20 gas grills, use them for about 6 months to a year, and buy a new one when we move. This saves taking a dirty grill in your vehicle to your next destination
  2. We have small Backpack-Type Butane Stove - This stove is very small, it will fit easily in a backpack and can be used for emergencies at home
  3. Led Lantern and LED Flashlights - They are not quite as bright as incandescent lights but the LED's last forever and the batteries last much, much longer
  4. Propane Lanterns - We have four double-mantel and two single-mantel lanterns. The big ones will light up the entire area surrounding our RV, and the smaller ones work very well to light a table or smaller area. Which one of these we use sometimes depends upon how close our neighbors might be
  5. We have a 13" AC/DC TV with Tape Player - In hindsight we should have gotten a DVD player included as well. This TV is in the bedroom we use when we are boondocking, or when one of us wants to watch one channel, and the other wants to watch another. We also have a small battery powered 2.5 inch LCD TV to use when needed. We can't see our main TV with the slide in so the tiny TV does get its use
  6. We have a 4000-Watt Generator - We don't always use it, but it is very handy to have. The generator will put out 30 amps. We use it boondocking, and when we loose power at home
  7. We usually carry one of those Fake Fire Logs. These are great for starting an instant campfire when you don't have wood or you can slice it into pieces to start firewood for a campfire
  8. 12 to 110 Volt Inverter - A 350-watt inverter can power several lights or our computer
  9. 1500-Watt Inverter - Wired to the RV battery to power the coffee pot or microwave, we don't have to run the generator for small tasks
  10. Bottled Water - We keep a case of 24 bottles on hand and usually don't drink the water that we carry in our storage tank. You never know the water quality that might be available when you are in the boonies.

These suggestions are not are cast not in stone, nor are they the only

things you might want to have available. Depending upon the type of

boondocking you will be doing, this list will change. If you plan to add

something to the list, let me know what it is, and what you use it for.

The copyright of the article Boondocking in RV Recreation is owned by Barry Houseknecht. Permission to republish Boondocking in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.