In last week’s blog, Get Lost I wrote about the joys of boondocking. This week, let’s consider a logical start to boondocking, which is often referred to as anything from dry-camping (no hook-ups) in places like Walmart parking lots, highway rest stops, truck stops, at rallies (where all the RVs are parked in a big field or parking lot), and at events like chili cook-offs, county fairs, etc. to what I call “coyote camping,” which is camping on our public lands away from highway noise, in un-publicized campsites you have to search for, and where you may not see another camper—or any other people–for days.
But I’ll come to that. I think we need to deal with some preparation first. Coyote camping is not the way to lose your boondocking virginity. It’s best to start dry-camping where rescue is nearby so that you can learn the limits of your RV’s resources and can replenish and restore with minimal effort. That includes annoyances like filling your gray water tank, running out of drinking water, and having your lights dim with the depletion of your house batteries just before the hero confronts the killer in the murder mystery you’ve been glued to.
This is where thinking green and practicing boondocking become synonymous and complimentary. If you are newcomer to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and you still practice wasteful habits like letting the water run while you shower or wash dishes, leaving lights on when not needed or the TV on when not being watched, or you don’t check your TP or coffee supplies until you run out, you may have to alter some habits before venturing too far afield.
To begin to hone your boondocking skills, begin by camping for a few days in a no-hookup campground, like at a state park, in a National Forest, or a Corps of Engineers location, where a dump station is either at the campground or nearby for when your full, smelly, gray water holding tank fills up and backs up into your bathtub and you need to dump NOW, and when your faucet sputters with its last drop from the fresh water holding tank. A short drive to a dump station will remedy the first dilemma, and your water hoses will stretch to the nearest water supply. When you venture out into the boonies, these ineffective practices are ones that you will want to have replaced with more conservative habits.
More than anything else, a full holding tank, empty water tank, or dead house batteries will be what drives you out of the woods, forced to abandon your babbling streamside campsite. In a couple of weeks I will post a tip list of how to get the most length out of your boondocking camping trip by the wise use of your resources. But next week, I want to show you how to find coyote camping spots, those campsites that will enflame your secret desires to do some really serious boondocking, and bring you back for more.
For the long version of boondocking, my 65-page eBook, Boondocking: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America’s Public Lands, complete with photos and lots of links to more information, is available from my Web site for the astronomical figure of less than eight dollars. Until next week, Happy Travels.