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Advance reservations? How long?


Martin

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So filling a portable black tank, loading it in a pickup truck, and driving someplace to dump it would not be everyone's idea of a good time.  Actually with my set up it would be impossible to do anyway.

We will do a day or two of dry camping when needed or when there is an area we really want to stay in.  I suspect most folks aren't set up for extended continued dry camping nor would they be interested in doing it.

You really should add a signature so we can see how you RV and what you RV in.

Safe travels.

Joe & Cindy

Newmar 4369 Ventana

Pulling 24' enclosed (Mini Cooper, Harley, 2 Kayaks)

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1 hour ago, vermilye said:

My last Quartzsite winter at the LTVA was dry camping for 71 days (91 days the previous  year).  Two trips to the dump station & water fill, so it can be done...

We spent 1 week at Q.  ONCE.  Contemplating my navel in the desert isn’t something I enjoy.  Other people do.  

Another thread headed to becoming a ‘sack cloth and ashes’ plunge to the bottom.  

Bye

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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What do you do if you don't have reservations, get turned away for no space, and there's no dry camping anywhere nearby?  Just spend a couple hours finding a dry camp spot?  For example, we just did a few days in San Diego.  There's no boondocking anywhere that I could find.  It's illegal everywhere near there because people were living in old broken down RVs so they outlawed it.  If we didn't get a reservation, we could be facing at least an hour drive back out of town to overnight.

 

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7 minutes ago, Carlos said:

What do you do if you don't have reservations, get turned away for no space, and there's no dry camping anywhere nearby?  Just spend a couple hours finding a dry camp spot?  For example, we just did a few days in San Diego.  There's no boondocking anywhere that I could find.  It's illegal everywhere near there because people were living in old broken down RVs so they outlawed it.  If we didn't get a reservation, we could be facing at least an hour drive back out of town to overnight.

 

That hour drive back out of town is what you commit to do when you don't make a reservation in that situation.

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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Well, I have to support hemsteadc a little because you've all been so hard on him but you'll probably be hard on me now, also! ;)

When we dry camper/boondockers/RVers chime into posts like this we're not trying to convert others.  We're just giving another option on how to travel without having to make reservations.  Millions have dry camped over the years just as millions have stayed in RV parks. There no right way to RV and if you have a RV that means you have a recreation vehicle so if you dry 'camp' you're really RVing just like those in RV parks.  Yes, we're 'real' (as someone stated) campers or we prefer to think we're 'real' RVers.  We just are not comfortable in a confined RV park with rows after row of RVs.  We like to have beautiful scenery and most often with a stream, lake or view to enjoy.  This can still be had today.

We traveled off and on and have become friends with many dry campers.  Those that are still traveling today from this close group still travel the same way.... without reservations.  Nothing has changed.

Someone mentioned what do you do when you get off the road at 3pm without a reservation?  Well.... you have to do some preplanning when you dry camp just as you do when you stay in a RV park.  When you do it time after time you know what resources to use to find places.  The night before we traveled I'd line up 3 or 4 places along our traveling route but within a reasonable distance - 25 mi or so - of each other. It only took a few minutes time.  If the first one is filled we'd move on but honestly, we never ran into this.  We got into our first choice and probably because we were off the road early and also we traveled secondary roads.

Dry camping/boondocking doesn't mean you have to give up the comforts of 'home'. It doesn't mean you have to sleep on the ground.  We've never been in a position to really need AC.  You have options.  Think season, elevation or along the coast.  Yes, there may be times when you have to be at a specific place and time such as visiting relatives or special occasions and you'll need to stay in a park that has electric for the AC.  Those are minor times.

3-day & major holidays - We always stayed away from any water - pools, streams, lakes and picked an out-of-the-way spot to enjoy a quiet holiday.  We let the weekenders enjoy their time and we would move in after they left to enjoy ours.  It just wasn't a problem.

We were able to dry-camp 10-14 days before having to visit the dump station. By that time we were ready to explore a new area so we moved on and dumped along the way.

Someone mentioned Arches & Zion.  If you can't get in the park there are close-by options.  Beautiful dry campgrounds or boondocking spots on public lands nearby.

Also mentioned were state parks in Oregon.  Did you know there are parks that don't even accept reservations?  Same goes for many national parks.

Forest road conditions - we didn't blaze trails. You get to know what roads are suitable for RVs from talking to others and reading blogs of others that have the same size RV.  We also used, as good boondockers would, a campsite that had previously been used.  We never created our own by driving off-road.  Restrictions using national forests weren't a problem.  We read the rules but the time limit didn't affect us. We're not ones to stay a long period of time. Two weeks and we're ready to move on.

Bottom line - yes, everyone travels differently.  Don't knock folks that say "we didn't make reservations".  It can be done . . really. . . and even in today's world.  I don't think anyone is saying not to stay in RV parks where you have to make reservations.  What I'm saying is that you don't have to make reservations - even in today's world.  We are very close to people who continue to do it successfully.

BTW - We've stayed at the mentioned Vineyards in Grapevine, TX many times when it was a Corp of Engineer park. Our daughter lived nearby and our grandson learned to fish there.  Good memories.

I hope this clears it up for the OP somewhat.  Yes, if you want to be at a specific place, a busy area then you'll need reservations.  If you're flexible you don't need reservations.  There are many ways of RVing.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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1 minute ago, 2gypsies said:

When we dry camper/boondockers/RVers chime into posts like this we're not trying to convert others.

 

And while we are boondockers primarily, but not experienced.  I asked a question about handling places where it's just not possible.  It may be that the answer is obvious, but often I'm simply just missing a little secret.  So please do keep talking about it.

For us, the ONLY thing not available while dry camping are the AC and microwave.  Everything else works normally.  So I got a nice quiet gen that we can run for a short time as needed.  I realize that many boondockers look down on that...but that's the point here, we can all make our own choices.  Boondocking done right leaves enough room so it won't affect others.

 

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2 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

When we dry camper/boondockers/RVers chime into posts like this we're not trying to convert others.  We're just giving another option on how to travel without having to make reservations. 

This is the first time in this thread that you mentioned that you mostly dry camped during those 16 years of full timing. So for all the OP knew, you were sharing your experience about ALL campgrounds, not just BLMs.

You omit information. In a thread about the pros & cons of RV washer/dryers, you said you never used one, preferred laundromats instead. Fine. Except you never mentioned that you dry camped and couldn't use a washer/dryer even if you wanted to.

SKP #79313 / Full-Timing / 2001 National RV Sea View / 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
www.rvSeniorMoments.com
DISH TV for RVs

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58 minutes ago, Zulu said:

Except you never mentioned that you dry camped and couldn't use a washer/dryer even if you wanted to.

Why not?  Can they not use the onboard fresh water?  I really don't know anything about RV washers.  The mini washers for apartments use less than ten gallons.

 

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10 hours ago, Carlos said:

What do you do if you don't have reservations, get turned away for no space, and there's no dry camping anywhere nearby?  Just spend a couple hours finding a dry camp spot?  For example, we just did a few days in San Diego.  There's no boondocking anywhere that I could find.  It's illegal everywhere near there because people were living in old broken down RVs so they outlawed it.  If we didn't get a reservation, we could be facing at least an hour drive back out of town to overnight.

 

Spend a couple of hours making lots off calls to places you can stay.

2015 Ram 3500 RC DRW CTD AISIN 410 rear

2016 Mobile Suites 38RSB3

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11 hours ago, Carlos said:

Why not?  Can they not use the onboard fresh water?  I really don't know anything about RV washers.  

Some of them are plumbed to discharge such that it doesn't enter the gray water tank. Others don't use them when dry camping for extended periods because of the water use and waste storage, but there really isn't a hard rule on that. We have friends who often use theirs when traveling between locations in their motorhome, but dump gray water as soon as they stop. They don't dry camp but just prefer to spend travel time to use the laundry. He says it exercises their generator too. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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6 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

If you are dry camping 10-14 days without filling your tanks then you obviously are using public facilities for everything. 

Not obvious to me. Lots of rigs have that capability once you learn how to conserve water. I used public facilities to shower once and said, "Done with that." After that it was sponge baths daily with showers (in my conversion van) only once a week. Most boondockers learn tricks like that quickly.

Linda

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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