OT: Boondocking

Randyretired · November 19, 2019

1 hour ago, NDBirdman said:

I'm curious. For safety, is there a group of folks that are willing to disperse camp together? I don't mean park next to each other, more like be in an area together? 1/4 mile between RVs knowing a yell, horn blow, etc would bring the group together? Safety in numbers, don't need to be buddies, just be there for each other in emergencies? Sort of like where we live in the boonies. We have distant neighbors, we're not buddies, but one call and I could have a dozen folks in my front yard (or theirs) pretty quick.

Sounds like Quartzsite during the show. A MH became stuck and the owner wondered over to see if my HDT could pull him out. First try it wouldn't move. In just minutes there was a whole crew of people from different nearby areas helping to dig. He was unstuck in no time.

sandsys · November 19, 2019

On 11/11/2019 at 10:42 AM, Dollytrolley said:

It's well known that the sound of a pump action shootgun has a ........ calming effect upon scumbags

A couple friends decided to test this pump action shotgun theory. One inside and one outside. The one inside pumped the gun. The one outside heard nothing.

spindrift · November 19, 2019

3 minutes ago, sandsys said:

A couple friends decided to test this pump action shotgun theory. One inside and one outside. The one inside pumped the gun. The one outside heard nothing.

I see the problem here...

NDBirdman · November 20, 2019

4 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

It sounds like boondocking is not for you. Having this much fear isn't the way to live. Best you go to a RV park.

I was curious because the thread.... not fear. We mostly boondock, prefer not to see/hear anyone for miles. I don't tell you where you should go, show me the same respect!

rickeieio · November 20, 2019

Only an idiot is never afraid. The strongest weapon you have is your brain. Use it.

Deezl Smoke · November 20, 2019

1 hour ago, rickeieio said:

Only an idiot is never afraid. The strongest weapon you have is your brain. Use it.

No truer words have ever been spoken.

Deezl Smoke · November 20, 2019

As the OP asked, lets please keep this civil and not get into rival wars over what defines "boondocking".

For those that think crime is a more recent invention, I can assure you it is not. Back in the 90s, a couple on Seaside beech here in Oregon were killed in what was labelled a "thrill kill". I actually knew a guy, an adult at the time, that stopped to help a stranger on the side of a highway that "appeared" to be broke down. The stranger had an accomplice hiding in the cab on the seat. When the good guy stopped, the other two took him by gun point to his vehicle and forced him to drive them out of state, using what cash he had to buy more gas to get them further. Thankfully he was then let go unharmed, but this was in the early 70s, here in nowheresville small town rural Oregon.

The news media will always spin every single story they come across in a fearmongering way to train the viewer's mindset. Is crime really that much more prevalent today?.........I doubt it. Pretty much everything is relative. If 1% of any given countries population is "evil" and criminal, 1% of 30 million will create far fewer news stories than 1% of 300 million.

I challenge anyone here to go 6 months without watching the news, listening to the news, or reading the news. I have not even owned a tv since 2002. I listen to music in the radio, not news or talk shows. Life without the brainwashing influence of the mass media, has been ever so awesome. You'd be amazed how free you can be and how much more confident that you can handle any given situation, once you leave the shackles of the media behind.

CrazyCooter · November 20, 2019

^^^^This^^^^

sandsys · November 20, 2019

2 hours ago, Deezl Smoke said:

I challenge anyone here to go 6 months without watching the news, listening to the news, or reading the news. I have not even owned a tv since 2002. I listen to music in the radio, not news or talk shows. Life without the brainwashing influence of the mass media, has been ever so awesome. You'd be amazed how free you can be and how much more confident that you can handle any given situation, once you leave the shackles of the media behind.

x2. We own a TV but we use it to watch movies and TV programs without the ads. I get the local newspaper online but the only thing I read is the comics. In the car we listen to Minnesota Public Radio. I get The Skimm online M-F but I chose not to read even all their synopses. For me, ignorance is bliss.

Linda Sand

SuiteSuccess · November 20, 2019

I feel we’ve sidetracked as these discussions often do. My original post raised three questions based on individual opinions. These were 1. As HDTers do you feel today, as opposed to several years ago, we are a higher profile target? 2. Has anything changed in how and where you boondock? 3. Do you feel more vulnerable than before? At no point was I suggesting opinions as to who should or shouldn’t boondock or how they choose to protect themselves. That is an individual choice. Early in our camping lives we used to tent camp with our children in some out of the way places. Only scare we had was a raccoon scratching the tent near my daughters head and making her come alive in the middle of the night.

Edited November 20, 2019 by SuiteSuccess

Deezl Smoke · November 20, 2019

1 hour ago, SuiteSuccess said:

I feel we’ve sidetracked as these discussions often do. My original post raised three questions based on individual opinions. These were 1. As HDTers do you feel today, as opposed to several years ago, we are a higher profile target? 2. Has anything changed in how and where you boondock? 3. Do you feel more vulnerable than before? At no point was I suggesting opinions as to who should or shouldn’t boondock or how they choose to protect themselves. That is an individual choice. Early in our camping lives we used to tent camp with our children in some out of the way places. Only scare we had was a raccoon scratching the tent near my daughters head and making her come alive in the middle of the night.

Public forums always will "sidetrack" somewhat as each individual interprets questions asked and answers given, in different ways given their environment and past.

1: No. Other than road rage, I do not feel an HDT is anymore likely to be a target of crime.

2:No. Though we choose not to camp/boondock/or otherwise park out in the middle of nowhere, we do "dry camp" and leave our rig locked up and unattended for periods of time in secluded areas, as we either bike or motorbike etc. to our destination when the truck can't go there. That is just our preferred way of vacation at this point, and in no way a suggestion that anyone should follow or that we are missing out.

3: No. In relation to the news reporting these deaths, which i did'nt even know about until this thread, we feel no more vulnerable than ever before. In relation to life in general as an HDTer, no, we feel far less vulnerable than we would in a car or pickup with a towed rv.

On the prior mention of taking classes etc. for self defense and being aware of your surroundings etc., if you take these classes or courses, do not take them completely as the be all, end all. Glean information and bend it or modify it to apply to your very own situation. A lot of people that take these classes as "the only way" are the type of people that believe the government's "suggested" weight for a given height is law, not a suggested guideline.

My gf was in law enforcement and is now working with prisoners in a maximum/medium and minimum security "correctional facility" aka prison. She's kinda hard wired to look for certain details when finding a place to park or stay. As rickeieio says about your brain being your strongest weapon, no truer factual words have been spoken. Be in control of your situation/destiny. Do not let your situation control you. If you truly feel that is easier said than done,..............my condolences to you. You are now destined to become a victim.

Dollytrolley · November 20, 2019

17 hours ago, sandsys said:

A couple friends decided to test this pump action shotgun theory. One inside and one outside. The one inside pumped the gun. The one outside heard nothing.

This is my second attempt to respond to you but my fat fingers made everything go poof....

So......your "friends-shotgun-test" might be a bit defective.....

Indeed it's likely that pumping a shell into the chamber might not be heard....and that's the problem with shotgun "volume-control" .....the next "level-of-volume" is to pull the trigger.....

Did your friends hear the blast?

Like I said .... Guns are seldom solutions to problems and often bring on more problems.....

So how big was the hole that your friends had to patch after the "test"?

My manure fork has limits as well.

Drive on......(carry your manure fork with care... )