 sj |
||
|
||
BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences?
|
|
|
Subject: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 13 May 05 - 11:19 AM "Boondockers" is a term used to describe people in RVs and camping vans who make good use of WalMart and other parking lots, as well as scenic nature spots, for free overnight camping stops. (Google BOONDOCKING to learn more.) One example-- Dharmabum has his minivan outfitted for festival camping. I just got back from a one-night test run at a church conference-- when I inquired about accessibility ahead of time, I was pretty sure that the sleeping facilities provided just didn't suit me-- so I got the OK to bunk on my own. Before setting out, I outfitted the minivan with curtains, a box spring and mattress, and my legendary pile of travel pillows. Slept like a baby. Now I realize I can go anywhere, and find (by advance arrangement when possible) welcoming space in the parking lots of several denominations' churches. I'm not looking for how-to's as much as just hearing fellow musicians' experiences (good and bad) in doing this, either van-style, or RV-style. I imagine other Googlers may wander in now that I have started this conversation-- so for their benefit, may I say, "Hi, welcome to The Mudcat Cafe, a music forum." ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,MMario Date: 13 May 05 - 11:22 AM this is less and less possible these days - as many places which used to allow overnight parking are posted against it. On the other hand - having a camping van - or provisions in your auto to "nest" can make staying with someone much easier all round - if all yu need is a parking spot. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Rapparee Date: 13 May 05 - 11:45 AM The U of Notre Dame used to let people in RVs and such stay in their parking lots before and after football games. Folks in the neighborhood did the same thing (yes, everybody charged something, even the U -- maybe especially the U.). Not anymore. Some of those who parked emptied their dump valves on the ground, creating at the very least an unpalatable mess. The City of South Bend, St. Joseph County, the University, and the neighborhood property owners put a stop to it. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 13 May 05 - 11:53 AM Yes, there is a lot of Boondocking Etiquette posted on the Net, and it's the same sensible advice 99% of campground campers follow. WalMart is still a good bet. But what I want to HEAR are YOUR experiences. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: CarolC Date: 13 May 05 - 12:01 PM Allan C has a lot of experience with boondocking. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: robomatic Date: 13 May 05 - 04:21 PM don't drive so far and so late that you can't see where you're camping (unless you know in advance and have reservations). Camped in the dark - - woke up to a sprinkler system installed in the (day-use) picnic grounds. Camped in the dark - - woke up to kids walking to school which was 50 yards away. Camped in the dark - - woke up at 3 AM to the sound of a train coming straight at us - we were under a trestle. Camped in the dark - - I won't say what we woke up to, but we were on the edge of a city dump. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bev and Jerry Date: 13 May 05 - 04:34 PM Susan: Not sure exactly what you want to know. We've used a 21 foot RV for over 20 years to work, visit friends, go to folkie campouts and festivals and just plain have fun. We've spent hundreds of nights in it, maybe even thousands. On the whole, our experiences have been wonderful. It's great to be able to retire to your own space when you want to and have your own bed, bathroom, shower and cooking facilities. It's also very nice not to have to worry too much about where you will spend the night. A lot of the nights we slept in school yards because we were doing programs there the next day. Don't try this without written permission. Other places we have stayed include Walmart, rest areas, campgrounds (private, state, national forest, county, BLM, Corps of Engineers, etc.) and on the street when visiting friends. We also often spend the night on quiet street with apartment buildings on it. Everyone who sees us thinks we are visiting someone else! When the vehicle broke down, we once spent five nights at a Toyota dealer waiting for a part. We've been busted by the cops a few (less than five) times and all that happens is that we had to move. Most times the cops told us where to move to so we wouldn't be bothered again. We never got robbed or assaulted but we have been threatened three times, all in school parking lots. We took care of it ourselves twice and called the cops the third time. We have been awakened by feral cats walking on our roof and we were once hit with a paint ball. There is a lot of negative feeling towards people who sleep in their vehicles. This is mainly caused by otherwise homeless people who move in and make a mess. If you keep a very low profile and act responsibly, you can pull it off. Bev and Jerry |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST Date: 13 May 05 - 05:03 PM Camped in the dark - Woke up in the middle of a Sunday morning bootfair. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 13 May 05 - 05:15 PM Ya know SWYGS ... It appears your interests and talents lie more in doonbocklering ... why don't you try and stir up a "cycle of fifth vs fourths" discussion in a WalMart parking lot?
Sincerely,
SSSHssssshhhhhhh!!!! some people! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bill D Date: 13 May 05 - 07:20 PM I have used first a VW bus, then this BIG Dodge van with switchable, removable seats. I collect 'stuff'...foam, mattress pads, ice chests...etc...anything to make my life easier when I park. I have almost everything I need except a bathroom, and I have learned to investigate THAT situation as soon as I park.(and a plastic bottle for REAL emergencies and when rain makes a hundred dash unpleasant) I have pulled into big truck stops on the interstate and and parked way in the back, pulled my curtains, and slept just fine. I carefully make sure I won't be in anyone's way. I arrange the van so that I can move back & forth from bed to drivers seat without opening doors...just in case..(rain, bugs, animals...etc.)...and I always have flashlights, drinks, maps, handy...and EXTRA set of keys! Also, I have a set of rain gear and umbrella that never leave the van....oh...and some sort of flasher/marker when I need to be seen! I, too, have gone to a conference and been unhappy with the setup (amazing snoring!), and switched back to the van in the middle of the night with almost no hassle. Haven't done a lot of this for a couple years, and I suppose there are things I've forgotten....but I used to sleep in the van at the Getaway to avoid the snoring. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 13 May 05 - 10:04 PM Bought two really spiffy battery lamps today for next time, bright enough for reading; the kind that have a pullout base so you can set it down and aim the light where you want it... a case to keep them in... some mosquito netting to make window covers.... Thanks everyone for sharing your stories, especially the "camped in the dark/woke up xxx" series! And feral cats, oh my! Must be where the hook-handed man urban legend comes from. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Boab Date: 14 May 05 - 02:16 AM "Camping"?? In a van?? Jeeze---how concepts --and languages--- change with time and place... I still can't think of kipping in a vehicle, or even a trailer--as "camping." Perhaps the word "boondocking" is the key, being a word which refers specifically to living in a vehicle? [My ignorance is genuine here; maybe somebody can set me right.] For the record, the cross I had to bear was being compelled by my mates , if we pitched camp too far from a handy stream,was to sleep with my steaming feet OUTSIDE THE TENT! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Mooh Date: 14 May 05 - 06:17 AM Spent many nights stretched out across the seat of my late great Dodge pickup while on fishing trips. Slept under the stars in the back too. Had a Ford Escort hatchback which, with the right seat pulled up and back seat down, allowed just enough room to sleep in the back. The head room was a major issue. The current Plymouth minivan rarely has all its seats installed, so there's room to sleep. In every case it's a good idea to have extra cushioning underneath because metal is always very close and it's always cold to the touch. Condensation is often an issue too, so I usually keep a window open slightly. Park close to somewhere to piss, or have something to piss into. Lock the doors. I like sleeping bags, but extra blankets and a liner sheet are handy. I find sleeping in the vehicle seats uncomfortable if I can't stretch out. We've got a pop-up tent trailer which has served us well, and I like the canvas vibe. The family doesn't enjoy sleeping on the ground anymore so it's a pretty good compromise between roughing it and motels. In fact, we've come to prefer the trailer, and I absolutely hate motel living. Folks often crash in the parking lot next to my favourite beach and as long as they're quiet and trashless I don't mind...I like an adventure even when it's someone else's. Peace, Mooh. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 14 May 05 - 10:38 AM The Wal-mart near me has a sign "No overnight parking by trucks or campers." I fear that if you tried it, you might have an unwelcome visit from the cops or a security guard in the middle of the night. A trend to be aware of. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST Date: 15 May 05 - 05:32 AM WYS - is in the consumable generation - part of the problem not the solution. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 May 05 - 10:28 AM leeniea, as I understand it, signs like that get posted in areas where there is a town ordinance against the practice, and the signs may be new but the ordinances and store policies are not-- people who have docket at Wally world have advised, always call ahead for local store policy. To respond to Boab-- Some folks do it not in their van, as I do, but in a full-scale RV. And no, it isn't really "camping," when it's done on the fly for a night or two along a long route. What you call "kipping," some call "cooping". At our house, we call those "crash-and-burn" stops-- arrive tired, crash after a boughten (not grilled) meal, set up only what is minimally needed, and depart early. (Crash = sleep, burn = burn fuel.) For a crqaash and burn, it doesn't have to be a spacious campground with scenery and amenities, it just needs to be somewhat level, and easily found in the dark. On the other hand, people boondocking at other locations do actually camp-- set up what is needed, cook onsite, etc., for instance at BLM locales or wilderness spots, or at a cooperating farmer's property. One approach I found interesting was, people will arrange to be "caretakers" of a vacant property for weeks or months, but instead of staying in the house, will stay in their RV or tent or combo of both. We had one housesitter, and she did a great job, but it took two days for me to teach her all the oddities of our house-- such as, the upper oven only broils, please use the lower oven, and so forth. If she'd been a camper-- how much easier it might have been for us! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Azizi Date: 15 May 05 - 12:51 PM Somewhat off topic: I remember using the word 'boondocks' as a term for 'the sticks' and 'the sticks' meant 'rural areas', 'out in the country', 'the opposite of urban areas'. Did 'boondocking' come from this meaning of the word 'boondocks'? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 May 05 - 05:40 PM Many years ago some friends and I pottered around Devon and Cornwall with an old Anglia van and a small tent, for about a fortnight. We found the best plan was to arrive before 5pm, go straight to the police station and ask where we could pitch/park/sleep without causing offence/getting moved on/getting hassled/getting nicked. Usually the police were so amazed at three hairy hippies actually bothering to ask that they were very helpful. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: sixtieschick Date: 15 May 05 - 05:53 PM Inquiring minds might want to know: The term "boondock" comes from a remote mountain village in the Philippines called Bontoc. During WW II, some U.S. soldiers were sent there to fight the Japanese. They considered it the most far-flung, primitive area on the planet. The name got bastardized to "boondock" and then "the boondocks." And in case inquiring minds want to know, I learned this because I was a teacher in that area. It's a very wonderful--and remote--place. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 16 May 05 - 08:58 AM Slept in the back of a Lada estate many a time at Fylde Folk Festival. Signs all over the place warning of the dire consequences of overnight sleeping but provided that you don't get in anyones way and keep a low profile no-one seems to bother:-) Word of warning to anyone doing this and drinking a lot before turning in, apart from the obvious toilet problem that is! Be aware that if you are in your car, with the keys, drunk, you can get collared for being drunk in charge of the vehicle. Not quite as bad as drunk driving but can still cost a bob or two at the local magistrates:-( I am pleased to report I never had to put it to the test but figured out that if I gave my keys to a friend for safekeeping after I had let myself in I may have got away with it. Cheers Dave the Gnome |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Azizi Date: 16 May 05 - 09:59 AM sixtieschick, Thanks! I love finding out information on word origins! I'm sure you have a lot of stories to tell about your experience in Bontoc. Have you written anything about that time? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Barbara Shaw Date: 16 May 05 - 01:53 PM At bluegrass festivals, we call "boondocking" when you have no hookups such as water or electric or sewer, like you would normally get at a campground. It is also called "rough camping." The parking lots of churches where you are attending conferences and where other people are also staying should be fine. I wouldn't, however, recommend just staying in some rest area or parking lot. Not safe, and usually not allowed without permission. We once were very late going through some mountains and couldn't make our intended destination. We stopped at the only place that was open, a 24-hour convenience store, and asked if we could just park in their parking lot until morning. They said it wasn't allowed, but the policeman who happened to be there gave us directions to the local senior center parking lot. He said if anyone banged on the door and questioned us, to tell them we had his permission to be there. Of course we were awake all night, waiting for that bang on the door! One other time we stayed in a parking lot. We were volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity volunteer center in Circleville, West Virginia. All the kids from the youth group and all the chaperones were stuffed inside the two large dormitory rooms. We slept in comfort and quiet out in our camper in the parking lot. Comfortable and quiet, that is, until a posse of them came out laughing and shouting and rocking our camper in the middle of the night! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,Jim Dixon Date: 16 May 05 - 06:08 PM Given a choice, I'd rather camp in an official campground, be it National Park, state park, National Forest, or state forest. (The national and state forests are less used, less "developed", and therefore give you a better glimpse of nature.) The costs are usually affordable. Whether you sleep in your vehicle or a tent is a matter of taste. I've slept in some primitive conditions and some luxurious; some official (i.e. permitted) and some unofficial (i.e. you can get away with it as long as they don't notice you're there). But I've never slept in a vehicle that had a "hookup". |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,WYS Date: 17 May 05 - 12:04 AM Got some gorgeous drapery fabric from our church thrift shop, going to make the prettiest curtains! Have some test nights planned at a local campground, to get the van fitted out just right before venturing too far from my house. I just can't figure out how to sleep more Mudcatters in it-- I'll be the sole occupant (plus Faulkner dog)! And I've been saying since aout 1990 that for my consulting work I needed and deserved a Winnebago. We've had this van for months now, and I finally figured out I don't have to wait. I already have the onboard music component-- have had for months, in an old black footlocker. Now all I need is a laptop and PowerPoint projector, and I'm getting out there! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bob Bolton Date: 17 May 05 - 09:09 PM G'day, Back on 15 May 05 - 05:53 PM, sixtieschick wrote: Inquiring minds might want to know: The term "boondock" comes from a remote mountain village in the Philippines called Bontoc. During WW II, some U.S. soldiers were sent there to fight the Japanese. They considered it the most far-flung, primitive area on the planet. The name got bastardized to "boondock" and then "the boondocks." This worried me ... I'm not near my (home) Oxford - but some Googling tells me that the word appears in English language dictionaries from around 1909. It's directly from the Tagalog (Philipines) language bundok = mountain. It may be that when American troops encountered the mountain village "Bontoc" (which may well be cognate with the Tagalog word for "mountain" ... ) they engaged in a bit of "Folk Etymology". (Co)-incidentally, some of the Google hits suggested that the Americans only started common use of the word in the Vietnam War era ... maybe that only means that American lexicographers only started to encounter it in "respectable" printed sources by the early '60s ... Regard(les)s, Bob |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Richard Bridge Date: 18 May 05 - 04:06 AM WYS, I am truly amazed by your version of roughing it! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,WYSIWYG Date: 18 May 05 - 09:20 AM Not roughing it, or pretending to! Not up to that physically, and can't afford a fullsize RV or motel rooms everywhere I go. What I want is to be able to GO to things, that, due to health problems, have been off limits for far too long. Thus, a creative solution that doesn't need to fit anyone else's idea of what I "ought" to do-- it WORKS for me. Imagine someone discovering a wheelchair for the first time. For me, this is just like that. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bev and Jerry Date: 18 May 05 - 04:27 PM WYS: You have it right. There are countless ways to stay overnight someplace from a tube tent to a forty foot diesel pusher which costs as much as the national debt. Figure out what's right for you and go for it. Bev and Jerry |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 18 May 05 - 06:40 PM Thanks, B&J. Think small land yacht-- is that a cutter? I'm going for total comfort, but with thrift-shop shopping. Why the heck not? The Mudcat Dorm is like that, and I think I spent a grand total of 50 bucks to outfit it. My husband was a total ascetic, he said, when we met. I soon had him converted to fluffy mattress pads, down comforters, and of course plenty of PILLOWS. Hm, what do I need next-- my portable MP3-CD player. Have one already-- along with an FM-transmitter to run it through the van stereo when I am driving. Old radio shows, music I'm reviewing for our band, teaching series on the topics I'll present/consult on... One thing I learned when I slept in it for that conference-- park in the shade for the daytime if possible, or put yourself to bed in an oven at the end of the day. Silly me-- I roasted in there till it cooled down, and only days later did I think of just driving around blasting the AC till the inside was nice and cool! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: LilyFestre Date: 18 May 05 - 06:53 PM Hey Susan, Not meaning to rain on your parade but since you brought up temperature...whatcha gonna do when it's really HOT outside (too hot even with the windows down) or when the temp drops? Or maybe you are planning on doing this only when we have mild temps? I've done some road trips where I've slept in the back of the pickup...my only complaint, dew. Michelle PS. Um....what about the bathroom? Pee bucket in the van? *cringe* |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 18 May 05 - 07:13 PM Well, it got down to 30 the night I tried it, so that bodes well. Too hot? Well, too hot is-- too hot! Pee bucket-- yes, I stole it from the Mudcat Dorm, so now I'll have to get another. What I did was make room for in-van if absolutely necessary, but it turned out not to be-- so I set it out on the dark, more-private side of the van (facing the women's cabins) with a rug for barefooting to it. If I had it in the van, tho (if it were raining too hard), there is the option of lining the bucket with a plastic liner, then putting kitty litter in the bucket and adding more as needed. I kid you not. It needs a lid or it smells like kitty litter deo crystals! You can just about keep up, with this method, which I discovered one night at a KOA when we were parked just too far from the potty, in the pop-up. In the AM you simply carry the bag full of litter and TP to the dumpster. Now when we use the pop-up I NEVER gt all waked up by trekking to the loo. (And another point of conversion for the hubby!) Since you asked. :~) ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bev and Jerry Date: 18 May 05 - 09:26 PM We spent a lot of years tent camping. The best thing about our little motorhome is the bathroom - especially at 3AM. That alone was worth the price. Bev and Jerry |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bev and Jerry Date: 18 May 05 - 09:27 PM And on the same subject, we note there is now a thread above the line called "Get Up and Go". Bev and Jerry |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: sixtieschick Date: 18 May 05 - 10:03 PM Bob, that's really interesting. Perhaps the village got the name from the Tagalog word. It's in the mountains of Luzon, the island on which Tagalog is spoken in some areas. There were Americans in the Philippines in 1909 as well, including a contingent of teachers who largely influenced the Filipino education system. At any rate, the Bontoc story is the one that more than a few Filipinos told me, so there is some association with the area and the English word boondocks. Thanks for adding more spice to the mystery stew. Miriam |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Barbara Shaw Date: 19 May 05 - 08:45 AM I spent a few years tent camping, and agree with Bev & Jerry about the best thing about a camper being the bathroom at 3 a.m. One thing you can look into is a small, portable toilet ($56 on sale at campingworld.com) which is sanitary, self-contained and would fit into your van or tent, where you will have privacy and convenience. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: LilyFestre Date: 19 May 05 - 09:05 AM Susan, I swear I wasn't looking for THAT many details...just a simple yes or no...the kitty litter thing is WAY TOO MUCH INFO for me.....LMAO. I have BAD visuals.....you or your husband squatting over the cat box, digging around kitty style and then kicking up litter to cover it all up...oh..it is just SO BAD. Why not use scoop litter...just scoop the clumps away and skip the whole bag thing? ROFLMAO Damn...see what you did? My day is going to be silly all day now...LMAO. Reverand and Mrs. Cootiesniffer proudly present the Pee Pot. You can take it anywhere! Put it in your attic, stick it in the car, you can even take it to church for those occassions when the line for the loo is simply too long! It's fantastic for those long road trips when you have to go and not a potty in sight...just GO and STOW! Buy it now for $19.95 and we'll include FREE plastic liners, FREE! But wait, that's not all! If you are one of the first 25 callers, we'll also include a free pooper scooper! Call for your Pee Pot today! 1-800-The-P-Pot, CALL NOW! Michelle :) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: LilyFestre Date: 19 May 05 - 09:43 AM Background music and jingle set to the Beer Barrel Polka now known as the Pee Pot Polka! Roll out the Pee Pot, when you haffta go... Roll out the Pee Pot, don't fill your pants with woe... Zing ting-a-ling whiz, hear the sounds of relief! When you use the Pee Pot, you'll be commander in chief!!!! CALL FOR YOUR PEE POT NOW! 1-800-The-P-Pot Operators standing by...... *Humming* Michelle |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 19 May 05 - 10:42 AM Marketing Manager Michelle, standing by to take your calls-- be the first in your parking lot to pee in perfect pitch! 1-800-gottago ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 19 Sep 05 - 10:45 AM Vacay included two nights at Bro-in-law's curb, suburban, as planned, plus five unplanned nights at a campground when the pop-up camper's double bed bunk broke-- I was VERY grateful to have been prepared. At Jim's I used pieces of mosquito netting for the front windows and wished I had a line run out for the fan. At camp, I did that the first night and then for the other nights, I threw an old, large screenroom over the van, left the side doors open as well, and DID run a line for the fan. I propped the big old box fan on the front seat armrests and bungee'd it to be sure it stayed put. Talk about comfort! The rear shocks/springs were such that I had to park on a real incline to get the bed level-- spent the first two night practically standing on the backs of the front seats, to keep from sliding through the crack between them. Once I got it level-- so nice, except for Hardi being in the camper's narrow mate's bunk with an injury. Amenities included two powerful battery lanterns for bedtime reading, a clock inside a knee-high stocking hung from the coat hooks, and a pee bucket (with privacy screen hung on a line between trees). I had a square of camping pad covering the gravel so I could step out barefoot and then find my sandals, and a towel as a rug inside so I could wipe bare feet before getting in the covers. The cinderblock step would have been nice if we had brought it, but I muscled up enough that by the last night I was hopping in easily. Had to leave the box spring and mattress at my sister's to make room for a large cabinet she had made for us, but we bought a huge pop-up for future expeditions. According to my reading of WalMart policy, if we are real quiet we should be able to pop up there for one-nighters in transit and run lights/fan off the 12-volt aux battery. I may still set up the van for future solo boondocking, now that I know how to do it comfortably. And we have a plan to try to make room for two in it, as well, without bunk beds! :~) ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,man-in-d-van Date: 25 May 06 - 01:30 PM Two of us in a van (extravagently painted by hippies!) toured the US for a couple of months one winter about 8 years ago. Parked in rest stops occasionaly, parking lots some, roads some, forests some. Only hassled once, but not asked to leave. Few times cops would come by and run the plates and then be on their way without a knock on the door. We slept 2 people in this normal sized van with one fold out cot and one permanent bunk. Coleman folding propane stove, couple pots and a pan, 5 gallon water bucket with spicket and a cooler to keep food from freezing and oils from thickening too much. HEAVY sleeping bags and layers of clothes for sleeping. And winter is a great way to beat the crowds! We had Arches to ourselves, it was beautiful with a dusting of snow, red sand and rock, evergreens and a deep blue cloudless sky! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Alice Date: 26 May 06 - 09:49 AM Southern Mexico, in the middle of the desert on the the side of a mountain road looking out at the full moon rising above turquoise mountains in the distance, the horizon edged in pink and lavender, my boyrfriend and I sleeping in the 1949 Buick on our way to Central America. A semi-truck pulled in to the same area in the darkness and the snoring of the driver woke me up. Then, a couple of guys who had hit a goat on the road, gutted out the roadkill on top of a cement roadside post, leaving a bloodstained reminder for us to view when we rose in the morning to move on. The grotesque in the midst of extreme beauty, just like much of the rest of Mexico. Alice |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: JohnInKansas Date: 27 May 06 - 03:02 AM Several people have mentioned parking at WalMart and KMart lots, with contrary opinions on whether this is okay. In my area there are also still a few Target stores that might be candidates, and other large venues exist in almost any US area. Whether or not overnight parking is permitted is a decision made by the individual store management, often reflecting local ordinances. A few of the "Truckers Map Books" attempt to list places of this kind where it's permitted for trucks and presumedly would be permissible for other travelers. There also are web sites (sometimes well hidden from the "civilian" population) where lists of this sort can be found. Unfortunately, frequent changes in store policies make it impossible to place too much confidence in these listings, so it's usually necessary also to ask on arrival. It must be noted that the "person in charge" when you arrive and ask is unlikely to know what the actual policy for his/her store is, and/or may just be in a bad mood when you get there, so you must be prepared to "be persuasive." "Self-standing" places like the above mentioned are usually more likely to be agreeable. Large malls with many shops often have "mall rules" (and regular prowling security) that prohibit overnighting, or - despite their large empty lots - even temporary parking of "oversize" vehicles; and individual store operators probably can't give you permission. Rest stops on US Interstate highways are "iffy." Each state generally has different rules. Several states post "no overnight" parking, but you can sometimes get by with 6 or 8 hours of "taking a break." Others posted the same way may "move you along" if they suspect anyone's asleep (an insane and inane rule, IMO). In many states you may see "Parking Areas" that are a bit different than "Rest Areas." The Parking Areas have no facilities, and are intended primarily for truckers who are required to stop and sleep for specified periods. Some states/localities will permit vehicles without ICC registration to park in them and some will not. (And the reefers on those trucks will keep you awake anyway.) Oklahoma recently had all Interstate rest stops closed for about 5 years, because some local fundies decided that the lot lizards were having too much fun in them. Most of them have re-opened, apparently about a year or so ago. Kansas has had an isolated few rest stops closed for the same reason; but so far as I know they're all open now - except for the seeming 30 - 40% that are in construction zones. Municipal ordinances, and the personal bias of local enforcers, may largely determine whether you can park at places like schools and/or churches. In my area, even the grade school lots are inadequate for staff parking, and high school lots are overstuffed since kids who live 3 blocks away all seem to feel the need to drive. And in most states nearby my area, all Federal, State, County, and Local parks have "per vehicle fees," some have "per person fees, and many have additional "camping fees," so finding a freeby can be a challenge. John |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: GUEST,Obie Date: 28 May 06 - 12:45 AM I quote the boondockers creed: "It is easier to beg forgiveness than to request permision." |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: JohnInKansas Date: 28 May 06 - 01:46 AM Obie - The way they always said it when I was in the military (where it's a standard SOP) was: "It's easier to GET forgiveness than to get permission." Of course in all circumstances your "Estimate of the Situation" must consider strength and emplacement of opposing forces; tactical advantages and disadvantages of terrain; condition and strength of your own personnel, supplies and equipment; lines of retreat; and the weather. John |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: mack/misophist Date: 28 May 06 - 07:48 PM This isn't quite what you're asking, but I once camped out for 90 days streight when I had a job mending fences on a ranch. It didn't rain, so the only bad experience I had was the time a rattlesnake refused to leave the area of my camp. So I ate it for breakfast. It does NOT taste like chicken. Rather musty, like stale mouse smell. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 16 Mar 09 - 01:46 PM With the frequency and range of diocesan travel I'm doing nowadays, it's time to set the van back up for boondocking. Several parishes I will be visiting have already offered space as well as a spare key to the parish hall (coffeepot, toidy), and this week-- after using our pop-up for years for regular summer camping-- I'll be making a trial overnighter close to home, with the van, in case I'm not all tweaked up yet. The pop-up is overkill for a one-nighter. I liked the twin box spring and mattress I used to have in the van, but it makes it hard to ALSO use the van for anything else. Plus this time I am adding the summer portapotty which would be a tight squeeze with the twin box spring. So-- I'm taking up a padded rug that keeps the factory carpeting protected till the eventual trade-in, to insert 6 army surplus camping pads in a double-bed sized config, and then over top of that the rug will go back down. Nice flat, compressed-foam matting that allows cargo carrying, too. This way if Hardi can come along there's room for him, and an insulated sleeping space in case he can't and I pack a dog for company. In a large duffel, I have a double-wide sleeping bag I stitched out of two nice single bags whose zippers didn't match enough to marry up, and chemical heatpacks endorsed by local hunting pals to warm the sleeping bag, especially the toe-end. Another bag contains 3 kingsize flat sheets, one flannel, to add/modify as needed. Another bag holds a stash of pillows, miniaturized in recent years. A nice folding recliner is on board in case I need to use that in the van or elsewhere. It's heavy enough to stash well under the van and not blow around, but light enough to set it up front if it's a wet night. Another refinement will be a beach umbrella. It's big and light-blocking, to set over my head to block the inevitable street lamp. One of these short-poled thingies-- it's meant to lay on the ground at the head end of a reclining sunbather. Because all these items are containerized, some in rolling bags, I can adapt any indoor sleeping offer to work for me, or just boondock it if whatever is offered isn't worktable. I'm finding that the work I am doing requires a lot of quiet time as prep and for post-work processing and decompressing, and "I Vahnt to be Alone" is not an unusual need in my activities, that people do understand. My travels are all to the south end of the diocese and it's a lot warmer down there, year-round. I've scoped out the workable campgrounds along the route too, in case I actually need to PAY to sleep-- always the last choice, but they do have showers and truckstops with showers on this route are rare. At the south end however I did score some guest pool passes-- nice showers there, too. As far as the prejudice against homeless folks (or people perceived to be in the middle of a domestic dispute) that people are scared to harbor-- it's all in the body language. When approached, one sticks out the hand for a handshake and introduces oneself. "Hi, I'm traveling with my mini-camper on Diocesan business, and my! what a lovely town you have here!" seems to work well. Driving home yesterday I got the idea to organize a mail list of potential house or driveway hosts in our diocese, to call the "Upper Room Railroad." One of my activities is the Anti-Racism Commission, which meets monthly at the other end of the diocese. So the name for the idea is a spin on the secret, underground railroad that once ran the same route down the middle of our diocese, to point up the positives we now can exercise. Guidelines for people who want to offer this kind of hosting will reflect what Hardi and I enjoyed so much about hosting MudGathers, based on the summer camps my family had when I was a kid. A kind of traveling Mudcat. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Gweltas Date: 17 Mar 09 - 04:40 AM Some lessons learned the hard way from solo camping in tents over the years: Don't pitch your tent under trees - early morning dawn choruses are great, but a polka dotted tent from early morning incontinent bird strike is another matter entirely!! Bring ear plugs - sound carries so wonderfully well at night and very loud snorers in nearby tents can keep you awake all night! A hot water bottle, a spare fleece blanket and a woolly hat are vital on chilly nights. A double sized airbed is essential also as I have sometimes tended to roll off a single airbed when turning over in my sleep. Waking up chilled to the bone from lying on just a ground sheet is not an experience to be recommended.. A plastic storage box with lockable lid, large enough to store both food, crockery, cutlery, wash bowl and washbag is essential as it is said that no matter where in the world you are.........you are never further than 6 feet away from at least ONE RAT. I also use a second storage box as a "suitcase" for my clean clothes, for the same reason, and its useful for propping up my reading light, my book and my travel clock if I'm wakeful. My chemical Portapotti, toilet paper and antibacterial hand wipes, occupy the separate, groundsheeted, front lobby of my tent and it is sheer bliss not to have to wake up properly, dress up, find footwear and trudge out in all weathers to the often far distant portaloos on festival campsites. That Portapotti was the best birthday present I've ever had. An absorbent cotton mat in the lobby of my tent is ideal for muddy, or just wet, footwear. I love to camp, but I like my creature conforts too. Happy tenting to everyone with tents and let us hope that the coming Summer weather will be a lot dryer in the UK than last year, when I had to be towed off nearly every festival campsite, and was even towed ON to some sites too !! (Oh to be rich enough to be able to afford to buy a small campervan with 4WD, now that I'm getting on in years.......sigh !!) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Richard Bridge Date: 17 Mar 09 - 02:52 PM I was hoping to have one of my Volvos with a limited slip diff (or locking diff) commissioned this year for the boggy sites, but it looks as if it maybe next year. I was towed off at the Pig's Ear folk ale, but garnered some applause for a couple of dashing runs off the wettest Knockholt ever - gain speed and aim for the gate got me off with caravan behind where the campervans were getting stuck! Last year at a private festival at Easter it was -4 C overnight and the tent (no space for a caravan) was a sheet of ice in the morning. Slept (insofar as possible) fully clothed inside one sleeping bag inside another sleeping bag (on inflatable airbed covered with two blankets, it's the cold coming up that really gets you). |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 20 Mar 09 - 03:44 PM I got the rug cut and laid out to cover 3 pairs of foam mats that happen to fit nice and snug 2-across, and they are weighted down, stretched out, to get the curl out of them as the van bakes in the warm sun of the day. Tomorrow they'll go under the rug-=- right now they are on top of it pressing out its wrinkles from being rolled and stored. The rest of the camping kit will stack nicely along one sidewall of the back and I anticipate a test night with dog and sleeping bag warmers, as soon as tomorrow night. The road is calling! I've been thinking and mulling about the anti-homeless-van-sleeping worries, and I'm going to make and laminate a couple of window signs that should make it clear that this is a handicap-accessible, beware-of-dog mini-RV. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 21 Mar 09 - 08:46 AM Susan, this is EXACTLY what Hunt and I are hoping to do before our next big trip! We want a cozy place to sleep, make tea, store our stuff (under the plywood platform Hunt will build) but also room in the back of the van for our instruments, bicycles, and when Hunt has shows, artwork. Have a wonderful test-trip! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 21 Mar 09 - 10:17 AM Well what I REALLY need is carpentry by Hunt, because that's what I would have preferred..... but this is what I can do without too much help. But you MUST come park yours here, by mine. I bet Hunt belongs at the PA (state) Laurel Festival in Wellsboro. (Google, or PM for details.) We can talk portapotties. :~) BTW my old friend/bro Dharmabum, if he has seen this, should be LHAOROFL. During my less-able days he'd park his, here, and I'd try my best to get him to sleep in the house-- so much "nicer," I'd protest, lonely for my bes' bro's rare visits. I wish he'd come park his here, now, and let me rip off a few more ideas. He does a canopy, for instance-- I wanna see the details! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Mar 09 - 05:52 PM Carrrrrrrrrrgo net, running along parallel to the sidewall of the inside of the van, to pinion all the make-a-bed duffels. Leaves most of the interior for non-camping, everyday cargo, and no side doors or rear hatch blocked for everyday access. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 25 Mar 09 - 04:03 PM Well, I am just in from the 2009 shakedown layabout with the new accoutrements. The triple layer of compressed foam is great as-is for a nap, as I had hoped. The cushier foam on board for a night's stay is handy. AN even cushier layer to add if I go on a multi-night bunkout is in the hose but easily gotten if needed. The light switches are all still reachable from the lower bunk position than I had last time. The arthritic knees, etc., can still get me in and out without taking too many damage points out of the hurt locker. There is room for the as-yet-not-loaded portapotty as well as any clothing satchels, etc., to carry. The switchover from cargo to nap took 2 minutes-- even in the rain that would be acceptable. A few comfort resources I had not realized could be used for comfort turned out already to be handy-- they weren't "stuff in the way." (Aquatic foam items.) A few bungee cords to batten down the cargo till made up into the bed, a few more and a couple of poles for a canopy, a light-dimming headsack till I can put up curtains, a wad of Mortite to stick on some 'squito netting over the opened rain-shedding windows thru which I can run an electric line-- dang, I'm ready as is and ready for a few 5-minute improvements, and then I'll have true luxury! OUT! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: open mike Date: 25 Mar 09 - 04:40 PM hey, i miss bev and jerry...whatever happened to them? I have been living in an Airstream (motor home) since my cabin burned down, and there is a lot of chat about boondocking on the airstream forum. i supposed it is also called "DRY CAMPING". I have stayed in city parks...quite a few allow camping, and rest areas, and in friend's driveways...including some mudcats...and once outside a state park that was closed. Mostly at music festivals, though. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Bert Date: 25 Mar 09 - 09:50 PM I must have missed this thread first time around. I can sympathise with Robomatic about his train coming straight at him experience. Way back in '66 we were driving to Czechoslovakia and we got through Austria late that evening. Not wanting to cross the border in the middle of the night we pulled over to the side of the road and took a nap in the car. About three in the morning we heard this train coming. Of Gawd, the train tracks here run along the roads. I turned on the lights to see if we could see the tracks. There was a light mist and all I got was glare. I opened the door a little but couldn't see any tracks. Do I get out, possibly into the path of the train, which was really close now, or do we stay put? As I was just about to get out and take a look for the tracks, when the train roared past on the other side of the road. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 28 Mar 09 - 01:59 PM TMI warning: Found and an outrageously-large sleeping tee-shirt, extra long, in can't-kill-it orange, for the Boondocker and the trip I'll take in it Monday. Long enough to cover no matter how I splay out in my sleep, AND long enough to cover the essentials at portapotty time in the back of the van. This afternoon I set it up the mega-bag in the Boondocker with the foam mattress that goes inside it. Hardi came home with Sat. sammiches as I was enjoying an experimental stretchout in all the comfort. He crawled right in to try it out, and pronounced it luxurious. Inside that Boondocker, it is not at all like sleeping in your car, feeling cramped or cold or homeless. It feels quite camp-ish, and in some ways is cushier than our camper. It's all set up now, except for portapotty, for a trip Monday. When I pull in I will be able to complete setup for the night, entirely from the interior. The umbrella for a sunshade is perfect. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Apr 09 - 09:53 AM Saw online: a window screen that goes on from the outside, with magnetized hems to stick it to the vehicle. Sewing project planned. Have, to check out-- an add-a-room for the popup that may adapt to be a hatch-tent. Planning to carry to make life easier-- a child's dome tent to be an outdoor storage shed. The cargo that normally goes in the back has to be stowed to make room for me to sleep, so a tent is a better option than a cartop carrier or the front seats. OR, we HAVE a soft-sided cartop carrier, which I may use as the storage shed-- have to dig it out and see if the mice have chewed it. Load it under the open hatch if raining, then tug it out onto the picnic table supplied at campgrounds for off-ground storage, tarped over and bungee'd to the table. (Clothes, spare chairs, etc.) ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Apr 09 - 02:24 PM First night out with new bedding arrangement finally, last night. WOW! Pulled in after dark in the rain and had my setup done in five minutes, mostly without getting wet. No hookups, no problem. Need slightly more padding (have it on hand) to prevent pressure-points waking me up, leveling pads (Hardi will make a set from 2x12's), and a hitch-mounted rack for the cargo/unloadables. I was surprised and delighted to find that 40 degrees and wind were no problem. I did put on down booties at one point and pulled the long sweatshirt sleeves over my hands when they stuck out, but-- Que Success! Second trial run planned this weekend. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: EBarnacle Date: 15 Apr 09 - 11:37 PM If you have room for a couple of buckets, you can use the "Sawdust Head" which Clearwater and other environmental groups have been using for at least 40 years. No plumbing required. Bucket 1: as much of a seat and cover as you need to be comfortable, along with a cover to reduce smell. Put a couple of handsful of wood shavings in the bottom of the bucket. Bucket 2: wood shavings, to be added to Bucket 1, a handful after every use, until Bucket 1 is full. A big advantage of this approach is that the used bucket 1's can be used as fertilizer [odorless] or taken to the local sewage treatment plant. There are plenty of wood shops, such as in schools, where you can relieve them of wood chips with their thanks. Remember to clean the assembly and surroundings fairly often. We males do occasionally miss target. A 5 gallon paint bucket [a la Home Depot] can serve a vessel's crew of 10 for up to 2 days. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 03 Jun 10 - 02:27 PM Hey, I missed that EB, but it can help with this: The "fun" job today was soaking a 50' heavy orange extension cord to get the bird crap offa it. It used to hang underneath the swallow's nest, and.... ewww. I soaked it last night in a bucket of enzymes and surfectant soaps. The crap ran right off it into a washcloth I wanted to discard anyway. In a little bit I will re-roll it into a different bucket (lets me take out only the length needed), which also doubles as a traveling pee bucket-- it has a nifty screw-tight lid a new friend gave me. The boondocking host-driveway for Saturday has a certain type of space where I know I can try all this setup out, and a bed waiting in case I don't quite get it right on this trip. The new screen I put in the front door last week freed up some old metal-wire screen-- probably a perfect travel window for the boondocker when I cut the rip out of it, to fit. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Jun 10 - 02:44 PM Duh, duh, and DUH. Screens, she wanted. DUH! The TRAVEL TOWEL-- 6 yards of plaid flannel, I've written about before. Up with duct tape, down in a flash. Pre-wet for better no-see-ums action. Soon to be replaced with a full set: 2 long ones for the front so they can slam tight into the door gasket top to bottom, with flannel for most of it and an inset of gauzier stuff for best airflow where the glass is rolled down. (The flannel I cut out for the inset will hang like a flap to roll up from inside as needed.) Sure, I have an old tent I could cut up, but this is better. And then 2 short ones for the back, made in similar fashion, cut a lot wider than long-- for the way the back windows open out at a slant. Skeeters-- Off makes a little fan/repellent unit that WORKS and can be assembled in the dark. Two did the job even tho I opened the doors a lot in the first hour of total-dark setup. Setup-- note to self. Set up FIRST, and THEN indulge both parties' need to gab-gab-gab. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Mar 11 - 10:27 AM Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! Here's a tip-- vertical boondocker storage! LOL, I been trying to get outta Dodge since Sunday AM, but a surprise car repair delayed me-- till I got the pieces RIGHT! Too much stuff, too much stuff, too much stuff.... gotta sleep in there....too much stuff.... gotta sleep in there....too much stuff.... gotta sleep in there.... Oh. That closet rod, NOT the more-usual deep laundry hamper that usually starts each trip full of clean stuff and ends it full of stuff to wash. Where I'll be staying is where it's warm enough to use the van as the closet-- step out each AM and grab the day's clothes. 'N I kin sleep under that pole-full, so I'm hanging everything so it'll hang "high" (pants folded). Just in time for hubby to hand things out to me to hang! Because there is a solid reason for each and every item I am taking (long trip, lotta ministry/music opportunities as well as a training I'm attending and the people I have plans to stop and meet for anti-racism program contacts). I'd already miniaturized each kit as much as I could, and it's STILL "too much stuff" (including a huge and heavy sculpture-gift to deliver to one relative who's putting me up). But now it's just the right amount of stuff! TBTG for sunlight to get my brain into REAL travel-gear. I almost left last night in not-ready mode-- whew! Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! Now I WANT to go! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 15 Mar 11 - 10:59 AM PS clothes inside OUT so they look clean when you put them ON. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 27 Mar 11 - 11:14 AM Near-winter boondocking went surprisingly well, for a first-time try. The 40-degree nights were VERY comfy, and even the 30-degree night was OK. With a minor tweak I would now try a 20-degree night (with hookups). I used a 75-watt clamp-lamp for night-time lighting/heating... took the hookup campsite next to the shower building (the heat and hot water were on)... was snug in a cold-weather rated sleeping bag supplemented with a layer of flanneled el-cheapo bag.... had the right calories onboard (pop-top chicken a la king plus brown rice cakes and apples)... only lacked a small doggie for late-night alerts and company. (I never even had to add the down booties, the jacket, the funnel-necked poncho, the nightcap, or the gloves.) With this experience-- we are also now rated to try the pop-up camper for two under the same weather parameters, with the oil-filled rad, the tiny ceramic heater, the electric blanket, and the down comforter. Cheap geezer RVing. ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 27 Mar 11 - 07:02 PM If you know your boondocking etiquette, this is handy: SEARCH BY STATE ~S~ |
|
Subject: RIP Boondocker From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Apr 15 - 01:55 PM The circa-2000 Windstar minivan we got so much use and pleasure out of.... died April 6, 2015, with upwards of 190,000 miles-- many of those on the highway-- instead of getting me partway to Ohio and THEN failing. She died right on the mechanic's lot. I didn't mind the rust. It was fine that the ventilation windows for sleeping stopped opening entirely and then, after I got rid of the custom-cut screening, decided to work fine. The rear doors on each side were SO appreciated, even when the one side only unlocked by hand half the time. I gave up needing new seats after my surgery, and finally noticed my musculature had adjusted to enjoy long drives in 'er-- just as she was. The cleanout took several trips, as she was so full of stuff we used all the time. Her 84" cot had, long since, ended up at our Camp Ridgebury property where a plywood base now makes it rated well over the 350lb limit it came with; a good bed for a visiting child or very tall adult. A good place to set and pick a bit, too, since the kids' guest room is also the jam room and the dvd room. The small recliner that succeeded the cot--after a nursing-home stay taught ne to appreciate sleeping on my back-- also came to Camp and is in that same room, where I can always nap or sleep all night, when we have a full house. I slept in it, last, when my dear DIL drove me halfway home to PA, after my Fall '14 trip to Ohio ended with weeks of illness. (I actually slept while someone else DROVE. ) She was the perfect thing when it was just what I needed. Now that I can sleep well on a couch.... I guess I don't need 'er no more. ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Rapparee Date: 23 Apr 15 - 08:28 PM RIP. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 23 Apr 15 - 09:16 PM Thanks Rap. It's oddly like a pet death! ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 24 Apr 15 - 10:36 AM I have several favorite memories of her. One was a day when I'd worked and worked in her-- mostly half bent-over-- just killing my back. So I stretched out in the cot, pushed and pulled pillows to suit (with my feet), and enjoyed the sun warming the interior plus the breezes drifting thru. My fone happened to be close enuf to the wifi router to enjoy a wonderful radio program about the melange of music we call 'Brazilian'. I was still in there long after the back pain quit, when Hardi came home and pulled in beside us. "Whatcha up to?" "Not much!" And out I came, ready to pick up that clergyspouse stuff! ~Susan |
|
Subject: RE: BS: Boondocking (Camping) Experiences? From: Rumncoke Date: 24 Apr 15 - 07:04 PM camping in England - when I was young and foolish I used to carry everything and walk - then I got a motorbike and then a car. Now I take a van and three sets of bedding, and often lie snug in the van with the rain pattering on the roof, with either a flask of tea or water heating on a little stove reflecting that it will be a week before the camping stuff dries out - again. Closed by the originator of the thread. ---mudelf |