Boondocking "Protocols"

[Minerrick]

Are there any "rules of the road" you follow when you are boondocking? One that come to my mind, what distance from another vehicle is considered "cool" if you pull into an area where you want to park and there is another vehicle there. Not knowing what a reasonable distance is to ensure the other person's privacy, I would tend to try to find another location. What do you guys do when there is another vehicle nearby where you pull off the road? Move on? Pull up an talk with other camper? Also any other tips or "rules of the road"?

 

[cyndi]

No generators 24/7. A lot of people are out in the boonies to enjoy the piece and quiet. Generator noise carries. Use common sense and be courteous if you have to use a generator.

 

[jimindenver]

Boondocking isn't lawless, BLM and NFS have rules to be followed.

Boondocking here is a lot different than say the Q. Here I never see the next camper and may be miles away. A generator is never more than a hum on the wind.

Carry in and out means all of it. Trash, dirty water, whatever. Don't leave anything that would let the next camper know you were there.

Never leave a fire unattended or think it will just burn itself out. The fire you may start will burn your site first.

Crashing a clearing and setting up on someone else is just bad. people like me go up to be isolated, and those in groups are in their group usually, not a public one. You have the right to park there but just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I will park the truck to block the clearing and if you do make it in, I'll fire up the generator, have honey turn up the music and put the dogs in their tent to yap at ya while you set up. I'll move if you don't get the message.

Now if you are in a situation where you are closer to others, follow the golden rule. Do you want to hear their generator or all night party? They don't want to hear yours either.

Last thing is most of the time "out there" really means out there. Should you see someone in need, help them out. It may be you someday stuck or broken down and it's a 20 mile walk to town where I camp.

All common sense and usually in your own best interest.

 

[ramblingvanman]

You can't just dig a latrine for dealing with human waste while camping on BLM land? Obviously I would pack out all of my "garbage", but I figured a 2-3 foot deep hole(filled in when I leave) away from any streams and campsites would be ok.

 

[jimindenver]

A cat hole is considered acceptable but you are not leaving the mess up where it will affect others. I have seen where people have dumped their black tanks or done as a bear does. Sadly TP takes forever to break down just left out like that.

 

[LoupGarou]

Regarding generator usage; I'm less tolerant of them if I've shown up first. If they were there before I got there, I'd either deal with it or move on.

 

[mockturtle]

I agree with JiminDenver's list. Regarding parking near another camper--I don't.  I move on if someone is in the area I want to use.  OTOH, if it's a really large area, then the furthest away from the other camper, the better.

 

[akrvbob]

I have a dog so he is my guiding light. Since he runs free, we can't be too near other people so no problems hearing their generators. My goal is to go down a Forest Road, take a road off it, and another road off it. By then it's barely a road and the RVers aren't going down it. They are the biggest problem with generates, noisy kids and ATVS. Boy I have come to hate ATVs!

Rarely I'll camp in a busy area (Moab is one of them) and I carry a tent to set up near me to discourage people from getting too close. It also holds the site if I go into town. You just have to accept the obnoxious people in that situation.

I use so little water that I've NEVER carried grey water out with me.

I use a 5 gallon bucket to poop so I carry the poop and paper out in a bag, but I have used cat holes. They are legal on public land. I dug the hole a little deeper than the blade of a regular shovel which should be about a foot--that's good.
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

while I never like camping close to someone else. I do talk to people. in fact I talk to everybody that will give me the time of day, I talk to campers, fishermen, hunters, prospectors, hikers, ranchers, farmers, rangers, leos, dirt bike riders even atvers, hell I even talk to idiots. I do this out in the boonies and in small towns. highdesertrangers

 

[mockturtle]

I talk--and listen--to people, too. I've learned more from fellow travelers than from almost any other source.

 

[Minerrick]

while I never like camping close to someone else.  I do talk to people.  in fact I talk to everybody that will give me the time of day,  I talk to campers,  fishermen,  hunters,  prospectors,  hikers,  ranchers,  farmers,  rangers,  leos,  dirt bike riders even atvers,  hell I even talk to idiots.  I do this out in the boonies and in small towns.  highdesertrangers

Funny, i am a "talker" too.

So today my wife and I went up to Carson Pass  just to scout around and we found some pretty nice boondocking locations on the side of the road. Apparently those people don't read this forum as they were stacked pretty close to each other. Personally, I like my space so I will plan on finding a place a "little ways out". Not to mention I have two retarded Labradors who like to bark at each other, so if I park close to anyone, they won't be happy with me. So next week we will go back and see if there are any good locations avail.

I did a bunch of research last night on google earth and found some other sites about 3 miles off the pavement in an area with a lot of lakes, but on a decent, but somewhat bumpy dirt road. After about the first mile on the dirt road, my wife starts getting naggy and she informs me that any campsite more than 1 mile off the paved road is an impossibility for her, unless it is spectacular. Gee, it only took 30 years of marriage for me to find out that she has such a low tolerance for dirt roads- especially since we live on one. Oh well, I guess I have to look closer to the main road. The ones we did find and she liked were less than a quarter of a mile off the main road, and appeared to be very popular.

As an aside, we talked to a couple of campground hosts and they told us CA forest service campsites do NOT have WATER this year. So plan on bringing enough to carry you over.

 

[jimindenver]

Just dirt roads? Not washboards or ruts, rocks and what not?

The biggest issue we deal with out there is boredom. That's why we got the satellite dish as there is no OTA reception. Occasionally Honey will run to town just to do something while i play with my toys as it is put. That is the day to day of the solar, batteries, water, firewood, etc. I keep logs of it all so I can look back and see what worked and what didn't. This last trip I got bored and started out just washing the windows, and ended up lightly washing the whole trailer.

Bob

I am with you on the ATV's. I've been told we go to what is considered truck camper territory but you just can't go deep enough to avoid the dust rats. Their noise carries like a generator and it seems to take them forever to come into and out of hearing range. Luckily most are only there on the weekend but there usually a few everyday. It will be better now that school has started.

One thing I don't get in my area is I always see evidence of live trees being cut to burn. The whole area is filled with downed and dried aspens, I only needed to take ten steps past the tree line and had more firewood than we could burn. Most of it doesn't even need to be cut as is it small enough to just step on and break up. I use to leave a nice little pile for the next camper but anymore I toss it back in because if they are too lazy to get their own wood, they probably wouldn't pay proper attention to the fire either.

This is the view of our last site from the road. I usually prefer to be hidden from view but you take what you can on a busy Saturday afternoon.

[img=600x450]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j114/Jimindenver/camping 2015/P1019413.jpg~original[/img]

 

[akrvbob]

jimindenver, with all the knowledge you've built up, have you ever considered writing a blog? With your knowledge base, I think you would do very well! From what I've seen you are a good writer and have a real desire to help people.

That all adds up to a successful website!

Better than washing the windows!
bob

 

[Minerrick]

Just dirt roads? Not washboards or ruts, rocks and what not?

She is tolerant to dirt roads, its the type of dirt roads that have big potholes, steep 4wd grades and overall bouncing around that she doesn't like. As long as the dirt road is somewhat decent, she remains clam.

 

[jimindenver]

Bob, thank you I appreciate the compliment but I don't know the first thing about blogs or websites. The knowledge is just a bunch of things that has or hasn't worked for us over the years and believe me, there has been plenty of hasn't in that time. I think I learn a lot more from all of you and the other forums than I contribute.

So what inspired you to get started? How did you go about it? I know all of this didn't spring up in a day.

 

[MikeRuth]

Jim if you have time and or want to check it out try https://wordpress.com/ All free to try and use.

It's very easy stuff and in the beginning it will walk you through the steps.

 

[Almost There]

Jim if you have time and or want to check it out try https://wordpress.com/ All free to try and use.

It's very easy stuff and in the beginning it will walk you through the steps.

I know it's off topic but what are the basic differences between BlogSpot and Wordpress?

Is one easier than the other for those who are almost computer illiterate?

 

[MikeRuth]

LOL, BOB started it and yes we are wavering off topic so I'll just close with I don't know Jim, I've never done one either but it is fairly easy and googling the topic will get you most all of the answers. Good luck with that.
Maybe we should have a thread to discuss this?

Mike R

 

[eapvan]

Regarding starting a blog...Start with a free Blogger account. It's easier than Wordpress. Just start by writing the same as you have right here. Do it daily. Ask to do a guest post on other popular blogs...*hello Bob*...actually, do it on many popular blogs. Or Youtube. Videos are very popular now.

Learn about SEO. Just Google it. It's a very effective tool.

Once you start making some money, transfer your Google domain to your own domain. It should be free.

Anyhoo, good luck!

 

[jimindenver]

Thank you. I'll check into them.

Now back to the boonies.