Bored on BLM?

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Wannabe here who has never visited BLM/National Forest/"Public" land before other than some backpacking in the Northeast as a wknd warrior.  I've watched massive amounts of YT videos of full time RVers but the GF and I are still unsettled on what folks do for entertainment when boondocking away from a city w/ no hookups, in the wilderness after the 10 minute youtube video is over.

We have a dog and we like camping in nature, but not 24/7.  Originally we thought we would spend roughly half our time boondocking on public lands and half our time in cities.  Ideally we wanted a balance of the two as we think we'd get bored out on public land to be quite honest and we still want to go to cities to visit a museum, catch a concert, nice restaurant etc.

But things have changed... while we still think we'd enjoy being on public land for a week at a time (before coming back in for supplies and just a change of scenery), it is becoming apparent leaving the dog unattended in the van in a city with the fan on for hours at a time would not be good for the GF's anxiety.  I also wonder if the dog will stay quiet and just nap, or bark up a storm and then the cops are called and someone breaks into a window to "save" our dog.

So we're thinking we'll be out boondocking more often than we originally thought.  So what does everyone do with their time?  I could see myself picking up photography perhaps and reading.  Doing some light hiking with a bad knee.  Farting around on the internet (maybe learning to program) provided I have cell reception...but that's about it.  I think I would get bored after I initially take in the nice scenery and peace and quiet.

We like people..are there lots of caravans maybe?  Do people do arts and crafts?  Are you opposite of me and you are an introvert enjoying the solitude?  I see lots of YT channels of young folks with the dog out there boondocking while mountain biking, trail running, and rock climbing, but the body won't allow that any longer.

Thanks for your input.

 

[SoulRaven]

What do you do now to avoid boredom, and what attracted you to the mobile lifestyle in the first place? Start there.

 

[highdesertranger]

small towns have people and museums too. highdesertranger

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

The Original Poster seems thoughtful, practical, and honest. With qualities like that he should feel more confident.

Much of the anxiety of moving away from the hectic behavior of a city goes away when he realizes that the stimulation was just the scratching of a trivial itch. He doesn't need to be rushing and doing something every second of the day. There is no moral or cultural value to having a twitch-mode attentiion span.

Also he might be underestimating Parkinson's Law, you know, about things expanding to fill all available space. That also happens when boondocking.

 

[Almost There]

I don't think I've ever managed to have a completely boring day yet while camped on BLM land. Maybe a few minutes here and there when I've allowed it to  happen.

I read, I play on the internet (too much some days), I do knit and crochet but find I don't have time to get a lot of it done. We (my neighbors and I) visit, goof off, find things to do, have group dinners etc. etc. Some times we even have games nights.

Keep in mind that some chores take longer out here than they would in a S&B environment...there's always something that needs attending to.

Depending on which BLM/NF area you're at what else there is to do - Fortuna Pond - sitting and watching the 'nature channel' can take hours each day. Holtville Hot Springs - well there's an afternoon taken up each day going to the hot springs and soaking.

And there's always wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments and historic sites, state historic sites, geocaching, visiting small towns nearby, trails to explore either on foot or by vehicle, etc.

The only time one is bored out here is when one chooses to be.

Oh and btw, I have neither a tv nor do I watch YouTube, my only time waster is a couple of online games that I play.

 

[velojym]

I'm a photographer, but I also have a pile of Backwoodsman magazines, and a few e-books on woodcraft and old-fashioned camping. A good use of idle time, for me, would be to work on some of those skills that might be helpful in an emergency.
Also, bicycles.
I haven't done much with kites, but I thought about taking up kite photography, especially as the FAA has gone and pooped all over the R/C flying hobby.

 

[frater secessus]

I am not a great person to answer this, as I don't get bored. Way too many things on the to-do list!

I like to read, write, listen to podcasts, hike, and contribute to open source projects if they can use my paltry efforts.

 

[bullfrog]

If you really have time volunteer at the BLM headquarters you might get to stay longer if you want.

 

[wmyers4u]

How about learning a musical instrument or bring a golf club and some balls ?

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

Perhaps the original poster should round out his schedule with part-time jobs. But it does take some luck to find a job that doesn't tie you down too much.

He mentioned a bad knee. Bicycling is usually better on bad knees than hiking.

And yet, his original question made me wonder about something rather fundamental to the boondocker's situation: I haven't found boondockers to be more active outdoorsmen than any other RVers. So what's the point of being "out there" if their time is all spent on satellite TV or dicking around on the internet all day?

I guess they can afford the rent.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

If you really have time volunteer at the BLM headquarters you might get to stay longer if you want.

Never thought of that.  I enjoy volunteering.  What sort of tasks are volunteers generally assigned?  Pick up garbage?  Check people in?  *shrugs* I have no idea. :0

 

[Wabbit]

... So what's the point of being "out there" if their time is all spent on satellite TV or dicking around on the internet all day?

I guess they can afford the rent...

To be fair, it's their life. You spend your minutes the way you want, I'll spend mine the way I want. If you're eager to pass judgement on anything, judge yourself. Not others.

And to try and answer your question so as not to appear too harsh. One of the reasons why I am "out there" is because I need a reprieve from most things "people" orientated. I was getting burned out. I don't want to become a bitter man and hate on who and what we are as humans. I'm flawed, you're flawed, we are all flawed. I think some are better equipped to process and accept some of the less than ideal qualities humans possess. I am not one of those people. I'm guessing I just need more time than most to reach an acceptance of what is. That is one of the reasons. It's one I am able to articulate, although poorly. There are other reasons, some of them are purely selfish, I am not yet able to articulate those. I hope someday I will be able to.

 

[bullfrog]

There is no lack of jobs for volunteers. Any thing you like to do can be found. In Utah the department of natural resources gives special hunting privileges to volunteers. They build storage sheds, repair fence, check trails, maintain campgrounds, plant feed lots, help with check stations and this is done on BLM and state lands. BLM offices look for people to man the visitor desk to sell maps and answer questions as well as do surveys, animal counts, creel counts all sorts of work, sometimes just an extra hand on special events. Introduce yourself and let them know what your talents are. Sometimes just starting out picking up trash and hanging around ends up in ride alongs or boat trips to ruins at least it has for me, and in the National Parks seasonal jobs. It is often difficult to find people who like living in remote areas so being short handed is the norm and government bugets are often supplimented by bartering with volunteers, like free utilites or per deim or extended stays.

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

Some of that stuff sounds interesting, I just wonder how much help they'll want in a two week. Before we want to move on or the weather gets too hot. Haha. But definitely something to keep in the back of our minds.

 

[Watch_Cowspiracy]

Take up a meditation practice. Boredom is the result of attachment to a fast paced mind when it encounters a slowing down via nature or stillness. Try settling into the slow state. Breathe. Let go. Let the peacefulness of stillness envelop you.

 

[A Savage Adventure]

This is exactly why I gave up gaming and several other things. I haven't had the opportunity to just enjoy nature in so many years. Loving it now!

 

[AntiGroundhogDay]

I do hope I can slow down once the working big corporate and planning for van life is complete. My personality is ENTJ and we're planners so it's hard not to always think of the next project or thing I want to accomplish. It's very rewarding when I figure out a problem or complete a project, but if I've "figured it all out" and it's time to relax to van life (yes I know something will always come up while on the road that I will need to adapt to), it will be different for sure. I look forward to reading about the history and science of areas I'm in.

 

[Watch_Cowspiracy]

I like the teachings this monk offers. While I'm not a buddhist, I find some of it useful in slowing down.

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

There are lots of good suggestions for activities in this thread, but why couldn't they be done in a rented house/apartment/RV park in a small town in a part of the country that has a low cost of living. Why do they need to be done on BLM land?

I think I am partially answering the original poster's question by saying that camping on BLM land SHOULD be boring to somebody who has no reason to be there in the first place, other than he likes the "rent."

 

[WalkaboutTed]

For me, boredom is a luxury. After 5 decades of motherhood, caretaking, education and working like a sonofagun, I would welcome it. But there's always something to do, getting in the way. My kids learned very young never to say "I'm bored" because I could always give them something to unbore them.

I wouldn't worry about crossing that bridge until you come to it. There's so much to be said for just hanging out. Happy travels!
Ted