size matters

[missnout]

Everyone is so awesome, my truck is a 02 F250 4x4 with a 7.3 I am thinking a 30 ft with the bunks in back but may be reconsidering a 27 with a couch that converts. if moving almost every 2 weeks or so I cant see size being to big of a factor, since ill be out on a trail most of the time or sitting near a fire or trying to put up a hammock or maybe ill just go climb a tree.LOL I love to go down to the crocket national forest here in Texas thats where i usually go hunt. I have never been north and Im a little fearful of where to go next issues. OK i am getting off track, i have watched a few videos on trailer examination and i am pretty sure im going to tee off the sales person when it comes time to test everything. plus I found a local repair facility that gave me the number to a guy who might be able to come with me. lot of might's, I am mechanically inclined to a degree. But pics sounds like a good idea ill do that.

 

[NomadMike]

Everyone is so awesome, my truck is a 02 F250 4x4 with a 7.3 I am thinking a 30 ft with the bunks in back but may be reconsidering a 27 with a couch that converts.

With that tow vehicle you should be fine with anything up to 12,000 lbs. You have one of the last trucks ford built with the 7.3 powerstroke, which should be very reliable.

 

[WriterMs]

Here is an idea that might help you "visualize" what you can find.. or find specifics on a place you want to go.

Do a Google search for the place and add "boondocking." You have no doubt seen the referrals to websites that tell you free camping places. But if you see pics, then you can relax a bit. For example, I used to see a bunch of Class A's out along the western shore of Lake Mead... big flat open spaces to just pull up and park.

So I Googled "Lake Mead boondocking" and one of the results was a blog Traveling with the Wynns (something like that). She have photos of their large Class A at Stewart's Point on Lake Mead. A review, fees (free with the America the Beautiful pass, I believe, but cheap either way), etc.

Same with most blogs. Find an RV blog that shows pics of places they've boondocked and you can look at the pics and see if your proposed rig will fit. (And so many of Bob's posts are like that, too. He shows you what the roads look like going in and how roomy the spots are. Search his blog for relevant place names or state names.

Pics ARE worth a thousand words.

 

[BamaDuke]

One other thing to consider are slides. Most of the newer 5ers have one or more, but the older, smaller ones have none or one. For boondocking, I would lean toward no slides. Slides add weight, reduce carrying capacity, and can be real boogers if they fail.

I camp in my C in Sam Houston, near Lake Conroe. I chose the C because of the reasons mentioned before, it's easy to park and the setup/takedown time is much shorter. If I didn't work full time, I would not have a second vehicle. Maybe a Vespa LOL

Bama

 

[missnout]

My biggest fear is I look for a place get there to find a fee is required and no one can tell me anything but " I think there's a place down that road", or I spend my first year googling in the parking lot of every wallmart looking for a place. I love to hunt and I know in crocket forest,( here in texas) during deer season you have to camp at certain places. I wouldn't even now they were their if I didn't get the hunting public land hand book. So with that said I get in another state with no hunting license or book I only see me running into regular rv parking facilities where you pay. A lot of the free parking blogs I have looked at people do not uphold to the its suppose to be free thing.

 

[missnout]

I tell you what, since starting this process when I walk in an rv to look , I get tickled at myself because now I go in beat on walls, push on floors, not that a 120 lb's of 5' does much but i feel like im giving them the scare. lol hehe.

 

[akrvbob]

The National Forests in Texas are very different than anything in the rest of the country. Don't use them as a standard. I've spent the last 4 months on the road in states I've never camped before. I never had the sligtest problem finding free dispersed camps. Once you learn how, neither will you.

If you come to the RTR I'm giving a class on how to find dispersed camping and it couldn't be any easier. To help you right now here are two blog posts to give you a headstart:

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/finding-boondocking-sites-part-1/
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/finding-campsite-part-2-understanding-and-using-the-mvum/
Bob

 

[B and C]

The National Forests in Texas are very different than anything in the rest of the country. 

Here is the MVUM for the Davy Crockett NF.  I would upload the hunter camps too except it will only allow one file to be uploaded.  PM me if you want more MVUM's.  I have them for all the NF's that I could find online.

 

[missnout]

Thank you so much, What and where is RTR? I just put my house on the market today and a estste sale guy is coming tuesday. Im super busy and a road trip right know is out of the question. I have enough money in my pocket to live in this house for 1 more month. Gosh I cant wait to be out!!!

 

[mockturtle]

Has the RTR been scheduled yet? I hope to be there again and stay longer.

 

[Almost There]

Thank you so much, What and where is RTR? I just put my house on the market today and a estste sale guy is coming tuesday. Im super busy and a road trip right know is out of the question. I have enough money in my pocket to live in this house for 1 more month. Gosh I cant wait to be out!!!

Has the RTR been scheduled yet?  I hope to be there again and stay longer.

Right here!

http://www.cheaprvliving.com/gatherings/

 

[mockturtle]

Thank you! 

 

[WriterMs]

In case Bob isn't back to answer soon:

The RTR is Jan. 5 - 19, 2016, in Quartzite, of course. Just go to "Gatherings" at the top of this website and click it. Pics of prior years and info on this year's.

 

[WriterMs]

Dang AT.. you are fast! You posted and Mock answered while I double checked the dates and wrote a reply.

 

[compassrose]

My biggest fear is I look for a place get there to find a fee is required and no one can tell me anything but " I think there's a place down that road", or I spend my first year googling in the parking lot of every wallmart looking for a place. I love to hunt and I know in crocket forest,( here in texas) during deer season you have to camp at certain places. I wouldn't even now they were their if I didn't get the hunting public land hand book. So with that said I get in another state with no hunting license or book I only see me running into regular rv parking facilities where you pay. A lot of the free parking blogs I have looked at people do not uphold to the its suppose to be free thing.

For "Wildlife Management Areas" (WMA's) you can do a 'net search for example "TX Wildlife Management Areas" and it will return several sites including http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/ And if you substitute the state you are interested in where it says "TX" it will return sites specific (usually) to the state you are interested in.

I also like:
http://www.forestcamping.com/ (National Forests & Grasslands - free & pay)
http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/ (free & pay)
http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ (free & pay)

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Just to add to the "confusion of riches" : You've got a great tow vehicle. Most (all ?) RV's waste so much space , have terrible storage and little dinky refers, sinks and stoves that you might want to consider an empty cargo trailer (regular hitch or gooseneck) and just add the storage, beds, shower, appliances YOU want. Probably cost a LOT less also. Check "the blog" for cargo trailer conversions.
KinA
P.S. You'd also have a vehicle you could travel in while trailer is parked.
P.P.S. Also...remember that (done correctly) you'll be spending most of your time OUTSIDE of your trailer......primarily using it for secure sleeping, storage and "shelter from the storm".....then ya go back out where the world is !!

 

[missnout]

I was just replying to Bob in one of my post that this is for my son the more it feels like home the better he will feel. I wish I had the energy to convert but i have a lot going on Divorce, sell MY home, sell my stuff "lots of antiques" but I cant wait. I remissness about the times i have spent in the woods, I wants fell out of a tree at night lost my light and gun. had to march in the dark up the hill to my truck. and do you come out where your truck is, of course not LOL. One time I locked my keys in the truck and it was cold thought I would have to dig a hole under it to sleep. But I cut a long stick used my knife to pry the window and held my light in my mouth, Finally got it! But the best was a thanksgiving around a fire with my kids we found duck eggs and got some squirrel.
There I go again ramble ramble just cant wait.....

 

[missnout]

By the way I left an egg for mama, the woods will provide but you must respect it.

 

[westriver]

I caught one of your comments about using the couch as one of the beds. Generally, any fold out RV grade furniture, like sleeper sofas or jackknife sofas, tend to be pretty awful to sleep on. We have had different trailers and now a motorhome, after fifteen years of travel, I have yet to find anybody, other than little kids, who didn't complain after a single night on the fold out sofa.