when on public land boondocking can you leave ur camper?

[cedric]

Say you are at the RTR but are camped a bit away from the group for some solitude and you want to take your bike or moped for a ride. <br />Is it allowed and safe to leave your camper when out boondocking?

 

[rvwandering]

Yes , but don't leave anything tempting outside. Generators are one thing that disappears in Quartzsite.

 

[sl1966]

Yes , but don't leave anything tempting outside.

<br /><br />Has there ever been issues with rigs being broken into?<br /><br />

 

[rvwandering]

&nbsp;Not that I know of but we've only been to Quartzsite three times , never to the RTR , and have always been in a fairly exposed area close to a lot of activity.

 

[cyndi]

<br />Has there ever been issues with rigs being broken into?<br />

<br /><br /><br />If you're referring to the RTR, no, we've never had any problems at the campsite with regard to any kind of thievery or rigs being broken into. There is just about always someone hanging around camp and that would discourage any strangers. That said, I'd still use my best judgement with regard to what I left out, laying around.<br /><br />As a matter of fact, we've only ever had good times!

 

[sl1966]

Good to hear! I figured as much but it's good to see people who've been there confirm for the many others here who haven't been and might be wondering.

 

[Pikachu711]

I suppose one method of fooling a would-be thief is to make your rig seem like it's occuppied.

Put an old pair of boots on the ground outside by the rig door. Then you want to leave a small battery operated radio on inside the rig to make people think there MAY be someone inside the RV.

Who's to say that thay won't fool them, huh?

Just a thought from a former security guard!

 

[gadgetMe]

<span id="post_message_1275689730">Say you are at the RTR but are camped a bit away from the group for some solitude and you want to take your bike or moped for a ride. <br />Is it allowed and safe to leave your camper when out boondocking?</span>

<br /><br />I do not know where you are from... Or how much boondocking you have done .... <br />But, I have to inform that when boondocking in Q with friends, you should have no worries, about leaving your camp and having anything happening to your camp when you are gone..<br /><br />Especially with the RTR group.....<br /><br />I usually set up a fair distance from the main group (still within walking distance after leaving the fire at night)<br /><br />I have the Tiki bar set up, solar panels setting on the ground, chairs, and more, never a problem<br /><br />I cannot express enough, how much respect is demonstrated to everyone, no matter "what"<br /><br />As always in current times anything can happen. But, I would bet the chances are very low of loosing anything to theft.<br /><br />Putz

 

[cedric]

Hi everyone, I wanted to clear up what I am getting after. I feel I know enough about the group here and the visit to rtr I am sure would be safe. I mean in general boondocking in the area would it be safe for me to leave my rig locked up and maybe a radio going. I want to get a very small dirt bike or moped and use it to cruise and site see but I have never been to the quartzsite area or even the south west. My orginal plan was to travel to towns and areas that I would like to learn more about. park at a walmart or large grocesy store for the day. lock up everything end head out on the moped to site see. I would feel safe doing that but not sure if it is wise to leave the rig in the desert or alone on blm land.

 

[highdesertranger]

well in a group of people even if you're just close by (within eyesight) you should be fine.&nbsp; that said, back in the 90's on my mining claim i kept a small travel trailer.&nbsp; one trip out to the claim the trailer had been stripped&nbsp;of all the aluminium siding.&nbsp; talk about a mess the insulation was all over the place.&nbsp; you know wind + pink insulation, my god some of it was 1/4 mile&nbsp;away.&nbsp; so you must be aware of were you park.&nbsp; we think it was meth heads they hit a couple others around the area.&nbsp; there is even an old miner that lives about a mile away who watched our stuff but he can't be there all the time watching my stuff and i don't expect him to.&nbsp; btw we bought a bunch of food and beer.&nbsp; took a bunch of people out there and cleaned it up.&nbsp; brunt all the wood from the trailer what a fire.&nbsp; hauled the rest to the dump including the insulation what a pain.&nbsp;&nbsp; lucky it stuck to the cerasote brush or it might have blown to mexico.&nbsp; btw the blm was impressed at our clean up because they didn't have to ask us and we did such a good job.&nbsp; i am on thier good side. a little tip.&nbsp;&nbsp;sorry about going of topic.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[Terry]

But that is a good point. No matter how bad a situation is (not talking about emergency's of course) we should all clean up after ourselves. Now that is advice from a person that has the messiest place in the&nbsp; neighborhood. But I don't leave any mess on public property or other peoples private property. I just pile it all in my van and eventually throw it on a trash bag and then the garbage can.

 

[minimotos95]

i haven't moved into my van yet. but my thoughts are, if you are on BLM or NF land and someone sees motorcycle stuff on your rig they will assume you are near by and not steal anything. around here&nbsp;theft is minimal&nbsp;on BLM land. people will leave their trucks for hours with their gas and a $20-200&nbsp;ramp in the back not locked up, in the last 3 years i have only heard of one stolen thing(gopro camera). i wouldn't worry about it if you have a motorcycle carrier on the front or back, or&nbsp;maybe a mountain bike carrier... however if you look like a tourist, tweaker cooking meth, or anything abnormal,&nbsp;things are more likley to&nbsp;be stole.... of course that is all based on my experience in western colorado i'm sure it varies alot by region<br /><br />i recall reading that you can't leave a vehcle unattended for more then 48 hours? i'm not sure if this was colorado or federal? but that should be a non issue for most people.

 

[HoboBerg]

Me and the pooch go exploring just about everyday, and I have personally never had any problems, nor has anyone I have camped with. As far as leaving your camper on public lands I was told there was 24 hour time frame where the camper/motorhome can be left unoccupied. I've watched the forest service tow away 2 vehicles for doing this both were right before busy holiday weekends when people pulled there units up early to reserve there favorite spot.

 

[josephusminimus]

Hi everyone, I wanted to clear up what I am getting after. I feel I know enough about the group here and the visit to rtr I am sure would be safe. I mean in general boondocking in the area would it be safe for me to leave my rig locked up and maybe a radio going. I want to get a very small dirt bike or moped and use it to cruise and site see but I have never been to the quartzsite area or even the south west. My orginal plan was to travel to towns and areas that I would like to learn more about. park at a walmart or large grocesy store for the day. lock up everything end head out on the moped to site see. I would feel safe doing that but not sure if it is wise to leave the rig in the desert or alone on blm land.

Cedric: I've never been to Q but I've boondocked over a lot of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Colorado [More recently than Wisconsin, MN, South Dakota, Wyoming, etc which was 40+ years ago].&nbsp; <br /><br />The people who use this forum each have a body of experience within the boundaries of the kinds of boondocking they've done and the packages of behaviors they've encountered on public land.&nbsp; The experiences of one will almost certainly differ widely from those of others.&nbsp; And your own unique body of experiences particular to where you go and what you do will also eventually differ from those of everyone you encounter in the future.<br /><br />For instance, if you should visit Coronado National Forest on the NM AZ State boundary with Mexico, your experience with leaving your vehicle unattended stands a lot better shot at it being torn open by bears to get inside, than by people.&nbsp; They turn bears loose down there after they go into cities and towns, get into dumpsters and swim in swimming pools, become unafraid of human beings.&nbsp; Turned loose in a National Forest they're a different sort of creature than those who've not been exposed to people, are still afraid of them.<br /><br />Somewhat the same phenomenon but involving human beings is also true of other areas of public land, and the potential for growth experiences and attitude/opinion changes varies widely covering the entire spectrum of human experience.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />Extremes happen everywhere, and Q is probably as prone to them as a microcosm of everywhere else as anywhere else might be.&nbsp; &nbsp; Whatever it takes to satisfy yourself you are being prudent might be overkill, or it mightn't be enough by a mile.&nbsp; <br /><br />My personal thought is that stealthy selection of a camp site is as important in the boondocks on public land is thinking smart, same as it would be trying to park stealthy in town.&nbsp; Especially where a place is loaded with new best friends.

 

[offroad]

Do people put motion alarms inside to detect a break in and start alarming? Would work to scare bear or human.&nbsp;