Boondocking - Please enlighten me


The Englishman

New Member
I have reviewed a lot of stuff relating to RV's sites and seen on-line the situations offered and many do not hold out their arms and pull us in (my wife is on a Messenger video link still in England, and we review sites together).

In a place as big as the US the RV's appear to be packed in like sardines. We found a site (from here) called FreeCampgrounds and they offer boondocks from Flying J overnight stops in spaces at the back of gas station. However they offer quite a few others where there is solitude and sunsets and thats it. We both agree that this is more 'us'.

We dont see any point in paying $30/night for facilities we may never use and be squeezed in like many are. Stoopid bit is we would sooner pay $30/night for many boondocks on offer than the glitzy 5* sites.

This is a difficult subject to broach but please understand this is not a snobbery issue but more a security issue.

We firmly believe that you get what you pay for so a free boondock could be interpreted as we get nothing but we need personal security. So who would tend to frequent the boondocks and would we be in any danger by parking in one for any length of time?

Apart from noisy, boistrous neighbours there may be wild animals or spiders, snakes and things that go bomp in the night that we have not yet got on our 'Must Avoid' list.

Can someone tell me what we might expect in the boondock users who may frequent these places and the threats and inconveniences conjured up by Mother Nature?

I have been looking up a Yaesu ham radio and other goodies so we can call out from wherever we may be, a gun license and a Glock .44 for the more determined intruders.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Boondocking - Please enlighten me

The Flying Js, walmarts, service stations are mostly used for just a place to get a few hrs sleep while traveling from point A tp B. They can be noisey at night and especially the truck stops. I like the more nearer nature type CG such as National Parks, State Parks and COEs. Never had a problem in any of them and some are very secluded. tere are some city parks that offer free camping and they are not to bad but can be located in some of the less desireable areas. Snakes can be a problem so light is needed when walking after dark. Been bite by a Copperhead and it's no fun. Spiders also like to invade your clothes. The Brown Recluse and Black Widow are to be avoided here in Alabama. Snakes are protected in our National and State Parks but, if he runs under my tire or walking stick I'm sorry :laugh: Now in some of parks there are bear so just be on the alert and find what to expect in each. If in Bear country be sure to properly store food. Just a few things that run across my mind.
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
Re: Boondocking - Please enlighten me

Don't forget you don't have water or electric in Walmart, Flyiing J's, etc. and any security after the places close. Listen to Chelse Nash.....snakes love him and he has the bite holes to prove it. Not sure if he ever wrestled a bear or not, but I sure wouldn't doubt it. ;)
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Boondocking - Please enlighten me

Yep Archer I have wrestled bare err oh you mean wrestlin "A" bear. :eek: :laugh:
 

rjf7g

Senior Member
Re: Boondocking - Please enlighten me

I'll be boon docking over New Year's - on my site at Smith Mountain Lake. We're taking the Class C down for a few nights while the weather is still warm (forecast says mid-40's by day and low 30's by night)...we will be building a new fire pit and possibly a patio, living off of our fresh water tank and generator. The propane furnace didn't fire the last time I tried it, but I am going to try again before heading out. I might have to make a pit stop by Grandview Trailer Sales to have it looked at if I can't get it going.
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Re: Boondocking - Please enlighten me

Englishman,

I'm not sure that your question has really been answered. The USA is really very little different than other countries when it comes to problems with criminals. Because we are large with a large population, there are many of them but just as in your country, most of them are in the large cities and seldom leave them. As a gun owner, I have never had one occasion to need one in more than 30 years of RV travel. In most places that we stay there are no animals which cause a significant threat and we do not park in areas of high crime. Public parks in large cities can be dangerous at night, but they do not offer camping so you won't be there.

Parks offered by government agencies where there are campsites are usually well patrolled and crime in them is very rare. While no place is 100% safe all of the time today, very few people who travel in RVs have to deal with any kind of aggression. Wild animals do not hide and wait for some innocent person to pass by, but you do need to learn a little about what is in the areas you choose to stay so that you avoid doing things which they may feel threatened by. We spend most of our time living on national wildlife refuges and parks where free roaming wildlife is common and have never been threatened by anything worse than a mosquito. Just learn what is there and what not to do that causes problems with them and you will be just find.

To buy a gun for protection is probably going to be quite difficult to do as a non-citizen, nearly impossible to license and no license is available which would make it legal in all locations. Don't waste your money. Just learn about the places you travel and use good judgment and you will be just fine.
 
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