First boonedocking trip ends with thumbs up! - Dutchmen Owners
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Dutchmen Owners > Dutchmen Camping & RVing > Boondocking - Dry Camping
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-24-2015, 11:05 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
EricNSTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Valley Park
Posts: 391
Missouri
First boondocking trip ends with thumbs up!

We just did our first trip in the Mark Twain National forest at Red Bluff Campground. Some of you may call this just dry camping, especially you guys out west, but I will call it boondocking for our 1st time with no hookups.
My Champion generator performed flawlessly, we didn't run out of water, and had one of the best weekends out ever.
I just bought two six volt golf cart batteries, but my boxes didn't arrive in time for me to get them installed before the trip. So I had to use the group 24 interstate battery that came with my trailer. We turned the generator off a night since the weather was perfect, and slept with a 12VDC Fan-Tastic endless breeze fan on all night. I wouldn't have thought the battery would have had a problem, but it was almost dead each morning. I would guess after I get my GC batts installed, that I should have plenty of power.
After the trip, my wife and I both felt we had no inconveniences leaving our norm of having full hookups, and look forward to finding more adventures. And the dogs loved it, since the got to run around without their leashes some of the time.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image1.jpg
Views:	367
Size:	56.1 KB
ID:	2502   Click image for larger version

Name:	image11.jpg
Views:	354
Size:	53.6 KB
ID:	2503   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0278.jpg
Views:	349
Size:	54.5 KB
ID:	2504   Click image for larger version

Name:	image4.jpg
Views:	349
Size:	58.4 KB
ID:	2505  
__________________

__________________

2014 Denali 289RK
2017 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X CC.
EricNSTL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 12:43 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
skarlin1976's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 53
Arizona
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like a great trip
__________________

__________________

The Epic RV Adventures of the Karlin Family
www.campfireshenanigans.com
skarlin1976 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 05:03 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
HornedToad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Midland
Posts: 606
Texas
Now that you've had an enjoyable boondockin' trip you'll be able to find many neat places to camp that are off the grid!!!

Try carrying a couple of 7 gallon blue Aqua Tainers. I use them to tie down my EZ Up canopy and have them as a back up water supply if needed.
__________________

Mike & Helen
2014 Voltage 3895 EPIC III
2013 Ford F350 CC DRW FX4
HornedToad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 05:23 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Canon City
Posts: 860
Colorado
Experience speaking...just be sure to check out where you are driving as you go boondocking. Can sure tear up a trailer in a hurry if you're not careful!!

Glad you had a great time! That's what its all about!!

Pirate
Pirate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 02:01 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Yea this out west RVer would call it dry camping. Doesn't matter anyway. You now know there are all kinds of spots to enjoy RVing in. NP, BLM & NF campgrounds have all kinds of spots out there. As you found they are low priced & have great views.
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 02:36 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
Very cool, I need to get my wife on board with this. Where did you dump your tanks??


.
__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 02:47 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Most all NP, BLM & NF campgrounds I have been to have dump stations.
There are also County Campgrounds that have the same set-up.
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 05:21 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertRat View Post
Most all NP, BLM & NF campgrounds I have been to have dump stations.
There are also County Campgrounds that have the same set-up.
I missed that it was at a campground, I assumed he was really camping.


.
__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 05:29 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Posts: 1,761
California
Quote:
Originally Posted by dawniewest View Post
I missed that it was at a campground, I assumed he was really camping.
.
He was REALLY camping just didn't have hook ups.
__________________
Mike
2002 42' Monaco Signature Triple Crown tow 2014 F-150
2014 Voltage V3605 Sold 5/3/17
2012 F-350 6.7l CC 4X4, Sold 10/10/17
DesertRat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 09:01 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
EricNSTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Valley Park
Posts: 391
Missouri
Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertRat View Post
He was REALLY camping just didn't have hook ups.
LOL, ok I stand corrected... I was dry camping not Boondocking. I may have had a fire pit and table, but I was completely self contained for the weekend. No water, electric or sewer was provided. Water was available about 1/2 mille away if we had needed it. Dawnie, it was camping!
Not only was it a beautiful spot, but we had the place almost to ourselves (two gals tent camping). Prior to this it was always at state parks, and commercial campgrounds. Here in Missouri, to get a decent spot in a state park, reservations have be made months in advanced, and the parks are usually completely full on the weekends. This trip truly gave us our sense of being out in nature away from it all.
Anyway, by trying it out successfully, we will try to venture to more primitive sites if we can find them. I lived in Las Vegas for 12 years, didn't RV then, but rode quads on BLM land. I can tell you that out here in the Midwest, it is a lot harder to find private areas to get to safely and legally then it is in the state of Nevada with I believe 85% of the state is BLM land. But if the opportunities are there, I will find them!
To sum up my point of the OP, with a small amount of planning, being able to be self contained, there is so much more out there that I have been missing out on....
__________________

2014 Denali 289RK
2017 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X CC.
EricNSTL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 09:06 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
EricNSTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Valley Park
Posts: 391
Missouri
Quote:
Originally Posted by dawniewest View Post
Very cool, I need to get my wife on board with this. Where did you dump your tanks??


.
We stopped at a flying J truck stop, it cost $5.
Google RV dump stations, and there are a few sites that have maps and listings of places.
__________________

2014 Denali 289RK
2017 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X CC.
EricNSTL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 10:05 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
wildwest450's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Sparta
Posts: 1,726
Tennessee
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricNSTL View Post
We stopped at a flying J truck stop, it cost $5.
Google RV dump stations, and there are a few sites that have maps and listings of places.
Don't know if I would dump in a gas station parking lot. I'm not pee shy, but may be poop dumping shy.
__________________
2014 Aerolite 213 RBSL
2016 Chevrolet Colorado
wildwest450 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-25-2015, 10:15 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
EricNSTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Valley Park
Posts: 391
Missouri
Quote:
Originally Posted by dawniewest View Post
Don't know if I would dump in a gas station parking lot. I'm not pee shy, but may be poop dumping shy.
LOL
actually, its a good setup. I didn't have anyone behind me so I was able to Flush my tanks for about a hour. I flush until I have pure water with no floater of any kind if I have time. I do all three tanks that way so I never have any odors. They had a water connection with a lot of volume and pressure, making the task a breeze. (still a crappy task though)
__________________

2014 Denali 289RK
2017 Nissan Titan XD Pro-4X CC.
EricNSTL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2015, 04:36 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Elko
Posts: 52
Nevada
Quote:
Originally Posted by EricNSTL View Post
LOL
actually, its a good setup. I didn't have anyone behind me so I was able to Flush my tanks for about a hour. I flush until I have pure water with no floater of any kind if I have time. I do all three tanks that way so I never have any odors. They had a water connection with a lot of volume and pressure, making the task a breeze. (still a crappy task though)

Wait till you plug one up. Then you'll know what a crappy job is.
__________________

__________________
Ram 3500 DRW, 15' 3805 09 Electra-Glide, Therapy Bike, 79 Electra-Glide, Bar Hopper
Earth first, we'll mine the other planets later.
wino is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dutchmen RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2020 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.
×