BOONDOCKING

BOONDOCKING

BOONDOCKING IS WHEN YOU SET UP YOUR CAMPER WITH NO ELECTRIC SERVICE, NO WATER, AND NO SEWER. IT'S A COMMON THING HERE IN THE WEST. YOU PULL OFF ON A PIECE OF DESERT AND SIMPLY SET UP CAMP.

OH, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF RULES YOU MUST FOLLOW DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, BLM LAND, A CASINO PARKING LOT, STATE LAND, INDIAN RESERVATION, ETC.

IT'S A LOT LIKE CAMPING AT YELLOW RIVER, HOME IN IOWA. WE DID THAT A COUPLE OF SUMMERS AND FOUND THAT THIS BIG CAMPER OF OURS JUST PREFERS TO BE PLUGGED IN. IT TAKES A STRONG SHOT OF ELECTRICAL JUICE FROM OUR ONE BATTERY TO SET OFF THE IGNITERS FOR OUR LP GAS APPLIANCES, LIKE THE REFRIGERATOR, HOT WATER HEATER, AND THE FURNACE. THESE DAYS YOU DON'T JUST HOLD DOWN A LITTLE RED BUTTON AND LIGHT A PILOT LIGHT ANYMORE. THEY HAVE ELECTRIC IGNITERS.

BESIDES THE ELECTRICAL CHALLENGES YOU NEED WATER, AND YOU NEED TO DISPOSE OF DIRTY WATER (GRAY) AND SEWAGE (BLACK). ALSO IN THE WATER CATEGORY YOU NEED BATTERY POWER TO RUN THE 12 VOLT WATER PUMP.

THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE SATELLITE TV RECEIVER, TWO SONY FLAT SCREEN TV'S, TWO COMPUTERS, THE COFFEE POT, HOT PLATE, HAIR DRYER, AIR CONDITIONING, CONVECTION OVEN AND THIS LIST GOES ON AND ON.

YEARS AGO WE SIMPLY DECIDED THAT OUR CAMPER NEEDS TO BE PLUGGED IN!!! IT'S EASIER THAT WAY.

BUT.......

THIS WHOLE TOPIC HAS BEEN ON MY MIND THIS WINTER SINCE .....

* PAYING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS REPLACING MY CONVERTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK.

* THE COST OF ELECTRIC HERE IN THE MOHAVE VALLEY INCREASED 45% LAST JULY.

* AT $3 A GALLON FOR LP GAS I'VE BEEN PAYING $20 A WEEK JUST TO RUN THE FURNACE.

* THE COST OF CAMPSITES HAS GONE UP 60% OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS. HERE IN ARIZONA FROM $185/MONTH TO $250/MONTH, AND AT LAKE TAHOE FROM $350/MONTH TO $675/MONTH.

HMMMM.......
BOONDOCKING IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.......

THE PUNCH LINE
"A couple of days ago, there were UFO sightings in New Jersey. But don't worry, it's not an invasion ... The aliens were just here looking for some of that bailout money." -- David Letterman