Boondocking Etiquette

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AStravelers

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Boondocking and dry camping topics appear from time to time in this forum.  Sometimes folks w/o much experience boondocking talk about running their generators and just going out and parking in the boondocks.

This video very nicely presents the 9 major items most boondockers would like for others to think about when they look for a place to park in the boonies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3751kg4jhts&feature=youtu.be
 
Seems all common sense. Trouble with common sense is that it?s not so common.

Missed seeing?s you and Sharon this year at Q or KOFA.
 
Thanks for posting. Just wish we had BLM boondocking opportunities here in the East like out West.
 
Heli_av8tor said:
Seems all common sense. Trouble with common sense is that it?s not so common.

Missed seeing?s you and Sharon this year at Q or KOFA.
I wish we could have gone on a winter trip this year.  Too many things going on this winter.  Would have enjoyed seeing y'all again this year.
 
/rant on I really do hate YouTube RV advice. Nothing against the OP, but I am sitting in a campground where I am lucky to be able to do text based internet. YouTube is out of the question. Why do people put advice about boondocking (the primary places without good data service) on a medium that cant be accessed without good data service? /rant off

Sorry. Pet peeve of mine. Can someone write what these ideas are in a text based medium, like here?

 
AStravelers said:
For excellent details on National Forest CG's go to:  http://www.forestcamping.com/

The writer gives detailed driving directions, campsite dimensions, water & dump, etc

I use both national parks and forest service land for camping (love my $20 Golden Pass). But, didn't know about the forest camping website. Thanks for sharing!
 
Thanks for the post, but you are probably preaching to the choir here. :)


A video like this should be mandatory with the sale of any RV. The guy 2 sites over from us in the Lake Cahuilla campground (La Quinta, CA) is using a contractor style generator. Though most of the sites in here are powered, the campground allows their use in the few sites with no power. Hard to understand.
 
UTTransplant said:
/rant on I really do hate YouTube RV advice. Nothing against the OP, but I am sitting in a campground where I am lucky to be able to do text based internet. YouTube is out of the question. Why do people put advice about boondocking (the primary places without good data service) on a medium that cant be accessed without good data service? /rant off

Sorry. Pet peeve of mine. Can someone write what these ideas are in a text based medium, like here?
I totally agree, I don't mind watching the odd video but everyone seems to be using them instead of just typing something up which is quicker to read than having to listen to a 10 minute video for something that can be said in one minute.  Gee I am turning into an old grump!

The video was pretty basic:  leave plenty of space between your site and that of others, drive on existing roads, put your fire out, be aware of your noise, put lights out so others can see the stars, watch your dogs and their barking, know your length of stay limit, leave your campsite clean etc. etc.  nothing that was ground breaking.

I did watch their Boondocking 101 though which gave useful advice about how to find a Boondocking spot.  So basically checking BLM websites or the Forest Service ones.  You can download decent maps from the forest service which shows where you can disperse camp.  From there you can then go and check google maps using terrain to see flatter spots and satellite to view the actual location, sometimes seeing other rigs parked there and if a big rig this might help you know whether or not you will fit.

It also mentioned national recreation areas, state lands and national parks (very few have dispersed camping).

Also said to check with ranger stations if in any doubt. 

Here is an example of a map page from the Forest Service and you can see the downloadable pdf MVUM (Motorized Vehicle Use Map) maps.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/uwcnf/maps-pubs

I have attached screenshots of sections from one of the maps to show the symbol and what it looks like on the map.

 

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UTTransplant said:
/rant on I really do hate YouTube RV advice. Nothing against the OP, but I am sitting in a campground where I am lucky to be able to do text based internet. YouTube is out of the question. Why do people put advice about boondocking (the primary places without good data service) on a medium that cant be accessed without good data service? /rant off

Sorry. Pet peeve of mine. Can someone write what these ideas are in a text based medium, like here?
A lot of people look up advice like this before boondocking, not during.
 
UTTransplant said:
/rant on I really do hate YouTube RV advice. Nothing against the OP, but I am sitting in a campground where I am lucky to be able to do text based internet. YouTube is out of the question. Why do people put advice about boondocking (the primary places without good data service) on a medium that cant be accessed without good data service? /rant off

Sorry. Pet peeve of mine. Can someone write what these ideas are in a text based medium, like here?

They could, but youtube videos make money for them. 

Furthermore, it's easier for them to make a video than to write it up.  Of course, that puts the burden on everybody watching it to spend 10 minutes of their time watching rather than 1 minute reading (or in this case, 15 seconds glancing, if it's as basic as jackiemac says). 

I'm a fulltimer and have limited data, so I don't have the capability to watch youtube videos, so it's not just the people who are already boondocking and apparently should have done their research beforehand who are affected.
 
Trivet said:
They could, but youtube videos make money for them. 

Furthermore, it's easier for them to make a video than to write it up.  Of course, that puts the burden on everybody watching it to spend 10 minutes of their time watching rather than 1 minute reading (or in this case, 15 seconds glancing, if it's as basic as jackiemac says). 

I'm a fulltimer and have limited data, so I don't have the capability to watch youtube videos, so it's not just the people who are already boondocking and apparently should have done their research beforehand who are affected.
There were lots of photos inbetween the dialogue. Very nice ones but if you just want the info then you can scroll through it, if you have the internet ?
 
UTTransplant said:
/rant on I really do hate YouTube RV advice. Nothing against the OP, but I am sitting in a campground where I am lucky to be able to do text based internet. YouTube is out of the question. Why do people put advice about boondocking (the primary places without good data service) on a medium that cant be accessed without good data service? /rant off

I think it's because of my age, I prefer reading information,instructions, news, etc. rather than watching a video. Luckily for me, I often have opportunities to be around millennials. I've found they tend to be more comfortable and prefer getting information in a video format. Just a generational difference. But, as you say, often poor cell service when out in the boonies.

 
I can't really be bothered with it either, perhaps it is more about how you like to take in information. 

I prefer to do things at my own pace and I feel that videos are forcing you to listen and absorb info at the pace of the person doing the video and as I am quite impatient it annoys me...
 
I have the same opinion of videos. There are some subjects that are better presented in a video, but for me, I prefer text and photos. I must be a curmudgeon.
 
Tom and I have realized for years that we have different methods of absorbing information.  He has to hear it (auditory learner) or it doesn't penetrate and I have to read it (visual learner) for the same reason.  I supposed You Tube lessons might fall somewhat in between the two.
 
I read at about 600-700 words per minute, thanks to speed reading classes as a freshman in college. Human speech is about 100-150 words per minute. So even if the YouTuber is being incredibly efficient in providing information, the fact that it is video makes it four times slower, maybe more. Then add in all the ridiculous intro material these folks feel the need to add, and you waste another couple of minutes. Then they all want to discuss all kinds of extraneous topics, and you suddenly get 10 minutes of time to provide a few thousand words of ?real? data.

Can you tell I really don?t like the vast majority of videos?
 
>
Then add in all the ridiculous intro material these folks feel the need to add, and you waste another couple of minutes. Then they all want to discuss all kinds of extraneous topics, and you suddenly get 10 minutes of time to provide a few thousand words of ?real? data. <

Yep!



 
UTTransplant said:
I read at about 600-700 words per minute, thanks to speed reading classes as a freshman in college. Human speech is about 100-150 words per minute. So even if the YouTuber is being incredibly efficient in providing information, the fact that it is video makes it four times slower, maybe more.

Even if a person is a slow reader, he can scan the text and decide if it's worth reading after all, or he can just read parts that interest him.  If it's in a video, he has to take it in the order and at the pace of the video.

I have a 1.3 speed setting on my DVR and a "fast" setting on my MP3 player that I use all the time, and regular speed now seems super slow.  So it's probably a blessing that I don't have enough internet to watch youtube videos because it would no doubt just make me mad.
 
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