Defininig 'Boondocking'

[KimberlyA]

So I'm on the road right now between LA and Phoenix and have stopped for the evening just east of Blythe, California. There's a nice truck stop just east of town where the diesel is cheap and on the south side of I-10 along Tom Wells Road there are many flat spots and developed dirt roads for 'boondocking'.

I'm here with several others, some look to be here a while and others, like myself, probably just overnight.

NO services other than cell service which is very good and the truck stop across the freeway. Other amenities include freeway noise and as many rocks as you can look at. Tonight is very calm, no breeze, high thin clouds and not a bug in sight.

I'll be gone by sun-up.

My question is: is this considered 'boondocking' or is it really just parking for the night and moving on in the morning (which I do a lot of honestly...).

Here's a pic...

[switz]

That meets my definition of "boon docking" as there are no services defined as water hookup, sewer connection or electrical hookup. The trailer is using it's own stash of fresh water and battery power (even if inverting for 120Vac) and the outflow is going into either the gray or black tanks.

[timmaah]

Originally Posted by switz

That meets my definition of "boon docking" as there are no services defined as water hookup, sewer connection or electrical hookup.

To me that is just dry camping. One can dry camp in a campground but boondocking happens outside a campground.

I consider boondocking to be camping anywhere not at a campground; not in a parking lot; not at a friends property.. etc. Any kind of dispersed camping.

[Protagonist]

Boondocking implies actually being in the boondocks, but then how do you define the boondocks? For me, boondocks are wilderness, or as close as anything comes to wilderness these days, such as national forests, the southwestern deserts, wide-open prairie not cultivated in crops, isolated seacoasts, and the like. If your nearest neighbor for a mile in any direction is a deer, a bear, a raccoon, or maybe a trout, that's the boondocks, and camping there in an RV is boondocking.

Dry camping is just like boondocking in terms of the resources and skill set required, but with the trappings of civilization close at hand.

By that standard, to date I've done no boondocking at all, but I have dry-camped a couple of times.

[dkottum]

Boon docking to me was when we camped on a remote island in Ontario, accessible only by canoe of boat, fished for much of our food for a couple of weeks. Or in the BWCA, or on the elevations of Mt. Whitney late in the year.

In our Airstream I guess it describes living just like at home without external water, sewer and electrical hookups. That could be at Wal-Mart or the middle of the desert.

[Len n Jeanne]

It really depends upon whom you ask. For some, a campground on public land with no hookups is boondocking. To others, you have to be out in the, well, boonies.

I would draw the line, personally, at truck stops, Walmarts, and the like. They're too civilized.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by dkottum

In our Airstream I guess it describes living just like at home without external water, sewer and electrical hookups. That could be at Wal-Mart or the middle of the desert.

Hi, to me, boon docking is living in your trailer without any hookups; This includes spending the night in a Wal-Mart parking lot. We are not hard core boon dockers, but randomly do it out of necessity or opportunity.

[Piggy Bank]

If, for anything you may need, you're on your own--that to me is Boondocking.

So you IMHO are doing that right now.

[rodsterinfl]

The word defined "boon dock" is a rural area but the implication, to me, is to be without modern conveniences; in this case without supplied hookups. That is why I say that dry camping is boon docking- also known as wild camping.

[Tn Traveler]

Camped off a dirt road in no campground and no amenities. Yeah, to me that is boondocking. Across the highway at the truck stop.no. Self sufficient, off the grid in a remote area is definitely boondocking.

[field & stream]

Similar question: is staying in a developed RV park "camping"?

Clearly members of this Forum use the words boondocking and camping quite differently. To me an RV park is a place to park, camping is done in parks, and boondocking is being off-grid outside of any developed areas.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, to me, boon docking is living in your trailer without any hookups; This includes spending the night in a Wal-Mart parking lot. We are not hard core boon dockers, but randomly do it out of necessity or opportunity.

Hi, dry camping is the same as the above, but when you ran out of water.

[ghaynes755]

And if you get it wrong the boondock police will rain on your parade The charge which includes a massive fine and incarceration is usually 'highway mopery with intent to camp'.

Your photo sure looks like boon docking to me. Safe travels. Nice rig.

[AIRTRVL]

I grew up in Arizona and we used the term Boondock as a place and the way to get there was by 4 wheel drive vehicle or hiking. If you spent the night in the boondocks it meant sleeping in a tent or on the ground. For that reason I can’t bring myself to use the term boon docking to describe spending the night in my Airstream. To me, anytime I spend the night in my AS without hook up it is just dry camping and we dry camp most of the time. What it comes down to is that Boon docking can mean whatever you want it to mean.

[kscherzi]

Having spent most my life camping (tent) I see it this way.
1. Staying in a RV at a location that includes water and electrical hookups is called RVing.
2. Staying at a developed campground with numbered campsites that has a community water supply and vaults or flush toilets is called camping.
3. Then there's backpacking, no luxuries and sore feet.
4. I supposes RV boondocking would be staying in a location without easy access to sanitized water/electricity and without numbered campsites. Generally in remote places potentially infested with zombies. Since Walmart and Cracker Barrel both have easy access to water (bottles) not boondocking.

Thats my two bits which is worth nothing.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Generally in remote places potentially infested with zombies.

That makes no sense. Everybody knows zombies are walking dead people who eat live people's brains— AKA "long pig on the hoof"— and so will be found where there are (or used to be) lots of people, not in remote areas.

Check out the CDC's Zombie Preparedness website…
http://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmat...ie-apocalypse/

[SeaLevel]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Generally in remote places potentially infested with zombies.

I'm glad this was brought up, because I've been curious about something. I've seen ladders on a lot of SOB trailers, which you'd obvious need when the zombies come around. What are other Airstream folks planning to do?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by SeaLevel

I'm glad this was brought up, because I've been curious about something. I've seen ladders on a lot of SOB trailers, which you'd obvious need when the zombies come around. What are other Airstream folks planning to do?

Hole up inside my Airstream with the doors locked, with my "Walking Dead" DVD collection, along with season 1 of "iZombie" and downloaded episodes of "Ash vs. Evil Dead" of course!

Side note, in episode 1 of "Ash vs. Evil Dead," Ash lives in an Airstream, though it comes through the episode somewhat worse for wear. Most of the damage to the trailer is done by Ash and his allies while defending themselves, not so much by the evil dead. There's a lesson to be learned there— do NOT use a chainsaw inside your Airstream!

[batman]

Interesting how so many folks have such different opinions on what "boondocking" is.
I started googling the subject and found similar opinions on various RV forums.
It seems we humans see things as we want to, or what ever suits our particular point of view. Maybe not what they are in reality.
So I broke down the word to boondocks, which does have a definition.

Merriam-Webster : defines "boondocks", 1. rough country filled with dense brush 2. a rural area : sticks

Oxfords : Definition, 1. Rough, remote, or isolated country:

So do Walmarts, truck stops or RV parks or even some campgrounds fit these descriptions? I would have to say, no.

So to be "boondocking" one would have to be in the "boondocks".
Once again another opinion, the best description for me would be:
Dispersed, Dry Camping, Self-Sufficient in a remote or isolated, ruff country.

-Dennis

[Len n Jeanne]

Then there's this hit from the 1960s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWw9-iygCfM