Boondocking at Imperial Dam Proving Grounds...

What is boondocking? You may well ask. I've had a few enquiries...and didn't really know myself until recently... like three days ago when we arrived to visit our friends. Basically, it's stopping in the middle of nowhere, parking on the flattest piece of sand or rock you can find, wiggling your RV around so the refrigerator side is away from the blazing hot afternoon sun, making up the beds with enough blankets to stave off the rather cold nights (no power for heaters for many of us), making sure your water tank is full and your 'other' tanks are empty (no water taps or black and grey water dumps out here), having your battery(s) all charged up and a system worked out to keep them charged (like solar panels or a generator), saying goodbye to the internet and wifi (unless you've stopped somewhere close enough to civilization to have same), and not being able to put out your awning for shade because of the strong and erratic winds what swoop through at their pleasure.

Having said that, the art of boondocking has become quite sophisticated. As you drive through the deserts of California and Arizona you will see, not far off the roads, clumps of RVs gathered together in various sorts of chaotic parking plans. Let's call those villages of boondockers. Many of the villages have organized collective services in one way or another. As well, folks wanting to stay in the BLM (Bureau of Lands Management) lands have (after purchasing a permit for not very much) the use of a dump station, water station, and garbage dumpster.... very civilized. With these services available many RVers spend their entire winter... boondocking and love it.

Our friends are boondockers and have pretty much perfected it. Theirs is the nicest set up we've seen and includes places to escape from the wind on both sides of their RV, a lovely desert garden and bird feeding station, games adapted from the refined table versions and reproduced in desert-appropriate materials and size. They are also crafters who make beautiful art from natural materials they collect along their way. Theirs is not a way of life for everyone but they have created, adapted, and are living the life with aplomb. The picture below (or above... I never know where they'll pop up when I hit 'send') was taken of the four of us outside a very comfortable desert bar where we headed for lunch whilst out touring the area (and finding some wifi).

We have had a good time visiting and learning about boondocking; even set up one of our portable solar panels. The other photo will give you an idea of our view and location. The stars at night are brilliant and while it looks rather desolate there is lots of wildlife. Doves, red-winged blackbirds, several varieties of finches, and hummingbirds visit the feeders regularly. Wild burros (one with a baby) clip clop by our camper at night while they graze and, although we haven't heard them, there are coyotes around as well.

It's Tuesday morning and time to move on. We head in to Yuma today to visit friends from home who winter over there. They are the folks who were kind enough to care for Lucy while we drove down to the boat each winter. This year they get us too :-) but we won't stay for the whole winter... just a few days. It will be great to see them...

Time to start packing up for the move. Hope this day is a good one for each of you. Adios for now. CJ