Nice job, guys. We would add that you should use a sieve to screen gray water to remove crumbs. Crumbs attract scorpions and scorpions attract snakes. Don't need to feed the wildlife!
You may want to reject me - but when boondocking, we put a trash bag in our toilet and pour in some kitty litter. It lets us use black water tank for grey water. Controls any odor problems. Is changeable as needed. Seems like a "no brainer"!
Even when we're not boondocking, we take "Navy showers" in the RV. Get wet, saturate a washcloth, then turn off the water. Soap yourself up and shampoo your hair, then turn the water back on just long enough to rinse. We only have five gallons of hot water, so it's not like we could take long hot showers anyway. I smiled at the comment about heavy socks in Bean Boots. They have room for thick wool socks if you order your usual shoe size. They were designed for hunting season in Maine, and the sizing hasn't changed much since 1912.
Your comments about people leaving trash are spot on. We've always followed the rule, leave nothing! The only thing we leave in our camp sites are tire tracks.
We use a small bucket and a long handed back brush in the shower. Fill it with water and body soap. Get wet. Then you can dip it and scub. Then rinse. That small bucket goes a long way. If any is left use it for the toilet.
I was living out of my car for a couple of years. It really wasn't as bad as one would think. Anyway, I always kept my medium shoulder length hair clean - just dampen a face towel - add a DOT of shampoo - rub the towel between your hand until you see just a smidgen of soap visible. Take that towel and rub it over over your head and towards the ends. Your hair will be damp, but not dripping. Put a couple DROPS of conditioner in your palms & smooth it over your hair. Run damp towel over it lightly. Towel dry, or let it dry naturally. You will probably wind up using a cup of water for the whole process - damping and rinsing. Stop wasting water on your hair. I remember a few times I actually cut my own hair & dyed my hair outta my car. Ah, good times :) Quick bath: in a public bathroom, or in my car - spray bottle, bit of body wash, or shampoo, face towel - wipe face, armpits, hoohah & butt. Thorough body cleanse was done 2, 3 am - inside my car. Shades up.
Heat holders are great, thanks for turning us on to them. Tip - get a nice thick, high quality down duvet. They will keep you super warm at night. We’ll never sleep without a down duvet again!
Good video. We were tent campers for 40 years. When boondocking, we always drink water we brought that is bottled or in jugs. The fresh water tank is for dishes or or flushing toilets. We always dump grey water on ground (the cattle haulers in this state slosh their cleanout water on the highway). We do sponge baths instead of showers. We also have a solar camping shower from our tenting days. Our 2000w generator keeps our battery charged (twice a day). We've never used our furnace...just use layers of quilts and wool socks! Trash? Pack it in; Pack it out.
We have seen the same trash problem this year. Sad to say it's not all newbies. Some of these people think that site has a cleaning service for the bathhouse so they act like they are in a hotel . What they have someone do that WRONG. Our rules. You brought it in!!! You take it out!!!
Thank you for mentioning the trash problem. Nothing more discussing then to stop in a beautiful natural area to seeing human garage everywhere around. :-)
I usually pick-up two Meijers Bags of trash at every campsite. My other complaint, barking dogs. I don't camp to hear dogs bark. 😎. As always good job. I enjoy your product.
I wonder what pioneers crossing the west in covered wagons (original RVs) would say about today's boondocking 🤔🙄? "Honey get the block under the right left wagon wheel please while I disconnect the oxen" (typed in jest lol). Great suggestions.
Two or three miles from Alabama Hills is BLM Tuttle Creek Campground. There is potable water and a dump station there. When we stayed there it was $8.00 per night.
Thank You for drawing attention to the problem of improper debris, trash disposal issues in this latest Boondocking episode. I live in a city where many folks just are not respectful of what to do about their trash. I go around my sidewalk/street area & pick up debris every day, or at least 5 out of seven days a week. So no one should be offended as you talk frankly about personal responsibility of keeping the lands clean. It's not only education, but a matter of caring that will keep lands clean., as well the air & water. While I can't make it out to those beautiful locations in the West, the scenic views you show are wonderful to see. Keep these vids coming. Camper Frank, Lynn, MA.
Great point on trash! We're seeing lots of reports of trash on public lands up here in Canada as well. Take extra trash bags with you to help keep both of our countries beautiful!
How you do dat? You step on valve to flush and it opens the "port" at bottom of toilet. We have a brand new Winnebago and there is no water shutoff on Dometic toilet
@@bobcole3852 After a #2, I like to fill the bowl back up with water by slightly pressing the pedal and then flush it to make sure I don't get a "poop pyramid". So when I save my dishwater, I can dump that into the toilet instead of using fresh water, step on the lever and flush it.
@@squirrelsrus1 This trick of keeping a little bit of water in the bowl (just enough to cover the flapper) also keeps the flapper seal from drying out and keeps tank gas from seeping into the rig.
@@joycemoses2411 Hi Joyce!! My wife and I have experimented a little. . .we use 50-50 vinegar and water. You could probably get away with 1/4 vinegar to 3/4 water. It's amazing how little spray you need to wipe plastic plates and silverware clean. The key is of course, don't let your dishes sit around and get crusty first.
A beach umbrella by the campfire on a cold night is a wonderful way to stay warm! Just don't get it too close to the campfire or use it in heavy winds.
Thank you for bringing up the trash problem. If you camp in RV parks, almost always one of their rules is not to burn garbage. It takes very high heat to burn things like glass. Thank you thank you
I’ve always enjoyed your approach to sharing what you love to do. Nice to see someone sticking to what they’ve always done since 2006. :). Instead of buying a new rig or RV each year to try and drive interest to your channel. Or shameless attempts to try an monetize every aspect of their content. Keep up the good work!
Battery management is the biggest issue, even with a generator and solar panels. At night, the battery will still be used by power stealers. Shut off the inverter, the water pump and anything else that uses power. We use the stick up lights all over the rv to save battery usage. As we know, if your battery, except lithium ion, goes under 50%, the battery will fail in a very short time, like a year or two. We try to use any area toilet facilities to keep black tank usage to a minimum. Very good advice here. California has the worst litter problem I have ever seen. Trash strewn highways are the norm.
2 hacks that we used on our 2013 FC20: 1 solar… for less than $500 you can easily Cary 2 150W panels, attach them in parallel, add a Renogy voyager charge controller and when you stop, hook them up directly tot the batteries (we use lithium) in your trailer. You can get lots of additional power for very little $$. 2. For cell service, use a weboost. We liked the one with a cell phone cradle. It takes an unreliable signal and turns it into a streaming internet (200-300Kbs) connection. Then we also tether our phone to a router mounted in the trailer and we have Wi-Fi!
I’m 71 when I was 5 and camping with my folks we were cleaning up our camp, with a rake. Next thing I new we went over to the next site, asked my dad why, he told me they didn’t leave it clean enough for the next family. Lesson learned! We raked pin needles and leaves, didn’t just throw them in the woods, put them bags and took them home.
A drone is great for scouting boondocking sites before getting the rig in too far. Also, there are small battery powered pumps that allow easy water transfer from a jerry can to your tank. Your back will thank you.
Make EXTRA SURE your CAMPFIRE is completely OUT with NO HOT COALS!!! One day outside Flagstaff, in a windy dry area someones large campfire log caught back on fire due to the brisk wind . I used my bath water to completely put it out and told the Ranger on the way out. He thanked me. I believe in recycling in every manner.
Have you ever used dehumidifiers for water collection? Naturally you may need to filter/sanitize. Just an idea for extending your water supply if you're in a humid climate.
I will tell people to pick up their trash. I will say It really loud too. In a jerry Lewis voice. "HEY LADY! YOU FORGET YOUR TRASH" Don't be a pig. Thats my motto. 😆
We love our Travato’s Truma Combi system. Combination hot water and heat. Gentle warm air. And it’s so quiet we can even run it at night and not being awakened by the fan. And it runs on electricity or propane. I think the Alde in T@Bs is similar. I wonder if you can burn some of the paper plates. Many of them are plastic coated and might be toxic to inhale - not to mention putting into the environment.
I've made an "hour shower" (recycling the shower water through a 7-stage filter and UV light) and I shower for months on the same 7 gallons of water. I've extended this to both sinks now and recycle all of the hand washing and kitchen sink water. It does take effort to remove any bits from going down the drain, but now I don't have any gray water. I can simply run a drain line into the wild and release purified clean water...
Sean get a syphon hose from Harbor Freight ( the one with the Copper Tip and Marble inside) to transfer your water from the Jerry Jug to your tank . Put the jug on your tailgate and you wont have to hold the jug up or spill a drop :)..
East vs. West and Water: You mentioned that boondocking in the West is preferred, because you don't get so hot and sweaty, and therefore don't need as much water. I live in the Northeast, and although dispersed campsites are far more rare, getting water at one is rarely a problem. You do have ot haul out the grey water, but it's rare to find a dispersed campsite in the Northeast where water isn't nearby; most that I know of are next to a stream or river.
I too carry a rake and shovel. Not only for boondocking but for State, County and Nat'l park campsites. Also, good idea to have a small portable air compressor especially for boondogling.
Great video. Times are changing. Boondocking isn't just about recreational camping. Destitution, poverty and homeless are on the rise.The word on the net is that public lands is the place you want to be, so load up the RV, trailer, van, truck, car and tent and live on public lands rent free. Stay safe, well and positive.
For personal hygiene, I recommend Aloe Vesta Cleansing Foam. It is widely used in nursing homes, is very gentle and requires little or no rinsing, your preference. It is available many places, both in stores and online. The particular "variety" I prefer has a circle with "1 Cleansing" on the bottle.
Great video, great solar setup. Looking forward to the next video on it. Another tip. If you can’t dispose of grey water and have space in the black tank, you can always empty soapy dishes grey water into the toilet.
Solar good - certainly a generator helps, but noisy - we hate noise. We really like to travel from FHU to FHU, so not really a fan of boonedocking .... but it may be necessary to BD if the CGs get consumed by all the new RVers. Yes, Boy Scout training - make sure the fire is out when unattended, always. Nice place. thanks for showing us your visit.
Another option for keeping warm at night is to buy a rechargeable hot water bottle with a fabric cover. The one I have will stay warm for 8+ hours. Under your blankie, it will help keep you toasty. :)
That's why I love my coach. 33ft., fully self contained, and I can last over a week without running out of anything. No RV parks for me. I'll be heading out again in the next month...North on the 395 and see what happens...
Hey Guys here is a clue. Buy a double sleeping bad that you can unzip then put half under your bottom sheet and the other over your top sheet, then the blanket over the top. Works a treat here in Australia should work in the USA. Love your work! 😎🇦🇺📷
Camp Suds is a biodegradable liquid soap that works well in hot or cold water. I find it takes care of greasy dishes nearly as well as Dawn, but rinses with less water and with far fewer suds. I've used it for showers and washing my hair too. It's one of the few things that we carried over from our tent camping days.
Just wanted to drop a note about conserving water while boondocking, BABY WIPES!!!! They have changed the face of taking showers forever... LOL I also add a small amount of alcohol to the container, personal choice...
Hi Guys. Thanks for a very informative video. Rubbish! Such an issue! We acted as camp hosts at Old Andado Station (ranch), Northern Territory out here in Australia, and one of our biggest issues was cleaning rubbish from fire pits. I don’t know why people think that tin cans and aluminium foil will burn. Sure burn them out but TAKE THE RUBBISH with you! We have a major issue with toilet paper. Many areas are left in a disgusting state by some very inconsiderate people. Always enjoy your videos! Stay safe. R and J
I want to reach out and say thank you for all your great informative videos. I’ve been looking, waiting and educating myself for a year now and just bought my trailer this weekend. I’m still a newbie in every sense of the word, but thanks to great videos like this one, I’m an educated newbie. Thanks!
I'm 55 so I remember life before the internet a we know it today-It's great how you can learn virtually anything from our fellow human beings via videos and blogs.
I’m a tent camper as well as a hiker/primitive camper. Most of the points you discussed are basic common sense. But garbage is a topic that gets me people accidentally drop things but follow to rule if you can pack it in full you sure as heck can carry it out empty. And yes manage your camp fire. If it’s smoking it isn’t necessarily out
We went to Alabama Hills in October of 19. We were not aware till we got there that fires are not permitted from May through November. Other than that, it is a wonderful boondocking site! And as far as the trash thing goes, we always try to leave our site looking like no one was ever there. We've had to pick up other people's trash.
This maybe one of your better videos? The Low Impact "Keep AMERICA beautiful.... Maybe it is a Boy Scout thing about cleaning up ....But I have to clean up on arrival and departure 50% of the time.. LEAVE NO TRACE.....Very well done !!!
In upper Michigan this August several hosts said that there are so many first time campers out there who are loud, rude and leave a lot of trash. Very sad that we could lose our state forest campgrounds because people are so inconsiderate.
With a cybertruck I will have all the power I will need! Can you imagine if Tesla also sell a battery trailer platform that can be built into a travel trailer? Throw in spacex starlink internet and all you need is water!
THAN YOU for pointing out the trash problem. It does feel very sad to see the beautiful outdoor nature being trashed, and we may all pay the price for the wrong doing. Thank you again for your sharing, not only informational also educational. _LEAVE NO TRACE._
Right. And please dont just burn it. Had camp neighbors last year at a remote place in Montana who dumped their entire stash of plastic water bottles on the fire as they packed up to leave.
Thanks so much for the good info. I want to get one of those power stations now.( I previously wasn't sure it was worth much) Also, you look nice in the hat, Christi.😊
Hey guys, glad to see your doing well. Great video but I would add to go ahead when you are filling up the fresh water tank before heading out to go ahead and put the 5 gallon starter water in your black tank with chemicals so your don't burn that out of your freshwater tank when getting to a spot. I made that mistake.
A 28-gallon black tank. What luxury. LOL We are in a class be with a 10-gallon black tank. Those Alabama Hills sure look nice. Thank you for sharing the visuals and all the good tips and information.
My Champion Dual Fuel arrived today... Amazon deal... for the trailer we have on order and next year's camping adventure... I bought it in part based on your positive impressions... thanks.
Great video, I am not a newbie, but I enjoyed it. I went to one of your favorite places yesterday, not with my trailer. I live close enough for a day trip. Jackson and the Tetons, it was just beautiful!!!
Best boondocking video for newbies like me ever! And bonus point for the great drone and time lapse video! Viewer comments here have been a great help!
Great tips! Boondocked for five years in my campervan. I can still stay out a couple of weeks but am now in a vintage RV and adjusting to not being able to get to the remote places I was used to. I like solitude and quiet. Have you ever run into areas, or even roads, you couldn’t access because of the length, clearance or weight of your trailer? Amen on the trash. It is def getting worse and is one of my pet peeves. Was my 2nd video on my channel it’s so important to me! Love love love Mt Whitney portal and Alabama Hills. Thx for sharing!
I've flown over the Alabama's many times on helicopter patrol of the LA Aqueduct. You have inspired me to take our trailer there next spring. We live in Tehachapi so it's not very far. You 2 are the best.........
LoLoHo!, Please consider discussing your weight/mass distribution/structural modifications when you review your Solar Power upgrade! Thanks, Safe Travels!
Great video! I run over 800 watts of solar, two 8d batteries, I run 100% solar. Our first 8 days was last fall, completely generator free! I have about 3 days of autonomy. I do not run my A/C of coarse, but i am Generator free! Love seeing others do it! We boon dock all the time, You guys did a great video!
I’m going to look into a diaper Genie to dispose of the toilet paper while boondocking. This week I’m getting 850 watts of solar. 4 - 100 amp BattleBorn lithem batteries with a 3,000 watt inverter on my Nash 22h OTG (Off the grid). I can’t wait to try it out.
This was a great film the most disappointing part to me was the graffiti the tagging on the rock formations even though you made a note that it was not in the Alabama Hills. I totally agree the people who are leaving trash behind are just an experienced thanks for the great film. Thomyt
Been subscribed to you r channel for over 5 years. Somehow I quit getting notifications when you uploaded videos. So very glad to see you beautiful people out there still. Keep it up .Hope we see you out there in person someday. Our next big trip is going to take us to Alabama, Masuria and surrounding states. We are in Washington State now and it's getting cold. Time to use the wheels! PS : Spent the last few hours catching up! Thanks!
I think you can use your gray water to put the fire out and also you can if you have a plant a little pot a potted plant you can put some water in the plant
Another great video!! Thanks so much for all of your tips. A few additional tips to consider to stay warm: (1) use velvet plush fleece sheet sets that put the coziness of those fleece blankets under and on top of you then put another fleece blanket on top - they really help retain more of your body heat, (2) use hot water bottles with sweater covers on them - one by your feet and hug another like a teddy bear, and (3) a throw blanket with velvet plush fleece on one side and Sherpa on the other - the Sherpa side next to you really traps the body heat even more (you can usually find them at Walmart for around $15).
OMG who's my "got to" people when I've "forgotten" something? Sean and Kristy! I have been hooked up to shower power and shore water for over a year....I forgot the "Order of Operations" for taking a shower OMG I feel like such a "WHATS WRONG WITH ME!??" goof! I forgot how to take a shower!!Thank GOD for your videos! Also, can you do a video, if you haven't already, about adjusting the flame on the stove to have a smaller flame for low.TIA
Great video, great info! Thanks. A suggestion I've seen in other RV videos: keep a gallon jug filled with your GREY WATER, just in the event of putting out a fire (or someone else's fire).
I was a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Explorer Scout. "Leave it cleaner than you found it" was beaten into me long ago.
It's not be beaten into us, but doggone it, it is common sense people!
Nice job, guys. We would add that you should use a sieve to screen gray water to remove crumbs. Crumbs attract scorpions and scorpions attract snakes. Don't need to feed the wildlife!
You may want to reject me - but when boondocking, we put a trash bag in our toilet and pour in some kitty litter. It lets us use black water tank for grey water. Controls any odor problems. Is changeable as needed. Seems like a "no brainer"!
I carry a rake and construction grade garbage bags... we clean up our area and try to go beyond our own area... “better than we found it”
Good for you, really! Not everyone does this. We also pick up trash when we find it, as we're cursing - Who Would Do This!!!???!!!
Thanks
As a former camp host....THANK YOU for the finger wag about trash! Trash and unattended fires would be my biggest complaints about campers.
Even when we're not boondocking, we take "Navy showers" in the RV. Get wet, saturate a washcloth, then turn off the water. Soap yourself up and shampoo your hair, then turn the water back on just long enough to rinse. We only have five gallons of hot water, so it's not like we could take long hot showers anyway. I smiled at the comment about heavy socks in Bean Boots. They have room for thick wool socks if you order your usual shoe size. They were designed for hunting season in Maine, and the sizing hasn't changed much since 1912.
We always take Navy showers too (our hot water heater only holds 6 gallons).
Your comments about people leaving trash are spot on. We've always followed the rule, leave nothing! The only thing we leave in our camp sites are tire tracks.
remember take nothing but photographs leave nothing but foot prints
We use a small bucket and a long handed back brush in the shower. Fill it with water and body soap. Get wet. Then you can dip it and scub. Then rinse. That small bucket goes a long way. If any is left use it for the toilet.
I was living out of my car for a couple of years. It really wasn't as bad as one would think. Anyway, I always kept my medium shoulder length hair clean - just dampen a face towel - add a DOT of shampoo - rub the towel between your hand until you see just a smidgen of soap visible. Take that towel and rub it over over your head and towards the ends. Your hair will be damp, but not dripping. Put a couple DROPS of conditioner in your palms & smooth it over your hair. Run damp towel over it lightly. Towel dry, or let it dry naturally. You will probably wind up using a cup of water for the whole process - damping and rinsing. Stop wasting water on your hair. I remember a few times I actually cut my own hair & dyed my hair outta my car. Ah, good times :)
Quick bath: in a public bathroom, or in my car - spray bottle, bit of body wash, or shampoo, face towel - wipe face, armpits, hoohah & butt. Thorough body cleanse was done 2, 3 am - inside my car. Shades up.
I help a lot of homeless folks in my local area volunteering at our food bank. These kinds of tips are very helpful. Thank you.
Thank you. I had to do that, too, for a bit.
Wearing a knit skull cap while sleeping helps. Keep your head warm, and your body will stay warm. Your head is almost always exposed while sleeping.
Feet, head and hands...grandma always said! I feel ya!
Heat holders are great, thanks for turning us on to them.
Tip - get a nice thick, high quality down duvet. They will keep you super warm at night. We’ll never sleep without a down duvet again!
I gave my wife heat holder socks and gloves for Christmas.........I am VERY much on her good side for it :)
Good video. We were tent campers for 40 years. When boondocking, we always drink water we brought that is bottled or in jugs. The fresh water tank is for dishes or or flushing toilets. We always dump grey water on ground (the cattle haulers in this state slosh their cleanout water on the highway). We do sponge baths instead of showers. We also have a solar camping shower from our tenting days. Our 2000w generator keeps our battery charged (twice a day). We've never used our furnace...just use layers of quilts and wool socks! Trash? Pack it in; Pack it out.
We have seen the same trash problem this year. Sad to say it's not all newbies. Some of these people think that site has a cleaning service for the bathhouse so they act like they are in a hotel . What they have someone do that WRONG. Our rules. You brought it in!!! You take it out!!!
Thank you for mentioning the trash problem. Nothing more discussing then to stop in a beautiful natural area to seeing human garage everywhere around. :-)
"Disgusting", but yeah, I agree.
I usually pick-up two Meijers Bags of trash at every campsite. My other complaint, barking dogs. I don't camp to hear dogs bark. 😎. As always good job. I enjoy your product.
I remember going camping with my family in 1960, when I was 10. Back in those days, ALL camping was boondocking! Tent camping at its best!
I wonder what pioneers crossing the west in covered wagons (original RVs) would say about today's boondocking 🤔🙄? "Honey get the block under the right left wagon wheel please while I disconnect the oxen" (typed in jest lol). Great suggestions.
Two or three miles from Alabama Hills is BLM Tuttle Creek Campground. There is potable water and a dump station there. When we stayed there it was $8.00 per night.
Thank You for drawing attention to the problem of improper debris, trash disposal issues in this latest Boondocking episode. I live in a city where many folks just are not respectful of what to do about their trash. I go around my sidewalk/street area & pick up debris every day, or at least 5 out of seven days a week. So no one should be offended as you talk frankly about personal responsibility of keeping the lands clean. It's not only education, but a matter of caring that will keep lands clean., as well the air & water. While I can't make it out to those beautiful locations in the West, the scenic views you show are wonderful to see. Keep these vids coming. Camper Frank, Lynn, MA.
I HATE a litterbug! On a more positive note, this was a great video (as always).
Great point on trash! We're seeing lots of reports of trash on public lands up here in Canada as well. Take extra trash bags with you to help keep both of our countries beautiful!
I laughed when I saw the Heat Holders! I LOVE them! No other socks or slippers compare.
They are really fantastic!
One thing I try to do is instead of dumping your dishwater, try to use it for a #2 flush.
How you do dat? You step on valve to flush and it opens the "port" at bottom of toilet. We have a brand new Winnebago and there is no water shutoff on Dometic toilet
@@bobcole3852 After a #2, I like to fill the bowl back up with water by slightly pressing the pedal and then flush it to make sure I don't get a "poop pyramid". So when I save my dishwater, I can dump that into the toilet instead of using fresh water, step on the lever and flush it.
@@squirrelsrus1 This trick of keeping a little bit of water in the bowl (just enough to cover the flapper) also keeps the flapper seal from drying out and keeps tank gas from seeping into the rig.
In conjunction with the paper plates, use vinegar water in a spray bottle to clean pots and pans. They wipe clean and you don't need to use any water.
cslay06 What is the ratio for vinegar to water? Thanks!
@@joycemoses2411 Hi Joyce!! My wife and I have experimented a little. . .we use 50-50 vinegar and water. You could probably get away with 1/4 vinegar to 3/4 water. It's amazing how little spray you need to wipe plastic plates and silverware clean. The key is of course, don't let your dishes sit around and get crusty first.
@@cslay06 Thank you for your excellent information!
+1 upvote for the Tony Stark reference at the end of your vid. Nicely done, saving that "minor" point until the end of your video.
A beach umbrella by the campfire on a cold night is a wonderful way to stay warm! Just don't get it too close to the campfire or use it in heavy winds.
If you actually think PPL need the warnings you added, we are doomed as a species!
Thank you for bringing up the trash problem. If you camp in RV parks, almost always one of their rules is not to burn garbage. It takes very high heat to burn things like glass. Thank you thank you
I’ve always enjoyed your approach to sharing what you love to do. Nice to see someone sticking to what they’ve always done since 2006. :). Instead of buying a new rig or RV each year to try and drive interest to your channel. Or shameless attempts to try an monetize every aspect of their content. Keep up the good work!
Battery management is the biggest issue, even with a generator and solar panels. At night, the battery will still be used by power stealers. Shut off the inverter, the water pump and anything else that uses power. We use the stick up lights all over the rv to save battery usage. As we know, if your battery, except lithium ion, goes under 50%, the battery will fail in a very short time, like a year or two. We try to use any area toilet facilities to keep black tank usage to a minimum. Very good advice here. California has the worst litter problem I have ever seen. Trash strewn highways are the norm.
Take it in, take it out and then some. Learned from my father. Nice hearing it from other folks.
You can also use an outdoor shower tent to keep it out of your gray tank.
We do this with a trash can and m67 immersion heater. Works wonders for showering in the boon docks.
And use non toxic soap like Dr. Bronners! Shower tents are great!
2 hacks that we used on our 2013 FC20: 1 solar… for less than $500 you can easily Cary 2 150W panels, attach them in parallel, add a Renogy voyager charge controller and when you stop, hook them up directly tot the batteries (we use lithium) in your trailer. You can get lots of additional power for very little $$. 2. For cell service, use a weboost. We liked the one with a cell phone cradle. It takes an unreliable signal and turns it into a streaming internet (200-300Kbs) connection. Then we also tether our phone to a router mounted in the trailer and we have Wi-Fi!
I’m 71 when I was 5 and camping with my folks we were cleaning up our camp, with a rake. Next thing I new we went over to the next site, asked my dad why, he told me they didn’t leave it clean enough for the next family. Lesson learned! We raked pin needles and leaves, didn’t just throw them in the woods, put them bags and took them home.
A drone is great for scouting boondocking sites before getting the rig in too far.
Also, there are small battery powered pumps that allow easy water transfer from a jerry can to your tank. Your back will thank you.
I have to get to stay in Alabama Hills that looks beautiful
Make EXTRA SURE your CAMPFIRE is completely OUT with NO HOT COALS!!! One day outside Flagstaff, in a windy dry area someones large campfire log caught back on fire due to the brisk wind . I used my bath water to completely put it out and told the Ranger on the way out. He thanked me. I believe in recycling in every manner.
I loved your comments about rubbish, the motto we should always adhere to is ' Take out more trash that you took in', Problem solved.
Have you ever used dehumidifiers for water collection? Naturally you may need to filter/sanitize. Just an idea for extending your water supply if you're in a humid climate.
I will tell people to pick up their trash. I will say It really loud too. In a jerry Lewis voice. "HEY LADY! YOU FORGET YOUR TRASH" Don't be a pig. Thats my motto. 😆
We love our Travato’s Truma Combi system. Combination hot water and heat. Gentle warm air. And it’s so quiet we can even run it at night and not being awakened by the fan. And it runs on electricity or propane. I think the Alde in T@Bs is similar.
I wonder if you can burn some of the paper plates. Many of them are plastic coated and might be toxic to inhale - not to mention putting into the environment.
I've made an "hour shower" (recycling the shower water through a 7-stage filter and UV light) and I shower for months on the same 7 gallons of water. I've extended this to both sinks now and recycle all of the hand washing and kitchen sink water. It does take effort to remove any bits from going down the drain, but now I don't have any gray water. I can simply run a drain line into the wild and release purified clean water...
Sean get a syphon hose from Harbor Freight ( the one with the Copper Tip and Marble inside) to transfer your water from the Jerry Jug to your tank . Put the jug on your tailgate and you wont have to hold the jug up or spill a drop :)..
Navy shower. Standard shipboard procedure. Water on 5 seconds. Water off. Soap up and scrub. Rinse...15 seconds.
East vs. West and Water: You mentioned that boondocking in the West is preferred, because you don't get so hot and sweaty, and therefore don't need as much water. I live in the Northeast, and although dispersed campsites are far more rare, getting water at one is rarely a problem. You do have ot haul out the grey water, but it's rare to find a dispersed campsite in the Northeast where water isn't nearby; most that I know of are next to a stream or river.
I too carry a rake and shovel. Not only for boondocking but for State, County and Nat'l park campsites. Also, good idea to have a small portable air compressor especially for boondogling.
We always leave it better than we found it. That includes Walmarts/Cracker Barrels etc. But especially the outdoors.
Great video.
Times are changing. Boondocking isn't just about recreational camping. Destitution, poverty and homeless are on the rise.The word on the net is that public lands is the place you want to be, so load up the RV, trailer, van, truck, car and tent and live on public lands rent free. Stay safe, well and positive.
For personal hygiene, I recommend Aloe Vesta Cleansing Foam.
It is widely used in nursing homes, is very gentle and requires little or no rinsing, your preference. It is available many places, both in stores and online. The particular "variety" I prefer has a circle with "1 Cleansing" on the bottle.
I've found1 gallon water jugs from the dollar store are easier to fit in small places and easier to lift if I want to put it in the freshwater tank
So cool with Mt. Whitney as the backdrop!
Great video, great solar setup. Looking forward to the next video on it. Another tip. If you can’t dispose of grey water and have space in the black tank, you can always empty soapy dishes grey water into the toilet.
Yes! We do that sometimes too!
Leave no trace
It's really gotten bad this year...
Solar good - certainly a generator helps, but noisy - we hate noise. We really like to travel from FHU to FHU, so not really a fan of boonedocking .... but it may be necessary to BD if the CGs get consumed by all the new RVers. Yes, Boy Scout training - make sure the fire is out when unattended, always. Nice place. thanks for showing us your visit.
Another option for keeping warm at night is to buy a rechargeable hot water bottle with a fabric cover. The one I have will stay warm for 8+ hours. Under your blankie, it will help keep you toasty. :)
That's why I love my coach. 33ft., fully self contained, and I can last over a week without running out of anything. No RV parks for me. I'll be heading out again in the next month...North on the 395 and see what happens...
Hey Guys here is a clue. Buy a double sleeping bad that you can unzip then put half under your bottom sheet and the other over your top sheet, then the blanket over the top. Works a treat here in Australia should work in the USA. Love your work! 😎🇦🇺📷
Thanks for the tip!
Amazing drone footage! Beautiful!
I agree! 🙂
Camp Suds is a biodegradable liquid soap that works well in hot or cold water. I find it takes care of greasy dishes nearly as well as Dawn, but rinses with less water and with far fewer suds. I've used it for showers and washing my hair too. It's one of the few things that we carried over from our tent camping days.
Ditto! I also keep a teeny squirt bottle of Dr Bronners peppermint for body and dishes.
I love it -- and I;m not allergic to it like Bonners.
Where do you get it?
@@marlastevens9036 funny. I’m allergic to it but not dr bronzers. Anyway they both are biodegradable
Another great video. You are right if people keep leaving trash and garbage they can and have closed great camping areas. Pack it in Pack it out!!!
Just wanted to drop a note about conserving water while boondocking, BABY WIPES!!!! They have changed the face of taking showers forever... LOL I also add a small amount of alcohol to the container, personal choice...
Hi Guys. Thanks for a very informative video. Rubbish! Such an issue! We acted as camp hosts at Old Andado Station (ranch), Northern Territory out here in Australia, and one of our biggest issues was cleaning rubbish from fire pits. I don’t know why people think that tin cans and aluminium foil will burn. Sure burn them out but TAKE THE RUBBISH with you! We have a major issue with toilet paper. Many areas are left in a disgusting state by some very inconsiderate people. Always enjoy your videos! Stay safe. R and J
I want to reach out and say thank you for all your great informative videos. I’ve been looking, waiting and educating myself for a year now and just bought my trailer this weekend. I’m still a newbie in every sense of the word, but thanks to great videos like this one, I’m an educated newbie.
Thanks!
I'm 55 so I remember life before the internet a we know it today-It's great how you can learn virtually anything from our fellow human beings via videos and blogs.
I’m a tent camper as well as a hiker/primitive camper. Most of the points you discussed are basic common sense. But garbage is a topic that gets me people accidentally drop things but follow to rule if you can pack it in full you sure as heck can carry it out empty. And yes manage your camp fire. If it’s smoking it isn’t necessarily out
We went to Alabama Hills in October of 19. We were not aware till we got there that fires are not permitted from May through November. Other than that, it is a wonderful boondocking site! And as far as the trash thing goes, we always try to leave our site looking like no one was ever there. We've had to pick up other people's trash.
10 mins into your video and I learned so much! this video is very informative!
Thank you
OMGeeeee the sandwich!!!
Heaven 😋😋😋😋😋🙏👍
This maybe one of your better videos? The Low Impact "Keep AMERICA beautiful.... Maybe it is a Boy Scout thing about cleaning up ....But I have to clean up on arrival and departure 50% of the time.. LEAVE NO TRACE.....Very well done !!!
10:10 mark: That's a Dagwood sammie if I ever saw one!!
Yep! Looks delicious, too! 🥪
In upper Michigan this August several hosts said that there are so many first time campers out there who are loud, rude and leave a lot of trash. Very sad that we could lose our state forest campgrounds because people are so inconsiderate.
With a cybertruck I will have all the power I will need! Can you imagine if Tesla also sell a battery trailer platform that can be built into a travel trailer? Throw in spacex starlink internet and all you need is water!
I've heard rumors of lithium battery floors in trailers! Would be awesome!
THAN YOU for pointing out the trash problem. It does feel very sad to see the beautiful outdoor nature being trashed, and we may all pay the price for the wrong doing. Thank you again for your sharing, not only informational also educational. _LEAVE NO TRACE._
Your knowledge is greatly appreciated .thank you 😊
So, what's the story on the picnic table tipping at 23:00? Always enjoy your videos!
Your right about the trash, if you bring it in take it out with you. Thanks hopefully your video will help
Right. And please dont just burn it. Had camp neighbors last year at a remote place in Montana who dumped their entire stash of plastic water bottles on the fire as they packed up to leave.
Thanks so much for the good info. I want to get one of those power stations now.( I previously wasn't sure it was worth much) Also, you look nice in the hat, Christi.😊
Hey guys, glad to see your doing well. Great video but I would add to go ahead when you are filling up the fresh water tank before heading out to go ahead and put the 5 gallon starter water in your black tank with chemicals so your don't burn that out of your freshwater tank when getting to a spot. I made that mistake.
We use dishwater to put the fire out.
A 28-gallon black tank. What luxury. LOL We are in a class be with a 10-gallon black tank.
Those Alabama Hills sure look nice. Thank you for sharing the visuals and all the good tips and information.
My Champion Dual Fuel arrived today... Amazon deal... for the trailer we have on order and next year's camping adventure... I bought it in part based on your positive impressions... thanks.
I own a champion dual fuel generator, just because it burns propane an thus one less fuel to carry an it burns much cleaner than gas or diesel
Great video, I am not a newbie, but I enjoyed it. I went to one of your favorite places yesterday, not with my trailer. I live close enough for a day trip. Jackson and the Tetons, it was just beautiful!!!
Best boondocking video for newbies like me ever! And bonus point for the great drone and time lapse video! Viewer comments here have been a great help!
Great tips! Boondocked for five years in my campervan. I can still stay out a couple of weeks but am now in a vintage RV and adjusting to not being able to get to the remote places I was used to. I like solitude and quiet. Have you ever run into areas, or even roads, you couldn’t access because of the length, clearance or weight of your trailer?
Amen on the trash. It is def getting worse and is one of my pet peeves. Was my 2nd video on my channel it’s so important to me!
Love love love Mt Whitney portal and Alabama Hills. Thx for sharing!
I've never boondocked or have a van yet but writing down places for when I do...Where is the Mt Whitney portal? Thanks
I found it...looks beautiful
Clear, straight forward whether new RVer or reminder to the experienced. Thanks. Travel safe.
We once found our bear box filled almost halfway with dirt, gravel and rocks. Yay.
We love boondockin, we almost exclusively boondock! Thanks for the info!
"It's a beautiful country that we have. And we can take care of it, we would be able to enjoy it."
I've flown over the Alabama's many times on helicopter patrol of the LA Aqueduct. You have inspired me to take our trailer there next spring. We live in Tehachapi so it's not very far. You 2 are the best.........
LoLoHo!,
Please consider discussing your weight/mass distribution/structural modifications when you review your Solar Power upgrade!
Thanks, Safe Travels!
Great video! I run over 800 watts of solar, two 8d batteries, I run 100% solar. Our first 8 days was last fall, completely generator free! I have about 3 days of autonomy. I do not run my A/C of coarse, but i am Generator free! Love seeing others do it! We boon dock all the time, You guys did a great video!
Trash....we always try to leave the campsite better than you found it! That works boondocking or campground sites. It doesn’t cost anything.
I’m going to look into a diaper Genie to dispose of the toilet paper while boondocking.
This week I’m getting 850 watts of solar. 4 - 100 amp BattleBorn lithem batteries with a 3,000 watt inverter on my Nash 22h OTG (Off the grid). I can’t wait to try it out.
This was a great film the most disappointing part to me was the graffiti the tagging on the rock formations even though you made a note that it was not in the Alabama Hills.
I totally agree the people who are leaving trash behind are just an experienced thanks for the great film. Thomyt
Been subscribed to you r channel for over 5 years. Somehow I quit getting notifications when you uploaded videos. So very glad to see you beautiful people out there still. Keep it up .Hope we see you out there in person someday. Our next big trip is going to take us to Alabama, Masuria and surrounding states. We are in Washington State now and it's getting cold. Time to use the wheels!
PS : Spent the last few hours catching up! Thanks!
I think you can use your gray water to put the fire out and also you can if you have a plant a little pot a potted plant you can put some water in the plant
not sure if you have a video on it yet , but can you do one on how to read your gauge panel inside the airstream :
propane , batteries , water , etc
Another great video!! Thanks so much for all of your tips. A few additional tips to consider to stay warm: (1) use velvet plush fleece sheet sets that put the coziness of those fleece blankets under and on top of you then put another fleece blanket on top - they really help retain more of your body heat, (2) use hot water bottles with sweater covers on them - one by your feet and hug another like a teddy bear, and (3) a throw blanket with velvet plush fleece on one side and Sherpa on the other - the Sherpa side next to you really traps the body heat even more (you can usually find them at Walmart for around $15).
Hey Sean & Kristy! Campendium Android app coming soon :)
OMG who's my "got to" people when I've "forgotten" something? Sean and Kristy! I have been hooked up to shower power and shore water for over a year....I forgot the "Order of Operations" for taking a shower OMG I feel like such a "WHATS WRONG WITH ME!??" goof! I forgot how to take a shower!!Thank GOD for your videos!
Also, can you do a video, if you haven't already, about adjusting the flame on the stove to have a smaller flame for low.TIA
Great video, great info! Thanks.
A suggestion I've seen in other RV videos: keep a gallon jug filled with your GREY WATER, just in the event of putting out a fire (or someone else's fire).