First time camping with no hookups

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by 510Rick

Ok so I know I'm late to the conversation but I'll chime in too . We actually prefer boondocking . I just got this trailer but we used it a few times before I bought it . (was my dads) We camped for 10 days straight 2 different times with no hookups what so ever . We almost always camp at a lake so we do a lot of lake bathing . Momma will take maybe 2 actual showers during that time, shes got a lot of hair and it needs maintenance the lake cant help with after a few days lol . She uses the commode and I will sometimes to go #2 but other then that me and my son pee out side like men . We all brush our teeth outside as well thats whats great 40 bottles of water for $3 at Costco is for . We are really conservative with the fresh water I also bring a 35 gallon plastic barrel of water for washing the non disposable dishes in a out door sink I fabbed up out of pvc and a 2 dollar storage tub . We have 2 small Honda 2000 generators and we will use the AC on hot days to get the baby to take naps . The trailer is also equipped with a nice solar set up that charges the battery rather quickly so even if momma leaves a light on all night its almost never a problem .

I'm sure I'll ruffle some feathers saying this but having full hookups is definitely NOT camping lol ..When people live in a trailer park they LIVE there not CAMP there pretty much the same thing right ...just saying hahaha
Don't get me wrong full hookups is nice sometimes to us too but the great outdoors is where I like to be .

Your Right !!!
We don't camp,,, we go R/V !!!

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

Isn't bleach a known carcinogen?

Good Question and I asked the State Water Quality Chemist that same thing a few years ago when the Chlorine in our city water was so high that I could smell it at the faucet and it measured above the ideal level for my pool.

The Answer YES. Significant consumption of chlorine over time can cause cancer. The problem I learned from him is that statistically the DEATH RATE from un chlorinated water supplies is about ten or twenty times higher and much more immediate.

You know all of medicine is numbers "this kills xx/100,000 and this only kills x/100,000 and then maybe not doing anything kills xxxx/100,000.

So as it turns out the bacterial pathogens that grow in water can cause illness at high rates and death at a meaningful level Thus they chlorinate public water supplies.

SOOOOO I bleach the heck out of my rv system annually and then flush it and flush it with the still fairly well chlorinated city water. No one has become sick from our water and no one has died of cancer. On the serious side, we do not DRINK too much of the on board water. Although it is good clean water, we do not drink too much tap water at home either as we favor the taste of bottled water or the filtered water from the frig at home.

[Tonylmiller]

I was camping from Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon with nothing but a generator for support (except bathrooms and showers on site). I was able to fill my water tank after I arrived so I did not have to tow with that extra weight. I have a large water bottle that I used for drinking water, and I was able to refill it each day.

I ran the generator for a couple of hours each day, which charged my camper battery and all my electronics (phone, camera, battery pack for charging phone). I was also running the air conditioner most of the time that the generator was running. I ran the generator in the evening to cool the camper down, and then it was fine after that. The weather was cool at night but up in the 80's during the day.

I think my camper battery never got below 3/4 of charge capacity. It is a brand new Wal Mart deep cycle RV battery. I had PLENTY of fresh water, since I was alone, and plenty of storage capacity in my grey water tanks. I only used the toilet a few times a day, since I was gone most of the day. The refrigerator seemed to run off propane very well.

The generator I borrowed was quite loud (Briggs & Stratton), but with the air conditioner running, it was not too loud inside the camper. It would be nice to have one that is not so loud, though.

Any questions, just let me know.

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by Tonylmiller

I was camping from Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon with nothing but a generator for support (except bathrooms and showers on site). I was able to fill my water tank after I arrived so I did not have to tow with that extra weight. I have a large water bottle that I used for drinking water, and I was able to refill it each day.

I ran the generator for a couple of hours each day, which charged my camper battery and all my electronics (phone, camera, battery pack for charging phone). I was also running the air conditioner most of the time that the generator was running. I ran the generator in the evening to cool the camper down, and then it was fine after that. The weather was cool at night but up in the 80's during the day.

I think my camper battery never got below 3/4 of charge capacity. It is a brand new Wal Mart deep cycle RV battery. I had PLENTY of fresh water, since I was alone, and plenty of storage capacity in my grey water tanks. I only used the toilet a few times a day, since I was gone most of the day. The refrigerator seemed to run off propane very well.

The generator I borrowed was quite loud (Briggs & Stratton), but with the air conditioner running, it was not too loud inside the camper. It would be nice to have one that is not so loud, though.



Any questions, just let me know.

get yourself a Honda or a Champion or Yamaha inverter generator and make your camp neighbors happy.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Tonylmiller

The generator I borrowed was quite loud (Briggs & Stratton), but with the air conditioner running, it was not too loud inside the camper. It would be nice to have one that is not so loud, though.

Any questions, just let me know.

I bet your neighbors heard it quite well.😲😲

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Tonylmiller

I'm going to use disposable stuff for eating so I won't have to wash dishes. I will have separate drinking water, so I will only use the water tanks for the toilet (basically once a day) and washing hands and minor stuff.

Thanks!

Odd thing is using regular dishes using maybe 1 gallon of wash water and 1/2 gallon of rinse, don't rinse use sinks. The biggest water hog is showers but we get that down as well. 40 gallons of water for all activities lasts for 1 1/2 and 4 full camping days.

[howie70]

Originally Posted by 510Rick

Ok so I know I'm late to the conversation but I'll chime in too . We actually prefer boondocking . I just got this trailer but we used it a few times before I bought it . (was my dads) We camped for 10 days straight 2 different times with no hookups what so ever . We almost always camp at a lake so we do a lot of lake bathing . Momma will take maybe 2 actual showers during that time, shes got a lot of hair and it needs maintenance the lake cant help with after a few days lol . She uses the commode and I will sometimes to go #2 but other then that me and my son pee out side like men . We all brush our teeth outside as well thats whats great 40 bottles of water for $3 at Costco is for . We are really conservative with the fresh water I also bring a 35 gallon plastic barrel of water for washing the non disposable dishes in a out door sink I fabbed up out of pvc and a 2 dollar storage tub . We have 2 small Honda 2000 generators and we will use the AC on hot days to get the baby to take naps . The trailer is also equipped with a nice solar set up that charges the battery rather quickly so even if momma leaves a light on all night its almost never a problem .

I'm sure I'll ruffle some feathers saying this but having full hookups is definitely NOT camping lol ..When people live in a trailer park they LIVE there not CAMP there pretty much the same thing right ...just saying hahaha
Don't get me wrong full hookups is nice sometimes to us too but the great outdoors is where I like to be .

No ruffled feathers here. I agree 100%.
As to the OP, hope the trip was great!

[Tonylmiller]

Originally Posted by bikendan

I bet your neighbors heard it quite well.😲😲

Yep, and I heard theirs, too! Some of them ran 24 hours a day!

[hankpac]

I am not a full time boondocker, but I do spend extended periods out there unhooked. We prefer it.
Anytime there is a guest (rarely), I run through the general ground rules of living in our rig. I talk about minimizing the water usage, and especially the shower. I teach the "submarine shower" which is simple. I would have banished anyone who used almost 40 gallons in one sitting as cited above. After they hand carried the 40 gallons to refill of course.
Since we are boondocking in the forest by ourselves, all men go outside to micturate, and if possible, taking a long constitutional walk is encouraged.
That minimizes filling the black tank.
Also because we are in the forest, we run our grey water out a 100 ft hose into the woods. This is encouraged by the local forest service where we camp.
Between the two we minimize filling either tank. Can usually stretch a 35 gallon holding tank two weeks.
We take 4 6 gallon plastic cans to fill our fresh water. There is a local certified spring about 6 miles away, or 4 miles away is Forest Service fire crew, whose facility has a well. We could potentially stay all summer.
when I run the generator to top off the batteries, I also turn on the electric switch on the water heater. When the water is hot, it clicks off and you can hear the engine change sound. If someone has showered, that is when you can let them run their hair dryer on low.
If there are other campers around you, shut off the generator by 10 pm or earlier if you can, and politeness dictates don't run it all day.
Buy the kids a bird identification book, and a bug book. That alone makes a huge difference. Good luck

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by hankpac

Since we are boondocking in the forest by ourselves, all men go outside to micturate



Also because we are in the forest, we run our grey water out a 100 ft hose into the woods. This is encouraged by the local forest service where we camp.

All men go out in the woods and do what? micurate? What in the hell is that? Sounds fun LOL.

As far as the second comment I am with ya, but encouraged or not wait and see what firestorm that drums up in a short while. I am willing to bet the long constitutional walk sets one off also LOL.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Tonylmiller

Yep, and I heard theirs, too! Some of them ran 24 hours a day!

where was this that allowed generators running 24hrs a day?

Every campground I've seen has limited generator hours.

[DNA Dan]

Late to the party but I'll throw in my .02

When boondocking in remote areas, aside from the conservation of electricity/water that a lot of people have already mentioned, I tend to get paranoid about things that could leave me stranded, or unable to haul my trailer home. Definitely make sure your TV is in good working order, battery load tested, water pump ok?, alternator ok?, spare tire, etc. Bring a few quarts of oil, extra anti-freeze, Flares, etc.

I also keep spare parts for my hitch. I use an equalizer hitch and carry extra pins, L brackets, etc. A good trailer spare is also a must-have item, two if you are really remote. Aside from those things, you might want to consider the route you are taking. Are there ruts/snags in the road that could puncture your gas tank? Does your TV have a skid plate? That sort of thing. I realize most people will rarely venture off a paved road, but in my state of Montana, there are some areas you can get into and not see another soul for DAYS.

Probably the best advice is always tell someone the general area you are going to camp in and when you expect to return. I know these things may sound paranoid or obvious to some. However many people have died going into the wilderness and got "stuck" in some way, broken down, bad weather, no food/water, etc. I think with our trailer comforts it's very easy to forget just how "wild" things can be just outside the door should one of those comforts be taken away or a system fail on your rig. Be safe.

[Mr Havercamp]

Camping in a developed campground without hookups is not what I consider boondocking?

[DNA Dan]

My bad, I digress.

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by DNA Dan

My bad, I digress.

Not directed at you......the thread started out as "first time without hook ups". Then it seems to have morphed into boondocking. Then it seems to have leaned towards yet another generator thread. Or did I miss something?

[DNA Dan]

No Problem. It was unclear to me from the OP if this was remote or not. I guess to me, no hookups means you're boondocking to some degree. I suppose the word boondock implies a whole "different" type of camping altogether, ie, dispersed camping, wilderness camping. I didn't think for a minute this would simply be in a park without a hookup. I thought that was simply called tent camping!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Camping in a developed campground without hookups is not what I consider boondocking?

Agree, that's why it's usually called dry camping.
Boondocking is camping in UNdeveloped locations.

[rockfordroo]

Apparently a $10 word for "pee."

https://www.google.com/search?q=mict...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[SeaDog]

X2 with bikendan on dry camping, I like to do all three styles of camping.

[aeblank]

Isn't dry camping when you don't have any water on board and don't potty in camper to keep those tanks dry? Like when it's winter......