Hello from British Columbia

[operationexplorations]

We have recently purchased a 2011 SV 305 and head out on our 4 1/2 month maiden voyage on April 20 and are getting very excited! Our general plan is to boondock wherever we can!

We are heading straight to Las Vegas for Easter with Friends then, through Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Florida and then up the coast to Nova Scotia, Ontario and back through the USA to see Mt Rushmore and Yellowstone on our way home. A long journey with so much to do on the way with only 4 1/2 months so we are running out of time before we even leave the driveway.

I have started a blog ( Operation Explorations ) for our preparations and our journey and love reading others to pick up family ideas as we have 2 girls 3 and 4 who will be traveling with us of course. There are many great blogs out there, but few with young families so if you can point me in a direction of a blog with young children I would love it! Also any ideas on boondocking would be wonderful. We are waiting for our passport america membership to arrive for those times we need to pull in and hook up or just want a few days near a playground I have found many sites and ideas to boondock in Arizon and New Mexico but Texas and Florida not so much and to be honest haven't planned much further then that yet.

Sorry we will miss the rally in May but maybe next time For now we have a home base in British Columbia and have just upgraded from a camper so we are excited what our future traveling time will bring...who knows we may be full timers sooner then we think

Looking forward to connecting with you all...happy travels!

[Smokyroo]

Op;
I have been to your lovely BC a while back visiting Banff and Jasper National Parks or are those in Alberta?

Anyway, we have been camping with our kids since they could crawl and boondocking it many nights along the way. Well we went to a family reunion on my wife's side in southern Ohio and our daughter was 4 months old when we camped in the Monongahelia National Forest at Seneca Rocks in West Virginia in our 4 person Eureka tent. It rained alot, but we had the time of our lives, kind of miss those simple days of camping, new parents and all but I digress.

Florida, well that is my birthplace and spent 38 years there camping throughout the state. Florida's state parks are awesome to say the least and boondocking there is not an issue unless you want to. Florida has Everglades National Park, the Ocala National Forest, the Osceola National Forest and the Appalachicola National Forest, all offer great boondocking camping. I have seen the campgrounds in the Osceola but not stayed there. Perhaps the nicest are in the Ocala with Juniper Springs and Alexander Springs being really great. It is very pretty there with the crystal clear 72 degree spring fed swimming areas. It is also a great place to rent a canoe or bring your own sea kayak to paddle. The rivers are spectacular with their crystal clear waters and the wildlife including alligators.

i dont know of any blogs to send your way, but I can pass on this. Kids are natural explorers of the outdoors and love them. My kids are now almost 10, 12 (he is disabled and blind) and 15 year old daughter going on 25! They all love to camp and my daughter seems to come back to reality when she is outside away from the computer, FB and here social network of friends . We are a go go and go some more family be it hiking, biking, paddling a kayak or spending the day on our boat. If you have some specific questions about boondocking with the kids I will be happy to give you some tips. If we can boondock with our special needs son, then almost certianly anybody can. If you have more questions about camping in the Sunshine State, PM me and I will share what I can. We head to Florida here in 4 weeks for the kids spring break...camping in our Roo at Blue Spring State Park near Deland and outside of the Orlando area on the mighty St. Johns River...

[operationexplorations]

We have only "camped" here in BC with our tent before, then camper when the girls joined us and now we are moving on to the trailer I had no idea that what we love to do is actually called boondocking or dry camping until recently. There will be times when we will want to stay in regular rv sites I am sure but we are great with staying off the grid as well. It's so peaceful!

Since we will be moving around alot on our journey we are trying to boondock as much as possible to cut down on costs since we plan to tour more then stay in the rv site. We want to have more money to spend on outings and visiting places then where we sleep. Partly to save money but more so to enjoy more activities with the girls. They are right at home with a beach or a pile of dirt to play in or a forest to explore. No worries about keeping them entertained. I'll go send you a message now. Thanks for the offer

[F and E Damp]

It's good to see younger folks getting into the lifestyle. We started out when our kids were pre-teens with a big Sears external frame tent. Di that for a couple of seasons, but fiund the set-up and tear-down were a huge hassle, particularly set up on a wet, dark very windy night on the Olympic Peninsula. As the kids go older, they lost interest and started into soccer and Girl Scouts, so we only used the tent in GS campouts.

After they'd all left home, we got back into the RV lifestyle with a major mistake. We bought a cheap 1985 Class C to "see if we liked it". Hated the rig with a passion. We sold it after two seasons and waited 6 years before getting back into things.

We bought the rig in our signature panel fron the original owners, who had to give it up for medical reasons. A real shame for them, but a wonderful opportunity for us.

So far we love it. Last season, we did 19 days out, 2000 miles and had a ball. We may have to stay more than one night per CG this season because of the cost of gasoline, but we're still going out there!

[rick_h]

Whereabouts are you going in Ontario? If you are going through Grey/Bruce counties. I have some idea's of good places to camp - things to see etc. Message here or PM if you like.

Enjoy,

Rick H

[Glenn5995]

to the forum and congratulations on the purchase of your camper. That is quite the trip you have planned! WOW! Very exciting. I hope it all goes well for you. There is plenty of camping in Arizona. Happy camping and safe traveling.

White Mountains in Apache National Forest of Arizona: