During our many snowbird winters, we have found ourselves exploring the US SouthWest desert area. We’ve discovered there are many beautiful and free or very cheap places to dry camp (AKA Boondock). We love the awesome scenery, wide-open spaces, and have each year embraced boondocking more and more.
Here is an archive of all my boondocking related articles with many containing video clips. Some are howtos, tips and tricks, and reviews. Others are detailing the many gorgeous camp spots we have enjoyed.
Oregon to California – 4 Free Overnight Stops (Snowbird Trip Update)
In this video, I show you our path south from Astoria, Oregon all the way south to California, near Sacramento. During the 652 miles (1049 km) of travel south, we…
Lithium RV Battery Review – Lion Energy Safari UT
In this video, I conclude my initial review of my new Lion Energy Safari UT 1200 lithium batteries. I have 3 of their 12V 90Ah batteries wired in parallel to…
Remote Solar Power Disconnect Switch Installation
In this video, I install a remote disconnect switch for my 500-watt solar panel array. I wanted a solar disconnect switch so I can manually disconnect the charging current to…
Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station Review
Recently I was offered for review one of Jackery’s newest off-grid products. The Explorer 500 portable power station. The product looked pretty sweet and boasted decent power capacity via a…
Lion Energy Safari UT Lithium Battery Q & A
Now that I have installed and begun my review of the Lion Energy Safari UT lithium iron phosphate (LIFePO4) battery, there have been quite a few questions popping up from…
Upgrading Lead Acid RV Batteries to Lithium – Lion Energy Safari UT
In this first video, I introduce you to Lion Energy’s Safari UT battery that I will be installing in our Cougar fifth-wheel trailer. The Safari UT is a 12V 90AH…
Tips for Keeping the RV Cool Without AC
Introduction We do a bunch of boondocking on BLM and Forestry lands and dry camping in National, State and County parks. Because of this we often find ourselves without electrical…
Lensun SG510 Solar Generator Review
About four years ago I reviewed a small so-called “solar generator” power box called a Renogy Firefly. The Firefly had meager power output and a small 16 amp hour battery…
Camping in the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge in Arizona
In this video, I provide an overview and footage from our recent stay in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is located in southern Arizona about 60 miles…
What Do We Power With 500 Watts of RV Solar?
In this video, I give a quick overview of our 500 watts RV solar power system. You can see the full detail explanation and diagrams in the past post and…
Pack Rats (aka Wood Rats) RVing Tip
When I first started boondocking in the US southwest desert regions, I would sometimes see other campers with their vehicle hood left open. I didn’t pay much attention to it…
Squeaky Dirty FanTastic Fan – Cleaning and Lube Attempt
A little over 4 years ago I installed a 12 VDC FanTastic RV roof vent fan in the main living area of our Keystone Cougar trailer. I installed it mainly…
Morning Hike Saddle Mountain, AZ – Petroglyphs, Cactus and Sweeping Views
In this video, I take you along on a morning hike to find some ancient petroglyphs located at the base of Saddle Mountain near Tonopah, Arizona. It’s January 11th, sunny…
Aquatank II Water Storage Bladder – Unpack and Demo
In this video, I unpack and test out my new Aquatank 2 water storage bladder. It has been on my boondocking wishlist for a while now. This Christmas Anne surprised…
Top 10 Southwest RV Boondocking Questions Asked
My wife Anne and I both adore visiting the US southwest desert region each winter. We love the snowbird lifestyle enjoying the plentiful sunshine, warm temps and meeting up with…
Testing the Instant Pot DUO Mini and It’s Boondocking Power Draw
For a while now I’ve heard hear folks rave about an RV kitchen gadget called the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot appliance is an all in one multicooker. It’s mainly…
3200 Watt Energizer Portable Inverter Generator Review (Model eZV3200P)
When we started RVing full-time seven years ago, I knew we would like the ability to camp off the grid. For ten years before purchasing our Cougar fifth wheel, we…
Beautiful Beachfront RVing on the Southern Oregon Coast
As we hit the home stretch of our 2017/18 snowbird adventure, we found ourselves on southern Oregon coast in the town of Brookings. We’ve driven through Brookings numerous times on previous trips,…
California Desert to Coast (2017/18 Snowbird Trip Update)
In this video, we travel from the Mojave desert of southern California north through the Great Central Valley and west over the coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean near Redwood…
Testing and Equalizing My RVs 4 Golf Cart Battery Bank
Back in the summer of 2015, I published a post and video detailing how I test and maintain my RV batteries. I have the cheaper “wet cell type” golf cart…
RV Dump Station Tip to Maximize Tank Capacity
Looking to get maximum tank capacity for that next boondocking adventure? Make sure the RV is level or even tilted towards the dump station. It’s amazing how much waste can…
Slice of RV Boondocking Life – Plus Cute Goats and a Majestic Turkey
Continuing my 2017/2018 snowbird trip videos, a little slice of our RV boondocker life. In this video, I take you along as we head from our recent boondocking location to…
Boondocking Near Ajo AZ Hunting for a Super Bloody Blue Moon
Last year about this time found us boondocked along the Ajo Scenic Loop Drive near the town of Ajo, Arizona. Not far from the famous Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument…
Beautiful Saddle Mountain BLM Dispersed Camping Near Tonopah AZ
After another enjoyable visit to the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, we headed east down Interstate 10 around 100 miles to another free 14 day BLM camping location called Saddle Mountain. Last year…
Ogilby and Cibola BLM Campsites and Birds Birds Birds!
In this video, I update you on the last few weeks of our South Western snowbird trip. I show our free BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campsites at Ogilby Road…
Love Your RV! Top 10 Scenic Campsites Visited in 2017
Both Anne and I love to camp in scenic places. I like to look out the RV back window or from my camp chair and gaze at natures beauty. Since…
Clearsource RV Water Filter Review and Install Mod
I was contacted recently by an RV water filter system manufacturer called Clearsource. Being a newcomer to the market, they were looking for feedback on their RV water filter system. I headed…
Replacing Damaged Portable Solar Panel Plus New Mounting
Last year I reviewed a flexible type solar panel for a company called Lensun. In exchange for the review, I received the 100-watt panel and controller free of charge. But,…
Installed a Catastrophic Fuse on My RV Battery Bank
Over the years as my boondocking power system has evolved I’ve tried to make sure things are safe. I’ve installed fuses or breakers on each non-grounded wire run. A little…
RV Water Heater Temperature Monitor Tip for Dry Camping
I’ve seen this tip or variations of it on several RV forums and blogs over the years. You use a remote oven or BBQ thermometer to keep track of the…