Ridiculously extreme boondocking tips
If you have both unlimited power and water, stop reading -- you don’t need these tips. And if you are still reading, you already know the obvious things -- switch to LED lights, use paper plates ...
Forum Discussion
I started reading this thread with great interest as I love to boondock. Plus, even when we do have to use campgrounds, a lot of time we don't use any of the facilities or hookups. Don't have a generator, solar or extra water. Though I do live in the east which makes true boondocking in the wild a bit harder but have found a few gems.
With an 18 gal water tank, the DW and I can go out for 10 days and still have several gallons on board, never dumped our meager 13 gal black tank nor the 11 gal gray tank. And the black tank also holds the shower water.
Only time we use the water heater is on the rare occasion we take a shower.
1) Sponge bath and wipes. Use a pot on the stove to heat up the little water I need. No wasted water waiting on hot water.
2) If I cook something in a pan, once I take it out I add a little cold water. The residue heat in the pan heats the water up enough for soaking a paper towel which I use to wash any dishes.
Electrically, only have a small group 27 battery and can make it last two days in winter and 5 days if not using the heater.
1) Use flannel sheets. Have found they are good for at least 10* lower inside temperature.
2) We use a heavy 20* over size sleeping bag over the top of our blankets. Good for another 20* or so.
3) Sleep with socks on. One of the hardest things to keep warm at night are your feet. If you can keep them warm, then the rest of the body can handle a bit cooler temps.
4) Sleep with someone. DW and I don't cuddle, but have found with both us under the covers and in the flannel sheets we can let the inside go down to about 50* at night (and I get cold easy). Have found when DW travels with me, it's good for about 10*-15*. The lower the temp, the less the furnace runs.
5) I couldn't afford to change all my lights over to LEDs so I figured out which ones I use the most and changed those. This was the one over the dinette, inside the bathroom, over the sink, and in the bed.
I do the cooking and usually clean up when camping. I enjoy it but don't have the time when home so it's both a treat for me and break for DW. I got tired of spending so much time running in/out when cooking things on the grill. So I removed the upper rack in the portable grill to make room for the vegetable cans. I rinse the vegetables, remove the paper labeling, and then just sit the can on the grill next to the meat I'm cooking. As long as there is a bit of water in the bottom, the vegetable won't burn. Now it's one trip out, cook the meal, then one trip back in with the dishes.
Sure that's more than enough - besides time to go camping. :)
With an 18 gal water tank, the DW and I can go out for 10 days and still have several gallons on board, never dumped our meager 13 gal black tank nor the 11 gal gray tank. And the black tank also holds the shower water.
Only time we use the water heater is on the rare occasion we take a shower.
1) Sponge bath and wipes. Use a pot on the stove to heat up the little water I need. No wasted water waiting on hot water.
2) If I cook something in a pan, once I take it out I add a little cold water. The residue heat in the pan heats the water up enough for soaking a paper towel which I use to wash any dishes.
Electrically, only have a small group 27 battery and can make it last two days in winter and 5 days if not using the heater.
1) Use flannel sheets. Have found they are good for at least 10* lower inside temperature.
2) We use a heavy 20* over size sleeping bag over the top of our blankets. Good for another 20* or so.
3) Sleep with socks on. One of the hardest things to keep warm at night are your feet. If you can keep them warm, then the rest of the body can handle a bit cooler temps.
4) Sleep with someone. DW and I don't cuddle, but have found with both us under the covers and in the flannel sheets we can let the inside go down to about 50* at night (and I get cold easy). Have found when DW travels with me, it's good for about 10*-15*. The lower the temp, the less the furnace runs.
5) I couldn't afford to change all my lights over to LEDs so I figured out which ones I use the most and changed those. This was the one over the dinette, inside the bathroom, over the sink, and in the bed.
I do the cooking and usually clean up when camping. I enjoy it but don't have the time when home so it's both a treat for me and break for DW. I got tired of spending so much time running in/out when cooking things on the grill. So I removed the upper rack in the portable grill to make room for the vegetable cans. I rinse the vegetables, remove the paper labeling, and then just sit the can on the grill next to the meat I'm cooking. As long as there is a bit of water in the bottom, the vegetable won't burn. Now it's one trip out, cook the meal, then one trip back in with the dishes.
Sure that's more than enough - besides time to go camping. :)
