Boondocking communities other than Q and Slabs?

[Naio]

I just read yesterday about the ad hoc boondocking communities that spring up near Borrego Springs and South Temple Wash / Goblins.

Now I am wondering what else is out there! Do you folks know of any that you want to share?

[NinerBikes]

I tend to prefer Plomosa Road, it's further north out of town. YMMV.

[PatrickA51]

Mello Mike wrote:
Agree with others about Scadden Wash. It's remote enough yet close enough to the Big Tent Show and Shopping though I prefer Dome Rock and Roadrunner Wash more because they're a bit further away from the crowds.

Mike
Roadrunner is one of our favorite spots to go.

[Mello_Mike]

Agree with others about Scadden Wash. It's remote enough yet close enough to the Big Tent Show and Shopping though I prefer Dome Rock and Roadrunner Wash more because they're a bit further away from the crowds.

[Naio]

pnichols wrote:
Naio,

Sorry .... when you mentioned "ad hoc boondocking communities" in your original note, I thought you meant areas for maybe living in your rig for weeks or months at a time anytime of the year.

Thanks for the fan recommend! I amlooking at 12v now that I will have a kitty I need to keep cool inside when I am away from the van.

I guess I am interested in two things! Places I myself might want to go, which could be any time if year but I would choose location based on weather (no summers in the heat; no winters in the cold) -- and also just an intellectual interest in what kinds of lives people are creating for themselves, and in what kinds of locations.

[catkins]

Scadden Wash is an easy bike rode to the grocery store if you park as indicated. Q dry camping areas allow you to be close to town or to move quite far away from town and people. Lots of choices in the area for camping. Two grocery stores are both small but getting better each year. Two different dollar stores also have quite a few basic groceries available as well.

[pnichols]

Naio,

Sorry .... when you mentioned "ad hoc boondocking communities" in your original note, I thought you meant areas for maybe living in your rig for weeks or months at a time anytime of the year.

As you know, the Southwest can get very uncomfortable for non-hookup RV's from around April through September. We have to use our A/C a lot for summer camping in the Southwest, which can require long generator runs when boondocking.

Sometimes we can get by with sitting outside under the awning and having this excellent 12 volt fan blowing directly on us. We have a 12 volt extension cord for it that plugs into a 12 volt receptacle in the outside entertainment center. This fan blows up a real good breeze (3 speeds) while just sipping the battery power - so it's great inside or outside the RV in moderately warm weather to reduce A/C use when boondocking . I have even used the EX650 to power this fan (while at the same time charging the batteries) when sitting outside in warm weather:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/fan-tastic-endless-breeze-12v-fan/38132

[MrWizard]

no..
we were in Q for the big show in Jan
ran the heater at night,

last year we did run the A/c a little in late afternoon

generally the weather is mild

a few years back (we werent there) people said it was cold and wet

[Naio]

Sorry pnichols, I missed your post until now.

I was looking at maybe visiting these places midwinter. Is it that hot in December and January?

[pnichols]

Naio,

Some of those "drycamping cheap" spots being talked about above can have daytime temps in the triple digits several months of the year.

I'm curious, how would you plan on keeping the inside of your RV, or anyplace around it outside, cool enough to exist during those times? (We just drycamped on Antelope Island and had to run our generator and air conditioner during the afternoon or sit outside in the shade and cook - and it was only in the low 90's.)

[Naio]

Thank you so much, 2gypsies, for the detailed info!

[2gypsies1]

No, I'm not kidding. 🙂 Scadden Wash is a huge area. If you get off I-10 at Exit 19, turn south and get on the south frontage road. Scadden runs all along that frontage road. You'll come to a deadend and you could turn right onto the gravel road and you'll see RVers for miles.

For your purpose of getting to the grocery on a bike, park at the farthest west spot as soon as you get to the frontage road for the shortest trip into town.

There are two groceries in Q. The closest to you would be around the intersection of I-10/Exit 19 and north a little.

Here are sites that gives information on Q along with other BLM spots in the area. There are many more if you Google Quartzsite.

Quartzsite Information

More On Quartzsite

[Naio]

2gypsies wrote:

Naio wrote:


But how would I get groceries on a bike? I thought the nearest town was an hour away or something?

If you boondocked at Scadden Wash area just south of I-10 the grocery is a mile or so away. Quartzsite is nothing like the Slabs. It's upscale! 🙂

Well I sure had that all wrong! Thank you :).

Unless you are kidding...

[2gypsies1]

Naio wrote:


But how would I get groceries on a bike? I thought the nearest town was an hour away or something?

If you boondocked at Scadden Wash area just south of I-10 the grocery is a mile or so away. Quartzsite is nothing like the Slabs. It's upscale! 🙂

[Naio]

Thanks everybody for the areas to research, and blogs to check out!

That's interesting about Q. I knew Slabs people were pretty broke, but I had the impression Q was similar (but less lawless).

But how would I get groceries on a bike? I thought the nearest town was an hour away or something?