cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Straying from your Boondocking Site

katet78
Explorer
Explorer
What do all of you who boondock in motorhomes do when you stray from your site? How do you keep new boondockers from driving in and taking your site while your rig is gone? For example, say you wanted to drive down to the lake to fish, or sightsee, or run to the dump station, etc., your rig is obviously away from your boondocking site (unless you have the luxury of a TOAD) and so how do you "mark" that you will be returning so no one else takes your spot?
2013 Spree Escape 243S
2013 Ram 1500 Hemi
2 camp cruiser bikes
1 140 pound camper guard (Saint Bernard, the King of the Camper)
1 90 pound camper guard in training (Puppy Saint Bernard)
27 REPLIES 27

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
We don't need no stinking targets. And it would be Jimbob not Jim and Bob.
Puma 30RKSS

avoidcrowds
Explorer
Explorer
We were camping way off the beaten path, but still in a network of Forest Service roads about 20 miles from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon this August. Dark, campfire going, and here comes a car up the "lane" back to where we were camped. They drove to the end of the "lane", about 50' away from us, and proceeded to set up their tent.

I wanted to go ask why they couldn't have stopped closer to the FS road, instead of setting up by us, but DW didn't want me to confront them. It turned out to be a couple in their 20s, based on the walking in front of their headlights while they set up the tent. I attributed their presence to either being young and oblivious, or they had a long, tough day, and were through driving.

But, they left before I finished cooking breakfast in the morning, so it wasn't too bad. Irritating, but short-lived.
2017.5 Lance 1995
2017 F150 EcoBoost, Max Tow
Most camping off-road

dave54
Nomad
Nomad
DownTheAvenue wrote:
I bought yellow "caution" tape that I string up at the entrance to the site. It appears as though the site has been closed, and people just go on to another site.


How about 'Crime Scene Do Not Enter' tape? Or 'Hazardous Material' with a radiation symbol?
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
So many campsites, so little time...
~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~

jefe_4x4
Explorer
Explorer
I'm still partial to leaving a sousaphone installed on an old lawn chair.
jefe
'01.5 Dodge 2500 4x4, CTD, Qcab, SB, NV5600, 241HD, 4.10's, Dana 70/TruTrac; Dana 80/ TruTrac, Spintec hub conversion, H.D. susp, 315/75R16's on 7.5" and 10" wide steel wheels, Vulcan big line, Warn M15K winch '98 Lance Lite 165s, 8' 6" X-cab, 200w Solar

DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Explorer
I bought yellow "caution" tape that I string up at the entrance to the site. It appears as though the site has been closed, and people just go on to another site.

Muddydogs
Explorer
Explorer
rexlion wrote:
Leave a sign that says, "Hey Jim and Bob, we just went to buy more ammo and targets. See you by suppertime."


Well that was nice of you, I'm Jim but he's not Bob and we brought plenty of my own bullets and lots of beer so once we empty the beer cans we will have targets. See ya when you get back.
2015 Eclipse Iconic Toy Hauler made by Eclipse Manufacturing which is a pile of junk. If you want to know more just ask and I'll tell you about cracked frames, loose tin, walls falling off, bad holding tanks and very poor customer service.

BoonHauler
Explorer
Explorer
Tom N wrote:
If you leave the free site it is up for grabs.


I would tend to support this kind of thinking and act accordingly.
05 RAM 3500 CTD 4x4 Q/C Laramie DRW/NV5600/3.73, B&W Gooseneck, MaxBrake, PacBrake PRXB, Brite Box Fogster, BD steering Box Brace
2014 BoonHauler 3614

BoonHauler
Explorer
Explorer
rexlion wrote:
Leave a sign that says, "Hey Jim and Bob, we just went to buy more ammo and targets. See you by suppertime."


Now that's FUNNY!! .... LOL!!
05 RAM 3500 CTD 4x4 Q/C Laramie DRW/NV5600/3.73, B&W Gooseneck, MaxBrake, PacBrake PRXB, Brite Box Fogster, BD steering Box Brace
2014 BoonHauler 3614

rexlion
Explorer
Explorer
Leave a sign that says, "Hey Jim and Bob, we just went to buy more ammo and targets. See you by suppertime."
Mike G.
Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one's thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. --Frederick Douglass
photo: Yosemite Valley view from Taft Point

B_GAGE
Explorer
Explorer
We have an inexpensive tent that we set up to get stuff out of the back seat of the truck or off the floor of the camper. If we leave to dump or get water, we leave the tent set up so it looks like the area is occupied.
Bill & Donna

2004 Arctic Fox 22GQ, Loaded
2003 Dodge 2500, Quad Cab, 4X4, CTD 5 Speed
2015 Ram 3500 Limited, Crew Cab, CTD, Aisin
2017 Wolfcreek 840, Loaded

Naio
Explorer II
Explorer II
GordonThree wrote:
Naio wrote:
Since pioneer times, the rule of thumb in the west has been that you keep moving until you cannot see the neighbor's woodsmoke.



I'm not sure where you boondock, but smoke can be seen for tens of miles around here. Out west, it's probably even further given the terrain. I'd run out of public land before finding another spot using smoke visibility as a ruler.



Yeah, you kind of need trees for that rule B) Didn't Michigan used to have trees?
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

Tiger4x4RV
Nomad
Nomad
I never leave anything. If I return and the space is open, then it is my lucky day. Usually, I do not even try to return.
2006 Tiger CX 4x4, 8.1 L gas V-8, Allison 6-speed

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
Naio wrote:
Since pioneer times, the rule of thumb in the west has been that you keep moving until you cannot see the neighbor's woodsmoke.



I'm not sure where you boondock, but smoke can be seen for tens of miles around here. Out west, it's probably even further given the terrain. I'd run out of public land before finding another spot using smoke visibility as a ruler.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

Naio
Explorer II
Explorer II
Since pioneer times, the rule of thumb in the west has been that you keep moving until you cannot see the neighbor's woodsmoke.

Nowdays we get annoyed by tourists who don't know the rule. I'm sure Indian people felt the same way when the pioneers broke THEIR traditional rules.

I think the modern version is that you should either 1) Go where you cannot see their rig, or 2) Stop and ask if they mind. Give them a chance to tell you about the better spot just up the road, or that they are about to be joined by 50 close, rowdy friends B)
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.