Typical Days In The Life Of Boondocking Snowbirds

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Every day necessity stuff aside, like cleaning, shopping, cooking, banking, paying bills, rig cleaning, refuelling etc, and reading, crafting, hiking, biking, geocaching, ATVing aside, we are curious how your typical days become fulfilled, when spending 6 months south every year for the kinder climates in boon docking locations such as NFS lands, BLM lands etc.

How long do you stay in one particular location during the winter months typically? Such as Quartzite, Imperial Dam and so on?

Do you continually tend to go back to the same locations or do you try a different area each year and if so for how long typically in one specific location? The whole season in one spot or a month here and there or a week or two max at a time?

Are your reasons for boon docking due to financial considerations/budgets moreso than lifestyle or otherwise?

Hubby and I are trying to envisage on a day to day basis potentially what our lives might look like aside from the obvious, and how we can ensure we keep the sparkle of a very long dream alive as it all unfolds.

Besides the obvious financial benefits, the main reason we prefer to boondock as opposed to being in CGs is the lure of spaciousness around us and the opportunity to see wildlife in it's natural state. However, with that said and done we can appreciate too much of any good thing can turn stale over time, and a change can be as good as a rest. Bearing that in mind we have discussed the possibility of spending a few days/week here and there in a resort setting provided we know we would make use of the full facilities.

Thanks for sharing a look through the window into your general every day lives having gone ahead of us.

FTW

[mtdew999]

We also take our agricultural business "on the road", attending trade shows and even competitions for our products, planning for the growing season in the off season - we are the kind of people who would never be happy fully retired. We also do a lot of volunteer work when we're "home" and do a lot of planning while on the road - thankful for wifi and laptops.

[mtdew999]

Relatively new hobby for my partner and I; RC Airplanes. We aren't full timers - yet, still farming half the year. Lots of wide open space to fly, abandoned air strips, dry lake beds. RC Simulator on the big screen when it rains. Big shop to build them in at home, nice enclosed trailer to haul along a shop on the road. Endless possibilities.

[Naio]

I don't know if this is just because I have a van and not a real rv, but I feel like the daily life stuff (cooking, etc.) takes more time when I am camping.

I also read a lot of books, and internet 🙂

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

Thanks so much for your replies based on how you do/did it 🙂 Interesting that most seem to be like us, not wishing to just go to one place and anchor in for weeks/month at a time for the most part. Of course we realize that over time we could change our outlook based on too much of a good thing, establishing relationships (hopefully!!!) and that chronological calendar none of us can avoid.

Obviously we are tempted, from a stretching the budget further and longer point of view to purchase the $180 for 6 month BLM passes for AZ dessert areas, but we are just not convinced in ourselves that we could handle spending even half that amount of time in just one place. Guess the itchy feet, kid in a candy store thoughts come to mind.

Would love to hear a few more folks responses, when you can and thanks again to those that have shared a glimpse through your windows for us.

FTW.

[Gjac]

In 11 years of retirement camping I find myself doing 3 routines. Travel camping, going cross country, Canada, Alaska, snow birding, will search out NF, SP,COE, NP or other remote CGs and stay from 1-4 days and explore surrounding area with the tow car. I have never stayed more than 7 days in one spot. Fishing camping, where I go locally for a couple of days either by myself or a friend. And family camping where we will travel maybe in a 300 mile radius from the house and camp for a week. 95% of our camping is dry camping. Batteries last 7 days before getting down to 50% SOC, FW last 7 days(60 gals) and clothes and bedding must be washed after 7 days. When traveling I stop at a FHU CG every 7 days with laundry so we can do laundry,recharge the batteries,and get FW. I find myself wanting to move on after 4 or 5 days unless there is a lot to see in the area. Quartzite was interesting but after a week I wanted to move on I would not stay there for the whole winter. To answer your second question is I don't do this for financial reasons it is just the way I like to camp. I would not own a MH if I had to stay in RV parks. To answer your other question I don't return to the same places year after year I try to got to new places when traveling. The only place I would like to return to would be Alaska but It would be more of a fishing trip and less off a sight seeing trip.

[Cloud_Dancer]

I like to play "mountain man", in my motorhome (towing the 4x4 Envoy), for about 3 days. Then, life becomes too hard, and I go where the living is easy. It begs the question, how did the pioneers do it?

[rockhillmanor]

Started out moving all over and then eventually like most we find a place we really like and tend to gravitate there every year.

[corvettekent]

We are in a RV park tonight that is $40 a day (we have a PA discount so it is $20). Tomorrow we are headed to Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA. It is free so we will be there for two weeks. Then to Quartzite, Lake Havasu, Yuma, and a few other places that we have not thought of yet. Last year we were gone for 105 days and 55 of those days we were unplugged and most of the days that we were plugged in we got a discount. We do stay busy by geocaching and the wife like to rock hound.

[2gypsies1]

FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:
Every day necessity stuff aside, like cleaning, shopping, cooking, banking, paying bills, rig cleaning, refuelling etc, and reading, crafting, hiking, biking, geocaching, ATVing aside, we are curious how your typical days become fulfilled, when spending 6 months south every year for the kinder climates in boon docking locations such as NFS lands, BLM lands etc.

Well, after you do all you mentioned there won't be much free time left!

How do you spend time in your house back home? It's no different than living in a RV. You can do the same things - except shovel snow or cut grass.

When we full-timed we loved to boondock for 10-14 days or until our water ran out and holding tanks were full. By that time, for us, it was time to move to another spot and explore a new area. We could never sit in one place for 6m. However, everyone is different. You'll get the hang of it. Good luck!