From a 2 Bedroom Townhouse to Boondocking in an RV in 1 Year
In 2014 we decided to buy an RV, shortly after we bought a truck, got rid of everything we owned, loaded up the motorcycle and started a trip across the country that lasted nearly a year. Now in 2016, we’ve decided to start boondocking and we’re loving it!
I am pretty sure that if you full-time in an RV, this has crossed your mind a few times. To already be so liberated and travel the country.
The next best thing is to be completely disconnect from everything. The only water we have is what we put in the RV and the only power for us until we get solar panels is a cord to a single outlet with 20amps.
Now for those of you who have questions about boondocking. This is the blog to get a few of those questions answered. Since we have been boondocking for the last month we think now is a good time to share what we have learned and what we had to change in habit and convenience. But over all we have some pretty amazing things to share with you.
1). We were very lucky to find a friend who agreed to let us rent an acre and a half of land.
They were telling us how they weren’t using the land anymore. So of course we asked if we could use the land. This is the best tip we can give you if you want to live on land but not own it. Just ask around.
You will find your happy piece of land sooner or later.
2). We are not fully disconnected.
We do however plan on getting solar panels to be even more disconnected. In the mean time we are hooked to a outlet that runs on 20 amp. this is new for us since we are used to 30 amps but we have learned ways to manage with 20. Examples: we turn the fridge off while we use the microwave, or the heater, and we can’t have every light on in the RV, but who would in the first place ha.
3). Water tanks and how we will be disposing of the waste.
We will be filling the water tank as often as needed and use the pump to access water through our RV. This is a change for us but we use a lot less water which is great! As for the black and gray water tanks, we bought a smart tote which is a portable tank that you put your waste in to take to a dump.
4). A large concern we had was being out in the open, exposed to wind and rain with no trees or protection.
That has gone right out the window. In a matter of a week and a half we have had really windy days and a very stormy night. We could of course feel the wind and hear the rain but it had generally no impact on the RV itself. Of course we are taking precautions and are always prepared to the worst. A good thing is that Raleigh Oaks RV Resort had extremely high winds and lots of rain, so this is nothing compared to back in North Carolina.
Note to others, if you are located in the grass, wood blocks are your friend when the ground is soft. Second, invest in an outdoor mat or cement/brick patio. Since the ground will be wet and you probably do not have an actual cement lot to park. Those simple things will make those rainy days a whole lot better for you and your RV.
By the way, Teddy LOVES the field!
5). With all that said we have yet to say anything bad about our decision to boondock.
We are surrounded by horses, goats, chickens, and mountains, what more could we ask for. We hope this helps any decisions/thoughts you may have about unplugging and living free!
Leave a comment