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Boondocking at Big Bend National Park – Cheap & Scenic RV Camping

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How to “Boondock” at Big Bend National Park

Big Bend in Texas is an unusual park in the National Park System because they offer a few inexpensive RV dry camping sites scattered about the park grounds. It isn’t really “boondocking” like you’d find on other government public land managed by the US National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. However, it is a very inexpensive and scenic alternative to staying in a conventional RV park or campground. For first-time boondockers, it can offer a great introduction to dry camping amid nature and solitude in your RV.

Big Bend National Park assigns these campsites on a first-come first-serve basis, as if the entire National Park were one huge campground. The sites that are big enough for large RVs are very few and are tightly controlled, and the system for obtaining a “Backcountry Camping Permit” to stay in one can be confusing. Here is what we learned about the system when we took part in it a few years back.

RV Boondocking and camping in Big Bend National Park Texas

“Boondocking” at Big Bend National Park

All five of the Visitors Centers in the park have computer access to a database of dispersed campsites throughout the park. You can obtain a permit and reserve a site in person from a ranger at one of these Visitors Centers 24 hours ahead of your stay. The permit is $10 and you can reserve up to 14 consecutive nights in specific campsites on a single permit, reserving as many different sites as you like and as are available.

An important point is that the permit is good only for the actual nights and sites you reserve through the ranger when you purchase the permit. If you want to extend your stay or change your campsite after you buy your permit, you have to cancel the remaining nights on your permit and buy a new one. Also, you can’t obtain a permit to reserve a site without appearing at a Visitors Center in person.

As a courtesy to other campers: if you don’t use all the nights on your permit (the weather might turn and send you scurrying, as it did to us), be sure to cancel the remaining nights on your permit by stopping in at the Visitors Center or calling them. Otherwise, the site will sit vacant while other RVers are wishing they could use it.

Big Bend National Park Texas RV boondocking_

“Boondocking” at Big Bend National Park

Many RVers have small driveable rigs and there is no evidence they are using a site during the day while they are out hiking, so unless you tell the Park Service you are vacating your site, they will have no way of knowing that you left early.

Our Experience Getting a Permit

From what we observed, there is one computer at each Visitors Center that has access to the backcountry camping permit database, so a line for permits forms during popular times. We stood in line at the Panther Junction Visitors Center in the middle of the park for 30 minutes on a Saturday morning when the weather for the next few days was predicted to be sunny and in the high 70’s.

The other people in line were primarily backpackers and car/tent campers getting permits either to do extended overnight hikes across the park or to camp in remote dispersed campsites we could never reach with our truck and trailer. We were the only RVers in line waiting for a site big enough for a big rig.

Each person spent about 5 minutes with the ranger, first reviewing the map of the National Park to pick out a campsite and to learn from the ranger what the site was like, and then filling out the permit application, and lastly listening to the ranger read the camping rules aloud.

Big Bend National Park RV camping and boondocking in Texas_

Hannold Draw

When our turn came, we were advised against staying in a particular site that we later found out would have been perfectly fine. However, an RVer had complained at one time that the site was unlevel, so this particular ranger decided not to present that site as a viable option to other RVers with big rigs.

It is wise to study the National Park map (click here and go to “View Park Map” — the campsites are the light colored tents) and even to drive to the various dispersed campsites to assess whether or not your rig will fit and whether you might enjoy camping there. In general, rigs under 30-35 feet in total length end-to-end (hitched up) would fit in most sites along the main roads.

One of the rules that appears to be enforced is that you are not allowed to run a generator in backcountry camping sites. We overheard two rangers discussing a tent camper who had hidden a generator in his tent! If you don’t have solar power installed on your RV, a small portable solar power kit may be the way to go.

amping in Big Bend National Park in an RV in Texas

“Government Spring” site at Grapevine Hills

RV Camping Strategies at Big Bend

It is common to find that all the campsites are booked for the first few days after you arrive. So, plan to stay elsewhere at first and keep checking back until a site opens up.

The campground at Rio Grande Village on the far eastern end of the park has both full hookup sites that can be reserved online and dry camping sites that are first-come first-serve.

The other two campgrounds inside Big Bend National Park — Cottonwood, towards the southwest near the Santa Elena Canyon hike, and Chisos Campground, up in the mountains near the Lost Mine and Window Trail hikes (review of those hikes here) — have smaller sites that may not accommodate bigger rigs. However the Big Bend Resort & Adventures RV Park in Terlingua-Study Butte just outside the western boundary of the park offers full hookups and advanced reservations.

Each of the “boondocking” campsites we saw in Big Bend has pros and cons. One strategy for tackling Big Bend National Park with an RV is to spend a few days camped on the western side at Big Bend RV Adventures, a few days of “boondocking” in the dispersed campsites in the middle and a few days in Rio Grande Village at the eastern end of the park, as there are outstanding things to see and do in each of these locales. Camping near your planned activiites will cut way down on the commuter driving you do across the park!

For those with more rugged rigs, there are some fabulous sounding campsites that will get you deep into nature. We didn’t camp at or even see these locations, but friends with an Earth Roamer RV enjoyed some true backcountry camping experiences in their rig.

RV camping boondocking in Big Bend National Park Texas

Grapevine Hills

Summary of the Larger Backcountry RV Campsites in Big Bend:

Grapevine Hills

There are three campsites on this dirt road that goes 6 miles out to the Grapevine Hills hike with the balancing rock. The first is 0.3 miles in on the left side and is suitable for a big rig. This particular site is also known as “Government Spring” and can accommodate a big rig and a smaller one comfortably if friends are traveling together.

Campsites two and three are 3.7 miles down the road on the right hand side and they are essentially a double site. The views of the Chisos Mountains are lovely, however this is a very busy road with lots of people flying by at wild speeds to get to and from the hiking trail at the end, so it can be very dusty.

Paint Gap

There are three campsites on the first part of this dirt road. The first at 0.9 miles would be suitable for a rig of 35′ or less end-to-end. The second and third are 2.1 miles in and are good for a trailer of 25′ or so. We weren’t sure we could have squeezed our 36′ fiver in there. See the comment from Robin below who had a great time there with a 24′ travel trailer.

Croton Springs

There are two campsites in a huge open area at the end of this dirt road down about 0.5 miles. Probably 3 or 4 big RVs could fit if friends were traveling together. This is the site that one RVer apparently felt was too unlevel for a big rig, but when we drove down here we thought it would have been an awesome place to stay and just wished the ranger had mentioned it as an option.

K-Bar

This is a very rough dirt road that has a small site for a small trailer, van or truck camper at 1.1 miles. Further on, at 1.5 miles, there is a little more room, but it would take some jockeying for a big rig to get set up. See the comment below from Robin who said they loved the second site and got their 24′ travel trailer into it just fin!

Hannold Draw

This is a highway maintenance yard about 0.1 miles down a dirt road that has a huge site big enough for several RVs and even has a horse corral. The entrance is quite steep and we used 4×4 Low Gear to climb out. The enormous trash heaps are a little off-putting as you drive in (“Are we going camping in a junkyard?” we asked each other!), but there is a berm on the west side that provides wind protection (if it’s from the west), and the mountain view is beautiful.

Dust on the road camping in Big Bend Texas

Dust can be a problem at some sights (this is Grapevine Hills).

Notes

  • The busy seasons at Big Bend National Park are Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break in March.
  • There is water at the Panther Junction VIsitors Center (limit: 5 gallons per person per day)
  • There are RV dump stations at Big Bend Adventures RV Park outside the western boundary of the park and at Rio Grande Village at the eastern end of the park.
  • Cell phone and cellular based internet access is acceptable at the boondocking sites with a WiFi booster and antenna. WiFi is sometimes available at Rio Grande Village, however when we were there we heard it had been turned off because someone had been abusing the priviledge.

 

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Sharks and Snakes on the Beach in Florida!

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We’ve been enjoying the Florida’s Emerald Coast (on the Gulf Coast in the panhandle) for the past few days. This coast got it’s name because of the brilliant green water that laps the shores of the exquisite white sand beaches. As each wave curls over, the crystal clear water shimmers in vivid shades of green.

Emerald waves on Florida's Emerald Coast

Glistening aquamarine waves on Florida’s Emerald Coast.

I love beaches, and perhaps my favorite thing about them is that you never know what you’ll see when you go out for a stroll on the sand… We’ve seen little birds scampering along the edges of the waves, playing “catch me if you can” with the endless rollers.

Twin seagulls on a white sand Florida beach

Twins.

We’ve seen happy beach-goers sunning themselves on beach towels and relaxing under colorful umbrellas.

Couple with beach umbrella on Gulf of Mexico Florida

A nice spot to sit for a spell…!

But these images are all to be expected when you go to the beach. What a surprise it was to look up at one point and see a guy barelling down the road next to the beach on a unicycle!

Unicycle commute to work in Florida beach

What a great way to commute!

Beautiful girls in bikinis walking the beach are not a surprise to see, especially during Spring Break. But our eyes bugged out when two girls approached us with something strange looped around their necks.

Two girls with snakes on Florida Gulf coast beach

Is that what I think it is??

Wait, can I see that a little closer?

Python and bikini

Yikes!!

Holy Cow!! I didn’t know what to say when they told me they were taking their snakes for a walk.

701 Boa constrictor and bikini

He stuck his tongue out at me!

The lighter colored snake was an albino red tail boa constrictor that was just seven months old and would one day be 12 feet long (yikes!). The darker one was a python that was already full grown. Good heavenly days!!

Another day when we went down to the beach for sunset shots we saw a guy out fishing.

Fishing on a Gulf of Mexico beach in Florida

A fisherman tries his luck on the shore.

He seemed to have something on the line. And it seemed pretty big! But what could be that big? “A manta ray,” was the rumor I heard from his friends who were watching. They had all seen a huge manta ray earlier in the day.

Catching a big fish on a Florida beach

Wow… it looks like he’s got something!

But then we all noticed that dinstinctive dorsal fin. This fish was NOT a manta ray…

Shark fin in the water in northern Florida

Ummm… is that what I think it is??

The fisherman struggled to reel it in!

Fisherman pullling in a shark on a Florida beach

That fish does NOT want to end up on the beach.

Then he finally managed to bring it onto the beach.

Wow!

Fisherman pulls shark onto Florida beach

Got him — and no doubt, this is a SHARK!!

He worked really hard to get the hook out of the shark’s mouth. It took him several tries…

Removing a fishing hook from a shark in Florida

Getting the hook out of his mouth was a challenge.

But then he finally got the hook out and turned the shark to face out towards the open ocean. He didn’t have a tape measure, but he estimated the shark was a little over 7 feet long. Good grief! Mark had been swimming out there just a few hours earlier!!

Releasing a shark back into the Gulf of Mexico Florida

He’s aimed towards the open ocean and set free again.

And then the sun began to set with beautiful peach colored skies reflecting in the wet sand — another lovely sighting here on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Sunset on the beach in Florida

The end of another beautiful day in Florida

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Big Bend National Park – Mountain, River & Desert Hikes

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February, 2015 – Big Bend National Park in Texas has a really varied landscape. It is possible to go from a river habitat to a desert habitat to a mountain habitat without ever leaving the park! There are lots of hiking options in each of these terrains, and we enjoyed sampling the different locales, sticking to lower elevation hikes on cold days and higher elevation hikes on hot days.

The heart of the park is the Chisos Mountains, a range that juts up from the desert floor (down around 1,800 feet elevation), and soars to heights of over 7,800 feet. A quick walk out to an overlook gave us some beautiful views.

Overlook at Big Bend National Park Texas

An overlook in the Chisos Mountains.

We hiked the Window Trail one day, an easy 5.6 mile round trip hike from the central lodge. Because of the huge variations in elevation in this park, any mountain hike like this one is good for a warmer day.

Window Trail Hike in Big Bend National Park Texas

Beginning the Window Trail hike.

We expected to find a “window” somewhere along this hike. Descending a scenic dirt path, we were amazed when we suddenly found ourselves in a fun little canyon that was lined with large, flat and smooth rock that had been worn down over the ages by Oak Creek. The rangers have carved some really neat stairways through this part to make the hiking super easy.

Window Trail Hike Big Bend National Park Texas

Stairs make this hike even easier!

We were still on the lookout for that “window” as we made our way across the cool, shaded rocks. What we found, however, was not a window so much as vast opening in the canyon walls that peeked out at the desert floor in the distance. It was very dramatic — but quite slick too. Our intrepid RVing friend, Amanda, braved the slippery slope and went out for a closer look.

The Window on the Window Trail Hike in Big Bend

At last… a glimpse of the “window.”


The Santa Elena hike is down at the desert floor level of the park at the southwest end, and it follows the Rio Grande river into another stunning canyon. The scenic drive to get there warmed up our camera shutter fingers, and when we arrived at Santa Elena we found people out enjoying the warm sunshine on the banks of the river. Farmilies played on the edge of the water, and other folks kicked back for a little relaxation in the sun.

This 1.7 mile hike involves a lot of climbing, twisting and turning through a series of switchbacks at the beginning. At one switchback I noticed a beautiful glow coming from behind the rocks out on a ledge. I left the trail to go see what I could see, and soon found myself precariously tip-toeing along a steep rock face with the Rio Grande twinkling up at me from many feet below. I managed to get past the spooky part and found a huge rock overhang that was beautifully lit in the late afternoon light.

On the beach Santa Elena Canyon Big Bend Texas

Santa Elena Canyon has a beach in front of it!

Santa Elena Canyon Big Bend National Park Texas

A nice place to kick back and get some sun.

At Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend Texas

Views at the beginning of the hike

Light glowing under rocks in Big Bend National park Texas

Late afternoon light glowing behind a rock overhang lures me off the trail.

Once I got back on the trail, I realized I had totally lost track of Mark (and we’d forgotten to bring our trusty two-way radios…darn!). I kept asking hikers that were on the return trip if they had seen a guy in a gray shirt taking lots of photos. I got plenty of reassurances that he was ahead of me — and that all the climbing was well worth the views at the end!

Hikers descend on trail in Santa Elena Canyon Big Bend National Park Texas

Hikers returning down the trail ahead of me.

We had chosen to do this hike in the afternoon, and that turned out to be a great time to go, as the sun had finally penetrated the depths of the canyon. Photographers who were there in the morning said the light hadn’t been great — but the shade would be a welcome respite at a hotter time of year!

When I finally caught up with Mark, the trail was empty, and we were the only ones in the wonderful big open area at the end of the trail. Huge boulders begged to be climbed on, and a fabulous view between the lofty canyon walls opened up to the sunset-lit cliffs beyond.

Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon iin Big Bend Texas

The Rio Grande laps boulders on its way out the canyon.

Big Bend National Park looking into Santa Elena Canyon in Texas

Santa Elena Canyon

After enjoying the cool rock walls carved by creeks and canyons that we saw on the Window Trail and Santa Elena hikes, we then sampled a true desert hike out in abundant sunshine: the Grapevine Hills hike. This hike was at the desert floor altitude, but instead of finding ourselves surrounded by sheer rock cliffs that had been formed by a flowing river or stream, we passed through a wide open area that was rimmed with wonderful rock hoodoos.

The further we went on the trail, the more fun this hike became, as it twisted and turned its way into the rock hoodoos. This was like a kid’s playground. We scampered all over the rocks, feeling very much like kids, and at the end of the hike we found the signature rock formation — a balancing rock.

Balancing Rock Big Bend National Park Texas

The Balancing Rock at the end of the Grapevine Hills Hike.

Under the balancing rock in Big Bend National Park Texas

Looking through the balancing rock.

Grapevine Hills hike to Balancing Rock in Big Bend Texas

Having fun crawling around on the boulders.

Grapevine Hills Balancing Rock hike in Big Bend Texas

Nature in balance.

The wonderful thing about Big Bend National Park is that you can pick your destinations within the park to suit the climate of the day. We saw both hot, dry weather and freezing cold, wet weather during our two week stay, and we were grateful that during the heat we could play outside in the mountains and during the cold spells we could hang out at the lower elevations.

We also saw a very unexpected weather pattern that we’ve never experienced before: a thermal inversion between the desert floor and the mountains. For quite a few days it was 15 degrees warmer in the Chisos Mountains than it was at the lower elevation parts of the park thousands of feet below!

Lost Mine Hike Big Bend National Park Texas

Ascending the Lost Mine Trail.

Another very popular hike is the Lost Mine trail. This 5.1 mile hike took us on a steady climb through woods and trees, opening up after a while to huge views. We did the hike in the afternoon, so the mountains that filled our views as we hiked were shaded and not as dramatic as they could be.

As we approached the summit, the trail took a turn, and the golden light of late afternoon lit up the distant mountains in spectacular color. Like the other hikes, this end point was a true playground, with boulders to climb on and spots to perch and enjoy a snack with a view.

At the summit of the Lost Mine Hike Big Bend National Park

The summit opens up dramatic views in the late afternoon sun.

Tree at the top of Lost Mine Hike Big Bend Texas

I just LOVE that tree!!

Big Bend is a hiker’s paradise, and many people we met were embarking on multi-day backpacking hikes across the park. We stuck to short day hikes, but found them all very fulfilling.

RV Camping at Big Bend National Park Texas

Goodnight, Big Bend!!

Backpacking is great, but there is something about having a warm, soft bed and no twigs or rocks in your back at night that we really like, especially when you have a beautiful view!! (Here are some details about boondocking and RV camping in Big Bend).

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Big Bend National Park TX – Vast and Varied with Views!

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February, 2015 – The first thing we noticed about Big Bend National Park is the sheer size of the park. Everything is bigger in Texas, of course, and this park is no exception. Simply driving from one area to another covers many many miles. But the great thing about these drives is that they pass some wonderful scenery!

Big Bend National Park and Sierra del Carmen mountains in Texas with motorcycles

Sweeping views in Big Bend National Park!

Big Bend scenic roads with a tunnel

Don’t worry, RVs fit through this tunnel!

Big Bend National Park Texas

The Sierra del Carmen mountains peek from behind a ridge.

The terrain is really varied in Big Bend National Park, and that is one of the magical things about this place. There’s the Rio Grande river that snakes along the south end of the park, the Chisos Mountains that tower at great heights in the middle, and the desert lands in between.

The Sierra del Carmen mountains at the far eastern edge of the park form a dramatic landmark that is easily visible from 21 miles away in the center of the park. These mountains sport horizontal stripes, and they turn gorgeous shades of pink at sunset. They also mark the location of Boquillas, the tiny Mexican village that sits on the other side of the Rio Grande.

Sierra del Carmen mountains in Big Bend National Park Texas

The imposing Sierra del Carmen mountains can easily be seen from miles away.

Sierra del Carmen mountains in Big Bend

These are at the east end of the park by Rio Grande Village and the Mexican town of Boquillas.

One of the loveliest drives is the Ross Maxwell Scenic drive that goes from the center of the park to the southwest corner. This drive winds up and down through craggy mountains that made us feel like we were back in Arizona. In the late afternoon, on our return, the mountains lit up bright orange.

Scenic drives in Big Bend National Park Texas

The Chisos Mountains tower over the center of the park

Mountain scenery in Big Bend

Returning on the Ross Maxwell Scenic drive in late afternoon…

We were there in late February, and spring was already in the air. The Texas state flower is the lovely bluebonnet, and they were in full bloom everywhere. They love the roadsides, and all over the park we passed areas that were blanketed with them.

RV surrounded by Texas bluebonnet flowers

Spring arrives in February, heralded by abundant bluebonnet flowers.

When we rounded one corner, we found a natural rock garden that was littered with a wonderful combination of bluebonnets and yellow flowers that looked absolutly vibrant against the jagged rocks.

Spring in Big Bend bluebonnets blooming

After a swoopy turn on the Ross Maxwell Scenic drive, we found a huge
bluebonnet rock garden planted by Mother Nature.

Birds sang in the trees, and we even saw a bird’s nest in a cactus. This seemed like a precarious place to put a home, but I guess it works! Cactus of all types are prolific in Big Bend National Park, especially prickly pear cactus. We saw many varieties. Some have no thorns, and some have very long sharp ones.

Bird on a twig

This little guy kept an eye on me.

Bird nest in a cactus in Big Bend Texas

Not far away was a well protected nest.

Prickly pear cactus

Prickly pear LOVE Big Bend and come in many varieties.

Big Bend can deliver all kinds of crazy weather, and we saw it all during our two week stay. When we first arrived the temps were warm and the air was dry and clear. It was perfect. But Texas is one of those places where if you don’t like the weather (or even if you do!), just wait a minute, and it will change.

All of a sudden one night the temps plummeted into the 20’s, and we woke up to a winter wonderland of ice covering all the desert plants. If the scenic drive up to the Chisos Mountains was pretty before, now it was absolutely stunning.

Snow and ice in Chisos Mountains Big Bend National Park Texas

Texas can deliver some crazy weather, and Big Bend is no exception.

Century plant with snow in Big Bend Texas

The ice on the century plants was very cool.

Snow on plants in Big Bend

Ice in the desert!

Ice on the trees in Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park Texas

The drive into the Chisos Mountains was even more thrilling with all the lower elevation plants laced in ice.

Luckily, this round of ice melted quickly and we were able to enjoy a few hikes which I’ll cover in the next post!

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Interstate Rest Areas TX to FL – Not Just Any Pit Stop!

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We spent the last few days zipping along the interstates from Texas to Florida, and one of the biggest surprises has been the impressive rest areas in these states. These aren’t just ordinary pit stops with yucky old bathrooms. These are scenic parks with entertainment for all ages!

We first took notice of these incredible motorist havens at the Navarro Rest Area on I-45 in Texas. The building was very stately, and the history exhibits inside were worthy of a museum. Heck, even the bathrooms were elegantly decorated with really nice tile!

Texas Rest Area building on I-10

Navarro Rest Area building on I-45 in Texas

Outside there was a fantastic playground for kids that would make any community or school jealous. Further south on I-45, the Walker County Rest Area had an equally impressive playground (gotta give those kids a REST!). Inside, the history exhibits told the whole history of Texas.

Texas Interstate Rest Area Playground and picnic area

Mom and dad can relax after driving while the kids burn off some energy.

History exhibits in a Texas rest area on I-10

Go inside a rest area building and find — a museum exhibit featuring Sam Houston!

Behind the grand rest area building there was a beautiful pond!

Nature walk and pond in Texas

A pretty pond…at a rest area?!

Texas isn’t the only state with impressive rest areas. Driving east on I-10, an early morning stop at the Vinton rest area in Louisiana proved to be a fabulous opportunity for taking photos. It was located next to a large pond, and morning mist hovered in the air like a thick blanket.

Morning mist in a Louisiana rest area on I-10

Morning mist rises at the Vinton Rest Area in Louisiana.

A local fisherman suddenly showed up and began casting his line. Who knew a freeway rest area could double as a local fishing hole?!

Fisherman at Vinton Welcome Center in Louisiana

Locals come to this rest area to fish!

Louisiana is the beginning of alligator country for eastbound travelers. When we saw a warning sign at this rest area, we knew we had left the west far behind!

Alligator sign

Beware of alligators!

What a surprise it was later to find that this rest areas (which is technically a “Welcome Center”) has reviews on TripAdvisor!!

When we arrived in Mississippi we stopped at their first rest area and were given an incredibly warm southern welcome. I was offered a cup of coffee by some very lovely ladies at least five times! Outside, the flowering trees were in glorious bloom.

Welcome to Mississippi

Welcome to Mississippi Rest Area on I-10

Mississippi Rest Area and Welcome Center

Some of these rest areas make good overnight stops. Several were laid out like campgrounds with spacious individual sites for the weary, and a few had RV dump stations too. All had free wifi.

Mississippi Welcome Center rest area on I-10

A truly restful rest area at the Mississippi Welcome Center.

This “supersizing” of rest areas seems to be spreading east from Texas, and apparently Alabama is making every effort to keep up with its neighbors. When we got to their rest area it was closed for renovation — and the project looked immense!

We finally arrived in the Sunshine State yesterday, and Florida lived up to her motto and gave us blue skies. She also lived up to her reputation as a vacation destination when we walked into the building to find a party atmosphere. We were each handed a cup of cold Florida orange juice, and we found ourselves surrounded by families with kids. All of them seemed to be headed to Disney or the beach. There were props for photo ops with astronauts and beach scenes, and there were displays and games galore.

Greetings from Florida

I-10 travelers get into the vacation spirit at Florida’s rest areas!

We noticed one family messing with a video display, and suddenly realized they were getting a pic of themselves overlaid on a Florida backdrop that they could email or share on Facebook right from there. It was a selfie photo station!!

We had to try it too! We chose the sand castle backdrop with the bucket of water spilling on our heads. We hit the button for the pic, and then entered our email address. Bingo — it emailed us a Florida vacation brag pic!

My Florida Vacation selfie photo visitflorida.com

A Florida selfie courtesy of…an I-10 rest area!

Mark found the “Florida Recharging Station,” a bright yellow beach chair to get you in the mood for sunshine and beaches.

Florida welcome center recharging station

Mark checks out the “Florida Recharging Station”

By the time we left that Florida I-10 rest area we felt like we were on vacation!

We drove straight to the beach on the Emerald Coast, past all the surf shops and spring breakers at the bars. It sure didn’t take long for us to get into the swing of things on the beach, what with happy kids and grownups playing in the waves all around us, and savvy seagulls eyeing us up for snacks.

Seagulls at Pensacola Beach Florida

At the beach we are greeted by Florida’s REAL welcoming committee!!

We kicked off our shoes, and took a walk in the pure white sand next to the crashing surf. Wow! It felt so great to be in shorts again!!

On the beach in Florida

Ahhh… Florida! This is the best kind of rest area!

It was a long drive, the weather in Texas took us from freezing to dripping wet, and the terrible roads in Louisiana sent us flying (truly, the rig was airborne at one point!), but the southern hospitality at the rest areas helped us recover, and the sunrise this morning was totally worth it!!

Sunrise at a Florida beach

Florida sunrise.

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RSS Subscription Change – A New Feed Address for RLT

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There are a few small changes coming up for subscribers to Roads Less Traveled…

If you subscribed to receive email updates from this blog, you don’t need to do anything. You’ll probably notice that the emails you receive will have a slightly different format, and at the bottom of each email there will be links for changing your subscription email address and for unsubscribing.

If you subscribed to this blog via an app or reader service, the RSS feed will have a new address which is:

feed://roadslesstraveled.us/feed/

This new RSS feed address will become live on Sunday, March 15, 2015, as soon as I wake up and flip the switch. You will need to update your app or reader with the new feed address to receive future updates after that.

This announcement is the last post that is going out on our old Feedburner RSS feed.

As always, if you have any problems or questions, you can email me directly at emilyfagan1 {at} gmail {dot} com.

To all our subscribers:

We just want you to know that being able to share our pics and stories with you and pass on whatever tips we’ve learned via this website is immensely satisfying.

Thank you, most profoundly, for the encouragement you have given us over the years and for the warm appreciation you have expressed for our photos and stories. Thank you especially for the pat on the back you have given us by signing up to see more!

We truly value the insightful and thoughtful questions you have posed to us, and we hope that this corner of the web lights a trail of inspiration and ideas for you.

Thank you for joining us in our travels and thanks for reading!

— Emily & Mark

Mark and Emily at Crater Lake Oregon

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What To Do in the Rain while Boondocking? Wash the RV!!

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Did I mention that Texas has been giving us extreme weather lately? First she tried to freeze us out, covering our buggy in ice.

Icicles on our fifth wheel RV

Icicles on our rig – wow! And look at that layer of grit and grime!

Then Texas dumped a bunch of snow on us. We opened the RV door one morning to find ourselves surrounded by the white stuff!

Looking outside our RV door at snow

We woke up to snow one morning

Snow on our RV steps

Right up to our door!

Snow on our RV in Texas

You never know what you’ll get for winter weather in Texas!

This eventually turned to rain, and we drove a few hundred miles on roads that spat all kinds of miserable black grime all over the rig. When we finally stopped in Livingston (for a few days of drizzle and fog!), our beautiful home was a dirty mess!! Of course, it began to rain again and then it began to pour.

What to do while boondocking in the rain rather than just forlornly wishing you could play outside? Clean the rig !! After all, the pre-rinse had already been done, and all the sticky things (like bugs!) were nicely unstuck by now.

Mark got out his favorite telescoping brush that did us such great service on the boat, and he spent two hours in the pouring rain sudsing up the truck and trailer and letting the soft rain water rinse it all off. Clever!

Washing our RV in the rain

Mark takes advantage of the rain water for an easy rinse cycle…

After the rain stopped (not that it was sunny… just not raining), the rig dried off and now sported a wonderful shiny luster, thanks to a wax job we got back in Florence, AZ. We were very happy campers, especially Mark, who had worked so hard and gotten so drenched in the rain.

But then it was time to move on. Our aim was to get out of Texas and go east. But this crazy state wouldn’t have any of that. While the rest of the country basked in clear skies, Texas persuaded her neighboring states to the east to join her in taking a good long bath.

Texas Rain

Not Fair!!

Good grief! We waited for a few days for a weather window, and it finally seemed to come. At least, it came long enough for us to escape a little ways east of Houston. So we ran for it.

Big mistake! Out on I-10 the skies began to spit. We slipped into the first rest area we could find. Mark was crestfallen as he inspected the RV in the drizzle. The whole thing was covered in a thin layer of road grit. His wonderful washing job was history. Ugh!

What to do while waiting for the rain to stop? Aw, heck — wash the RV!

We didn’t have a water source, so we put our two buckets behind the back of the fifth wheel to catch the rainwater that was falling in a steady stream from the gutters. They filled up in no time. We also didn’t need any soap. The dirt was primarily on the bottom half and was already streaming down the sides of the trailer!

Buckets catch rain from the RV roof

Our buckets were soon overflowing with rain water!

We try to avoid dividing the labor in our buggy into pink and blue jobs as much as possible, preferring to find some shade of lavender for all the chores that need to be done. So, now it was my turn to get wet. Out I went into the drizzle to bring a little shine back to our RV and to try to put a smile on Mark’s face.

It didn’t take much effort, just a little elbow grease and a nice upper body workout. Then our truck and trailer were sparkling clean again.

Mark absolutely loved it. He got to enjoy the whole process with a beer in hand, and he didn’t have to lift a finger. Ha! He sure gets a kick out of watching me work!!

Using rain water to wash the RV

I get the new layer of road grit off the rig while Mark enjoys a beer and a laugh!

As I mentioned above, the great thing about rain water is that it is soft water and it doesn’t spot. There’s no need to wipe down the windows! The key, though, is to wash the rig before it stops raining so you get a good natural rinse.

Next morning the roads were dry, and our clean truck and trailer hit the road once again.

If you find yourself sitting in the rain in a soggy, dirty buggy, and you want to play outside and knock out a chore at the same time, throw a bucket or two under the RV’s gutters, and give your baby a wash!

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Roswell, New Mexico – Aliens, UFO’s, Spaceships and more!

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February, 2015 – Roswell, New Mexico, was the site of some extra-terrestrial activity way back when, and a few aliens seem to have escaped and set up housekeeping in town. When we arrived in Roswell, we found the place was absolutely overrun with little green monsters.

Alien Welcome in Roswell New Mexico

Welcome to Roswell!

As we drove down the main drag, we noticed all the aliens immediately. They were out welcoming us in front of every business in town. Even the Super 8 motel had a little alien doorman standing in front holding a “Welcome” sign.

Alien welcome to Roswell NM at the Super 8 Motel

Super 8 has a special greeter..

All of these aliens are unique. Some are tall, some are short, some are cute and smiling and others seem distant and a little forlorn. But almost all of them are bright green with big heads and skinny bodies, and they all have large black almond shaped eyes.

Forlorn alien in Roswell New Mexico

This guy looks a little lost!

Some of them still live in their flying saucer spaceships.

Aliens with a UFO space capsule

An authentic alien spacecraft.

Even the local credit union pays tribute to Roswell’s unusual visitors.

Roswell spaceship bank sign

Look what showed up at the credit union.

A few aliens have gotten into the loan sharking business, doing taxes on the side.

Aliens at loan shop in Roswell NM

These aliens have money to loan…and they do taxes too.

A very Japanese looking alient has opened a sushi restaurant called “Galactic Sushi.”

Galactic Sushi in Roswell New Mexico

Japanese aliens serve up yummy sushi.

Down at the local Arby’s, management has figured out that Roswell is now completely overrun with aliens, and they know there is only one thing to do: welcome the aliens with open arms (and provide signage with alien translations)!

Meanwhile, the town leaders have hired a whole slew of aliens to become patriotic lightposts. These obedient aliens are all lined up in a row along the town streets, and they proudly hold the flag of their adopted country.

Aliens welcome at Arby's in Roswell

Arby’s welcomes aliens
— and provides signage in their language!

Alien lamppost with flag

Some aliens carry American flags
and light up the night.

The cutest aliens are all hanging out at the local Walmart. We saw them grinning and waving through the window as we went in to go shopping.

Happy outerspace alien faces at Walmart

The aliens are having party down at Walmart!

It was all quite overwhelming. We’ve never been surrounded by aliens quite like that before. It made us almost feel like aliens ourselves! We caught our reflection next to an alien in a store window that announced: “We’re Here!!!”

We're Here in Roswell New Mexico

We’ve landed…in Roswell!!

How did Roswell, New Mexico, become the alien capital of the world? A spaceship crashed here back in July, 1947. A local rancher was out with his grandson one afternoon, and they noticed some unusual debris scattered around. They returned later to inspect what seemed to be the bits and pieces of a flying saucer, and then the word got out — Roswell had been visited by a UFO.

UFO spaceship crash site of Roswell

Artwork on the side of a building tells the story:
The origins of the aliens-in-Roswell phenomenon was the crash landing of a UFO in 1947

A local media frenzy caught the imagination of the whole country, while little green aliens scampered all around Roswell behind the scenes.

Roswell Daily Record July 3 1947

From the UFO Museum – an original local newspaper from July 3, 1947.

Over the years, local artists have gone to town in this town, and now every sign and every building sports the image of an alien or a flying saucer. The artwork is stylish and captivating!

The alien zone downtown Roswell New Mexico

The alien artwork on the buildings is fabulous.

One artist channeled Da Vinci in a huge mural on the side of a building that depicts an alien’s hand reaching down to touch a human one. In the background, the UFO Museum sports a sign with an alien spaceship on it.

God humans and spaceship

A divine, no, an ALIEN connection…

Even the local coffee shops have gotten in on the act. They don’t sell regular coffee. They have Stellar Coffee!

Stellar Coffee from outer space

This coffee is truly stellar.

Not too far away, the King’s Treasure House sign sports a 3D coffee cup and offers inspirational books that are not of this world.

Flying saucer UFO in Roswell New Mexico

Roswell… not of this world!

We really enjoyed this artsy side of Roswell, New Mexico. The aliens made us feel welcome, and the graffiti and artwork is fun. Roswell is a town that is not only not of this world, it is truly out of this world!

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Southern Washington – Volcanoes, cranberries and FROGS! – Milton-Freeman, WA, is to FROGS what Roswell, NM, is to ALIENS!!

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Casita Travel Trailers – Lots of RV in a Tiny Package

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We have always admired the little travel trailers made by Casita, and two days ago, while buzzing down the freeway between Dallas and Houston, we both did a double-take when we saw a slew of them lined up on the side of the road. A huge sign above them said “Casita Travel Trailers.”

We had no idea these wonderful trailers were made in Texas! What a perfect opportunity to check them out and get a factory tour.

Casita Travel Trailers

Look! It’s Casita Travel Trailers!!

We turned our buggy around and somehow squeezed it into their front lot (which is just the right size for Casitas), and jumped out to prowl around the lot. There were dozens of brand new Casitas lined up, and each one had an owner’s name printed on a window sticker.

Casita travel trailer on the dealer lot

These are very solid and well made little trailers.

When we poked our heads in the door of the building, there was a flurry of activity going on inside. At least three couples were walking in and out of the four trailers on the showroom floor, and several sales people were in cubicles along the walls, filling out order forms and finalizing the paperwork for trailers being picked up. These things are Popular!!

Casita Travel Trailers front door

Casita Travel Trailers World Headquarters

“Feel free to look around,” a saleswoman named Carla told us. “I can give you a factory tour in a few minutes after I sign off the paperwork for a couple that just came in to pick up their new Casita.”

Casita trailer showroom

There were four trailers on the showroom floor, and we admired every one!

Casitas are sweet little trailers that are extremely well built. They range from 13′ to 17′ in exterior length end-to-end. “Our 13′ model gets the most inquiries,” she said, “but most people end up buying the 17′ model.”

17 foot Casita Trailer interior

The Freedom model has two captains chairs

There are four interior plans for the 16′ and 17′ models, and several have a king bed option! The Freedom model has two captains chairs and looked really inviting. “That model gets a lot of interest,” Carla told us when she joined us a few minutes later, “But most people end up buying a different floorplan because those chairs are a little impractical.” I sure liked her straight forward approach!

17 foot Casita Freedom Travel Trailer

Some models have furniture that folds into a king size bed!

There are lots of other options for these trailers too, including fresh water tanks as big as 25 gallons, a microwave, and a furnace. Virtually all Casitas are special ordered by the buyers who will be using them. Winter is the slow season, Carla told us, but they keep building trailers even when orders slide. Some winters they end up with four or five trailers that weren’t special ordered, but they’re always gone by spring!

Prices for new Casitas range from around $14k to $20k.

Casita Travel Trailer kitchen

The kitchen is small, but it has all the things you need to make a good meal.

Casita doesn’t have a dealer network. Instead, they have a dealership in the front of their building, where all the selling is done, and they have a factory out back where everything is made. “We build 14 Casitas a week,” Carla told us, “and it takes about two weeks to build one from start to finish.” That means there are about 30 on the line at any one time.

Casita Travel Trailer at the factory

A brand new Casita peeks out of a bay at the factory.

Out back, the factory was absolutely humming. Most of the employees have been with the company for at least 10 years, and since the company’s founding 25 years ago, Casitas have grown ever more popular. We couldn’t take any pics in the factory, but it was a great scene. Trailers surrounded us on all sides, each in various stages of completion. They are rolled by hand from station to station down the line! Outside a small tractor wheels them around with ease.

Casita travel trailer being towed by a tractor

Casitas are pretty easy to maneuver around the lot!

The top and bottom of each trailer is a molded fiberglass shell, and the two halves are joined with a bonded seal that is fiberglassed in, much the same way as our sailboat was constructed. The final testing stage was most impressive. Each Casita takes a 30 minute shower at full blast while a technician checks every square inch inside for leaks. They had shower nozzles aimed at each window and the door as well as the roof. How amazing to watch a Casita getting totally drenched by a virtual hurricane!

Casita Travel Trailers lined up at the factory

A storehouse full of future camping memories!

Folks sometimes ask us how to “test drive” the RV lifestyle. Without a doubt, the best way is to get a small rig and go do some camping. Our first RV was a popup tent trailer.

The Casita is a wonderful first RV, because it is a very well built trailer that has all the functionality of bigger rigs, but doesn’t require a big truck to tow it (they weigh about 2,500 lbs) and doesn’t require a lot of space to store.

Couple a Casita trailer with a portable solar power kit and you can learn all about boondocking and your rig will fit comfortably into any campsite anywhere! When you’re ready to upgrade, these popular RVs undoubtedly hold their value better than most.

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“Making Weight” With Your RV – Escapees Magazine Feature Article!

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Maintain Personal Safety and RV Logevity by Making Weight

Escapees Magazine March/April 2015
“Making Weight” by Emily Fagan

GVWR, GAWR, Pin Weight and GCWR — oof, what is all that stuff?

The March/April issue of Escapees Magazine features our article “Making Weight” which explains what to look for when you set out to weigh your RV.

It’s easy enough to pull onto a truck scale to get an approximation of what your rig weighs, but it turns out that not all scales and weighing methods are the same.

Also, for those who tow their rolling home behind them, deducing the pin weight of a trailer after getting the rig weighed can be very confusing.

To address those RV weighing subtleties, Escapees RV Club offers a special program called Smart Weigh at several locations around the country.

We had our buggy weighed at the Escapees North Ranch RV Park in Congress Arizona, and besides learning a lot about why weighing an RV is important, we were a little dismayed to discover that we needed to put our fiver on a diet!

The editors at Escapees Magazine have been kind enough to allow me to share the article here:

Maintain Personal Safety and RV Logevity by Making Weight

Join Escapees RV Club is a multi-faceted club that offers a huge range of services for RVers, from discount RV parks to rallies and gatherings of like-minded people (their big rally, Escapade, is taking place in Tucson right now!), to their wonderful bi-monthly magazine, to domicile and mail forwarding services, to the SmartWeigh RV weighing program.

Luckily for newcomers, the annual membership to Escapees has been reduced to $29.95 from nearly $60 in the past. We consider this a bargain to a part of an organization that supports our hobby and lifestyle and that publishes one of the finest RV magazines in the business.

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