Camping Off-the-Grid? ‘A Solar System’ for RV Boondocking

For most RV campers, “boondocking” is a mythical form of camping. Disconnected, off the grid, separated from other campers – just you and your crew deep in the state or national park or out-of-the-way getaway where no power, water or sewer lines can reach. Just like the pioneers used to do. But glampers aren’t pioneering woodsfolk, unless the pioneers had their own memory foam bed, and shower, and fridge, and solid roof and door to keep out the elements and creatures. Modern boondockers want the creature comforts only power can deliver.

Enter solar power.

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Camping Memories Made Where You Park It

We were sitting in our backyard recently and I noticed something I’d never noticed before. Two of our palms were perfectly spaced to hang our hammock. A nearby was a spot perfect for a fire pit. Trees for the hammock, a safe spot for a fire pit, and plenty of room to sprawl. This is stuff I look for when camping. Why had I never thought of it in our own backyard?

So that got me thinking… How important is the site to the camping experience? When we called Camp Venice Retreat in November to book a week’s stay, I tried to cut straight to the chase with the manager, Tamara. I’d eyed their site map, but those things can be so deceiving. Often not drawn to scale and designed to make every site look spacious enough for Will Smith’s monster rig, you don’t know if the site they’re offering is the spatial equivalent of a parking spot at the outlet mall.

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Tips, Tricks & Hacks From Our Latest Roadtrip

Four adults, one dog, and 1,500 miles over two weeks. With each trip – even the most successful, uneventful excursions – we learn something new. Stuff to pack, bring, buy along the way, or some hack we’ve always done or learned for the first time can make the difference between and good trip and an adventure with moments that make you enthuse, “what a cool hack. I have to remember that next time.”

So for next time, we discovered a few hacks, tips, “glad I had those” things. Of course, it’s the age of Coronavirus, so we had tubs of Clorox wipes, flushable wipes (more for a wipe down than sanitizing), a half-dozen dispensers of hand-sanitizer, individual masks – and a 10-pack of disposable masks from Harbor Freight in the glove box in case anyone needed. Below are just a smattering of things we brought, bought, or learned along the way…

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Subtle Tweaks, Hacks & Upgrades to Improve you RV Camper

Dozens of social media pages, sites, and groups heap high praise on big products and small hacks that make a difference in the lives of campers, RVers and festival music lovers. We’re among them. We surf sites looking for the latest uber-cool products, and sharing some of our own.

We’ve written about them before. We’ve catalogued a new Eno or Kammock hammock, zero gravity chairs, that new Nexgrill grill or Blackstone griddle, even portable speakers and USB music players that bring audible ambiance to the campsite (beyond the calming sounds of birds, crickets, or creeks). In the past couple weeks, we’ve added a few simple upgrades that we hope will make life on the road that much simpler.

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The Sound of Music: 6 Tune Tips for Your Festival Campsite

When you’re camping at a music festival, the best tunes at any given moment aren’t always coming from the festival stage. Sometimes, the campsite is alive with the sound of music. But only if you take the time to queue up your own music or setlist – and the means to play it. We’ve previously blogged about upgrading the (often lousy) audio gear that RV manufacturers install in their rigs. Our friends Kris and Nick did a pretty bad-ass job in that regard. We also blogged about companies like JL Audio in our South Florida backyard, who have broadly targeted the RV sector – and AirStream in particular – for next-gen RV audio.

Audiophiles who RV have complained for years about the lack of quality in RV stereo systems. Manufacturers have tossed together lackluster systems. But you can’t expect some $2 speaker to deliver hi-fi sound. But beyond hard-wired audio systems, how can you power up some sick or simply pleasant sounds in the campsite – regardless of whether you have a tent or an RV? Between Bluetooth systems, power sources, the tunes you play, or just a little ambiance, a little planning can have you singing sweet sounds to rock your soul.

Check out these five tips to make music an essential part of your campsite.

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