By Cheri Sicard
In the video below from Two Tired Teachers, the RVing sisters and retired teachers discuss how to start boondocking. The sisters encourage RVers to save money and pull the plug. It’s not as difficult as you may think.
(Side note: We featured Two Tired Teachers’ creative low-cost DIY RV painting video here. If your RV needs an exterior makeover, be sure to check it out.)
For the first four to five years of their RVing lives, the sisters said they had hookups at most every place they stayed. But since they learned how to boondock, it has opened up an entirely new world of RVing experiences and saved the retired teachers a ton of money.
Their boondocking started with an electric-only site
Watch the video to get the whole story, but the sisters started breaking their full-hookup addiction when they accidentally booked a site that was electric only when they expected electric and water. That gave them enough confidence in the process that they concluded, “Yes, we can do this.”
Next came going without electrical hookups. That took them some time, but when they downsized to a smaller RV, they did so with the goal of comfortably going without hookups. To that end, they bought a small generator and had some solar installed.
Before they hit the road for longer boondocking adventures, however, they wanted to test things out with a safety net, so to speak. So they went to a Texas state park that offered full hookups but ran their RV off the grid. They wanted the backup of the electric and water hookups in case they needed them while they were getting used to boondocking. Hmmm, these teachers are pretty smart.
Next, they tried camping at an electric-only site and had no problem.
First actual boondocking experience was spectacular
Their first actual boondocking experience, on the sand shores of Padre Island, was so spectacular that they’ve been hooked on boondocking ever since. Before they knew it, they went two whole weeks without hookups and they say it was not that hard. (I concur; I do that all the time. In fact, if I am traveling alone, I can go longer than that with no issues.)
These days, after installing a major solar upgrade, the sister rarely camp with hookups. There simply is no need.
If two older, “tired,” and retired teachers can learn how to live off the grid, so can you. Watch this delightful video to learn how to make the transition to boondocking easy and painless.
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RVDT2735
We have the tools onboard our single-axle TT to boondock. In temperate weather an overnight or two is fully doable with nothing extra. Three nights? I’d want a 2nd battery.
Outside the temperate weather range? The fan on a LP furnace draws a lot of power. With that 2nd battery we might get two nights without external power. If we need our A/C, out comes the generator (we use LP and not gasoline). I get about 8 hours of generator from a 20# bottle of LP.
Bottom line for us. We can but prefer not to boon dock. I want at least 20A, but preferably the 30A for which our camper is wired. Water & sewer? Desired, but so long as the campground has a decent bathhouse, we’re good.
Thank you for highlighting and summarizing the video, Cheri! Agreed. If they can learn how to enjoy boondocking, then anyone who wishes can as well. Have a great week and safe travels!