4 Ways To “Glamp Up” Your Outdoor Boondocking Area
Given we’re in the midst of our winter boondocking time I’ve got a bunch of boondocking-related posts in the makings including a two-part blog for my “back to boondocking basics” series about how to boondock for the very first time (total newbie kind of thing). I’m still in deep midst of writing that one so in order to stay on-track I figured I’d go in a totally different direction and touch on the more glamorous side of camping in the wilds.
What…Glamour, you say???
Yup, you see even though most folks might rightly call us trailer trash we’re not the types to skimp on our comfort, even in the boonies. In fact one of the main advantages of travelling in a big ‘ol “beastly” RV rather than a tent is that we do not need to cut back on such things. Over the years we’ve collected a select list of completely non-essential, but wonderfully simple stuff that allows us to wallow in luxury and feel like we’re at the Ritz even in the bleak desert wilderness.
These are the frivolous things that I want to share with you today.
Outdoor Lounging
For our outdoor “sitting area” we have a reversible floor mat, several chairs and some side-tables. The mat allows us to walk in comfort on the ground as well as keeping some of the dirt down & giving the pets a comfy place to hang. The chairs and table provide a relaxing area to sit for morning coffee or afternoon happy hour. Whenever we get to a new spot our “sitting area” is the first thing to get set-up, so we’re ready to lounge whenever we feel like it.
- Outdoor Mat -> Our mat is one of the classic porous reversible types
that you can find at Camping World, on Amazon or at RV shows. We actually own this exact model
- Side-Tables -> Our side-table is this ~$20 job from Walmart. We love it because it’s aluminum (so it doesn’t rust), it’s super-light and it stores easy. Another option are these plastic quick-fold tables which offer multiple color choices
too. Buy several, ‘coz you’ll find no end of use for them.
- Lounging Chairs -> We currently have two main chairs, a zero-gravity-type chair that we bought at Camping World when we first started out (sadly, they don’t make our exactly model anymore) which has held up excellently for the past 5 years, plus a rocking chair, also bought at Camping World. The latter I absolutely love and find super comfy, but sadly the quality is so-so and I usually have to replace it every other year. There are plenty of Zero Gravity type
chairs on the web, but they do take up more space than sleeker versions like the Zip Dee (pricey, but highly rated). The truth is chair comfort is soooooo individual so my advice is to try a bunch out before you commit. Most RVers have a few comfy chairs for “home” plus several super-cheap, portable, collapsible chairs
for guests and to take to happy hours at other rigs (very important).
- Pets -> Our pets lounge the same places we do (in fact one of our chairs is exclusively for the cat), but many pet owners will buy X-Pens like these
to set-up for their dogs. Also if you own cats and they like to roam I highly recommend leash-training them, so they can hang outside with you too.
Outdoor Cooking
Who doesn’t think of being in the boonies with the aroma of freshly grilled asparagus or the heady scent of smoked ribs (depending on your inclinations)? We swing both ways, so our outdoor cooking set-up involves both a grill and a smoker, each of which are 100% boondocker friendly.
- Grill -> We’ve been through several grills in our RV. We started with a Coleman Road Trip Grill
which Amazon reviewers seem to love, but we found it too big, awkward to set-up and a pain to clean. Then, we got a Weber Q100 (now called Q1000)
as a Christmas Gift and it was puuuurfect. We love, love, love this thing! It uses the disposable propane bottles that you can buy anywhere, is super easy to store & clean, and has enough space to grill exactly what you need.
- Smoker -> Paul has a bit of a smoking fetish, for meat that is, and I can’t rightly complain given that I get to reap the tasty rewards on a regular basis. We got a charcoal-powered Weber Smokey Mountain
which has just been a star for us. It cooks wonderfully and collapses down nicely (most of the “bits” nest inside each other), but you do need to set aside space in your bins regardless. Oh yes, it’s worth it.
- Collapsible Table -> As an accompaniment to the above we have a 4-foot plastic collapsible table for grill support, food display, cooking items & happy hour snacks. We bought ours at Walmart, but Amazon has a similar version
. It stores underneath our slide-out compartment in our lower front storage bin and we use it constantly.
Outdoor Lighting
There’s something about lighting your outdoor area with a few, tastefully-placed lights that just gives it that extra je ne sais quoi. Solar lights are just perfect for this. There are no end of cheap ones you can buy at Walmart, Hardware Stores or online. I like me some light so I don’t recommend going for the weakest ones. We got a mid-range set of 6 for ~$25 at Walmart that look like these and we really like them except for the fact that their bulky shape makes them a bit of a pain to store. This winter our buddies Technomadia gifted us these snazzy new Solar Ice Rocks
Outdoor Cocktails
So, now that you’re totally set-up outdoors, your mood light is ready, your evening meal is on the grill and you’re watching the sunset from your glamorous “sitting area” how about a little cocktail to go with that? One of our “glamping” requirements is an inexpensive Cocktail Shaker
- Glasses – For glasses we bought a set of 12 nice, solid tumblers from Walmart for ~$18, gave three quarters away and kept the rest (yes, we drink out of real glass, and keep them stored safely in a wine bottle case when we move). This past spring in Lake Mead, our Aluminarium buddies introduced us to these stainless steel Martini Glasses
which we now also have on our wishlist.
- Ice Cubes – Our fridge has an ice maker, but it was constantly breaking so we took it out. Instead we decided to glamp it up with these extra large silicon ice cube moulds which make ANY cocktail look like it came from a pro. Totally superfluous, but we love ’em.
Aaaand that’s how we roll, folks. All the stuff you definitely don’t need for boondocking, but can drool and lust after. Who needs the Ritz anyway?
Got any “boondocking glamping” stuff of your own? DO share & comment below.
Related Posts:
Once again another sweet technical post with vital details…big thanks!
I like to keep to the hard facts here, ya know 🙂
Nina
How brilliant! Stainless steel martini glasses. You can’t imagine how many martini glasses we have broken over the years. Seriously – I bought a case last time and there is only one left. Thanks to you I have just made my first official purchase for my future RV lifestyle. Thanks for the link!
Yup, when our buddies introduced us to them last spring I thought exactly the same thing. Genius!
Nina
This is a great post! I like your glamping style.
Thanks. Style is our middle name hahahahaha
Nina
Maybe us being apart will be better for our blog readers and reading diversity… hehe.. I had a similar post in mind 🙂
Excellent stuff, as usual. Except.. who OWNS a cat?!? Taggert, darling, get with the program and train your humans already.
HA! Yup, you’re right of course. I’m totally fooling myself about the cats. They just let me think I own them.
Nina
Dogs have owners… Cats have staff. 😉
Thanks as always for the tips, I ordered the ice cube trays to try out! Also next winter when you are close to San Diego, remind me to let you try our recliner which is very similar to yours. We bought 2 at Costco, my wife loves it but I’m not a recliner guy so I would be willing to barter if you like it.
Hmmm…I might be up for that barter. I’d have to try out the chair first…with a cocktail of course 🙂
Nina
We are definitely trading in our old charcoal Weber for the Q1000! Thinking about tapping into our 40 gallon propane tank, rather than disposable bottles…not sure yet. Don’t quite have enough room in our little MH, tho I love that smoker!
Oh, I definitely recommend the Weber Q. Such a great little grill. And yes, there are folks who line it into their main propane supply.
Nina
Just another thumbs up for the Weber Q. We love ours. Bought it for when we finally get to full time (hopefully by April) but we use it here at home at least once a week.
Lynda, do think about that tapping into the propane tank…we did it, and in retrospect wish we’d saved the dollars for those handy-dandy, disposable bottles.
As alway simply lovely!
A little trick Paul might like to try…. I have weber smoker too…. when done smoking anything I take smoker tube of the fire bowl and put grill on the coals and crisp up for a few minutes the meat. Sometimes I also will baste with sauce…. you only need to crisp a few minutes each side. It really adds some depth to the flavor
Also if the weber is nicely seasoned try turkey without smoking wood… just try charcoal. Realky different flavor and not such strong smoke taste which can seem to overpower turkey at times
Always a wonderful post and blog!
Fabulous ideas! I will pass em along to the smoke-master.
Nina
As a new planned rvers, This is a great post for us too. Thank you!
Glad I could give you some ideas. Our outdoor “sitting area” is a big enjoyment for us. We spend a lot of time, both us and pets hanging in that space.
Nina
We are going to have to add ice rocks to the list. Those are great! I’m jealous that your mat came with a storage bag. Ours did not. 🙁
We picked up two Lifetime Personal Tables from Camping World recently and we love them. Lifetime is actually a pretty cool company, and they were recently featured in Costco Connection. Their products certainly work well for RVers!
Jim
You know I noticed the Lifetime tables on sale at Amazon too. They rate really well and I like that you can adjust the height too. Plus 10 year warranty…wow!
Here’s the link for those looking:
Lifetime Adjustable Height Folding Table
Looks like an excellent buy.
Nina
You may want to check out this sturdy and awesome rocker I saw on Judys sit. I went to my local W and bought one. I doubt I’ll ever need another chair.
http://travels-with-emma.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-hodgepodge-post.html
They had a non rocker that was cool, too
So I’ve actually seen and sat in that exact chair. They were offering it at Camping World when I last went and I admit I was tempted. It’s a comfy rocker and it’s a neat little design too. In the end I didn’t find it as comfy as my existing rocker (just me personally), but I would definitely recommend trying one out if you’re in the market.
Nina
Looking good. We can’t wait to get out west and boondock like you do and in some of the places where you bookdock. We carry most of what you show in your pictures. The challenge we have with all of this, however, is basement storage. Any suggestions you might have on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. In the meantime, keep up with all the really GREAT posts.
Well given we have a rather large RV we’ve not found space to be lacking. In fact we still have quite a bit of extra storage in our bins.
My best advice is just to pack stuff as efficiently as you can. We use lots of stackable plastic bins (Steralite type) which fit the space perfectly, can be stacked one on top of the other and can hold lots of knick knacks in an efficient way. We have several different sizes from small to larger. Some have our cleaning stuff, other carry hoses and RV tubes/lubes/etc, others have electrical stuff, still others have tools (we also carry a tool box). Anything that can’t be put in a plastic bin we try to nest or pack together as well as possible.
Also certain bulky items, such as chairs, we carry in our tow vehicle. The chairs come out as soon as we arrive at a spot, so they never stay in the car long.
Lastly as you travel you’ll find yourself using some specific stuff and not using other stuff. If you make it a habit to do a yearly purge, you’ll be able to get rid of a bunch of excess. We do this every year and I’m always amazed at the stuff we don’t need.
Nina
Love those lights. We have some folding tables, and my suggestion is to get the kind with a metal top, so hot items are not a problem. Another item we have found helpful, since our 5er has some high cabinets, is the stepstool that folds completely flat. It is only about 14″ high when set up, and stores easily, but very handy. You may also use it to park your drinks and snacks on while enjoying the sunset.
The metal top is a good suggestion. Our plastic table does have a few melted bits from food and hot stuff over the years.
A step stool is also a great suggestion. We have a metal fold-out step for our front door for those spots where we have to raise the front of the RV to get level.
Nina
Love your blog! Thanks for your tips! Question, how do you get your cat not to take off on you? We plan on traveling with our dog and cat. Our dog, Buddy loves camping and traveling, but we have always left our cat home. Can’t do that going full time and really can’t part with him!
We started leash training our cats around 7 years ago (when they were 5 years. For many, many years we only ever walked them on a leash so they’ve become accustomed to staying close. Nowadays they’re older and pretty much just hang nearby and bask in the sun. Both cats still like to hike short distances with us, but they rarely need a leash as they will always stay right with us. Whenever we’re in private parks or more crowded areas we will use the leash however…and we never leave then unattended outside.
I can’t recommend leash training enough. A great way to get kitty outdoors. We use the HDW harness that we bought here:
http://www.hdw-inc.com/walkingjackets.htm
Nina
We have stylish and colorful plastic glasses for our adult beverages. And the same as you mentioned, a nice outdoor mat, (had to get a new one this year)comfy chairs and all the rest. Currently our mat is being help in place by numerous large chinks of quartz, however. Kinda windy on the Ogilby road right now.
Our friends that we boondock with have a sun oven. If you have the space, it’s a great way to cook a roast or bake bread.
Yup the wind is the desert is notorious. Our mat is staked down at the corners and has a few sturdy rocks on too.
Solar ovens are a neat little idea. We have a propane oven inside the rig so we always default to using that, but if we didn’t I would definitely have a solar one. There’s quite a few fun sites that show you how to make your own too.
Nina
Some truly excellent ideas and thanks for organizing the whole thing with the links to Amazon! 🙂
Well cheers for saying so.
Nina
We replaced our weber with a collapsible volcano grill and have never looked back. We have the charcoal version. The cover for it rocks too! Check volcanogrills.com
Sweet product. I like that it can use 3 different fuel types. That’s quite creative. We’re very happy with our Weber, but this is a great idea for folks who are looking for multi-fuel options.
Nina
I saw that Weber grill at Camping World in Madison WI. the other day. I think it will be our choice once we get on the road. Hopefully soon!!!
We Looooove our Weber. We’re still using the same one today and would recommend it to anyone.
Nina
The propane grill and lounge chairs are a couple of reasons why we’re looking for a bigger RV. We have no room to store anything that size in our current rig. Remember that if you ever decide to downsize!
I totally get that. I have to admit that one of the nicest things about “the beast” is that we have more than enough room to spare for luxuries like these. Downsizing would definitely involve some required thinning of “stuff”.
Nina
Thanks Nina! I am really liking those solar lights. 🙂
I’m super impressed with them. Great Christmas pressie!
Nina
We love glamping. 🙂 Our setup is very similar to yours (patio mat, lounge chairs, table, solar lights, assorted drink glasses, no plastic!). We grill a lot, and switched to using a 3-gallon refillable little propane tank several years ago in lieu of the disposable propane canisters. Works great for us!
Nice! And good idea on the bigger canister. You guys know how to glamp.
Nina
I want to thank you for all of your helpful information about boondocking. Boondocking is going to be somewhat new for us. We have been camp hosting going on five years at different parks in the NW and plan on doing a lot more once our house sells.
Excellent! You’ll enjoy the “newbie” set of posts that I’m in process of writing. It might be a week or so before I’m ready to post, but they’re coming.
Nina
We have a Weber kettle BBQ right now that we rarely use anymore. We had thought about getting a gas one years ago, but never did. I think I may just look into the Q1000.
Does the floor mat clean up nicely when it’s time to pack up? I imagine some dirt is always left behind in the crevices.
Yup, the mat dusts off pretty easily. The only time it becomes a problem is when it gets wet and/or we’re camping in really humid/moist areas. We typically don’t deploy it when we’re in moist spots, so it’s mostly a winter “glamping” option that we use in the SW desert.
Nina
Have to agree on the Weber Q, we got one as soon as we upgraded from our Dodge Van to a 5th Wheel. My husband says it’s the best BBQ he has ever used; better than the expensive stainless steel one we have at home.
Can’t disagree on that. It’s one of the best ones we’ve ever owned too. Nice to know others rate it as highly as we do.
Nina
Sorry to hear that gravity chair is no longer available as I wanted one. Guess I’ll look around in Q. I have Camping World chairs inherited from my parents that must be 20 years old. Of course I sit in them gently and didn’t bring them along. Having more storage is a bonus with your beast.
Camping World still sells plenty of Zero Gravity Chairs, just not the exact model (size, padding, color etc.) that we have. We wanted to buy one more last year since we love it so much, but unfortunately all the models had changed. Still, they’ll have lots of other options if you go. Quartzsite also has a good selection of chairs outside the main tent. Plenty of spots to try them out.
Nina
Thanks for posting. It’s really nice to buy the most practical stuff first. Without these blogs, I’d be at the mercy of sales folks at CW.
I have a love/hate relationship with Camping World. In general they are overpriced, and their quality is not always up to par, but they DO offer one of the best selections of RV stuff out there. Back when we were first buying chairs it was one of the few places we could actually go to see and try out a bunch of different options.
We always end up shopping there at least once a year…for better or worse LOL.
Nina
If a human dares to sit in Taggart’s chair, will the cat jump up on their lap? Or is that just wishful thinking?
Well Taggart is definitely our social butterfly. She loves people and will always come up to greet them, but doesn’t always sit on laps. It has to be on HER terms entirely (which are very complicated terms) and she’ll let you know with a scolding if it’s not. On the other hand if you happen to sleep over in our guest bed there’s a 95% chance you’ll have a cat in there with you by the time you wake up. Taggart seeks body heat at night, and she loves fresh meat LOL.
Nina
I can’t wait to start doing this myself! Maybe we’ll see you “out there” someday! In the meantime, I’ll keep following your blog.
Good luck with whatever plans you have. Work step by step towards your goals and before you know it they’ll be reality.
Nina.
Be sure you test if you like the Zip Dee chairs before buying them. We have two that came with our motorhome. The quality of construction is very good, but in my opinion not very comfortable. I like folding chairs with aluminum frames because they are light. We had two of the zero gravity lounge chair but really heavy (22 lbs) and bulky in the basement storage. So gave them away.
I did find an aluminum directors chair that is light and comfy. But still trying to find reasonably priced lounge chairs. The made in USA old style ones are $150. Seems like a lot.
You are right on with regard to Coleman BBQ. I keep hanging on to mine and cleaning it with much labor because I like the grill you can put on. I almost bought the small weber last year and may spring for one now. The Coleman does take up too much space in the storage.
We tried out the Zip Dee chairs when we were boondocked with our Airstream buddies earlier this year. I really liked them, but as you point out chair comfort is so very personal. I’ve heard folks rave about them and others who hate them…and the ARE pricey.
It’s hard to find that “perfect” chair. The closest we’ve come is with our zero gravity, but it’s definitely bulky/heavy. My next favorite (and close runner up) is the rocker. I still can’t claim to have found the last chair I’ll ever own.
We struggled with the Coleman for a year and a half before we made the switch. I wanted to like it, really I did, but the darn thing was just too awkward and since it was a pain to take in/out of storage we didn’t use it much at all. The Weber is nicely compact, so much so that we grill much more since we got it.
Nina
love the ideas hoping to sell the house and hit the road in 4 to 8 yrs more like 8
Well I hope the time comes sooner rather than later for you. Either way, thanks for following the blog.
Nina
Great post as always and thank you for including links for the products. They’re were a few “must haves” we needed 🙂
Wendy
Coleman Pack-Away Outdoor 4-in-1 Table
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000003098-Pack-Away-Outdoor-Table/dp/B00GVK7YT8
Very easy to fit any need.
They seem not durable (like not for beer pong) but have held up for a couple years. Store them in the box they came in.
MUSIC– We set out a little Bluetooth Jawbone speaker – everyone gets a turn to DJ connecting with their phone. (Or online radio)
Nice! I like the table!
And yes, a Bluetooth speaker is a neat little glamping addition. We don’t have one, but it’s on our “list”. We subscribe to Spotify and a Bluetooth speaker would pair with that beautifully.
Nina
Love the post – we’re preparing to full time (will be our 3rd round) at the end of this year. Going to up-size our rig. I’ve never had the rug but I love the ambience it creates. Got to get me one. Is the dirt it collects a pain when its time to store it? Just shake it out and put it in a plastic bin?
Love your posts, helps us dream of our wandering days ahead.
Honestly we’ve not found the dirt to be a problem. The mat shakes out pretty easily and it’s somewhat porous too so it doesn’t collect a lot. We just shake and store. There’s always some dirt of course, but not enough to worry about. The only time the mat becomes an issue is if it gets wet then it *will* collect mud and start to deteriorate. We try to pick it up before rain and/or dry it out as quickly as we can if it does get wet.
Nina
Real informative post for a lot of folks, as evidenced in the comments. Good job, Nina.
And I can vouch for the little foldable aluminum table in a couple of your photos. I’ve had one exactly like it for years and have used it with RV camping, tent camping, and pickup & canopy camping. It has been a lot of western states over a number of years, and seen a lot of miles. When not in use for camping it’ll likely be found on the sticks and bricks deck or patio. Worth every dime.
My little glass of choice in the RV has been a small brandy snifter for brandy, Scotch, Drambuie, or what ever suits the need.
I’ve used the small black kettle style BBQs similar to the one in your photo, tho maybe a smaller version, for years untold. When one burns thru after numerous years, I buy another just like it. It’s uncamoing not to have one! LOL!!! 🙂
That little aluminum side-table is a power house. We put it through all kinds of abuse, including rain, wind, knocking about, you-name-it and it’s still going strong. Like you said, well worth the $20 or so we spent on it.
I like the idea of bringing your favorite glass(es) along in the RV. We’re very happy with our tumblers and have a few nice wine glasses too. There’s something about drinking from a real glass, the right glass (you know, the one that feels good in your hand and showcases the drink just the right way) that makes cocktail hour so much more satisfying.
Nina
I agree with your reply about the drink glasses being real glass, Nina. I would also add that some cheap plastic classes seem to give some beverages a “plastic-like” taste. Not good for happy hour.
Real glass all the way. It is worth the extra little time and effort to pack them for safe travels to the next happy hour locale.
Cheers! 🙂
Great ideas! Love that grill. Just wanted to touch on my experience with Dr. Eva Urena in Los Algodones. Been there once this week for a cleaning and she did two x-rays. $55.00 for that. She referred me to a root canal specialist, Dr. Hernandez who is right next door to her office. Today, I saw Dr. Hernandez and we agreed I need a front bridge removed and replaced and two root canals re-done under that bridge. I will go back on the 21st to start this procedure. Anyone have any experience with Dr. Hernandez? I couldn’t find very much on him.
Our buddies Hector and Brenda were just in Los Algodones last week and Brenda had a root canal done with him. She was happy with the work…well, as happy as you can be about a root canal. You can read about her experience with him here:
http://www.islandgirlwalkabout.com/2015/01/14/molar-city/
Feel free to ask her about it directly on her blog too.
Nina
Hi Nina/Paul – Love your blog, I refer to you often to other people and all the wonderful information you share. So thank you!
Off topic question – I did search around on the blog to see if you addressed this but I haven’t discovered anything (yet). Banking is what I’m wondering about. How do you deal with getting cash from your account IF your bank is not in the western states?
Appreciate your input.
Thank you,
Barbara
We bank with Wells Fargo which has ATMs all over, but on occasion when we can’t find an ATM we have two easy options:
1/ Cash back at stores -> the easiest, simplest way to get cash anywhere. Most grocery stores and several other types of stores offer this, even smaller ones and there is typically no added fee. Just pay with your debit card and request the cash at the register. However there may be a limit to how much you can ask for (between $40-80 usually)
2/ Withdraw cash at another bank -> usually your bank will allow you to use your debit card at another bank. Sometimes there’s a fee involved (Wells Fargo doesn’t charge us a fee for this, but the other bank often does) so we’ll usually withdraw a pretty hefty sum (several hundred dollars) to make it worthwhile.
We don’t use much cash and pay for must stuff with credit cards, so we can rack up points. A single cash withdrawal often lasts us months.
Nina
So, what do think a 20 ft. x 12 ft. rolled up piece of artificial lawn weighs? That’s what we have used for 20+ years as our “mat”. It was a LOT lighter 20 years ago than it is now. We would lug it on the roof rack of our Jeep Cherokee. The mat you are using is gonna be the ticket…maybe two of them.
Whoah! That’s a seriously heavy mat! No wonder you want to swap it out LOL.
Nina
Good stuff Nina. We have many of the same items you use. I think at one point we were carrying 8 different chairs. The only thing I would add to your list is a “Campfire in a Can”. We love this product because it makes a great campfire and breaks down to a very manageable size.
Michael
So, looks like I’ve gotten several recommendations for Campfire In a Can. I’m going to look into it!!
Nina
Love the ice rock ideas! A couple other “glamping” ideas for outdoor enjoyment, our campfire in a can with colored tempered glass to replace the log that came with it extends the time we spend outside watching the sunsets during happy hour.
We also have an LED light strip that is attached to the awning that can be programmed to change colors, etc. That added a bit of Christmas cheer when we programmed it with red/green options.
We have several buddies who enjoy outdoor LED strips. We don’t use our awning much (at all) mostly because it tends to be so windy out here in the desert, but we have buddies who use the strips around their mats to create a decorative light.
Nina
Just because you’re in the boonies you don’t need to sit on a rock and drink from a canteen 🙂 We took a risk and ordered chairs online – Garner Mountain. A zero gravity, a rocker and a sportsman chair with adjustable front legs for fishing on the side of a creek. We are very pleased with their quality and comfort – the sportsman being the most comfortable of all with the reclining back. We’ll see how they hold up. Ordered stainless tumblers and stemless wine glasses from Amazon and I’m anxious to try them out – will my hand get really cold?? Thanks again for a great post.
The “cup” of the glass will chill with the colder drinks (e.g. shaken cocktails), but if you hold the stem you’re fine. Enjoy your new “glamper” items!
Nina
Guess what! Steve just ordered the solar ice rocks. We now are glamping up front yard! Thank you for all the great ideas.
Cool! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Nina
Okay I see something there I’ve been looking for – a folding rocking chair (not the zero gravity). Can you tell me what brand it is? My Mom is a rocker and when we do our trips this summer I’d like to have a rocking chair for her.
I bought it at Camping World. Click the link in my blog post and it’ll take you right to the exact model.
Nina
Okay never mind I see you gave me the link!!!
Another great post, Nina. Thanks for all the links and good ideas on how to “glamp” up the boondock site.
We are not full timers, due to family commitments, but we are able to “escape” about 4 months at a time throughout the year. We have all the items necessary to “glam” our RV, but we do not have solar power. How do full-timers feel about a part-timer showing up at a boondocking site, and running a generator a few hours in the morning and evening. Enjoy your insights to full-timing. Thanks, Jerry
As long as you don’t park too close (if there’s lots of space, take advantage of it!) and run the generator at reasonable hours it’s considered OK. Before we had solar we boondocked with our generator and that’s what we did. We usually ran the generator once/day for a few hours (typically in the afternoon when it didn’t bother folks too much) to recharge our batteries. Running twice per day is also OK as long as it’s not crazy hours.
Nina
I don’t know if this falls under the category of “glamping,” but one of my fave pieces of equimpent – after the BrewStation & coffee grinder – is the Camp Chef Mountain Man Grill from Gander Mountain! http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Camp-Chef-Mountain-Man-Grill-MMGRILL&i=726237
I just appreciate the flavor of charcoal/mesquite ahead of butane/propane. 😉
Nice! That’s a hefty piece of equipment, but a sweet “glamper” addition.
Nina
Thanks! Love to see other people’s ideas for what works in making their camping comfortable. In addition to stainless steel martini glasses there are also stemless stainless steel wine glasses, which my SIL has named “wine weebles.”
http://www.rei.com/product/798282/gsi-outdoors-glacier-stainless-stemless-wineglass
In addition to being very hard to tip over – always a plus – they’re nice for keeping adult beverages inconspicuous in those places where the drinking of such is “frowned on.” (Not that we’re scoff-laws or anything… )
Very nice glasses. I’m not sure I could drink wine out of steel (something about it bothers me), but these would work great for regular cocktails. Very stylish too.
Nina
This information is so valuable. TY
Hi Nina and Paul, I follow your website regularly, awesome info and stories. This is a little off topic, but wondering if you or some of your RV friends know of quality (quick & reliable) 5th wheel bodywork service in the Palm Springs area. Many Thanks for any help or suggestions you can offer.
Gosh I don’t Norma. I’d recommend asking on the RV forums (RV.net and iRV2.com). Also check rvservicereviews.com. Hope you find a quick solution!
Nina
Nina, many thanks for the quick reply and the additional info. I will check out your suggestions. All the best, Norma
Great post with some great ideas, I just bought a pellet smoker
and would love to get some smoking recipes that you use on the road .
thanks
Here’s on of Paul’s favorites (and I can attest it is VERY yummy):
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/meatheads_memphis_dust.html
This same website has a ton of other good smoking recipes.
Nina
just love your site. Thanks for ALL of your good advice. We are adding solar to our 5th wheel as we speak. Plan on being full time in 3 years. Have you given advice on washers and dryers? We are not sure what we are going to do and would like some good advice.
I’ve not really written about washer/dryers. We have a Spendide combo unit that came with our RV and it’s perfectly fine. It only takes small loads and it takes several hours to complete a load, but when we have hookups I LOVE having it. It is Sooooo much nicer than going to the laundromat. We very rarely use it while boondocking since it just uses too much water, but I love having it on-board for the rest of the year.
Nina
You might enjoy this event…
http://www.overlandexpo.com/west/#
Here’s the 2014 video…
Thank you for all the information. Hubby and I are looking into buying a 32-34 ft RV and taking a 3 month trip. Unsure of anything (as a newby) so doing all sorts of research. Your info is invaluable and I wanted to thank you for sharing!
Love the post! Hubby and I bought our first TT last fall and keep talking about selling the house and parking at a private campground fulltime. This would give us a chance to save up some $$ for the home we want. Who knows, we may end up never going back to a brick and mortar home! We will need to trade in for an all weather camper or see about setting our current TT up for it.
I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts. My wife and I will be setting out the first of December on our journey. If you don’t me asking how do you handle your banking? Finding a bank that is nation wide is a real challenge.
We have Wells Fargo which are pretty much everywhere. But honestly we do most of our banking online. We have online deposit (for checks), online transfers and can use ATM’s across the US for cash withdrawal. There’s very few times we actually need to go into a branch for anything.
Nina