Boondockers: What IF something... Happens?

BoondockingAirstream · February 14

We have experienced and overcome the normal over thinking of: What ifs...

Camping... never a What If.

Tent Camping... never a What If.

Airstream and Oliver Elite II ahhhh some Camping... never a What If.

Towing on paved roads, there are more obstacles on the road, in the road and unpredictable drivers along side you, in back of you, or in front of you to worry about... than the 'What Ifs' when Boondocking.

The BIGGEST 'What if...' for the Off the Grid Boondocker, in my Neanderthal consideration are....

Trees and Tree Branches.

What might your 'What if 'experiences be? How did you work it out to prevent the 'What if'? Were you able to make changes in your OTG or easy Boondocking decisions to gain confidence. Much like a young child learning to swim a few classes at the swimming pool fixes that fear. Same with the First Boondocking experience just outside of a town, then two miles then out in Nowhere USA. State DeLorme Atlases have more 'NO WHERES' on the pages, than Ranches, Towns and Cities. Most of the Western USA is empty... but with lots of passable roads... to somewhere interesting. There is no End of the Road... just Detours. Or turn around and follow the road you found the end, to return.

Sheep on the Road East of Cedar City, Utah. Tires in Nevada. Road markings at a Service Station. Nowhere in the distance. A ' baby horny toad' moved off the trail.

**Jason Foster** · February 14

What if...

I find the perfect spot, set up camp, enjoy the sunset and find out at around 2am the land I am on belongs to the infamous Sawyer family.

**jd1923** · February 17

What if, you just enjoy the time?!
Now wondering... re your Planet-of-the-Apes avatar...

"What IF something... Happens?" What something concerns you?
I have read this post now four times and I'm not seeing the question or concern.

I've spent my life looking forward for the "what if's" and the more the better! Love the unexpected which is life! BTW, boondocking is far safer than living in the city, tent camping be damned! 🤣

**Ronbrink** · February 17

‘What if’ the local residents disapprove of your site selection!

**Jason Foster** · February 17

6 hours ago, Ronbrink said:

‘What if’ the local residents disapprove of your site selection!

I love this. Did this actually happen to you?

BoondockingAirstream · February 17

What ifs... When away from home and towing, you may need to repair something that requires tools. I carry lots of tools to fix the mechanical travel problems that can happen when least expected. The further off the road, the more important it is to be prepared... for anything with a variety of tools.

If you have a wheel bearing go bad while traveling, an Oliver Elite and the Oliver Elite II have different options. A double axle can travel slowly with three tires on the ground. A single axle, not. If your tire pressures were minimal, the one tire with a good wheel bearing, would require a higher PSI to carry the load by itself on that side.

A double axle travel trailer has options a single axle travel trailer do not.

Flat tire. What PSI do you maintain when traveling? Do you check your spare tire pressure when beginning a trip. Are you a high PSI or a low PSI traveler with the idea of one is better for the Oliver?

There is a check list of essentials like Propane Tanks topped off, water tank flushed and fresh, battery condition, tire pressures. Have you checked the bolts that attach the Leaf Springs?

If your Tow Vehicle battery dies while Off the Grid, do you have some idea of how to find a solution with what you have?

These are some What Ifs. Those who are RV Park campers and travel busy roads are less likely to be stranded without cell service or potential help. Those who travel Remote Locations and camp Off the Grid do not have those luxuries of the Urban Camper and RV Parks.

Long handled Clippers. Shovel or two. Plastic Buckets. Two Wheel or Four Wheel Drive Tow Vehicle. Are your Maps adequate for the area you plan to explore? Have lots of experience Backing UP and Out of a bad spot in the road?

Some prepare and learn from previous mistakes. Being prepared for the What Ifs that others have had occur. If nothing happens to yourself for an entire lifetime, no problem.

Once you are stuck in a muddy stretch of road... without a shovel or two... and have no backing out of a situation experience... good luck. Start your... list. Take photographs for the memories of figuring it out yourself.

The 'Tooth Fairy' was not real, either. Nor Big Foot.

Boy Scouts "Be Prepared" was smart and wise. The 'What If' situations can occur anywhere, any time and when least prepared. Anyone who is confused about any of this, you are just fine doing what you are doing. Great. Those travel trailer owners, like ourselves that go to places to get peace and quiet in remote locations need to be prepared. Human Beans are not on the top of the Food Chain in the Rocky Mountains and prefer to be at a Parking Lot at Costco. We can do either, if necessary. You can as well.

**Jason Foster** · February 18

5 minutes ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

What ifs... When away from home and towing, you may need to repair something that requires tools. I carry lots of tools to fix the mechanical travel problems that can happen when least expected. The further off the road, the more important it is to be prepared... for anything with a variety of tools.

I carry every tool imaginable, but still find a nut every now and then that refuses to move.

6 minutes ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

Flat tire. What PSI do you maintain when traveling? Do you check your spare tire pressure when beginning a trip. Are you a high PSI or a low PSI traveler with the idea of one is better for the Oliver?

Been there, done that many times. I keep my tires aired up fully on the highway and air down on rough roads. The truck has a compressor and I have two spare jacks.

8 minutes ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

If your Tow Vehicle battery dies while Off the Grid, do you have some idea of how to find a solution with what you have?

My TV has two batteries, but if they both die, I have 390 amps of juicy stuff in my trailer, plus a generator that can run my battery charger.

11 minutes ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

If you are stuck in a muddy stretch of road... without a shovel or two... and have no backing out of a situation experience... good luck. The 'tooth fair' was not real, either.

Tooth Fairy:

And Santa Claus:

16 minutes ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

Those travel trailer owners, like ourselves that go to places to get peace and quiet in remote locations need to be prepared. Human Beans are not on the top of the Food Chain in the Rocky Mountains and prefer to be at a Parking Lot at Costco. We can do either, if necessary. You can as well.

I'm the kind of human "Bean" that likes the road less travelled, so I'm with you on all of this.

**Ronbrink** · February 18

3 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

Did this actually happen to you?

Yep, free-roaming buffalo!

**Jason Foster** · February 18

30 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

Yep, free-roaming buffalo!

Those things are notoriously bad tempered. Glad you got away with it.

**topgun2** · February 18

32 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

Yep, free-roaming buffalo!

And other critters too.

**Jason Foster** · February 18

5 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

And other critters too.

**Ronbrink** · February 18

1 hour ago, Jason Foster said:

Those things are notoriously bad tempered. Glad you got away with it.

I’m a retired wildlife biologist, been up close and personal with many critters much more dangerous than buffalo!

**Jason Foster** · February 18

1 hour ago, Ronbrink said:

I’m a retired wildlife biologist, been up close and personal with many critters much more dangerous than buffalo!

As a semi-retired rancher, I've been beat up, trampled and broken by nothing more than pasture raised cows.

**Ronbrink** · February 18

8 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

As a semi-retired rancher, I've been beat up, trampled and broken by nothing more than pasture raised cows.

Know what you mean, I have a herd of cattle; working them is a treacherous task, indeed!

**topgun2** · February 18

The story behind the cow and calf above is:

I had been fishing the stream right behind my Ollie (stream is visible in the pic and this is my campsite). I was still some distance from camp but walking back via a dirt road when approximately 400 yards in front of me I saw something come out of the woods that was large, black and had fur! Due to the distance and the heavy shade I simply could not tell exactly what this critter was but, I knew that it had crossed to the stream side of the road and was between me and camp. I could hear it but given the vegetation I only caught short glimpses of that black fur. I felt a bit foolish carrying the bear spray in my hand and yelling "hey Bear" when I finally, got to within about 75 yards I saw the calf and figured that if this black critter was a bear then this calf would have already been dinner!

Well, Mom and calf seemed to like my camp and hung around for a 1/2 hour or so, but, Mom left me a very nice "present" just outside the door. 🤠💩

Watch where you step and don't get between Mom and baby.

Bill

Boondockers: What IF something... Happens?

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