A few weeks back, I shared why I feel boondocking is more memorable than staying in RV parks.
While you never know exactly what you will find in the boondocks, pleasant surprises seem to come with the territory. The following are a few surprises my wife and I recently experienced in our western travels.
Pulling off to boondock along Indian Ranch Road in California’s Panamint Valley, I noticed a patch of rain exposed gravel that appeared to be different and more densely clustered than other portions of our campsite.
After setting up camp I took a closer look and discovered that the rocks looked more like a discard pile from a rock hound than occurring naturally. The specimens were different in both shape and color than the others, picking up a dusty black piece and holding it up to the sun I quickly realized it was obsidian!
Wow, quite the surprise! What was obsidian doing out in the middle of a valley? Was it deposited by a recent rock hound like I first thought, or was it left by a Native American hundreds or thousands of years ago and only recently exposed by a flash flood?
Public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a favorite of boondockers. The BLM controls large tracts across the west for the good of the public including; recreation (boondocking), grazing rights, mineral exploration and more without a bunch of over restrictive regulations.
More than once we have shared BLM boondocking locations with cattle, where typically there are cows, fences and corrals not far away.
For those that love collecting Western Americana like I do, this is a perfect chance to add date nails to your collection as many of the fence poles began their life out west as railroad ties. Finding a date nail while boondocking is always a nice surprise.
Speaking of BLM land and grazing rights, another pleasant surprise I recently experienced while boondocking on BLM land in eastern California was a visit by a sheep.
While completing my morning Bible Study I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and spotted a solo sheep approaching our camp (see photo). It was obviously looking to reunite itself with the flock but welcomed my companionship (from afar) before wandering off in another direction.
Pleasant surprises you won’t experience in an RV park, just another adventure in RVing!
Drew says
Dave,
Did you know that some of the old utility power poles have date nails as well? I used to collect those but I think the oldest I found was 1908 or 1921.
Dave Helgeson - Adventures in RVing says
Drew,
Yes I know that. Some railroads would use them in their telegraph poles too.
Danny Henderson says
I have a date nail I found inside the wall of my house as I was remodeling it. It had the numbers 16 on it’s head. My son in law who owns the house and who inherited it from his grandmother even confirmed that the house was originally built in 1916
Dave Helgeson - Adventures in RVing says
Danny, Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.
Danny Henderson says
Thank you for your reply!
marilyn says
I think the number 16 was the weight/discription of the nail. Sometimes called a penny nail.
troy says
I have a 1938 that I made a tir tack from.
troy
troy says
tie tack
Jim Furubotten says
Sounds great, I agree. I also like the part of your bible study. You just ga e me the old kick in the back side to get mine going again. Thanks for the reminder????
Dave Helgeson - Adventures in RVing says
Jim, Happy to be the motivator – hate for you to become a lost sheep too. Take care and safe travels!
rob says
that 16 probably meant it was a 16 penny nail
Danny Henderson says
Not Hardly “Rob”. I’m a Carpenter, and I have my own wood-working shop and I grew up with my Grandfather who was a professional Carpenter, I know the difference between a 16 penny Nail, and what was stamped on the old nails back in the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s eras, and that one of mine is way too short for a 16 penny nail.
Douglas Moody says
So what was the purpose in putting a date on a nail?
Bill Richardson says
Keep up with the age of the tie for maintenance.
Drew says
Douglas,
In the case of telephone/power poles the 2 digit number indicates the year the pole was installed into the ground. In later years, the grid was mapped out and finally computerized- making these date nails redundant (good thing too- many ended up in personal collections).
Drew
troy says
date the installation of poles (telegraph and telephone, electric and corner posts) before computer records.
Stephan Anderson says
Enjoy reading your experiences. If there is a “link” to boondocking in/on BLM land, would you be so kind as to forward that on to me. We enjoy boondocking but not sure of all of the places it is acceptable. Thank you.