In the last couple of installments we looked at how to position your RV when camping in the boondocks. We looked at view, sun / shade, drainage and several other considerations.
Now I do have to admit that I don’t always follow my own advice. Either that or my alter ego thinks it knows better. I had preselected, via Google Earth, a place to camp in an Oregon Department of Transportation site just north of Fields, Oregon off of Hwy 205. The main purpose for camping here was a convenient place to drop the travel trailer while we drove the truck north up the graveled Fields – Denio Road to explore the Alvord Desert during the afternoon, then return to sleep that evening. We would break camp the next morning so aesthetics/view was not a concern when selecting this space. However, upon arriving at the gravel pit (which had several suitable areas to camp on a firm gravel surface as I knew it would), my alter ego noticed an area up behind the gravel piles that had a nice view of the valley and surrounding mountains.
Other than a depression where you could see water had pooled in the past, as evidenced by the dry cracked clay, the area was fairly level and, as mentioned, had a VIEW! It had rained prior to our arrival and while wet the area was not holding water and was solid. Letting the view and my alter ego win out over my common sense, I chose a campsite along the edge of the depression. Even if it rained some more, I thought to myself, the water wouldn’t come up to the campsite and if the water pooled, it could be navigated around to get back to the gravel. Trusting my alter ego’s judgment (I knew better), I dropped the trailer along the depression. We made the trip to Alvord Desert and back, enjoyed a campfire and went to bed. In the morning I woke up and opened the blinds to enjoy the view, only to discover a wet snow had fallen during the night and we were now camped on lake front property! While the campsite wasn’t inundated, my planned departure route was. Exiting the RV confirmed my fears, the dry cracked clay that was firm yesterday afternoon was now soft and slippery! Hoping things would be different on the other side of the newly formed pond, I walked around the perimeter hoping to find a safe exit. None existed. So after breakfast and a prayer, I put the truck in four wheel drive low range and made a dash for the gravel with the trailer in tow. Thankfully we made it to firm ground and I didn’t need to summon emergency road service.
Learning NOT to trust your alter ego, just another adventure in RVing.
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
Leave a Reply