I have shared before how reservoirs provide great boondocking locations in the fall when the water levels are lowered. Most reservoirs provide the following: public property (i.e. it is your land to camp on), miles of firm gravely shoreline is exposed, great views and best of all is having a waterfront campsite for free! On a recent trip traveling south of Winnemuca on I-80 my wife and I decided to spend the evening on Rye Patch Reservoir. We had camped there several years earlier utilizing a nice campsite along the shore. We enjoyed watching the waterfowl, sunsets reflecting off the water and the steam rising from the water on a cool fall morning made for some amazing photographs.
Imagine our surprise upon nearing the shoreline to find a dry lake bed. Thinking it might be just this particular inlet that was dry, I parked the RV and went for a stroll. Walking over the ridge to the main body of the reservoir offered more of the same. Miles of dry lake bed with no water in sight! With no need to drive farther to obtain a waterfront campsite we settled in near the boat launch that was equipped with a fire ring and grill. Still not a bad spot to camp for the evening for free. Late in the afternoon we were treated to a beautiful rainbow proving that God has a sense of humor. I found the irony of us camping along a dry lake bed and the rainbow (God’s promise never to send another world wide flood) being rather funny. Dry lakes and rainbows, 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.
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