One great thing about living in the Western United States is the large amount of public lands available to explore. The majority of these lands are also available for overnight camping. The problem is knowing where you can park your RV before getting there. Nobody wants to turn down a single lane dirt road not knowing if there are campsites or a place to turn the RV around. When boondocking in the desert southwest, Google Earth is the RVers ultimate campsite directory. Just log on to Google Earth, zoom over the area you plan to visit and look for large pull off areas, circular drives and other RV friendly sites. Then record the coordinates in your GPS or mark your map accordingly. For example: My wife and I are on the road through Utah and we plan to dig some fossils near Delta. Google Earth shows a nice loop pull off from Highway 6 near the fossil site at 39 09.016N 113 04.150W. Want to explore the Ghost Town of Ballarat, CA and camp near the paved highway? Check out the turn off at 36 02.192N 117 16.843W an expansive campsite and fire ring await you.
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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