“When the first self-contained RVs appeared on American highways, the concept of a full service RV resort had not yet become the seed of an idea. Even the concept of a recreation vehicle, or house-car, for transportation as well as housing, completely independent of electrical, water, and sewage systems, and self-sustainable while seeing the wondrous scenic landscapes of this great and diverse country, was scoffed at and likened to itinerant gypsy wagons. But the self-sustaining independence would become the beauty – and lure – of RV camping.
“Then campgrounds and hook-ups came along and the new mainstream RVers evolved from wanting to be free of tethers to RVers demanding campgrounds with hook-ups (and even more comfort amenities) wherever they wanted to “camp”. Campgrounds turned into resorts with attractions to match the luxurious vacation hotels and spas – with price tags to match. And, in a very Darwinian evolutionary process, many RVers lost their ability to camp without life-supporting appendages, just like early humanoids lost their tails when they stopped swinging from trees.
“But unlike the humanoids that lost their tails, RVs did not lose their ability to camp without the life-supporting tethers. In fact, they became even more adaptable, efficient, and practical for camping independent of support systems – well beyond the dreams of the early adapters.”
The above is from my newest ebook, Boondockbob’s Guide to RV Boondocking which is available on Amazon Kindle.
I have been camping and RVing for most of my life, beginning when I was a youthful boyscout and progressing to regional General Manager of a national RV rental and sales company and then to retirement as a fulltime RVer for the following 17 years. I learned a lot over those decades as I grew to love the independence of camping off-the-grid, free of hook-ups, and with the ability to camp in some of the most beautiful places in America – without a neighbor a couple of arm lengths away.
My ebook boils down to what I’ve learned in an easy reading guide to this independence, and how you can achieve the skills to reach your independence too – all for the price of a cup of coffee. You can find it here.
For more RVing articles and tips take a look at my Healthy RV Lifestyle website, where you will also find my ebooks: 111 Ways to Get the Biggest Bang for your RV Lifestyle Buck (PDF or Kindle), Snowbird Guide to Boondocking in the Southwestern Deserts (PDF or Kindle), The RV Lifestyle: Reflections of Life on the Road (Kindle reader version), and my newest Boondockbob’s Guide to RV Boondocking (Kindle). NOTE: Use the Kindle version to read on iPad and iPhone or any device that has the free Kindle reader app.
Camping and Boondocking on our Public Lands 