Boondocking near Yuma, Arizona

After a week in Benson, Arizona we decided to move on to Yuma. Well, actually where we camp is in Winterhaven, California. Please don't tell Al, as he hates changing time zones. (kidding) We are just over the border from Yuma, and Winterhaven is the first little town, so most folks who are here are on Mountain time.  We watch TV Channels set on Arizona time, and do most everything in Yuma anyway, so we find it much easier.  All our clocks are set for Arizona time. Only our cell phones change when we are here.  Last year Al and I went out for a steak dinner at one of the Casinos here in Winterhaven, and they were even using Mountain Time

We are boondocking on BLM land (Bureau of Land Management). This land is government land, and we are allowed to camp on it for free or for a small fee.  The area we chose to be in charges a small fee of $40 for two weeks.  Boondocking means we have no utilities and we rely on our solar panels for electricity and sometimes our generator.  We have holding tanks for fresh water and holding tanks that hold our waste water. There is a place very close where we can dump our tanks and take on fresh water when needed.  We have been here for almost 4 weeks and are actually enjoying it very much.  We are basically in the desert, but not far at all from civilization. Many people who boondock like to go far away from people and go where no one is around. We like our space around us, but feel much safer if there are people around.  There are actually a lot of other campers here, but all are at a distance away.  We did have someone who was about 200 feet away the other day, and that was actually close. They only stayed for an overnight. 

                                                                   Our Campsite
                         
It has been very warm here for the most part. The first week or two it was always in the 70's during the day and dropped down into the high 40's and 50's at night. Lately it has been in the 80's during the day and even as high as 60 at night.  Can't really complain (and wouldn't dare complain to folks back home anyway) as there is always a nice breeze. Starting tomorrow, it is supposed to be in the 70's.

While boondocking, we can do pretty much everything we would normally do.  We do try to conserve though. I can't do laundry with my Splendide washer/dryer combo though, and I do miss that. We went to the Laundry Mat a week or so ago and boy did I have a lot of laundry to do.

             Al strung a clothesline for me for clothes I didn't want to put in dryer at laundry mat.
                              This line was full, but I had already brought a lot of clothes inside.

                      He used his ladder on the other end of clothesline. No trees or poles here! 
                                 It worked great and the clothes were dry in no time at all!

We go to town a lot as I'm not the best shopper. I always have something I need at the grocery store, plus we like to go out to lunch and sometimes dinner.  Yes I do cook quite a bit also, and we do combine trips to town with other errands as it is about 10+miles.  Since Yuma is the lettuce capital of the world or the U.S.A. anyway, there are lots of veggies growing here right now.  I mean everywhere you go there are fields of lettuce, broccoli cabbage and every vegetable you can imagine.

                              Fresh veggies I brought home one day from the roadside stand

                                 Brocco-flower: A cross between a broccoli and a cauliflower.
                                                       It tasted mostly like cauliflower

As you can see here, the fields really are everywhere. This stand is surrounded by fields of produce.

Since here we have seen some beautiful sunsets and at least one sunrise (We don't usually tend to get up that early)  Life is pretty good here. Boondocking is certainly not for everyone, but it suits us just fine. Now, mind you I am starting to think about a full service RV park where I can take longer showers and use my Spendide washer. ( I really hate laundry mats!)  Very soon I hope!

                                           One evening it seemed like the sky was on fire.
                                     We do get some beautiful sunsets out here in the desert.

                                   I thought this was the most unusual sunrise I had ever seen.
                                    I quickly put on my robe and went outside to get this shot.


We had some major truck problems, so we had to rent a car for over a week. We needed new fuel injectors.  The truck was smoking quite a bit. It is a big job and we had to find a reputable diesel mechanic here in Yuma which is not always an easy task.  Luckily, we did find someone and got it taken care of.  Now we are happy. 

                                                                      Al's Dually

For the most part we really are living the simple life here and loving it just fine.  So for now, I'll say good by and hope you'll check back real soon. I'm saving some really good posts for early next week. Yeah, lots of catching up to do!  Life really is soooo good!