Mojave Part 1: Boondocking & Sand Dunes

With one practice camping trip at a proper campsite under our belts, it was time to brave the big wide world with the Basecamp. I learned a brand new word from all my RV googling: boondocking. It seems to be what we’ve previously referred to as ‘free camping’ or ‘wild camping’ – essentially staying overnight somewhere other than a campground (truck stops and Walmarts don’t count), with no electric or water hook ups. Sounds right up our street.

Our first night was more a matter of getting a few miles in. It was Friday rush hour and Darren picked me up from Burbank airport (after a very wet week in Seattle). We joined the snaking procession of red tail lights heading away from LA, all intent on distancing ourselves, putting the working week behind us.

Pic not actually taken that night – but it IS LA traffic and gives you an idea!

By the time we got to our overnight stop (an Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) playground near Barstow, off the I15), it had been dark for a few hours and we just wanted to park up and snuggle down. Concerned that the BC might fall down a drop off, crunch into a pothole or sink into some deep sand (not that we’re precious at all!), I was ejected from the truck – torch held aloft, coat zipped up to the chin and hood up, in a battle to avoid the howling wind. My job – to walk ahead and check the ‘road’ (and preferably not go over any drop offs, potholes or soft sand). I think I made it ooh, all of 50 yards before proclaiming we’d found a great spot.

Our spot for the night (and this was the next morning btw): a bit close to the road but better safe than sorry

Out in the proper ‘boonies’ in the Mojave the next day, we bagged ourselves a great boondocking spot. Even managed to maneuver the trailer around so as to face the panoramic windows towards the sand dunes (advanced stuff, believe me!).

But first… let’s just have a cuppa…

I’d forgotten how the very scale of the surroundings in the desert make things appear, shall we say kinda smaller. Take the Kelso Dunes for example. A little hike up to the top seems like no big deal, after all, they look pretty small and they’re just right there.

Of course, ploughing through soft sand makes any walk immediately twice as far. Throw a bit of altitude in there, not to mention the steep slopes and knife edge ridges and you’ve certainly got yourself a hike.

Despite temperatures in the low 70s, this was hot hot hot desert sun. The type that beats down relentlessly with no shade, and we were soon ‘working it’. Despite that, Darren somehow found a way to defy gravity and conquer a slope of insane proportions. Me… I took the looong way round.