Community Forums

heritage2006 · 12-07-2012, 09:29 PM

I boondock all the time and that pretty much always means off the main 'paved' road.

One place I regularly go to is just outside Yuma and it is 3 miles of gravel road to get there. Slow and easy and so worth it when I get there.

Retiredblade · 12-09-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jth camper

Most of my camping is in the desert. And it's no fun digging out a 40 foot coach, but it can be done with a little patients and a lot of digging. But I'd do it all over if had to, I enjoy jeeping to much.

About six years ago traveling through the Imperial sand dunes in my Bounder 31 footer, my wife seen a paved road go down where dune buggies were doing their thing, "oh, turn in, I want to take some pictures". I did but I knew I had to turn wide to turn around and off the paved road I went and stuck I was! I unhooked the Saturn, got it out with no problems. So I started to dig in front of the rear wheels of the Bounder. the off roaders who were not racing around flipped open their lawn chairs with beers in their hands and sat there watching me, the show, as I dug. I had some flat boards I use to level the coach and put them under the wheels, and in about a half hour got out, turned around, hitched up the Saturn and left. It wasn't fun and I will never go off the road in the desert again, for pictures or anything!!!

Mr_D · 12-09-2012, 02:19 PM

How far before you get stuck? And once there you'll usually find your towing insurance won't be any good.

mre · 12-10-2012, 06:02 AM

In 2011, we went with a Caravan company to the Northwest Territories for a 57 day caravan. During the course of the trip, we traveled about 1100 miles on unpaved and often very rough roads. We have a 5th wheel and had $1000 worth of damage to our 5er suspension which we did not know about until about a month after the trip finished and I had the suspension was inspected. Other had same fates. The motorhomes seem to fair the best thought they to did suffer damage. Amonst the damage was, 4 frigs stopped working, flat tires, busted up suspension, windshields, misc items coming apart in the interiors, much dust and mud. Toads got pretty beat up from all the rocks come from the MH tires. One 40" pusher was pulling Chevy 1500 Silveraldo 4x4 and the front axle broke. I would suspect that some there is other damage that will not show up in the months and years after the trip was over in the way form of premature wear.

The trip though, was unbelieveable. I liked it better than Alaska, for the both the challenage of the drive and the scenery.

Hope this helps.

ed

Forest Grump · 12-10-2012, 06:57 PM

They do make off road RV's 6x6's. They have a very high clearance and I think most are diesel in the front. They also are very heavy. At Pismo you see all kinds of RV's in the sand dunes. Most get stuck and require a tow to get going again. Dry lake beds look like they would make fore a great surface but often it is just a crust. When you sink to your frame you are done, in a 4x4 too, unless you have lockers and let most of the air out of your tires then you might have a chance.