How lonely is boondocking solo?

[DavidEM]

Some years ago (he died a few years ago), there was a full time real boondocker (no established campsites) that went by the handle Tioga George. He boondocked throughout California and then migrated down to Mexico (before the drug troubles). Sometimes he would boondock in urban areas as he was passing through and had a scheme for avoiding the police.

Google Tioga George and you will find his website that gives blogs over a ten year period.

As I recall, George did have significant social interaction during his travels. I followed his blog religiously and stopped by once to meet him at a spot on a back street in Newport Beach, Ca.

David

[ShelbyM]

Originally Posted by wyoaztravler

First time looking for a friend to travel with.
My wife passed 4.4 years ago, and I do miss the relationship we had, it was great.
She loved to fish and I took her fishing and traveled all over the U.S.
We traveled full time, 11 months to a short year of only 4 months one year for nearly 17 years.
I am looking for a lady to travel beside, I really enjoy the West and really prefer Boondocking, no crowds, just Nature and all its beauty surrounding us.
I love to ride bicycles and motorcycles, I recently bought an ebike and really enjoy riding it.
I also have a very small 250 cc Kawasaki Super Sherpa, its small enough for me to handle, over my 78 years I have owned some 60 different motorcycles and many RV's from truck campers to 40' motorhomes, I really enjoy the traveling the United States, what a great country we have.
[Mod Edit]
I love the WEST, not crowded and beautiful, but I am open to your ideas as to the traveling you are wanting to do or places you want to see, I am open to see new places, are you?
I currently have a 31' Desert Fox Toyhauler and a F250 Ford Diesel 7.3, supercab, (4door) and will be heading north in a month or two, if your in Yuma and heading north I am in Kingman, maybe we could meet for coffee?
I don't smoke and don't drink, I smoked for years and quit about 30 years ago, never was much of a drinker.
I was in the Navy, I suspect the Asbestos might have caused the lung cancer that I have, but then working in a shop as a kid in a machine shop and that may be the issue but who knows, no one. Enjoy life while you have it.
Charlie AZWYOtraveler

Good luck Charlie! I think you'll find there are lots of ladies who would love to travel in a nice rig like yours. As we say in the South, they'll be on you like white on rice!

[Weeds636]

Sirius satellite radio is a companion for the quiet nights.

[Hpozzuoli]

Originally Posted by Spdracr39

I just don't have the desire to go it alone since there is no one there to share it with so I haven't travelled at all since my wife passed.

I am younger with a young family. I always wonder if the wife and I will be doing this when the kids are gone and we are old and grey. I then thought when she goes before me, will I still use the MH if we have one? I couldn’t answer it one way or another. I would like to think I could, but the emotional part might be too hard to tame, at least for a while. I wish you the best and hope to see you out there. I like to think I will never give it up either.

[NLOVNIT]

The emotional part of me couldn't take continuing to RV in the Phaeton we bought for our retirement travel that was now not going to happen as planned. It was too heartbreaking. So I sold the Phaeton, but downsized to a coach sized just for me alone.

As others have posted, it's only as lonely as you want it to be. I would think boondocking in isolated places could get lonely, but if you have enough to occupy yourself it wouldn't be. I haven't tried that yet.

[Jimmy Jime]

Yep...only as lonely as I want to be.
I make my own adventures!!!

[2cyber71]

We almost always travel together.
I've done a few trips by myself. I didn’t like it.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

The emotional part of me couldn't take continuing to RV in the Phaeton we bought for our retirement travel that was now not going to happen as planned. It was too heartbreaking. .....

We had 4 years full timeing before Rita died in her sleep while camping. For the next 4 months I was always with family and friends. It was very hard emotionally to set out on the road again.

One day I am going down the road and a feeling overwhelmed me. I was in a home filled with wonderful memories.

When reading the new posts, I realized that I have not spent any days boondocking in isolation this year so far. An odd thing happened. One day I decided to take a mental health day and just watch old movies with no plans to even step out of the MH. At 7pm Greg was knocking on my door checking to see if I was ok. Greg and his wife would come and go. I would come and go. Sometimes we would talk.

So before heading off I got Greg's cell phone number.

[Bobertgoes]

No doubt, make no mistake, you will get lonely. I found myself getting chatty with the cashier and then realized how desperate I was for people. I would see people all weekend, then be alone camping and doing stuff (tourist or destination stuff) and get lonely. Yes, there are people here and there to talk to but at the end of the day you go back to an empty camper, eat alone, sit alone, watch tv alone, read alone.... Some alone time is good, but it will be a way of life for solo boondocking. There is just no way around it - meet all the people you want, you still will end up by yourself a big chunk of time.

Campfires just are not that fun alone.
Seeing stuff is not as fun alone.

But, in order to do stuff that you want to do you sometimes have to alone, bc your friends will want other objectives, so that is the good part, you are streamlined. My problem is that all the friends had different schedules and did not/would not/could not take the time to do the same trip as me, so I either do the trip alone, or not at all. I was actually doing it for work.

Keeping up with friends/family on the www's will not cut it either, you are still alone.
One instance I recognized a stranger at a NP that was into the same hobby as I was, he was alone also, so we spent two days seeing the same sights together, camped out also, so the evening was interesting. We were both on a similar mission so it worked, but that is not the norm at all. Keep an open mind and try to meet people and try to be open to the very strange people that are out solo boondocking, you might learn something along the way too.

[Old-Biscuit]

Yes, there are people here and there to talk to but at the end of the day you go back to an empty HOUSE, eat alone, sit alone, watch tv alone, read alone.... Some alone time is good, but it will be a way of life for solo boondocking. There is just no way around it - meet all the people you want, you still will end up by yourself a big chunk of time.

Being alone does not need to be lonely. Folks can be lonely in a crowed room
Choices.....be lonely or go and experience life

[laj]

I don’t get this lonely thing. I am getting ready to leave on a 3week trip. I will be 15 miles off a county road, then another 38 miles by jeep.

Some of the best fly fishing around. There might be 10 people a yr. up there, and i don’t expect to see anyone the entire rime.

I have so much to do, and see up there, cooking fish every night over a Cf. As old Biscuit said you can be lonely anytime, your choice. Its a state-of-mind, and choice.

Been doing this over 33 yrs. Wouldn’t change a thing.
The more i know, and hear people, the more i love boon-docking.

I mean real boon-docking.

[Alikair]

Originally Posted by laj

I don’t get this lonely thing. I am getting ready to leave on a 3week trip. I will be 15 miles off a county road, then another 38 miles by jeep.

Some of the best fly fishing around. There might be 10 people a yr. up there, and i don’t expect to see anyone the entire rime.

I have so much to do, and see up there, cooking fish every night over a Cf. As old Biscuit said you can be lonely anytime, your choice. Its a state-of-mind, and choice.

Been doing this over 33 yrs. Wouldn’t change a thing.
The more i know, and hear people, the more i love boon-docking.

I mean real boon-docking.

Are you a full time solo or do you return home to family and friends?

[Souljourner]

Originally Posted by Alikair

Are you a full time solo or do you return home to family and friends?

I’ve been reading this thread because I often travel solo. But even before you asked, I realized that traveling solo and then coming home to family is very different than traveling solo full time. I love my times of solitude - me and some trees. But this thread made me realize I love it because at the end of my time away I come back to my family life. This thread made me think about whether I would enjoy my solo adventures as much if I didn’t have someone waiting for me back home. Although I’m pretty independent, I take great comfort in knowing someone who loves me is a phone call away.

I think my experience would be very different if I were truly on my own. Realizing that might be my situation one day, I’m doing all I can to practice part time - understanding that it’s a very different experience to be solo all of the time.

I actually don’t know if I would feel lonely if solo was all I had. But should the time come when I am in that situation - the only way I would know is by doing it. But that makes me think - would I be any less lonely alone in my house?

BTW - I highly recommend the companionship of a dog. He’s my co-pilot and gives me focus and motivation to do things. I don’t actually feel solo when he’s with me.

[ArtJoyce]

Only you can determine if there will be enough social interaction for you. Get out boonbocking and see how you like it. Don't make your plans and then wait three years to figure out if you like it?

I have found it depends where I camp as to how friendly people are. I have been in private and public parks that people don't want to talk. But most of the time they are friendly. Also if you are going full time there will be times of the year when no one is there. In off-season we have stayed at several normally busy parks that we have been the only camper in the park and may once a day you see a ranger.