This location is perfect for visiting Columbia, MO or Jefferson City. We stayed here for 3 nights and may go back except for the fact that it has zero cell coverage. AT A GLANCE Location: 38.786324, -92.123619 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Day time hikers but no other campers Distance to John's Work: 30 min Services: Water and trash, vaulted toilets T-Mobile Coverage: None (Very sad) Time of year we stayed: October Nearest Dump Station: Gander RV More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!2750&query=sitedetails Location Notes: This was a great landing place for us when we arrived. There was a trail right next to us to explore and water and trash very close which is super convenient. However, we live off of internet and while we can plan for a few days without it, we cannot sustain that so we decided to move on. There were also a few questionable people who looked to be permanently staying in one of the seven sites in the loop. We did not feel comfortable leaving our rig alone during the day but were later assured by a neighbor that they are all friendly and wouldn't bother us or our property. Still, you never know and we ultimately moved on. For an over night or a few nights where you don't leave anywhere, this was great. It should be noted that we opted to stay around the corner from the official campground so as not to disturb anyone with our late hour generator noise. Video:

If you like wide open spaces, this is for you. We enjoyed staying here and felt pretty safe - even leaving the rig to go explore. We stayed here for two weeks in May and even got to see wild horses come right up to our camp site. The roads are little rough and if it rains can be tricky. John was working in Reno and this is actually in Carson City so he did have a little bit of a commute. The good news though? It was really close to Tahoe! AT A GLANCE Location: 39.223250, -119.639028 Length We Stayed: 2 Weeks Solitude: Lots of room - a few other RVs Distance to Renown Reno: 40 min Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: OK Time of year we stayed: May More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!35518&query=sitedetails Location Notes: This was a good spot overall but if you aren't comfortable camping in a wide open space and leaving your rig kind of exposed this might make you nervous. There were certainly other rigs around but very spaced out. There are no trees to hide or offer privacy which was a little odd feeling. Also there was a fair amount of trash. Many sites we passed had shot gun shells and random trash that people had clearly dumped. We steered clear of those areas as best we could. The wild horse wandering through our camp site was beautiful and the kids were entranced! There is one reason we probably would be cautious to stay here again. There was an abundance of these annoying plants called fox tails. If you don't have a dog, you probably have nothing to worry about. But our pooch was addicted to them and they tore apart her insides. We ended up having to take her to an emergency vet who pulled 30 barbs out from her throat and mouth! Video:

This overnighter was just a small parking lot next to the BLM office in the town of Tonapah. It was a great spot for passing through although it was SUPER windy the night we were there! AT A GLANCE Location: GPS: 38.04951, -117.217898 Length We Stayed: 1 Night Solitude: Lots of room - No one else there that night Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: Decent Time of year we stayed: February More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!10273&query=sitedetails Location Notes: The reviews on Free Campsites all say that it is super windy so it must just be like that all the time. The rig did rattle a bit but we were happy to find a spot to rest for the night. It was also really close to a cool solar array and tower that has a small little interactive sign area in front of it that our kids thought was super interesting. Video:

We stayed in the entrance to this area for one night. To be honest, we aren't sure if it was allowed but there were no signs that said we could not. The road was too muddy to proceed so we camped right off the highway in the entrance to the park. We later found out that there IS a State Park near by and requires a $15 fee BUT you CAN park outside the park for free. We wouldn't recommend doing that for more than a night though. We don't have any pictures as we arrived in the dark and left early. AT A GLANCE Location: 39.284783, -119.241982 Length We Stayed: 1 Night Solitude: No other RVs - Not entirely sure we were in the right spot! Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: some Time of year we stayed: February More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!194151&query=sitedetails

Although this IS on the California side, it is in the Reno, NV metro area. We absolutely LOVED this location. We spent a solid two weeks here and even did some of our remodeling while we were there. Getting there is an adventure though and if you aren't comfortable taking your RV on some narrow one way roads up a mountain this might not be for you. But if you are willing, it is an amazing and peaceful site. There are some sites at the top of the hill on your way that are easier to access in a wide open parking area that looked decent too. This area is not accessible when it's snowing - basically in the winter. We stayed here in May after the snow had melted though there were still some patches around. AT A GLANCE Location: 39.549378, -120.052930 Length We Stayed: 2 weeks Solitude: Lots of space, no other RVs Distance to Renown Hospital: 30 min Services: No services Propane: Chevron in Verdi Water: We refilled 6 gallon jugs at Walmart in Reno Dump: Boomtown KOA in Verdi T-Mobile Coverage: No service at site but could drive up the road Time of year we stayed: May Videos:

I must preface this post and say that I am not sure if this is actually a legal place to park. We cannot locate the original post that led us there in the first place so please take this with a grain of salt. Our BEST ADVICE for traveling the Oregon Coast and boondocking: It was difficult to find places to stay along the coast for free BUT if you can manage to find places to lot dock and scoot in the morning, there are TONS of cool places you can park your rig in parking lots right next to the water in the State Recreational areas that are open for day use. A lot of them even have free water, dump stations, trash cans, and bathhouses should you need them. So if you can find a place to crash for the night, you can keep moving on the next day and mosey up the coast. Minor Park Rd in Waldport 44.435412, -124.074752 This particular site is just a simple parking lot next to a bridge. There were no "no parking" signs at the time and it was suggested on freecampsites but is now nowhere to be found. It is right outside of a KOA so I'm sure they are not happy about people parking over night for free right outside their campground. Videos:

We were so lucky to find this spot just minutes outside of the park. Tucked in the forest among large lava rocks is this peaceful getaway. There are many spots along the roads leading up to the park so keep your eyes peeled. We stayed three nights and arrived mid-week during crummy weather. We think this helped us snag this spot which would likely otherwise have been taken. AT A GLANCE Location: 41.676094, -121.450725 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Plenty of pull outs and space Services: No services, dry camping T-Mobile Coverage: No service Time of year we stayed: May More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!225606&query=sitedetails There were several sites all around the forest roads leading up to the park. There are no services so it is purely dry camping but we really enjoyed it. If you have never been to this National Monument you are in for a treat. It was remarkable and we had a blast discovering the various caves. This park has so much to offer and in our opinion so under rated. You can wander through the caves without a guide which the kids thought was amazing. They also did extra Junior Ranger badges here besides just the park one. We would love to visit here again. Video:

This lovely site has an upper parking area that is easy to get to and makes for an easy overnight. You can also go further down the road and park in the woods if you are feeling adventurous. We were able to park near the creek and had a great site all to ourselves. It's very close to the Crater Lake Entrance which we thoroughly enjoyed. AT A GLANCE Location: 42.761717, -122.059272 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Other RVs but not too close Services: Vaulted Toilet, Warming Hut T-Mobile Coverage: None Time of year we stayed: Spring More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!64702&query=sitedetails

We don't normally include lot docking as we prefer to stay in dispersed sites and run our generator. Given the difficulty in finding places along the coast we thought we would include this one. We stayed here for one night before heading up the coast. You can stay for free for the first night. Then you must spend money inside to earn more nights up to four nights total. When you arrive you'll need to go inside to check in and you'll get a pass for the first night. We aren't big gamblers and obviously have kiddos so we didn't hang around but it was a nice, safe, place to stay for the night. We also left it in the lot while we explored the area in the afternoon and the next morning. We actually don't have any pictures of our own so we'll leave this one from their website and a link to their rules and information. https://www.threeriverscasino.com/rv-parking We had a wonderful time explore the southern and mid Oregon Coast! There is so much to do and see.

We had so much fun making this video. You might need some imagination with her voice though - haha! Watch as Cinder takes you through a day in the life of a full time RV travel dog.

One winter's day in Bailey Colorado a certain couple of young boys begged and begged their parents for a dog. Their sister was only a few months old and their mom had held out as long as she could on adding any more members to the family. But the boys were persistent and their dad decided to check out the local shelter "just to see." A box of puppies had been found on the side of the road, one day after Christmas and were brought to the rescue shelter where they were being nursed back to health. One look on that tiny black lab puppy and there was no going back. We all fell in love with her soft, fluffy snuggles and her constant "smooches." Mom was a bit overwhelmed with a newborn AND a puppy as the puppy had a knack for finding places to use the bathroom in the house while she was occupied with nursing. Still, the she was the perfect addition to our family and she regularly made everyone smile. We named her Cinder because she was black with a few specks of brindle (that have since grown out). We had lost our previous beloved Labrador, Ellie, to cancer so it only seemed natural to name our new fur baby, Cinder-Ellie. As a puppy, Cinder loved to prance around in the snow, wrestle with the kids and get Starbucks Pupacinos. Even as young pup she guarded Chloe's crib and bedroom just as Ellie used to do for our boys. John was working nights and having Cinder home with us was gave us some comfort that our "alarm" system would alert us if any trouble was lurking in the forest. Especially those pesky bears. To this day, Chloe loves to tell people that both she and Cinder are Colorado Natives.

Bugs and rodents are pretty much my least favorite part about RVing. Fortunately they haven't really been that awful over the last two years of full time RV living. Below are the types of pests we've encountered, what part of the country they were the worst, and what we have done about it. Mice Fortunately we haven't had any of these tiny rodents running around in Wendy. I would be freaking out much more if that were the case. BUT we have had them in our van. Like IN the van while I was driving! Yuck! The first time this happened was in Columbia, MO during our winter stay. We were at an RV park and had a few snows so we were mostly using the truck and my van would sit for a week at a time without getting use. It was then that the opportunistic mice found there way under my hood and went to town on my wiring! Since it is not covered by a warranty it still needs to get fixed, 3 contracts later! It affects my entertainment system and cruise control which is an annoyance but not unsafe. The second time we encountered it was in Phoenix, AZ where field mice love to roam. They chewed some nerf bullets and eventually made a home INSIDE my van unknown to us. Who knows how long I drove around like that! Prevent mice from getting into your car or RV by: Moving it often - don't let your vehicle sit too long Place rope lights under your RV or cars Place Irish Spring soap chunks around the outside of the car & inside Keep it clean Store food in air tight containers Use Peppermint Essential Oil on a cotton ball Flies & Gnats Flies can be a pesky all across the country but it was the worst in Phoenix, AZ . This was likely due to the specific area we stayed at Saddle Mountain. Here are some ways we handle flies: Fly tape - this has been the most effective way Keep food and trash cans covered Spring on your screen door to try to keep the door shut (Thanks kids!) A dust buster -yep, vacuum them up! A bug assault - on John's wish list Bag of water with a penny in it Spray your screens with this natural bug repellent - https://bit.ly/3dtm27U Ants Ants have not been an issue until we reached the Blue Ridge Mountains . Here in North Carolina we are dealing with these tiny pests. There are a few ways you can deal with them: Terro Traps Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled around anything that touches the ground Keep food stored in air tight containers Use peppermint, lemongrass, citrus or tea tree essential oils I don't love bugs as you can tell. Overall we haven't had too many of them. The worst areas for bugs of all kinds have been in the Pacific Northwest and now the Appalachians. Shop our favorite combating pests products here. Watch our video here: