When you’re boondocking, do you dump? Your grey water, that is.

Our wheels had barely started turning the first time anyone introduced us to the concept of dumping grey water somewhere other than a septic system.

Wisconsin’s Amish country beckoned but the nearest dump station was closed and our grey tanks were full.

We asked a farmer if he knew of another station.

“Yah sure, right there” he said as he pointed to his field.

Our heads spun ’round. “Are you kidding!” we asked. He wasn’t. “Just your greywater of course. Go ahead and pull in, the field needs it.”

We couldn’t believe it. As dedicated backpackers who took every precaution to avoid polluting water sources on the trail, we were horrified.

But our 35 gallon grey tanks were full and we had nowhere to go. So we did it.

The Blue Boy Blues

Avid boondockers know; when you’re settled into a spot, going to the dump is a huge ordeal.

Some folks haul a blue boy around. Many are brave enough to use the blue boy for blackwater dumping, which seems pretty disgusting. We would never, ever get that close to our own poo water (other than the occasional RV dump mishap).

You’ll see blue boy enthusiasts driving 3 miles per hour through Quartzsite, which appears to take longer than just pulling up stakes and moving the rig.

Our fifth wheel is too small to keep a blue boy, so that option is out for us.

Desert Dumping

Our boondocking experiences have taken us to many places where dumping greywater in an open field was accepted by the local population, whether they were land owners or fellow RVers. Usually it’s in the desert.

At the Slabs, it’s a given. Some folks push the envelope of decency by digging gopher holes for grey and black water. Trust me, we won’t go there. Ever.

Playing by the Rules

Stealth greywater dumping is always contingent on the dumping area being safely away from water, other campers and only in barren locations. And always at night (by daytime the puddle has evaporated). We only use biodegradeable soaps and never allow liquid kitchen wastes to go down the drain. That’s just smelly.

I know stealth RV greywater dumping horrifies a lot of people, but the reality is more of us do it than are willing to publicly admit.

So I’ll be the first to step forward. You’re next!

Do You or Don’t You?

If you do, or are considering the possibilities, here’s a handy little device made specifically for this purpose.

The Valterra T1020-5VP Gray Water Drain Adapter.

We saw a camper in Ajo, Arizona using one. Just attach a garden hose and point it away from your rig. Downhill, of course.

If we’ve lost any sort of respect you had for us over this, we apologize. But I’m just coming clean with our reality. It’s just like a saying among scuba scuba enthusiasts:

There are two kinds of divers out there: Those who pee in their wetsuits, and those who lie about it.

As a full-time road tripper, do people you meet on the road ever say to you “Gee, you travel all the time? What, didja win the lotto?”

What do you say to them?

I hesitate to tell people how Jim and I live because most assume that we’re loaded (with money, that is). Which we are not. Ok, it’s all relative, but still.

We manage to do what we do because we keep our expenses extremely low and stay debt free. Our wallets are thin but our spirits are not.

Of course explaining this to a stranger takes more than a 15-second spiel, so I usually just say “we’re snowbirds.”

One of the ways we can do what we do and still eek out a living is through our Internet connections and by scouring the countryside for freebie spots like this one in Utah.

Last week, after taking an emotional beating over our dented Dodge, we hit the road and started heading back to our summer spot.

But before braving the Colorado cold, we stopped near Moab to soak up some sun and camp for a few more days.

Spring has sprung here and we wanted to see more. We also haven’t experienced any warm weather whatsoever since last summer, so I was hoping for high temperatures.

Some fellow road trippers told us about this pretty spot, which I’ve since added to the Escapees Day’s End Directory. (go buy a copy to find out where it is!).

These free spots are widely available to wintertime road trippers in Southwestern deserts. Winter brings many more options for finding solitude on the road.

It’s rare that I actually feel like I’m getting something for my tax dollars, but when we camp on free public land like this, I love knowing that my tax dollars paid for it.

As we prepared to leave Moab and head to Red Feather Lakes, news about President Obama’s awesomely stunning move broke on BBC News.

I never thought I would feel any sense of exhilaration over the death of an individual, but I surprised myself with my reaction when Jim screamed “They got Bin Laden!”

“GOOD!” I said. Yes, I was happy that they killed him. Ecstatic that this horrible human being was wiped off the face of the earth. Now it’s really time for the collective “We” to move forward toward better days ahead. Is that so wrong?

Thank you Mister President.

Now if we can just get rid of Fox News, I’d be even happier.

Land of the Free, indeed.

We used to despise everything about casinos; the stinky smoke, slot machine granny zombies, throwing money at games of chance, and because the house always wins.

I always wondered why fellow frugal road trippers Sean and Louise stay and dine at casinos around the country.

Other than the large parking lots that can accommodate their magic bus, why would they actually go inside, when, like us, they’re rarely willing to pay for campsites? What could possibly lure them in?

Last year when we saw Willie Nelson at Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Southern California, we understood why. Casinos not only welcome RVers, but many reward us for sticking around.

Why Try Casino Camping?

• Lots of casinos have dedicated RV parking
• Multi-night stays are often fine
• Unhitching is tolerated at many places
• Parking lots are usually well-lit and patrolled by security
• Most have restaurant discounts if you join their “Player’s Club”

We never thought we would surrender our IDs to a casino to join their stupid gambling discount club (did I tell you I hate gambling?).

But when we stopped at Morongo recently, we were hungry and didn’t feel like cooking. Eating out is a rare treat for us, but Morongo has several eateries including a good lookin’ buffet restaurant.

The normal price to eat-till-you-puke at Morongo’s buffet is $15. Join their Winner’s Club and  you can get one $10 voucher per person toward dining or gambling (guess what we chose), plus another $4 off your meal total each time you dine there. We ended up paying $6 for an all-you-can-eat orgy! Six bucks!

All casinos have some kind of discount club to keep the gambling junkies coming back for more. Although you’ll need to hand over your ID and allow them to cram your mailbox full of stupid promotions, you’re bound to get some free meals and overnight spots in return. It’s a win-win for everyone!

Casino Camping Tips

Always follow casino parking etiquette, which is similar to behaving at Wally World:

• Ask security. Find the guy on patrol and ask if it’s OK to park there, where you should park and for how long.
• No setting up camp. That means your generator stays off, your jacks remain up, your awning’s rolled in and your crap stays inside.
• Keep it neater than you found it. Don’t dump your trash there, save it for the gas station that’s ripping you off at $4.50 a gallon.
• Give them some of your cash. Gambling’s stupid in my book but it’s your choice. There are other ways to thank the casino, like dining inside or even just having a beer at the bar. Remember, join their Player’s Club to save tons!
• And if you win big because you tried casino camping as a result of this post, send some our way!

I’ll never bash casinos again, we’re hooked on casino camping! From now on, if we have a choice between a WalMart or a casino with a restaurant, guess where you’ll find us?

Snowbirds like us head to Arizona for its warm winters, but for some reason, Mother Nature thinks that this entire continent should experience a real winter this week.

I know we should be thankful we’re not in the Midwest tonight. But that’s why we do what we do, to get away from awful winter weather!

Since we’re boondocking with solar and our Honda genny isn’t really ideal for running the heater, we’re really, really cold, and testing the limits of our heartiness.

Our Wyatt Ray doesn’t seem to mind.

NuRVers Gather

We arrived here after a week at the Slabs, just in time to catch the last week of the NuRVers meet-up.

Since the end of December, various members of NuRVers have taken over a small patch of dirt here at La Posa South.

The cool kids told us we missed out on a lot of the fun, like the fireside sword swallowing show, but the crew wasn’t too spent to save some for us.

Along with nightly potlucks and good eats, there were copious amounts of cocktails consumed while sharing crazy stories about life on the road.

And in-between the raucous evenings in front of the campfire, we worked hard at our creative endeavors to fund this ideal lifestyle.

From accountants to graphic designers, we all embrace the technologies that allow us to live without boundaries. With Internet access on the road, anything’s possible.

Are you Nu?

NuRVers is a group specifically for RVers who break the mold.

Forget the stereotype of a crotchety, decrepit old couple cruising across America in their golden years.

We are singles, couples and families who choose to break from convention and live our lives on the road, enjoying all that this great big world has to offer.

You don’t have to own a certain type of RV to belong, and nobody will judge you based what you drive or how you look, whether your straight or gay, twentysomething or beyond.

Nobody will tell you how you “should” tow your toad or dump your load, and there’s no know-it-alls who are allowed to run the show.

The only criteria for joining is having a free spirit attitude that welcomes diversity, fun and spontaneity.

Some folks, like Trippin’ with Stanley, have just embarked on their road trip lifestyle. While others are veteran road tripping warriors who’ve been doing it for years. There’s no end to the different ways we all reached the conclusion that life on the road is just more fun!

As Jim and I head into our fourth year of this slightly unconventional lifestyle, it feels great to be connected with such a great group of people who we have so much in common with.

The Nu party is over now, and everyone’s gone their separate ways. But we’ll stay in touch in the Forums, and probably meet up again this spring, somewhere in the Texas Hill Country.

Tonight, as the mercury drops to the lowest temperatures this state has ever seen, I’ll dream of the day when the weather becomes more civilized, and the umbrella drinks will start flowing once more under big starry skies with the NuRvers crew.

No big to do this year. No scary costumes, and no candy. No night on the town. Just one of the best rib eye steaks I’ve ever had, even if it was accompanied by kale and vegan pasta. Happy birthday to me.

But who could have asked for a better birthday, really? We spent our first night boondocking after hitting the road for the Winter in Comb Wash near Blanding, Utah, with nothing but peace, quiet and stars up above. And oh yeah, did I mention the steak?

My meat intake now is all about quality, not quantity. And we haven’t grilled since the BBQ back home nearly burned down the garage. (Long story.)

Since Rene has been testing every recipe in her new vegan cookbook on me, I’ll take it when I can get it, even if that means waiting for a special ocassion. But the garlic and parsley pasta really was as good as it was simple – even without loads of butter. It wasn’t even whole wheat, considering it was my birthday dinner. But we actually realized after dinner that we didn’t even put any fresh Parmesan cheese on it!

Best yet, we now know that the RVQ still works great – though I should have cleaned it before we left – and that we still got it, when it comes to finding prime boondocking spots and enjoying our life on the road. Cheers.