Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Art of the Spot

There is a certain art, a learned skill, something not wholly describable by science, behind finding a good camping Spot.  Deciphering the variable plethora of descriptions, the meaning of terms like “good” and “acceptable” or “watch for rabid dogs”…



A good choosing of the Spot, can change a decent night, into an immeasurable hateful one; and a dreadful one into a restful stay.  In a glance we must be able to determine if the quiet circle of RVs is a group of retirees out for a nice getaway, or a crew of exhausted rave goers sleeping off their ecstasy highs. The difference between crazed local lunatic, and the nice elderly proprietor of the local store is surprising low.

If one is willing to do without amenities such as flushing toilets and showers it is entirely possible to find some excellent locations for dirt cheap (under 10$USD).  The Spot below was la Gringa beach in Bahia Los Angeles.  There was no-one else on the beach (over a mile long).  We saw maybe 3 people the two days we were there.

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Of course then there is the question of ancillary opportunities.  For example, the Spot below had a large collection of trails circling a meadow and some sweet lake action.  Very nice for toning those calves. 

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Of course there is always the desire for solitude, while still being close enough to other travelers to discourage the occasional Smash-N-Grab™®©.  The following Spot was at a desert ranch in the famous Baja Gas-Gap©.  This is a fabled 195 mile run between El Rosario and Villa Jesus Maria in which there is Zero gas stations. You can just barely see the nearest camper in the left background about 300 feet from Chuck.  

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The restrooms at this site were, “interesting”.  They probably hadn’t been repaired since they were installed in the 80s (typical of the cheap places we stay) the ladies and mens were painted fluorescent pink and blue respectively (if you squinted enough to see through the cobwebs and dust).  Meh, what can you expect for 60 pesos?

Now we are members of the internet generation, and as you have probably guessed we need internet to post to this glorious blog.  So occasionally we need to find a place to get internet.  In the states and Canada we would just stop at a restaurant or coffee shop with internetage.  The general speed of internet would be fast enough for us to complete our tasks in a few hours.  In Baja is has been a bit different.  Due to the generally slower speeds we have been seeking campgrounds with WIFI so that we can take longer to do our business.  This has been made easier due to the need for fresh water (harder to find public/free water of good quality down here) and our desire not to boondock in awkward locations. Due to these needs we have been staying in RV parks and similar most nights in Baja.  Following are some Spots with WIFI, not as pretty as the more remote, or the boondock spots, but when you need the connectivity…

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Now, there remains another important category for the Spot.  This, of course, is the all important BoonDock.  There is an art to boondocking.  This is a difficult art in Baja, as people will live right up next to the water (ocean views I guess?).  Electricity and city water are not needed, just an old trailer and a bucket full of oysters will make a home.  Despite this difficulty the core tenants of boondocking remain the same. The Spot must be sufficiently remote/useless that no-one claims ownership (or cares to put up a sign).  The Spot must have a trail or road in good enough condition to accommodate Chuck (I have driven some astonish crappy roads…).  The spot must have ground where Chuck can be parked and leveled.  The better the view at the Spot, the more crap I will put up with to get/find it.  Following are a few of the better ones.

Stand by for Scenic overload in...

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Lake Mead NRA

Lake Mead NRA

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Second favorite place in Alaska in the fall
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