While #vanlife gets all the social media love as the ultimate adventure mobile we have found that our 36ft Winnebago Journey makes for a comfortable base camp and allows us extended time in some pretty amazing places. We decided a little over a year ago it was time to ditch the rat race. I had been sitting in my windowless office cubicle dreaming about being outside. We settled on The Bago. A gently used nine year old diesel model that could tow a Jeep for off-road exploring and have room for my bikes, our stand up boards, solar panels, and ample tanks.
At first glance it might seem that a larger RV would be confined to pavement and campgrounds but we have found with a little planning and care, you can actually get fairly far out there and stay longer. Our go-to site for researching spots is Campendium.com. We've found some great free camping areas through the site. Many of the reviews are done by fellow nomads who work online, so mobile Internet connectivity is often included in the reviews. Most of these places are on public land and have no services so being able to carry ample food, water, and generate power is key.
The above spot was close to Zion National Park by the Virgin River dam. My wife questioned my sanity for taking the Bago down a slightly sketchy looking rutted dirt road to the edge of a canyon and refused to even look as I drove. We scouted it out first in the Jeep and I pronounced it doable. A million dollar view for nada is hard to pass up but when it started to rain a couple of days latter and I sunk into a gooey red mud, I started to question my sanity. Would we slide off the edge or slowly sink our 28,000 pound Bago into the goo? Nope. The rain stopped the next day and slowly dried over the course of the week before we attempted to leave. Fortunately we have the Jeep.
We can camp for up to the 14 day limit on most public lands. The area around Zion has more trails for hiking, mountain biking and off-road exploring than we could ever do in a lifetime so two weeks goes by quickly.
I scored a last minute permit to hike the awesome Subway at Zion.
The nearby Kanarraville Falls was a highlight of our visit. Moab is another place with so many things to do, that two weeks can feel kind of rushed. We met up with friends at great free spot outside of Arches National Park.
The slick rock mountain bike trails here did not disappoint. We were less than a mile from the Klondike Bluffs trailhead.
Dinosaur prints in the slick rock.
Trails lead into Arches for great hiking and, of course, arches.
At the end of the day it's nice to come home to a hot shower, cold beer, and good meal. A side benefit of this lifestyle is that we have met a great group of friends on the road.
Regardless of our choice of vehicle we find a common bond in enjoying the freedom of travel and wanting to explore more.
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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