We are blessed to have so many magical experiences in our lives on the road. It seems it’s one right after another sometimes. Amazing people, glorious views, wondrous experiences and great connectivity.
It’s why we’re quickly sneaking up on 10 years on the road soon (10 Years?!?!) and still see no end in sight for us.
One of our challenges is not growing complacent that awesome is a constant in our life. To be ready to soak in every new experience and not take it for granted.
Even with that mindset of trying to keep fresh open eyes – our last stop at Saddle Mountain probably will rank as one of our all time favorites.
Maybe it’s because it took us by surprise. We weren’t expecting much, as when I saw the little pin on the Ultimate Public Campgrounds map and went to search for other reports – I found very few reviews or blog posts.
It just sounded like a decent potential desert stop within a reasonable drive from Quartzite heading east. If it didn’t seem like our cup of tea, we had a back-up plan to try Buckeye Mountain Regional Park a few more miles closer to Phoenix.
Our major goal was just finding a place to work on re-writing The Mobile Internet Handbook for 2016. Some place with just the right balance of distractions to keep us productive.
Our stay in the Saddle Mountain BLM area was a perfect confluence of so much we love about life on the road.
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Now this.. this is dispersed camping! For one, it’s just drop dead completely gorgeous.
- Next, it’s fairly under-used – so we had big wide open spaces around us with few neighbors within sight. Our entire two weeks there, we maybe saw under a dozen other campers pass through over hundreds of acres. (Of course, by posting this – that could change.)
- There was pretty fabulous connectivity for Verizon, and even the AT&T wasn’t too bad. A cellular booster definitely helped to keep us from jumping frequency bands.
- There’s endless hiking opportunities, and over a 100 geocaches in the area – a perfect distraction to keep our bodies from cramping up after long writing sessions.
- Amazing sunsets every single night (there’s unconfirmed rumors sunrises were pretty good too).
Bright amazing stars at night with just a faint glow from Phoenix to the east.- And we had a most fabulous temporary neighbor.
Social Time
So… let’s start there. The fabulous neighbor.
On our last day at the Xscapers post-Convergence, our friend Becky had just received news that her RV service appointment in Phoenix would be delayed a few more days.
We’ve met up with Becky a couple times in our travels. She hit the road solo in a 17′ fiberglass egg a few years ago (much like the one we full timed in prior to the bus).
She’s such a delightful and courageous young lady, and has always inspired us.
This season, she’s trying out boondocking for the first time – and accepted our invitation to join us in scouting out a next location together.
She’s also a fellow nerd, non-morning person and an introvert, and happens to be working on writing her next book (she has one out already on Solo Full-time RVing on a Budget). She is a bit of curiousity to us in that she thrives on just 3GB of cellular data a month, but that meant she wouldn’t be sucking up our bandwidth either.
While social distractions were the last thing we wanted, this just felt like the perfect combination.
And right we were.
We each spent our days working on our own projects. Joined up in the late afternoon for geocaching hikes. Sometimes it morphed into shared in meals, movie nights and just getting to know each other.
The magic of Saddle Mountain for us will likely always be intertwined with getting to connect with Becky deeper. The bigger group convergences are awesome, but extended time in smaller groups really suits us introverts well.
I guess she also enjoyed our company and Saddle Mountain, as she ended up rejoining us after her fridge replacement. It was a bittersweet ‘until next time’ when it came time to part ways, as it often is with our nomadic friends.
While at Saddle Mountain, we also had a quick visit from our dear pals Peter & John of the RV Geeks, a few nights with buddies Kelly and Anna, dinner with Marshall, and meetup with some folks from RVillage. Apparently RV Sue was in the area a couple nights, and few blog readers mentioned they spotted us too.
Trying to avoid being social in the winter while everyone is trying to escape cold weather in the few warm spots of the country is a challenge. But, we did a pretty good job of embracing opportunities while still having plenty of time for our project.
Ahh.. balance. It’s a good thing.
Boondocking Tips for Saddle Mountain BLM
Ok. So even if you don’t get the pleasure of connecting with someone awesome, the Saddle Mountain BLM (our review) is amazing on its own if you’re looking for a place to just… be.
It’s not near anything. Tonopah, AZ is the last ‘town’ as you’re heading west on I-10 for many many miles. And the BLM area is a good 8 miles from there. Following GPS coordinates (we stayed at approximately 33.453153, -113.055169), you’ll be routed to Courthouse Road, and then you’ll find a few dirt roads leading towards the mountains.
On our scouting expedition, we found the eastern most roads where many campground apps have their coordinates at, to be pretty rocky with fewer level camping spots. We almost gave up on this location after going down a couple we probably shouldn’t have attempted in the Mini Cooper.
Then, just west of mile marker 13, we turned down a well packed and relatively un-rocky dirt road. It goes a mile up, and there are seemingly endless level camping spots all along it. There’s another road or two to the west that looked like good options too.
Tonopah has a truck stop convenience store for fuel & propane, a cafe & bar (with 99 cent Taco Tuesday nights), a chicken farm that stinks up the town (but not even within sniff of the BLM area) and a hot springs (which we never got to, but probably should have).
Oh, and there’s a RV Park. A pretty nice one actually. Saddle Mountain RV Park (our review) offers Passport America members a $16/night rate for a full hook-up spot, access to their immaculate laundry center and swimming pool. A perfect spot to refresh before or after extended boondocking.
The nearest real shopping for supplies is in Buckeye to the east, a good 30-40 minute drive away, with all the conveniences of surburbia. Well except, no Trader Joe’s – but the Walmart was nicely stocked with fresher produce than normal, organics & gluten free favorites.
If you’re looking for something with lots to do, you might not be happy here for more than a couple nights.
But if you’re like us and always seeking the gems of a place where you can be on your own in a gorgeous place with great connectivity, awesome hiking and only neighbors you invite. You might just enjoy Saddle Mountain BLM.
It was absolute boondocking nirvana for us. We stayed there our full 14-night limit.
Related Article: Guide to Finding RV Parks, Campgrounds and Boondocking
The Book Re-Writing Progress
What on earth ever possessed us to write a book that becomes out-dated the moment we publish it? And at that, a highly technical book that needs to explain complex topics to a wide range of folks?
What made us think we could simply update a few details each year, and have a new edition?
Yeah, that’s where we are at.
The mobile internet landscape has changed so much in just one short year since our last edition came out. Updating for 2016 is proving to be a challenge.
Add to that, in the last year RVMobileInternet.com has taken on a life of its own (it was just a newborn when last year’s edition came out).
It just makes sense to take the time to make the 2016 Edition much better.
We’re diligently working on making it more about the theory with references to the ‘living guides’ we keep online to the stuff that is more likely to change (products, plans, pricing).
So, we’re taking extra time to do it right. The Mobile Internet Handbook for 2016 may release a few days later than anticipated this year.
But it WILL be awesome.
And we will do so while keeping our intentions of a work/life balance.
What’s Up Next?
We’re currently in Tonopah refreshing our tanks. I have a post in the works going over how our summer renovation projects have amplified our boondocking ability.
We’ll be heading to Tucson next to take care of some errands (tweaks to our new folding electric bikes and there WILL be a Trader Joe’s re-supply). And then back to Benson to meet up with some friends.
After that, March will find us heading across country at a fairly rapid pace in comparison to the 220 miles we’ve traveled in the past few months.
We want to cross paths with Chris’ parents before they end their Florida snow birding season in mid-April and we just booked a non-RVing adventure with my mom starting late April. (Anyone in Central Florida perhaps up for cat-sitting for about 3 weeks?? Be in touch if so.).
So… Florida.. here we come!
Cherie,
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences at Saddle Mountain. We were debating coming here and your post really cemented our decision to check it out. It’s a gorgeous place and has reaffirmed our faith in boondocking.
Kat
Hello Cherie
Thank you for the great information for us newbies… My Husband and I are thinking of the RV life after running a business for over 30 years and rising our two wonderful kids. Now both in college, we want to see the USA. We are looking to purchase a Rv’s however like everyone, we are concerned at making a mistake by purchasing the wrong RV. Thanks to you and others with great wisdom we HOPE to avoid this. We will keep watching as we fine your Web site and Video’s to be some of the best.
Thanks again.. from your new found friends in Michigan
Rosemarie and John
Thanks for this… Never heard of this area so will have to check it out!
We are camped just above where you were. So quiet and we have had no visitors or drive bys. The only problem we have is finding water. Were you able to find any in Tonopah?
Glad you are enjoying it. We did our tank preps (dump/fill) at the RV park in town before/after heading out there. I don’t know if they’d let you obtain water without staying there however.
There is water usually available behind the Shell petrol station. Go west on Indian School Road and see the chain link fenced enclosure. That’s the Shell well. On the west side of that fence, at the northwest corner, there is a spigot for potable water.
Thanks so much for sharing! Another “must stop” location added to our list and probably the lists of many others. Seriously thanks for sharing, there are times we want to keep those special “finds” to ourselves to reduce the crowds.
It was great meeting you guys (and everyone else) at Taco Tuesday!
Chris and Cherie,
I know I haven’t posted on here much at all, but I’ll have you know that my wife, Sarah, and I have spent many hours watching your videos on RVing. 2 years ago we were eating up every word trying to learn all about RVs and trying to figure out if we wanted one. We watched a lot of videos and read many sites, but in the end it came down to the Wynn’s and you folks. The main reason for this is that we are not retirees – we still have 25 years to go!
We gathered so much good information from you that we got fired up to go the RV Expo in Austin that year and we spent the whole day there till we couldn’t stand up any longer. Took me a week to recover from going up and down stairs so many times!
About 1.5 years ago we bought a 36ft 5th wheel and put a pad in on family property. We waited several months before doing our first trip because we had so many issues with our Forrest River. After the bugs were worked out, we started taking short trips.
Now my job is slowly turning remote so I’ll be able to work on the road more if I so choose. We haven’t done any travel out of Texas yet, but we’re working up to it. Once our house sells I have a feeling the strings will drop off and we’ll be more willing to set sail.
My big question: Are you going to be in Austin for the RV Expo this week? It looked like you are going to miss it according to your itinerary.
Either way, we would love to meet you when you come through! We were hoping to be able to thank you in person for the influence you had in our lives. If it weren’t for your specific input I think we wouldn’t have done this. The reason is, I’m an IT geek. The tips and tricks you gave were on point and took away my fears of being able to live this life. My wife is a converted geek and is now becoming a blogger in her own right. 🙂
Enough of the ramble… let us know if you’ll have some time “for a hike” in between shows at SxSW!
Thanks!
Mike&Sarah Van Nattan
Liberty Hill, TX
Geeksfishtoo.com
Kayakcat.com
Aww.. thanks. Really appreciate your message.
Your view of our itinerary is correct.. we’re still in AZ, and likely won’t hit Austin until sometime in early March. Our plans are always nebulous. SXSW is just a general target for us, and not even sure we’d attend much of it (been there, done that 😉 ).
But we love Austin, it’s where I grew up and my bro still lives there. So we’ll more than likely be passing through on this cross country repositioning. If we have time and schedules align, it’s always fun to meetup with new friends. So definitely stay in touch as we start descending upon you.
Thanks again for sharing another wonderful BLM. Have added Saddle Mtn to the many others you shared with your readers. Great post and awesome pics.
Hope it’s as great as an experience when you get there.
We know some of those happy faces! Looks like a good time was had. Last year when Josh and I were staying in Flagstaff while it was still cold enough to snow, we escaped to the hot springs at Tonopah for our anniversary. We didn’t bring the rig, though, so we didn’t get a chance to check out the area where you camped.
Next time you’re in the area, definitely head to El Dorado Hot Springs; they’ve got a menagerie of animals there, so you’ll be relaxed as can be in the hot tub and then hear the gobble of a turkey right on the other side of the fence. It’s hilarious.
Safe travels to Florida!
We had full intentions of checking out El Dorado, but time just got away from us. Glad you enjoyed it, and we’ll try again next visit.
So wish we had time this season to cross paths with you guys.. it’ll happen, I’m sure of it!
My pleasure. 🙂
Thank you for all that you do for RV’ng. I am envious that you can both do your jobs from the road. I always enjoy reading your blog and hearing about new BLM camping spots that you come across in your travels. Your website has been a huge help when researching solar and mobile internet for my 5th wheel that we use for vacationing and long weekends with our family of 3 dogs. Keep up the good work!
“You Can Climb Mountains” and this post are awesome back to back posts. I enjoyed both of them a lot. Thanks! Oh, and the pics are awesome too.
It seems you’ve found a great respite and rejuvenation in your new approach to RV life and time management. I love seeing and hearing about it.
I’d wondered at a point in the past if something was amiss with the 2 of you. And it was. And you addressed it. And now the positive consequence is beginning to shine thru in you posts again. It’s awesome to witness.
Congrats! And don’t lose that freedom! 🙂
No denying it… the post renovation months of late last year, and the life/work catchup required… were tough on us. It rattled us to our cores. We’re recovering, and making changes. But sometimes, it’s those sorts of experiences that remind us where our priorities are. The shifts have been huge to us but likely subtle to the reader, and glad the overtone is making it through to your screen. Thank you for following along all these years, and for your continued positive support.
Can’t wait to get out of the cold of the Northeast. We should be on the road in two weeks and we are heading down to the Arizona region. We’re compiling a list of some of your favorite BLM sites. Thanks for the great post. I am also buying the new edition of your book the minute it becomes available.
Cheers to your upcoming escape from the cold! Getting to Arizona in spring will definitely thaw you out. Hope you enjoy some of our favorites.. so much to explore!
I just rented a long term space about 1hr south of Benson. It looks like there’s lots of fun things to see and do that could keep a person busy for awhile. Hope that when you go east you can pick a warmer week to make your way through NM without freezing!
That boondocking spot you were at looks so beautiful!
Congrats on the new spot.. seems like an area to keep busy at. We had exploring Bisbee and Tombstone on our hopeful list this year, but just not going to happen. It’s been unseasonably warm here, but will keep looking ahead for the right time to cross east.
I’m so glad the opportunity arose to go boondocking with you two and get to know you better. What a fun couple weeks it was!
Indeed. Simply magical. (And I still have the soundtrack to Mama Mia in my head).
Been all over that mountain and the nearby Eagle Tails. Fantastic Sonoran Desert wilderness. Also, in Tonopah was El Dorado Hot Springs. Not sure if it’s still there, but a great place to soak. And, this is going to be an amazing wildflower season out there.
We had a soak at El Dorado on our list of things to do.. but never got around to it. Somehow, the relaxation we achieved at Saddle Mountain was plentiful. Next time 🙂
The deserts seem so lush right now… so wish we could stick around longer to see them come into full bloom. But even so, seeing so many ocotillos in bloom was amazing.
Wait….what? You found petroglyphs just lying around the desert? How awesome is that? So, if my calculations are correct; you successfully boon-docked for two weeks, found petroglyphs, worked, spent time with friends, geocache-d, spent time alone, and worked on conquering your fear of heights? You Are Amazing!
Thanks for the good words…..see you on the next post!
So right you are.. when you put it that way, it was a most excellent stop in so many ways. Really can’t think of anything we’d change.
Thanks for taking the time to post about ask of your amazing boondocking experiences. You have given me so many places I want to go to, Anzo Borrego, Organ Pipe, and now a new place I want to experience. Thank you! George
Those stops alone will create a magical winter adventure… oh how many memories we have of Anza and Ajo, and so wish there was time to both visit old favorites, and explore new ones. Enjoy them all!
Love that you’re taking whatever time it takes to get the latest edition right. You DO need to have a work/life balance! Looks like you did at least get some fun time in with some really wonderful weather. We’re still stuck in the bricks and sticks corporate world. As a program manager in IT my husband was up at 3:00 a.m. today to work on a technology upgrade in Germany. I know I don’t need to remind you what it’s like to be in the corporate world. Can’t wait to retire and hit the road in 776 days . . . but who’s counting. LOL We’re studying your work so when it’s time we can make the right investment to be able to stay connected with family in Toledo, Ohio once we’re able to enjoy the desert southwest in the winter. 🙂
Balance is so key, and it’s something we struggle with – in or out of corporate environments, we’re both driven to do our very best and immerse ourselves in projects. We’re really having to work at not working non-stop. Cheers to upcoming retirements and new adventures for you both!
If you can take the time and check out the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson. And/or the Kartchner Caverns State Park both are worth a day trip. Enjoy your blog posts when I can. Thanks!
Stephen
We loved our stop at Kartcher Caverns during our last pass through this area in November… and do hope to fit a stop in at the Desert Museum this time. We keep hearing great things about it. Thanks for the suggestions.
Thank ya’ll soooo much for still contributing to your blog. Don’t let the trolls get you down! Trust me everyone of your entries mean so much to me as I hope to embark on being a full timer this year. I learn from ya’ll in so many ways. I hope our paths will cross some day.
So happy to hear that sharing is both inspiration and helpful. Thank you for stopping in and making sure we’re reminded of that, it’s much appreciated.
GREAT BLOG POST !!! I really enjoy reading your blog and watching your videos. You go into great detail with your escapades, and I feel, I’m right there with you. Do you set any cashes up ? I guess I need to google it as my grand kids say, so I can learn more about it. I gotten into reading blogs and stop reading books for a while. Blogs are a bit more interesting.
Can’t wait for the next one, , Colleen
Thanks for following along, glad we can provide some entertainment 🙂
Unfortunately, setting caches as a nomad is a bit difficult. To do it officially, you have to verify your address and place them within that geographic area. This is so you can maintain them. So, we enjoy finding them.. and the owners love when folks appreciate their hard work.
Thank you for another lovely post. I hope you have time in Tucson for a bite to eat at “Thunder Canyon” brewery or “Cafe Poca Cosa”. Two of our favs when we lived in AZ.
Our first RV adventure will be to FL for the ‘sun’n’fun’ air show in Lakeland first week of April. Wish we could cat sit !
We have a feeling our stop in Tucson is going to be way too short 🙂
We might catch you at Sun N Fun, it’s a potential event for us.
Thank you for the info on this boondocking spot, we always learn a lot from all of your posts. It is certainly now on our list of boondocking spots to try for our first trip with our new 600w solar install before we enventually follow yours and many others’ trip up HW 365 to Oregon for this summer. Can’t wait to leave from Houston in March.
Ooo… envious that you’ll be doing 395, we so love that route! Hope it’s not too warm for boondocking by the time you hit the desert southwest this spring. It warms up much quicker here than you might think, but the beauty here so worth it!
Great post on an amazing place! Sorry we didn’t get the chance to camp with you up there, but happy we got to see it… and even happier that we got to see you. And thanks so much for introducing us to Becky. She’s wonderful. Saddle Mtn BLM is now on our master list of great places to boondock. Even though we’re heading in opposite directions at the moment, we’ll look forward to our paths crossing again sometime soon. Can’t wait! Love you both. Have a great trip to FL.
Even though it was brief, we’re so thankful we got to reconnect before we head in different directions. Can’t wait until next time our paths cross, we’re gonna miss you guys! Love you bunches.