Back in the day, people simply camped where night fell on them, choosing a location that had some shelter, perhaps near water. The ones who did this had to do it when traveling to farther distances, and when traveling through territory not built up with many towns or cities. Also, horses and bullocks could only go so far in a day, especially when carrying horse or bullock loads of stuff.
The lifestyles of the mythic West might be something of an influencer for a new trend which is a real throwback way of living. Boondocking is the word coined for these travelers, and most would consider them harmless since America has a lot of wild, lonely places still. Technically, it is about being able to camp where the space is free, and use woodsman skills to set it up.
Being able to stop at those free spaces by highways could do for people who are able to make a dry camp. Pulling over on their trucks, cars, or even RVs and spending the night stop on those places was no big deal. But these places could not be an ideal for campers, since most people prefer locations that offer a minimum of civilized facilities.
The trend these days, however, shows an unhealthy picture of people just setting up the dry camp in the most unlike places. In cities, they might do this on a variety of places, like mall or diner parking lots, public parks and the like. It is also interesting to point out that boondock is a word referencing mountainous wilderness.
Many are able to do this without fear of the law in places that are government land, without signs that prohibit them from doing so. In cities, though, it is somewhat of a bad thing that may border on the illegal. Recent news has contained items about people simply abandoning their mobile homes on city streets, perhaps dry camping try outs that went wrong.
The gypsy lifestyle is all for being able to enjoy the freedom of American roads and its countryside. Nomadic ways of life have their own kind of allure, and they have not gone out of fashion in this land of the brave and counterculture refugees. Isolated farmers can accommodate these travelers on the back pasture for some security in exchange for electricity and water.
The most interesting places to camp can be national forests or preserves, with their rolling acres of parkland and well tended forests. However, the law says that camping in these places can only be done on designated spots for a fee or that the campers should be legitimate bird or wildlife watchers. However, the boondockers need only strap on a pair of binoculars and use bird whistles to qualify.
Government may not be very strict on campers that may not have a choice at all. There are those who will not know any other kind of life. Boondockers may belong to a class who do it professionally, like squatters do, and these will know how not to get caught while enjoying all the amenities or spaces in a place where they should not be.
But this can be the milder picture, because there may be enough cases that make authorities do some more policing, especially in those areas where these travelers go to often. However, crimes related to these activities have not materialized. Government concern, too, is all about studying how to help these people, since there are attenuating circumstances or good reasons for their behavior.
The lifestyles of the mythic West might be something of an influencer for a new trend which is a real throwback way of living. Boondocking is the word coined for these travelers, and most would consider them harmless since America has a lot of wild, lonely places still. Technically, it is about being able to camp where the space is free, and use woodsman skills to set it up.
Being able to stop at those free spaces by highways could do for people who are able to make a dry camp. Pulling over on their trucks, cars, or even RVs and spending the night stop on those places was no big deal. But these places could not be an ideal for campers, since most people prefer locations that offer a minimum of civilized facilities.
The trend these days, however, shows an unhealthy picture of people just setting up the dry camp in the most unlike places. In cities, they might do this on a variety of places, like mall or diner parking lots, public parks and the like. It is also interesting to point out that boondock is a word referencing mountainous wilderness.
Many are able to do this without fear of the law in places that are government land, without signs that prohibit them from doing so. In cities, though, it is somewhat of a bad thing that may border on the illegal. Recent news has contained items about people simply abandoning their mobile homes on city streets, perhaps dry camping try outs that went wrong.
The gypsy lifestyle is all for being able to enjoy the freedom of American roads and its countryside. Nomadic ways of life have their own kind of allure, and they have not gone out of fashion in this land of the brave and counterculture refugees. Isolated farmers can accommodate these travelers on the back pasture for some security in exchange for electricity and water.
The most interesting places to camp can be national forests or preserves, with their rolling acres of parkland and well tended forests. However, the law says that camping in these places can only be done on designated spots for a fee or that the campers should be legitimate bird or wildlife watchers. However, the boondockers need only strap on a pair of binoculars and use bird whistles to qualify.
Government may not be very strict on campers that may not have a choice at all. There are those who will not know any other kind of life. Boondockers may belong to a class who do it professionally, like squatters do, and these will know how not to get caught while enjoying all the amenities or spaces in a place where they should not be.
But this can be the milder picture, because there may be enough cases that make authorities do some more policing, especially in those areas where these travelers go to often. However, crimes related to these activities have not materialized. Government concern, too, is all about studying how to help these people, since there are attenuating circumstances or good reasons for their behavior.
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