Going Solar and Boondocking…
This past winter we talked about adding Solar power to Luna Bella. In doing so it would allow for us to do some boondocking…in other words allowing for us to camp for free. We saw plenty of Rigs doing so out in Arizona and California and since we were planning to head out towards Yellowstone this summer, we knew there were some great boondocking places we could check out. So that’s what Doug and Tyler worked on this Spring. I’ll share the specifics of our set up in another post.
Heading East…
After Keagan was finished with school we headed out east through what’s becoming my most favorite town in Oregon…Bend. While there I was able to attend one of my inspiring sister’s book signing events. I met Pixie Lighthorse 11 years ago online, taken some of her sacred eCourses and stayed connected virtually. So, it was a wonderful treat to meet her in person.
From there we continued east into Idaho. Our first attempt to boondock didn’t work out. Mind you we are a 40ft 5th Wheel and though Doug does his research, it’s hard to know whether or not we will fit in some of the “recommended” boondocking places. 
And that’s exactly what happened…Juntura Hot Springs, had this area where smaller rigs could boondock and then a mile or so walk to a natural hot springs. Though it was a beautiful spot, there was no way we could get down the dirt road to spend the night there. So we ended up at Bully Creek Reservoir Campground…which only had electric hook ups, but that was okay as we already had fresh water in our tank in preparation for a boondocking evening.
From there we went to our first real boondocking site, by Little Camas Reservoir, the image above. After a night there, we stayed a week at Fort Running Bear Campground. A quaint and very friendly campground down the road from Little Camas Reservoir.
While there we visited Twin Falls and went to the Shoshone Falls, the “Niagara of the West” as it’s known. We took a few hikes around the area and then we were off again…further northeast towards Sun Valley were we’ve spent the last week living on full Solar with the exception of kicking on the generator twice, to top us off for the night.
I have to admit, living on the road in and of itself is a lesson in trusting for me in many ways. With boondocking for instance…we are never quite sure, despite our best research, if where we end up will have a spot large enough for us…and even when there is, there’s no telling who might already be there. On our homestead we were secure, grounded, the land, our garden and orchards provided for us and we had the comforts of our 2,220 sqft home. It’s very different now…we wake up in a different place often, some are amazing, others well…although we have been to some nice campgrounds, others leave much to be desired. And that’s okay…cos’ it’s temporary. What feeds my soul the most is living in the elements…yeah sure, we have the comforts of our 330 sqft apartment like home but there are times we experience the elements in full force. When the winds kick up high enough we feel it, our home sways, when the rains come down hard…the sound is so loud yet soothing. Boondocking, we rely on the Sun for the energy to power our home. And the lands…the lands we travel through are so wild and beautiful. Yeah it’s pretty amazing to experience life this way.
When we arrived at the Sawtooth National Forest boondocking area, there were a lot of small short pullouts and one very large one…in which there was a little Pod camper parked in the middle of. Now people don’t come out here to have neighbors…so although we may have both fit, if they wanted to share, we found another spot across the way. The field that normally would host big rigs was overgrown with tall grasses this time of year, but we did see remnants of where others had recently stayed and we were able to find a spot by the sheep corals. Being a prior volunteer fire fighter…I know how easy an engine can start a fire…so wer were super careful, although I was unease being around all the tall grass.
there. I did my first Despacho following Qoya Love’s teachings there by the creek. On the day we left I gave thanks by making one of my Random Acts of Beauty. A practice I have been doing for years, where I leave Nature Mandalas out of 
flowers I have or stones, shells, pinecones… whatever is around a place where I created Sacred Space. It’s my way of giving thanks to the Elements and the land (Mother Earth) for sharing it’s Medicine and teachings with me.
Now we are off our next boondocking spot near West Yellowstone, where we will meet up with Tyler, our eldest son…who’s been working there this Summer. I leave you with a slide show of where we were…