How We Find Secret RV Boondocking Sites - Using US Public Lands App
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2024
- Our first night ever boondocking together in 2007 was nerve-racking - there were no 'Welcome to free camping signs' and Cherie was up all night trying to use our limited mobile internet to see if we really were on BLM land where camping was allowed.
In 2014 we launched the mobile app we wished we had back then - US Public Lands. It displays the public land boundary maps, stored on device so you don't need internet.
We just released our first update to the app with higher resolution maps supplied by the Protected Area Database (PAD-US) of the U.S. Geological Survey.
In this video we recap a history of our mobile app development starting in 2010 with State Lines, and then Coverage? also in 2010 - and how US Public Lands came to be.
We also share how we use the app to find amazing boondocking (even those with great cellular signal!) that you won't find in places like Campendium, FreeCampSites or other campsite database resources.
All of our apps are available for iOS and Android, in thanks to our partnership with Hired Gun Software.
Link:
US Public Lands App: www.twostepsbeyond.com/apps/us...
Coverage? www.rvmobileinternet.com/coverage
State Lines: www.twostepsbeyond.com/apps/st...
#uspubliclands #mobileapps #boondocking
Opening song:
'Straight Up' by Shakiban - shakiban.bandcamp.com/album/za
Camera Gear Used:
iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max
Rode Video Micro Microphone: amzn.to/2JNqG2Z
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Cherie & Chris have been full time technomads since 2006. In the winter we explore land in our 1961 GM 4106 bus conversion. In the spring/summer we move aboard our 1999 Bayliner 4788 slowly exploring America's waterways along the Great Loop.
We share for fun in our spare time. Tips/contributions are never an expectation - but they sure keep us inspired. You can leave a tip at: www.technomadia.com/thanks
We love sharing a slice of our life with others at www.technomadia.com, Facebook and Instagram. We use the name 'Technomadia' in all those places. Come join the adventure however you choose!
We have full time jobs that fund our adventures (this channel is our fun after-hours hobby space). Our career is running www.MobileInternetInfo.com - where we track mobile internet options for RVers and cruisers. We have a dedicated UA-cam channel for that content at / mobileinternetresource... you can subscribe to.
© Technomadia 2019
For entertainment purposes only. See our website for a full disclaimer.
Brilliant! Thanx much...happy trails.,.,
Hello Travellers!
Just watched this video y'all posted a while back. Thanks for the information.
Soft travels with cool breezes!
Bless.
Awesome info & video 👍thx so much . 👏
Just bought the app on Google Play. I could never get signals where I want to stay. This is exactly what I've been searching for! Just found your channel on UA-cam.
NICE. Just bought your app collection!
You guys are LEGENDSSSS!
Craters of the moon, 2 hours from my house and never been there... New to RVing and this helps...I like to dry camp and this app will sure help!!! Thank u!!!
Thank you! Ii just got the app! For camping, hunting, shooting and more this is great.
Interesting
Love using this app and utilizing ALL of the useful tools you both have awarded us as full-time RV'rs. Thanks!
There are several companies that sell sim cards that will show public and private land boundaries for handheld GPS units like Garmin. Hunters have been using them for years. They are plug and play and best of all, they don't require internet access to operate.
But they require you have a GPS unit. Our app stores the boundary maps on your cellular device - you don't need a cell connection or extra gear.
There are great information products available that are not derived by a website. You can go into a BLM, U.S. Forest Service Office, or State Forestry Office and get maps that will give you the information about where the open lands are. Then when you learn to read those maps they also tell you where the level or nearly level spots are that you can set yourself down for the night or multiple nights. I used that method since 2000 as many areas in the Northwest at that time had no internet, let alone cell service. There are still many places like that where no one goes as they can not get internet or cell service so they do not want to be in those places. They are often the best places with the best views and historical value.
Definitely going to look for those apps. Could you elaborate on some details of your practices when prepping to boondock. Interested in how you obtain water and other essentials before you head out to the wilderness? You are a great learning resource...thank you
All of our boondocking resources can be found here: www.technomadia.com/boondocking
Thank You for the amazing information. You are a blessing to RV Boondockers
We boondock nonstop with IOverlander. When we find someplace new we always update. Great video! Safe travels!
We will also try this app :)
Glad you two enjoyed your boondocking experience at Magic reservoir. I have many happy memories from there fishing with my grandfather. And you were coming from Craters of the Moon NP and EBR1. My dad used to work in the Navy at the nearby Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, took me to tour EBR1 once.
I always enjoy your videos and many make me smile, but this one certainly brought some unexpected fond memories to mind that I hadn't thought of in quite a while. Thank you both for what you do and the great people you are!
What you guys do for the RV/Nomad industry is incredible. I can't wait for the upcoming tv series
I just bought your app and look forward to using it in my boondocking adventures. Thank you for all you have contributed to the lifestyle.
This looks great guys I will go get it.. You guys are such a valuable resource to the full time RV community I hope people tell you that enough.
Thanks.. we appreciate it :).
Just uploaded your app, and super excited to check it out! Thanks so much for your hard work and sharing. 👍🏼✌🏼🙏🏼💕🍻
Thanks so much for the updated app!! I had found the older version somewhat difficult to find specific areas to investigate, and now I know why. The increased detail of the updated maps are amazing. Thanks for the quick tutorial as well. With all three of your apps, I am now much better prepared to adventure into public lands! Take care and thanks for all you do to making our RVing more enjoyable and adventurous!
Love your channel...you guys rock! I always learn something from each video.This one was a treasure trove of info.Keep up the good work...we need you.
I’ve been using US Public Lands for quite some time and I didn’t know it was your App. Thank you so much for a great resource.
Awesome!
Nice update to the public lands app. I just updated my copy. If is a useful planning tool!
Thank you for this great app, as well as Stateline and Coverage. I have been using all on every trip we have been taken. It was our go to main app on our recent cross country trip and a blessing. To funny, yes, when ever we cross into a new state and need to go “shopping for beer and wine” , StateLine is my first go to app. Thank you for all the hard work, we truly appreciate all of it.
Wow...Great App! I foresee this becoming my most used app in the future! Thanks for the hard honest work Chris and Cherie! Your experience is so valuable!
Good information to know. Thanks for sharing.
This is really going to help us once we are actually on the road full time in our RV. We are in the process of getting what we need to be able to get out there. We are documenting it all, and hope to be able to get on the road within a year or two. In the meantime, we are preparing our house for repairs and sale. That's an emotional rollercoaster all in itself. But we've already given away 90 % of our stuff, and are living with just the essentials.
Things like this video will come in handy for what apps will help us out. Thanks guys.
Great idea! Thank you for making lives easier to explore!
Thanks, guys! I had already bought the app, but this prompted me to leave you a well-deserved good review. I'm recently retired and shopping for a little RV to go "nomad" for a couple (...) of years. I wish I'd had your app about 11 years back, when i put solar on my van and did a couple of years of wandering... so much easier now, thanks to you and better connectivity, etc. See 'ya out there!
Thanks so much for the updated review... definitely helps, and is appreciated!
Thanks for updating one of my favorite apps! :)
Great job you guys, great contribution and skill set! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing !
Thanks for the update! Safe travels
Thank you so much! The apps are perfect! Been following you for about 2 years, and now 1 month as a full timer! Thank you!!!
I'm in awe for what you do with programming/coding/developing etc. You're really modern day inventors - found your discussion very interesting.
Thank you for all you contribute to our rv community you have been a wonderful resource for us from our dreaming stage to our current fulltime rv life.
Great video. Thank you!
FYI - I was able to use the split screen option with Android 9 on my Pixel 3XL.
Awesome!
Thanks so much for all of the incredible information. What you are doing is awesome!
Thanks for the info!!
Thank you both very much for sharing your lives here.
I just purchased your app bundle because I’ve been following you for free for a long time now. And thanks so much for that “shared screen tip” that you probably think everyone knows about. I didn’t know my iPad would do that and now I wonder how many apps will do that? I’m sure I will spend the afternoon finding out and playing with my new apps lol
Yay! Thanks for the app, I just purchased it & will be using it a lot!
nice video! very helpful we struggle finding "good" boondocking spots.
Great video guys! Once we get our rig more....boondocking friendly, will definitely put this advice to use! Thanks for sharing! - Shane
Watching random boondocking videos and came across yours. Love the apps you've created! New sub 😊
What an awesome tool!!
I'm gonna get some serious use outta this one!!
Thankyou so much!
Safe travels y'all!!
I bought the app bundle guys! I feel like I have an advantage now with my rv :) if you ever need any art and design that’s what I do. Thanks, Troy
Thank you! I just purchased the US Public Land app. I can’t wait to play with it!
Your guys are awesome. Keep up the great work. Love the apps, you have a supporter for life!
Got alll the apps! Thanks!
Wow, exceptional apps and so much work from you both. Thank you for taking the time in making so much easier for the rest of us.
Just downloaded the APP. Looking forward to try it out next Fall when we head down the West Coast from Vancouver to Baja sur! We boondock as much as possible in our Eagle Cap 1200 Truck Camper. Tracey and Christian
Thank you, I purchased last night as a bundle for iOS. I just need to play with it! Thank you!
Love the app. I’ve had it for ye. Thanks for the update!!!
I saw some of your shows last year and I was wondering if the show is coming back again to Discovery channel in 2021?
We aren’t involved in season 3, but The RVers will be back on Discovery in April.
Thank you for the tutorial, Cherie and Chris! Greetings from Beaver Creek, Alaska! :-)
I love your coverage app!
When we return to the US from our “sailing the world” adventure, we want travel the US by RV. This is feels a lot like finding free anchorages!
Exactly! Anchoring is the cruising equivalent of boondocking. Except far more abundant out west for RVs. Enjoy! RVing is different than cruising in many ways, but shares a lot of the similar appeal. We love both :)
👍YOU TWO ARE GREAT 😀😁😊THANK YOU !😎✌
Aww.. thanks
No wonder you guys have all the toys I would buy a prevo if I was you guys.
If we were funded just by app sales, we would be buying a used pop-up. The App Store is a fun side project, but it is rarely lucrative. 😎
I motorcycle camped all over the country, never had a problem camping. Rest stops, right of ways, farm field entrances, BLM land, etc best advice I have, "don't make a mess, don't be a nusiance and leave the place better than you found it" Several times I met people in the morning, but everyone of them was a friendly encounter. I prefer websites, dont use smart phones, too fragile and short battery life.
That's a very nice app for people that are full-time RV definitely going to use this in the future thanks again guys love the channel by the way
Hey there Chris & Cheri...Fred and I love boondocking...wide open spaces and we use your app to scope out area...especially for a 40 ft fifth wheel. Of course one of the challenges with boondocking is finding a decent cell phone signal (even with a booster)
Would love to see an app or source for two issues: Road conditions (that is, how good is the road??) and road elevations. Hope all is going well.
The Locus app overlay of OSMand is supposed to be a good resource for skiiers or bikers who try to seek out info on elevation & safe bike routes. It may be useful for RVing, I haven't figured out how to use it yet, bc it's so clunky & overwhelming with their setting options. I might need a course on how to use it lol. I'm so used to the streamlined feel of Google Maps & need to sit down to familiarize myself more.
Wonder update!
Great info....thank you for sharing. Makes me want to rig up the Suburban for cat hauling and get going! 😝
Thank you. Is this whole app available with out data connection?
The overlays are on device. The background map is from whatever your devices uses. If your device caches maps before going off-line, they're off course available.
This is sweet!
Hey thanks for the video it's really helpful but I was just wondering is there any camps sites that allow long stays like months at a time or what can I do if I want to come back for another 14 days how long is the wait till I can come back
You can find monthly stays usually at private RV parks... they can offer great monthly rates. For public lands, you'll need to research the rules for each area.
Great idea! I’m purchasing now. Such a great deal, thank you! Also, if you ever want help on the design side, I design apps for a living-I’m happy to help
It's like building your own house then paying someone else to do the maintenance cause you've kinda had your fill of the hammering for a while.
Just curious, why do you not want to go to the Department of energy areas?
Don't think boon docking is allowed on most?
Have contact info for the app guy you mentioned?
Thank you for naming your apps,there is no yellow pages for this stuff.
Well.. there is... the App Store and Google Play :) With with millions of apps out there, it is overwhelming.
Wondering why this app only has a 3.7 rating at the Google play store. Was it developed more for Apple?
It was originally on iOS - but it is fully Android native now. The older version had some mixed reviews because some people wished for more detailed maps. The new 2019 version is much higher resolution.
The old maps were pretty low resolution - the app got some negative reviews because of it. The new version is a big improvement.
Arizona has a lot of state land as well which would be an awesome addition. Not sure about other states.
Perhaps one day... we're right now thrilled to have caught up on US federal lands, the original intent of the app.
I wish u could do FREE with in-app purchases...
We offer a version of our app ‘Coverage?’ this way, but most people still prefer to buy up front. And besides - it would be hard to figure out what layers to make free vs paid in an app like this.
Easy! Make the basic stuff free, and the really enticing stuff purchase, like the BLM overlays. I downloaded Coverage? Lite, ty!
You two have been together a long time and I can tell by your body language you are still in love. Love your videos too.
Bought the bundle. Love the pins option in US Public Lands. Would love to see laws on marijuana in the State Law app. Thanks so much!
Stay tuned for the next release of State Lines.. we just added that in :). Any day now..
Not trying to be nasty or negative, but I see that there are many poor reviews of the app. Have the issues mentioned been addressed? I don't want to get into trouble for being on private land when the app shows it is public, or miss out on a camping spot because it is erroneously marked incorrectly. Any updates for us?
As we showed in the video, the new map source is much higher resolution. But you should always verify with local sources and/or additional research as well.
Has freecampsites,net shut down ? I haven.t been able to load the website recently.
Just loaded fine for me.
Thanks. VPN issue.
Thanks! I just downloaded the $8.99 Bundle!
Do you guys have any apps like this that will work with a PC? (I prefer searching on my Laptop.)
I’ve heard of people running apps on Android Emulators, but have never looked into it.
Thanks for getting the pack - the apps are currently mobile apps.
Hi Cherie & Chris, i recently purchased your 3 apps. The 2 earlier apps downloaded fine, but the Public Lands will not download on my iPad. It downloaded ok on my iPhone. I thought maybe it wouldn't work on my ipad, but i see you have it on yours. My ipad is fairly new and the ios is up to date. Any suggestions? Thanks
US Public Lands requires at least iOS 11, and works great on an iPad. Try rebooting, and if you still have problems you can chat up Apple support and/or email us about any error message you are seeing.
Technomadia my ipad iOS is 12.3.1. I will try rebooting. Thanks for the help 😊
Hi again. As I previously mentioned my iOS is updated. I rebooted my iPad and tried to download US Public Lands. When I went to the apps store the app was in the cloud, so I started to install it. That was 3 hours ago and it is still trying to download and is stuck at 50%, just like the first time I tried to install. Has anyone else had a problem? I appreciate any other suggestions you may have, thanks!
Would recommend contacting Apple for support.. they are who is in control of that portion of the app stuff.
Technomadia **** Thank you for your help. I just wanted to let you know that the app finally downloaded and installed. I'm not sure how long it took to download, but when I checked today it was there. I have never had this is before, so was at a loss as how to proceed. I think rebooting my Ipad might have done it. I really appreciate your time. ~Janice~ 😊🎉🇺🇸
The maps being local is great. However the ability to turn on and off GPS location would be great. Any chance of that?
What would be the practical reason for turning off your current location? You can turn off location services by app in your device's settings..
@@Technomadia Does the app have your GPS location available within the app? I just meant it would be great to be able to put the blm layer on And see your specific location within that layer so that you could confirm you're actually in the blm area. I didn't speak clearly in my op, sorry.
Ok, so I did what I should have done to begin with... I followed your link and read the app description and features (look at me go, using my brain and stuff). Looks like you've got the GPS thing worked out (through cashe, I think). I'm not too tech savvy, but I'm guessing you already figured that one too.
If you authorized the app for location services, you should see your current location. If you turned this off (perhaps when you first loaded the app - it should ask), then you need to go turn it on in your device settings.
Lot of information for the money. Most of the BLM is in a circle, with heavy concentrations in Utah and Nevada. Both states are lobbying hard to get the Feds to give that land to the states. Both states tried to reverse BLM National Monument designations. A lot of the FS and BLM land is heavily used by shooters and ATV'ers. The signs in the forest around here show the main interest is providing ATV access. It's OK if you can live with the noise. A lot of the land is shifting from grazing land, to protected natural areas, like around Parashant, Mojave Preserve, and near Las Cruces. I don't know if RV groups will ever try to lobby for their interests. There's a huge rich/poor divide in RV's. I was surprised because the amount of open land is fairly limited (all West of the plains in Colorado). It's also in heavily urbanizing corridors. The West really isn't what people think it is, anyway.
state line should have medical / recreational laws ;)
Any chance of ever integrating Coverage and Public Lands into one app?
We’ve talked about it some - just need to figure out how to charge for it, and how to keep it from being clunky or too complex.
My feed keeps freezing up, anyone able to tell me why. I''ve set for auto resolution playback. I keep getting 1440p HD
This video was produced in 1080p.. not sure why you're seeing 1440p.
Forgive me if this is a dumb question. You kept referring to local maps already on your phone. Do you mean Apple Maps, Google Maps, etc? And are they available off line when there is no cell coverage? Or do these apps themselves have Maps built in to them?
The overlays are built in, along with a basic under map. Always best to cache your local maps however.
Thank you! I’ll be getting the apps😊
Hi Guys :)
no secrets is the downside of the internet....one day you'll find your "secret" places have been ruined i seek those places where there is NO cell service , or people who watch t.v.
arizona has a lot of blm land
I guess y'all never heard the song:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From the California to the New York island
From the Redwood Forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me
As I went walking that ribbon of highway
I saw above me that endless skyway
And saw below me that golden valley
This land was made for you and me
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me , a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me
When the sun comes shining, then I was strolling
In the wheat fields waving and dust clouds rolling
The voice was chanting as the fog was lifting
This land was made for you and me
You are NOT staying for free. You pay taxes.