Last week, we took a three-night camping trip to Williams, Arizona. Williams is located adjacent to I-40 in northern Arizona, fifty miles south of the Grand Canyon south rim entrance.
This is only a few hours away from where we live and an easy drive on the interstate highway. We
are checking out camping locations within a two-hour radius from home and becoming more comfortable with the trailer.
We Camped at Kaibab Lake Campground
The Kaibab Lake Campground is nestled near a peaceful lake, with tall ponderosa pines, lush hills, and plenty of furry wildlife making it a beautiful natural retreat.
The very act of camping has been an experiment for us, as we sample different locations. This was our trial attempt to be at a campsite with no water, electricity, or showers. The only amenity offered at the campground was a vault toilet that we used in moderation.
Kaibab Lake
Our trailer is self-contained with a bathroom and shower. After this most recent trial, we now think we can manage camping in Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas.
When we arrived, we observed some notices inviting campers to Smokey the Bear’s 70th birthday party. Who can turn down free cake, popcorn, and a movie? Well not complexly free—it cost twenty dollars a night to stay at the campground.
Forest Service staff organized the birthday party. They explained the story of finding Smokey in a forest fire years ago located in Lincoln County, New Mexico. The small kids jumped with excitement when at the end of the presentation, Smokey the Bear treated them to a special surprise guest appearance. This had to be the children’s high point of their camping adventure.
Friday was quite busy for me work-wise, with multiple meetings, projects, and emails. Dianne and I took occasional breaks to walk and stretch. Each day we explored new areas of the forest and the surrounding campground.
Kaibab is a small yet beautiful lake!
We discovered Forest Service land about five miles south of Williams that will be an excellent free camping spot in the future. On the way back to town, we stopped at McDonald’s for a soft serve ice cream cone. I took some time to recharge both the work and personal laptops and connect to some free Wi-Fi. The simple pleasures in life are not that expensive.
Our Campsite in Williams
We are becoming much more efficient at setting up and breaking down our rig and campsite. We haul extra water and firewood from our home.
Multiple steps to connect the trailer to the truck
Our comfortable zero gravity chairs make gazing at the trees, birds, and squirrels a relaxing diversion from work.
Roughing it with chairs, a rug, and canopy
Our new camping friend
We both were able to relax and let down from work. I finally began a novel that had been sitting on my desk for a couple weeks. Dianne enjoyed her free time by the campfire.
A relaxing way to read a library book
Camping with Solar Power
This is the second time we have used our portable solar panel with great results. We had light, intermittent rain over three days with temperatures in the low 70s. The Go Power solar panel fully charged our batteries with barely two hours of direct sunlight each morning. I cannot recommend this panel enough. I first heard about this panel from a Gone with the Wynns post regarding portable solar power. Our ROI for this panel will be about the same as paying for 20 nights of campground fees.
Enjoying the Chance to Travel
Traveling is one of my passions. I enjoy seeing new sights, being in natural surroundings, and meeting interesting people. Dianne and I are trying out limited-length camping trips to make sure we have all the bugs and systems worked out. Our dream is to take a month-long camping trip by the end of 2016.
Our next trip will be a six-night camping outing later this month. We will visit the Arizona White Mountains. These trips continue to build our confidence in our equipment and prepare us for an eventual “off the grid” experience in the future.
Luke Fitzgerald @ FinanciallyFitz says
Sounds like a great trip! Camp fire and a book!? That’s a perfect way to end the day!
Havent been camping in a while, but hope to be going soon. It will be a summer ritual once our boy gets a little older.
I’ve been trying to get my wife to allow the zero gravity chairs inside the living room. She hasnt budged yet 🙂
Bryan says
We have really been enjoying camping so far as we test our skills. I hope to do several more more trips this year.
It is funny that your wife won’t let you have zero gravity chairs in the living room. We were turned on to them by my father-in-law who has one in his living room to watch tv! We decided to get a couple for ourselves since out $8 Walgreen chairs are nearly in shreds! We use them on our patios when we are not camping.
So you will have to show this comment to your wife…. 🙂
Joe says
The pictures look great. We don’t have an RV so we go car/tent camping. It’s fun, but Mrs. RB40 doesn’t really like camping that much. That’s why we only go once a year. She probably would like RV camping more. We should rent one and try it out.
Bryan says
We started out with the notion of car/tent camping trips ourselves. Somehow, it morphed into a truck and camping trailer. 🙂
My wife as a child did a lot of trailer camping with her parents. Her dad was a college professor that had summers off to explore and camp with the family. She was sure that the trailer would work out fine. She was right! (I bet she will not see this comment so I am safe to admit it here)
It might be a good idea to rent one first to try it out.