• Boondocking Map
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Menu
  • Boondocking Map
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Home  /  California • Camping  /  Joshua Tree BLM South – Second Time Around
01 April 2019

Joshua Tree BLM South – Second Time Around

Written by Steve Johnson
California, Camping Leave a Comment

Sash and I returned to Joshua Tree BLM South, a dispersed camping area on BLM land, just on the south side of Joshua Tree National Park.

The first time we camped here, back in November 2018, we spent a few weeks enjoying the cooler weather and free camping. Back then, we also enjoyed relative solitude during a time when snow birds still had yet to flock into Southern California. It was of that memory and good experience that lead us back to here for another round of camping.

This time around, we arrived on the first day of March 2019, right at the start of the Spring Super Bloom. We were joined by our friend John, another full time RVer and boondocker. John is busy starting up his new online presence, “The Boondoctor” where he writes about the technical aspects of outfitting an RV for long term boondocking.

It was actually a lot of fun.

Sash and I were more than pleased to have a friend to camp with. We spent many nights around the campfire, burning meat, drinking beer, and talking about whatever came to mind. We watched the stars, went out on hikes, gathered firewood, and built what we hope to be a long term friendship.

On one afternoon, we took an afternoon trip into Mexicali, Mexico for some tacos, margaritas, and pharmaceutical shopping. It’s where Sash prefers to go to buy drugs that would otherwise require physician exams and lots and lots of money. In Mexicali, they don’t ask for for an actual prescription, and pricing is only a 10th of what it is in the States.

Anyway, I ended up getting sick.

I had a plate of lamb tacos at a very small, very independently run, taco shop. I made the mistake of sprinkling of fresh onions and cilantro on them. In Mexico, fresh food is riddled with e-Coli bacteria. You always want to eat only cooked food, or bottled drinks. About 30 minutes later, I was feeling sick. I was losing energy, feeling chills, and getting sick to my stomach.

As of this writing, about 3 weeks after that afternoon in Mexicali, I’m still feeling sick. It’s mostly chills, light nausea, and loss of energy. I’ve been on Cipro (an antibiotic), and it’s only barely fighting the infection.

Otherwise, Sash and I ended up spending a full month camped here the second time around at Joshua Tree BLM South. The temperatures in March are perfect, ranging from low-60s to low-80s at the high, and low-30s to low-50s at the low.

The Spring Super Bloom was amazing this year. Joshua Tree National Park perhaps had the best showcase of flowers throughout the Mojave and Colorado Deserts of California. Endless seas of purple, yellow, white, and spatterings of orange and red. Lot of Lupine, Poppies, Verbena, and Chia.

I’m certain when we come back to Southern California at the end of 2019, we’ll back here to Joshua Tree BLM South.


Steve Johnson
Connect on Facebook Connect on Twitter Connect on Linkedin

Having first started riding in 1985 on a Kawasaki KZ400, Steve has ridden all across the United States and Canada. He currently travels full time on his Honda ST1300, living wherever he can find a friendly roof. Follow him on, "Motorcycle Philosophy".

 Previous Article Fantasy Springs Casino – RV Parking Review
Next Article   Cedar Pocket Road, Arizona – Free RV Boondocking

Related Posts

  • Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Oregon, Spring Creek Dispersed Camping

    September 11, 2019
  • horn rapids county park camping

    Horn Rapids County Park, Richland, WA – Review

    August 21, 2019
  • vernita bridge washington camping

    Free Camping by Tri-Cities, WA – Vernita Bridge

    August 19, 2019

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

road pickle

I'm a "Man in Black", one of those guys who goes around dressed in black suits, looking for people who were abducted by UFOs so that we can keep them quiet. Sash and I travel around in this trailer awaiting orders from headquarters for my next assignment. I can't show you the details of my work, but I can show you how I live.

Follow us here on Road Pickle...

how to camp for free

Topics

  • Blog (37)
  • Camping (58)
  • Central (21)
    • Illinois (6)
    • Indiana (5)
    • Iowa (6)
    • Minnesota (3)
    • Missouri (1)
  • Destinations (32)
    • Hikes (3)
    • Museums (7)
    • Parks (9)
    • Roadside Attractions (16)
    • Towns (2)
  • Lodgings (2)
  • Northeast (2)
    • Pennsylvania (2)
  • Pacific (53)
    • California (38)
    • Oregon (11)
    • Washington (4)
  • Restaurants (24)
  • Roads (9)
  • Towns (1)
  • Uncategorized (6)
  • Vlog (6)
  • West (71)
    • Arizona (23)
    • Colorado (6)
    • Idaho (4)
    • Kansas (2)
    • Montana (5)
    • Nebraska (2)
    • Nevada (6)
    • New Mexico (3)
    • North Dakota (2)
    • Oklahoma (1)
    • South Dakota (6)
    • Texas (1)
    • Utah (11)

Recent Comments

  • Sean on Lowry Bridge Access Site, Montana – Free Camping
  • Tiffany N on Free RV Boondocking in Boise/Meridian, Idaho
  • Baron Schaaf on Jimi Hendrix’ Grave, Renton, WA
  • Debra Ross on Free RV Boondocking in Idaho – Shoshone Falls Road
  • David on Free RV Boondocking in Boise/Meridian, Idaho
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us

Social Media

  • Connect on Facebook
  • Connect on Instagram
  • Connect on RSS
  • Connect on YouTube
© Copyright 2014. Theme by BloomPixel.