RV Solar Power

Solar Power for Camping, Hiking and Photo Gear

I live simply, and when camping do the same.  I'm not one to watch TV at night at home or while traveling. I tend to watch the night sky and do a bit of reading or art-making while camping. I do watch movies at home, but prefer the quiet of camping and my connection to the land and universe.  On a cold night I light a fire and enjoy friends and family at camp.

When dry camping, I like to keep my 12V house battery charged for lights and to run the water pump and toilet.  I bought a 50 watt and a 35 watt solar panel.  The 50 watt panel came with a kit that includes a 12V backup battery for traveling and to charge AC devices. I have not needed the 50 watt for my limited power needs in my Saturn.  All of my interior and exterior lights are LEDs so they use very little juice. I turn off the water pump when not in use.

At Wahweap campground,  a 35 Watt Solar Panel is hooked up
to trickle charge my rig when dry camping.  It's often sunny out here
in the Southwest, so solar is the way to go.

Boondocking in Utah, my solar panel has kept my 18 footer fully charged
for a week of camping.  When I unhook and go for a backcountry 4WD,
I disconnect the panel and take it with me, for emergency power.

Since taking this photo in the fall, I've removed the awning as it was torn, and had a lot of mold when unrolled.  I will replace it.

While dry camping (boon docking) in Colorado, I kept my battery charged
by solar trickle charge.

Solar Power for Hiking and Backpacking

I am a photographer, and carry lots of camera gear while hiking.  Digital cameras eat batteries for lunch, so it's important to be able to keep the batteries charged in the field.  On a recent 5 day backpack, I tested a few solutions to battery use. One solution was to carry 3 dedicated Nikon batteries for my D5100 (my lightest weight camera body); another idea was to use the Goal Zero to charge the AA batteries for use in my point and shoot over the 5 day trip.  Here are some suggestions to increase the battery power when recharging at home is not an option.

• Try to limit the amount of "chimping", reviewing every photo. (any monkey can do that)
• When shooting video, which requires the use of the LCD, don't review when finished recording
• Weigh the difference between carrying extra batteries for your cameras, or re-charging in the field

What I learned was that for 5 days of photography, including video recording, I need an additional dedicated Nikon battery, which only weighs a few ounces.  But since I also carry and use an iPad, I like the Goal Zero system for charging batteries and devices in the field.

I bought the Goal Zero Solar Panel/Charger.  It charges 4 AA batteries using the sun in a short 2 hours.  Once charged I can use the device to charge up more AAs or directly charge my iPad or iPhone through the USB port located on the battery pack.  I don't mind the extra 1.2 lbs and can charge AA and AAA. 

The battery pack has inputs for the solar panels and USB devices.
It includes an LED light that runs for 120 hours.

The Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit, weighs just 1.2 lbs and sells for around $80. at Amazon
Here's how it works, hang the Goal Zero Panel on your daypack or camera bag, and hook up
 the battery pack. The panel will charge the battery pack in 2 hours.
Connect your USB device to the battery pack and charge
your iPhone, iPad or digital camera.

Or Purchase the latest, greatest

A Collection of Recent Photos

Take a few minutes to enjoy some mellow music and my photographs.

The First Few Months with my new (to me) Travel Trailer

The First Year

A friend of mine bought this camper, she got it from a friend of hers.  But once she brought it home, realized that she had the cart before the horse and wasn't sure it was right for her.  I knew it was right for me.  I had long ago decided that a small travel trailer would work.  I could tow it to places I love, near and far, and then head out, whether by bike, on foot or using my car, for photography and fun.

Once I bought my Sunline Saturn, I began a search online for support and ran into the great, helpful, friendly folks at the Sunline Owner's Club. Another example of putting the cart before the horse, but a girls gotta do what she's gotta do!

The Sunline travel trailers are no longer produced, but as luck would have it I was able to download lots of information and ask questions in the forums.  Props to the guys and gals at sunlineclub.com

These folks helped me so much. They taught me to understand the weight issues involved in towing, the safety procedures for travel, and lots more.  When I ask a question in the forums, I rarely wait more than a day for answers and suggestions.  My Saturn is 18.5 feet, lightweight, and can be towed by my Jeep Grand Cherokee V8, 4.7 liter.  The Jeep came with the tow package as well as an upgrade to the cooling system.

Another invaluable resource for learning has been staying at the Cadillac Ranch RV Park in Bluff, Utah.  Tim and Diana are wonderful, friendly, helpful hosts.  I have been able to leave my camper parked on their land (they have a bit of a farm with goats and an Emu named Elvis) and a pond with a huge gathering of geese and ducks, perfect for morning coffee.  They have full hook up sites, and a few spaces for boon docking too, a hot showers are open 24/7.  Tim taught me how to use the sewer hoses and to dump grey and black water onsite and to hook up water and electric too.  He even gave me a few items I needed to connect hoses safely.  Recently, he helped me to check out my awning, and suggested I put a coat of waterproofing on the roof.

I can't say enough about how helpful these new friends have been.  And they are great resources for local knowledge of Anasazi sites and little known roads too.

My Rig, Cherry my jeep, and Saturn, my camper

First, practice towing and turning.  I recruited a friend with experience in his 32 foot Travel Trailer to teach me the ropes.  He was a patient teacher, assigning turns, figure eights and taught me how to back up.  Priceless.

Learning to tow and turn in an empty parking lot, March 2013

Places I've been in 2013

Valley of the Gods, Utah, Boondocking, March 2013








Sand Island Recreation Area, Utah, April 2013






Valley of the Gods, Utah, Boondocking, April 2013








My secret place, Utah, Boondocking, I've taken my rig here many times since March of 2013








Scouting Fall Colors in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado, Boondocking, September 2013

Lime Creek, Between Durango and Silverton, Colorado, Dry Camping, Sept. 2013

Durango, Colorado camping, full hookups, my most expensive night, so I could dump and empty the water, and winterize.  The temps were predicted to hit the low 20s.

Wahweap Campground, on the way to Zion, late October, 2013

On the way to Zion, Kanab Ranger Station

Under the Watchman, Zion National Park, so far my farthest tow and camping trip with Cherry and Saturn.  In the spring of 2013, I drove my jeep out to California, 1500 miles to go photograph the big trees in Jedediah Smith State Park.  I didn't take the camper, so the Zion Trip was my "maiden", far from home, camping trip.  Loved it.  Especially loved returning to my camper each night, my warm, cozy home away from home.  In 2011, I car camped and was very chilly at night, and this time, even though the weather was colder and rainier, I was safe, and comfy.

Zion National Park, Fall 2013

Get Out and STAY Out with Your Camera and Your Camper

First Camp at Valley of the Gods, my new Rig.

My father loves to say Get Out and STAY Out.  I'm the second oldest of seven children and when we were young it was a running joke.  Of course he wanted us to Get Out…for a bit of peace and quiet.  I love that man.

Well, I think I learned to do so.  This year alone I traveled to six National Parks, Arches, Canyonlands, Redwoods, Yosemite, Zion and Capitol Reef.  Most of my trips out west are based in Durango Colorado, so I also Get Out and STAY Out in the Weminuche Wilderness, the San Juan National Forest, in Colorado,  the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, and Grand Gulch Wilderness Study area in Utah.  In the spring of 2013 I bought a travel trailer, an 18 foot trailer, I love it, so most long weekends I can be found in and around my favorite places, teaching photo workshops, and Chasing the Light of the Western United States and Beyond.  I park my camper at some amazing places, hike or bike or drive to locations I love, meet students in the field and back in my studio in Durango.  The camper allows me to charge my batteries each night, to connect my solar panel for boon docking, and to rest in a nice, warm, space.

The emphasis over the past two years has been the National Parks.  For years (13) I had a dog, Zazi, my black lab, she was my constant companion and hero.  I mostly photographed, backpacked and hiked with her in wilderness areas that allow dogs.  Since her passing I am on the mission to see and photograph all I can in our National Parks.  I will get another companion, but am taking some time.

This blog is to tell the story about photography, travel and preparation for the next stage of my life.  I'm 60 years old. I was a teacher at Bayonne High School in New Jersey for 21 years, followed by the last 18 years of building my art and photography business in Durango, Colorado.  I love to teach and currently I teach students of all ages to make art, and to learn digital photography.  Many of my students come to my studio for private lessons on using their digital cameras properly.  And a great deal of my time is spent on Photography Adventures, teaching participants to use their digital and film cameras to capture grand and intimate landscapes.  In April of 2013, we took a group of students to Monument Valley, and I taught lessons in composition, dealing with wind, capturing scenes in the right light, right place, right time of day.  June usually finds a group of us along the waterfalls in the San Juan Mountains, where I teach the proper use of shutter speed for water flow.  And July and August, you can find me up above 10,000 feet in the San Juans and Weminuche Wilderness, teaching Wildflower photography, and the elusive high altitude sunset.  And by the time the fall arrives in the Southwest, late September through early November, I can be found reporting on, and chasing colors all around Southern Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.

As I transition from a continued part time position as a graphic artist working for corporate America, to full time travel and adventure, I thought others might enjoy reading about the process of getting on the road.  From purchasing a small travel trailer, the right tow vehicle, renovations and learning the systems of the camper, to the current stage of planning and follow up of dreams, this blog will help me remember the things I've done and link to other blogs that help in my mission to Get out and STAY Out.

Click on these links to some of stories, maps and my photos of our National Parks, including a few that won recent photo contests.  Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky
Canyonlands National Park, Needles District
Zion National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Redwoods National and State Parks
Yosemite National Park
Weminuche Wilderness
San Juan National Forest
Canyon of the Ancients National Monument
Grand Gulch Wilderness Study Area

And in 2014 I can be found in the Rainforests, photographing and teaching at Yellowstone National Park, Redwoods National Park, Olympic National Park and Jasper and Banff.  Come along for the ride!