If you're planning an RV trip to the east side of Death Valley National Park, don't sleep on this awesome boondocking spot called "The Pads". At this abandoned mining camp, there are concrete pads scattered over several acres, which some people park on or park next to for a ...patio area.

It's only a 25 minute drive to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center or an hour drive to Badwater Basin from this spot, making it a great Basecamp for exploring DVNP!

As a bonus, The Pads camping area sits at 3,000 feet of elevation, it's typically 15 degrees cooler than the Furnace creek area (but it still gets HOT).

Welp. We have a new problem not related to the last problem. 😅

This time it's a bigger deal and we're going to head back to Yuma. We're hoping it's a quick fix (and not too expensive) and we can get back on the road soon.

The Jeep stopped working (would ...not move) in Death Valley. No cell service and Tony had the pups with him. He had to walk for cell service to cal a tow. This could've been way worse if we were on a secluded offroad trail with the entire family.

Why Yuma? Well this fix may take multiple days and we will be without our main vehicle. Yuma has a campground that we can stay at for free with full hookups, a mechanic we know and has worked on our vehicle before, and all the things we could need.

This is our first big setback since we've been on the road. Fingers crossed it doesn't change too many plans.

When your Jeep starts sounding like a machine gun, it's time to upgrade some parts!

The dust boot on our front driveshaft was damaged and ripped open, which caused all of the grease to be flung out. As a result, the bearings in the CV joint were grinding when the 4WD was engaged. ...Thankfully Teraflex makes an upgraded version for lifted Jeeps!

Start to finish this fix took me about 5 hours (including an hour lunch break). We're boondocking far away from any town, so I made sure to have everything I needed for this project.

Now we can hit the trails again!

#jeepwranglerunlimited #teraflex
#rvboondocking #fulltimervfamily #fixedit

This spot was our home for a magical week. The kids had an epic laser gun battle here, the Joshua trees and bushes gave them great cover. They also spent their homeschool days in that screened tent in the crisp mountain air. We even used it as our podcast studio for our last episode. Our backyard ...might change frequently, and it's not always grand, but moments like these are why we cherish our nomadic lifestyle so deeply. It’s the spontaneous adventures and the ever-changing backdrop of nature that truly define our love for this life.

We're full-time RVers...of course we collect laundry cards and apps from all over the country!

And of course we're holding out on buying a washer and dryer for our rig. We boondock so much that we'd spend too much time filling and emptying the tanks.

Wasn't ...good ol' coin laundry much simpler?

Just beyond the Las Vegas shimmer we found a great spot to camp (for free) in the Mountain Springs. It’s about an hour outside of the city.

The diverse geography offers breathtaking views and a peaceful retreat into nature. This area is a perfect reminder that Nevada’s charm extends ...far beyond the glitz of its big city.

Did you know that Nevada is the most mountainous state in the U.S.? It has over 300 individual mountain ranges and 42 named summits over 11,000 feet. From the arid Great Basin in the north to the Mojave Desert in the south, Nevada’s landscapes are opposite than the expected desert plains.

The terrain has three central regions:

⛰️ Northeastern Columbia Plateau: you will find high ridges and deep canyons formed from eroded lava.

⛰️ Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains: This is where Lake Tahoe—the largest alpine lake in North America—is located.

⛰️ Basin and Range Region: This region features over 150 mountain ranges, buttes, hot springs, and geysers. It also includes Nevada’s highest point, Boundary Peak (13,147 feet), and the southern Mojave Desert.

A family of 4 humans (Tony, Kristen, Kylie, & Lexie) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 and 2 canines🐕🐕 traveling the USA in a motorhome. Find us on a dirt road, Jeepin'. #rvlife | #jeeplife | #homeschool | #travel

Follow us at @thefaiolas for more adventures.