Summer Boondocking at Army Corps of Engineers Campground, Conchas Lake State Park, New Mexico

    The land where time as the world counts it no longer exists, time of day is now, the urgent intrusion of society’s regimented day is a thing of the long past, at least by a day. Boondocking in my RV at the all but deserted Army Corps of Engineers Conchas Lake, New Mexico campground. Army Corps of Engineers Campground Lake Conchas , The Campsitephotos.com video shows the most improved campgrounds and doesn't feature the largely unimpoved campground operated by Army Corps of Engineers that I stayed at. But it's a nice video of the area so here's the link: Conchas Lake Campgrounds Video The entrance to this campground is the farthest south. It is actually the last camping area south.  I had to drive around a bit until I saw a sign for it.  A sailboat drifts around its anchor in lazy circles out in the quiet cove with only its flag fluttering at the top of its bare mast.  Days are hot for this early in June, the 5th, when I got here.  The dominant sound is of the soughing breeze in the Chinese elm trees that are outside my door, punctuated occasionally by the chattering birds or a distant motor boat out on the lake, crickets and locusts and katydids.  Some of these wonderful bugs sound almost metallic in their hum.  What glorious organs for sound the Lord has created for even these smallest of creatures to sing their praises. It’s easy for my heart to be still here as my thoughts are turned from what is highly praised by the world as life but which is little more than clamorous effort to ignore God or obscure Him.

     Today I will wear my swimsuit with maybe some shorts as my only concession to covering up.  There is no one close enough to see or care.  Time to get some sun on my flaccid flesh. There is no cell service and no internet here.  I can’t communicate even if I wanted to.  There are no intrusions…from anything human anyway.
    Temperatures were 99 in the RV until the sun went down.  The temperature was 75 this morning after I got up. The dogs and cats soon learned the pleasures of being wet on a hot day.
    Got to use my solar panels, inverter and batteries.  Ran a fan in the afternoon, lights, and then TV in evening just to see how it worked. Wow! How freeing.

    The stars were a frosty mass across the night sky last evening, last warm evening, 85 at bedtime, late lightning to the south.  Am so grateful that I have water provided at this huge wide open campsite.  Was going to leave this morning but the peace of this place has convinced me to give it another day.  We were hot when we got here and set up after noon.  Today I walked the dogs in my jammies and a robe. A cool breeze is wafting from the north of the lake.  At this rate I can see how one day can lead to another, and another, and another…in one endless seam with free water at a free campsite that is huge and uncrowded (deserted).  I am the only one here besides the camp hosts and I have sand in my shoes!
  “…The Lord will bless his people with peace.” Ps. 29:11.
All those years when I’d dream of fulltime Rving…this was what I had  pictured in my mind.  You don't experience it until  boondocking, free from all the constraints of full hookups in an urbanized and sometimes crowded space in what seemed like a parking lot.  Only people with money can afford what I am enjoying today for free because I am not limited to spaces with hookups.  My solar panels batteries and inverter were well worth this freedom.
     I walked the dogs in utter solitude last night.  I love the precious tiny lizards that scurry from the cover of a tiny tuft of grass to the  roots of the tree and back again this morning.  Morris is examining a cute little green stinkbug.  He will get a surprise if he threatens her.  Lucky for him the lizard has captured his attention.
    There is something unexpectedly glorious about not having many of the “conveniences” of modern life.