# Boon Docking after Hurricane Ike



## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

​As most of you know I staying in Houston getting medical treatment for cancer. Thus I have the experience of hurricane Ike over this weekend. The major post the hurricane opportunities was the lack of electricity and water. It was interesting to realize how dependent we are to both utilities for normal everyday activity. There were lots of folks that were complaining about the lack of air conditioning, not being able to watch TV, cook meals, etc. I was going down that same path until I had one of those revelations that totally changed my perspective. 

My revelation was that some of us campers spend weekends or weeks without electricity and water and have fun while doing it. 

So even though my camper and equipment are all back in Cincinnati, why not view this experience as boon docking in a condo?

OK there is:

No air conditioning - but then I’ve done that before while camping so no big deal. If this continues for a long time I might buy some thermal blankets and put them on the roof.

No AC electricity - I have lots of batteries and for those rechargeable devices (e.g., cell phone, lap top) I have a car charger and inverter that I can use in the Hummer. I wished I had my Honda EU 3000is generator or even thought of buying an EU 1000 but I suspect my condo neighbors might have been disturbed if I was running it during the day.

No lights - My battery powered lanterns do a great job and I’m amaze at the power of flashlights that have LED bulbs. 

No running water – No problem since I did stock up with over 30 gallons of city water plus I filled up the bath tub. That’s more than I usually have while camping. And remembered to conserve on water use just like when I’m camping. And should I need extra water there is a big lake….AKA as a the condo swimming pool. However, the big plus is that I can still flush the toilet and I don’t have to haul off gray/black water to a dump station.

No fridge – well like my generator, I wish I had my five day cooler but that is back at home so I’ll dump the perishables and make do with the can goods I bought.

No heat for cooking or boiling water when it returns – Here I wished I had my Coleman two burner stove and a stack of one pound propane cylinders. Fortunately, my daughter is coming to visit… so my only item I asked for was a camping stove.

No TV – Not a problem since I bought a battery operated radio and so I can keep tabs on what is going on around me as well as in the world. Plus as I would do while camping, I view this as a time to listen to the thousands of songs I have stored on my iPod. 

No vehicles on the roads since the authorities asked for folks to stay off the roads – Since I don’t have my mountain bike with me… it was time to pull out the hiking boots and just take some long walks as I would do while camping. And it is also interesting that during this time total strangers are willing to talk to you - just as happens while camping. 

No gas or long lines at gas stations – Well I had two aquatainers that i filled up with gas so I can travel back and forth to the hospital for several weeks.

I share this hoping that others will recognized that as campers we are used to enjoying some primitive conditions… and our camping skills can be useful when having to address adversity. But more importantly, I realized I could have joined others in complaining about the post Ike events. 

However, I have no reason to complain. 

I’ve not lost relatives or friends. I've not lost my home and all its contents, or transportation, or a business or a job. I’m not staying in some high school auditorium with a hundred other folks. Plus I’ve not been injured and am in a hospital. So I’m very fortunate and should embrace this experience focusing on all the positives.

Ruide


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## happiestcamper (Mar 6, 2008)

Sounds like us 19 years after Hugo. I went from living by myself in a 2 bedroom apartment to having my girlfriend (now my wife), my ex-girlfriend and her 2 roommates move in with me. We had no camping gear, but we made do. Cooked everything with charcoal (even pots of coffee). While having 4 women in my apartment made it almost impossible to ever get in the bathroom, I hardly ever washed any dishes :rotflmao1:

One of the ladies commented years down the road how all in all it was actually fun what we went through, even though she had lost everything.

BTW, how's everything going with you and your treatments?


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## amy0807 (Aug 13, 2008)

Glad to hear you are doing well in the midst of the chaos! Hope you are doing as well health wise.


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Thanks folks. Healthwise I'm doing just fine. I should have started a new chemotherapy on Friday but that has been delayed until tomorrow. So all in all I'm in good shape.

Ruide


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## antigua (Dec 17, 2007)

Ruide
I read your post and I can remember a few years ago the whole eastern side of north Amarica lost power. We were out for days but I still had all my camping gear in the basement and lots of canned food. We ate like kings and queens. We made the best of it and we cooked a lot of food sense everything in the freezer had to be chucked or cooked. I'm not one for throwing anything out so there was no choice, it had to be cooked and everyone next door had to eat it. I know it's not the same as what everyone down there had to go thru but I felt the same way. Good luck tomorrow and I hope and pray for a speedy recovery. Lot of love from Canada Ruide.
Keep us updated.


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Antiqua, Thank you and I've have my chemo back pack which I'll have with me for the next four days... with refills each day.

I usually struggle with having to throw out stuff.... but given my compromised immune system, I did not even think twice this time. I just wished I have a camping stove earlier. And to make matters worse, my daughter did bring a camping stove but the airline lost her baggage... so another night eating right out of the can.

Take care.

Ruide


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2008)

Glad to hear your positive and fun spin on the events you have encountered. 

Very happy to hear you are "ok".

Hope things go well for you with treatment. 

Take care!


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## Guest (Sep 24, 2008)

Ruide,

First thanks for all the infomation on you blog/website, I purchased an Evolution E1 about 5 weeks ago and love it. I got loads of tips from your site/photos - thanks for all you help!! I've done 2 trips to Banff/Jasper NP in Alberta Canada ( I live in Calgary) and the E1 performed excellent - even when it snowed last weekend - the furnace kept us warm.

I used to live in Houston and know many people who have been affected by Ike - some less fortunate than others.

Finally good luck with your treatment!!!.
Thanks
Nick


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Intheloonybin, 

Thanks for the kind and supportive words.

Nick,

You are welcome and I'm glad the photo galleries are useful. 

Congratulation on the E1 and I'm so happy you are enjoying the E1 and it is meeting your expectation 

Yes the impact of Ike is all over the place from folks that have lost every thing to those that had to endure lost of water/power for a day or so. Fortunately or unfortunately, I did not have power for a week and so I did not see all the damage but just verbal descriptions. That might not have been a bad thing as I'm well aware of how the TV stations can blow things out of proportions. For example, the Feds restricted TV helicopters from flying over certain areas on the coast. The reporters were complaining as if there were floating bodies that the authorities did not want espoused when all they were doing was giving priority to the medicvac, search and rescue helicopters.

Ruide


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## mikey (Feb 20, 2008)

Still thinking about you here to Ruide! Please let us know when all is well, we have you in our thoughts.


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## wheeldweller (Aug 17, 2009)

Yeah, this is the way to think about it; and the way to get it done! GoodOnYa: not only is it a great survival tactic, it's absolutely the best mindset to aquire for full time travel. There's gonna be good days and bad. And 'being a tumbleweed' keeps you ready to (PTP) roll with the punches.

I wish you the best on your recovery!


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## heruide (Feb 12, 2008)

Brian,

Thanks for concern and wishes on my recovery. It has taken me a while to get a different mindset and I'll be the first to confess that there one or two times I've slip off the wagon. 

Now a days whenever I'm faced with an opportunity I just ask a simple question "Does this matter to my three year old grand daughter?" The majority of the time the answer is "No" and I just move on to the next opportunity.

Take care.

Ruide


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