The Pads

Someone once had big plans for an RV park on highway 190, just outside Death Valley National Park. They put in a paved loop with concrete parking pads and started on electrical and sewer hookups. Then, like many business ventures, pfft, it didn't work out.

You can park on the pad or, like I did, use it for a patio

Now, nicknamed The Pads, the place is used by boondockers. Until whoever owns the property chases us off, anyway.

There were only two other rigs there when I arrived. One of them is a guy who acts as sort of a caretaker/host. I found a nice pad at the far end, away from the others. It was very quiet and private. And clean. That's one of the things that makes The Pads so different from The Slabs.

Someone at lest tried to hide their trash. At the Slabs, they might have just tossed it wherever.

The Pads are at 3,000 feet, so the temperature is lower than Death Valley. That's good in summer but maybe not in winter. It depends on your preferences.

Even though the highway is nearby, there's rarely any traffic noise, except when Harleys go by. (Yeah yeah, loud pipes save lives blah blah blah. Bite me.)

Someone got into a little artistic expression

My overnight stay was very pleasant. I would have stayed longer, but I'm on my way elsewhere. And there was zero cell signal. Gotta have priorities.