Boondockers Welcome - ever tried it?

[Mike]

I think a "gift" to say thanks, is probably not an issue.

It's the "nominal fee" that was mentioned to join the website/group that gives new members access to the detailed contact information on the site. That allows them to contact other members to arrange trip route boondocking parking. That fee payment occurs before any boondocking can occur (the website states the detailed contact info is hidden until you pay to join). It might be seen as paying for a service (once you're a full member, they grant access to the detailed location and contact info of other members) which may not be covered under your homeowner's insurance policy. That was the concern.
Even those members who didn't pay the fee to join may be entering into what is effectively a barter agreement, tit for tat, by allowing use of their property in exchange for the use of the property of others.

We were just thinking out loud about the legal and insurance possibilities if something were to happen, while you were boondocking on someone else's property, or were hosting others, that's all.
It might be worth explaining this process to your home owner's insurance broker for an opinion, before something happens and your claim is denied because at some point in the process that got the "guest" to your property, money changed hands. Insurance companies can be ruthless.
Or, like Karsty suggested, don't worry about it.

[booster]

Originally Posted by Mike

I think a "gift" to say thanks, is probably not an issue.

It's the "nominal fee" that was mentioned to join the website/group that gives new members access to the detailed contact information on the site. That allows them to contact other members to arrange trip route boondocking parking. That fee payment occurs before any boondocking can occur (the website states the detailed contact info is hidden until you pay to join). It might be seen as paying for a service (once you're a full member, they grant access to the detailed location and contact info of other members) which may not be covered under your homeowner's insurance policy. That was the concern.
Even those members who didn't pay the fee to join may be entering into what is effectively a barter agreement, tit for tat, by allowing use of their property in exchange for the use of the property of others.

We were just thinking out loud about the legal and insurance possibilities if something were to happen, while you were boondocking on someone else's property, or were hosting others, that's all.
It might be worth explaining this process to your home owner's insurance broker for an opinion, before something happens and your claim is denied because at some point in the process that got the "guest" to your property, money changed hands. Insurance companies can be ruthless.
Or, like Karsty suggested, don't worry about it.

Yep, that was the original concern/question, "would it be a problem?" I wouldn't consider it unless I had a written statement from my homeowners insurance (main office, not agent) saying it would be covered. We live in a very litigious society, it would be very sad to have your good deed cost you big, and the insurance company will bail on you if it is going to cost them and they can get away with it.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by Mike

Saw that. Amish country? Great pastries.
I'm in.

Mike, as of right now, today, there are no proposals on the table for RV.net B11. One couple from Indiana said they might look into an Indiana site. At the B10 rally they suggest Elkhart in northern Indiana near Amish country and also the major RV center in America. Then online they said central Indiana which is not Amish. That's pretty much it so far. Personally, I think the gem of Indiana is southern Indiana around Brown County.

I would be happy with Indiana. I'm originally from Speedway, Indiana and if a rally there coincided with my annual trip to the Indy 500 I could kill two birds with one trip. The B10 Rally worked out well that way because we always come or go via the Upper Peninsula with a stop in Midland, MI on the way.

[Mike]

Good info, thanks.
I forgot to add we would be fine with Indiana, too. It's a hop, skip, and jump from us now.
Amish country or not, we'd be driving and watching the back roads for horse and buggy mobile pastry shops. We got a fresh baked cherry pie and some sticky buns from just such an enterprise just over 2 years ago somewhere near the Illinois/Indiana border while traveling back along our Plains State Capital tour route (Springfield towards Indianapolis). We still have some State Caps to do but most are eastern seaboard and midwest. And Baton Rouge. We've been twice, and it's been closed both times.

We've driven through the tri-city area near Midland (Bay City, Saginaw) whilst out exploring "the mitt".
What's the attraction to Midland? Friends, relatives? (or is it food related? )
More recently, we visited Frankenmuth. Interesting little town. It seemed to us like they started decorating the town with a Bavarian theme, and it got out of control over the years, but it's still got a lot of interesting things to see. The Christmas Store (Bronner's) was massive. Makes Niagara on the Lake's version look tiny.

[Davydd]

Midland is a sister-in-law stop. She is the only one left of the family in Michigan. Even her daughter now lives in Minnesota. My long departed inlaws once lived in Saginaw but were living in the Cleveland, OH area when I met my wife.

Midland, MI is the corporate home of Dow Chemical. They've done a lot to support the city so it is rather upscale compared to Saginaw and Bay City for a small city. Probably the best attractions are Dow Botanical Gardens and the Aldon Dow House. If you like baseball, they have a super and fairly new minor league baseball stadium for the Loons.

[Mike]

Will make a point of spending more time there next time we head towards the UP.
Thanks for the info and history lesson. There are some remnants of Dow near and in Sarnia.
They left a wetland park area after they departed. I believe they still have a hand in it's upkeep and maintenance, even thought they're no longer a major commercial presence here.
From what I've learned about the area in the last year.