At the online version of RV Life, you will find all the articles in our print edition and much more. Go to rvlife.com, click on “Blogs” and you will see a wealth of original content, with regular updates. This month we are presenting entries from two of our bloggers, Dave Helgeson, who writes about travel under the heading “Adventures in RVing,” and Rick Stedman, who offers the latest golf information in “The 19th Hole.”

Adventures in RVing: Baker Boondocking

Services in Baker, California, include gas stations, restaurants, tire repair, lodging, dump stations, mini markets and other services vital for the traveling public. However, if you check your campground directory or do an online search for campgrounds or RV parks in Baker, you are unlikely to find any listings.

I am happy to report that there is one huge campground just south of town. It covers 1.6 million acres and is known as the Mojave National Preserve. Camping is plentiful and it is free! The preserve’s website and brochures state the following, “Roadside vehicle camping is permitted in areas that have been traditionally used for this purpose. Camping tramples vegetation and disturbs soils. By reusing existing sites, you help protect the desert from further damage. Sites with existing rock fire rings should be considered disturbed sites suitable for roadside camping.”

To save you the trouble of finding the “traditionally used” places, I will fill you in: Head southeast out of Baker crossing over I-15 into the preserve on Kelbaker Road. In a little under a mile when the Kelbaker Road turns due east, exit on the dirt road to the right. From there, travel south/southwest toward the low hills just over a mile distant. You can camp along the first low hill you come to or continue to the next bend in the road (left). When you get to the next bend, take a right turn on the intersecting dirt road, which will deliver you to an assortment of camp spaces. Park your rig next to a fire ring and enjoy your Mojave National Preserve campsite. Those of you with onboard navigation can just enter N35 14.381  W116 04.0035 and be directed to the site.

If you camp in this area on a busy weekend, you will be astonished by the volume of traffic traveling on I-15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The string of never-ending headlights is almost more interesting than the spectacular stargazing available in the preserve.  Complete camping guidelines are available at nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/camping-regs.htm

A 1.6 million acre campground equals one big adventure in RVing!

The 19th Hole: Belly Putters Grow in Popularity

When PGA professional Phil Michelson started using a belly putter, the golf world took notice. In fact, during the last several months, Lefty has been joined by fellow golf pros Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, and Stuart Appleby who have all tried using a belly putter on tour. The belly putter craze had an additional shot in the arm when Keegan Bradley became the first major champion to use a belly putter when he won the 93rd PGA Championship in mid-August.

Though critics say that using a belly putter is not in the true spirit of the game, the popularity cannot be ignored. Callaway Golf Company recognized that fact and recently introduced its new Odyssey White Hot XG Sabertooth Belly Putter to the public. Available since November, the Odyssey White Hot XG Sabertooth Belly Putter is the same exact putter Bradley used to win his first major golf event. Odyssey introduced the Sabertooth putter on its website (www.odysseygolf.com/sabertoothbelly) with an introductory price of $189.99.

“In 2011, interest in belly and long putters has brought tremendous excitement to not just the putter category, but the golf industry as a whole,” said Chris Koske, global director of Odyssey Golf. “Odyssey has seen a 400 percent increase in sales of our mid and long putter offerings over 2010, and we are not expecting it to slow down any time soon.”

Featuring one of the most radical head shapes in golf, the White Hot XG Sabertooth Belly Putter utilizes a Dual Fang design to position more weight to the outer-most limits, helping keep the putter on line for increased accuracy. Aiming channels inside the fangs make lining up putts easier. The multi-layer White Ice Insert allows weight to be shifted to the perimeter of the head for stability, while also delivering enhanced feel, sound, responsiveness and resiliency, adding up to consistent distance control and ultimate feel on the green. The belly model features a mid-length, double-bend shaft with a full-shaft offset.

These two blog posts are just a sample of the original content to be found at rvlife.com. You will also find blogs by Sharlene Minshall, Arline Chandler, Denise Seith and others on topics ranging from travel and health to RV interior remodeling.