Like thousands of others who make the pilgrimage to Ocotillo, Michael was in search of some solitude away from city lights, traffic, and mini-malls and toward the openness of the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreational Area, a swath of 80,000 acres set aside specifically for off-road enthusiasts to enjoy, where there's virtually nothing remotely passing as creature comforts. But if you're hearty enough to boondock it for a few days at Ocotillo, it's a little slice of paradise.

Joining Michael was RV magazine's contributing technical writer Adam Blattenberg, who had also loaded up his truck and camper with everything that was needed for the remote getaway in the desert.

Isolated Retreats
Similar scenes are played out each weekend at parks like Rausch Creek in Pennsylvania and Moab in Utah, as off-highway aficionados make their adventures come alive with other like-minded individuals. Off-highway fun is many things to many people-a sport, a family travel activity, an adrenaline rush, a technical challenge, and a means of conserving the great outdoors. But mostly, it's a lifestyle, one that's been enjoyed from the forest to the desert and the mountains to the sea for generations. It's this love for RVing and connection to motorcycles, ATVs and other motorized equipment that makes trips like these so memorable for so many.