on the road (soon)

Discussion in 'Camping/Outdoor Living' started by Dalamar, Apr 7, 2013.

  1. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Well life happens and I lost basicly everything. So injury or no I am off on the road. I have my car a tent and supplies. I want to eventually get a van and a solar set up (like other people have) but it will be a while before I have enough for that. I have some thoughts of getting a Pop up camper instead of a van.

    As I look back on my life over the last few years I wonder if life is somehow putting me where I need to be. Maybe I will find myself again.

    Right now I have to set up my camp somewhere discreet. Even if camp grounds were open yet most are just as expensive as an apartment. While I will not be without money I would like to put those funds aside and save. I am also not without skills. I grew up camping and I do have survival skills. Ofcouse I don't know everything I need to but ill learn.

    My ultimate goal is to save for a plot of land and build a house off the grid. But that is far down the road. I really like the earth ships and would like to do something similar to that someday. For now I would like to spend time

    Any thoughts or advice appreciated.
     
  2. misplacedJim

    misplacedJim Member

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    Good luck man...I wish you the best !
     
  3. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Thanks. It will be interesting to see where this goes. Just a few days left before I have to leave. I am still in kind of a state of shock from everything hitting so fast.

    What do people think is the best way to keep internet service up. I won't have WiFi anymore except when I come across free hot spots. Like mcd's and such. But that isnt when ill will need it.
     
  4. fleamarketvendor

    fleamarketvendor Member

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    Dalamar,

    Good Luck. While I don't know how you lost everything, you seem to have a positive attitude about your future. That's a big help.

    Pop-ups are okay for campgrounds but at truck stops and Walmarts they're not going to work out. I'd be concerned about leaving one set up on any public lands while I went to a store to shop. I see older pop-ups in questionable shape on CraigsList that are "selling" for more than I paid for my Class C. They are easy to tow however.

    I use the Walmart special plan from Virgin Mobile for internet. It's $20 a month for one gigabyte. I don't do videos, music, and have no "flash" program on my computer. I'm online quite a bit but have never exceeded the plan's limit. There are large areas that Virgin Mobile doesn't cover but I'm very seldom without service where I travel. The "dongle" is about $80 last I looked. Mine has a jack for an external antenna.

    Solar doesn't seem to be cost effective yet- except for those selling it. It's more a philosophical choice than an economic one. Maybe in the sunny southwest it could pay off. I keep checking prices and output, but conservation along with a small gas generator to supplement your vehicle's alternator is still the least expensive way to go. LED bulbs and avoiding inverter use where possible help reduce power use significantly.

    If you post a general location readers can offer more specific suggestions. For instance I'm around Chattanooga, TN heading northeast for a few days. And after that...???

    Again, good luck.

    fleamarketvendor
     
  5. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Thanks for all the information. It is much appreciated.

    I did not know pop up campers were not allowed at places like Walmart. Thanks for pointing that out. Also, after thinking about it some more I think it would burn a lot of gas towing that around plus I would kind of stick out. I know Walmart allows RV's to park over night but do they allow people in vans? I know I have seen people in vans park there but that doesn't mean they are supposed to.

    Good point about the generator v solar. I thought I could pick up used solar equipment cheap but I haven't found any yet. On the other hand, generators are fairly easy to pick up used at a good price. I just thought the noise of a generator would be annoying to people. Wouldn't I end up taking up a lot of space to store gas to run a gen?

    Only going to be looking to run a small frig, a laptop, maybe a tv, game unit lights, toaster oven or microwave.

    I live in NY ( a little up state not the city ) so it is still a tad on the chilly side at night.

    Figure I could sell my car to get a van I just haven't found one yet.
     
  6. kenwilkes

    kenwilkes Member

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    google vandwellers and you will find a lot of yahoo groups that are full of people living the lifestyle. You do not have to have a van. Anything on two or four wheels will work. PM me if needed. Lots of good people to help you
     
  7. fleamarketvendor

    fleamarketvendor Member

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    Dalamar,

    I didn't mean that pop-ups aren't allowed at Walmarts because I just don't know. But in the last few years I've stayed quite a few (OK, a lot of them!) and I've never seen one set up for sleeping. Same with truck stops- a lot of A's, B's, C's, hard sided trailers, and fifth wheels, but never an unfolded pop-up. I guess the idea is not to attract attention. Everybody knows you're there but you don't want to stand out. I usually ask at Walmart. Someone at the service counter OK's my stay and lets me know where to park.

    Vans seem OK at Walmart too. They usually outnumber purpose built RV's. There are usually more vans than RV's at truck stops too. You'll read a lot about "steath" but any cop worth a stale doughnut knows what you're doing. They just don't worry about you unless you make waves. The "stealth" folks are just fooling themselves.

    Twelve volt refrigerators that work are very expensive. I use propane and have had no problems. They can be installed in vans- a small one I bought ($10 well used) as a back up for my camper in now in a friends cargo van. That one came out of a pop-up. They do take room but the reality is: if you want cheap "cold", it is propane or an ice chest. The fancy computer doodads that keep going out on newer propane reefers can be replaced by a 12" piece of wire with an alligator clip on each end. I've been using that in lieu of a new $125 computer board for about a year.

    If it works, then it ain't really broke. And if it ain't broke; don't fix it.

    Small microwaves, around 500-600 watts will work OK. Larger ones will draw a great deal of power. I didn't even bring mine on this trip. Toasters too suck a lot of power. A propane camp stove will do a lot more for you.

    Through the summer I use less than a gallon of gas a week in my small 1000 watt portable generator. I run it about every three days for a few hours. It is not a quiet and expensive inverter model but a cheap Harbor Freight P.O.S. that is 6-8 years old. The automatic regulator "thingy" has been shot for 2 years. I adjust the voltage using the choke and idle (?) screw on the carburetor to read 110- 125 volts by my meter. It was on sale for about $100 and I had one of the 15% off coupons. I only use it where the noise won't be a problem. I've never used it at a Walmart or a truck stop. Some Class A's and C's use built in generators at Walmarts. I've seen a few trailers and truck campers with portables but they're few and far between. Most folks I met in vans use only the alternator for power. Conservation is the rule with those folks.

    My television is a small 12 volt model but I seldom use it. The new digital (?) TV stuff pretty much messed up non-cable reception.

    My laptop is old and I've been looking around for a new one. One of my requirements is the new one be 12 volts (that, and it not be Windows 8). I hope I find one before this one dies. Using an inverter wastes power. Just to give you an idea, my old HP Pavilion with a 15" screen is the biggest energy hog in my camper.

    I never understood a computer game after "pong" so "game unit lights" are way beyond my understanding.

    NY state is a little cold right now. I still want to be around or south of I-40 for another few weeks.

    Personally I'm leery of "van dweller" sites. Make sure you can separate the dreamers from the doers. And make sure you understand that some of those doers would be happy to kill you for what cash you might have. Folks come and go on the internet all the time. Absolutely NOBODY will notice if you disappear. Heck, keelyvictoria2013, the young lady vet from Ohio hasn't been around for some time and... well, I pray she's OK.

    As "scratcho" recently posted in keelyvictoria's thread, "just remember--Ted Bundy was a charming individual."

    fleamarketvendor
     
  8. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Yea I had a feeling the microwave wouldn't work. Truth be told I hardly ever use the one in my place. Never was a fan of nuke food. I figured I would be cooking using mostly propane or by camp fire.

    Never thought of propane to run my frig. That makes things a lot more do able.

    Yea cops aren't stupid and they also have better things to do so as long as I am not creating a problem ( which I won't) I am hoping they will more or less let me be. In this economy I am sure they see this a lot.

    I know to be very, very careful with people I meet out there.

    Yep it it still kind of cold up this way. That is my main concern right now. That and at first I would technically be trespassing to set up a tent. I'll have a van as soon as I can but it might take a few weeks yet. Showers will be a problem too. Once it warms up there are a few lakes and such that I could either take a morning swim or use their shower room.

    Thanks to everyone for information it is very helpful to me and greatly appreciated.
     
  9. DannyD

    DannyD Member

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    Some quick tips from someone that's been van dwelling and searching for a place to put in some roots for a loooong time.

    Get out of this country as quickly as you can. Don't buy a van or anything here. Use the money that you have to get somewhere where there's still freedom. I wish I had suggestions as to where to look. You aren't allowed to park your van/camper on most land that you can buy in the US and building anything is a legal and financial nightmare. You'll quickly become a slave to any property that you improve and will be forced to deal with corrupt authorities on a regular basis.

    I'd highly recommend wwooffing in foreign countries until you find a place that you really love. Even hitch hiking around would work.

    I'm staying here in the states, commando camping in my RV, barely surviving, until my dogs pass then I'm selling everything and traveling the world. If I don't find a little sustainable pocket of freedom somewhere, I'll end my 3d existence, but I plan on searching high and low before I do.
     
  10. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    O yea try and build any kind of sustainable residence like an earth ship and you will want to shoot yourself in the head trying to figure out the zoning laws. A lot of sub-contractors will have no idea what you are talking about. What I had in mind was something very different but I am quite a way from that goal at the moment.

    Fleamarketvendor:

    I looked a lot into the various generators and it seems that, like you said, I wouldn't need to constantly run a gen if I put in a good battery. Did you have the dual battery set up? With a propane frig the remaining electronics should not be that much of a drain. The led lights don't use much power just leaving a tv/cdplayer , laptop and my playstation which would not all be on at once. I might skip the tv and just use the laptop for movies and such.
     
  11. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Today is a little depressing sorting out my stuff. I have a lot of stuff that I don't need but would not want to loose. Sadly, most of my books have to be left behind. :sad: but they are simply too heavy and take up way too much space.

    I looked at a really nice vw van which looked nice but it didn't run at all.

    I hope I can find something otherwise my first few weeks will be hard with this weather. It's getting hot during the day but still freezing cold at night.
     
  12. fleamarketvendor

    fleamarketvendor Member

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    Dalamar,

    I have 4 batteries. One starts the engine. The second is the factory installed "house" battery. It runs all the lights, water pump, and propane refrigerator. I have 2 more inside that run my laptop, TV and whatever else I plug into them- like my inverter. Those 2 extras are ones that run down quick. A lot of reasons for that but mainly a power hungry laptop and the slightly undersized wire I ran from the alternator. The house battery usually goes for several days with just the reefer and lights running from it.

    The house battery in my motor home is charged by the alternator through a solenoid. The house battery in my van (remember I'm in a Class C) was hooked through a regular Ford starter solenoid. The solenoid keeps the starting battery from being discharged when the engine isn't running but allows it to charge from the alternator. My last regular van was a E-350 and I did a bit of creative work with a sawzall to fit an extra battery under the hood. Many vans can accommodate an extra battery up front with a little work. Barring that, the passenger seat floor isn't a bad spot.

    People go gaga with different types of batteries. Basically, more expensive is a little bit better but the "deep cycle" sold at Walmart work pretty well. A Ford starter solenoid isn't made for isolating batteries but the one I installed was going strong after a year when I sold my van. I think I paid a buck or two for it, and depending on where you put it, you can swap them out in under 5 minutes. Some just charge the extra battery through the cigarette lighter.

    Experts will tell you that Walmart batteries aren't really deep cycle and won't last. But they'll go for about 4 years if not abused too often. That's not much worse than the expensive ones. When electrical gurus start arguing about stuff like "Peukert's law" I usually ask if that record came out before Gary got together with the Union Gap. If you want to worry about batteries go with the pricey ones but I've got better things to spend money on.

    I bought 2 almost new starting type batteries for $15 each. I used (abused) them for almost 2 years. Then I turned them in for the $10 a piece core charge or trade in when I bought deep cycle types. That's 2 years use for $10.

    For what it's worth, I've never blown myself up with the hydrogen gas given off by the batteries I keep inside either. You'll hear about that danger a lot. Just in case of explosion, I've got some earplugs around here... somewhere... I guess I tend to be a little bit minimalist. I don't sweat the small stuff; and it's all small stuff.

    I know it's hard to give up stuff, especially books. I kept very few and I "re-home" some of my favorites with friends along the way.

    Keep looking for something reliable. When you find something interesting, try the brand specific forums. With the year, engine size, and some other basic information you can get an idea what is likely to go wrong. For instance early '90's E series vans had problems with the in tank fuel pumps. The 460 cu in engines also have exhaust manifold problems. Every vehicle is prone to specific difficulties. Just decide which ones are within you comfort zone.

    fleamarketvendor
     
  13. kenwilkes

    kenwilkes Member

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    Flea said:

    Personally I'm leery of "van dweller" sites. Make sure you can separate the dreamers from the doers. And make sure you understand that some of those doers would be happy to kill you for what cash you might have. Folks come and go on the internet all the time. Absolutely NOBODY will notice if you disappear. Heck, keelyvictoria2013, the young lady vet from Ohio hasn't been around for some time and... well, I pray she's OK.

    ------ my retort

    I've been associated with the Vandwellers for many years and can only praise them. I've shared a camp fire or meal with a bunch of them, not just chat. Yes there are a ton of wannabe's but everyone has to start somewhere. You can find a bad apple anywhere but all I find is kind genuine people.
     
  14. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    I agree with you Walmart batteries are just fine. 4 years is a good amount of time to get out of a battery. A friend of mine put one in his car because his crapped out on a Sunday night and there was a Walmart right down the road from him. For him paying 20 bucks ( something like that) and getting to work on time the next morning was worth the expense to him. He always intended to replace it with a "better" battery but that was 2 years ago and the car is still running with that "cheap" battery. I think he said the same one at an auto parts store would have cost around $120.00. No matter what kind of battery you get it will have to be replaced someday.

    Anyway, I will probably have a friend show me how to hook up the electrical system just to make sure I don't screw anything up too bad.

    Yea I am trying to find anything that I cannot take with me a home. Selling some stuff. Times like this force you to put things into perspective and decide what is important. I am discovering that I don't need nearly as much stuff as I thought I did.

    My step dad used to make campers out of all kinds of vehicles. Dam I wish I paid attention to how he did it. For him it was a sort of hobby. We used to like to camp when I was a kid and spent most summers traveling to one camp site after another.

    People here are a wealth of information and I appreciate all the advice and people to talk too.
     
  15. tikoo

    tikoo Senior Member

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    that's about how it'll always be ... the being discreet can get
    more sophisticated though . there's a soulfulness about it ; a
    balance of harmless invisiblity and the power of Leprechan .

    you'll never need to own one spot of earth ? true
     
  16. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    That's one thing about getting a van I am a little worried about. Like any used car you kind of take your chances. Even if you have a mechanic look at it they can only tell so much. My car runs great but can't exactly live in it but I should be able to get around 5,000 for it which I hope is enough for a halfway decent van. Anyone have any ideas on what models are better. Looking for something reliable, easy to work on, hopefully won't kill me on gas.

    The rv and marine shops think way to highly of themselves even for refurbished stuff. I'll be sticking with eBay, Craigslist, Walmart and stuff I can make my self.
     
  17. DannyD

    DannyD Member

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    With $5k, you can buy a van with low miles and a good body, made in the the 70's, back when the people that built them cared. You can get the engine, trans, rear end, and brakes freshened up with all new parts and still have money left over. If you get a ford or chevy with the straight 6 or a dodge with a 318, they'll get around 15mpg and are super reliable. Look for vans built between 1973 and 1978 because the engines are built for unleaded fuel but it's before the era when everyone made cheap junk with inferior steel. New vans will run for a while too but parts are expensive, the fuel mileage isn't so good, and they're just not as tough. It's a good idea to learn to check your own oil, trans, and other fluids though because older vehicles do use a little more fluids than the newer stuff does. If you want to run potential van purchases by me I'd be glad to let you know what to look for and what the common problems are.

    I got the 19foot rv I have now for $1k and have put another $500 into it mechanically. If I paid someone else to do the work, it would have cost me another $500. I've driven it down into Baja, MX and all over the place and it's reliable as a new car. I've put more into the solar and cosmetics than mechanical stuff.

    Also, Arizona has the nicest, rust free vans for good prices because of all of the retirees here and the dry weather. Anything near the ocean will most likely be a rust bucket, even if it's newish so look out for that too.

    Another good thing to do is sign up for AAA, and the good sam club. Between the two of them, you'll get free/cheap tows and discounts if you do decide to stop at an rv park here and there.
     
  18. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    Yea usually its pretty easy to find a van esp older ones at a good price. I am sure there will be at some point. Only stuff out there at the moment are mini vans like Chevy venture. There is a lot of those and town and countrys. I just don't know that a mini van like that would be much of an improvement.

    There is a 97 Ford E350 bus which could be converted into one hell of a camper. He wants a lot for it though. I am surprised at how cheap some of the 5th wheels are and pop ups are around 900 to 1,500 but my car couldn't pull a 5th wheel. Besides I would have the same problem with a pop up. No place to park it and I would kind of stick out. Although sticking out is becoming less of a concern right now given the weather here.

    Perhaps I should just head south right away. I imagine it would only take a few days of driving to hit warmer weather.

    I can survive thats no problem. I have been camping, hiking and practiced survival skills just about all my life and in my younger years was homeless in the dead of winter a few times and came through it just fine. I have little time left so I might not have a choice.
     
  19. DannyD

    DannyD Member

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  20. Dalamar

    Dalamar Member

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    That is very cool looking.

    I will have a generator soon! Found one at a very good price.
     

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