21 Years in a 1973 Dodge Van

Discussion in 'Camping/Outdoor Living' started by TwoDogs, Mar 9, 2008.

  1. Barbuchon

    Barbuchon Member

    Messages:
    969
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dude.. you should have the respect to the topic starter to at least read the whole post before asking any questions... Most answers are already there...

    For the urban environment, don't make your van look to much hippie, taint the windows, or better, have no windows. Don't let your van park there for too long, you should always park somewhere different. But some boss would let you park your van at the job... (farms, and yeah there's farms really REALLY close to the city... at least from where I am). I guess you'd have to be as silent as possible when you just park somewhere in urban area. To me that's just too much problems.
     
  2. BobbinBecca

    BobbinBecca Member

    Messages:
    477
    Likes Received:
    2
    [For the urban environment, don't make your van look to much hippie, taint the windows, or better, have no windows. Don't let your van park there for too long, you should always park somewhere different. But some boss would let you park your van at the job... (farms, and yeah there's farms really REALLY close to the city... at least from where I am). I guess you'd have to be as silent as possible when you just park somewhere in urban area. To me that's just too much problems.[/QUOTE]
    Yeah, I lived out of my van for 6 months in 1998 in and around San Fran... funny that two dogs got a cop visit once in 21 years and I got visits probably 20 times in 6 months. In the city always moving around is a must, except that every new place someone will potentially call in the cops on you. but if you stay too long in one place someone will call too. We always moved during the day for jobs or whatever but eventually couldn't handle the city "camping." The safest spots are by busy roads and that's really not fun at night, with your van rocking as the big cars go by, a random honking waking you up for a time, someone with their brights on flashing by waking up your cop instinct. We stayed by the city for work and there were good things about it, no rent was great and we'd drop a hundred on fancy wine every now and again. Mighta stuck with it and learned a few things except we got pregnant and my parents would not have stood for their grandchild living in a van. Actually, their child either, but we did this when it was legal to have a private mailbox with a seeming apartment address, now your physical address has to be registered when you get a mailbox and the mailbox address has to have "PMB" not "#" "unit" or "apt". So you can't trick your rents into thinking your legit city. ;-) But my question for two dogs is, do you have a mailing address? Insurance/registration needs something, right?

    I plan to do this one day again, but don't know how you could do it without human companionship for so many days on end. I guess the chicklet lives in your heart even when you're far away? Even with different interests I'd rather van it with a person, but maybe that's just my age, my time in life right now. Now we got kids but we'd love to swing down and get a tour of the area on a summer camp. We camped by Verde HS and there was cell coverage because of the power station, which was on its way to shutting down, but I was able to work on the internet while camping out there. What a beautiful area!

    So I can't believe you don't have a tarp or awning setup when you camp out in the desert boonies. Is this to be on the down low or just no space? Hummer makes a nice one for their rigs that mounts to the roof and pulls out over the back. Of course a tarp can do this trick too!
     
  3. sapientia

    sapientia Member

    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    i did read the whole thing. maybe i missed something though.

    good question about the mailing address for insurance.
     
  4. xexon

    xexon Destroyer Of Worlds

    Messages:
    3,959
    Likes Received:
    9
    Twodogs,

    Ever been to the meteor crater? It looks more like a canyon when you stand on the edge of it.

    I think you'll like New Mexico. I spent a little over a year working in Alamogordo. Nice country. White sands is interesting. And the Stealth fighters based at next door Holloman AFB fly overhead daily. They look like black arrowheads slicing the sky.

    I can't stand the heat or the crappy water though.

    Where I live (in a coastal rainforest), it seldom gets above 70.



    x
     
  5. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    I have a P.O. box for all business and bill related stuff. My "physical address" is Duff Flats Road, Clarkdale, AZ. There are many areas of the county which don't receive P.O. delivery so I'm not hassled about my address.

    Yes...the Verde Hot Springs area is beautiful. They're about 35 miles downriver from my neck of the woods.

    One of the reasons that I've only had one run-in with Rangers is that I never show any signs of permanance. If I sit in a camp chair I put it away when I'm done. If I cook hotdogs or hamburgers I dismantle the fire ring as soon as I'm done cooking. To the casual onlooker it's tough to tell if I'm just there for the day or what.
     
  6. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    Always on public lands.

    There are people that live in nothing but Wal-Mart and Safeway parking lots. I've never understood why someone would want constant noise while they're trying to relax. Must be the herd instinct. I guess if the cost of gas is a consideration I could understand.

    I work occasionally at a welding shop and do swapmeets during the summer.
     
  7. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    Yes. A couple of times. Pretty cool place.

    I lived in Las Cruces for four winters in the early Eighties. Who knows, we might have crossed paths. When you were in 'gordo did you ever have a car or truck repo'ed by a scruffy old hippie dude?
     
  8. xexon

    xexon Destroyer Of Worlds

    Messages:
    3,959
    Likes Received:
    9
    No. I was last down there in 98/99.

    Las Cruces is a party town. College kids everywhere.

    Alamogordo is a weird place. Very "white" town with all the military there. There's even a contingent of the German Air Force that trains at the base. Their jets are LOUD. The ranchers hate the way they scare their cattle.

    Cloudcroft, up the mountain about 16 miles, is a tiny town on a mountaintop. Over 8000 ft up, it's very much an oasis in the desert. Big trees and everything. They got burned out pretty bad a few years back.


    x
     
  9. sunshine gal

    sunshine gal Member

    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    0
    Two dogs...how r u? Havent recieved an email from u latley. Must be I scared you off or something?? Hope things are going well 4 u and your dogs.
     
  10. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    I've been having some things to deal with that haven't really made for a pleasant two weeks. I haven't been in the mood for conversation with anyone but my dogs. And PLEASE don't forward any more generic internet emails...they're ALWAYS nothing that I care to read and are deleted as soon as I see "fwd" in the title line.
     
  11. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    Back at the spot where I showed my van on Google Earth.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    These shots were taken while lying in bed.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  12. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    Here's some shots from "Shaman's Cave" which is located high up in the side of a red sandstone formation called Robber's Roost.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  13. McLeodGanja

    McLeodGanja Banned

    Messages:
    11,131
    Likes Received:
    4
    What do you mean showed your van on google earth? Someone told me recently that with the upgraded version of this you can spy anywhere on the earth in real time, not sure whether to believe him though.
     
  14. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    Earlier in this thread I posted 3 pictures of my area and van from pics from Google Earth. They captured my van at the spot pictured above.
     
  15. McLeodGanja

    McLeodGanja Banned

    Messages:
    11,131
    Likes Received:
    4
    I missed that, not been following this thread too well. How can you be sure it is your van though? I can hardly make it out.

    Have you got the co-ordinates so I can punch them into my google?
     
  16. TwoDogs

    TwoDogs This space for rent. Lifetime Supporter

    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    56
    I don't have the coordinates. Juniper trees don't grow perfectly retangular. you can see my little pull-off both from above and in the pics I just posted. I always park right next to that tree to block the afternoon sun.
     
  17. McLeodGanja

    McLeodGanja Banned

    Messages:
    11,131
    Likes Received:
    4
    I can see it now! I was thinking the trees slightly to the top left was your van.

    Great thread, keep it coming. Sorry I never got round to responding to your last response.

    You are lucky to have all that open space and sunshine over there, aspiring towards a similar type of lifestyle in scotland conjures up all sorts of potential complications, mainly how to stay warm and dry in the winter..

    At least in Scotland though you are never farther than a 100 miles from a pub or an off licence though.
     
  18. sonik

    sonik Member

    Messages:
    855
    Likes Received:
    1
    Off licence?
     
  19. Tamerlane

    Tamerlane Member

    Messages:
    90
    Likes Received:
    0
    Wow. I mean really, REALLY wow. You really are a great inspiration to me, and, I'm sure, many other people, TwoDogs. Many talk about doing something like this, but you are actually DOING it. :) That is really, really great. I've got a question, though - don't you ever get a yearning to go somewhere further than Arizona? I realise that it is quite beautiful there(my mom was there a few years ago and brought back amazing pictures), but don't you ever want to see someplace greener or different? :)
    Just wondering. Keep on truckin'!
     
  20. Barbuchon

    Barbuchon Member

    Messages:
    969
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yeah it's always great to see someone in action, not dreaming or writting some philosophies about it without experiment it... words are useless, action is everything.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice