Skyrocketing fuel costs have van lifers concerned. Here are 5 reasons why this may be the BEST thing to happen to your van life dream.

[John in Montreal]

I don't drive much. I live in the city and haven't moved my rig all winter. I use my pickup to go to work but everything I need like groceries, water and laundry is nearby. And I use my e-bike to get around as often as possible.

It would be nice if gas was cheaper and I could take more trips with my daughter. But it's not necessary. Since I have a kid being a nomad is not a lifestyle for me anyway.

 

[DougH71]

Another though: With gas prices so high, the price of rigs may drop.

I'm definitely expecting to find some deals. People tend to freak when gas goes up. We had a spike about 16 years ago. The salvage yard I work at suddenly starting getting in clean older vehicles with large engines. We gave someone $400 for a low miles, super clean 76 Chevy Beauville van; plaid seats, woodgrain, eight track. Total road trip machine. Not wanting to see it get parted and crushed, I gave work $800. After playing with it a bit, I flipped it to my mechanic for $1200. He got at least ten more years out of that van. People will start unloading viable machines for sure.

 

[Tiggy]

Calypso, if one chooses not to prepare given the facts of the day, that is their right, but censorship is unfathomable, to block the facts of the day so others don't even have the option to save themselves. I am trying to help people, in case they are the type to think about manifestations of events.

 

[gizmotron]

If you're referring to my post about upcoming food shortages and how one might want to think about that before they become serious and one is out of options, why would you want to silence this idea?

I'm not silencing anyone. What do you know about projection? Do you think that you are all squared away and ready to help others that need your wisdom? Who knows? You could actually be right. But I'm not going to worry much about this. I have a 90 day supply of medications at the best of times. This dwindles down to three weeks before reloading. So having enough food to stay put near a lake when everything goes sideways for those 90 days is easy. Then I die. It's so easy. Why worry about it.

 

[DougH71]

I don't drive much. I live in the city and haven't moved my rig all winter. I use my pickup to go to work but everything I need like groceries, water and laundry is nearby. And I use my e-bike to get around as often as possible.

It would be nice if gas was cheaper and I could take more trips with my daughter. But it's not necessary. Since I have a kid being a nomad is not a lifestyle for me anyway.

Good point. I only have a five mile work commute. Ace and Menards are only a couple miles away. Aldi's is just less than a mile. The bank, cleaners, my mechanic and a gas station are literally blocks away. So, I can drive a 3/4 ton van as a daily, and still get two weeks on a tank.

 

[Tiggy]

I'm not silencing anyone. What do you know about projection? Do you think that you are all squared away and ready to help others that need your wisdom? Who knows? You could actually be right. But I'm not going to worry much about this. I have a 90 day supply of medications at the best of times. This dwindles down to three weeks before reloading. So having enough food to stay put near a lake when everything goes sideways for those 90 days is easy. Then I die. It's so easy. Why worry about it.

I hope you stay healthy, I hope we all do, but I know that won't happen without energy towards thoughtful actions, based on facts, uncensored facts.

 

[Tiggy]

Best to stay in the 64F to 74F range areas to minimize temperature control energy costs, I would think, to save $. BLM/NFS I think will see more people staying on lands, and should extend stay times, given the possible censored manifestations of high fuel costs.

 

[JDub]

$4.00 ($3.999) gas (reg) hit my town today - Premium is $4.49 . I filled up a few day's ago at $3.57.

Cheers... ( not too much to cheer about but anyway...)

 

[Manvanbytheriver]

Another though: With gas prices so high, the price of rigs may drop.

Hope so I need a rig

 

[Manvanbytheriver]

$4.00 ($3.999) gas (reg) hit my town today - Premium is $4.49 . I filled up a few day's ago at $3.57.

Cheers... ( not too much to cheer about but anyway...)

Reg is $4.19 in NC
Diesel $5.09

 

[JDub]

Reg is $4.19 in NC
Diesel $5.09

I read the AAA national average is $4.32...

 

[user 423]

Regular for $4.49 in Sierra Vista. My loyalty card at Fry's knocked off 20 cents/gallon.

During my winter phase I only drive about 150 miles/month. Probably will need to limit my roaming this summer unless doing it by motorcycle.

 

[user 16179]

There are 25 mile rules with 14 days every 28 days.

There are NO universal stay limit and move requirements. Not between USFS and BLM. There is NO universal limits within the USFS itself. If you are not sure what the regulations are for the area you are in a quick call the the local field office will get you fast, friendly and ACCURATE information. Facebook is no place to get accurate info.

 

[user 22017]

There are NO universal stay limit and move requirements. Not between USFS and BLM. There is NO universal limits within the USFS itself. If you are not sure what the regulations are for the area you are in a quick call the the local field office will get you fast, friendly and ACCURATE information. Facebook is no place to get accurate info.

Maybe you have to check every national forest. Shawnee National Forest in Illinois has a 14 day limit. See the last sentence in the first paragraph:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shawnee/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=10669&actid=34

 

[scaredycat72]

This is chicken little all over again.

 

[scaredycat72]

There are NO universal stay limit and move requirements. Not between USFS and BLM. There is NO universal limits within the USFS itself. If you are not sure what the regulations are for the area you are in a quick call the the local field office will get you fast, friendly and ACCURATE information. Facebook is no place to get accurate info.

BLM does have a universal stay limit and move requirement and they list it on their website. I'm guessing USFS does the same.

"Dispersed camping is allowed on public land for a period not to exceed 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period. The 28 day period begins when a camper initially occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14 day limit may be reached either through a number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28 day period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25 mile radius of the previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation. The purpose of this special rule is to prevent damage to sensitive resources caused by continual use of any particular areas. In addition, campers must not leave any personal property unattended for more than 10 days (12 months in Alaska)."

https://www.blm.gov/programs/recrea...8 day period begins,during the 28 day period.

 

[bullfrog]

This is easy to do if you learn to live being able to break camp and leave in a moments notice. Many use RV/self contained type setups or easy to set up or take down pop up tents. Those that can not go to long term stay areas, parks or take seasonal jobs where they are not required to move often. We went from moving every day to twice a year as we got older.

 

[flaggit]

14 days in area 1, then 14 days in area 2, is 28 days from the first day in area 1. No regulatory requirement for three areas in that simple scenario. But familiarity breeds contempt, and a Ranger may give unwanted attention.

Arizona's NFs all require moving outside of a NF before returning after 28 days. A bit of an issue when one is trying to stay at higher elevation NFs during the summer, having to descend and ascend to get to a nearby mountain range in a different NF.

Higher traffic areas may have tighter restrictions including annual limits, such as Eastern Sierras with 28 days in Inyo NF per calendar year and 14 days in the BLM Bishop Field Office's area per calendar year.

BLM has extended stay passes available in the eastern Sierra.

 

[gizmotron]

"Dispersed camping is allowed on public land for a period not to exceed 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period. The 28 day period begins when a camper initially occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14 day limit may be reached either through a number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28 day period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25 mile radius of the previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation. The purpose of this special rule is to prevent damage to sensitive resources caused by continual use of any particular areas. In addition, campers must not leave any personal property unattended for more than 10 days (12 months in Alaska)."

So if I understand this correctly you can move back and forth every 14 days on BLM land. Is that correct or wrong? It looks like you don't need a third spot if I'm reading this properly. That's good news if that's is the case.

 

[MotorVation]

I was going to become a supporting member until my post in this thread was deleted by a moderator. Take notice new forum owners.
Let me rephrase my deleted post. There is nothing good about rising gas prices. Nothing. Nothing at all