Eastern America Nomad Network

[maki2]

You asked why not talk about it.....NatureLover who started this thread is presently staying in a location that has no cell signal. So he is not able to participate in this thread right now. He is going through some health issues so is at a family member's cabin in the forested mountain area and gas cost mean few trips to town where he can get a signal. I myself have no plans in the foreseeable future to camp on the East Coast

 

[WanderingRose]

The absence of the OP would not and has not stopped anyone from posting to this thread.

NL had a different plan for eastern nomads, other than this thread, if I remember correctly.

I live east of the Mississippi and spend 3-4 months most years out traveling out here, and would be happy to share what I know and have learned with others.

Just ask, and I’m sure I am not the only member here who has information to share.

 

[Morgana]

i asked why not just talk about it, because people keep voicing concerns that there's no place to talk about it, but there is this thread, and any other thread anyone would like to start about the topic, so why not just go for it and talk about what you want to talk about instead of talking about why there's no place to talk about it. Just jump on in and talk, like you would for any other topic, why not/

 

[user 22017]

i asked why not just talk about it, because people keep voicing concerns that there's no place to talk about it, but there is this thread, and any other thread anyone would like to start about the topic, so why not just go for it and talk about what you want to talk about instead of talking about why there's no place to talk about it. Just jump on in and talk, like you would for any other topic, why not/

I think because the price of gas is so high right now, many have postponed plans for traveling.

Also, I was curious if anyone from HOWA was going to pop in and update us, since there was discussion of caravans and even buying land east of the Mississippi shortly before COVID hit. End of 2019, early 2020.

On the topic of East coast, I'm discovering that the midwest has their version of BLM land. It is pretty exciting. In Illinois and a few other states I checked, the state parks have free dispersed camping. They just don't advertise it much.

Also, found out that anyone 62 or older camps for free in Illinois State Parks Mon. - Fri. at the primitive sites (sites that don't take reservations). Now I'm curious how many other states offer free camping in the state and county parks (found some county parks that have free camping, too). I'll be sharing pics of the campsites in this thread soon.

 

[user 22017]

I was wrong (but pretty close) about the fees in Illinois. Here is the fee schedule: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Camp/Documents/CampingFeeSchedule.pdf

Discounts apply to Illinois residents only.

 

[AmargosaWayne]

Corps of Engineers (COE) have camping areas across the USA.

 

[user 22017]

Corps of Engineers (COE) have camping areas across the USA.

Forgot to mention the COE. They built several huge lakes in Illinois (Ie. Rend, Shelbyville, Carlyle, Clinton), which have camping facilities. Plus campgrounds on the Mississippi River. None are free (afaik), but all are well maintained.

 

[WanderingRose]

COE campgrounds are almost always in excellent condition, have clean bathhouses and are half off with a Golden Age Passport.

 

[AmargosaWayne]

There were over 200 COE campgrounds that were free at a recent point in time. That data maybe out of date.

Data is from The Ultimate Public Campgrounds Project. A while back I paid to download the spreadsheet to my computer.

I see now that their US POI database was subsumed by Garmin for Garmin's corporate closed GPS garden.

I recently purchased a Garmin Foretrek to have a non cell connected personal GPS unit, then found out that even if get a Windows or a Mac computer to run their Basecamp application, my personal Foretrek data cannot be downloaded outside of Basecamp. The Foretrek is still useful to me.

States that had free COE:
AL, AR, CA, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, MT, ND, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA

 

[WanderingRose]

Wow, I will have to look for those.

Free is always better.

 

[user 22017]

States that had free COE:
AL, AR, CA, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, MT, ND, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA

Free for day use or camping? I've checked many of their campsites in Illinois and none are free. Here is one of their brochures:

https://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Portals/48/docs/Recreation/ODM/ATR2022.pdf
From the brochure:

2022 Class A Campground Fees
Overnight camping fees for Class A
campgrounds are $14 for non-electric and
$20 for electric sites. All Class A
campgrounds are reservable. Discount
passes, such as the America the Beautiful
Interagency passes, will continue to be
accepted.

2022 Class B Campground Fees
Most Class B campgrounds are $12 per
night per site, except for Blanding
Landing. Blanding Landing offers electric
sites for $20 and non-electric sites for
$14 per night.
All Class B campgrounds are first
come, first served. All will now require a
credit/debit card. Discount passes, such
as the America the Beautiful Interagency
passes, will continue to be accepted.

What do the passes cover?
These passes cover entrance, access or
standard amenity fees to more than 2,000
Federal recreation sites. Senior and
Access Passes also provide a discount on
some expanded amenity fees such as
camping and boat ramp fees.

 

[ride4321]

I think...and it's just my opinion....the more van dwellers that are happy out west the better. Let's keep the SE to ourselves.

 

[keebler]

im parked , thanks to medical issues ,I just like reading what others on here are doing with their lives (jealous) wishing i was traveling seeing America.
Richmond,Va area.

 

[nature lover]

Hello Keebler. Are you an alpha bakes cookies? I have been dealing with medical issues for the last 15 years, but I still chose to get out and go full-time. I’m certainly not suggesting you that do that because I don’t know what your issues are, but I was told that perhaps I was too ill to go to Florida Again this year in my van. I responded it’s cheaper to dig a grave in the sand that it is in the mud and snow to Pennsylvania. Again, I’m not suggesting you are able to do what I’ve done, but I’ve pushed myself. Even though I’ve spent 200 days in the hospital in the three years. I am still living in the van, full-time and hope to be driving to Florida early December. It hasn’t been easy but it sure has been rewarding. I don’t really live in a van I live outside the van just carries what I need and gives me a place to sleep.

Don’t put yourself in danger. You have to know your own limits but I expanded my limits and I’m happy about it. I’m coming to Richmond in a few weeks so I may be able to connect with you.

 

[nature lover]

Darn dictation software. I meant to say, are you an elf that bakes cookies not alpha bake cookies.
I also want to thank everybody who chimes in on this thread. I still have hopes for us, somehow organizing in the east. I’m putting out another appeal to you guys who are computer savvy to make suggestions. I believe we need to start with communicating online together regularly and see where it leads.

 

[keebler]

thanks I rarely cook haven't done cookies in many years. cheaper pre made in stores. ,I'm alive had liver cancer & heart attack added a pacemaker ,but getting better. left kidney has Tumor being treated monthly at Local VA, --3---4 appointments for other things Just no time away & have to rush back. so just parked for now,. kinda enjoying a few things here in town.stores close and Internet , can camp in my fenced in Yard. wishing many wonderful Days & nights..
keebler in Richmond,va area.

 

[wayne49]

Free for day use or camping? I've checked many of their campsites in Illinois and none are free. Here is one of their brochures:

"States that had free COE:" with "had" being the key qualifier.

The source was Ultimate Campgrounds' freely available POI data. Since I downloaded that data in 2014, Ultimate Campgrounds was subsumed by Garmin, and the data is no longer available for free.

Most of the data is still useful, but cross checking with the official pertinent .gov web sites for updated info is recommended.

Do your own due diligence, as you did, when getting information off the web.

freecampsites.net should have the free (green) and non-free (red) COE camp sites marked, IF and only if, people have submitted reviews. One problem with freecampsites.net is that people might have submitted the review with an incorrect name (e.g. the locals may use a different name) or an incorrect government agency for the site.

 

[user 37446]

Ran across this thread, kinda wondered why it died on the vine last December.

While the “approval” or “vouching” of potential members is sometimes needed (like someone said, various other Facebook groups do the same), reviewing forum members previous posts could give a moderator a good idea of what a person is like, virtually anyway.

What started off as a good idea, kind of a sub-forum or eastern subgroup, seems to have gone away.

Hopefully some sort of eastern subgroup could yet happen. camping or boodocking out here is quite different due to the lack of federal lands.

 

[maki2]

When things die off there are two reasons. Not enough interest in the subject is one. The second is not enough leadership to sustain the concept through the early growing pains. You can be the solution to the leadership that is needed if you are willing to commit the time and effort.

Sitting back and wishing it would happen will not birth it into becoming an actuality. So are you going to be the one to make it into a reality versus just a concept? I am not because I have no desire to travel to the eastern states. Fortunately the Western US is already up and roaring with camping groups and activities so I do not need to organize it either.

 

[user 37446]

This one probably suffered some from both. When I see the work/dedication that BW put into getting this whole process started over 10 years ago, it is sobering to say the least. The trouble with an east coast subgroup is that it would be exactly that, merely a subgroup.

That’s because we just don't have the land available for camping, nor do we have the bountless sunshine present in Az.

i lived in Az from 1999-2005 then 2011-2018. Then I moved to the Carolinas. The difference in the two areas is staggering. Other than some Corps of Engineers campsites, I haven't found much that is available to boondockers. It’s just too built up and privatized here.

While I don’t FT (and unless there is a personal tragedy, I likely never will), I do travel to a lot of the different regions in the country every year on family visits. I find the SE only marginally better than the NE, which is quite difficult to operate in.

A start to an eastern subgroup could easily be brought under the wing of CVRL That would be a start.

Running competing forums hasn't worked too well, at least the one that I saw splinter off from here back in about 2017 hasn’t fared well.