Finally!

[LucyImHome]

I'm going to be technically homeless June 2, and I couldn't be happier!&nbsp;<br>Okay, well, I could be.... but finally. No rent, just car insurance, gas and upkeep, cell bill. Whew. It's been a long time comin'.<br>I have a '91 F150 Lariet xlt with a 302. It has a camper shell, the kind that's higher in the back part. It will do until I pull together funds to get an older slide in camper. Couple months is the plan. Until then, I'm easing my way into this way of life. I'll be staying close to services until I get the kinks worked out.&nbsp;<br>I've made a bed in the extended cab behind the seat. Way more room than I thought I'd have.<br>Going to get a good "marine"? cooler, it's at Walmart, 48 qt, $28. Budget is tight for now.&nbsp;<br>I'll be checking in here a lot, so so much more to learn!<br>Excited!!! Only just the tiniest bit scared.... I know where to park to be safe. There are a bunch of people in my city that are doing this. Not nearly as stealth as I'll be.

 

[Coffee Tim]

Good luck Lucy!!!&nbsp;&nbsp; Congrats!

 

[Possum]

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">THAT'S GREAT!.........I can relate to the "excitement " of new-found freedom......wont be easy, but nothing worthwhile in life is,,,there's always a price to pay! &nbsp;I THINK IT'S WORTH IT!<br><img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"></span>

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Good luck, keep us posted <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp;

 

[Ocean]

Good luck to you! I'll be out of the house and on the road in a week or two myself. Keep us posted! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif">

 

[offroad]

even if you do not succeed and need to get a sticks and bricks rental, please let us know that too.&nbsp; its an interesting lifestyle

 

[Ballenxj]

Hi, Looking forward to updates on your progress. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[LucyImHome]

Thanks for the words of encouragement!<br>I've downsized a lot with more to go. I rented a 5x5 storage unit so I can make measured decisions on what else to keep. Also, I want to sell the Snugtop shell that came with the truck. It looks nice, matches the truck, but not as much comfort as I'd like. When I do, I'll need a place to put stuff until I find a slide in camper.&nbsp;<br>The slide in won't have quite the stealth factor. But I've got 100-115 temps coming, very soon. For now, staying in the shell, I'll be staying close to town. I can have public pools and truck stops for showers, coffee shops for bathrooms and the all important internet! And proximity to grocery stores, what with having to use just a cooler. I have enough work locally for $300-500 mo. Another reason to stay in town.&nbsp;<br>Safety is paramount. I'm a 57 yr old woman. I'm in excellent health, but still. No dog(too hot). No gun(too risky). Just a good dose of smart.<br>I have had a couple older motorhomes before. But have never done a truck camper. I am embarrassed to say I don't even know how it fastens to the truck! Yikes. I've been snooping from afar on other campers. It seems there are different ways of attaching. I guess it depends on the camper?&nbsp;<br>For now, I need to concentrate on what I have currently. I don't want to put much money into outfitting the truck since I'm switching to a camper.&nbsp;<br>It's kinda' mind boggling!&nbsp;

 

[Ballenxj]

Good luck Lucy. A word of caution about the storage unit. I had one for maybe five years. One day I decided to take inventory and appraise the value of my stored items. Well come to find out, I could have re-bought everything I had stored about twice for the money I would have saved by not having to pay rent on that unit. It was fairly large. That same day, all the contents got tossed out. Once I had swept the floor clean, I turned the unit in for my deposit. Talk about removing a big weight. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>From the sound of those temperatures you must be either in Southern Nevada or Arizona? <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[LucyImHome]

The storage unit is for 3 months max, term of their "special". I intend to have a slide in camper within that time frame. I'm in So Cal, in the Coachella valley. I've been enjoying a "cooling" trend of mid to upper 90s. Ha. There are so so many homeless here, both living in a vehicle and the true homeless. I don't really consider myself homeless as long as I have a vehicle. I own my own home!

 

[Ballenxj]

Isn't that by Palm Springs? Is the economy there depressed? I always thought of the inhabitants there as well to do? <br>-Bruce

 

[LucyImHome]

Yes, Palm Springs. It's a study in contrasts. Haves have a lot. And a lot of them like to hold onto it. In my experience here, 5 yrs, not a friendly place. The "Hi how are you" kind that don't really want to know the answer, unless it's "Fine".&nbsp;<br>It's very service industry focused. The high season here is very short. Summers are brutal. I'll be arranging my clients to a few days early and mid month. Rest of the time I'll find a place higher elevation, a bit cooler.&nbsp;There's BLM in Morongo/Yucca. More laid back attitude I think. Might go as far as Idyllwild or Big Bear. Gotta' watch the gas consumption.&nbsp;

 

[idn88]

Sounds like you have a good plan and your on your way. &nbsp; Good luck!

 

[LucyImHome]

rjw146 Thanks for the offer of advice. I have been perusing craigslist. Lots of the oldies in San Diego and the inland empire. I mostly know what to look for with structural, rot and such. And make sure all the stuff does what it's supposed to. Mostly it'll be the fastening aspect. Does it differ with the age or size of the camper? Can I sell the Snugtop shell and install some generic type fastening affair? Or do I have to know what the camper is? Call me clueless. Actually, don't. lol&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

Some campers will attach with turnbuckles or ratchet straps to the corner cleats/loops inside the truck bed.&nbsp; Most campers will require turnbuckles that attach to special hardware that will need to be installed on your truck.&nbsp; Happijac and Torklift are the most common manufacturers of the truck-side hardware and turnbuckles needed.&nbsp; Hopefully whatever camper you buy will come with all the hardware needed, but maybe not, in which case, be prepared to spend a few hundred.

 

[LucyImHome]

There is nothing on the bed or the sides or underneath. I've spent the morning learning online about different ways to attach. The only one that's affordable for me is the stake pocket tie downs, which will limit me to a light weight camper, 8' I gather. I read where someone beefed up the stake pocket tie downs by drilling through the bed and securing to something substantial underneath? I'd love to get a better system of tie down, but WAY out of my budget.<br> I'd originally planned to get a travel trailer, but decided on the camper for the stealth factor. Important.... this county doesn't allow overnighting unless you're in a park, and parks here want 10 yrs or newer. That will never be me, even if I had the money for it! I've got to find a way to make the slide in idea work. My budget for a camper will be $500ish. Then add maybe $200 for the tie downs, turnbuckles, etc. It'd be great if all the tie down stuff came with the camper!<br><br>

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

As a person currently living in a hard sided truck camper in the city, it is no more stealthy than a trailer.&nbsp; I didn't pick the truck camper specifically for stealthiness, rather, for the lack of additional registration/taxes, tires to buy, etc.&nbsp; In all honesty though, I'm quite positive that everywhere we camp for the night, people absolutely know we're in it...even with our total blackout shades.&nbsp; We are very quiet, which is why I don't think we've been bothered ever, but still...not stealthy.

 

[LucyImHome]

I found out that the BLM land in Morongo Valley doesn't allow overnight. Huh? There's the Whitewater Preserve, free but only 3 days. I'll try it out. Cooler than Palm Springs, trees for shade, toilets, water, covered picnic tables. And the river! So the search goes on for additional free camping spots, non stealth variety!&nbsp;<br>The cost of registration, etc did play a part too in my switching to the truck camper. But also the ease of getting in and out of places. My truck is long enough by itself, add a trailer? Yikes. Not ready for that.&nbsp;

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Well there is a school of thought that stealth is overrated in a lot of cases.&nbsp; Ive seen (and somewhat believe) the theory that a person sleeping in a nice looking RV is not regarded as negatively as a vandweller doing the same.&nbsp; Because RVs are made for people to sleep in, so somehow its different and acceptable.&nbsp; Plus a lot of RVers are older retired people, usually considered to be well off and harmless.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><br>There is a post here about a person sleeping in their car in a big box lot and was busted by the cops, in the same parking lot as people with RVs.&nbsp; When mentioning this the response from the cop was along the lines of "But RVs are made for that."&nbsp; <br><br>Of course the same rules apply...don't stay too long in one spot, stay neat and unobtrusive.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br><br>Im not sure where truck camper falls in this mental shift, I imagine the fancier ones made to look like an RV would slip in that category.

 

[LucyImHome]

I have quite a few safe spots scoped out for in town. Casinos, streets surrounding mid size motels and apt complexes.....basically places that you'd expect to see cars parked overnight. Sometimes I think the most obvious and visible place would be the least likely to be suspect. My place to sleep will be just that, park, crawl in the back, go to sleep. Get up early, drive away. Go then to the many places I can hang out in A/C comfort and get internet. The public pools are the best deal I've found for showering, and swimming. 25 visit pass for $60. Cheaper than truck stops.<br>I figure on doing the town thing half the week and camp out hopefully at Whitewater the other half. Staying cool is the biggest challenge. It's 107 at 5pm. Was supposed to reach 110. Low tonight of 80.&nbsp;<br>It's one thing to say you're living full time in an RV. Quite another to say you're living in your vehicle. I've told no one. I feel good about what I'm doing, don't need someone passing judgement on something they know nothing about.&nbsp;<br>I keep my truck clean, everything put away, organized and out of sight. I have magnetic biz signs on both doors and the tail gate too.