Finally!

[highdesertranger]

hi lucy,  I see you are in Coachella valley.  I have a good friend that lives in Bermuda dunes.  yes it is getting hot out there.  I used to hang out on the north side of the san bernadino mts.  allot of boondocking locations.  there is a road that goes from yucca valley to big bear shortly after pioneer town it turns to dirt but it is semi maintained.  if you take this road once you get up in elevation there are several good locations.  it will be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than down in the valley.  get a san bernadino national forest map it's called the burns canyon road not sure about the forest service number.  call the fs for info.  highdesertranger

 

[The Flying Tortoise]

Congratulations and good luck...

 

[LucyImHome]

Last night was my first night sleeping in the truck! The comfort aspect was good. I'm 5'7" and can stretch out all the way in the back seat. I chose to park by a boutique type motel. Not good. Noisy guests, but worse was noisy staff way into the night. I don't know how guests slept. I finally moved around the corner and parked across the street from the motel on a dirt parking area. Motel security kept driving slowly by me, finally shining light on the truck. After they left, I moved. The next choice was so much better. It too was behind a hotel, big one. There was an Airstream Bambi parked there, so I joined them, at 3 am. Slept until 8! Shade, and no nosy security.<br>It was hot until about 1 am, when it cooled to mid 80s. I had to leave the windows mostly down, and wing vents as well. Didn't like that but had to. Used a spray bottle. I opened the slider on the back window, but the Snugtop doesn't have one. &nbsp;Still, it did help some.<br>I'll have to get to higher elevation like many have suggested. I can't go too far due to gas cost or pay to camp, same reason, cost. So the idea of BLM dispersed, I like.&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[LucyImHome]

Well..... overall, life hasn't been too bad since starting the living in the truck. Sleeping is good, in the backseat. I've found 5 different places. The worst of them, other than my first night, was Walmart. It's noisy with customers all hours and there's a lot of people that are under the influence and gang types as well. Best was a big hotel, the street behind it. I got a library card and spend daytime there, free internet and a/c! Heat is my biggest issue, though I seem to be getting accustomed to it. I try to find spots to park the truck in the shade, even if I'm not in it. I gave up on a cooler for now. I can't be buying ice every 2-3 days. I'd wrapped it in Reflextix too, but 112 degrees.....I just go to the store for food when I'm hungry! Being vegan makes it easier.<br>I'm fortunate that everything I need is within maybe 5 miles. Even so, I'm spending much more on gas than I'd anticipated. Plus, still throwing money at the truck for getting all it's ailments resolved.&nbsp;<br>I had a good thing happen. A friend called, I finally confessed I was sleeping in the truck. She didn't judge or preach. She said come park at my place. So now I have a safe place to park, shade until about 10 am, on the edge of town so no one poking around. I can use her shower, the pool, her kitchen to do a bit of cooking and some fridge space. I'm looking at it as temporary, but it gives me a chance to do some work on the truck, both mechanical and living quarter wise. She's giving me her 12v car cooler/fridge! I just have to fix or replace the cord(dog chewed it).&nbsp;<br><br>

 

[stude53]

<span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Sounds like good luck all round, Lucy!</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Have a great life in your rolling home.</span></strong></span><br><br><span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><strong><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Bob</span></strong></span>

 

[Ballenxj]

I'm glad you have a safe spot to get your things together. Keep us appraised of your situation. <br>-Bruce

 

[WanderingRain]

Good to hear you are doing well! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Telcobilly]

Good job on your transition. Watch out with that cooler, it is a power hog. I have run down semi trucks with 3 batteries in one night. Also ran down my previous Ram diesel truck with two batteries. I now have an ARB fridge/ freezer in my current truck. Not cheap, but very efficient.

 

[LucyImHome]

Yes, I'm afraid to use the cooler. If I was driving more often, sure. But I don't. It'll be good to have maybe at some point. Or might just sell it. &nbsp;<br>I'm still running down mechanicals on the truck. Now it's running on 7 cylinders. This is after $2200ish on a top half rebuild. And the a/c still not working. Arg.&nbsp;<br>I have a brief reprieve via a 4 day pet sitting job, ending Monday. Pool, a/c, toilet, shower, fridge, hot/cold water from a faucet, stove, 24 hr internet, ahhhhh. Gratitude.<br>Weather has been relatively mild. 103-105. That ends Thursday. Up to the norm for this time of year, 112-116. Alarming is the little image of clouds on the forecast. A tiny bit of humidity at those temps....yikes. So by midnight, it'll still be 100. I can't head to higher elevation until the truck's ailments are resolved. I may have to run an extension cord somehow from my friend's apartment to my truck parked out in front to run a fan. Not sure how much I can ask of her.&nbsp;<br>I may have to make the leap of faith, let go of the few clients I have here, and move in hopes of greater income. Lots of ads for groomers in San Diego, where I'm familiar with vehicle dwelling. Also further north, Sacramento. Don't know anything about how it'd be to live in my truck there though.&nbsp;

 

[LucyImHome]

Talk about jumping in the deep end! Temps of 120, overnight lows by 5am of 90. No a/c.<br>I can't buy a truck camper or trailer anytime soon, or go anywhere either. I have to do an engine swap, and probably do the transmission while they have it apart. Might be able to do that by end of July, heavy on the might. So try to survive until then. Spend the days until they boot me out at coffee shops or library. Then in and out of the pool until I'm tired enough to sleep. Sleep on a cool mat with a wet t-shirt and we hand towel. &nbsp;Pray for wind.&nbsp;<br>There's a lesson here. But I'm too hot to determine what it might be. Oh, yea, take someone with you that knows what they're looking at when you go shopping for a vehicle. Just because someone says it's dependable, well, people lie! If you're going to be homeless in a truck, do it somewhere other than HELL! If you think you're prepared, you are probably wrong. I knew I wasn't really prepared. I was right. No turning back now. Oh, did I mention, people lie? Fortunately, not everyone lies. There are good people too.

 

[highdesertranger]

hang in there lucy.&nbsp; aren't you out by palm springs?&nbsp; why don't you head over to morrongo pass were the windmills are it's always windy there.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[LucyImHome]

I'm afraid to drive the truck too far until the engine swap, I do 5-6 miles a day. It's sucking a serious amount of gas too. I'm parking nights near the Tram road so it's usually pretty windy. I see lots of windmills here. But when it's this hot, the wind is like being in front of a hair dryer. I keep a spray bottle close at hand for when my t-shirt dries. I am fortunate to have access to the pool so can do that to cool off too. It also helps to extend the time between shampoos for my hair. I will check out the Morongo Pass area for after the truck is ambulatory. It should be a bit cooler.

 

[highdesertranger]

hey lucy this just dawned on me why don't you use a mister?&nbsp; I would not use one inside a closed vehicle but you could open the doors.&nbsp; I have seen these using a garden sprayer so if you have 1/2 gallon/hr nozzle and a three gallon sprayer it might last up to 6 hrs.&nbsp; of course you would have to pump up every so often.&nbsp; btw all the components are available at home depot.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[Telcobilly]

Any chance of returning to San Diego after the repairs are done? Tons of places to camp out because I see a lot of people doing it and as you know, the best weather in the US.

 

[LucyImHome]

Yes, Telcobilly, I have considered going to the San Diego area. When I worked there back a few years ago, I was amazed at how open it is to park and live in your vehicle. There were rvs of varying degree of condition, mostly bad to really really bad. And of course folks living in assorted vehicles. It didn't seem anyone was very stealthy. It was very clear they were living long term in whatever it was. I don't know if it's still the same, I'd assume yes. I wish I could go now! There's work there. &nbsp;<br>I have run an extension cord to my friend's apartment so I can have a fan running at night. But it just blows hot air of course. Hard to sleep, even with the fan. It's stifling. I'm dealing with maybe 5 hours of sleep for now. If I can find a little swamp cooler or a/c unit that'll fit on my passenger seat, I'd be set!&nbsp;<br>Palm Springs broke a record, hitting 122 on the 30th. That'll have to go in my book! Yes I was there, living in my truck through that summer! Nobody will believe me. Cooler, if you call it that, at 114 today and dropping to 108 to 110. Oh my, get out my parka!<br><br>

 

[RAILROADGREEN]

hey now lucyimhome, be carefull in that heat people die in it all the time out there!!!. i.m.o. you be better off in san diego? fellow traveler gary

 

[Telcobilly]

I went through Needles last Sat night at 9pm, still 115* ! Brutal out there in the desert. I'm sending good thoughts your way to be in SD soon. It's still the same as far as the old RVs are concerned. One RV parks where I park my rig on home time.

 

[LucyImHome]

I really need to write a book! So, a forest fire! It's been dubbed the Mountain Fire. Started on the other side of a very high mountain, but never say never. It jumped over, and is now burning on my side. Not likely to get to far down the mountain, since there isn't a lot of fuel further down. But.... I woke this morning with a layer of ash on everything, including me. It's way too hot to sleep with the windows up. Smokey smell. Ominous sky. It's a good 15 miles away, but it has made it's presence known!

 

[LucyImHome]

It was 8000 acres last I'd read last evening. Today, it's at 14,200. It's not windy during the day but evening and through the night it is. They haven't gotten more than 10% containment, in very steep mountains and very dry conditions. More like 10 miles from me. Lots of smoke and ash. I fortunately park up wind from the fire, but still sweeping ash out of the truck. It started at just before 2pm on 7-15. It is listed as extreme for growth potential. Saturday through Tuesday they're giving a 30% chance of rain. Temps are down to 103-108 range. I've been reading stories of Palm Springs natives telling of fires that did get all the way into town. Yikes. Hey, at least I am mobile! A very short prep period to leave!<br>The truck is still running poorly. I'm getting maybe 10 mpg. Can't do anything more about it until my son gets here and we swap engines.<br>On the positive side, I went to work on the remaining stuff in my little storage unit. Once I get my groomer's cage sold, it'll be empty! Better yet, with everything else now loaded into the truck, I still have over half the back empty! I knew I'd gotten rid of a lot, but holy cow!<br>I am very comfortable sleeping in the back seat area. I have a Stanley fan set on the console for the night. I soak a hand towel and have a spray bottle. Seems to be working. For my cooler, I finished wrapping it in Reflextic and also covered with a blanket and use 3 one gallon bottle that I freeze in my friend's fridge. I switch them out about every 3 days. For hot food, I just put in out in the back of the truck, like for canned stuff, hot water, etc. I'm looking for a rice cooker too. I don't really eat much cooked foods. I'm vegan too. I have access to a hose, for washing dishes and drinking water. There's a pool too, but full of ash right now. I get access to my friend's shower about once a week. Between, I use the hose.<br>I go to public places, coffee shops, library, for internet and the more significant part of toilet use. I've had the good fortune to get some pet sitting jobs that have broken up the "experience". Now, i have nothing booked until end of August. So I'm full-on in.

 

[RJCooper]

Good luck and stay safe.