Friendships and more

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graycurlsvanning

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One thing that I hope for with van life is a sense of community. How many of you have made lasting friendships along the way? Do you run into the same folks here and there? If you stay longish at a place, does this help to strengthen bonds? How many folks that you know that were single end up in relationships? I feel this life could bring me a good balance between finding a group of like minded souls and being the loner spirit I am. Friendships are important to me....love to hear more.
 

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There are lots of friendship opportunities but many hermits as well. You either get used to living in the moment and saying goodby often or travel in ever changing groups that gather in general locations every year like Quartzsite LTVA.
 
Cool. That's good to know. I remember years ago when I did a really really long bike ride across part of the US, my traveling partner and I would occasionally bump into folks we had met at previous locations. I have always had a bit of an awkward time in certain aspects fitting in to the typical community life. But it is nice to get some human contact. I wouldn't consider myself a hermit just someone who loves being alone a lot. For me the pandemic isolation stuff didn't bother me. It has been a way of life, if not physically, then emotionally in certain ways. For another discussion....
 
One thing that I hope for with van life is a sense of community.
Community is what you make of IT.......................IT is out there waiting
How many of you have made lasting friendships along the way? Do you run into the same folks here and there? If you stay longish at a place, does this help to strengthen bonds?
All the time.......TIME !.......Spending the Winter in the Quartzsite desert is a GREAT way to meet your Tribe
How many folks that you know that were single end up in relationships? I feel this life could bring me a good balance between finding a group of like minded souls and being the loner spirit I am. Friendships are important to me....love to hear more.
My wife and I met at the LTVA as "nomad friends"................6 months later we met again and WHAM
Never say never..............I started out with a cat stroller where the passenger seat should be.................
Paulette asked "Is there Room for ME ?"

Sometimes you need to be brave........put on your big-girl pants............and step out of your comfort zone........

WELCOME to the life.
 
Lasting friendships? How can you know if any friendship made in any lifestyle will last through the years until those years have passed? Do not worry about that concept. You will make friends.
 
As long as you go to gatherings and talk to people, you'll meet a ton of people. While most people are at least somewhat independent - they have to be to leave the comfort of family and friends - you'll meet all kinds - crazy, spiritual, somewhat introverts, extroverts, conservatives, liberals, independent, needy (for us anyway), sweet, harsh, etc. I've known a couple of people to meet and travel together from then on out but that's not the norm. Most people meet, decide to travel together for awhile, separate, maybe come back together, etc. It's a lot like dating, even when you're not dating. You meet, decide if you click or not really quickly, and if you do click, you decide what to do from there.

I will say this - I love people, when I'm in a people mood anyway, but I'm careful who I make friends with. I'm nice to everybody but I make friends slowly and give myself time to watch and learn the person. This lifestyle requires us to live outside societal norms and it seems to attract more than the average number of people with sanity challenges and what looks like personality disorders. I'm leery of anyone who wants to instantly be best friends and do everything together, restricting me from meeting other people or finding my own footing. I'm also leery of anyone who doesn't have any close relationships and blames other people for that or who talks negatively about people in general. I've learned those people are not for me.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll eventually find your tribe. I've met some of the most kick butt, interesting, helpful people who ever existed on the road. That's one of the reasons I love traveling in my vehicle
 
I've figured those who are out on the road and meet or befriend others they would mention this message board as a way to stay in touch. They could post in the Captain's Log (what they feel comfortable with)
and use other social media like facebook etc. I don't think Van Living has an official "bumper sticker" like "Good Sam" or others where members could display it if they wished. I would likely have such a sticker on a magnetic plastic panel the same size so I could display it
when & where I wanted.
 
I don't know that sticker? I am guessing it identifies you are a member so others could ask you who you are? Great idea actually. (y)
 
No official bumper sticker? Actually the stickers from HOWA seem to work just fine as an introduction to other like minded people as does an RTR sticker.

I have had plenty of people in the Southwest walk up and comment on them. It is a conversational ice breaker.

You can purchase those stickers online.
Here is the link to the HOWA E-store
https://www.redbubble.com/people/SuanneC/shop
 
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graycurlsvannin - yes to everything that you mentioned in your first post. We met most of our close nomad friends at the RTRs and while volunteering at HOWA events. We've known some of them for almost 10 years and try to meet up on the road whenever we're in the same area. A lot of nomads who attend the RTRs are not close friends but are still wonderful people whom we enjoy spending time with while catching up on their adventures.

I know 5 or 6 couples who met on the road and are traveling together. And also a few that didn't work out. I think "Don't sell your van." is a good cautionary warning for most people.
 
This forum was originally founded by a man named Bob Wells who by financial necessity moved into a vehicle. He was divorced, had children, had a job in a town with high rent and a lot of child support to pay. Overtime he learned how to manage living in a vehicle. He then reached out to help others understand how it could be done. He also started a YouTube channel CheapRVliving (initials are “CRVL”) focused on the subject. Then he started an annual get together in the Arizona dessert in January known as the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (initials for that are RTR). It started small but grew so overwhelming in size that even the BLM said no more free gatherings of this size. So popular did all become that that it was unmanageable for any one individual including financials. So the non profit Homes On Wheels Alliance (HOWA) was formed.

You can see a HOWA sticker on my travel trailer. It was given to me by HOWA staff members. I had camped with the first Red Caravan they sponsored last fall.
 
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Sorry, I should have spelled them out. Here are the websites.
https://homesonwheelsalliance.org/
https://homesonwheelsalliance.org/2023RTRs/
Please try to come to the RTRs if you are in the southwest this winter. The caravans are a great way to meet people too. https://homesonwheelsalliance.org/caravans/
So great! Thanks for the links! Looks like some fun times and a great way to learn things and meet the community. I see that they specifically mentioned fighting homelessness. I am very glad that there is a outward feeling of this idea of what this life is as well as doing it for ourselves as we get older. I did notice that many of the folks in the photos looked older. I guess maybe the younger generation of nomads don't hit these events? Anyway, I am far from attending as I am still in a fixed condo and can't travel due to the care of my elderly mother, but it sure gives me something to look forward to! :p
 
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