I have decided to maintain a home base near my family by purchasing a small (16-18 ft) travel trailer and parking it in an RV park. I'll continue to travel and live in my van most of the time. After being on the road and seeing what has been mentioned in other posts here and there, I think the future of vandwelling in freedom is at risk.
Today, I visited two large RV dealerships to see what's going on in the retail marketplace. The salesmen both told me that most people they meet are going full-time, for all the reasons so many of us discuss. We are becoming the norm; we are mainstream now!
What's going to happen to our forests, deserts, wildlife refuges, grasslands, and wildernesses when so many use them and, in some cases, abuse them? Owl has discussed the studies being done by our government; Bob has talked about being told he can't "live" in his mobile dwelling for even one night on public lands. Stealth in cities is easily spotted by LEO's, and I believe we shouldn't park where it's prohibited anyway.
Again (still?), it will be the haves versus the have nots. Those in the large, expensive rigs, who can't get into the wild areas so many of us love, will be allowed and accepted while those in smaller, cheaper and older rigs will be chased off. There will be gated private RV parks that have large pull-through sites with 50 amp power, satellite TV and wifi, swimming pools and golf courses. Those of us who can access the wilderness areas will be locked out because we will be seen as the trouble makers, especially when we gather in large groups, like homeless people gathered in an alley or under a bridge.
As I now, finally, complete the divestiture of my stuff, having sold my house, I realize the situation out there is changing. So, I will maintain my little home base in an RV park (bleh!) for now, and perhaps begin looking for a little bit of land somewhere.
Mainstream mobile dwelling...whodathunk?
Today, I visited two large RV dealerships to see what's going on in the retail marketplace. The salesmen both told me that most people they meet are going full-time, for all the reasons so many of us discuss. We are becoming the norm; we are mainstream now!
What's going to happen to our forests, deserts, wildlife refuges, grasslands, and wildernesses when so many use them and, in some cases, abuse them? Owl has discussed the studies being done by our government; Bob has talked about being told he can't "live" in his mobile dwelling for even one night on public lands. Stealth in cities is easily spotted by LEO's, and I believe we shouldn't park where it's prohibited anyway.
Again (still?), it will be the haves versus the have nots. Those in the large, expensive rigs, who can't get into the wild areas so many of us love, will be allowed and accepted while those in smaller, cheaper and older rigs will be chased off. There will be gated private RV parks that have large pull-through sites with 50 amp power, satellite TV and wifi, swimming pools and golf courses. Those of us who can access the wilderness areas will be locked out because we will be seen as the trouble makers, especially when we gather in large groups, like homeless people gathered in an alley or under a bridge.
As I now, finally, complete the divestiture of my stuff, having sold my house, I realize the situation out there is changing. So, I will maintain my little home base in an RV park (bleh!) for now, and perhaps begin looking for a little bit of land somewhere.
Mainstream mobile dwelling...whodathunk?
