Hi Everybody

[OkieDreamer]

I lived and traveled for a little over a year in a VW micro bus coast to coast back in the day. I've been retired for awhile from truck driving and I am getting restless. I've been thinking about buying a Prius and exploring the west on a part time basis to get my feet wet so I'm interested in topics related to doing that.

 

[travelaround]

Welcome, welcome - you will find a lot of topics on this forum! Prius and everything.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Okie to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you. several people hear have a Prius, ask away. highdesertranger

 

[Kaylee]

The best (IMO) dweller getting started blog is by long-time forum member/guru/community-organizer Suanne, and she's in a Prius:
http://suanneonline.blogspot.com/

It has an excellent list of key "How-To Articles" links on every page.
It's vastly better than anything on YT, and helped me tremendously.

There's not much recent stuff, but that's ok because she's said all the important stuff.
No fluff.
Do check out her complete unpack & clean up article:
http://suanneonline.blogspot.com/2018/05/mice-and-stuff.html
The pictures alone are inspirational.

Good luck!
I started in my compact stationwagon last summer, and learnt a lot.
Starting in a car is hardcore, and will make anything bigger feel luxurious.

 

[Firtree]

But Suanne and Prius pop up in a couple YouTube videos.



and



Well then, part two of Essentials



Cheaprvliving does have some other Prius videos

 

[Kaylee]

LOL!
Yes, some YT vids are useful, but one has to put up with the noise (aural&Matrix-y) of ads/etc, whereas Suanne's site is noise-free and one can take one's time going over her lists & explanations.
Particularly with Newbies, we need to reread stuff a bunch, because it's information overload. All that stuff is still fresh in my memory.

Thanks Firtree for posting the direct links to just the most useful YT stuff!

 

[Gypsy108]

Starting in a car is hardcore, and will make anything bigger feel luxurious.

I had such a nice big car(I LOVED IT !) (2013 VW Passat), and i traded it for the Cargo Van   
MANY TIMES I PICTURED MYSELF LIVING IN IT...i could even fit a pillow top twin mattress on one side (front & back seat down...and through the humongous trunk !!!!     It was ALL paid for too !!!

 

[RoamerRV428]

HI!!

you are experienced obviously, traveling coast to coast and a truck driver so you get it
get your vehicle, hit the road in the West and don't look back....go explore and enjoy!
tons of great info on the board, just ask and someone can help if ya need it! best of luck to ya!!

 

[Kaylee]

Okie:
What vehicle do you have now?
A car really is much more challenging than a van, so (based on my own experience) I highly recommend you do some multi-day local trips in your current vehicle before investing in a replacement vehicle.

You've got the VW and trucking experience, so you know you can do this, it's just a matter of experimenting with a smaller vehicle.

When you get the time, many of us would love to hear about your VW year. That's truly awesome.

MANY TIMES I PICTURED MYSELF LIVING IN IT

To continue with our movie analogies... Yoda said it best (to misquote slightly): Do or do not, there is no dream.

 

[OkieDreamer]

I have a Dodge Dakota pick up, not much of a camping vehicle inside anyway I live out in the country on an acreage by a lake..no I am not rich, just a life long introvert but I love nature and driving bored to tears after retiring, so I thought a Prius could do both and out west is where I want to go it's beautiful country out there. Being a truck driver I was pooping in a bag before I found out it was cool. I thought I might be a little cracked until I ran on to the van dwellers.

 

[OkieDreamer]

But Suanne and Prius pop up in a couple YouTube videos.



and



Well then, part two of Essentials



Cheaprvliving does have some other Prius videos

cool I have watched all of those. IDk They had so much stuff. This one is pretty cool. This guy has a whole series of vids on how he built it out and most of his mods I like. I don't think I need a microwave though.

 

[RoamerRV428]

pooping in a bag before ya found out it was cool.....you had me laughing on that one

whatever your rig just make sure you are truly comfortable, because as we know, a 'trip' is just that, it is over....living in your vehicle is long term and you truly gotta have some comforts to suit you. Everyone experiments and knows what they require mostly, be interesting to see what you do travel in.

 

[OkieDreamer]

Yeah I thought I was pretty strange pooping in a bag, had a coat hanger setup that slid under my bunk mattress feed the bag thru there and bombs away. I was not a fan of multi stall truck stops..so solitude in a bag. Never thought of the parallel of baby diapers.  My thinking is with a Prius or a Rav I can make trips back and forth from Oklahoma and join up with the caravans if they are still going, meet some others doing the same and what an adventure and learning experience it would be.. I don't plan on going full time, but if I like it yeah I would love a gas hog box van with mega solar..and the BIG bed and all kinds of junk I could probably do without for longer time camping out. I have one of my sisters who recently passed and I have to liquidate all of her stuff before I can do much of anything. It's a hard job and I miss her so, but dreaming about doing this is helping me move forward.

 

[RoamerRV428]

Condolences for your sister! Stuff, yup, when we are done we have tons of stuff just sitting no one truly wants. All hard work to liquidate. Not a fun situation for most. We will be dealing with my mom and his mom in the nearer future due to their old age I am sure and we are gritting our teeth at the liquidation of it all also. So I sure see the tough and rough of all that coming on a person.

joining up with a caravan is a great idea. Friends to make, good times to be had by all sounds like you are walking toward a good road life for yourself!