In ohio need help

[JoshKidding]

Hey guys and gals,

My name is Josh, this is my first post here but I've been a lurker for over a year. I've been van dwelling since January in Ohio in a van I dyi converted myself. I currently work in Cleveland but have family ties in Canton that pretty much keep me tied near the Cleveland area. Up until recently, I've been stealth camping streets and outside of my job but I've recently re-acquired my car as well. Part of the reason I started vandwelling is because of a set of bad circumstances that left me in financial ruin. I've been slowly rebuilding from almost scratch but even living this minimalistically I am still on a very tight budget. The Van I converted, a 95 clubwagon, gets terrible gas mileage. Before I got my car back I didn't go many places that I didn't need to because of the cost of fuel. Getting my car back recently has allowed me a little more freedom to have fun and stay connected with friends and family and I would like things to be able to stay that way.

My problem is; My car, a 2010 focus cant be towed flat. That means there just isn't an affordable option for me to be able to move around and tow my car. Thus, moving my spot has become an enormous hassle that requires the generosity of friends and family to get from place to place. What I would like to do is find somewhere that I could set up either by boondocking or not. That way I could just use the car to get around and have a solid place to come home. Currently I moved down to a campground in stow that's relatively cheap but you have to change lots every 5 days and it has the 15 out of 30 rule. Once I bump up against that I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

I'm not much for cities. I prefer the peace and quiet of the woods or country. What I would like to do is find a location somewhere between canton and Cleveland, or in the area surrounding Cleveland, that I could set up. If its a site with electrical and water hook ups that's great, if not, then that's ok too. Id prefer if I could find something like this that doesn't have a cost, but I'm told Ohio is terrible for that. I am willing to pay a little amount for a site if need be. When I looked into campgrounds in the area most of the ones that showed up were extremely expensive per night. The one i'm on is a little more than I would like at 40 bucks every 5 days, but its got the restrictions I listed above.

I'm really hoping that someone could help me out here with some ideas or something. I've been through some of the popular camp sites with not much luck. Thank you again guys for your time and Hello!!!.

 

[sunnyslife]

Depending on how far you are willing to drive to get to and from work - I would suggest checking more out toward Ravenna/Mantua/Shalersville area for camp grounds - but to be honest, $8 a night is a good rate in my opinion (and, I am really surprised you found anything that cheap in Stow) - I really doubt you will do much better than that in NE Ohio.

Wish I could be more help but, not familiar with anywhere near you that you could boondock, besides the normal parking lots.

Good luck.

Barbara

 

[GotSmart]

According to Ford, you can flat tow it.

https://www.etrailer.com/vm/Ford/Focus/towbar

 

[JoshKidding]

sunnyslife- Yea, its a pretty decent rate. I would probably not move at all if it weren't for the 15 out of 30 day rule :-(. Considering that everything I've read so far puts prices in the 30+ a night range it's pretty awesome. I made an ad on craigslist asking for a small plot of wooded or country land for rent, maybe that will work out. I could be stuck finding a busy apartment complex and basing out of that. :-(

GotSmart- Manual transmission only. Mine is automatic

 

[cyndi]

advertise on craigslist that you're looking for a place to overnight and your van is self contained.

Check in at construction sites and offer to provide over night security

Look for house sitting opportunities. There are extended house-sits, from a couple weeks to several months ' time available.

Drive out side of town and check in with farmers that may want to make an easy 100 or so bucks a month

 

[offroad]

Like cyndi mentions you will need extreme creativity.

Make some contacts in tiny house community online and you might get more ideas. Go talk to the homeless shelters and the food bank folks about ideas. Always ask if they know of anyone who has creative ideas about where to live. Never ask for a place to live directly (except homeless shelter) as that kind of freaks people out a little. Homelessness is a serious issue without good solutions in our nation. USA USA USA.

 

[akrvbob]

Ohio actually has quite a bit of free camping from the electric utilities. 8 years ago I camped at them but sorry, I don't remember the details and they are in the country, not near big towns. They are reclaimed strip mined coal pits and they are required to offer recreation on them. The ones I was at were very nice!!

Are you working so you have to be near a job?

You might think about putting the car in a storage lot and keep stealth parking yourself.

Cyndi's ideas were excellant--I'd be surprised if one didn't work.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

Opportunities abound to offer night time security at various types of businesses. I know people that get paid just to park at night and call the cops if there's trouble.

Just think of anybody that might benefit from nightime security, and start promoting yourself. Free security is hard to beat.

I know people doing it on construction sites, real estate for sale sites, construction yards, RV sales lots, Car Lots, Food Cart Courts/Lots, and U-Haul type lots. One, with a low top van gets to park for free in a parking garage overnight just to keep an eye out.

Good Luck!

 

[JoshKidding]

Cyndi- Ill head out and talk to some farmers and see what they have to say about stuff. Not perfect but it will have to do until I can save up enough to buy a little half acre of land to pop the van on. House sitting and things like that really aren't my bag. It could be nice for sure, but even though financial circumstances forced me into this decision I'm pretty comfortable with the idea of living minimalistic. Before this I had way too much stuff that I didn't need and never used. I've always been the Alexander Supertramp type and the only thing that really grounds me in one place is having a child whose life I think is paramount for me to be involved in. Otherwise this would be a mute issue as I would just constantly be on the move. Still, I prefer the quiet of the woods and isolation to the hustle and noise of the city. Before I had my car, I was stealth camping just fine, but hated being restricted to the city.

Bob- I do work in downtown Cleveland currently. My child is in Canton. So my goal has been to stay somewhere between the two for easy access to both. Before I got my car back I didn't get to see my kid as much of get to do much of anything due to the price of gas and the fact that my van is only getting about 8 miles to the gallon versus my cars 35. I'd be really hesitant to want to put it into storage and lose the ability to be as involved in my childs life or be stuck not being able to do anything.

I guess what I could do is use a squat house as a centralized location. Not quite perfect but it's not like Ohio isn't abundant with them. Or, I can find somewhere to park my car near Cleveland and continue to stealth camp and just switch to the car for longer distance drives.

Off Grid- I'll have to look into it. I could probably even find something outside of the city that might meet my needs a little better.

I'm told I actually live in one of the worst parts of Ohio to do this sort of thing. If I worked more south I could use Wayne National Forest or if I was a little more east I could use the Allegheny National Forest. Either way, thank you all for your help>

 

[GotSmart]

 I do work in downtown Cleveland currently. My child is in Canton. So my goal has been to stay somewhere between the two for easy access to both. Before I got my car back I didn't get to see my kid as much of get to do much of anything due to the price of gas and the fact that my van is only getting about 8 miles to the gallon versus my cars 35. I'd be really hesitant to want to put it into storage and lose the ability to be as involved in my childs life or be stuck not being able to do anything.

Something is wrong That van should get a lot better mileage.  It should be getting at least twice that on the highway.  

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/1995_Ford_Club_Wagon.shtml

Run some fuel line cleaner through it.  

http://www.autozone.com/fuel-and-en...ctor-cleaner-and-fuel-conditioner/899712_0_0/

Perhaps a tune up and filters?

 

[JoshKidding]

I've tried running fuel cleaner through it and having it tuned up and looked at by a trusted mechanic. He said it was road worthy but couldn't see a reason why I wasn't getting better Mileage

 

[SternWake]

I live in an area where there are traffil lights everywhere.Tops of steep hills, bottoms of hills, and rarely does one ever approach an intersection and find a green light. I'l get 8 to 9 mpg in this traffic clusterscrew and can get 16+ Mpg highway and close to 18 if i can find gasoline instead of Gasahol.

Driving style has a lot to do with MPGs, and so does dragging brakes. Do not know Ohio at all, but if it is more flatlands and you can only eek out 8mpg, something is most definitely wrong somewhere.

 

[akrvbob]

You can usually get 24 hour access to self-storage so you just swap the van for the car for the trip to your sons and swap it back when you return.

 

[JoshKidding]

Bob that's an amazing idea!!! You are my hero...Thank you so much!!!

 

[wayne49]

Ohio actually has quite a bit of free camping from the electric utilities. 8 years ago I camped at them but sorry, I don't remember the details and they are in the country, not near big towns. They are reclaimed strip mined coal pits and they are required to offer recreation on them. The ones I was at were very nice!!

Bob

I saved the link for the AEP campsite maps.

https://www.aep.com/environment/conservation/maps.aspx

Wayne

 

[offroad]

24 hour storage for a month is cheap. $30 some places for a secure space outside. $1 a day to store a tow behind trailer. Sleep in your car stealth camp during four nights of work week. Then camp on weekends --- lot of good thoughts about using secure storage locations.

 

[Van-Tramp]

re: MPGs - purchase and install a new O2 censor (it is likely the problem). If you are not sure, bring it to am emissions place and they can tell you if yours is faulty or not.

re: storage place - I have one that I could just as easily sleep in my van in the storage space. It is obvious that there is at least one other in a truck camper using his storage space to live in ($40 per month). It will require a bit of stealth and a manager willing to look the other way, but it is possible, although I would not arrive until after hours and leave before any staff arrives every morning. Hang out at Starbucks/Library/Gym/Community Center or something during the days.

Good luck

 

[sunnyslife]

The AEP land is actually in the extreme SE/central part of Ohio - he is in the extreme NE - however, I have heard great things about staying at the AEP and it might be a "leisure" time spot for him when he is off a few days.

 

[JoshKidding]

The AEP land is a goal of mine to visit. I've actually been looking into companies in the Columbus area to work for which could make it a possibility sooner than later.

Another thing I've considered is just picking up a .5 acre of land or less in the country and using that as a base. I could build a solar shower there as well as a little outhouse. But, for the time being, Ill probably make due with renting a storage space and going from there.

Ill look into the O2 sensor for the van as soon as I free up some money to do so. Thank you for the suggestions

I also linked up my build in the conversions section if anyone is interested in seeing it.

 

[Canine]

Let's see, you said you've already had it checked by a trusted mechanic, if he's any good, he should have checked for that O2 sensor, filters, dragging brakes, air flow restrictions, you said it's been recently tuned up so heat range of the plugs and the condition of the plug wires should be ok, timing should have been checked...  If you've Seafoamed it or the Techron equivalent then that's important...  Quality of fuel does play a part, but the most important is driving style and idling times.  If it's the 351 and the van is heavy or geared low then you may see 10-12 at best in town.  Perhaps a hair higher.  The 460's were 10  mpg a lot.  

Anyways, If you can commute in the car and "store" your hotel on wheels then that's the ticket...