is camping life for me?

[Adventuregurl]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a member and lurking for a while. I've also watched many of Bob's excellent videos and read many posts. 

I'm a Canadian, living in AZ, I'm 57, work for my self (just need phone and strong internet), have a tiny dog, and have had the draw to RV for a long time. I just don't truly know if it's for me though, even though I can't stop reading about it ;-).

How can I really find out? Also, I LOVE my daily shower and can't imagine being happy with a sponge bath as I just don't feel as clean that way, anyone else like that? Does that change? The internet concerns me as it determines my living (and I have others that work for me that I pay from that living).

Any ideas or suggestions for me? I am in a position that I could buy a small rig and do some camping and keep a home base for now. I have no plans to retire soon.

Thanks again, you are a great bunch!

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Adventuregurl! Before you buy an RV consider getting some simple camp equipment - tent, stove, cooler, sleeping bag etc. and go camping for a few days or a week to see how you like it.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Adventuregurl]

I already know I don't like tents but I think a vehicle would be good!

 

[Adventuregurl]

sorry, didn't mean to copy the post in my reply!

 

[jimindenver]

Read my post in the Communication section and you will see I have unlimited data on three carriers with unlimited streaming on the forth. I haven't been without internet since I hit the road and with my booster set up have seen near 30 Mbps 20 miles from a tower at times. My trailer has a shower with hot water powered by solar but I do have to dump the tanks and get more fresh water every so often.

Is it for you? That is hard to say. Have you been camping before? It's quite the expense to set up a rig like mine if you don't know if you will like it. Personally I have known for 30 years that I would be happy out here because I hated going home from camping trips no matter how long we stayed out. It was a adjustment going full time but I just can't imagine being in a house again. I have a new view every two weeks or so and the peace and quiet is amazing.

Maybe you could rent for a few weeks or maybe find someone to tag along with.

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums    

There are a number of ways to go about this way of life.  But to see if you will like it,  think of slowly immersing yourself into it.   A Cargo Van that has a plywood/carpeted floor with a Kitchenette cabinet, and a bed traversing the rear wheels of the Van is about the simplest, least costly build you can undertake.   A quality foam mattress constructed of different densities with an upper memory foam will provide for good rest. (very important)  Just a few other items can make your first travel and camping forays in a Van a success that will encourage you to continue. 

You may take some long week end trips when you have 4 days or so,  or take some week end day trips where you spend one night in the Van.   If you were to join any of the large Syndicated Gym's you would have a facility to visit when traveling where the restrooms and showers would be available to you, as well as he lounge room/TV's/WIFI/and electric to recharge your Cell or Laptop. Then there is always the Gym if you wish to exercise.  I understand some of these facilities will allow you to use their parking lot overnight where you would have WIFI in that time.  Then you could hit the road the next morning.

Many of the Parks have camping facilities with bath houses and restrooms and even laundromats.   They offer various grades of camp sites where you may have "shore power", water, and other amenities that would be to your liking. 

There are so many ways to go about this that there will be one that fits your needs.  If you are focused on your work, or it is demanding...you could use the 2-2-2 system.   In this you get up on your travel day,  have breakfast, break camp,  and set out on the road for no more than 2 hours of driving.  But in this time you may visit sites of interest which may only be a few minutes apart.  Driving 15 to 20 minutes between stops for a total of 2 hours.  THEN, by 2pm you are pulling into a park facility to set up camp.   (2-2 so far)

You stay in camp for two days....from the 2pm when you checked in until the end of the next day.  This will give you time to work and relax some walking around the park and perhaps visiting some with others.   (this is the third 2 of the "2-2-2" system.   It affords time for travel and sight seeing while purchasing supplies you'll need,  and then time to work and relax some in the outdoors.

This is just one of the many options I could mention. 

I'd invite you to check out my websites below.  The first for setting up a basic Van (even thoughts for a Cargo Trailer equipped as a support vehicle to offer the amenities of home if you have the confidence to to a small trailer like it). 

The second is a Portal of handy info at your finger tips to chart a course to travel from home or camp,  or to use while traveling to re-route your excursion should inclement weather thwart your original plans.

All the best !

 

[OutdoorFT]

Internet and daily showers are no longer an issue. If you get an actual RV with a bathroom setup, shower daily. Internet options have exploded so theres plenty of options to pick from.

As for camping life, thats only determined by you. I prefer being outside the city. Im currently stuck there and hope to get out soon. Ive camped as a kid and my honeymoon was at a KOA. Soo i know where I belong.

 

[rvpopeye]

There's a lot of info here already posted .
It's hard to tell someone what they should do.
There is no one best answer.....
What is your budget for this ? 1 To experiment. 2 For a vandwelling/camping rig.
Do you have any idea what you do or don't want?

Here's a link to a free Kindle book that might help you decide how to get started.
https://www.amazon.com/Convert-your-into-Minicamper-camper-conversion-ebook/dp/B06XR98VKJ

Tomorrow it will not be free so ....
There is also the free Kindle app for your PC or Phone at Amazon too.

 

[OutdoorFT]

thanks ppopeye. I got it. Will have to check it out.

 

[ChickadeeJP]

Being a single parent has changed my need to shower daily ;-) Actually when I was pregnant I would forget everything, including when I last showered, coulda sworn it was yesterday... I shower every 2-3 days currently (not on the road yet). The more natural and minimal products you use, the less your body will get greasy to make up for having had all it's natural protection stripped off. There is also the option of joining a national gym chain like 24 hour fitness. Get a workout and a shower and be on your way.

 

[mpruet]

Any ideas or suggestions for me? I am in a position that I could buy a small rig and do some camping and keep a home base for now. I have no plans to retire soon.

Rent a small rig for a while and live in it.  Even if you don't go into the wild and boondock you can determine if you can live in a limited space with limited resources. 

Before I retired, my wife and I lived in a RV so we could be close to our granddaughter during her first year of life.  I was working for a major software company in R&D (IBM) so needed strong internet.  I discovered that my cell phone was my friend and by far the best way to give me the bandwidth that I needed.  It's similar performance as a DSL connection on a good day so was good enough for me to work as well as stream TV to my laptop.  But you have to be prepared and realize that you will not get good coverage everywhere - even with a good booster.  You will need to either have a data plan supporting being a wifi hotspot or using a tether.  I used a USB connection between my cell and laptop and found that it provided decent bandwidth.

 

[GEAUX- PRIUS Cowboy]

The answer is on the forum already guy called desert rat has yamaha generator car and verison internet data plan camps 14 days provisions and does his thing. You will have to skip your daily shower unless you want to leave camp drive to your shower either at PLNT planet fitness or pay for one at a truck stop. Maybe you could do this? Build a shower where you collect your water filter it sanitize it then reuse it? A bit of activated charcoal and you have your answer to the daily shower thing. http://www.cheaprvliving.com/tent-living/

 

[GEAUX- PRIUS Cowboy]

If this is far too primitive you can try this? Get the BEST hybrid car you can. My choice is the Prius V. Get to wrenching once you get it and remove all the rear seats and convert the rear area to your use. You want to turn this ride into your very own home on wheels. Install a trailer hitch you can either tow a small storage unit that doubles as housing if you ever need to leave your ride in the shop for a while. The RUN AWAY camper can be towed by Prius I have gen 2 and I tow with it. Rarely but I do move it around. You can use the run away as your storage you rent a storage lot space and this way you want to bug out and escape heat rain wind you can. I would not doubt storage lot or units would make less of the small 5x5x5 storage units so they would want to up sell you if you are one after hind tit? Thing is you sound as if you are going to be bound to the urban sites for the internet and you can use your PLNT planet fitness membership to get showers and free wifi. OVER 1,300 locations in USA Canada and Pueto Rico. IF you want to catch the evening news you can't get any better than a good tread mill  pair of headphones and a good hot shower after you did the deed. You can do all this out a Gen 2 3 or 4 Prius just the V has that much more space you can run your life out a MC if you want to. Just read Suzanne post you have a lot of people out there that are using Prius for housing I saw 15 or more  Prius at the  RTR 2017. If you get the run away camper you might  see if you can get wifi and a power cord for your camper  be bike distance to the gym and get your showers there? Best way to see if that will work is  place an AD see if you can get somebody that will let you rent a nice secluded spot near what you need if you are lucky they will have good wifi. A lot of people would like to have the income from a roomie but don't want the incursiuon of privacy a roomie can bring. IF you are just getting a power cord then you  never go inside the house you just use the power.

 

[mpruet]

Rent a small rig for a while and live in it.  Even if you don't go into the wild and boondock you can determine if you can live in a limited space with limited resources. 

Before I retired, my wife and I lived in a RV so we could be close to our granddaughter during her first year of life.  I was working for a major software company in R&D (IBM) so needed strong internet.  I discovered that my cell phone was my friend and by far the best way to give me the bandwidth that I needed.  It's similar performance as a DSL connection on a good day so was good enough for me to work as well as stream TV to my laptop.  But you have to be prepared and realize that you will not get good coverage everywhere - even with a good booster.  You will need to either have a data plan supporting being a wifi hotspot or using a tether.  I used a USB connection between my cell and laptop and found that it provided decent bandwidth.

BTW - while I have a sticks and brick home in the Dallas area as well as a condo in the Colorado mountains, I also do a lot of car camping in my Prius.  My condo is my summer home and is fairly small (650 sq ft), so I'm used to living in a fairly restrictive space.  I use my condo as a base camp and carcamp in the southwest during the summer taking camping trips or about 5-7 days each.  Since you can keep the prius in ready mode overnight, you can also keep the AC on and I like sleeping cool. 

My cell service is with Sprint so I also have a verizon JetPack so I have increased internet service in the southwest.  This seems to work ok although upload speeds are sluggish.  

I did not take out the passenger seat.  The only adaption that I have done is to put NoSeeUm screens on my two rear windows.   I'm in the process of selling a large class-A because I want to be much more nimble than a class-A allows.  I'm considering converting a van but really like the AC/Heat that I can get in the prius overnight.  I don't mind sponge baths and usually use a spray of water with alcohol.  If I feel the need of a real bath, then I look for a truck stop.  Since I tend to either Boondock or go stelth, I want to save my water for drinking rather than bathing.

 

[Gardenias]

Hi, welcome!!

 

[Adventuregurl]

Thank you all for the fabulous info and warm welcome!

I should be a bit more clear. I don't really have the time for a van build so if I buy something I would prefer something pretty much ready to go, a conversion (converted) van or class B or class C. I do love on that was posted on the trading post forum today: https://santafe.craigslist.org/rvs/6192550798.html, but it seems it's already sold. What I think would be important would be to buy something I could easily resell if I don't like it so buying at the right price is important.

I don't now where to rent a small rig, and aren't they really expensive to rent?

Someone asked me my budget and I could spend up to $20,000 but I don't really want to if I can get something reliable and easily re-sell-able for less (much less is better ). Does anyone have any suggestions on what that might be?

For internet, I need 5 mbps UP and down (just one night a week), that might be too much to expect on the road but maybe there are ways to get it.

Thanks again!

 

[Adventuregurl]

One other question, do you think I could try it out in a Lexus RX350?

 

[CautionToTheWind]

^^^ absolutely. If you think it's necessary, buy a rear cargo rack. Also, you could buy a small, lightweight travel trailer too.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Yeah that one in Santa Fe looked pretty good...here are some others to look over:


https://www.rvtrader.com/search-res...068&condition=U&price=15000:20000&radius=150&

You can always reset the search, then narrow it down in price or whatever...

 

[jonsun]

IDK who woudnt be able to shower everyday while camping. Solar camp shower kits are like $10-15 and work very well.