Jumped into the "stealth" van life and am mostly disalusioned

[Jack Grit]

FOR THE SAKE OF BREVITY I WILL COMMENT IN BLUE CAPS.

Daily showers have never been part of my routine. ME NEITHER. MATTER OF FACT I PROBABLY TOOK LESS SHOWERS THAN THE AVERAGE VAN DWELLER WHEN I OWNED MY HOUSE. I'LL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN RESPONSE TO BOB'S COMMENTS. Now I find that for those in-between shower days, there are baby wipes... I'LL LOOK INTO THOSE WIPES. I'VE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF THEM. I'M INTO THRIFT BIG TIME AND I HAVE AN AVERSION TO WIPING DOWN WITH CHEMICALS...YET THEY MAY BE JUST FINE.

I put the quotes around adjust because that twinge of unease never really went away, I just got more used to it. YOU SAY YOU YEARN FOR THE LIFESTYLE. WHY AREN'T YOU STILL DOING IT IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING? I GUESS HUMANS GET USED TO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. IF I STAY IN IT, I HOPE THAT TWINGE IS THE SIZE OF A GNAT I CAN FLICK OFF MY ARM.

City dwelling is the hardest especially if your not completely stealthed. I'M STEALTHED TO THE BONE. A CLEAN WHITE MID-2000 PANEL VAN, TINTED WINDOWS WITH CURTAIN ON THE INSIDE PLUS IT HAS A CAGE SO IT'S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PASSERBY TO KNOW IF ANYONE IS INSIDE. I IMAGINE LIVING ON BLM LAND COULD BE GREAT GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.
.
I think that's why boondocking is more common in van dwellers, but then if your going solo the isolation and lonelyness factor creeps up on you. I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD. BOB HAS HOMER FOR HIS LONG STINTS ALONE. I'M SURE THAT HELPS. OTHERS OF YOU HAVE YOUR PETS AS WELL. I HAVE OWNED MANY DOGS AND BEEN A DOG FOSTERER FOR DOGS THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD FOSTER. FOR ME I THINK I WOULD NEED HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP. I'M SURE I COULD LAST 2-3 MONTHS IF I HAD OR WANTED TO BUT I WOULD BE LONELY SOON. Eventually I found comfort either in the sticks or in the city, most things became predictable if not controllable and now I yearn for that lifestyle again... but its not for everyone in fact I think you need a hint of antisocial personality to feel the freedom is worth the sacrifice... unless you have a dedicated and proven partner to lean on. And maybe its just not worth all the hassle and adjustment for you, maybe you need a different path, only you can decide that though. I DEFINITELY HAVE A HINT OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY/ I LOST MY LONG TIME PARTNER A FEW YEARS AGO/ YOU'RE RIGHT, ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THIS WILL WORK FOR ME.


After awhile vandwelling changed me: as societies stress fell away I relaxed and became delighted with living in a van. I fell so deeply in love with it that I never plan to live in a house again.

I've given that a lot of thought trying to understand what happened and here is what I've concluded:
Every second of our life society teaches and molds us into being something we are not: wage slaves. When you move into a van, you are breaking against all that training and brainwashing and it makes you VERY uncomfortable. I AM ABLE TO SEE THROUGH ADVERTISING ETC. I SAW MY PARENTS QUESTION EVERYTHING FROM THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE TO LOCAL LAWS. THEY SPEARHEADED A NON-CONFORMIST SOCIAL MOVEMENT OR TWO IN THE 60'S-70'S ALL THE WHILE FUNCTIONING AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL IN SOCIETY.
I HAVE BEEN A NONCONFORMIST FOR THE MOST PART ALL OF MY LIFE. I APPRECIATE THE CONCLUSION YOU CAME TO BUT I THINK YOU'D AGREE THAT IT IS NOT 100% SOCIAL CONDITIONING THAT MADE YOU DELIGHTED LIVING IN A VAN. I'VE READ A LOT OF YOUR MATERIAL AND YOU OFTEN MENTION THAT YOU LIKE YOuR ALONE TIME. YOU CALLED IT A BORDERLINE PATHOLOGICAL NEED (PARAPHRASED MAYBE?) THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY MANY FACTORS THAT GO INTO ONE BECOMING A VAN DWELLER. I COMPLETELY GET YOUR POINT THOUGH.You only have two choices to make the discomfort end, give into the change or move out of a van. I gave into the change. Nothing changed on the outside very much, I did kept working at the same job the whole 6 years so on the outside the only thing that changed was where I lived. But on the inside all the unwritten rules of society dropped away one by one. FOR ME ALL THE UNWRITTEN RULES HAVE NOT AND WOULD NOT FALL AWAY UNLESS I WERE TO BECOME A COMPLETE RECLUSE. I'M HAPPY FOR YOU THAT THEY DID. MUST BE A WONDERFUL FEELING! I KNOW I CARE TOO MUCH WHAT OTHERS THINK YET AT THE SAME TIME I DON'T. OXYMORON?, YES AND NO.

I can't easily explain that, but let me ask you one question, if you don't smell, and you don't have any obvious dirt on you, what difference does it make if you aren't 100% meticulously clean? There is only one reason you care, society has trained you every minute of your life you must be totally clean at all times just in case you have to go to the hospital. I FEEL BETTER WHEN I AM CLEAN. IT FEELS GREAT AFTER I TAKE A GOOD STRONG, LONG SHOWER. I HAVE LONGISH HAIR AND IT GETS GREASY LOOKING QUICKLY. I FEEL AND LOOK A BIT GRUNGY AFTER 3 DAYS WITHOUT A GOOD SHOWER, AND IN TURN DON'T FEEL VERY PRESENTABLE. I DON'T GIVE A RATS HINEY IF I'M 100% METICULOUSLY CLEAN. IF I LIVED IN THE DESERT ALONE OR WITH A SMALL GROUP OF FOLKS, WHO I KNOW COULDN'T GIVE A RIP, I COULD GO 2 WEEKS OR MORE W/OUT WASHING MY HAIR. 'COURSE I WOULD WANT TO KEEP A FEW AREAS CLEAN NO MATTER WHAT.

What would your life be like if you didn't have societies unwritten rules controlling every tiny aspect of your life? If you keep living in your van, you are probably going to find out! I GET YOUR POINT BUT EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE IS NOT CONTROLLED BY SOCIETIES UNWRITTEN RULES. I'M SURE SOME IS -CONSCIOUSLY AND SUBCONSCIOUSLY. I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE CAN GET AWAY FROM THOSE RULES 100% NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO OR WHERE THEY LIVE. I DO THINK A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT CAN BE IGNORED AND OVERCOME.

P.S.S let me warn you though, for awhile you are going to feel worse because you are losing your security blanket. LOL. YES.

back in Nov you said you've been vandwelling for several months..what's the count now?? NOT SURE. I'M BAD WITH TIME. PROBABLY AROUND 8 MONTHS.

I've heard the Bay area ain't a cakewalk. THAT'S A FACT.
Shoot, I guess sports, the navy, and nekid parties on the beach sorta left me with no shame when it comes to a shared shower room, LOL (gotta have shower shoes tho). I AINT ASHAMED OF ANYTHING IN RESPECT TO THIS. IT'S SIMPLY A BIG HASSLE. IN MY AREA, NO ONE WANTS SOMEONE TAKING UNDO TIME GETTING THEIR HAIR “RIGHT” ETC. AND YEAH IT'S TRUE THAT I WOULD MUCH RATHER SHOWER PRIVATELY. SO, ITS NOT SHAME, ITS MORE THAT I AM A PRIVATE PERSON IN MANY RESPECTS (NOT ALL!).

On the other side...I certainly have seen that not everyone is ok with the same things. You might find vandwelling more appealing at another point in life when you don't have to make a "public appearance" daily....out on the road. GOOD POINT. I THINK THE THING I NEED TO TRY IS HITTING THE ROAD. THERE ARE SOME STUMBLING BLOCKS TO THIS IN TERMS OF THINGS I CANT WRITE ON A PUBLIC FORUM. EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS A CHANCE THOUGH.....

Regarding showers: I love the "rinse-less wash" you can get at REI, it smells like baby oil but it really does work and way better than moist toweletts. (this is kinda gross but...) If I go three days without a shower I can start getting a heat rash depending on how much I've been sweating, the 4 squirts of rinse-less wash once a day keeps me fully clean (if smelling like a baby oil factory). Though they may not be absolutely necessary I do yearn for the showers, I'm building a propane heated one that will pop out of the side of my van now. I figure that I go a few days without, then pick a secluded location (back of an industreal park after dusk etc) then shower and bolt. I'M THINKING OF BUYING ONE OF THE DEVICES MENTIONED ON THE BOARDS. THE PROPANE TANK WITH COMPRESSED CONTAINER... I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN I WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO USE IT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF MASSIVE PARKS AND PROTECTED LANDS IN THIS AREA..THAT COULD CONCEIVABLE WORK. MOST INDUSTRIAL PARKS (IF I AM THINKING ABOUT THE SAME THING) ARE HEAVILY MONITORED EITHER BY A HUMAN OR CAMERAS IN THIS AREA. I WOULD HAVE TO DO A LOT OF THINKING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SET UP THIS SHOWER. I WOULDN'T WANT TO USE A “CURTAIN” AS MY VAN IS VERY SMALL AND I THINK THAT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME. IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS ON THIS PLEASE LET ME KNOW.They also have rinse-less wash shampoo but though I still have a thick head of hair I can grow I've found going bald is just easyer, once every month I buzzer then shave the head, no shampooing or time spent combing or brushing... fast, easy. AS I WROTE ABOVE I HAVE LONGISH HAIR AND LOOK TERRIBLE WITH REALLY SHORT HAIR. ID CUT IT IF I LIKED HOW IT LOOKED. - ITS NT SOME SORT OF STATEMENT OR COMMENT ON SOCIETY, I JUST LOOK BETTER WITH LONGISH HAIR. I BOUGHT SOME SUAVE NO RINSE SHAMPOO FOR A FEW BUCKS AT WALLLY WORLD A FEW DAYS AGO. IT WORKED OK. I NEED TO TRY IT AGAIN. GOT PRETTY GOOD REVIEWS ON AMAZON.

Regarding hobbies... . Dont know what your into but you might look into doing a few things like that, or learn new hobbies that dont take up as much space. I'M INTO TONS OF THINGS (OR WAS). NOW I'M DOWN TO A COUPLE. I'LL PUT SOME MORE THOUGHT INTO THIS.

I was just thinking of a fellow we met in Nevada who lived in a truck with a small topper. He usually slept on BLM at the edge of town and everyday he parked at Walmart and climbed into the topper till sundown, and back to BLM. Same thing everyday for the last few years...no trips, no nothing. THIS AINT ME. I WENT TO ITALY A YEAR AGO FOR OVER A MONTH. I LOVED IT. I MET A GAL ON THE NET AND WE HOOKED UP FOR A FEW YEARS. I LIKE CHANGE AND NEW THINGS. SOCIETY AND LIFE IS CHANGING AT WARP SPEED FOR AT LEAST A DECADE (REALLY CLOSER TO THREE). ITS GOT MY MIND SPINNING. THERE IS A TEDXTALK ON TOO MANY CHOICES FOR ONE EXAMPLE. IT IS A MUST SEE IMO. OUR PROBLEM ACCORDING TO SPEAKER IS THAT WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY CHOICES AND THAT MAKES LIFE LESS ENJOYABLE FOR REASONS YOU WOULD HAVE TO WATCH THE TEDX TO SEE. HE MENTIONS THE FACT THAT WHEN HE USED TO BUY LEVIS, HE WOULD JUST TELL THE CLERK HE WANTED SOME LEVIS AND THAT WAS THAT. NOW THERE ARE ;SEEMINGLY ZILLIONS OF STYLES AND THAT (ACCORDING TO HIM) CAN ADD STRESS TO LIFE. THIS IS ONE SMALL EXAMPLE AND BARELY TOUCHES ONTO HIS ARGUMENTS.

boring....a person becomes complacent about everything after a while.
Ya gotta have things to do that ya like...go, see things...meet new people.
Keep life interesting and some of the less desirable aspects of your lifestyle sorta fade into the background. GOOD POINTS.

AS USUAL ANY REPLIES ARE APPRECIATED AND MORE THAN WELCOME.

J Grit

 

[user 423]

Brevity?

 

[Simran]

Jack,
This is just me but I can't imagine trying to stealth camp in a city. In two years I've spent many nights in the city but stealth I am not. I like to be social but particularly need to be around people nor do I want to all the time.
I think if you could find some combination of camping in city and rural camping you would find a balance that would work. as far as hobbies/activities go. If you cannot do your regular hobbies in a van then vandwelling my not be for you. Bottom line is if you are not happy; you just simply will not have a positive experience living in a van. It is not all wine & roses but it does work for me. I know this extremely long frigid winter has made it hard for me to get my van opened up and cleaned out good. This is the first winter I've had to deal with these temps. to this extent though.
Just know in your heart if it doesn't work that you gave it a solid try and move on. It can't be for everyone!
Good luck,

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Hi Jack I was wondering if your life was a box of birds before you moved into the van? The reason I asked is several years back I moved into my VW camper after a break up and hated it, felt lonely and couldn't get it together. Thinking back on that period of my life, I had a perfect area to boondock, then I got some empty land for nothing, but I never set it up right cause my mind was not into it. The van was not set up properly, I could have worked out a shower, comfortable set up on the land, campfire, kitchen water catchment etc, but all I did was walloe in my self pity. I am not saying this is the case for you but it was for me and I never realized it at the time, it is only now as I look back, knowing how easy it is to set up a comfortable existence that I realize the opportunities that I had missed out on. Of course at that time I needed to be around people and make new friends so I found some people that needed a roommate and moved in with them, that worked for me at that time in my life. Good on you for sticking with it.

 

[Jack Grit]

Brevity? LOL, WHAT CAN IS SAY?
This is just me but I can't imagine trying to stealth camp in a city. OTHERS TOO HAVE STATED THAT IT CAN BE ROUGH, ESPECIALLY IN THE BAY AREA.
I think if you could find some combination of camping in city and rural camping you would find a balance that would work. I'M THINKING YOU MAY BE RIGHT ON THE MONEY. I THINK I'LL DO A DENTAL (DR. RUBIO RECOMMENDED BY BOB) “TOURISM” TRIP IN A FEW WEEKS. THAT MAY GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHAT IT'S LIKE OUT OF THE CITY AND ON THE ROAD.
I KNOW AZ PRETTY WELL AND I'LL CHECK OUT SOME OF MY OLD FRIENDS AND STOMPING GROUNDS THERE (TUCSON AND BISBEE ETC).
If you cannot do your regular hobbies in a van then vandwelling my not be for you. I'VE BEEN GIVING THIS A LOT OF THOUGHT. It is not all wine & roses I SUPPOSE SOME OF THE STUFF I HAVE WRITTEN MAY APPEAR THAT I EXPECTED IT TO BE THAT WAY. I TRY AND THINK THAT I'M A REALIST ALTHOUGH I AM SOMEWHAT OF A DREAMER TOO. I FIGURED THERE WOULD BE TOUGH TIMES YET CONSIDERED THE GOOD WOULD OUTWEIGH THE BAD. THE VERDICT IS STILL OUT FOR ME. I WROTE IN AN EARLIER POST THAT THIS WAY OF LIFE MAY BE GREAT FOR SOME AND NOT SO GREAT FOR OTHERS. THE NEXT POST (AFTER YOURS) ADDRESSES THIS SO I WILL COMMENT THERE. I was wondering if your life was a box of birds before you moved into the van? I'VE NEVER HEARD THE TERM. GOGGLED IT AND COULDN'T FIND A DEFINITIVE ANSWER. The van was not set up properly MINE IS NOT SET UP PROPERLY. IT IS A CARGO VAN WITH PRIOR OWNERS SHELVES AND CABINET YET NO BED (OR ANYTHING ELSE, JUST A NORMAL CARGO VAN. I HAVE A SMALL THICK MATTRESS ON THE FLOOR WHICH IS COMFORTABLE BUT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MUCH ELBOW ROOM. I THINK A BIGGER CONVERSION VAN COULD DO THE TRICK ALTHOUGH I WOULD HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE MANY THINGS (INCLUDING THE MUCH APPRECIATED INPUT FROM THE GREAT PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM) BEFORE I SOLD THE SMALL ASTRO AND JUMP INTO A BIGGER, MORE SELF CONTAINED RIG.after a break up and hated it, felt lonely and couldn't get it together. ….. , but I never set it up right THERE ARE DEFINITE PARALLELS. I HAD A RECENT BREAK UP AND SOME OF THE FALLOUT IS ANALOGOUS TO YOUR EXPERIENCE. I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF INTROSPECTION.

///AGAIN I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THIS LIFESTYLE MAY BE PERFECT FOR MANY. I AM NOT HERE TO BE A DOWNER OR KILLJOY FOR ANYONE. I'M NOT HERE TO DISSUADE ANYONE EITHER. I AM JUST STATING SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES AND THOUGHTS AND SO FAR HAVE BEEN AMAZED AT HOW INSIGHTFUL AND HELPFUL MANY PEOPLE ON THE FORUMS HAVE BEEN. I'M HOPEFUL THAT I WILL FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK. I MAY END UP WITH A DIFFERENT RIG AND SO ON OR I MAY END UP WITH ANOTHER SITUATION ALTOGETHER BUT I STILL DON'T THINK I HAVE GIVEN THIS ENOUGH TIME AND I KNOW IN ORDER TO REALLY FIND OUT I HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

THANKS

J GRIT

 

[Simran]

Jack,
I've never heard the "box of birds" term before either. the first thing I thought of was a box full of bird $**t & feathers; neither of which sound appealing to me! :blush:
That said, I think you are doing the right thing mulling & ruminating on it. You MUST want it to work from some corner of your mind or you wouldn't be spending time trying to figure out how to make it a better fit for you; you would just run & not look back.
You may consider taking the racks out for a time & see if freeing the space you have to better use it for living help at all. Get a few cardboard boxes of different sizes to put stuff in and try to stack, store & otherwise organize the interior then head out for a weekend and keep re-arranging until it feels right. If you find something that works replace them with totes. Keep the racks until you decide you either need them or not.
I know I re-did the interior of my full sized van on 3 separate occasions. The last time was in the parking lot of a laundry mat :angel:
I got a few funny looks but that was it. That was 1.5 years ago. I've been happy with it since then.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Box of birds " chirpy" you know rainbows and lollipops, happy and fulfilled....perfect in every way,,,,

Jack it sounds like you are not set up, comfortably, the best advice someone gave me after another break up which left me in an empty apartement was "feather your nest" ( back on the bird theme), in other words get some gear in there that will make it livable, you can do it in your astro but you will have to be ingenious, you need some cooking gear, food storage, a good bed, some music, a tv perhaps, a chair ( folding campchair) and a little space for your things so you can feel relaxed and organized while in there. One of those folding camping cots and plastic bins under it would be a good start, a spot to set a small single burner stove, water storage etc....

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Ive reorganized in walmart lot and lowes...if something didnt fit i wanted to walk back inside and return it lol

 

[Canine]

Ive reorganized in walmart lot and lowes...if something didnt fit i wanted to walk back inside and return it lol

Yeah, commenting on an old post, I know, ought to get banned...
Most everyone has been super helpful and positive towards Jack, that's a lot better than other forums I've been on (automotive type) where flaming is the rule it seems...

I went to high school back in the 70's in SF and couldn't see trying to full time there then much less now with everything so crowded and expensive. Maybe you could cross the bridge and go up to San Rafael, Mill Valley or a bit farther north. More open, tons of motels to park in, I'll wager you could establish a rotating list of at least 10-15 different places (motels) within 10 miles of Sausalito/Mill Valley and San Rafael. They make stealth camping pretty easy.

Unless you've changed it or quit, the cargo van that hasn't been "converted" to make it your individual space can definitely be a downer. So, make it yours. Pull out the PO's shelves and racks, design your own living accommodations (tons of ideas and pictures have been posted on other threads) and you'll like it a lot better.

Me, I have a conversion high top and couldn't deal with a cargo, but that's me. If I could have afforded one I'd have taken a Sprinter.

Anyway, I see no recent (2015) posts from you or anyone, so maybe give us a status.

Regards

 

[ZoNiE]

You can clean and reorg at a do it yourself car wash. When I was a kid, my buddies and I were always at that place in the evenings screwing around with our lowrider mini trucks, cleaning with q-tips, tweaking the preamps. Ahhh... those were the days. I think about it every time I drive past the place, it is about half a mile from my house.

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

Another reason a bigger/cargo van may work better for you is having the space for insulation. When you add 3 or 4 inches of foam insulation its going to reduce the noise you hear from outside. The area I live in is a big city but its not as densely populated as SF. If you could find quieter side streets (away from private residences) to park on it may alleviate some of your concerns of door knocking. Adding the insulation would mean a quieter interior and make street parking more viable... at least to me. You could also drive a short distance away from the busy area of the city to find quieter places to park.

As to cleanliness of gyms etc having a wash basin/sink in your van (again bigger van would be helpful here) might go along way to solving this issue. Heat up water and wash your face/hair in sink and use a washcloth or wet wipes for other areas. Once a week use the gym shower with shower shoes. That might things more tolerable... depending on your personal cleanliness needs.

I also think adding a rolling office chair is a great idea, but you need a big enough van to do it in.

Gyms are never clean. Numerous people perspire all over every piece of equipment in gyms daily, so you're dealing with everything from palm sweat to crotch sweat (sorry to be indelicate) and everything in between, carrying all manner of communicable diseases, open area shower-room floors are crawling with the HPV virus, the type that causes planters warts on your feet, and don't get me started on what you can contract from unclean toilets. In addition, chlorine is extremely toxic to the human body, causing everything from lung disease to cancer. People don't require bleaching! Hot tubs are unbelievably toxic! Ugh!

I loathe public toilets too, but if you absolutely must use them, at *least* make up a batch of sanitized Huggies (a mixture of grain alcohol - AKA Vodka - and 2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of vodka) and wipe the seat before you sit down and use a couple for your hands when you're finished. Don't throw the ones you used for your hands away until you've opened both the stall door and the door out of the washroom. With all that's going around nowadays, there's a limit to what can be shared. I certainly appreciate having my own toilet on board our 28' Bounder. Being a physician, I don't have the luxury of ignorance, and so would advise caution when attending to your hygiene in public facilities. In my experience (with with a scant few exceptions), McDonald's has the cleanest washrooms as public washrooms go - although most hospitals (especially ERs) are fairly clean, if you don't mind braving whatever bugs may be present in the waiting-room populace.

I've lived in wilderness places for most of my life, and I'll take a bush or a forest over anything in the city any day of the week, and twice on Sundays!

Jack, regarding your disenchantment with mobile life, I'm wondering if you did much in the way of camping (tenting and such) growing up. Have you spent much time in the great outdoors or have you always lived in urban areas?

It's too bad that you don't have a significant other to share this experience with you. I've done it alone in my younger years, but it's much more fun with a mate. Without my husband, I'd just as soon be alone, but if I had a *best* friend (I don't anymore), someone with whom I knew I was compatible, I should imagine that would be all right.

It's difficult to know what to think when I don't know any more details....

In any case, I wish you the best and hope you can find what makes you happy.

Blessings,


Jesse.

 

[GotSmart]

You can clean and reorg at a do it yourself car wash. When I was a kid, my buddies and I were always at that place in the evenings screwing around with our lowrider mini trucks, cleaning with q-tips, tweaking the preamps. Ahhh... those were the days. I think about it every time I drive past the place, it is about half a mile from my house.

If you go to RTR, you will need a million Q~Tips.     

 

[Belinda2]

I've been doing Urban Stealth for a long time Jack, so here are my tips for you:
1. I live in Maryland, but I have boondocked in the Bay Area 7 times. My favorite spot is across from the A's stadium there is a campground. On that street two blocks down is a public park. On that street by the public park is boondocking heaven. You will see the regulars. You can ask further tips from the regulars. 50-60 degree weather everyday.... Bay view, and a place I walked my dog, <<<which you should consider since you like them.
2. Dazar's Blog is the bomb. Read it. Know it.
3. Privacy: Be organized. 1000% organized. Have the things you use the most at easy access. Have your food organized Meat, vegetables, fruit, grains. Have all marked by date, rotated and oldest on top for easy grabbing. Have a master list of the food. Look at the master. Plan what you are going in the rig for. Go in, get it, close the door. I have reflextix over each door since I live in a cold area. It can be used for hot areas also as insulation. This too adds privacy. Do ONE activity at a time. So you always have maximum privacy if someone walks by.
4. Solid sleep: What is your sleep pattern? You need more length in your bed to sleep prone then supine? You need more width, if you curl up at a point in the night. You need more height to the bed if you potty in bed or you sit up in bed. Make sure you have VOLUMES of covers, tarps, and/or reflextix for freezing temperatures. This too will affect the height of your bed. By your bed have ear plugs, something to cover your eyes from the light like a hat, flashlight, radio, potty jug ( yes, girls use this too) ha ha ha. Is your bed firm enough or soft enough? Do you have proper air flow, a fan, and/or a ceiling vent or sun roof. Do you have a night light? Solar outdoor garden/ walk way lights are 99 cents at the Walmart. Potty the dog. Brush your teeth. Tuck in your dog into her "baby bed". Take off your shoes before you get into your rig to keep it clean. Turn off your cell phone, etc. Pet your dog while falling asleep. Ca-ching you saved>>>>>>>>>>>>>>$$$$$$$$$!

 

[Dust-In-the-Wind]

"In addition, chlorine is extremely toxic to the human body, causing everything from lung disease to cancer. People don't require bleaching!"


Say Doc, I'm trying to figure out why every swim team in the country isn't riddled with cancer and lung disease?  Just sayin'.  We used to smell like Clorox 7 days a week during the season.

 

[compassrose]

Yeah, commenting on an old post, I know, ought to get banned...

Personally I think this is a great thread because it does address the drawbacks of stealthing very nicely. I think it should be a sticky. The newer and additional info is also very helpful. I have found the gung-ho everything is wonderful all the time attitude regarding stealthing a bit misleading. NOTHING is ever all wonderful all the time. I am quite willing to admit to being pro-campground/park. I've roughed it enough in my lifetime. I'm done with that. I also think that living in a campground/park is a good way to transition to the stealthing lifestyle. Gives one time to adjust to the small area and a new lifestyle. Tweak the placement of things without the worries of the "neighbors" getting freaked (you can unload and reload your vans). I also think that one should pull into a campground/park when it is bad weather (no need to freeze or cook to death) or if you are ill. Campgrounds and RV parks are not the evil places some here claim them to be. I used to live in apartments and duplexes years ago. I lived in a housing development in Fl where I could hear the neighbours toilet flush. I do not hear any of my neighbours' toilets flushing in RV parks. Some of those heaters are a bit loud. So I really don't think campgrounds & RV parks are all that bad. But I hold down a 40 hour job. I have to be close in. And working in the paint dept is a very dirty job and I take a shower daily. Maybe if I weren't on such a tether it would be different. Pulling into a campground/park should not be construed as a bad thing and some of you need to lighten up a bit.

I also think that "stealthing" is a bit costly. And not just in money (in various ways... some obvious, some not so obvious) but in stress. You all tend to be very concerned about where you are going to stay the night at.

Now that I am done "thinking", I'm going to wash several days worth of dirty dishes (it's been a long, tiring work week, and there really isn't much as I've not been eating much), take a nice long hot shower in my own shower to "de-paint" (I loathe public showers) and go to bed, perchance to sleep(?). Tomorrow, I work on my very unstealthy bus some more. Have fun people. That is what is important.

 

[Belinda2]

Correction Post #53:
Not the A's Stadium. That is in Oakland, but candlestick Park Stadium.
RV park is: Candlestick RV Park, Gilman Ave.
Park is: Candlestick Point State Recreational Area

 

[GotSmart]

I was wondering, as the Oakland site is in a not too safe neighborhood.

 

[Canine]

Personally I think this is a great thread because it does address the drawbacks of stealthing very nicely. I think it should be a sticky. The newer and additional info is also very helpful. I have found the gung-ho everything is wonderful all the time attitude regarding stealthing a bit misleading. NOTHING is ever all wonderful all the time. I am quite willing to admit to being pro-campground/park. I've roughed it enough in my lifetime. I'm done with that. I also think that living in a campground/park is a good way to transition to the stealthing lifestyle. Gives one time to adjust to the small area and a new lifestyle. Tweak the placement of things without the worries of the "neighbors" getting freaked (you can unload and reload your vans). I also think that one should pull into a campground/park when it is bad weather (no need to freeze or cook to death) or if you are ill. Campgrounds and RV parks are not the evil places some here claim them to be.

X2 on the above. While I usually stealth, sometimes the park w/o hookups is good too. What I mean by that is ask the office if you can stay there and use the shower and laundry for 1/2 the full hookup rate. It works sometimes. Worst they can say is no. Without an air conditioner in the van and already having a Mr. buddy for heat, I don't need their electricity (unless I question the house battery charge since I don't have rooftop solar). Some parks give you more space than others, and older parks with permanent customers tend to be more laid back.

Depending on the weather of course, sometimes having power is nice especially in little towns without a McDs or other place to charge up your laptop or iPad.

Lastly, don't read on your electronic screen before going to bed, it does something to the eyes and head, causing a not good rest.

You'll do ok, just get out of the SF area more...

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

"In addition, chlorine is extremely toxic to the human body, causing everything from lung disease to cancer. People don't require bleaching!"


Say Doc, I'm trying to figure out why every swim team in the country isn't riddled with cancer and lung disease?  Just sayin'.  We used to smell like Clorox 7 days a week during the season.

Probably because they're young enough and have strong enough immune systems to handle it at this stage of the game, but that happy state won't last for long. In our increasingly toxic world, there isn't a soul on Earth who doesn't need a daily detoxification regimen - if said soul wishes to live a healthy life. (I would have said LONG and healthy life, but there are always Mack Truck scenarios, and ultimately, I believe that GOD doesn't like arrogance, and while I've observed that we are permitted to manipulate the state of our health, I have an acute aversion to testing GOD. Make of that what you will.)

While infant and child mortality is increasing at an alarming rate, primarily due to leukemia and other cancers, most life-threatening dis-eases catch up with folks in middle age, from 35 onward. The majority of deaths take place between the ages of 50 and 65 at present, with only 2% of the U.S. population surviving to age 80 and beyond.

Technology has come a long way, and it certainly has its uses, but as the world we live in becomes more and more toxic, the ability of the human organism to battle those toxins lessens, and if one is hooked on Traditional Medicine and toxic medications, the outlook is... bleak.

At this juncture, every soul on Earth is hosting cancer, DDT (and a host of other pesticides), and phthalates (from plastics), which will cause lethal cancers, heart-disease, diabetes, and a plethora of other lethal ailments if they are not dealt with. Daily detoxification in our toxic world is a must if one wishes to either remain or 'get' and stay healthy.

While the great outdoors is still fun and certainly better to spend time in than cities and conurbations, there is nowhere on Earth that is pristine anymore. We find man-made phthalates and pesticides in the air, the oceans, and every animal and fish on the planet - including ourselves. We even find toxic levels of DDT and other pesticides in the breast milk of Eskimos in the Arctic, and in the bodies of baby polar bears who have been exposed via their mothers since conception. Even in the Antarctic, we must drill down several miles into the ice (to the depth it was over 100 years ago) to find 'clean' ice, as in ice not polluted by man-made lethal toxins.

I'm writing a book for the man on the street, in easy-to-read layman's terms, detailing how to protect yourselves and your families. It should be ready for publication by November, as I'm insanely busy gearing up to tour with our present concert and seven-novel series. (You can find the details on my website.) I'll keep you posted on the publication date of Staying Healthy in a Toxic World.

Cheers,


Jesse.

Jesse.

 

[Brian_and_Jesse]

Sorry about the double 'Jesse' sig. More haste, less speed, an' all that....