New guy here.

[Othulian 2K]

Still living in a house. Ok had to get that out of the way. 

Hi! 

TLDR: Hi everybody! 



Long story short. I am a combat vet and am currently in school. Will be finishing my degree in about a year (BSHS "Human Services")

I started looking into this about a year or so ago watching others on youtube. 

The idea of just leaving it all behind has always appealed to me. I always said if I lived about 200 years ago I would have just wondered off into the woods one day never to return. Things were so much simpler then..... well looks like they still are..... minus the population of humans over what seems like every inch of the earth. 

I made 3 total deployments to Iraq. There were days and nights (especially nights, I love the night) where I would think... it's so empty and so beautiful I wish I could take my gear and just start walking. I often wondered if it was not a war zone and I was not in the military, what would I find out there.

I own a Prius and have made several trips to no place in particular. I have a parrot as a pet/ companion animal and she loves going with me to see new things. I found a beach in Texas during the winter with no one on it and camped there for a couple days. I have gone to the woods etc...

My only issue with the Prius and really is my only issue is a toilet... I am sorry I dont mind emptying black water tanks (Borrowed a family members class C a few times its to big for me) but I gotta have a toilet and not the portable type or the bags etc... I mean a real toilet and the ability to occasionally take a quick shower. 

So I am in about a year (My degree is extremely important to me) into getting a class B or maybe something like the T@B trailers. If I got the T@B I would get a jeep. 

Well that's where I am and hope to be on the road in the next 12-18 months or so.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Othulian 2K to the CRVL forums! 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. highdesertranger

 

[Wabbit]

Hi Othulian! Best of luck to you. Are you into theology or just a coincidence? Either way, neat user name!

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Welcome! Sit a spell and relax...lol

 

[Othulian 2K]

total coincidence

 

[cyndi]

Thank you for your service! Welcome to our forum!

 

[OutdoorFT]

Welcome! I like those t@b trailers. If I was alone, theyd be right up my alley.

 

[jimindenver]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the CRVL Forums    

Let me echo Cindi in saying "Thank you for your service".  Awesome post !

There are numerous solutions to onboard toilets.  Just ask others what they have
found to work for them.  I have a Thetford chemical toilet that I can use in the Van
or on my boat when I take it out.  Yes it's portable but there are all sizes.

In camp I usually take it out of the Van and locate it away where it is mostly hidden.
I have small blue plastic tarp's I can fold around trees to make an enclosure and even
a small piece to rig as a roof....should rain be in he forecast. 

Several others have spoken of making a Shower device from a garden sprayer that would
hold a few gallons of water.  These are plastic and usually between $10 and $15 dollars at
places like Harbor Freight.   What they do is paint the white plastic tank and spray paint it
flat black for the Sun light to warm the water in it when ready.  Next they splice a kitchen sink
sprinkler hose to the tank so that when pressurized you can control the water spray with the tab on
the sprinkler handle.   Thus you can wet yourself down, lather up, and then hose yourself off efficiently.
The privacy screen will also block the wind nicely.

The same enclosure for the toilet could be used for showering as both the tank and toilet are portable.
I know having a real bathroom toilet is a priority for you now,  but in time your perceived at present needs may change giving the advantage of flexibility. 

Garden Sprayer Shower

And if you were to have a charcoal grill with you and a coil of copper tubing,  an on demand
water heating element could be improvised as such,

Otherwise,  if it is colder weather where you are and you are traveling, a membership
to any of the nationally syndicated Gym's such as Planet Fitness (example) would give
you 24/7 year around access to showers, toilets, lounge with TV,  WIFI, electric to recharge
the Cell etc as well as the Gym.   If you are in any of the free campgrounds there may be
some toilet facilities.  If you are boondocking the above may provide for your needs.

 

[gapper2]

Welcome Thulian 2k!  And Sir I do thank you for your service. 

gapper2

 

[Othulian 2K]

eDJ_

Thank you so much. I love using my Prius to camp out of and the most I have done is 5 days. Meaning after 5 days I need to find a place to clean up.

I love like the portable toilet. That may extend me out to 10+ days at a time. That is my biggest issue. While I can go longer than 5 days without facilities I just dont want to. Thank you for the help. Love the shower idea, I have a small garden and already have one of these set up to water plants.... should work just fine on humans. I usually carry 14 gallons of water with me when I set out and I know from experience if I need to I can make that last up to 20 days. (Depending on outside temps and how much I need to drink to stay functional.

 

[DrJean]

Hi there! Thank you for your service.

Please remember that PTSD may be driving some of your decisions. Stay with counseling and if you didn't get any, begin and let them help you determine how you really are thinking?

Many vets finish schooling with the benies from military service, and it helps to focus upon a "mission" that way... my own son finished this year with his PhD!

Yeah... it's quieter in the woods usually no problem needing a class B... I need a handicap accessible so I bought the Transit to modify.

 

[Othulian 2K]

Hi Othulian! Best of luck to you. Are you into theology or just a coincidence? Either way, neat user name!

Hi there!  Thank you for your service.

Please remember that PTSD may be driving some of your decisions.  Stay with counseling and if you didn't get any, begin and let them help you determine how you really are thinking?

Many vets finish schooling with the benies from military service, and it helps to focus upon a "mission" that way... my own son finished this year with his PhD!

Yeah... it's quieter in the woods usually   no problem needing a class B...   I need a handicap accessible so I bought the Transit to modify.

Yes I am getting help. That has slowed down my decision to do this. I am on anti-psychotic medication and will not be in a place I can not get counseling or medications.  Once you are in the VA system it is nice. I was in NM in my Prius out looking for the sand art caves (Had permission from a land owner) and spent a good chunk of time out there. I used the VA system there to get more medications. 


So yeah I do go through the "How much of this is PTSD and how much of it is what I want" I have learned that with me anyway with PTSD I can or tend to jump into things. So the fact that for the last year and a half I have been looking at getting a class B and at the least taking extended trips to the woods etc... and that I keep looking or coming back to this type of thing... that it may be more than just PTSD....

 

[DrJean]

There isn't much to change about the PTSD... but it's important to rethink that especially an impulse decision might be it's doing. And yes, fight, flight, or freeze... while in military battle you get to FIGHT... you might be where I am in FLIGHT... Be aware that the meds they give can also cause what you're trying to medicate... and can change to that at any time... just try to be aware and counter any negative thinking.

but the realization that it might not be "you" is a good first step... and knowing what triggers ya is important too... can't always control things but just keep moving and you'll get to where you need to be.

Hopefully our VA system can only get better.... the previous admin shut my son's service dog training down MID training! Doh.

I had hoped to have sold my home by now, but I may be delayed almost a year more now But I'm not burning any bridges and if van living doesn't work out for me, I can always go back to house living (but a smaller one in a safer place?)

Welcome, again.

 

[ArtW]

Welcome! Thanks for your service!
I wish I'd had the option of a T@B instead of this 20 footer, then my Ranger would pull it lol
I also thought of converting a 6x10 or 12 cargo (about the size of a T@B, and I could make my own floor plan)

 

[Joseph_Grey]

Hey there. I am kind of new here as well. Just building out my first van. I just bought a Nature's Head composting toilet. I don't have it setup yet but a couple of first thoughts.... It seems really well built and is much lighter than I expected. I think you couple pop it in and out of a vehicle if you setup camp.

--joe