New van life camping...

[Harleygirl]

Hello everyone.. I'm about to start my minivan life camping (Town and country) I am nervous and excited..Not sure where to go if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so... I'm in Michigan

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hello Harleygirl, welcome. I moved your intro to the Newcomers section where it will be more easily seen.

Thanks for joining!

 

[Carla618]

Hello everyone.. I'm about to start my minivan life camping (Town and country) I am nervous and excited..Not sure where to go if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so... I'm in Michigan

Welcome Harleygirl

 

[INTJohn]

Hello everyone.. I'm about to start my minivan life camping (Town and country) I am nervous and excited..Not sure where to go if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so... I'm in Michigan

Winters on the way!
Get the hell owta Michigan.
Sayin…….
intjonny boi

 

[bullfrog !]

Head for a caravan or group in Quartzsite Arizona to help you get accustomed to van living. Warmer weather makes winter living easier for someone starting out!

 

[VanFan]

Welcome, and enjoy!

 

[eDJ_]

Welcome to the Van Living Forum HarleyGirl

In the edjautoservices link below there is a Links section at the bottom with a "Trip Planning at home or on the Road" section. In that there are many links to sites that will offer you ideas of interesting things to see and experience. You'll probably have a digital camera and a laptop or Cell which would allow you to post in the "Captain's Log" in the "Share Your Story" section of the forum..

In that Trip Planning section there is a link to the 2-2-2 system of travel. A lot of new people start out traveling long distances between places they would like to visit, but you can slowly drift along and see all kinds of stuff by just taking your time and getting more for your travel cost. It's a more efficient and relaxing way to travel.

As a last thought, consider a nationally syndicated gym membership
where your monthly fee will permit you to use any location in the network. You will be able to clean up, get in fresh clothing, recharge electronics, use WIFI there, exercise, watch TV, and chat with other people. (and likely other Nomads visiting these same places)

And you can Google for Laundromats near the zip code you're in.

Good luck and all the best

 

[rruff]

Not sure where to go if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so... I'm in Michigan

This time of year, head to SW AZ! And then when it gets hot, go north and up (in elevation).

If you spend the winter at one of the LTVAs (around Quartzite and Yuma) you'll meet tons of folks who can advise you on good summer places.

 

[Harleygirl]

This time of year, head to SW AZ! And then when it gets hot, go north and up (in elevation).

If you spend the winter at one of the LTVAs (around Quartzite and Yuma) you'll meet tons of folks who can advise you on good summer places.

Thank you..

 

[INTJohn]

Hello everyone.. I'm about to start my minivan life camping (Town and country) I am nervous and excited..Not sure where to go if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so... I'm in Michigan

Michigan is Florida North;
Florida is Michigan South.
You need to give more data about your lifestyle; how you want to live, etc. your expectations, etc. what you want frum your minivan life B4 I can really give you any kind of constructive positive info.

Many on this site hang at Qzt, Az and have advised you to travel out there. But you may hate the desert. Idk. I’ve spent alot of time in the desert SW as well as the Beaches & Coasts. All over really but I’m not going to tell you “Oh yeah come here & hang with us!” Or you just gotta see this that or whaver.

One thing tho; if you’re living in a minivan your time is short to get out of Michigan. Florida & The gulf area is alot closer than Az ; the desert SW. but maybe travel expenses are not an issue for you. Also in winter there are times when Quartzsite gets cold too. Jus sayin.

It’s a big country and there is plenty of warm spaces all over the South that are awesome for vehicle livin. From Atlantic; GulfStates as well as the desert SW or SoCal beaches.

Blah, blah. I need more info from you in order to pass on any intelligent data……

intjonny boi.

 

[RvNaut]

Chrysler T&C.. have the transmission flushed and the filter changed. If you can do this every 35k the transmission will last forever.
A weak area is the line that connects to the power steering fluid cooler under the car.
Make sure you can get at the spare tire, that sucker is in a weird spot.... under the car between the front two seats.
Check for floor pan rust behind the front wheels...

Good Luck!!

 

[scaredycat72]

if anyone can give me some helpful information please do so

The Youtuber Minivan Lee wrote an ebook called "How To Live In A Minivan: The Minivan Lee Way." It's on Amazon for $10. It's a decent book that will save you a lot of time and effort piece mealing info together. I detest her husband so I don't watch her anymore - birds of a feather - but I still recommend her book because it's helpful.

 

[Carla618]

The Youtuber Minivan Lee wrote an ebook called "How To Live In A Minivan: The Minivan Lee Way." It's on Amazon for $10. It's a decent book that will save you a lot of time and effort piece mealing info together. I detest her husband so I don't watch her anymore - birds of a feather - but I still recommend her book because it's helpful.

Just checked her channel. She is on her own again.

 

[Gr8ful]

Here's a YT that should help
I'm west of Kalamazoo. Enjoy the journey!

 

[Carla618]

Michigan is Florida North;
Florida is Michigan South.
<snip>

It’s a big country and there is plenty of warm spaces all over the South that are awesome for vehicle livin. From Atlantic; GulfStates as well as the desert SW or SoCal beaches.

You make some good points. I told my daughter today that I might go south instead of west because it's so much closer from central Illinois. She did a quick getaway to the gulf coast last spring and it worked out well. She said her, her sister (with the grandkids) can drive to camp with me in Louisiana or closer to the panhandle.

 

[rruff]

She did a quick getaway to the gulf coast last spring and it worked out well.

The north part of the gulf coast is rainy, overcast, and not that warm in the deepest depths of winter. Avg highs are below 60. I think you need to go pretty far south in TX and FL if you care about that.

 

[INTJohn]

As far as Fl goes. You draw a line from north of Clearwater/Tampa east to Melbourne and that’s about where the ave high temp is 70 for Jan & Feb with ave lows in the low to mid 50’s range. South is progressively warmer while north gets progressively kooler.

Pensacola in jan & Feb is mid 60s for ave highs and mid 40s for ave lows. Jacksonville about the same.
The Keys? For Jan & Feb ave hi mid to upper 70s; ave lows mid to upper 60s; and thaz where jonny boi will be. Sayin…..

Y not?

 

[rruff]

Where do you camp though, Johnny?

I spent some time camping in north FL a long time ago 33 years about. It was ok, but... lots of people. I thought I'd found a good spot in S GA, but was rudely awakened in the early am by hoards of guys with guns. Hunting season I discovered. Luckily not "rangy white boy" season!

 

[maki2]

Lots of good places to camp in the USA. It has that kind of pioneering legacy.

 

[Carla618]

The north part of the gulf coast is rainy, overcast, and not that warm in the deepest depths of winter. Avg highs are below 60. I think you need to go pretty far south in TX and FL if you care about that.

Even those temps are pleasant, though, compared to here in the winter.

Once you get to southern Illinois you can feel the difference in the climate. Missouri and Arkansas usually have mild weather and both have lots of free camping (dispersed) in the state parks.

Harleygirl will probably go east of those places if she chooses Florida. Kentucky and Tennessee are beautiful, too.

I've wanted to visit the Texas beaches for some time.

The last time I drove to Florida it was in January and I still remember how wonderful it felt to stop at the ocean in Alabama in warm temps. Sunshine is great, but not necessary when escaping the bitter cold.