New van life camping...

[INTJohn]

You guys can bounce your life around the Gulf camping for free……..

Rutherford Beach in Loozyanna
Holly Beach in Loozyanna
Magnolia Beach, Texas near Port Lavaca
Padre Island National Seashore; Texas

The above are all boondock spots tho Padre Island has a fee campground, too but also free camp areas right on the Gulf.

Then you have the mentioned Falcon County.

There is also the Spur 406 camp at Amistad if you want to head up there. Near Del Rio. Spur 406 has only a few designated campsites for a very nominal fee but also there are free boondock places too. 50 or 60 day limit if I recall.
Amistad also has pay campgrounds on the south side of the lake.

If interested in any or all of these spots let google be your guide.

INTJohn

 

[WanderingRose]

And the Bolivar Peninsula near Port Bolivar in Texas, also free camping on the gulf without having to drive so far down to Padre.

 

[towboater]

Maybe I will see you there

Great! We will get there 12-27 if everything goes as planned. Be there for about 3 weeks. Safe travels

 

[Angie Stamper]

"Just GO!" Would be my answer. Head south and west to catch the warm temps. Quartzite AZ is definitely where you'd find a huge tribe of people doing the same thing and a good spot to rest and figure it out. So excited for you!! I left NY and traveled across the country to CA (still here). Best thing I ever did. Enjoy the journey!

Can I ask what area you are in CA ? I have two kids there ! One in San Diego county and one in LA area ? I have checked on places but they are so expensive!

 

[quilting22]

Eugene, Oregon.
Our favorite laundromat is next door to Planet Fitness:
https://west11thlaundromat.com.
When should we expect you and your load?

LOL...love it !

 

[eDJ_]

It would seem more laundromat owner/operators would try to establish near some of these nationally syndicated gym's. Or the gyms themselves would form a division of laundry service at or near their locations.

One of the guys in my High School graduating class was telling me about "Eurail" passes. His mother was from France and he and his parents would visit family there using their Eurail passes to travel. He spoke of all the services for traveling people that existed including laundry & bathing facilities in established businesses at train stations.

Perhaps with the growing number of Nomads and travelers in general this may begin to happen here in the future. But Europe is a smaller area that is well developed with established mass transit.

I would imagine that such businesses would offer a drop off laundry where within an hour or so one's laundry could be finished for them to pick up later after using the gym. (I would see this like a combination of a laundromat crossed with a convenience store) They would have better control over their equipment and the customer's time be optimized.

 

[WanderingRose]

And just a word of caution for those new to the Texas beaches, there was a couple a few years back OFF BY THEMSELVES IN AN ISOLATED SECTION OF BEACH at Padre Island NS who were robbed of their trailer/tow vehicle, murdered and buried in the dunes.

Killed “in the course of a criminal transaction”, if I remember correctly.

I have been down there several times since widowed, before and after this event, and never had any problems, but as with anywhere else, when you are in a remote area by yourself you are more vulnerable.

When I have been at Padre, and last year at Bolivar, there were plenty of others within eyesight and I never felt in any danger.

There are also miles of beaches for people to spread out, so even if you can see others it doesn’t feel crowded.

That said, it is spectacularly beautiful, in my opinion, and an amazing experience to camp right on the beach, watch the sunrise and sunset.

 

[RonDean]

LOL...love it !

On the laundry subject. A number of years ago I worked for Ceasar's Tahoe. At the time my schedule was hectic and my life was busy. I discovered the area had laundry services for folks like me. All I had to do was drop off my bag of dirty clothes and drop by the next day and pick up cleaned and folded laundry. I don't remember exactly which one I used, but it was something like the following link.
https://www.mountainfreshlaundry.com/
It occurs to me that this might be a great business opportunity for anyone wanting to cater to the nomad community. Especially in an area or at a time when many nomads congregate.

 

[abnorm]

Boy we are off course here but.........

ONCE in Florida I stayed at a "just-overhauled" State Park......Had the standard Showers and Restroom..........
Outdoor PAY laundry machines under cover.....AND around-the-corner a Huge kitchen sink with drainboards

Never underestimate the value of running WATER !

 

[peteg59]

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

I have been a fan of MV Lee for years.
She is back on her own for now, but Paul is still in her thoughts, no doubt.
Whether or not they get back together is TBD!
She has adopted a new dog, so mebbe not!???

 

[VanFan]

ONCE in Florida I stayed at a "just-overhauled" State Park......Had the standard Showers and Restroom..........
Outdoor PAY laundry machines under cover.....AND around-the-corner a Huge kitchen sink with drainboards

Never underestimate the value of running WATER !

Many of the Florida State Parks have those facilities. Another nice touch is a spot to tether your dog while in the restrooms. Some in Colorado have a building dedicated to laundry and dish washing. I've stayed in some in Arizona with nice dish washing sinks outside. A few of the parks in Texas have "mini" dump stations for Blueboys, porta potti or jugs outside of restrooms.

Yes! Running HOT water (really, any potable water) is a hugely underrated luxury!!

 

[Carla618]

And just a word of caution for those new to the Texas beaches, there was a couple a few years back OFF BY THEMSELVES IN AN ISOLATED SECTION OF BEACH at Padre Island NS who were robbed of their trailer/tow vehicle, murdered and buried in the dunes.

Killed “in the course of a criminal transaction”, if I remember correctly.

I remember when that happened. It still spooks me. They were nomads from Maine, iirc. The person took their rig across the border. Weren't they socializing with the perpetrator(s)? Or maybe it was completely random. I can't remember.

 

[Carla618]

I have been a fan of MV Lee for years.
She is back on her own for now, but Paul is still in her thoughts, no doubt.
Whether or not they get back together is TBD!
She has adopted a new dog, so mebbe not!???

I don't follow her channel regularly, but I've watched several of her videos. I love her laugh.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

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?

John, are you able to find free spots in the Keys ?

 

[INTJohn]

John, are you able to find free spots in the Keys ?

Well; depending on what type of vehicle you’re in it can be easy or very difficult.
Class A or C very difficult
Class B hit & miss
Van, pickup, suv, car, etc….easy: The Rule - if it doesn’t explicitly say you can’t then you can.

eg; True story:
Years back, I forget which key, was getting kinda late & Bunked up in a Publix lot in my pickup to crash as there was a class A in the lot. So I’m like oh that’s kool , u no?

I park and I’m in the back having a nightcap getting ready to crash when I hear voices & that class A diesel fire up. I peek out for a look and there’s some dude wearing a typical “ I’m the store manager uniform” giving them the message, u no. So I’m already starting to put my pants back on cause I figure I’m next as the Class A is moving out the lot but the manager walks back into the store never bothering me. So jonny boi finishes his gin and had a great nights sleep.
That’s the stealth difference.

Sayin
intjonny boi stealthin with the s

 

[WanderingRose]

Any area that is a hot spot for tourists is going to be very difficult to find “free” parking, tho you may get lucky and slide under the radar, that would be only for rigs that are not obviously RV’s.

Having been to the Keys several times, it is a drive everyone should do at least once, in my opinion, but get yourself a paid place to spend the night, is my recommendation.

It is a very long drive out of there if you are booted from your parking place.

 

[INTJohn]

Yeah; there’s no Walmarts or Cracker Barrels in The Keys. The Keys are not the place to hone ur stealth parking skills - but basic common sense really rules: stay off private property and don’t look like a tourist attraction. I mean, hell, if all the cops have to do at 1am is drive around lookin for fogged up windows I’m thinkin it’s time to put some cops on a layoff. Sayin……

Keys are a hundred miles frum Largo to West and from Largo to Big Pine I have about a dozen spots I use. A couple are somewhat known to the vehicle veterans but the rest are my own lil secrets.

jonny boi livin the dream