Odd Questions that need answers LOL

[Mortisha]

Thanks Tara! I will have to remember the ground cinnamon trick. I never heard of that =) But never had a problem with ants either LOL Great to know!<br /><br />I don't think I will be looking for those gila monsters LOL hope they do not find me either.&nbsp;<br /><br />I think I will be good camping down there in winter. I will be doing a lot of moving because for the first few years I have lots of plans to see sites. After that I do not know what I am going to do other than just snowbird. I really want to get out of this humidity in the summer but I know even as far north as Green Bay WI they have it hot and muggy in the summer. Maybe I will try Canada in the summer... who knows. I really hate extreme heat and cold so I need to find somewhere right in the middle most of the time LOL. HuggZ Thanks again!

 

[gypsydreamer]

edited

 

[Mortisha]

@Gypsy... Thanks I never knew that! I love this place... all of you have all the answers I need! I will definitely check into the national forests. HuggZ

 

[peacetara]

Year round mild weather happens along the California coast! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> &nbsp;One of the main reasons I lived in Santa Cruz for 5+ years <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />I also agree, there are a lot of people that do the deserts of AZ in the winter, and the mountains in southern Cali or Northern AZ in the summer, specifically to avoid driving very far, and have awesome year-round weather.<br /><br />Then others, will take the summers to go traveling, and just winter out in the southwest desert.<br /><br />It's really whatever is right for you, and the best part of living in a van/rv/trailer/whatever is you can go wherever you want!<br /><br />@mortisha:<br />I agree Gila Monsters aren't something you go looking for, but they are very beautiful, so are worth checking out pictures of!<br /><br />If you forget the ant trick, if you do run into problems with ants, just post here, and I'll remind you! &nbsp;I've had my fair share of ant related problems, I finally found ground cinnamon, and I'm a much happier lady now! I never liked killing them, and the 'chinese ant sticks' never worked for me. &nbsp;But if it was my food or the ants, well I'm going to win, no matter what. &nbsp;Now I get to keep my food, without having to hurt them in the process! YAY! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Mortisha]

Are there many places in Southern Cal to do dispersed camping for free? I have not really thought of going out to California except a few sites I have planned to see one of these years LOL.&nbsp;<br /><br />I will have to make the trip back to Ohio for the holidays. I am going to spend it with family and hope to be back on the road Jan 1st. for warm weather. Well when I go I mean (less than 2 yrs now) =)<br /><br />HuggZ

 

[peacetara]

Depends on how you define southern California, and what your goals are!

There are lots of national public land all over California, but the coast is pretty hard to find places. While technically every inch of Beach/coast line is considered public property, it's not true in practice, and basically nobody let's you camp there (there are some places)

Anyways , as long as you stay away from
The cities, then you are probably OK, but San Diego has grown well into the mountains now, and LA has grown into San Diego and well out of the La basin and into the desert to the far east. So lots of Southern southern California is taken up by metropolis now.

So along the coast from LA area to the Mexico border is well covered by cities now. North of LA there is a lot of empty until you start to but up against the bay area(SAn Francisco, etc). East of the bay area in 'central California' is some open land, and then Northern California there isn't much city up here, and lots of national forests, and federal public land.

It should be noted, there is a LOT of state public land, but California doesn't really want you camping on any of their land(there are exceptions in their campgrounds), but almost no dispersed camping allowed. Of course with their budget cuts, one would wonder if anyone would notice.

With love,
Tara

 

[peacetara]

Maybe some weather oriented geography is in order tho, to
Give you some understanding of California and its weather. Note this is a very rough plan, there are absolutely exceptions!

Right up against San Diego is a big set of mountains, and they sort of run in a line up along the coast above LA and then start to turn and head out to the ocean. Everything on the ocean side will be mild weather, green and full
Of cities. Everything on the other side of the mountains will be desert, hot and not green.

As you get up north, California ends up with 2 mountain ranges, one along the coast and one along the far eastern edge. Everything in the middle sucks(from a
Weather perspective)

Again, everything on the ocean facing side of the
Mountains is awesome weather (usually) and everything else is usually crazy hot
Or crazy cold.

Also, please bear in mind before you attack my horrible geography lessons here, they are not very accurate but from a weather perspective I think they are, pretty close. And please keep in mind, for me anything that's not 68 and sunny is considered horrible weather now! I clearly spent too much time along the California coast <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

With love,
Tara

 

[josephusminimus]

Mortisha:&nbsp; I've spent most of my life in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, a lot of it walking around in places where a hostile critter should have taken a shot at me.&nbsp; But I've never been snake bitten, though&nbsp; I've been struck at and looked hard in the eye closeup by rattlers.&nbsp; Mostly snakes just want to be left to tend their own affairs.&nbsp; They'd rather scurry away than bite something too big to eat.&nbsp; But in the high country you'll sometimes find them in old woodpiles, and if they're feeling grouchy, they'll strike before they run.<br /><br />As for scorpions, spiders, I've never found a place in the southwest where they weren't.&nbsp; A scorpion dropped off the ceiling last night and whacked me on the shoulder.&nbsp; Ain't a really big deal, Texas and eastern New Mexico scorpions.<br /><br />Black widow and brown recluse, I try to leave them alone and watch for them, and thus far never brought a bare foot into a boot where one was setting up housekeeping.<br /><br />These things are just a part of life, trying to make a living same as everyone else, and not among the actual measurable dangers a person's likely to encounter in a nose-to-nose situation.&nbsp; <br /><br />But that's just my personal experience talking.&nbsp; Anyone bitten by a brown recluse or black widow would argue the other side.<br /><br />My thought is I'd rather be bitten by a black widow than pick up Giardia off a mountain stream and spend six months jumping behind trees to throw out axe handles.<br /><br /><br />

 

[Mortisha]

Well I am going to try to stay to the forest areas as I enjoy the trees and that life but in the winter I am going to head southwest.<br /><br />I am going to try not to drink from mountain streams as much as possible without treating the water. And as for the insects ... they scare me to death LOL.<br /><br />Now southern california sounds really nice but I am not too much into the whole beach scene. I do like to visit the ocean but I have to be very careful because I have vampire eyes.... ok let me explain LOL My eyes are overly sensitive to sunlight and when I am out in the sun, it will burn my eyes. So that should tell you all .... I am very fair skinned and even anemic LOL doesn't that sound like I really am a vampire LOL I am as close as you can get but I don't have fangs.... well I do but only wear them on occasion LOL&nbsp;<br />HuggZ

 

[Ballenxj]

Regarding drinking from mountain streams, or any source of unknown quality, boil the water first if you have the means. An even easier (but more costly) solution would be to get a Katadyn water filter that filters down to .2 microns. This will eliminate Giardia and other water borne impurity's. <br />After much research, and a recommendation from Jeff Randall (some of you might recognize that name) I ended up buying the Katadyn Vario.<br />The water purification tabs are handy to keep on hand as well. <br />Good luck. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br />-Bruce

 

[akrvbob]

I am not a big fan of boondocking in California. I've been stuck here for the last 16 months and can't wait to leave. Here is the problem: Gas costs 30-50 cents more per gallon than just across the border in Nevada or Arizona. Over the long run, that really adds up. Also, I personally hate Californias attitude about guns. <br /><br />If money is tight, the very best place for a boondocking vandweller is Arizona. Gas is cheap and there is a huge variety of public land to live on, so you can be reasonably comfortable in summer and winter. Plus, anyone (within reason) can carry an open or concealed weapon. Worried about snakes? Carry a .44 mag with shot shells or a Taurus Judge with .410 shotshells and .45 Colt. Don't try that with in CA on state land.&nbsp;<br /><br />Oddly enough, there are even places to boondock for free on waterfront in Az. Bob

 

[Mortisha]

As long as I can get out of this humidity I think I will be fine. It was hot here today that I thought I was baking LOL. Not to mention my eyes are burnt up! I need an eye implant bad I hate having vampire eyes. They burn up everytime I am out in this sun. May be I should heed the warnings and stay in the dark LOL HuggZ