Pirate Camp Winter Season '23-24

[RvNaut]

We don’t all do Facebook,

Which is a MAJOR problem. There is no one source of information. Many people do nto do FB and thus are unprepared, or maybe should not be here in the first place. Therefore there is chaos. My attempt to try and bring little more non-organization to it failed miserably. Even those on FB don't bother to read anything, with peple daily coming on to the FB page demanding to know where it is etc.... when of course all the info is right there....

I see no future for Van Aid as it currently operates...

The schoolie crew even went to far as to threatend to call the BLM because I called them on letting dogs run, and pee on people's stuff.... the Dirty kids are hear too.... I do not trust.... and I should be able to , but I do not feel safe here.

..and yeah... there is a ton of good being done....

 

[WanderingRose]

Sad, but maybe not throw in the towel completely until this is over and you can get some perspective on it.

At least, speaking just for myself, in the midst of chaos is not the best time to make major decisions.

 

[user 22017]

Which is a MAJOR problem. There is no one source of information. Many people do nto do FB and thus are unprepared, or maybe should not be here in the first place. Therefore there is chaos. My attempt to try and bring little more non-organization to it failed miserably. Even those on FB don't bother to read anything, with peple daily coming on to the FB page demanding to know where it is etc.... when of course all the info is right there....

I see no future for Van Aid as it currently operates...

The schoolie crew even went to far as to threatend to call the BLM because I called them on letting dogs run, and pee on people's stuff.... the Dirty kids are hear too.... I do not trust.... and I should be able to , but I do not feel safe here.

..and yeah... there is a ton of good being done....

Don't give up.

It's not a major problem. There are many other ways to communicate, besides FB. Texting, email, websites, apps

Compared to group meetings and teleconferences, digital exchanges made via email or online messaging applications tend to allow for informal interactions between group members. Teammates can use this method to share knowledge, respond to questions, and report their progress. Due to the technology's instant nature, team members can exchange information faster than through more traditional channels. This mode of communication can also help when there's no defined group leader, as everyone has equal access to the technology.

 

[WanderingRose]

Call me uninformed, but I had to look up “what are Dirty kids”.

https://dismantlemag.com/2022/08/01/dirty-kids-digital-nomads-vanlife/?amp

 

[bullfrog !]

Sounds like it would be better to isolate yourself from others you don’t know and stay with ones you do then go to a common gathering place to work during the day or check out people before working with or for them. Maybe take turns watching your group camp during the day. Groups or teams doing one project at a time for individuals is more complicated but safer and less likely to have things go south. There is almost always somewhere away from the crowds on the outskirts to camp and avoid people problems. Inviting individuals to your group work area with the understanding of your rules is easier than dealing with several that don’t have an understanding. Sounds like it is a good thing the BLM is stretched thin or everything would get much more complicated in my opinion. “Happenings” seldom go well and always leave their mark on the area in my opinion.

 

[user 22017]

Call me uninformed, but I had to look up “what are Dirty kids”.

https://dismantlemag.com/2022/08/01/dirty-kids-digital-nomads-vanlife/?amp

Thank you Rose! Now I have to reread what was said about the kids.

 

[NctryBen]

And all in the name of trying to help… if I did it I’d ask for double what you make Jason… let’s see… 2x0 =… never mind!

 

[jacqueg]

Which is a MAJOR problem. There is no one source of information. Many people do nto do FB and thus are unprepared, or maybe should not be here in the first place. Therefore there is chaos. My attempt to try and bring little more non-organization to it failed miserably. Even those on FB don't bother to read anything, with peple daily coming on to the FB page demanding to know where it is etc.... when of course all the info is right there....

I see no future for Van Aid as it currently operates...

The schoolie crew even went to far as to threatend to call the BLM because I called them on letting dogs run, and pee on people's stuff.... the Dirty kids are hear too.... I do not trust.... and I should be able to , but I do not feel safe here.

..and yeah... there is a ton of good being done....

Jason, sounds kinda like a nightmare to me. No good deed goes unpunished...

I think you should let someone else organize Van Aid next time. Preferably someone who is criticizing you for the way you are doing it!

 

[maki2]

One of the painting methods that works OK for nomadic life and gives good results is to “roll and tip”. I first learned about it on the Fiberglass RV forum. But they likely learned about from the world of boat hull painting. use these keywords on YouTube to see the tutorials in action “Roll and tip boat hull”.

Of course it will also work on vans but it is really best done for large areas so a van roof would be perfect for it! You need a partner. There is no sprayer involved, just a roller,and paint pan for one person and a good quality paint brush or good quality foam brush for the other person.

Quit a few people on the fiberglass RV forum were using Rustoleum outdoor paints for the job, the oil based paints versus the water based. It will take a bit of experimenting to see how much if any thinner needs to be added. What thinner is something you should research based on what paint you purchase.

Where to do it? Depends on the size of your vehicle. You might inquire into renting a storage type of garage space for a few weeks or a month. The Ehrenburg Laundromat building has some of those out back of the business. If it is a month's rent maybe you could do a time share with a couple of other folks who also need to do some painting. That could be great as you can help each other with labor as well as the expense and ****dock nearby in Ehrenburg on BLM land. Blythe is close and that town has auto parts stores and a very good hardware store.

Basically Roll and Tip is an easy method to try if you can find a sheet of pre primed plywood to try it out on. Maybe you will like it, maybe you won’t. But with a bit of focus while you work you can achieve a very smooth finish.

 

[maki2]

A guy named Randy stopped by my trailer today looking for Pirate Camp. He recognized my easy to spot trailer from postings on this forum. I told him you would be back to Quartzsite after the 19th.

he is not on Facebook, if he had been he would have caught up with you at Van Aid. He just arrived in Quartzsite today after spending some time camping out on American Girl Mine Road. He saw the big group out there but did not know what it was all about or that Pirate camp members were there.

 

[PattySprinter]

It was the simple request to keep dogs leashed that set it off.....

I saw somebody flipping Jason off regarding dogs off leashes.
Seems like there was some disrespect; entitled trolls.

 

[PattySprinter]

THANK YOU to everyone that has been so kind to me over the last few weeks.
I am so grateful to have camped with so many wonderful people.
I made some new friends and got to visit with some old friends at Van Aid.
Thank you Doug for putting my upper cabinets up, thank you to the baboon trainer for putting in my propane lines and thank you to the gentleman who took my wood scraps and cardboard to a fire ring, thank you Sherry for camping with me.
I am back in the Ozarks now - but hope to see you all soon

 

[camperdan]

HOWA has said from the very beginning that one of the goals is to find acreage large enough to host events and in addition a place to stay full time for those who can no longer travel. They do not need time to figure that out because it was stated in their goals from even before the first day of incorporation as a non profit.

Escapees is two different things. One thing is a group of RV parks which is a for profit business. The other thing is Escapees C.A.R.E which is a non profit that accepts donations to help provide housing assistance for older persons who can no longer travel. It is a good marriage that grew out of a desire to help the members of the Escapees RV parks business clients. The Escapees CARE was successful in their goal because access to the land and facilities existed before the incorporated. As did a base group of Escapee RV park members willing to help with donations of funds and on-site volunteer time.

What a great idea... a large enough piece of land for events and a place for seniors to land when they can no longer travel. I will support this with my check book. I would like to hear about the progress in this area.

 

[abnorm]

A guy named Randy stopped by my trailer today looking for Pirate Camp. He recognized my easy to spot trailer from postings on this forum. I told him you would be back to Quartzsite after the 19th.

he is not on Facebook, if he had been he would have caught up with you at Van Aid. He just arrived in Quartzsite today after spending some time camping out on American Girl Mine Road. He saw the big group out there but did not know what it was all about or that Pirate camp members were there.

Any idea WHAT was his Ride ?.............Lots-O-Randy s out there

We certainly won't return that soon.............WAY too much to still do here.........maybe a couple weeks

Finally felt "good enough" to install the "Super-Arm" handicapped lift in Corbett's van............It took a VILLAGE of strong workers to Lift/Fit/RE-fit and finally bolt it down....................NEXT the electrical and all those SENSORS

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^Warch your fingers!!!

 

[abnorm]

^^^Warch your fingers!!!

OUCH......Too Late !

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^I always hated working on lifts as a school bus mechanic. It was always necessary to use the hand you weren’t paying attention to to steady yourself while using the other hand to adjust the sensors it seemed.

 

[maki2]

Abnorm, this Randy has a typical white van. But he did say he lives in northern Nevada at as I recall a little over 5,000’ so he is part time in the cold months in Arizona. He is not on that other forum the YARC folks started, just on this one. He bought a 2 week LTVA pass.

You said you are feeling better. I am guessing you too got sick with the flu. Glad you and Paulette are both improving health wise. Hope no one else in the Pirate camp got sick from it.

Quartzsite the town has now recovered from major traffic jams. I only had a 3 persons ahead of me wait at the post office today to pick up a general delivery package from a single clerk at the counter.

 

[maki2]

No room left for the Pirate camp fleet at the La Posa South traditional anchorage area. Two more rigs pulled in there today.

 

[DLTooley]

The vibe at Van Aid overall is good. The ‘party’ gypsy minstrel camp is appropriately located and responsibly run, shutting down at ten for example.

Jason, in his first year when he took over Van Aid, doesn’t have the experience to run the event right. But maybe nobody does, and Jason will get it in a few years.

Pirate camp may well have the most experience on the operation end, but there is also a whole lot of distributed organic experience from Jamie Dimon’s Van Builds.