Summer Gathering, East Coast GTG, Mentoring Program

[BigRockSpeaker]

Just watched Bob's video from the RTR on the Summer RTR, Mentoring Program, and the Patreon account.

This just goes to show what a group of generous, compassionate, like-minded people can do when they pull together.  

I am still a few years away from full-timing, and I have very little experience with it, but, with the delivery of my custom cargo trailer imminent, I am SO ready for it, and SO much want to be a part of what I'm sure are just the best things to come of Bob's teachings.

I have posted another thread about a northeast GTG (don't think I've hit 10 posts yet so I can't post the link), and I think it can be done, although just not to the extent that the main RTR is done.  It certainly couldn't be as massive, and probably would be a bit more expensive, being we don't have BLM land back here, but I certainly believe that 10-20 or 20-40 folks could get together at several locations throughout the country to expand Bob's reach!  

Like I said, I am not experienced enough to be a mentor or to organize such an event (yet), but I have begun researching free or low-cost campsites in the northeast to begin exploring on my own, and I certainly would love to be a part of any such event or program!

I hope the various admins of these forums would start a categories for all of Bob's programs:  the mentoring program, the smaller RTR events, and the Patreon account.  I am so hopeful for all of these ventures to be successful.

 

[Motrukdriver]

Just know that the RTR is a copyrighted name/letter combination regarding vehicle living/camping etc. Unless Bob approves or sanctions it then the letters RTR can't be used to describe it or promote it. You can use other names for a gathering of course and there is nothing that says you can't hold seminars on the various subjects and topics of vehicle dwelling. You'll probably get more replies regarding this. Not trying to shoot the idea down or anything, just there could be legal issues with regards to the name or likeness used.

 

[BigRockSpeaker]

Thanks, Mo.  As I said, I'm still fairly new.  I don't want to do anything to offend, or anything that would detract from all the wonderfulness that has been built up here.  I hope that more folks across the country who cant yet get there way out to the RTR would have an opportunity to experience a little bit of the spirit of the event.

 

[Motrukdriver]

This thread is from a fella trying to organize a gathering out East.  So far I believe the leading location is Rhea Springs, TN.  If he gets this off the ground I'm sure he'll be posting more information.  

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=27678

 

[Anna57]

Hope he does. We’re in Ohio and would attend!


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[Technomad]

If there’s a Summer RTR please put it in Alaska or somewhere cool. You won’t find me in Arizona in the Summer!


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[Motrukdriver]

Arizona is not all desert.

http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Arizona/Flagstaff/

And it gets cooler the higher you go.

 

[Weight]

There is much interest in an East Coast meeting-up event. Picking a location is the hold-up. Everyone proposes a location convenient for themselves. There are many places that might workout, except not as free as in the southwest.

 

[John61CT]

The person organizing it gets to pick the spot.

If it can't be free, that helps keep the numbers going out of control.

Lots of state parks have RV facilities as well as cheap cabins for rent, and I bet if a few extra "visitors" showed up nearby the ranger wouldn't have a fit, worse case move on down the road overnight come back next day.

Out in less populated areas you really don't need much stealth, people are friendlier.

 

[Moe on the Go]

I also watched Bob's newest video regarding the mentoring program and I am very hopeful that he can get this up and going.  I would love to take part in it.  Also, the traveling caravan of people together, or smaller groups, is such an awesome idea.  I know for sure that I would feel much more secure traveling and camping with a group.  Traveling alone and worrying about safety is a huge deterrent for myself and probably for many others. I am anxious to hear more about what all Bob has coming out in the near future!

 

[SoulRaven]

I watched the video, my take away from it was that "cheaprvliving" moves from being a community to being an organization.
I won't comment on my thoughts on that change.

 

[Almost There]

I watched the video, my take away from it was that "cheaprvliving" moves from being a community to being an organization.
I won't comment on my thoughts on that change.

If you mean by organization that it is more than Bob trying to do it all by himself then you're right it will be organized by more than one person. A group of more than a 1,000 people all gathering in one place takes a lot of organization and it has become more than Bob could singlehandedly handle.

It has taken a community of which I am proud to be a member to organize the RTR. It will take a community of volunteers, who share Bobs enthusiasm for helping those who are new to the nomadic lifestyle, to organize future RTRs.

I don't ever see that being a negative thing. Spreading the work load amongst several makes the work light for all of us.

 

[Anna57]

I really like the idea of a mentoring program and traveling with a small group for safety reasons...and making new friends is awesome too! Hope to find a good “rig” and hit the road this year.


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[rm.w/aview]

I watched the video, my take away from it was that "cheaprvliving" moves from being a community to being an organization.

If a sense of community remains then we can be both. The benevolence in such a large & diverse group already exists here on the forum and CheapRVLiving extends beyond this forum. RTR 2018 was the organization of community members at various levels. A similar community organization, https://escapees.com , is very good at what they do and are our neighbors in the same community. Scroll along their home page options and see the same objectives that are in consideration for CheapRVLiving already in place and thriving for years, the focus more on RVers than Vanners but a community just the same. Becoming more of an organization will have some growing pains as we seek people that have an outward focus vs an inward focus, seeking personal gain in some fashion. Some folks want to be viewed a certain way or thought of a certain way, and of coarse the bitchers will bitch. But these hurdles are not uncommon and, as RTR 2018 may suggest, a very small segment of our community. We already have the people in place for the ground floor brainstorming portion of this enterprise, and others will make themselves available based on what I read in this forum. 
There are many examples of benevolent organizations that exist today, with various levels of success depending entirely on the level of sense of community, of the root reason for their existence. https://abateofmichigan.org/ , https://www.abateny.org/ , https://www.abateflorida.com/ are three community organizations with common interests, not unlike the interests that Bob mentioned in his V Log concerning education, assistance, and community gatherings/support, the same components contained in the link I provided earlier. Our community will not morph into an organization with the connotations that this brings to mind as long as the vision remains, it simply won't be allowed and may be disbanded in order to remain true to form. The heart that breaks and is moved to action has at it's core a desire to help and make a change for the betterment of someone else. With this I wish you all the best.

 

[abnorm]

 .........The heart that breaks and is moved to action has at it's core a desire to help and make a change for the betterment of someone else. 

WOW.........those are some powerful words.................doug

 

[waldenbound]

Rick,
You have some very good and very powerful ideas that could work wonders in the vandwelling community. I did see your post on this and I have been trying to wrap my head around this, thinking about how it would work.

The biggest thing I can think of is if we are organizing in any way, we have to think about the image we present to the rest of the public. One busy-body reporter could say, "Bob Wells, the hermit vandweller who looks like a combination of Santa Claus and Grizzly Adams, now wants to organize his roving band of "down by the river" anarchists, who want to live free with no responsibilities." Ok, see the negative tone this is taking already?

Compare it with this, "Bob Wells, founder of cheaprvliving.com, has been helping people who choose to live in vehicles for x number of years. Now, these vehicle dwellers are not "living in a van down by the river," they are making a difference.
A small group of vandwellers have adopted a section of Oregon coastline, and are working with local authorities to clean up trash left by the crush of tourists who visit each summer. "It feels good to help out and give back to the communities we spend time in" said John Doe, who has been living in his Chevy van for three years now." See the positive tone in this story?

Point being, no we don't have to be involved in a chain gang in order to park somewhere. But, we do have to conscious of the image we are presenting, it starts with good citizenship, so we won't be "run off, make everything illegal, get thrown into public housing against our will," ect. I'm sure most of us are that good citizen but that is where mentoring could come into play, teaching newbies that some responsibilities go with the lifestyle of vehicle dwelling.

These are just some random thoughts. Tip of the iceberg really, when trying to think of how this vision can work in reality.

Keep the thoughts coming, this is a good idea to kick around.

 

[rm.w/aview]

Waldenbound... Building on the positive public relations aspect of your's, three items come to mind that, by word of mouth and witness of action, have the public viewing these community members in a positive way...
1. The BLM is apparently thrilled with the way RTR 2018 was conducted, including the actions of community members who volunteered to clean up the place either during, but more specifically after the event. And as Bob Wells has said, actually works with him and his band of volunteers for the benefit of the event, a positive relationship if there ever was one.
2. An apparently popular you tuber in Panda Monium has a recent video showing the clean up detail in an area along the river that clearly shows the gathering of trash not deposited by recent RTR campers, the accumulated junk of past dumping. And in that video, Jen from free campsites.net makes the announcement that this is now an annual event complete with sign-up/volunteer information.
3. And relevant by example, www.locoyaks.com was just an idea among a small group of kayakers. Now kayakers, like surfers or vanners, can be considered counter culture and stereotypically viewed a certain way. But with a sense of community and action, much like what we are contemplating and beginning to see take root, they have had such a positive response from people and have been interviewed for newspaper and radio, and have an impressive list of sponsors that donate goods, time, and equipment to facilitate this clean up.
With these concepts, ideas, and examples I believe we are participating in CheapRVLiving as community conscious members and I believe we'll overcome any negative viewpoint that the public may hold on segments of our lifestyle.

 

[waldenbound]

2. An apparently popular you tuber in Panda Monium has a recent video showing the clean up detail in an area along the river that clearly shows the gathering of trash not deposited by recent RTR campers, the accumulated junk of past dumping. And in that video, Jen from free campsites.net makes the announcement that this is now an annual event complete with sign-up/volunteer information.

I did see that video last night. Very heartwarming and uplifting, and the local sheriff and BLM were extremely pleased to see it. I did see that Jen, founder of the free campsites site, was going to make this an annual event. I am keeping that in mind when I'm on the road.

 

[rm.w/aview]

It was very gratifying to see Bob's uplifting video at the close of RTR 2018 as well, a fine end to an extraordinary event.

 

[SoulRaven]

Have been a member of Escapees since the 1990s, am well aware of how that group as morphed over the years. I certainly hope that is not the path that is followed here. The founders were family people, campers, but they have passed on and now it is "corporate". I won't detail here, since most here would have no interest in the Escapees to begin with, as they cater more and more to specific demographics, $$$$$$$$.

I see the need for change with the number growing from less than a 1,000 to more than 3,000.

Anyone that read the comments below the video can pretty much understand where I would be coming from. Since some are "fishing" and chomping at the bite to know, my reservations have to do with the financial end of it and how that may morph the group into a different dynamic. Currently, most are making the choice and working toward the goal, even those with an immediate need are navigating with a little help toward one of the choices they have, being a part of this community, good thing. With a financial incentive, many who would otherwise not make this choice, they will find it attractive, which will impact the group IMO. It will become more like Bob said in "Without Bounds" (I think that title might be off some), people who hate living in their vehicle vs. people who choose to live in their vehicle.

My opinion, but as my status says "Not a fit". I do remain in the forum to answer any questions that I might be able to with my extensive RVing/full-timing history.