Taking the Plunge: One night on the road

[GoodWorksMedia]

Hey ya'll I recently flew from Detroit to Houston and back. Being from Cleveland, I decided this would be a good time to take the van up and test it out for sleeping. My flight got in to detroit last night around midnight. After a long wait at the baggage claim, and then shuttle to off-site parking, I finally came across my scooby-doo van.  Prior to leaving for Houston I had packed the Van with some waters, a box fan, deep-cycle battery, and a 500w inverter. After about 20 minutes driving I stopped for gas at a large truckstop gas station that offered some questionable food at 1:00 in the morning (to be expected) as well as overnight parking. I pulled to a spot with minimal overhead lighting, pulled the blinds down, laid out my blankets on the back fold-down bed, and got some shut eye. 

It was a quick and easy trip, my main goal was to sleep overnight at a rest area of somesot and for my battery to be able to power my fan running throughout the night. Both goals accomplished. In the future I would certainly bring some fresh fruits and veggies for breakfast and dinner. I had a little butane stove ready to cook on, but nothing to cook. That's okay though, because it was only a 2-3 hour drive home to CLE.

Anyway it was a lot of fun, and I am hoping to do it again, but scheduling some work as well I hope. I do want to get some deep cycle golf cart batteries, and some solar panels as well in the near future. 

Happy Travels!

What was your first time out in a van or Rv like? I would especially like to hear from stealth campers.

 

[RollinWOT]

Good to hear the plunge is going well. I would test the battery for amperage loss before and after using it for power during the night. That way yu can get a real world estimate on power draws instead of just an on-paper calculation. Bringing some non-perishable foods would be great. Peanut butter, trail-mix, granola bars, etc are all great ways of staying healthy and full without worrying about refrigeration. I'm not exactly "stealthy" and I'm in a pickup, but when I'm out, I find that most people will give you your own space as needed. In truck stops and offroad camping spots, I think most people respect your space. I keep a stun gun and bear mace just in case(you never know), but overall people just like the mutual respect. Keeping your vehicle washed and clean in appearance will keep people from thinking you're just a "ragged vagabond." The one time I was pulled over by LEO, I just told them I was traveling through and pulled off for a few Z's before heading on the road again. Overall, I think you just need to be street smart about where you're going and be aware. Glad your first night went well. Cheers!

 

[akrvbob]

Sounds like a perfect start to a new adventure! You're fortunate to be able to ease your way into it.

My first night in a van was when I moved into it permanently, it was not a good experience! I was broke and heartbroken and living in a van was hitting rock-bottom. I could only see myself as a total failure at life.

But, I soon fell in love with it and look back on it as the best thing that ever happened to me!
Bob

 

[eDJ_]

Great little story about your first time and what you learned from it.

You should consider the Captain's Log  forum and writing this up to post there so you can
begin a historical record of your journeys and experiences.  Others newbies will benefit from reading
it I'm sure.

 

[ilovemyvan]

This is so cool. I'm glad you had a fun time. Didn't that make you feel free?

Boy do I ever feel old I can't remember my first time sleeping in a van. Oh yes I do, it was a solo trip from Toronto, Canada to Corpus Christi, TX. I was kind of scared so I drove until I couldn't drive anymore and slept a few hours at a restaurant parking lot. I felt so out of place in the morning that I jumped on the driver seat as soon as I woke up and drove some more. There were no forum and things like that back then to guide me so I was winging it the best I could. I'm glad I learned to relaxed and trust my surrounding more. The rest of the trip was more pleasant
.
I wish you lots and lots of wonderful, fun experiences.

-Nicole

 

[GoodWorksMedia]

I will have to check out the Captain's log. I would certainly like to make a note of my journey's. Most recently I drove down to shoot some video for a church in West Virginia. So I might check out that Captain's log as a place to document my Journey.


I did feel free. I love being on the road, and I am so used to driving by myself on long trips. I've made the 23 hours drive from CLE to Houston a few times, and from Boise to Cleveland as well. I always find a way to entertain myself, and I love driving through the scenery and thinking out loud.