The Home Base thing

[Matlock]

Ok, everybody needs a Home Base and will eventually get one established.
Good for mail, Gov checks, Pension checks, etc.
Good for storage of yet to be discarded items.
Working on, repairing, cleaning RV.

I'm not aware of a "van-dweller community Home Base address"
I'm not talking about a CRVL affiliation.
I'm talking about a physical address/building that any traveling vehicle-dweller could stop at to recharge themselves or just their batteries. It would be a way-point or a destination depending on your needs.

There are some advantages and disadvantages.

Any thoughts?

 

[Almost There]

Some people need more roots than others. Others like myself actually like having as few roots as possible and find that 'recharge' space is somewhere out in the middle of nowhere all by themselves or with a very select few friends.

In under a month I will have the following: a legal address at a friends home because the feds, the bank, insurance etc, etc. all demand a physical address; a free parking space at another friends' place for my cargo van for the stuff I want to keep. That's it!

All my income sources are set up to be direct deposit, my bills will be very few and available both for viewing and paying on line as is my banking.

Repairs - well, they'll either get done wherever I'm parked or at the place where my mechanic has his shop and tools. Carpentry and renovations can all be done on the fly from now on.

Cleaning - hey that's what car wash lots are for isn't it... Either that or wherever I'm parked.

I like having a real shallow root system...

 

[rvwandering]

We're setup like Almost There - a friend's address for all that's necessary but nothing more.

We do have some favorite spots (besides the driveways of friends and relative as we travel through their hometowns) that we've returned multiple times. Every winter we go to one of these places and give our RV a thorough cleaning and maintenance check. For this we like a quiet spot with a paved parking pad so we usually go to a COE campground or a national recreation area. Electric hookups are a bonus but not necessary. Lake Mead is a favorite spot because it's warm, beautiful and the federal campgrounds are inexpensive.

Having a home base gathering spot would be a nice but it would take some co-ordination and management which might not work well with all of us free spirited van and RV dwellers.

 

[Patrick46]

I see someone setting up a 'squatter's camp' like you suggest, (which I think is a wonderful concept)...but I see problems.

I see some folks who show up, do alittle work on their rigs, helping neighbors work on their rigs too, joining in on the Saturday night pot-lucks, and contributing in the care & upkeep of the facilities...which is what most all want.


...but then some of these 'other types' show up.

They first empty all their belongings from their rig all over the ground (supposedly in an effort to clean house and to re-organize things). Next, they start a HUGE undertaking project...like tearing down their engine or cutting the roof off their rig so they can customize it...all the while this huge mess is still all over the place.
And of course, by mid afternoon, just about every day...they're drunk, or stoned, or both...so nothing ever gets done. They are also the ones in camp who get loud, carry on and party hard, get into shouting matches or even fist fights with the others.
The week that they are welcome to stay and regroup, turns into 2 weeks, then 4, then 2 months, then 4...and now they've sucked all the love and energy of the place...and no one wants to come visit anymore because of them.
Finally, the sheriff is called in to remove them.
And now that they're gone...the aweful mess from their encampment is left behind for everyone else to pick up...and some of it is DISGUSTING!!!

We've all seen it, and it SUCKS!!!

What alotta bad energy...NO THANKS!!!

 

[SoulRaven]

I have a private company PO Box, that will forward my mail to anywhere and send me an email when I get anything. They filter out the junk mail for me. This allows me to have a normal apartment looking address like 123 Any St. #234, Anytown, USA.

I do all my banking and bill paying online, and my income is via PayPal so it only takes a few clicks to transfer it into my bank account.

To date I have had no problems from any official source about needing a physical address other than what I have. That address is on my DL, bank account, everything. In over 50 years the only problem I've ever had was the first one went out of business (owner retired), so I had to switch to my current one.

If somebody asks for my physical address, I give them that address. Haven't physically been there in over 10 years, even when I'm in the same town.

This has worked really well for me for many years.

Home is where I park it.

 

[akrvbob]

Getting vandwellers together is like herding cats, it ain't gonna happen!

You can get us to gather as friends pretty easily--as long as EVERYONE maintains total independence. First hint of control, they're gone!

Nothing else is going to work.
Bob

 

[dhawktx]

Off Grid - Who are you using?

 

[Queen]

Getting vandwellers together is like herding cats, it ain't gonna happen!

You can get us to gather as friends pretty easily--as long as EVERYONE maintains total independence. First hint of control, they're gone!

Nothing else is going to work.
Bob

I like this so very much, explains why I'm having such a hard time at the condo home base I agreed to.  Being told I can or can't do something is an anathema to me.

 

[dhawktx]

Bob, I was thinking it was more trying to herd cats with Rottweilers, which is even more impossible!

 

[DannyB1954]

You could look into joining https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/
Some hosts, (such as myself), have tools and are willing to help with small projects. Maybe I will get burnt for my efforts as sometimes it seems no good deed goes unpunished. Time will tell.
If someone wanted to build a new platform for a bed, I have all the necessary tools. If they want to rebuild their engine, no thanks.

 

[Patrick46]

You could look into joining https://www.boondockerswelcome.com/
Some hosts, (such as myself), have tools and are willing to help with small projects.

I like this concept, except it's a membership thing with FEES. $$$


I've helped lots of traveling folks get through repairs and modifications. There's been people in trucks, vans, RV's, and even motorcycle world travelers.
Some have offered to pay me, and some have given me nice gifts to show their gratitude.
I too may get burnt for my efforts, but I doubt that will shut me down. (unless it gets outta hand.)

I just like helping folks continue with their dreams.

 

[SoulRaven]

Off Grid - Who are you using?

I'm using Postal Annex out of  Albuquerque, NM.

They seem to have offices all over, and will gladly forward stuff to a nearest office, or anywhere else you want, even General Delivery.

I have been very happy with them.