Vicarious living

[Novelist]

I've never even been camping. But I've been watching the videos and I have this hankering to be able to travel and just pull over and sleep if I want to, then move on. My husband is the type to pack a tent and go off someplace and sleep. All I can think about is bears. But I've been messing with the adjustment on my seats. Been making lists of ADLs and how I'd accomplish them from my car.

I'm kind of crippled. My back is a constant worry. Told my husband I want to try car camping overnight. I dunno, maybe I should try it in the garage first.

Does anybody else worry about bears? Or coyotes? Serious question. I'm...large and not all that flexible. If I'm asleep in the car, I'm not sure I could maneuver into the driver's seat and escape. Then I think, 'Well, if a bear were outside, I'll bet adrenaline would make you real flexible real fast to get away!'

I don't really sleep all night. Sometimes motel rooms seem dumb because strange beds are tough on me and I often don't sleep through the night.

Pleased too meet you all. Right now, I'm living this life vicariously.

 

[AMGS3]

Hi Novelist and welcome to the forum.

So after rereading your post a couple times it sounds like there's two parts to your inquiry - 1) what things are logical to be fearful of, and 2) what to do to avoid those actual dangers.

Because these 'dangerous things to be wary of' vary from region to region, I don't really know that I have a great one size fits all answer for you. A lot depends on what area you will be car camping in.

I'm in northern Minnesota, and have lived here for most of my life. We have black bears, wolves, and coyotes. For me, the most dangerous of all of these are wolves. I know Forest service staff member who was run up a tree trying to get away from a pack of them up by the BWCAW.
Coyotes are good hunters too, but far too timid to pull anything like that. I've never even heard of a person being injured by a coyote.
I've had numerous run ins with black bears and they've all been scared off by making lots of noise, shouting and banging to frighten them away. You do have to be careful about mother bears, they will stop at nothing to protect their cubs. I've known them to kill a black lab who got between her and the cub. When camping they warn you not to store food in your tent, so as not to attract bears.

Some parts of this continent will have snakes, scorpions, and poisonous spiders. Others will have grizzlys and brown bears.
Hopefully some members in other geographical areas will chime in with what wildlife to be cautious of and how to avoid unnecessary dangers.

As for doing a road trip where you just stop for the night and move on in the morning, how far off of the main roads are you thinking of going? If you are planning on staying in organized campsites, I'd say the risk of a run in with a large predator is very slim. They (wolves/bear/coyotes) are going to avoid a busy campground.

I agree it would be a good idea to try out ahead of time whatever vehicle sleeping arrangements you make in your garage. I personally find a reclined car seat very uncomfortable and after a few nights of sleeping like that my ankles start to swell. Some people can sleep like that quite comfortably though, and do it all the time.

Again, welcome.

~angie

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[Phantasmic Coyote]

Welcome to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Novelist]

I live in Arizona, but I hope to be able to car camp all over. I didn't want to stay in crowded campsites. I want to be in nature and have been looking at disperse camping. I have to do some research in southeastern and southwestern Arizona for a new novel and would take my husband along. No intention of sleeping on the ground so scorpions and snakes don't worry me. I have coyotes out my backyard. I do stand out there with my dog when she goes out at night. I've seen them zipping up and down the street in the wee hours of the morning.

My daughter has encountered mountain lions in the mountains of AZ in the north. And my husband encountered a bear in the SE part of the state. So a car feels safe to me. I can leave if I don't like the situation. By far my biggest concern is humans. I was thinking something under my ankles I might be able to sleep pretty straight in the car. Sometimes, sleeping in a recliner has made it easier on my back. Maybe put really good pillows in the 'denty' parts. Maybe I just have to try it, then build up my courage? Gosh, I sound like such a wimp. Thank you for your kindness and your replies!

 

[Firtree]

Yup. Sleep in the garage or drive, not one but several nights. First night you won’t sleep, second, third will get better. Home or on the road I often do best with either a white noise App or listening to a neutral audiobook. You know what helps you.
Different positions, pillows, blankets, you will find your best comfort.

Watch some of the Cheaprvliving YouTube videos especially those by women in cars. There are small air horns and some really loud whistles.

Take the dog. Teach him/her to sleep in car with you

 

[AMGS3]

^^^^^Novelist
I don't think you sound like a wimp at all. Very cautious, yes, but not wimpy. And you seem to be questioning your feelings, not just letting your fears control you. And you are willing to take yourself out of your comfort zone to learn something new (book research). Those are not the qualities of a wimp.

It might help for you to talk to people who have a lot of experience tent camping or hiking in AZ. How do they feel about the animals they encounter? Maybe talk to state and national Forest rangers and AZ game wardens. They'd know risks to campers and hikers. They'd also know what the actual injuries caused by wildlife have been. So if tents are being ripped into by a bear they'll know about it. If there's another as-yet-unknown-to-you danger out there, they'll have heard of it. It's going to be different for you in a car than it'd be in a tent, but you'll be dealing with the same weather and wildlife, and asking someone who knows for sure about the injuries to campers might assuage your fears.

I agree with Firtree, try car sleeping in the comfort of your garage similar to how you like to sleep at home and do it numerous times before trying it in the wild. Set yourself up for comfort and success.

~angie

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[bpdchief]

Follow the advise above and you'll do fine. Just don't dwell on "What might happen" caution is good,but, you can scare yourself out of a great adventure if you try hard enough. Get out and ease into it.
Of all the scary creatures out in the world, the one that scares me most ...Man, and the occasional chihuahua. You never know whats on the mind of man and those darn ankle biters will tear you up.