Will be "Car-Dwelling" Soon in Tucson, AZ

[Pikachu711]

Freecampsites.net is your friend!! Check this out:

http://freecampsites.net/#!(32.16863792635911-110.9644889831543)

Snyder hill is 10 minutes out of town and is free BLM land. It has good internet, cell and TV. If you get there in the evening  and leave early the BLM will never know you are there.
Bob

Thanks for the your great suggestion! I think that I have this already bookmarked but I'll double-check to be sure. My cell phone provider is ATT so I'll see how it goes at Snyder Hill. I've been lucky in my travels to have good to excellent coverage so far. Only time will tell if I have coverage out there.

I should also buy a sizable water container as well. I have some gallon water jugs but should carry a little more water for emergencies.

I'll find Snyder Hill on the map and let my GPS guide to a landmark close to that location.

 

[SoulRaven]

One tip I can add is to try and park in the shade during the day. The less your car and upholstery are heated up during the day, the easier it will be to cool later in the day.

You also might want to check out the temp agencies for jobs.

Good Luck

 

[Pikachu711]

One tip I can add is to try and park in the shade during the day.  The less your car and upholstery are heated up during the day, the easier it will be to cool later in the day.

You also might want to check out the temp agencies for jobs.

Good Luck

Parking in the shade will be the order of the day as much as possible. My 91 Crown Victoria has cloth seats so I'm sure that they will get warm in direct sunlight. Plus, I have a few ideas for staying out of the sun as well. There's a mall here in Tucson with a good size parking garage. I could get some nice a/c while walking through the mall and then spend some time sitting in the car while it's in the garage. Not a lot of time as to call attention to my car but enough to get out of the sun for a little while everyday.

I'll be going to a few temp agencies as well. I'm sure that there are some temp agencies who need some people to fill some positions here in Tucson until I land a job that I'm most qualified. When you're unemployed any job is a good job.

Thankfully my car is painted white. Here's a picture of my 1991 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.

 

[GotSmart]

Tinting the windows would really help in the stealth department.  it does not have to be really dark, just dark enough to block some of the glare and make it difficult to see inside.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

A cautionary tale:

I bought an ex-police car at auction about 10 years ago.  It was an unmarked unit, formerly registered to the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.   It came with darkly tinted windows, I think it was used as an undercover surveillance unit. 

For the first two months after I put it on the road, I must have been pulled over about 10 or 12 times.  It got so when the cop walked up to the car and said: "Do you know why I pulled you over?"  I would say: "Yes, officer the windows."  I would then launch into an explanation of where the car came from, tell him how he wasn't the first cop to stop me, and always ended with the same "I don't understand how they could auction this car off to the public if it isn't legal for a civilian like myself to register it and put it on the road!"

They always let me go, they never even asked to see my license and registration, and after about two months it never happened again.  I was driving the same roads to and from work at the time, and I guess after a while they all recognized the car and just left me alone.

I bought three other police cars at various times after that, and I was always careful to bid on ones that DIDN'T have dark windows from that point on!

Regards
John

 

[John_Camping]

I have 35% VTL (WV minimum for now) tints. When I'm parked I back them with black fleece from walmart and a curtain across the middle, the dome light was on inside but you can't see it from outside. The bit of reflectix you can spot in the lower rear window has been fixed since I took these pics.

 

[ZoNiE]

Buy your neighbor's boat, Drop it in a lake, and live on that!!!

 

[Canine]

Hi,

A Phoenix vandweller here, though I try to escape the summer heat, it doesn't always work.
I park in the shade of commercial buildings whenever possible, and try to find green areas so the cooling effects of the grass and trees can help. It does lower temps.

Yes, you need some tinting though that's spendy when on a very tight budget, so use car sunshades until you can afford to tint it. Make sure you leave the driver and passenger front lighter than the back, tint shops know the laws.

Please don't leave windows down for a breeze, your safety is more important. The 12 volt fan blowing on you is smarter. I use a fan and just deal with the discomfort.

You are able to go up Mt Lemmon, as others have said, to escape some of the heat. That would be for daytime obviously, and when not working.

The City of Tucson has parking codes, here's the list but my IPad wouldn't open the links... Section 20-254 may be what you need to read.

Division 5. Nuisance Parking Controls
Sec. 20-246. Penalty.
Sec. 20-247. Parking for certain purposes prohibited.
Sec. 20-248. Parking regulations for peddlers.
Sec. 20-248.1. Parking regulations for peddlers in certain central business district streets.
Sec. 20-249. Freight curb loading zones; location of provisional zones in parking meter zones.
Sec. 20-249.1. Same—When nonauthorized vehicles prohibited in provisional zones.
Sec. 20-250. Parking on property of another prohibited without permission.
Sec. 20-251. Parking in parks and playgrounds.
Sec. 20-252. Parking on city-owned property.
Sec. 20-253. Parking for purposes of sale on unpaved lots.

Sec. 20-254. Parking prohibited during certain hours on certain streets.

Sec. 20-255. Residential permit parking.
Sec. 20-257. Special events permit parking.
Sec. 20-258. Additional permit parking programs; fees; director of transportation authorized to establish additional permit parking programs and to establish annual parking permit fee.
Sec. 20-259. Expired registration.
Sec. 20-260. Stopping, standing, parking prohibited between the curb and sidewalk or in an unimproved pedestrian area impeding continuous pedestrian use.
Sec. 20-261. Unattended and inoperable vehicles prohibited.
Sec. 20-262. Truck parking on streets not designated as truck routes prohibited.
Sec. 20-263. Recreational vehicles; commercial vehicles.
Secs. 20-264—20-270. Reserved.

 

[Pikachu711]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions! I know that finding a shady area will be a challenge here in AZ. Whether it be Phoenix or Tucson heat is heat! Bob gave me a great location 14 miles outside Tucson on BLM land that should work out beautifully. I've already added it to my car GPS so it will very easy to locate. As long as I arrive after dark and leave early enough I should be fine.

I've already worked some details for privacy (aside from the solar sunshade) with some blankets covering some of the car windows. As soon as I have some more cash I'd like some basic window tint to get a little privacy. I'm not overly looking forward to staying in the Tucson city limits. I know that there are areas where LEO's probably take notice of vehicles with people living in them.

I'll be experimenting with various locations in the Tucson area. Both in town & out a few miles out of town. Bob gave me a link to a great website that lists some good locations. I will probably give Mt. Lemmon a try as well. As you mention, the higher the altitude the cooler the temps!

I'm sure that Sec. 20-254 will be very informative. I'll check the wording of that section as soon as I finish this response to your comment. I'll have to make some other arrangements next month about my "car-dwelling" situation.

I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy during the last week of July at the V.A. facillity here in Tucson. That will be a challenge for me. Hopefully the V.A. can accommodate me. They're supposed to call me back and let me know what my options are after this procedure. I won't be able to drive after the colonoscopy for at least a day to play it safe. They will call me back.

Thanks again for your suggestions. They are greatly appreciated!

 

[WriterMs]

I have a couple of suggestions based on the principles of evaporative (swamp) coolers.

1. There neck tie-ons that you soak in water and tie on to cool you -- the loop of material is filled with beads that expand in water. You soak the bandana/tie until it is thoroughly wet. When it is tied on you, the evaporation cools. They also make sun hats with inner bands you soak -- so it might be worthwhile to put one around the forehead as well as one around the neck. My ex swore by these when riding a motorcycle or hiking in hot weather. Dollar Tree has them sometimes, but the quality there is low. Places like Sportsman's Warehouse usually have them this time of year.

2. My second idea is similar in the way it works. Especially if you do have a fan going, take a large but lightweight piece of fabric (a dishtowel or flour-sack/linen towel and wet it down (perhaps with a spray bottle of water). Find a way to hang this so it dangles (in the breeze). I have no idea, truthfully, how much or little doing this in the space of a car would help, but it may be worth a try.

 

[ZoNiE]

Have you considered heading up to Flag or the Rim for the summer? Much cooler, and tons of dispersed camping you can stay for 14 days.

 

[RollinWOT]

I'm also in Tucson, and the Walmart on Wetmore and 1st Ave. regularly have RVs and box trucks parked at the far edge of the parking lot. I'm sure you would go unnoticed. Also, I'm a mechanic, so if you're ever in need, just PM me and I'll see if I can help you out with mechanical issues. I know how bad it can get during the summer. Best of luck!

 

[Pikachu711]

I've used your suggestion about the bandanas before. I've been a biker for many years and have quite a collection of bandanas. I was already planning on keeping those handy in the car. I may no long have the bike but I still have all the biking gear. I will never throw out the bandanas, gloves, helmets, etc. Those took years to collect! Plus, prior to moving to Tucson I used to live in Las Vegas, NV. I've ridden bikes in the heat of summer and a good hat with a sweat band works wonders. I will be keeping a good supply of water in spray bottles. Staying cool is ESSENTIAL in the heat of the southwest.

I have quite a collection of wash cloths (30+) I've saved through the years and now they will come in handy. I know that it will be a challenge but I'm willing to give it my best shot with all the information I've learned from our group & it's members. Now I'm that much more prepared for this unplanned lifestyle. It's not what I planned but I know how to make the best of the situation regardless.

Thanks for your great suggestions. They are greatly appreciated!

 

[Pikachu711]

Have you considered heading up to Flag or the Rim for the summer? Much cooler, and tons of dispersed camping you can stay for 14 days.

I've considered that option buy I have to stay in the area until I can build enough of a cash reserve. I'm currently unemployed so I have to be very careful with what cash I have on hand + my deposit from my apartment when I move out.

I'm tempted to move to a higher altitude that makes perfect sense in an ideal situation. At this time I'm not in financially ready to "escape" Tucson just yet. With enough of a cash reserve I'd be willing to leave the area for a cooler part of AZ. I have to find work with temp agencies, etc. before I came leave the area. But it will eventually happen!

It would be nice to park somewhere and not move around so much.

Thanks for your suggestion!

 

[Pikachu711]

I'm also in Tucson, and the Walmart on Wetmore and 1st Ave. regularly have RVs and box trucks parked at the far edge of the parking lot. I'm sure you would go unnoticed. Also, I'm a mechanic, so if you're ever in need, just PM me and I'll see if I can help you out with mechanical issues. I know how bad it can get during the summer. Best of luck!

Thanks for your reply for to my posting. I'll be sure to check out the Walmart at Wetmore & First St. I've never been to that particular WM so I'll check that out the next few days. That will be one of my regular campsites. Nice to know that there is a Walmart is RV friendly.

I'll be sure to PM you in the near future. My '91 LTD Crown Victoria is in good to very good mechanical condition for a 24 year old car. I've done most of the work on the car so I know it's mechanically sound. My biggest issue was to change out the radiator. The one that I replaced was probably the ORIGINAL! Now it runs better with a new radiator, hoses, belts, thermostat, etc. The cooling needed some attention which it received. Now it runs great for a 24 year old car. Now that the car is my "home" I'm going to be certain it stays in mechanically sound condition. Under the circumstances I have no other option.

I'll PM you later my contact info here in the Tucson area.

Thanks for your helpful suggestions and offer of mechanical assistance as needed! I'll take any kind of luck at this point.

 

[AuricTech]

Another possibility is the Pilot truck stop at Exit 268 on I-10.  I haven't checked that particular place's policies, but truck stops are often pretty lenient about overnight parking.

ETA: I do know that they have free WiFi, with a signal that reaches into the parking area.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

1. There neck tie-ons that you soak in water and tie on to cool you -- the loop of material is filled with beads that expand in water. You soak the bandana/tie until it is thoroughly wet. When it is tied on you, the evaporation cools. They also make sun hats with inner bands you soak -- so it might be worthwhile to put one around the forehead as well as one around the neck. My ex swore by these when riding a motorcycle or hiking in hot weather. Dollar Tree has them sometimes, but the quality there is low. Places like Sportsman's Warehouse usually have them this time of year.

The military actually used vests made of this stuff to keep the troops cool in the Middle East.  They're not actually all that expensive.

http://www.brigadeqm.com/product-p/thv1.htm

Regards
John

 

[offroad]

The military actually used vests made of this stuff to keep the troops cool in the Middle East.  They're not actually all that expensive.

http://www.brigadeqm.com/product-p/thv1.htm

Regards
John

Wish these vests worked everywhere. But in humid heat they are useless. They work by evaporative cooling. If no evaporation there is no cooling. So good for Arizona. Not so much for Florida.

 

[Almost There]

Wish these vests worked everywhere. But in humid heat they are useless. They work by evaporative cooling. If no evaporation there is  no cooling. So good for Arizona. Not so much for Florida.

Florida was one of my biggest markets when I was making the cool ties. Actually, they sold well in the hot muggy summers of the midwest too! The polyacrylamide that is used in them does cool by evaporation but it also has cooling properties of its' own.

Chilled (not frozen) in either refrigeration or cold water, a good cool tie will give you approximately an hour of heat relief.

I'm sure the vests work well but truthfully the tie around your neck is as effective and with much less weight and expense.

The problem I found when I was making them is that there are a lot of inferior ties out there!!

 

[highdesertranger]

x2 on the bandannas they do work real well. I put 2 in an empty gatorade bottle with water then place in the refer overnight, I then rotate them though out the day. highdesertranger