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We have a smaller trailer (the smallest I could find with a "walk around" queen bed) and we've considered longer cross-country trips but what we've both realized is that neither of us likes driving a truck+trailer very much. We're content to stay within a 2-3 day, 5-6 hour driving day range of home, staying at state, national, county, Forest Service parks. RV parks are okay for overnight stops on the way to a destination, but not really somewhere I'd prefer to stay.
As far as the "comfort" argument - if you don't get a reasonable night's sleep on a bed you find comfortable, you tend to be a cranky camper, not a happy camper - or at least that describes me. I decided quite a while ago that I am too old to sleep on the ground, no matter what kind of air mattress I had.
I say do it your way and many who go to the rubber tramp rendezvous in January are part timers like yourselves. I would say there are three basic “types” there...fulltimers, part timers, and those who are just exploring the thought of doing this, PT or FT. So it’s not like you get a merit badge if you sell your house and all your belongings to meet the uncertainty of a FT life on the road lol. Also, for the married types, some have an understanding spouse who doesn’t travel but they are content to stay home while their SO gets sprung for a few weeks every year and for many of them this works well.
Speaking of married folks though, lately I’ve had a couple of long married men hit on me and speak of a longing to be free and they have this idea that it’s a big sex fest with no one to know what I’m up to, but I can tell them this ain’t happening. Even if I wanted to pick up strange men and bring them to my van I’m not sure how I’d do it and since most men are not living on the road, a relationship becomes pretty much impossible. Van life has many wonderful benefits buts it’s rough on the love life. So, I have lately come to the conclusion that my best bet for sex would be to pick up a repressed married man and take off with him on a spree, but that’s not in my moral code so I call myself a born again virgin these days, lol.
As for comfort, I believe I did say I’m happy with less comfort, but I make my van and my bed as comfy as I can get it. I have a huge down comforter on my bed and two fluffy pillows and a fuzzy blanket to wrap around my head if it gets too cold and I’ve slept down to 22 degrees with no added heat so it’s effective. That’s the benefit of having a small space like a van is that it holds in the heat better. If it were ever to drop into really low temps I’d buy a small electric space heater and check into a campground I think, but I’ve never felt the need yet. The interesting thing is that once I got back to my van and started sleeping in it again, after a six month hiatus, the quality of my sleep improved a lot. It’s my home and I sleep best in my own bed.
A great book on this is "Nomadland". I forget the author, but she explores the lower-end of this kind of camping life. As in those retired on like $500 a month. Getting together at Quartzite.
I loved backwoods camping in my 40s. But we were on horseback with pack horses in the Sierras.
It was grand for 5 years. Back when I could squat.
Glad I did it then. No way, now.
We DID do a lot of back-country camping in Utah, just out of our all-wheel-drive SUV. Had a foam mattress in the back with the seats laid down. Free BLM camping with NO amenities anywhere in sight. No cell service. Adventurous, but occasionally feels really ALONE. You can really get lost back in there.
A great book on this is "Nomadland". I forget the author, but she explores the lower-end of this kind of camping life. As in those retired on like $500 a month. Getting together at Quartzite.
I loved backwoods camping in my 40s. But we were on horseback with pack horses in the Sierras.
It was grand for 5 years. Back when I could squat.
Glad I did it then. No way, now.
We DID do a lot of back-country camping in Utah, just out of our all-wheel-drive SUV. Had a foam mattress in the back with the seats laid down. Free BLM camping with NO amenities anywhere in sight. No cell service. Adventurous, but occasionally feels really ALONE. You can really get lost back in there.
You don't need to squat when you have a bumperdumper...
Just need a 5 gallon plastic bucket.
I’m “camped” out at Walmart in Boerne TX right now and when I pulled in there was this huuuuge RV taking up at least 24 spaces and towing a car behind and running a generator while pretty much blocking traffic. It’s quiet over there now so they must’ve gotten kicked out. idgits.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Saturday night in Boerne TX should be "Dickens on Main" event.
Sent you a DM on a couple "don't miss" in the area.
Last Texas Walmart I stayed in was Laredo. Oh my, worst night ever. Surrounded by semis running very noisy reefers and aux power modules. Coming And going all night. In TEXAS, I use Cabela's, Cracker Barrel, and would see if Bucee's allows RV.
Saturday night in Boerne TX should be "Dickens on Main" event.
Sent you a DM on a couple "don't miss" in the area.
Last Texas Walmart I stayed in was Laredo. Oh my, worst night ever. Surrounded by semis running very noisy reefers and aux power modules. Coming And going all night. In TEXAS, I use Cabela's, Cracker Barrel, and would see if Bucee's allows RV.
Well once the biggest RV I ever saw in my life was kicked out things got pretty quiet around here and I got some quality sleep. I keep forgetting about Cracker Barrel and love Cabelas but they tend to only be in the larger cities and I prefer the smaller towns. Also I like Planet Fitness and I have a membership so I can get up, get a workout and then a shower. There’s one here too, which seems to have become a San Antonio neighborhood and they tell me it’s one of the fastest growing areas of the country.
They bought a van, tried camping in it a few times, didn't like it, sold the van.
Proving that it's not for everyone, something I'm sure many of us already knew.
And that's all it proves.
Also, I suspect this couple of never having been camping before. IMO, the FIRST question anyone should ask themselves in contemplating van life is "Do I enjoy camping?" Because a van is a lot like a tent and not much like a house/apartment.
A friend of mine equates camping as a great motel next to a crappy restaurant.
I wouldn't say I love it. But I got used to it during my month on the road, waiting for the stbx to vacate my home. At my age, it's always nice to have the option to nap.
I make simple food. Quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, Japanese curry over rice. That and some fresh fruit and a steaming cup of chai is all I need.
My inverter is dead -- possibly a blown fuse -- so I'm grateful for the generator.
I wouldn't say I love it. But I got used to it during my month on the road, waiting for the stbx to vacate my home. At my age, it's always nice to have the option to nap.
I make simple food. Quesadillas, breakfast sandwiches, Japanese curry over rice. That and some fresh fruit and a steaming cup of chai is all I need.
My inverter is dead -- possibly a blown fuse -- so I'm grateful for the generator.
I just made a trip over an often-snowy mountain pass. I loved knowing that if the driving started to get iffy, I could find a place to pull over, snuggle into my very comfortable bed with a book, and wait it out. Even had a heater in case the temp dropped way low. (The driving was fine, BTW.)
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idgits.
