Stealth Van Dwelling

[PaulConventionWV]

http://www.stealthvandweller.com/

So I got bored and tried to figure out what I would do if I just dropped all of the property ownership stuff and just up and lived out of my vehicle.

I would still be working, likely at the same office but instead of the 2+ hours per day commute, I would park somewhere and ride a motorcycle into work.

This means I would need a shower in the vehicle.

I was looking at this:
http://sportsmobile.com/2_sr_vaninfo10.html

It has a shower, bed, extendable roof, A/C and solar panels.

There is an option to make room for a small motorcycle:
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s/

This is a motorcycle that takes 9kWh to fully charge to allow for up to 115 mile range.

I checked out the dimensions of the most efficient solar panels out there:
http://us.sunpowercorp.com/homes/products-services/solar-panels/
I would be able to fit 4 330W panels on the roof giving about 7-9kWh of electricity on a sunny day which could run most of the appliances and charge the bike up most of the way.

I could park the motorcycle outside the van most nights and if I needed to relocate or drive into work it could pop right up into the van while I drive.


Just dreaming a bit.

My options are all pretty expensive though. Not really the mentality of most who choose to live out of their vans.

And I would be tied to one location which is also counter to the whole reason to live in something that can move around freely.

I do have a buddy who lives out of his van with solar panels and he is able to enjoy a lot of free time. But he lives mainly off of the government.

You commute over 2 hours per day to work? I find this hard to believe.

EDIT: On a side note, my business associate does almost exactly what you described, except he does own property. He parks his RV on the driveway of his house. He is a contractor who currently runs a business and is remodelling the house so that we can later flip it and make a profit. He also owns a small apartment building. He lives out of the RV to avoid bills and goes to McDonald's for free internet. He installed solar panels which charge the battery of the RV and power everything in the RV. I don't know how you would do it without property, but maybe you could live in a Wal Mart parking lot, which is pretty cheap to stay in overnight. I don't know what their policy is for extended stay. I don't imagine they would like that too much.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

A few more things to consider:
- vans, cars, & RV deprecate in value, so wait to buy until you have a need, as they will be worth thousands less every year...
.... but that is discounting inflation, so buying maybe the correct thing to do... your call.
- If you are living in it, it will get thrashed, worn, and maybe even thread-bare. Solution: Buy Used, save thousands!!
- i want the smallest size rig & smallest engine i can get away with, for Stealth reasons & operating costs too. Also, i dont want to have to pop-out the top, or side, or anything, in order to sleep.... otherwise the Stealth mode is GONE GONE GONE, and someone will be banging on the side of your rig at 2am. (Look for something small on the outside, but huge inside)
- i want the largest interior space possible The need to fold up bed, move stuff around, or to put stuff away: Just so you have room to sit down SUCKS. (forbid the situtation where stuff is stored outside while you take a shower, or eat, or sleep. Over packing like this so very bogus. It isnt being "self-contained"... So, down-sizing your shoe collection, number of jackets, toys, tools, etc, is VERY important, or maybe rent storage. Still i think a yard sale is best.
- Appliances typically run on: 1. AC, 2. batteries, & 3. Liquid Propane, all three!! And LP is THE excellent way to go if you have only one choice, leaving solar panels to recharge batteries. Also, i have successfully used block-ice inside my reefer, carrying them back on my motorbike so that i wouldnt have to move the RV to refill LP tanks. Question; won't an ice chest work just as well??
+ Motorized bicycles are an EXCELLENT option. I have a standard bicycle, and can bolt on a 4stroke motor on in 15 mins. VERY fun, VERY useful, much easier to store on or in Van / RV... And easier to $$ buy, and use, and maintain, and license than a motorcycle. I think they are VERY COOL!! But i also grant that they do not have the "status" of a motorcycle, nor do they have the distance, or speed. Still, I think they are a much better option than Zero's motorcycles, in more ways than i can count. More info: motoredbikes.com , the forum is the best place to learn, and kinds of motor kits for sale, and how to mount them. (btw: battery powered bicycles blow chunks, imo - UNLESS miles traveled are VERY low, & one can recharge at both ends of the commute)

Peace n Joy to all my Brothers in Freedom,
f

If I was going to use a bike, I feel like I would just pedal it. What's the point in putting a motor on it? It still doesn't go very fast. Of course, if you have an office job and you are not very fit, sweating may be a problem, but there are ways around that as well. I might as well mention that my business associate who lives out of an RV does so without a shower or toilet, but he finds ways to cope and clean himself nonetheless. He does mostly roofing, though, so being tidy isn't really an issue. It depends on your job or source of income.

He started out living that way out of necessity but kept doing it despite having more than enough to find a nice place for himself. It seems to be a pretty attractive lifestyle.

 

[Tod]

My nephew has a bike kind of like one of these; he posted a video of him riding it on Facebook the other day.

for some reaon the embed dialogue isn't working for me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBDa9oLmC9Q

 

[flailer]

If I was going to use a bike, I feel like I would just pedal it. What's the point in putting a motor on it? It still doesn't go very fast. Of course, if you have an office job and you are not very fit, sweating may be a problem, but there are ways around that as well.

They are not for everyone. In fact i didnt think they were for me, as i have been an avid street & mtn cyclist for decades.... but after borrowing one for half a day -- well, let's just say i had a great time, with no effort, very little cost ($0.25 gas) , no parking hassles, no walking around in sweaty lycra shorts and clipless shoes.

A motor on the bicycle totally changes the dynamics - try it, and perhaps you'll agree, perhaps not.

Peace n Joy to all my Brothers & Sisters LIVING FREE,
f

 

[flailer]

At the bottom of each post, you should see "Promote this to Article," "Blog this post," a six-sided star, and a triangle with an exclamation point. The six sided star is where you can +rep or -rep and add a comment for the poster. All members should be able to rep, but at 10 posts, your rep in particular will not count any points towards the poster. You have to post some minimum number of posts before your rep counts (50? 100? I don't know exactly). It's still a nice gesture though, and many don't care about the points, just the comments.

Nope. i can only see the six-sided-star on my own posts. Not on your's posts, not on anyone else's posts. Yes, i can see the triangle "report post" on everyone's posts.

 

[Elwar]

You commute over 2 hours per day to work? I find this hard to believe.

Takes an hour to get to work if there is no traffic jam (which there usually is). Takes about 1.5 hours if I have to work that day at MacDill.

 

[PaulConventionWV]

Oh I wasn't aware you were in an urban location. That really sucks. It would take an awfully long distance for me to take 1.5-2 hours to get to work since I live in the country.

 

[ninepointfive]

ride a bike instead of the motorcycle

 

[flailer]

... Wallrat shared lots n lots of great stuff...

Any more to share, Wallrat?

My short update is that my pre-Christmas trip went well, with two exception. And moving into a smaller rig would go a long way towards correcting them.

1st issue is prolly very common, as i have had it several times over the years, but have usually found easy solutions. Not so this time: i knew what area i wanted to spend several nights (9 nights in this case) ... but had no idea where to park my rig & remain "Stealth". Yes, i had the standard list of ideas, but i had no idea of the area, or where to even start looking. Not having my motorcycle with me, to cruise around scanning, made things quite a bit worse. So, again, a smaller rig, that can park anywhere, would go a long way towards solving issue #1

2nd issue is not common, but is a large concern. After finding a place to park, i pulled in, only to hit an overhanging tree, punching a hole , cracking & damaging , the plastic cover on the roof-top heat pump. *&#@* !!! Now i can't even drive down the road due to the damage... and i hardly ever even use that stupid *&#@* heater, and i NEVER use the AC. It cost HUNDREDS to fix, even though i didnt even damage the heat-pump itself. So, again, a smaller rig, WITHOUT all the bells and whistles, would go a long way towards solving issue #2

3rd item, not specific to this trip: Maintenance; The larger the rig the more costly to maintain, & operate.

May all my Brother's and Sister's in freedom *Publicly stand-up against local & federal tyranny,

 

[Wallrat]

Well, there are so many different lifestyles to live...as for the vanning, the less 'private' your rig looks, and the more 'industrial' it looks, the better you'd do in an industrial area (camoflage). For the last four years, I've been living in a 16' tool trailer. You know, the ones contractors use. I insulated it, added a 15' awning, built in a bed, galley, shelving, heater, and so on. It was intended as a temp deal for going out goldmining during the summer, but it works so well, I haven't felt a need to change. I have a regular 18' RV trailer, and it's not an economic issue. I make good money, and am employed. I just like not paying for a place to sleep, or for a place to park. Right now I park at work, so I have power and water. That saves a lot of commuting costs. As you can imagine, a tool trailer never gets a second look from the po-pos. Worst thing is I've had three guys try to break in to it. They were all wildly surprised to find themselves on the ground with a big pistol to the head. Each time, the cops were supportive, and never a word said as to my living conditions. Again, it comes down to looking respectable. they knew what I was doing but left me alone because I was clean, polite, looked respectable, and so on. So, you need to consider that you might become a target, and measure your ability to react to that. They come with a big crash or bang as they try to force the door, and you need to consider what you would do awakened from a sound sleep to find someone coming into your bedroom with bad intentions. My reaction now is to grab a weapon at the first sound, THEN a cell phone (slam the door in their face, and put them on the ground, then call 911. Petty theives in my experience are scared shitless, and the surprise works for you)...plus I'm a light sleeper. You will develop a 'situational awareness' if you begin any sort of stealthy lifestyle. Footsteps will awaken you, as will a vehicle stopping near you. Both are signals of someone maybe scoping you out. There is some weird sort of predator/prey thing on the streets, and you need to be able to go from a sleeping sheep into lion mode almost instantly. That reminds me...I heard once that the sound of a pump shotgun being racked is the universal signal that your presence is not welcome here. Something to consider.

 

[jcannon98188]

There was someone I met on reddit a few months back (might of been one of you guys?) who decided to live out of the back of his pickup I believe it was. He had one of those covers so it was all indoors. I think he had platforms that could slide out where he would have his stuff at etc, and had a 24 hr gym membership for toilet and shower purposes. He was a huge RP fan as well. I have been thinking about how cool that would be to do that. Except for the fact that I am an internet junkie and need to stay connected.

 

[Wallrat]

There was someone I met on reddit a few months back (might of been one of you guys?) who decided to live out of the back of his pickup I believe it was. He had one of those covers so it was all indoors. I think he had platforms that could slide out where he would have his stuff at etc, and had a 24 hr gym membership for toilet and shower purposes. He was a huge RP fan as well. I have been thinking about how cool that would be to do that. Except for the fact that I am an internet junkie and need to stay connected.

Verizon has an 'air card' (a USB antenna) that gives 3G and 4G connections. No land line needed. That's what I used.

 

[Icymudpuppy]

If I were single, I wouldn't even bother with a shower. I can always bathe at the gym. Membership at a gym is well worth the cost for the showers alone. Laundry at any old coin laundry works. Two hotplates is all I need for cooking. Why bother with the motorcycle? Why not just park your house/van at work? I already have the plan in place should the wife kick me out.

 

[flailer]

Verizon has an 'air card' (a USB antenna) that gives 3G and 4G connections. No land line needed. That's what I used.

Yep Yep Yep; what he said.... AND there are many many options now:
- hotspot boxes that broadcast WiFi.
- Netbooks that (require) cellular connections
- tablets that use cellular connections, that also broadcast WiFi to your other devices
- smart phones that surf the web, and that also broadcast WiFi
- smart phone that surf the web and tether to computer (tethering refers to a USB cable between phone and computer, and it offers faster speeds than WiFi)

p.s. i have found that 4G speeds are VERY fast. Faster than your typical WiFi at starbucks or Mc Donalds

it has been a while since I priced, but all options are as cheap as in home broadband

 

[flailer]

I already have the plan in place should the wife kick me out.

Smart Man !!!

In today's world the Women hold the power of the State over the Men's heads. Even if they don't boot you out on the street, it is a huge threat hanging over your head.

Here is a short youtube video on preparations to make: Link It is by the patrickhenryist channel.

The loss of Men's civil rights is completely un-constitutional.... but that was one of the primary objectives of the VAWA.

Don't believe me? Check out:
- Women are shielded from laws when they file false rape charges (it destroys millions of Men's lives, & remains on their record.... even if charges are dismissed!! ; while women are shielded from laws on false charges.... (laws that Men are NOT shielded from)
- 85% of homeless are Men; Yet Women get 100% of Federal funds for occupancy.
- in divorce, 85% time kids go the Mother, while the Men's pay is garnished. If you lose your job & can't pay, you go to JAIL... This is the ONLY form of debtors prison we have.... & to add insult to injury the jailed Men are called "Dead-Beat-Dad's"
- When a woman gets pregnant: the Man has NO CHOICE, what soever. BUT 1. She can kill the baby even when he wants to keep it 2. He MUST pay child support, & support to her, if she choose to keep it.... for 18 years minum
- Men are REQUIRED, by law to register with selective services (draft) if they want to: go to School; get any Fed benefit; & to even to Vote; WHILE Women get all these "Rights of Citizenship" for FREE
- Men are victims in 85% of all domestic violence cases ..... BUT millions are spend on Stopping violence against Women (but fuk Men, they don't serve sh*t)
- Men are 2x more likely to be a non-reciprocating violence by a spouse (meaning women hit Men twice as often as Men hit women) ... and in these cases LAW requires that the Men get cuffed and jailed, NOT the women !!!

Thanks to Hate-filled Feminist, & the VAWA, Men are screwed in America.

There is only one solution: MGTOW !!!

Look up "girlwriteswhat" & "manwomanmyth" & "barbarossaaaa" channels, on YouTube for best information on this topic !

 

[opal]

SNIP

- in divorce, 85% time kids go the Mother, while the Men's pay is garnished. If you lose your job & can't pay, you go to JAIL... This is the ONLY form of debtors prison we have.... & to add insult to injury the jailed Men are called "Dead-Beat-Dad's"
- When a woman gets pregnant: the Man has NO CHOICE, what soever. BUT 1. She can kill the baby even when he wants to keep it 2. He MUST pay child support, & support to her, if she choose to keep it.... for 18 years minum

SNIP

um.. when I got divorced, yes, I did get custody of my daughter and awarded minimal child support for a special needs child of a whopping $200/mo, (no alimony - didn't want any part of that game) which got paid ONE TIME when my daughter was 3 years old. Then he disappeared. The court never went after him

 

[flailer]

um.. when I got divorced, yes, I did get custody of my daughter and awarded minimal child support for a special needs child of a whopping $200/mo, (no alimony - didn't want any part of that game) which got paid ONE TIME when my daughter was 3 years old. Then he disappeared. The court never went after him

WOW !!!

- He was an "Absconder". Some guys will do this BEFORE the divorce, as the family court system is hard on Men (that they can locate).

- Have you heard any of girlwriteswhat??? As a Divorced Woman, & a *Libertarian* she REALLY lays it all out !!!

- In all truthfulness i should have absconded - but didnt. The system RAPED me, & has done so to MILLIONS of other Men. And we are NOT talking about me suffering through a single raping: we are talking about RAPING: day-after-day; year-after-year RAPING.

GWW - girlwriteswhat - is a Divorced Woman, & a *Libertarian* and a Youtuber.... she REALLY lays it all out, in ALL her videos:

Title "My address to the NY Libertarian Party"
http://youtu.be/2LkYDpQQVJ0

 

[flailer]

another trial run

Hi all

I had another opportunity to try Van living, for 2 straight months, and liked it a WHOLE lot.

?? What did i like you ask:

1. The freedom of *choice* !! I was driving away from a wonderful spot (huge trees, ferns, waterfalls, walking trails, rural coffee-shop) ... leaving, heading out.... & you know what i did next? I TURNED AROUND & went back, after less than 20 miles.... Leaving just re-enforced why i was on the road: i found a place i would rather be!!!

2. The freedom from the *system* ... the *Evil Empire* as i like to call it. I spend so little money, that i feel good about NOT feeding the evil empire / paying taxes: Housing tax; Water tax; Power tax; anytime i spend money a lot of it goes the FED-Gov. About the only tax i pay while living this way is gasoline tax... & a bicycle or motorcycle goes a LONG way toward minimizing that!!! (food & meds not taxed by the system, yet)

3. Ultra-Low cost of Living. Hey, i feel really good about that. Guess i'm a natural-born cheap-skate. Clean socks, undies, & shirt, 4 cups of coffee, mixed fruit bfast, & I am a HAPPY man.

4. Free time !!!

5. Exploring !!! (woods, trails, creeks, by-ways, bike-paths, *libraries, coffee-shops, farmer's markets, beach-fronts, & yes, small hardware stores are fun too)

6. More hiking, walking, & just being friendly to strangers (brand new friends i like to call them) !!!

~ WONDERFUL STUFF ~ I'd encourage EVERYONE to drop out of the system ~



So.... why am i posting this you ask..... cause i am headed out again !!!. I'll be taking my time; crossing several mtn passes, i'll see deserts, lakes, beaches, & some family.

I traveled the world international as a mid-aged working-man, & now, as a youngish retired man, i am reverting to my teen-aged years of: Exploring, Camping, Hiking, and simply being a Wanderer who rarely refers to his maps.

This trip i'd like to do 5 months !!!! .... but have STRONG doubts my GF would take me back if i did so, and she is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL WOMAN !!!! (p.s. She has made several trips with me in the past, flying to meet & back again, or using the bus if that is better option). So, UNLESS she can meet me SOMEWHERE on this trip, i'll limit it to 4 weeks or less .....

- Books
- Books on CD (while driving)
- Food; fruit, nuts, veggies, dates, jerky, granola bars, rolled oats, sauces & spices, canned salmon, rice, beans, vitamins, coffee, filters, gatorade powder,
- day-pack / boots / bag / pad / tarp / rope
- clothing / glasses /
- minor tools
- computer / smartphone / chargers
..... if i was older, and the AARP wasn't such a supporter of FASCIST government.... i'd include their card too.

Peace Love n Joy to all my FAMILY MEMBERS in FREEDOM,
f

 

[Anti Federalist]

Good stuff in here...

 

[flailer]

Hi all,

Long time since my last update, so here goes:

- 4 solid trips this year (2014) 2 of them were for just over 2 months, 1 just over 1 month, 1 was 2.5 weeks. I have had a few others, but they were short & sweet.

- Several changes over the years of van living:
-- I still refuse to pay to camp anywhere (as I always have). In all these years I have paid a grand total of ONCE.
-- mostly, the BIGGEST change is the price of gas, next
-- I have changed my mind about the value of having a bathroom & shower: it isnt really that important (I'm 1 month into a trip now & I haven't used the toilet even once. & bathroom itself has become a storage room (now if a kayak would fit in there I'd be tickled pink)
-- the stovetop & refer are used quite often (the microwave rarely, if ever. same with the generator)
-- & lastly i have found several easy & handy ways around washing dishes in kitchen sink (in this case a double sink, which, as you guess it, just gets used for storage)

Wear & tear is a BIG issue, so cover everything you can with a sheet, towels, &/or throw rugs. Plus doing so make clean up a snap. Plan on Washing & waxing your rig often - important!

Peace n Joy to all my Freedom Loving Friends,
f