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  • #46
    Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

    Haven't had to clean toilets so far, just campsites...

    this past weekend was our weekend on duty...Interesting scenario occurred on Saturday night...
    LARGE motorhome (as in tour bus size) pulls into campground, goes around the loops 2x, comes to the host camp wanting to know where
    the 50 amp sites are...we have none...then wants to know about sites with sewer...again, we have none but we have 2 dump
    stations right where they are standing talking to us...
    another incident, person wants to know how long a bundle of wood would burn for? too many variables to give specific time limit...
    do people NOT do some investigating or research before they jump into a rented motorhome and head for the nearest campground...
    even the people at headquarters had the same reaction/response when I told them the story...

    Comment


    • #47
      Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

      Why would anyone assume a campground would have power? Next time just tell them to plug it into a currant bush.
      “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
      – E. B. White

      Comment


      • #48
        Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

        hello all! I know it's been quite a while since I last posted...was unable to access the forum to post updates for a while so just kind of gave up.
        anyway I'll try to update and be brief as possible...
        April 2, 2014 marked the ONE year anniversary of this adventure...there have been some changes in the last month...
        still tent camping only now I am flying solo...
        at the moment I am in a holding pattern, trying to build up a cash reserve so I can continue on my own...
        places we were at include in 2013/2014 were as follows:
        April-Maine, May-Tennessee, June/July-Texas, July/August-Tennessee, September-south central Texas(park hosting)
        October to Mid December- North central Texas, Mid December to Mid January-Ajo,Arizona & Phoenix. Then back to Hill country in Texas,
        up to North central Texas then over to West Texas...currently back in North central Texas(home base, so to speak)...
        will be here for another couple of weeks hopefully, then off to parts unknown...
        Have encountered drenching rains, excessive heat, freezing temps. as well as the ice storm from hell, 50 mph winds, and a myriad of
        assorted critters...coyotes, wild dogs, wild burros, prairie dogs and last but not least, alligators...
        Can't WAIT to continue on this journey, wherever it may lead... Peace and Blessings to all my fellow campers! Maybe we'll meet somewhere
        on the road...

        Comment


        • #49
          Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

          Hey TN good to get an update from ya!
          I've been quietly reading of your adventures and mulling thru the life choices we make as humans.
          I'm sure solo traveling will be a challenge but if anyone is up to bet it'll be you.
          Keep being your best.
          2017:

          July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
          Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



          Comment


          • #50
            Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

            Well, I've gone and done it now! Bought myself a newer and much bigger vehicle...2006 Ford E350 15 passenger V-8 5.0L van...
            Will be making some modifications to it so I can live in it and cruise on down the road when I want or need to.
            since I had to finance it, I'll definitely have to live in it for the next 5 years til it's paid off, as I can't afford it AND a
            place to live as well...I'm excited and scared all at the same time...
            I'll see if I can learn how to post pictures of the conversion project as I go along...

            Comment


            • #51
              Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

              Originally posted by TNONMYMIND View Post
              Well, I've gone and done it now! Bought myself a newer and much bigger vehicle...2006 Ford E350 15 passenger V-8 5.0L van...
              Will be making some modifications to it so I can live in it and cruise on down the road when I want or need to.
              since I had to finance it, I'll definitely have to live in it for the next 5 years til it's paid off, as I can't afford it AND a
              place to live as well...I'm excited and scared all at the same time...
              I'll see if I can learn how to post pictures of the conversion project as I go along...
              I would love to see those pictures. I have been watching Chris Penn's youtube channels (Chris Travels and Van Life Travel) where he has been recording living in his van full time. If you haven't seen them you may want to check them out. He just recently did some mods to the van that were really cool.
              “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
              – E. B. White

              Comment


              • #52
                Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                haven't started on the conversion of the van yet as it still isn't officially mine...just got the plates and registration today but my first payment
                isn't due til mid-july...when I make the payment I'll feel like it is finally on it's way to belonging to me...
                have gone back to living in the tent though, after a 6 week unscheduled break.
                set up again in the ex-husbands backyard, and this time did it ALL by myself...didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, especially since
                I only had half of the gear to fool with...so much more enjoyable this time around...
                All went well, then the storm blew through at 6:00 a.m. No leaks, no flapping tent, and the wind was pretty strong...YAY
                my first night alone in the tent...I CAN DO THIS!!!

                Comment


                • #53
                  Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                  Originally posted by TNONMYMIND View Post
                  haven't started on the conversion of the van yet as it still isn't officially mine...just got the plates and registration today but my first payment
                  isn't due til mid-july...when I make the payment I'll feel like it is finally on it's way to belonging to me...
                  have gone back to living in the tent though, after a 6 week unscheduled break.
                  set up again in the ex-husbands backyard, and this time did it ALL by myself...didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, especially since
                  I only had half of the gear to fool with...so much more enjoyable this time around...
                  All went well, then the storm blew through at 6:00 a.m. No leaks, no flapping tent, and the wind was pretty strong...YAY
                  my first night alone in the tent...I CAN DO THIS!!!
                  Glad you've a good relationship w/ your ex. Gotta say I giggle to self every time I read that. During the height of our post- divorce war the ex called me unexpectedly (collect) and asked if he could stay with me during a visit to the states. Told him I didn't think it was a good idea(recently had had a luverly dream about chopping him into little pieces that caused me to giggle uncontrollably for years after.....oops!).

                  What kind of tent do ya have?
                  2017:

                  July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
                  Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



                  Comment


                  • #54
                    Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                    NYCgrrl: I am in possession of a 9x12 Kodiak canvas tent...8-person capacity(?)...amazing how much room there is in it without
                    all the extra gear (BIG cot, suitcases etc.) for the extra person...
                    I am quite content and it really wasn't that hard for me to put up by myself...
                    Am having to wait for it to dry off enough so I can put the tarp over it to give it a little protection from the rain...It's a bear to fold up
                    wet when it's time to move again...hopefully it won't be long, as Texas is heating up...will mainly depend on the finances...
                    working on half the money we had before and a few more expenses have been added because of the change in vehicles.
                    God will provide for me and the "Dovemobile".


                    Know what you mean about "chopping him into little pieces"...felt the same way when my ex and I were getting divorced, but I've
                    mellowed since then and now we get along fine...even am friends with his current wife...amazing how things change with time.

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                      Malamute; saw your pm...think I have looked at the forum you mentioned. been a while though, so I'll check it out again, see what it has to offer.
                      Looks like things are on hold for awhile...need to get a little cash gathered, and some ideas put on paper as to what I want and need...
                      I will have to keep things to the bare minimum right now as until this van gets paid off there's nothing extra moneywise to work with...

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                        WOW how the time has flown...It's February 2015 already...
                        here's what's going on at present...
                        got back on the road November 2014 after being set up in the ex's back yard from June to mid-November
                        my travel companion came back to TX and we decided to start traveling again...
                        camped at Eisenhower State Park (TX) for a couple weeks getting re-organized then headed
                        to AZ...
                        Spent Christmas in Tonto National Forest (Oak Flat) BLM land in the Superior/Globe area...then moved on to Yuma Area,
                        Squaw Lake and Mittry Lake
                        Just left Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument campgrounds, now headed back to Texas to do some dog/house sitting...
                        Avoided the snow/ice better part of the winter...unfortunately we'll be getting back to home territory just in time for
                        some nasty weather...won't have to stay in the tent this time around though...
                        hope to do some work on the van to get it set up to at least sleep in while we travel from one place to the next, and save on
                        motel bills along the way. setting up the canvas tent for one night is more work than we care to do...
                        depending on the weather will determine where we go to next, but considering a trip back to Maine in July/August, Southeast Tx. in
                        September then Tx. Panhandle and along Rt. 66 in New Mexico into AZ. again for October/November...then spend the winter again
                        in south and western AZ...all subject to change of course...

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                          Happy to have found this thread! The husband and I are planning on living sort-of full time in a tent when we leave this contract in Brazil. The loose plan is to work one or two seasonal jobs for about half the year, house sit as much as possible, and live in a tent out of our Jeep Wrangler the rest of the time.

                          Good information here! Would love another update from you, TNONMYMIND.

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                            Wow, what a cool thread! Can't wait for the next update from TNONMYMIND!

                            The people who used to own the land neighboring mine lived in a tent for a few years after buying the land, until they could afford to by a mobile home to put on it.

                            I've been a member of VanDwellers on Yahoo for many, many years ... maybe 15 years ... so I have read lots of great adventures (and nightmares) of people who live this kind of lifestyle. Many of them live from small cars, not even vans, and sometimes tent.

                            I would never have the nerve to do it myself, although I've always been attracted to the nomadic, minimalist lifestyle so I live vicariously through them.

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                              well, I'm back for another update for those interested.
                              we set up camp at a Corp of Engineers campground... we had a really wet spring here in Texas
                              and Lake Texoma went over the spillway twice within a 30 day period.
                              Tent was set up at the damsite campground during part of that time period...winds came up and pulled the tarp off the tent even though
                              it was securely staked out...we baled to the van for the rest of that night and assessed the damage in the daylight...found we had an indoor swimming pool inside the tent.. the tarp had held on the backside of the tent but had pushed the poles down and the sag in the roof collected water
                              causing it to leak into the tent itself... several hours later the tent was bailed out of all the water, things were set out to dry... tent was completely dried out after two days of sun, folded and put away... stayed in the van for a few nights due to more rain...
                              end of May we went to Livingston, Tx. to take care of some business staying in motels or sleeping in the van...
                              June found us finally back on the road headed to New Mexico, stopping for one night at a time along the way at State Parks in the Texas panhandle and northeast New Mexico... slept in van along the way...traveled along old rt. 66 and up into the Taos/Angel Fire area...absolutely
                              gorgeous/breathtaking scenery all through the area...spent two weeks in the Abiqieu/ espanola area before having to go back to Texas to replace my driver's license, and other documents that had been lost somewhere in Espanola, NM. Mid-June through Early August found us stranded in Texas
                              with a broken transmission and the resulting repairs...camped out in friends back yard til we could afford to get the van back...
                              Mid-August we got on rode and went to north-west Arkansas to try and get away from the hot temperatures in Texas... Beaver Lake, Lake Dardanelle were both pretty locations to spend some time at...Arkansas State parks are well kept, rates are reasonable. Back again to Texas for VA appts. then back to Arkansas for a few more weeks, this time to Corp of Engineers campgrounds on Lake Greeson and DeQueen Lake...
                              Going back to Texas for 3 weeks of dog/housesitting then who knows where to after that... spending more nights sleeping in the van this time around...

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Re: full-time tent living...anyone doing it?

                                You are still at it! Go grrl.....I was wondering about you:cool:.

                                Sorry about the rain out but it seems it was a rather wet spring to summer all over the country. Do you think additional guylines would have made a difference? Beaver Lake, AK? Pretty sure I've a cyber friend who hosts there. She recently folded the tent and bought a trailer.

                                Are you using a heater in the tent and how is that cot doing? Any regrets/concerns/popsicle moments?
                                2017:

                                July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
                                Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



                                Comment

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