Mr. Mang Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 my lease runs out in july and i am considering going on the road for the summer visiting friends and doing an intership out in LA for a small company a girl i know owns. getting out of the midwest... skating tons of parks... shooting photos and seeing friends. sounds like a good summer to me. rather than worrying about paying lots of money to rent a place or sleep in a motel, i am thinking of possibly getting a work van and living out of there for the summer. i could crash there when i was not staying with friends and wouldnt have to worry about burdening anyone. plus i dont want the commitment of working 40 hours a week just to pay rent temporarily. i could lurk up in SF for a while and see if i want to stay there or not. i was wondering if anyone has done anything similar to this and/or could offer me some advice. seems like 12oz has a lot of well traveled and experienced people on here. any help would be appreciated! anchorless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.T Boy Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 down by the river? sorry had to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mang Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 Originally posted by T.T Boy@Jan 24 2006, 06:02 PM down by the river? sorry had to. Quoted post i saw that coming from a mile away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Birch Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 I wish I had options like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny ballbags Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 i fuckin hear ya^^^^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horse cock Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 it's all good until a girl asks to go back to your place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ego maniac Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Originally posted by Mr. Mang@Jan 24 2006, 07:01 PM my lease runs out in july and i am considering going on the road for the summer visiting friends and doing an intership out in LA for a small company a girl i know owns. getting out of the midwest... skating tons of parks... shooting photos and seeing friends. sounds like a good summer to me. rather than worrying about paying lots of money to rent a place or sleep in a motel, i am thinking of possibly getting a work van and living out of there for the summer. i could crash there when i was not staying with friends and wouldnt have to worry about burdening anyone. plus i dont want the commitment of working 40 hours a week just to pay rent temporarily. i could lurk up in SF for a while and see if i want to stay there or not. i was wondering if anyone has done anything similar to this and/or could offer me some advice. seems like 12oz has a lot of well traveled and experienced people on here. any help would be appreciated! anchorless. Quoted post hmmm.... where will you bathe? I guess the "down by a river" thing sounds like a plan now ay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAustin Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 never done it, but I suppose you could: use those neutral smelling baby/quick wipes and you won't really need to shower. shave your head or just let it go greasy and you won't need to worry about shampoo. wait...you said July. might want to pick up a tent or something also...that July/August heat would be brutal in a van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spectr Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Originally posted by Mr. Mang@Jan 24 2006, 06:01 PM my lease runs out in july and i am considering going on the road for the summer visiting friends and doing an intership out in LA for a small company a girl i know owns. getting out of the midwest... skating tons of parks... shooting photos and seeing friends. sounds like a good summer to me. rather than worrying about paying lots of money to rent a place or sleep in a motel, i am thinking of possibly getting a work van and living out of there for the summer. i could crash there when i was not staying with friends and wouldnt have to worry about burdening anyone. plus i dont want the commitment of working 40 hours a week just to pay rent temporarily. i could lurk up in SF for a while and see if i want to stay there or not. i was wondering if anyone has done anything similar to this and/or could offer me some advice. seems like 12oz has a lot of well traveled and experienced people on here. any help would be appreciated! anchorless. Quoted post shit man all i ever do is travel, yeah vans arent that bad to live out of but maybe try to get a short bus you can pimp those out allot more then a van. yeah and showers aren't much of a problem just get some gym membership or rock hotel pools etc the only shit that sucks about living in a van in the city is finding good spots to park it for long periods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Durden Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Originally posted by ego maniac@Jan 24 2006, 06:09 PM hmmm.... where will you bathe? Quoted post I forgot where I'd read this, but someone put out a free PDF book about being homeless by choice and it really focused on living out of a van in a climate such as Cali/Hawaii. If I can remember the name or where I found it I'll post it here.... but he did say that for bathing purposes, when he couldnt use a friends shower, he would just find the local YMCA and take care of bathing there. Or wash up in a restaurant bathroom somewhere, in the worst case scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunTimePartyTeam Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 People do it all the time in Venice (LA). I see theyre smelly asses all the time, they hang out on Rose st around 7th st. You should go ask them how their life is going. I have to say aside from bathing, and not being able to bring the women back to your pad, it might not be so bad. All you need is a subscription to the YMCA. Thatll take care of the bathing, and if youre clean enough maybe shell invite you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Mang Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 yeah, bathing is certainly a concern, but i am sure i could use somebodys shower or if it came down to it - the YMCA. i know living in a van is pretty (very) sleazy, but i would only do it for the summer (or til i decided to settle in and get $ for a a place). girls would totally be bummed if they found out (no pun intended). but.. i'm not a slut magnet so im not worried. maybe theyd feel sorry for me. i just want to do a ton of skating and experience a lot of things without being so tied down. it'd only be temporary for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
count chocula Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOOGLE? Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 the shower isnt much of a problem, but gas is a larger one. food is easy since there are food pantries all over america and at least one or two in each town or city you should look into personal safety of yourself and the security of your van and its belongings inside. try planning a linear path from one destination to the next and keep your objectives intact....i got lost in oklahoma because of this. research each place you plan on going to for..shelters/temporary work agencies/communes if at all possible/ human resource centers/hospitals..ect.. i'd do a bit more detailed explanation..but i'm amost about to beat zombies ate my neighbors.. if anything head to a local book shop and check out books on vagabonding/world travel and such.. and dont read anything by rolf potts...he's a rich ass unconnected with real travel.. and a crust punk with a bottle of jack d is a friend indeed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunTimePartyTeam Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Originally posted by Mr. Mang@Jan 24 2006, 03:32 PM i'm not a slut magnet so im not worried. maybe theyd feel sorry for me. Quoted post Van-pity sex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earmuffs Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Originally posted by FunTimePartyTeam+Jan 24 2006, 05:07 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FunTimePartyTeam - Jan 24 2006, 05:07 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Mr. Mang@Jan 24 2006, 03:32 PM i'm not a slut magnet so im not worried. maybe theyd feel sorry for me. Quoted post Van-pity sex? Quoted post [/b] :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Jug Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 When I used to live near the bay my uncle would live in his van that was parked in front of my house and when he would go into my house to eat me and my cousin would go into his van and play "house" and makeout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIZENO Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I've met people who work 40 hr/ week jobs that do this. With little or no responsibility it could be a blast. For the girl aspect ... the truth of wandering could be a turn on for quite a few. As for the skate spots I would start in San Diego and work up the state from there. sk8 parks in So Cal Locals at the parks can get you to the real spots. Fuck start planning and get it done !!!! find a used van conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 YMCA memberships are actually kind of expensive, and not necessarily valid at all YMCA's. (i know this from experience). you can usually stop in and say that you're thinking about joining and ask for a day pass. sometimes they'll want to give you a tour, it takes about ten minutes then you're all set. lying day in and day out is kind of annoying though. you can take showers at alot of bigger truck stops. cost you a couple bucks, but if you're so dirty that a washcloth and a sink aren't enough to do the trick, then it's handy. really though, you can stay pretty clean just by, well, being clean. change your clothes, wear deoderant, wash your armpits. get some 'baby wipes' for your ass and balls (wash the balls first, duh). once you get to cali, at most ocean beaches they have showers for washing off salt/sand. pretty much, unless you're a beastly pig of a man, you should be fine with only showering every few days. not that you're concerned, but any girl that's gonna fuck you is gonna be just as inclined to do it when she finds out you're on a big road trip, as she would be if you were some local jerk off with a shitty apartment. sleeping in van's isn't that bad as long as you have windows that can be opened to let a breeze go through. even in cali, it gets cool enough at night usually. you won't be able to sleep in real late, but that's not a big deal. i'd say go for it. road trips are the shit that you'll never forget, and that you always look back on fondly. even if shit goes horribly wrong and you're nearly mauled by a bear, after you're safe it's an awesome story for your kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gat Bush Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 ive actually contemplated this for a while. what better way to beat the high rent situation in NY than live in a VW camper van? i just hope i could still find one of those VW hippie wagons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wreck1 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 a lot of places wont do anything for you if you do not have an address.. im in between moving right now and living in a hotel.. shits ruthless. good luck though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF1 Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I've done it in a car. A van woulda been alot sweeter cause you can throw down a matress and spread out alot easier. I would just find a somewhat clean creek and jump in with a bar of soap. I'm sure a lake or river would do. I even got pussy while I was doing it but then I was also around 19 or so and the 16 year old girls back then weren't as stuck-up as they are these days. Be used to sleeping in your own sweat though. It get's hot as fuck sleeping in a car or a van. Also hotel parking lots are a good spot to park for the night. Or apartments that don't have strict parking lots-->preferably under a large tree (for shade). For all it's draw backs... It was the most freedom I've ever felt in my life (No hippie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracksmoka Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 you wont have time to live in a van down by the river... when your living in a van, DOWN BY THE RIVER!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 oh yeah, you can also sneak into most hotels pools. i wouldnt advise bringing a bar of soap, but just getting wet will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadawhat Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 'hey ladies, want the tour?' I say go for it.. that would be an awesome summer. something you would always remember for sure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOOGLE? Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 i worry about you jug.. on a side note.. zombies ate my neighbors has got to be a game with the most anticlimatic ending in the friggen world..disapointed....such a good game too.. beach and lake cities should have those wash stalls near by the sanded areas as well for wash essential things are. flashlight enough assorted batteries to last at least 5 months two first aid kits portable hot plate glowsticks...blue/red/and green some sort of mosquito repellent....and bug spray extra gallon of water for the car emergancy cell phone gasoline can...if you can put gas in it if you have a plase to put it bare minimum car tools or more if you are car knowledgable journey log...a planner should work/ it helps with directions/landmarks/and girls numbers a good winter jacket..if you plan on crossing desert or high altitudes gloves small bag of cat litter as much music as you can possibly bring pad locks/chains some sort of defensive weapon/ pepper spray,mourning star whatever suits you ..just nothing used for offensive a cooler/minifridge -----------------------can opener--- plastic and metal utinsils one of those mini fog horn thingies binaculars chapstick k.y if you get lonely a list of hotels in each area emergency contact number..wich should be in you glove box and in your wallet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadawhat Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 plus a DC / AC power converter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 build a safe into the bottom but make it discreet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatalist Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 i have no advice, but i'll give you some encouragement. you should do it. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnimeeOne Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Spending a summer backpacking has it's similaritys. A van would be luxury compared to how I was livin for a while there.. haha Yeah an I still got chicks.. MORE THAN EVER! hahah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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